Episodes
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In today's episode, host Teresa McQueen talks with Alex Geesbreght about "Performance Reviews : A New Mindset."
Alex Geesbreght is the Founder and Partner of PRAX Leadership, LLC, Geesbreght Capital, LP, and Geesbreght Group LLC. He is also a former Owner of Emergency Medicine Consultants, where he served in various roles including General Counsel, President, and Chief Strategy Officer for over sixteen years until the sale of the company in 2018.
Performance Reviews can be a risk management tool and a way to determine pay. Teresa and Alex reflect on how having different perspectives on performance reviews can be useful for organizations. If businesses treated their employees like family, it could change how performance reviews are approached. Conflict resolution can be avoided when performance reviews are held more than annually or twice a year. Regular feedback is important, though it can be uncomfortable, and can lead to growth and improvement. Open and honest communication is crucial and can have long-lasting positive impacts.
While technology provides many ways to communicate, it can create barriers to basic human interaction. Properly setting up organizational charts is important for creating a more natural and efficient work environment.
To connect with Alex, please visit: www.praxleadership.com
“If businesses did a better job of treating their people like they treat their families, I think you would have a different perspective on a performance review.”
Alex Geesbreght
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:22New Perspective on Performance Reviews
16:15Break and Public Service Announcement
16:58Getting Practical with Performance Reviews
33:29Teresa's Closing Remarks -
In today's episode, Teresa and guest Deborah Grayson Riegel discuss "The Value in Encouraging Honest Feedback." Deborah Grayson Riegel is a keynote speaker and consultant who teaches leadership communication for Wharton Business School and Columbia Business School. She regularly contributes to Harvard Business Review, Inc., Psychology Today, Forbes, and Fast Company. The author of “Overcoming Overthinking: 36 Ways to Tame Anxiety for Work, School, and Life,” she consults and speaks for clients including Amazon, BlackRock, KraftHeinz, and The United States Army. Her work has been featured worldwide, including Bloomberg Businessweek, Oprah Magazine, and The New York Times.
Teresa and Deborah discuss how to encourage your employees to give honest feedback and that it can be helpful outside of the workplace as well. Deborah gives tips on how to get in the right mindset to receive feedback and talks about her '2% Rule.' They also talk about common barriers faced when receiving feedback and how often it should take place. You want to "increase the frequency and decrease the intensity" as Deborah says.
If you are only asking for feedback once a year, you should expect that you're gonna have a gripe session
Deborah Grayson Riegel
To read the article discussed in the show click here
To connect with Deborah Grayson Riegel here
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:15Why is feedback important?
11:38Break and Public Service Announcement
12:29Common barriers to receiving feedback
21:33Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
Missing episodes?
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Today's guest is Carol Kauffman, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, the founder of the Institute of Coaching, author of Real-Time Leadership: Find Your Winning Moves When the Stakes Are High, and co-author of The Power of Options. Teresa and Carol discuss "Adapt & Thrive: The Promise of Flexible Leadership."
Teresa and Carol talk about why leaders need to stay agile in their decision-making process. Carol gives her tips on how to plan things out to get agile on your feet.
Connect with Carol : https://carolkauffman.com/
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:22How Leaders Can Improve
12:08Break and Public Service Announcement
12:45How to Plan
15:35Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
Today's guest is Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier, a bilingual practicing psychologist with over 20 years of experience in clinical psychology and advisory workplace psychology and holds a Ph.D. and an MBA from the University of British Columbia. Marie-Helene, is a Member of the Global Clinical Practice Network of the World Health Organization, and past Director on the boards of the Canadian Psychological Association and the International Association of Applied Psychology. In 2024, Dr. Pelletier published her book, The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health. Teresa and Marie-Helene discuss "The Power of Relisiency."
Teresa and Marie-Helene discuss what it means to be resilient and the importance of cultivating this skill. They talk about how creating a resiliency plan can improve work performance and mental health and how to build and nurture resiliency.
Connect with Marie-Helene:
Order the Book: https://theresilienceplan.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmhpelletier/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmhpelletier
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ryCJz3vUfYZOxegc41DZQ
Website: https://drmarie-helene.com/
Episode Timeline
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:15The Importance in Cultivating Resiliency
09:11Break and Public Service Announcement
09:55Build and Nurture Resiliency
23:24Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
Today's guest is Sabina Nawaz, a global CEO coach, leadership keynote speaker, and writer working in over 26 countries. She’s the author of the upcoming book, You’re the Boss, Everything You Need to know (and Thought You Did) by Simon & Schuster. She advises C-level executives in Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and academic institutions. Sabina also teaches faculty at Northeastern University and facilitates a faculty fellowship development program at Drexel University. Teresa and Sabina talk about "Getting Curious."
Teresa and Sabina talk about how to bring curiosity into the workplace, and how it can make a better work environment. Sabina also gives her cautionary tales regarding curiosity.
To read Sabina's article, How Curiosity Can Make Your Meetings — and Team — Better
To connect with Sabina, click here
Episode Timeline
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:24Why Curiosity?
10:00Break and Public Service Announcement
10:45How to Bring Curiousity into the Workplace
20:42Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
Today's guest is Dr. Paul White, psychologist, speaker, and leadership expert who “makes workrelationships work.” He has been interviewed by the New York Times, BBC News, and other international publications. Dr. White is the coauthor of the best-selling book, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, which has sold over 575,000 copies (with Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages.) Teresa and Dr. White discuss "Exploring the 5 Languages of Appreciation."
Teresa and Dr. White discuss his book which talks about the ways leaders and employees can increase engagement and cultivate a more positive work environment and how he and Dr. Gary Chapman adapted this concept to the workplace.
They also talk about why it is important to show appreciation to your co-workers and how different approaches can work.
To find out more information on Dr. Paul White
Website: https://www.appreciationatwork.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-white-ph-d-3178276/
Book: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace www.appreciationatwork.com
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:26Why Appreciation is so Important
08:48Break and Public Service Announcement
09:335 Languages of Appreciation
20:20Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
Join us today for a Special Episode of Workplace Perspective "State of Women at Work" to celebrate International Women's Day.
For more information on International Women's Day and events near you, click here
To read McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2023, click here -
In today's episode, Teresa discusses "Legal Deadline Update and Cautionary Tales from the Courtroom." Teresa reminds our California employers of a few important deadlines and reports on a significant change in the law that could have a lot of California companies on the wrong side of California's privacy protection laws.
Legal Update Topics Discussed Today:
Business Use Rate for 2024 is 67 cents a mile
Active-duty Military medical or moving purposes is 21 cents a mile
Charitable Organizations remains the same at 14 cents a mile
California Law Prohibits Workplace Discrimination and Harassment new poster and other required posters can be downloaded for free from the CRD’s website
California Pay Day Reporting - California Civil Rights Department (CRD)
California AB 1076 February 14, 2024 deadline
California Court of Appeal has reinstated the California Privacy Protection Agency’s ability to enforce previously stayed California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) regulations set to take effect on March 29, 2024
US DOL’s Final Rule for determining who is an independent contractor under Federal Law goes into effect on March 11, 2024
Cautionary Tales Discussed Today:
There are no magic words when it comes to paying overtime
Refusal to Engage With a Disabled Employee Lead to $1.6 Millon Dollar Verdict
To Listen to Teresa's last Legal Update click here
Episode Timeline
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:31Legal Deadline Update
11:40Break and Public Service Announcement
12:26Cautionary Tales
22:16Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
Today's guest is Peter Stockburger, the office managing partner for the Firm’s San Diego office, a member of the Firm’s Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies group, and co-lead of the Firm’s Autonomous Vehicle practice. Teresa and Peter discuss 'Cyber Security: Is Your Organization Ready?'
Most of today's organizations work with digital files, long gone are the days of file rooms. So, are these employers ready to safeguard these files? Teresa and Peter discuss the laws for cyber security and what employers need to do to keep their files safe. Employers have lots of personal information in their files; benefits information, Human Resource files, Social Security, and Financial information. Most of the laws are at the state level. Peter helps to define what is 'responsible' when it comes to the protection of cybersecurity.
Teresa and Peter also discuss the unique cybersecurity challenges with so many employees working remotely and how employers can balance the need for cybersecurity with employees' workplace privacy rights.
You are as stongest as your weakest link within your organization
Peter Stockburger
The resources Peter talked about can be found here:
https://www.nist.gov/
https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/cis-controls-list
Connect with Peter here
To listen to past episodes with Peter:
Episode #105- Are You Ready for the CPRA? – Peter Stockburger
Episode #71 – Demystifying the CA Privacy Rights Act – Part 2 : Peter Stockburger
Episode #70 – Demystifying the CA Privacy Rights Act – Part 1 : Peter Stockburger
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:26Cybersecurity - A Critical Issue
11:32Break and Public Service Announcement
12:10What you can do for Cybersecurity
22:24Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
Today's guest is Dr. Natale M. Marr, Clinical Psychologist, and Life Transition Expert at Learn to Love Your Story. Teresa and Dr. Natale talk about "Selfish is the new Selfless."
In this episode, Teresa and Dr. Natalie discuss what it means to be selfish and how sometimes the best thing that we can do for ourselves and those around us, is to put ourselves and our well-being first, in order to be the person everyone else needs us to be.
Dr. Natalie gives us her Tips for Getting on the Road; being aware, being compassionate, and making empowered choices.
For more information on Dr. Natalie or to connect with her, click here.
The idea that, honestly to be selfless, you have to be dialed into your self care"
Dr. Natalie M. Marr
Episode Timeline
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:40Rethinking selfish
11:00Break and Public Service Announcement
11:35Tips for Getting on the Road
23:58Teresa’s Closing Remarks -
In today's episode, Teresa gives her annual Legal Update for changes happening on January 1, 2024. Out of the 1,046 bills sent to Governor Newsome for signature, 890 were signed and 156 were vetoed. 80 employment-related bills were signed with 26 vetoed. All bills, except those designated as emergency measures or as otherwise noted, take effect January 1, 2024.
Legal Update Topics Discussed Today:
Minimum Wage Increases - The minimum wage in California will increase to $16.00 an hour. (Review the UC Berkeley Labor Center’s detailed list of local minimum wage ordinances for additional guidance.)
AB 2188 Discrimination in Employment: Use of Cannabis (Chapters 2 and 5) - AB 2188 makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate in hiring, termination, or any term or condition of employment, or otherwise penalize an individual if the discrimination is based on the individual’s use of cannabis off the job and away from the workplace.
SB 700 – Employment Discrimination: Cannabis Use (Chapters 2 and 5) - SB 700 expands existing lawful use of cannabis outside the workplace by making it unlawful for an employer to take any adverse employment action (i.e., take any action that would negatively impact the employee’s terms or conditions of employment) against an employee for off-duty cannabis use.
Fair Chance Act (Ban the Box) Regulation Update (Chapter 2) - The California Office of Administrative Law approved amendments to the California Fair Chance Act regulations, as proposed by the California Civil Rights Council. These changes impact employers with five or more employees and involve inquiries into an applicant's criminal history before a job offer or in other subsequent employment decisions (e.g., promotion, training, discipline, layoff, and termination) and the criminal history of current employees.
SB 497 – Protected Employee Conduct (The Equal Pay and Anti-Retaliation Protection Act) (Chapter 4) - SB 497 amends various sections of the Labor Code by creating a rebuttable presumption in favor of an employee’s claim of retaliation if the employer takes any adverse action against the individual within 90 days of the employee’s having engaged in protected activity.
SB 616 – Sick Days: Paid Sick Days Accrual and Use (Chapters 4 and 5) - SB 616 amends the Healthy Workplace, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (HWHFA) by increasing accrual/frontloading paid sick leave mandates from 24 hours (3 days) to 40 hours (5 days) and increasing cap amounts to 80 hours.
SB 848 - Leave for Reproductive Loss (Chapter 5) - SB 848 makes it unlawful for a covered employer to refuse to grant Reproductive Leave (“Leave”) following a miscarriage, failed surrogacy, stillbirth, unsuccessful “assisted reproduction” (i.e., artificial insemination or embryo transfer), or failed adoption.
SB 553 – Workplace Violence: Restraining Orders and Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (Chapter 7) - This law takes effect July 1, 2024 -
SB 553 requires covered employers in California to; develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan that meets the law’s specific standards; maintain a violent incident log to record any violent workplace incidents or threats; provide comprehensive training to all employees on workplace violence prevention; and keep records related to the workplace violence prevention plan to ensure compliance. Maintain these records for at least five years and produce them to Cal/OSHA upon request.
California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA) (Chapter 5) - The CPRA became effective January 1, 2023. However, regulatory enforcement is stayed until March 29, 2024 - Current employer exemptions in the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) were eliminated in accordance with the CPRA when it became effective January 1, 2023.
SB 699 – Contracts in Restraint of Trade - Existing law concerning restrictive covenants (e.g., non-competition, non-solicitation agreements) regulates business activities to maintai... -
In today's episode, Teresa talks with Heidi Gardner about "Energizing Hybrid Collaboration." Heidi is a Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law School’s Center on the Legal Profession and Program Chair of the Sector Leadership Master Class and Smarter Collaboration Master Class.
Earlier this year, Heidi wrote an article "Is Your Hybrid Team Losing Steam?" which talks about how business stressors are causing one in four employees globally to feel burned out. These strains of hybrid working, have made collaboration harder for teams that are increasingly siloed and fragmented. Employees still need to reach benchmarks and employers need to find ways to keep their workers motivated.
In our post-COVID era, more workers are turning to remote working, and meetings that were once in person are being done via Zoom or other virtual methods making collaboration more difficult. Heidi outlines ways employers can tap into their employee's strengths to be successful and how employers can remain positive.
Teresa and Heidi discuss that collaborative teams have the opportunity to promote stronger results, faster innovation, and higher employee engagement when they tap into employees’ energy correctly. Three different paths successful, and energizing leaders must take to engender positive energy for strong hybrid collaboration are:
Channeling
Generating
Multiplying
To read Heidi's article click here
To connect with Heidi click here
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:23What Employees and Employers Face
13:17Break and Public Service Announcement
13:46Positive Energy
29:26Teresa's Closing Remarks -
In today's episode, Teresa talks with Elizabeth Grace Saunders-Lukasik about "Making Time to Connect." Elizabeth is the founder and CEO of Real Life E, a time management coaching company that empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed, and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident, and accomplished. She was named one of the World’s Top 30 Time Management Professionals by Global Gurus.
Teresa and Elizabeth talk about how to connect with fellow employees when you work in person, hybrid, or virtual without getting too personal. Elizabeth gives her tips for connecting with employees, but also how to stay productive. They also discuss how hybrid and virtual employees can stay connected to other employees at the office. Elizabeth gives her ideas on how employers and leaders can stay connected with their employees and check in on them.
Connect with Elizabeth here
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:24Staying Connected
09:50Break and Public Service Announcement
10:14How Leaders Stay Connected
19:45Teresa's Closing Remarks -
On today's episode, Teresa interviews Freek Vermeulen, a professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School. October marks the start of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In continuing to honor this year’s theme, “Advancing Access and Equity," we’re dedicating today’s episode to highlighting the competitive advantages inherent in hiring those with disabilities. Teresa and Freek discuss his research into ‘Disability as a Source of Competitive Advantage.’
They discuss the common misconceptions employers may have about inclusion in the workplace for people with disabilities. Freek and Luisa Alemany recently published their study that was in Harvard Business Review, "Disability as a Source of Competitive Advantage. Employing people with disabilities can significantly improve an organization." This concluded that companies realize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion. But most focus on gender and ethnicity, paying less attention to people with disabilities.
In the United Kingdom, people without disabilities, of employable age are 81% rate of employment, whereas people with disabilities are just 53% employed. People with a disability struggle with employment.
Freek and Luisa interviewed mostly European companies but also included companies in Columbia, some being multi-national.
The study found that when you hire people with disabilities it can lead to a real competitive advantage, here are the many ways:
Disabilities often confer unique talents that make people better at particular jobs.
The presence of employees with disabilities elevates the culture of the entire organization, making it more collaborative and boosting productivity.
A reputation for inclusiveness enhances a firm’s value proposition with customers, who become more willing to build long-term relationships with the company.
Being recognized as socially responsible gives a firm an edge in the competition for capital and talent.
To connect with Freek click here
To read the article, click here
For information on National Disability Employment Awareness Month, click here
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:32Common Misconceptions About Inclusion
08:31Break and Public Service Announcement
8:55Advantages of Hiring People with Disabilities
017:06Teresa's Closing Remarks -
On today's episode, Teresa talks to Patrick Simon about 'The State of Organizations.' Dr. Patrick Simon is a Senior Partner at McKinsey and Company. He recently published a new report "The State of Organizations 2023: Ten shifts transforming organizations."
The report surveyed more than 2,500 business leaders around the world, the developed four points to consider in addressing the ten organizational shifts. Patrick said he was the most surprised about the consistency in responses they received from organizations from different countries.
The Ten Most Significant Shifts Facing Organizations Today are:
Increasing speed, strengthening resilience.
‘True hybrid’: The new balance of in-person and remote work.
Making way for applied AI.
New rules of attraction, retention, and attrition.
Closing the capability chasm.
Walking the talent tightrope.
Leadership that is self-aware and inspiring.
Making meaningful progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Mental health: Investing in a portfolio of interventions.
Efficiency reloaded.
To read the report, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-state-of-organizations-2023
To connect with Patrick Simon: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/patrick-simon
4 out of 5 people that experience hybrid work models, don't want to go back
Patrick Simon
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:23State of Organization Report Results
08:08Break and Public Service Announcement
8:35Best Practices
17:19Teresa's Closing Remarks -
Today Teresa is joined by Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary, Ph.D. to talk about "The Anxiety Advantage." Dr. Dennis-Tiwary is a researcher, entrepreneur, and author of the book Future Tense: Why Anxiety is Good for You (Even Though it Feels Bad). She is a professor of psychology and neuroscience and Director of the Emotion Regulation Lab at The City University of New York.
Teresa and Dr. Dennis-Tiwary discuss how everyone has anxiety and it's not going away, so when we treat it like an ally and change our mindset we can conquer our anxiety and turn it into good. Anxiety can be good for you, even though it feels bad.
Dr. Dennis-Tiwary talks about a study where people who have public speaking anxiety were told they would have to give a speech about a complicated subject. Half the people were told to change their mindset about the speech and the other half were told nothing. In the end, the people who were taught to think about anxiety differently performed better and felt better about their speech.
Dr. Tracy talks about her 3 L's
Listen
Leverage
Left Go
Using these practicalities can help flip the narrative on anxiety and use it positively.
Connect with Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary, Ph.D. here
For more information on her book, click here
The flipside of anxiety is hope
Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary, Ph.D.
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:22Why Can Anxiety Be Good?
10:13Break and Public Service Announcement
10:35Listen, Leverage, and Let Go
18:53Teresa's Closing Remarks -
Today's guest is Aimee Gindin from LifeSpeak, Inc. Workplace Perspective host, Teresa McQueen talks with Aimee about 'Creating a Culture of Belonging.' Aimee is the Chief Marketing Officer at LifeSpeak Inc. In her role, Ms. Gindin is responsible for the go-to-market strategy, communications, and growth of the corporation and its full suite of well-being products.
Teresa and Aimee discuss a new survey from LifeSpeak Inc. indicates that belonging can have a major ripple effect throughout an organization. 1,000 employees and 1,000 human resources professionals in the Fall of 2022 were surveyed, and it was found that a worker’s sense of belonging was linked to well-being. Aimee defines workplace belonging as 'every employee who belongs feels accepted, respected, and valued by colleagues and the organization as a whole.' Aimee shared what she was surprised about from the results and how employers can focus on employee well-being to help with how the employees feel better at work. The survey shows that employees with low belonging are 59% more likely to quit due to mental health. Educating managers to recognize when an employee is struggling and then be able to address it successfully is one way to help. 73% of respondents indicated they would be more likely to stay at their job if their organization offered mental health and well-being benefits and 52% of workers said their company offers employee health and wellbeing benefits.
One size fits none
Aimee Gindin
To connect with Aimee: www.lifespeak.com
For more information on the survey click here
For the full survey click here
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:22Survey Results
14:24Break and Public Service Announcement
14:48How to Improve
26:57Teresa's Closing Remarks -
Today’s guest is Anthony Casablanca. SAFFIRE LEGAL PC’s founder and principal attorney Teresa McQueen talks with Anthony about the dying art of leadership.
Episode Timeline
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:28What is Grief Leadership?
16:26Break and Public Service Announcement
17:43Red-Flag Grief Related Behaviors -
In today's episode, Teresa is joined by Nadine Durbach, Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist, to discuss Mental Health: An Emerging Awareness.
Teresa and Nadine talk about how many leaders are in the best position to see changes or be told of changes in their employees and addressing the issue is better than thinking it will go away. There has been a shift in how employees and employers have changed their thinking about mental health awareness in the workplace.
They also talk about why it is important for leaders to be talking about mental health and sharing their own personal experiences. It is good for the bottom dollar to recognize mentally healthy employees make for a healthy workplace and stress will impact it.
To connect with Nadine: https://nadinedurbachlcsw.com/
Instagram: @nadinedlcsw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nadinelcsw
What we struggle with on the home front, it doesn't get left at the front door of the building
Nadine Durbach
MENTAL-HEALTH-RESOURCES-2022Download
Episode Timestamp
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:28Shift in Mental Health Awareness
08:14Break and Public Service Announcement
08:38Addressing Mental Health
19:59Teresa's Closing Remarks -
In today's episode, Teresa is joined by Andrea Belk Olson, a published author, a contributor to Harvard Business Review, and a TEDx Speaker. Teresa and Andrea discuss "Buy-in For Organizational Change."
Topics discussed in this episode:
Why is it important for the employee to buy-in to organizational change
How can an organization rebuild trust when they have a bad record of following through on organizational change?
Six Components of Culture, that will create success when it comes to corporate change (Legitimacy, Ownership, Relevance, Attainability, Authenticity, and Impartiality)
To connect with Andrea: www.pragmadik.com and www.andreabelkolson.com
To read Andrea's Article click here
Episode Timeline
00:06Introduction and Disclaimer
01:22Why is Organizational Change Buy-In good?
08:57Break and Public Service Announcement
09:21Six Components of Culture
26:50Teresa's Closing Remarks - Show more
