Working

4.2 (380)
CAREERS

Hosts Isaac Butler, Ronald Young Jr., and June Thomas interview creative people about how they write, compose, paint, and more.

MAR 18

2. How to Communicate Without Words

Why is it that we can tell someone “I’m totally fine!” and they instantly know we’re not? Gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, and other subtle nonverbal cues play a huge role in how we connect with one another. In this episode, host Charles Duhigg explores how we communicate without words, including a deep dive into the visual and tonal cues embedded in one of the biggest sitcoms of all time, The Big Bang Theory. He talks with Dr. Dustin York, a professor at Maryville University who studies nonverbal communication and worked in public relations for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. He also sits down with Dave Goetsch, a co-executive producer and longtime writer for The Big Bang Theory, and journalist Jessica Radloff, who wrote an exhaustive book about the show. This Slate miniseries dives into the art and science of meaningful conversations, inspired by Duhigg’s bestselling book, Supercommunicators. Supercommunicators was produced by Sophie Summergrad and Derek John, who also did the sound design. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 min
MAR 18

1. How to Talk to Anyone

Why are some people able to talk with just about anyone—about almost anything? One answer may lie in the questions we ask—and how deeply we ask them. Stick with us here… In this episode, host Charles Duhigg examines why deep questions are so powerful and how to ask them in everyday life. He talks to Nick Epley, psychology professor at the University of Chicago and lifelong researcher of deep questions. And we catch up with Mandy Len Catron, 10 years after she wrote the viral New York Times article “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love.” This Slate miniseries dives into the art and science of meaningful conversations, inspired by Duhigg’s bestselling book, Supercommunicators. Supercommunicators was produced by Derek John and Sophie Summergrad. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob. Joel Meyer is our supervising producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

32 min
09/08/2024

A Working Farewell and What We’ve Learned

This week, hosts June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Ronald Young Jr. reflect on the best tips, tools, and words of wisdom from the past four years of Working. They bid farewell to the show, to the listeners, and discuss the lessons that stuck with them and changed the way they work. They also save time at the end to reply to some heartwarming listener emails. Past episodes that they mention include: How Choreographer Annie-B Parson Expresses Music Through Movement, Writer Oliver Burkeman on the Dangers of Obsessive Time Management, and How to Write Every Day and Stick to It. In recent years, Working has been hosted by June Thomas, Isaac Butler, Ronald Young Jr., Karen Han, Nate Chinen, Kristen Meinzer, TK Dutes, and Cameron Drews. Morgan Flannery was the founding producer of the most recent iteration of the show. Cameron Drews and Kevin Bendis have been the primary producers of both Working and Working Overtime. Please send comments, questions, tips about creative work, and feedback to working@slate.com, and thank you so much for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

45 min
09/05/2024

Working Overtime: Saying Goodbye

On this, the final episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas share some last bits of advice on how best to leave a job! Ronald has been let go, quit jobs, and switched gears in every possible way. June has moved across countries and allowed turning points in her life to be catalysts for moving on from certain work. Both of them share their experiences and offer some best practices for leaving on good terms and being prepared to leap into something new. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19 min
09/01/2024

An Artist’s Guide to ADHD and Getting Stuff Done

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Andy J. Pizza, an illustrator and creator of children’s books who’s also the host of the Creative Pep Talk podcast. In the interview, Andy explains what it’s like to be a working artist with ADHD, and he shares some strategies that have helped him channel his attention, accomplish tasks, and evolve in his career. After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas talk about creating like a child and the importance of “useless” friends. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Andy discusses some of his favorite music. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

50 min
08/25/2024

How a Big Band Leader and Composer Wrangles All the Moving Parts

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer and bandleader Darcy James Argue, who fronts the 18-piece big band jazz group Secret Society. In the interview, Darcy talks about the thought processes that go into his compositions, like how his interest in mathematician Alan Turning inspired a track on the group’s most recent album Dynamic Maximum Tension. He also discusses the many hats he needs to wear, how he balances complexity and accessibility in his music, and how he makes the most of rehearsal time with such a big group. After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the challenges and discomforts of self-promotion. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Darcy explains how he decides how to assign solos in his big band music. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

52 min
08/22/2024

Working Overtime: Transitioning From One Project to the Next

On this week's episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas get into the weeds on in-between time and pivoting from one job to the next. June is at the tail end of the promotional tour of her book, while Ronald is gearing up for a new season of his podcast Weight For It. How do you take the final steps of wrapping up one project and be ready for another one? They share tips like prioritizing deadlines, taking on short-term anchor jobs, and ensuring you don’t give all your time to work that zaps your energy. If you liked this episode be sure to check out our previous episode on How “Anchor Jobs” Can Save Your Freelance Life Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at working@slate.com. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 min
08/18/2024

The Founder of a Life-Changing Writers’ Retreat

This week, host June Thomas talks to author and poet Judith Barrington about her knack for memoir writing and about a retreat called Flight of the Mind that she ran with her partner for 17 years. In the interview, they discuss what makes good memoir writing, what Flight of the Mind meant to women writers, and how to get the most out of writing retreats and workshops. After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about why memoir as an art form is so important. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Judith talks about how she learned to promote her work on Instagram. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

41 min

See All (561)

Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks. Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

4.4 (8189)

POLITICS
Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation. Get more Death, Sex & Money with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of DSM and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Death, Sex & Money show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/dsmplus to get access wherever you listen.

4.6 (7380)

RELATIONSHIPS
A show about the law and the nine Supreme Court justices who interpret it for the rest of America. Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen.

4.6 (3301)

NEWS COMMENTARY
Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters. Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.

4.6 (2020)

DOCUMENTARY
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning. Get more of What Next with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of What Next and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/whatnextplus for access wherever you listen.

4.3 (2333)

DAILY NEWS
Slow Burn illuminates America’s most consequential moments, making sense of the past to better understand the present. Through archival tape and first-person interviews, the series uncovers the surprising events and little-known characters lurking within the biggest stories of our time. Want more Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Slow Burn and your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen. Season 10: The Rise of Fox News How a cable news channel became a cultural and political force—and how a whole bunch of people rose up to try and stop it. Season 9: Gays Against Briggs A nationwide moral panic, a California legislator who rode the anti-gay wave, and the LGBTQ+ people who stepped up and came out to try and stop him. Season 8: Becoming Justice Thomas Where Clarence Thomas came from, how he rose to power, and how he’s brought the rest of us along with him, whether we like it or not. Winner of the Podcast of the Year at the 2024 Ambies Awards. Season 7: Roe v. Wade The women who fought for legal abortion, the activists who pushed back, and the justices who thought they could solve the issue for good. Winner of Apple Podcasts Show of the Year in 2022. Season 6: The L.A. Riots How decades of police brutality, a broken justice system, and a video tape set off six days of unrest in Los Angeles. Season 5: The Road to the Iraq War Eighteen months after 9/11, the United States invaded a country that had nothing to do with the attacks. Who’s to blame? And was there any way to stop it? Season 4: David Duke America’s most famous white supremacist came within a runoff of controlling Louisiana. How did David Duke rise to power? And what did it take to stop him? Season 3: Biggie and Tupac How is it that two of the most famous performers in the world were murdered within a year of each other—and their killings were never solved? Season 2: The Clinton Impeachment A reexamination of the scandals that nearly destroyed the 42nd president and forever changed the life of a former White House intern. Season 1: Watergate What did it feel like to live through the scandal that brought down President Nixon?

4.6 (23791)

HISTORY

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Isaac Butler

Host
June Thomas

Host
Rumaan Alam

Host

4.2

out of 5

380 Ratings

Host chat excessive

05/23/2021

Rugelach7

The interview are great, but the chat between the hosts becomes tedious and overpowers the guests. I really don’t think the interviews require explication; they speak for themselves.
Sell sell sell

08/22/2022

Masicko

All commercials. Amazing abuse of one’s time.
Missing Old Format

02/20/2022

malarr

I appreciate interviews with creative people, but I am really missing the old format of the show. I really liked hearing from individuals in a wide range of jobs that I didn’t even know existed or couldn’t imagine how they did their work. I think the old format had both a depth and breadth that the newer episodes are missing. I also wish there was less emphasis on the hosts’ reflections - there are a million other podcasts that I could listen to for conversations between hosts, but I came to working for superb interviews.
I don’t care about the hosts

01/09/2022

All_Hail_Lucy

They talk too much about themselves.