Office Detox Podcast

Stefania Sigurdson Forbes

Office Detox is a show about business. Just like any great story, business is a battleground. The quote from Edmond Burke is very relevant here: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” If we, who are basically trying to just make a living and do more good than harm are too passive, the rest – predators, narcissists and more are going to take over the place. All of the things that we love about business will vanish, leaving the thieves and conmen. It may be too late already – but call me an optimist? I’m going to try. And there is so much to love. In business, you can create your life. You are not in the safety of a lab or an educational institution. You are out in the real world – creating things that other people need. Ruled by the invisible hand of economics. Throughout the series, we are taking a look at the different factors, some of which were part of commerce and trade since it started, and others that have joined us more recently. Welcome to Office Detox - I’m your host, Stefania Sigurdson Forbes. If I didn’t love business, I wound not be doing this. But – there is a big gap between where business is, and where it could be. So my friends, let’s get started. And say hey business… we can do better.

Episodes

  1. 10/24/2020

    War Against Talent - Detective Inspector Kim Rossmo and the Vancouver Police Department

    The topic of today’s podcast, “War Against Talent”. This is somewhat a play on words, if you are a corporate insider. You see, people in the recruiting industry talk about the “War On Talent” that we are all fighting to get the best people on the team. But, in reality, there is a “War Against Talent” with people hurting the talented people on the team. Today’s story that we are going to focus on the botched hunt for Canada’s worst serial killer, Robert Pickton, and Geographic Profiler for the Vancouver Police, Kim Rossmo, who tried to warn them. Research https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/10/12/investigator_tried_to_warn_of_serial_killer_pickton_inquiry_told.html  https://web.archive.org/web/20110706182046/http://www.hamiltonhowell.ca/cases/rossmo.htm https://bc.ctvnews.ca/changes-needed-to-prevent-another-b-c-serial-killer-profiler-1.544998 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Rossmo http://tevlingleadle.com/rossmo-v-vancouver-police-department/ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/ex-detective-stands-by-his-pickton-testimony/article4197532/  https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/former-profiler-expected-to-tell-pickton-inquiry-why-the-police-ignored-his-serial-killer-warning https://www.aptnnews.ca/the-disappearance-of-natasha-lynn-starr/  https://canadiantruecrime.ca/episodes/2017/12/6/15-robert-pickton-part-1  http://tevlingleadle.com/rossmo-v-vancouver-police-department/  https://hbr.org/2010/04/envy-at-work  Music Kai Engel November Downpour Smoldering  Chris Zabruskie They Call it Nature  Last Night I Dreamed I Saw True Love In Your Eyes That Kid in Forth Grade Who Really Liked the Denver Broncos  Support the show

    23 min
  2. 01/18/2020

    Embezzlement in the Workplace: Rita Crundwell - City Comptroller of Dixon, IL

    According to Security Magazine, employee thefts cost US businesses 50 Billion per year. One of the most egregious thefts ever investigated by the FBI was Rita Crundwell, City Comptroller of Dixon, IL, who embezzled over 53 Million dollars over the course of 22 years.  By the time of her arrest, she had over 300 horses across 22 farms in 13 states. She had a motorcoach which seems similar to a very fancy looking tour bus, that she upgraded 5 times, worth 2.1 million dollars.  My promise to you, my dear listeners, is to go through what I think of as “the dirty dozen”. It is the “dirty dozen” of what makes business so dirty and hard. And so if you are a young person, you can go into it with your eyes open. If you are investing in training or any other type of business, you are seeing it from a real view. If you are someone who has been around for a while and waking up to what your environment is really about, you can come on this bus too.  I truly think a small minority of people are making it way too hard for the rest of us. Research: All the Queen's Horses: https://www.allthequeenshorsesfilm.com/ Security Magazine: https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/88432-employee-theft-costs-us-businesses-50-billion-per-year Music:  Chris Zabrieskie Grey Skies Remix  Stories About the World that Once Was  What Does Anyone Know About Anything  The Wizard of Lies Kai Engel:  Devotion  Synth Kid:  Trapped in the Upside Down    Support the show

    25 min
  3. 07/28/2019

    First Follower Theory - The Story of Kirby Brown, Follower of James Arthur Ray

    You can't have a leader without a follower. Music Entrepreneur Derek Sivers introduced first follower theory at the 2010 TED (technology, entertainment, design) conference. According to Sivers, the first follower is what transforms an individual with a unique idea into a leader. Here is a shortened version of his talk. I will put a link to it in the show notes.   First Followers are a part of the toxic work environment today, as they give the leader that "follower glow". In this episode, we talk about the death of Kirby Brown, follower of self help guru James Arthur Ray. Ray, who got famous from the movie "The Secret" led three seekers to their deaths in 2009 in a sweat lodge ceremony gone wrong. Kirby Brown, an entrepreneur and a seeker died that day. We look at this story in the context of followers and what can be done.  Books  Fear - Bob Woodward Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered - Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark  Research  https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/first-follower-theory https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement?language=en https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/4/5038930/the-death-dealer-james-arthur-sweat-lodge-deaths-in-sedona  http://www.seeksafely.org/ https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/james-arthur-ray-arizona-sweat-lodge/story?id=11016900 https://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/james-rays-first-victim-colleen-conaway/ http://www.seeksafely.org/resources/self-help-fact-sheet/ http://www.seeksafely.org/2019/02/08/happybirthdaykirby-wish/ https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/mixes Music  Kai Engel  Downpour  Great Expectations Synth Kid  Wizard of Lies  Chromatic  Chris Zabrieskie  The Oceans Continue to Rise  Stories About a World that Once Was  Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Support the show

    36 min
  4. 07/11/2019

    Paranoia in the Workplace - Jason Halbert the former VP of People, Talent Acquisition and Global Security of Snapchat.

    Have you ever dealt with paranoia in the workplace? Or the "blame game" on overdrive? All of us have an inner warning system that alerts us to danger. But with the paranoid personality, it’s as if this system is stuck in overdrive, sounding alarms about you, me, neighbors, co-workers, ethnic groups, foreigners, the government and on and on. Their skewed perspective dominates their life, and the lives of the people that work with or for them. Key traits include: being easily insulted, holding grudges, questioning motives, challenging the rules, fears, dislikes or hates those who are different. We take a look at Snapchat or the parent company, Snap's VP of People, Talent Acquisition and Global Security Jason Halbert. Learn about how working with paranoia in the workplace can affect you, and what you can do. Note: This episode includes some explicit language. Research https://www.theinformation.com/articles/employee-complaints-about-snap-personnel-chief-led-to-outside-inquiry https://nypost.com/2018/01/19/snapchat-threatens-leakers-with-jail/ https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/01/snapchat-goes-full-scaramucci-threatens-leakers-with-jail-time https://www.thedailybeast.com/this-is-the-data-snapchat-doesnt-want-you-to-seehttps://www.neowin.net/news/snap-incs-human-resources-chief-jason-halbert-departs-the-company/ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/silicon-valley-internal-work-spying-surveillance-leakers https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/05/how-zuckerbergs-billionaires-club-can-atone-for-facebook https://www.wired.com/story/inside-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-2-years-of-hell/ Music Chris Zabriskie John Stockton Slow Drag  What Does Anybody Know About Anything  That Kid in Fourth Grade Who Really Liked the Denver Broncos I Don't See Branches, I See the Leaves The 49th Street Galleria  Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Support the show

    32 min
  5. 06/15/2019

    The Emotionally Unstable Workplace - Amnesty International

    Have you ever walked into a place, and it is a pressure cooker? Like the pressure is so high you can hardly breathe? Like the pressure is so high, that it will blow at any minute? You may be working in an emotionally unstable workplace. In episode 3 of Season 1 of Office Detox, we explore the unstable workplace, through the lens of the suicides of Gaetan Mootoo and Roz McGregor of Amnesty International. On the night of the 25th of May, Gaetan Mootoo killed himself, aged 65, in the Paris offices of the famous human rights NGO. This researcher specializing in French-speaking Africa, unanimously respected, has spent his entire career, started 32 years earlier, there. He left behind his son, Robin and his wife Martyne.  Five weeks later, 25-year-old intern, Roz McGregor. "Roz has been overwhelmingly described as a smart, motivated, ambitious, and enthusiastic person. She has been described often as 'bubbly'. Roz's work at IAP was of high quality and she was recognized as an excellent intern." We dig into this story, and everything behind it. We also give tips on what you can do if you are in an emotionally unstable workplace right now.  Research Books: Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro - this includes the emotionally unstable personality "checklist" Report: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/org60/9763/2019/en/ Articles: https://blogs.mediapart.fr/edwy-plenel/blog/100618/gaetan-mootoo-1952-2018-elegance-one-just http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20180528-mort-gaetan-moutoo-droits-humains-afrique-amnesty-international https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ga%C3%ABtan_Mootoo https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/oct/22/amnesty-faces-scrutiny-as-inquiry-links-paris-workers-suicide-to-his-job http://www.tlaxcala-int.org/article.asp?reference=24789 https://www.facebook.com/PayYourInterns/posts/we-are-deeply-saddened-to-read-the-story-of-roz-mcgregor-a-28-year-old-intern-wo/2168292216782484/ Music Chris Zabriskie  Nature Thoughtless  Kai Engle Aveu Denouement Downpour   November  Synth Kid Devotion  Heartache  Trapped in the Upside Down TCM Underground The Wizard of Lies  Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Support the show

    36 min
  6. 05/25/2019

    Narcissists in the Workplace - Travis Kalanick Formerly of Uber

    According to the book “Dangerous Personalities” by former FBI profiler Joe Navarro, Narcissistic personalities only care for themselves, their needs, and their priorities. While you and I appreciate attention, the narcissist craves it and manipulates people and situations to get it. While you and I work hard to be successful, the narcissistic personality connives to succeed and may cheat, lie, embellish the truth, or scheme to get ahead, uncaring of how others are affected. In this episode, we are going to talk about Travis Kalanick, the former CEO of Uber.  e We also offer tips on how to spot these in the workplace, and what to do after an encounter with one. Research: Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro (check out the Narcissist checklist) https://hbr.org/2015/11/why-bad-guys-win-at-work https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/communication-success/201504/10-signs-your-co-worker-colleague-is-narcissist https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-life-rise-photos-2017-6 https://thoughts.siliconguild.com/can-we-trust-uber-c0e793deda36 https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/2/19/reflecting-on-one-very-strange-year-at-uber https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/technology/uber-ipo-price.html https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/technology/uber-travis-kalanick-final-hours.html https://mashable.com/article/uber-ipo-starts-trading-travis-kalanick-ceo/ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bets-against-uber-and-lyft-rev-up-to-nearly-us-2-billion-131703736.html https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-05-21/time-to-repeal-the-rule-that-aided-uber-s-ipo-flop https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/understanding-dark-triad.htm Music Audionautix Rubix Cube Chris Zabriskie  Pain Stories About the World that Once Was Thoughtless Kai Engel  Cold War Echo Denouement Headway Kevin MacLeod  Fearless First Synth Kid  Chromatic Devotion Elsewhere Far from Home Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Support the show

    34 min
  7. 05/07/2019

    Corporate Predators - Carrie Toldstedt of Wells Fargo

    Have you ever encountered a corporate predator? One thing is that predators can be very charming at first. They draw you in. If you are someone who relies on “vibes” when it comes to people and a predator can overcome that. They have learned a way to appear like a nice person who helps out. Brain scans of sociopaths, with emotional stimuli, says it goes to the analytical side of their brain, rather than just reacting like the rest of us. In this episode, we look at how Carrie Toldstedt went from a Most Successful Woman to a corporate predator. We will discuss how she went from the head of Well's Fargo and #27 on Fortune's Most Powerful Women to being in charge of a division that gave 2 million, mostly unauthorized accounts for their customers and eventually forced to give back 67 million dollars. We weave in personal stories, and at the end, we give tips on how to handle corporate predators in your life. Books Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro - this includes the predator "checklist" Research https://money.cnn.com/2018/02/27/investing/wells-fargo-sacramento-lawsuit-discriminatory-lending/index.html https://prospect.org/article/wells-fargo-gets-what-it-deserves-and-just-time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Fargo_account_fraud_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Tolstedt https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/14/john-stumpf-retirement-wells-fargo-ceo-jail-time https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/10/wells-fargo-board-slams-stumpf-and-tolstedt-claws-back-millions.html https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/05/wells-fargo-corporate-culture-fraud https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/sites/gsb/files/publication-pdf/cgri-closer-look-62-wells-fargo-cross-selling-scandal.pdf https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wells-fargo-sale-pressure-20131222-story.html https://www08.wellsfargomedia.com/assets/pdf/about/investor-relations/presentations/2017/board-report.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-114shrg23001/pdf/CHRG-114shrg23001.pdf Music Chris Zabriskie  A New Day in a New Sector  The Oceans Continue to Rise Stories About a World that Once Was  Kai Engle  October November  Smoldering Kevin MacLeod  Fearless First Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Support the show

    38 min

Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Office Detox is a show about business. Just like any great story, business is a battleground. The quote from Edmond Burke is very relevant here: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” If we, who are basically trying to just make a living and do more good than harm are too passive, the rest – predators, narcissists and more are going to take over the place. All of the things that we love about business will vanish, leaving the thieves and conmen. It may be too late already – but call me an optimist? I’m going to try. And there is so much to love. In business, you can create your life. You are not in the safety of a lab or an educational institution. You are out in the real world – creating things that other people need. Ruled by the invisible hand of economics. Throughout the series, we are taking a look at the different factors, some of which were part of commerce and trade since it started, and others that have joined us more recently. Welcome to Office Detox - I’m your host, Stefania Sigurdson Forbes. If I didn’t love business, I wound not be doing this. But – there is a big gap between where business is, and where it could be. So my friends, let’s get started. And say hey business… we can do better.