Drinks After Work with Shannon and Deb

Learning Rebels
Learning Rebels
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Ever wonder what your colleagues really talk about when they're off the clock? Welcome to Drinks After Work, where Shannon Tipton and Deborah Harris pull up a stool for the kind of straight talk you’ll only hear after hours. Each episode is a casual deep dive into the real world of corporate life. From dissecting the latest trends to laughing at the absurdities of the modern workplace, they're pulling back the curtain on the side of work you don't talk about in the office. Pull up a chair, grab your favorite beverage, and get ready for a different kind of business podcast.

  1. Aug 11

    Secret Corporate Fight Club and Nine Identical Shirts

    Congratulations, you've been assigned a window-less window seat and why Drinks after Work is your corporate "secret fight club!" Belly up to the bar as we explain our why. Deb: Banana Mango Vanilla Protein Smoothie with Coconut Water & Almonds Shannon: Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita   Snag the recipes on our website   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah pull back the curtain on why they created Drinks After Work and what makes their show different from typical corporate career advice. They unpack the core mission behind the podcast: sharing real, lived experiences without gatekeeping or corporate fluff. They discuss how the show serves as an information-driven resource, a corporate "secret fight club" for navigating HR, layoffs, workplace discrimination, and daily dysfunction—plus why eavesdropping at airport bars inspired some of their best stories.   Share your stories with us, we want to hear them all! contactdrinksafterworkpod@gmail.com   Resources: Drinks After Work Substack   Hire Learning Rebels: When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hire ICU Learning: ICULearning.org   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast Produced by: Obsidian Productions

  2. Aug 7

    Two Weeks, One Bender, Zero Creativity

    Ah, yes... I can feel your anger at being declined, but calling me across five different apps will not grant you the power you seek. How terribly unimaginative... your lack of creativity will be your undoing. Good, good... let the hate flow through you, but before you strike me down... here are this week's drinks: Deb: Dried Hibiscus Green Tea with Honey & Lemon Shannon: Homemade Strawberry Lemonade with Vodka   Snag the recipes on our website   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah dig into why organizations claim innovation and creativity are core pillars, but actively build environments that kill them. Inspired by an Inc. article, they break down why leadership actually wants confirmation bias and compliance over fresh thinking, why middle management lets good ideas die on the "metaphorical flagpole," and why treating failure like a disaster stops employees from taking creative risks. Plus, tipsy tips for keeping your creative spark alive: document your ideas on a personal device, use AI to check employee handbooks for rights-grab clauses, test ideas under the radar with trusted peers, and remember — if your company won't build on your innovation, take it to your next gig or turn it into a side hustle.   Resources: Inc: Most Leaders Say They Want Innovation. These 5 Habits Are Killing It Drinks After Work Substack   Hire Learning Rebels: When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hire ICU Learning: ICULearning.org   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast Produced by: Obsidian Productions

  3. Jul 24

    This Episode is Cursed...and So is Your Loyalty

    I didn't know romantic gestures were subject to a loyalty tax. Well, your man ain't gonna change, and neither is your company. Anyway...before we dive in, it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the Drinks: Deb: Cutwater Pineapple Margarita Shannon: Strawberry Black Pepper Smash   Snag the recipes on our website   This time around, Shannon and Deborah dig into the "loyalty tax" — the cruel reality of what happens to workers who stay at the same company for 5+ years and get blindsided by sudden layoffs. They break down why nearly half of laid-off workers let their resumes go stale, why over half let their networks lapse, and why staying loyal to a company that sees you as an employee number is like staying with a boyfriend who's out at the bar while you're at home taking care of the kids. Plus, tipsy tips for protecting yourself: keep interviewing (even when you're not looking), document your wins on a personal device, invest in "quiet learning," and remember — convenient amnesia kicks in fast when it's time to make cuts.   Resources: Inc: The Cruel Loyalty Tax: Blindsiding Workers Who Stayed at Their Jobs for Years Drinks After Work Substack   Hire Learning Rebels: When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hire ICU Learning: ICULearning.org   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast Produced by: Obsidian Productions

  4. Jun 30

    Energy Vampires and Networking Ghosts

    Have you ever thought "Wait, is my Peloton instructor an energy vampire?"...Just me? Ok, well...here's the drinks: Deb: Borrowed Battery Shannon: Fat Mariachi Leslie: LMNT   Snag the recipes on our website   In this episode, Shannon and Deb are joined by special guest Lesley Picchieti of Inspire Bliss Coaching to talk about energy in the workplace — the kind that walks into a room and sucks the air out, and the kind that makes people actually want to follow you. They get into performative networking and the desperate elevator-pitch energy that makes everyone hate networking events. They break down the difference between performative positivity and the toxic kind that has you brushing real problems under the rug until you end up in cardiac arrest. Plus, the truth that no one can actually make you feel anything — your filter does — and how to find your people (or be one) when you're stuck in a workplace full of energy drainers.   Resources: Lesley Picchieti, Inspire Bliss Coaching Lesley on LinkedIn HiHello (digital business card app) Popl (digital business card app) Drinks After Work Substack   Hire Learning Rebels: When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hire ICU Learning: ICULearning.org   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast Produced by: Obsidian Productions

  5. Jun 5

    Terry Crews? Ok, Boomer...

    Ageism, CTA’s in LinkedIn Posts, Terry Crews!? Ok, Boomer…But before we dive in, it wouldn’t be Drinks After Work without the Drinks: Deb: (Adult) Sunny D Shannon: Lemon on Lemon   Snag the recipes on our website   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah tackle the pervasive reality of ageism across the modern workforce. They break down how bias impacts both ends of the spectrum—from younger workers getting dismissed as "inexperienced" or "lazy" to seasoned professionals being erased and pushed out despite having decades of value. They dive into how application screening questions operate as stealth discrimination tools and discuss why fostering a truly age-inclusive, multi-generational workforce is essential for business growth and survival.    Resources: AARP Report on Ageism in the Workplace EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) — eeoc.gov Drinks After Work Substack   Hire Learning Rebels: When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hire ICU Learning: ICULearning.org   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast Produced by: Obsidian Productions

  6. May 20

    Forced Cruises and...Only Four Parachutes!?

    Why give a belt buckle safety demo if there's only four parachutes?! I need a soft off day...But before we dive in, Deb: Lavender Mimosa Shannon: Cold brew with creamer   Snag the recipes on our website   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah pop the tab on "soft off days" and how remote workers are taking back stolen time. They dive into a Fast Company article on "soft off days"—taking an unannounced hour during WFH to run errands, do laundry, or clear your head. They break down why companies steal time from employees every day, why 70% of workers feel underpaid, and how taking back pockets of personal time is a natural response to the erosion of corporate loyalty and fringe benefits.   Resources: Fast Company: "Soft Off Days" article   Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here.   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here.     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

  7. May 1

    Toxic Boxes and Temper Tantrums

    Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work!   This time, we're talking all about: The toxic boss profiles you'll recognize immediately (the temper-tantrum thrower, the spotlight hog, the gaslighter, the rule-maker) Triangulation — when your boss talks about you instead of to you How toxic bosses are literally making employees sick (it's not just stress, it's chronic health damage) Why HR's "engagement surveys" are missing the point entirely The waterfall effect of bad bosses creating more bad bosses How to protect yourself when you're stuck under one   In this episode, Shannon and Deborah break down the science (and the pettiness) behind toxic bosses. The article they reference says 75% of workers think their boss is the most stressful part of their workday — and that stress doesn't stay at work. It follows you home, wrecks your weekends, and shows up in your body. They share their own war stories with triangulation, gaslighting, write-ups built on twisted conversations, and bosses who demand spotlight while making you do their work. But this isn't just a vent session — they get into how to actually protect yourself: document everything (on a personal device), bring facts over feelings, and don't go in hot unless you've got another gig in the shadows.   So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to: Recognize the toxic boss profiles before they wreck your health Document everything on a personal device (not the work computer) Lead with facts over feelings when escalating to HR Throw their own expectations back at them when they don't follow their own rules Take advantage of ethics hotlines and anonymous reporting if you have them Protect your mental and physical health — this is a ripple effect   Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Deborah: Cooper's Hawk Moscato — Floral, sweet, with hints of peach, melon, and orange blossom. Shannon: Classic Mojito — Rum, lime, mint, sugar, and a few pieces of fresh fruit for spring.   Find all our drink recipes and more at our website.   Resources: Forbes: Toxic Bosses Are Making Employees Sick—And The Evidence Is Impossible To Ignore Harvard Business Review: Stop Making Excuses for Toxic Bosses Workplace Assessments - Korn Ferry McKinsey Gallup   Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here.   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here.     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

  8. Apr 17

    Balloon Brags and Broken Trust

    Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work! This time, we're talking all about: The trust recession — why trust is broken everywhere (workplace, brands, insurance, you name it) How layoffs during record profits have destroyed employee trust Why loyalty means nothing anymore (on both sides of the counter) The connection between technology, AI, and the erosion of human trust Why relationships at work matter more than ever How to rebuild trust one small interaction at a time In this episode, Shannon and Deborah dive into the trust recession that's eroding the workplace, customer relationships, and pretty much every institution we used to rely on. When CEOs are pulling in 12 figures while laying off thousands, when insurance companies want to put trackers on your car but still raise your rates, when layoffs happen during record profits — trust breaks. And once it breaks at work, it bleeds into everything else. But it's not all doom and gloom. They share how to rebuild trust incrementally, from speaking up for people in their absence to bringing an extra donut to the coworker next to you. So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to: Recognize the signs that your company's "we're a family" talk is BS Stop expecting loyalty from organizations that don't give it back Take the first step in building real workplace relationships Speak up for people when they're not in the room Shop your insurance every few years (loyalty doesn't pay) Trust first until you can't — but know when you can't Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Shannon: Lemon Drop — Classic lemon drop, hold the sugar on the rim. Deborah: Trust Issues — Vodka, watermelon juice, lime juice, and a little agave syrup. Find all our drink recipes and more at our website.   Resources: Forbes: "The Trust Recession: Why Trust and Customer Experiences Are Failing"   Be part of the Learning Rebels Community. Continue the conversation while building connections and capability. Learn more here.   Join the Coffee Chat conversations Be part of Learning Rebels live Coffee Chat Discussions! Sign up here.     Hire Learning Rebels. When you need learning that sticks, we’ll fight to make performance results happen. Visit the Learning Rebels website to learn more.   Hosts: Shannon Tipton & Deborah Harris   Podcast produced by: Obsidian Productions

See All (30)

About

Ever wonder what your colleagues really talk about when they're off the clock? Welcome to Drinks After Work, where Shannon Tipton and Deborah Harris pull up a stool for the kind of straight talk you’ll only hear after hours. Each episode is a casual deep dive into the real world of corporate life. From dissecting the latest trends to laughing at the absurdities of the modern workplace, they're pulling back the curtain on the side of work you don't talk about in the office. Pull up a chair, grab your favorite beverage, and get ready for a different kind of business podcast.

Information

More From Learning Rebels