How To Survive Your Boss

Shizuko Digital
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How to Survive Your Boss is a practical podcast about decoding corporate politics and making work work for you. Hosted by Kiana—a strategist who’s navigated the maze from startups to enterprise—each episode blends real stories with expert perspectives (HR leaders, psychologists, managers, employment attorneys, and more) to turn unspoken rules into usable playbooks. We cover managing up, team communication, boundaries, career moves, and mental health with clear language, no gatekeeping, and steps you can use the next day.

  1. 6d ago

    "Just Try It" with The Gen AI Girl Laxmi Harikumar

    "It's never going to go according to your plan. So all you have to do is adapt as you grow." - Laxmi HarikumarWhat happens when you walk away from a decade at IBM, move across the world with no job lined up, and land in the middle of one of the toughest US tech hiring markets in recent memory? This week we sit down with Laxmi Harikumar  @LLMandGenAI  known online as The Gen AI Girl, a Field Solutions Architect for Generative AI at Google and a go-to voice for developers learning to build with LLMs, RAG, and agent frameworks. Laxmi walks us through her career, which was never a straight climb up a ladder but more like a scribble on a page: vertical moves, horizontal pivots, a surprise MBA, an election she won at 32, and eventually a stage career she swore as a young engineer she'd never want. We talk about relocating to the Bay Area with zero network, using meetups and hackathons to rebuild from scratch, why "stretch assignments" are one of the most underused tools for a career pivot, and how she turned crushing social anxiety into becoming one of LinkedIn's most recognizable Gen AI educators. If you're weighing a career change, feeling behind in the AI shift, or just need permission to try the uncomfortable thing, this episode is for you.Key Takeaways🪜 Career growth isn't a ladder — Laxmi's path looked more like a scribble than a straight line, moving vertically, horizontally, and sideways over 26 years✈️ She left a decade-long IBM career and moved to the US with no job lined up, right as AI-driven layoffs were reshaping corporate America😨 Her first tech meetups in the Bay Area were spent standing quietly in the corner before she found her footing🤖 Talking about LLMs and Gen AI became her networking icebreaker — a technical topic gave her an easy way into professional conversations🎤 One mentorship favor turned into a hackathon, which turned into her first public talk on OpenAI function calling — despite being terrified to take the stage📈 Ask for a stretch assignment even if it isn't offered — it's how she moved from engineering into developer relations at Google🧭 Her framework for career decisions: try it, then use "experience and elimination" to figure out what to keep and what to drop🚫 Not every skill sticks — she tried building UX/UI products and openly admits she was bad at it, and that's fine🦁 Fear doesn't need to be eliminated, just kept out of the driver's seat🎓 Going back for an MBA later in her career, even with an uncertain payoff, ended up building the confidence (and leadership skills) that shaped her next decade.Helpful Courses Shared By Laxmi: 1. https://www.kaggle.com/competitions/5-day-ai-agents-intensive-vibecoding-course-with-google2. https://www.kaggle.com/learn-guide/5-day-agents3. https://www.deeplearning.ai/courses/a2a-the-agent2agent-protocol4. https://www.deeplearning.ai/courses/ai-prompting-for-everyone5. https://grow.google/ai-essentials/6. https://www.deeplearning.ai/courses/building-live-voice-agents-with-googles-adk7. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/mastering-ai-assisted-development/8. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/ai-native-engineering-foundations/9. https://www.linkedin.com/events/7488650875930865667/10. https://codevipasana.dev

    "Just Try It" with The Gen AI Girl Laxmi Harikumar

  2. Aug 5

    Your Brain Isn't Broken, the System Is with Ryan Sailstad

    This week Kiana and Tara sit down with Ryan Sailstad — experiential educator, ADHD advocate, and creator of the Leadership Integrity Test — for one of the most personal conversations they've had on the show. Ryan was diagnosed with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and ADHD back in 1989, and spent most of his childhood thinking he was just "stupid" until he found a college major built around experiential learning and realized the problem was never his brain, it was the system he was trying to cram it into. From there the conversation goes deep on the hunter vs. farmer framework for understanding ADHD at work, why so many women get diagnosed decades late and burn out instead, whether to disclose ADHD on a job application, and how neurodivergent thinkers might actually have the edge in an AI-flooded future. If you've ever felt like you were working ten times harder just to keep up, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways: 🧠 Ryan's "I'm not stupid" moment — discovering experiential education in a high school library and realizing his brain just needed a different system, not more effort 🌾 The hunter vs. farmer framework — why neurotypical minds thrive on steady routine while ADHD minds are built for short, intense bursts of hyperfocus 💥 Burnout isn't burnout, it's trauma — why so many women mask ADHD for years, especially through school and early career, until it all falls apart at once 🚧 The playground metaphor — why neurodivergent people don't need micromanaging, they need clear boundaries and freedom to move inside them 📋 Should you disclose ADHD on a job application? Ryan's brown M&M's story (yes, the one about the 80s rock bands) makes the case for radical honesty upfront 🦆 Masking vs. owning it — the difference between hiding your ADHD and openly working through it, and why one leads straight to burnout 🤝 How Ryan built teams by pairing "ideators" with "executors" instead of hiring for one type of brain 🤖 Why neurodivergent, nonlinear thinkers might be the ones who stand out as AI makes everyone's work sound the same 🥣 The Froot Loops vs. Lucky Charms moment that had everyone losing it (you'll know it when you hear it) Timestamps: 00:07:00 — The "I'm not stupid" library moment 00:14:00 — Hunter vs. farmer framework 00:33:00 — Burnout as trauma 00:45:00 — The playground/boundaries metaphor 00:49:00 — Disclosing ADHD on job applications 01:00:00 — Masking vs. owning it 01:03:00 — Hiring ideators + executors 01:08:00 — AI and neurodivergent minds 01:10:00 — Froot Loops vs. Lucky Charms

  3. Jul 22

    Know Yourself, And The Results Will Come with Chhun Tang

    "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”  Most people spend years chasing the right career, the right title, the right next move — without ever stopping to ask who they actually are. In this episode, Kiana and her sister Tara sit down with Chhun Tang, a creative director, mentor, and community builder whose path through design, entrepreneurship, and eventually closing his own retail store led him to one of the most clarifying realizations of his career: that before you can figure out what you want to do, you have to figure out who you are. Chhun shares the framework he lives by — defining yourself in just three words — and walks through how that simple exercise changed the way he makes decisions, evaluates opportunities, and understands the people around him. Tara joins the conversation in a way that felt less like an interview and more like watching someone genuinely work through these questions in real time, making this one of the most honest and grounded episodes they've done. What you'll take away from this episode: 🧭 Why clarity is the most underrated career tool — and how to start building it 🪞 The three-word framework that helps you define yourself beyond your job title 💡 How self-awareness changes the way you read managers, workplaces, and opportunities 🛑 Why chasing titles and promotions without intention can leave you feeling lost 🧱 What failure actually teaches you — and why the retail store story isn't what you think ✍️ Practical ways to get intentional about who you are before your next big career move 🎓 Why this conversation hits different if you're still figuring out your path (Tara's moment is real) Timestamps: 1:18 — Introduction of Chhun Tang (creator, builder, philanthropist) 3:06 — Finding clarity: best career advice to your younger self 4:17 — Treating yourself as the main project; sub-projects in life 5:26 — "You can't see it when you're in it" — stepping back for perspective 6:12 — Introspection, meditation, and the Buddhist influence 7:46 — Building the muscle of quiet space and rest for neural connections 9:36 — Being intentional: don't just take the first job offered 10:26 — Chhun's blank canvas moment: closing the store and starting over 11:58 — Dealing with fear when sitting with big life questions 12:36 — The parking lot epiphany: discovering philanthropy as a core identity 14:22 — Writing things down, journaling, and pro/con lists for clarity 16:33 — Career self-awareness for younger people / college students 18:05 — Design school, nearly switching majors, and chasing curiosity 21:07 — Experience and elimination: getting closer to the right thing over time 23:24 — The "3 words" self-identity exercise: creator, builder, philanthropist 24:21 — Chhun's origin story: Asian American identity, labels, and belonging 32:28 — Kiana's three words: explainer, challenger, builder 37:02 — Most people can't answer "who are you?" outside of job titles 38:19 — Tara's exercise: caregiver, growing up surrounded by medicine 41:52 — "Caregiver" as an underlying identity for Tara 44:07 — Lessons from failing: the retail store story 46:30 — Failure as the other side of a lesson; journey vs. destination 50:37 — Perfectionism is a shield; "perform over perfect" 51:50 — "Perfection is the enemy of good" — the Basecamp/store opening story 53:19 — The podcast's own "done over perfect" origin story 55:45 — Self-awareness in the workplace: managers, motivations, and navigating up 1:00:10 — Real story: two managers, one invested in team vs. one climbing the ladder 1:03:46 — Early career: too focused on tasks to notice the bigger picture 1:05:09 — Wrapping up: diagnosing yourself before learning your symptoms 1:07:47 — Closing thoughts on self-awareness and the 3-word model 1:09:37 — Chhun's current projects + where to find him

  4. May 27

    Your Authenticity Needs Armor with Rajni Dhanjani

    Navigating workplace trust is one of those career lessons nobody actually teaches you — and in this episode of How to Survive Your Boss, Rajni Dhanjani drops the kind of real, hard-earned wisdom that only comes from years of battle scars across startups, corporate environments, creative agencies, and everything in between. From growing up in a cultural household that didn't quite match the room she walked into at her very first job, to managing toxic bosses, office politics, and the fine line between work bestie and professional liability — Rajni gets into all of it. She and hosts Kiana and Tara unpack why blindly trusting your coworkers (or your company) is one of the most costly early-career mistakes you can make, how to build a "professional persona" that protects you without killing your authentic self, and why being a human at work — not just an employee — is the single most underrated career skill. Whether you're fresh out of school, climbing the corporate ladder, or rebuilding after getting burned, this episode is exactly the conversation you didn't know you needed. Key Takeaways: 🚨 Don't trust blindly — but don't go full cynic either. There's a difference between selective trust and walking into the office assuming everyone is out to get you. Find the middle ground. 🪞 You are a human first, an employee second. It took an entire MBA class 10 minutes to answer "what are you when you walk into work?" — and someone finally said a human. Don't forget that. 🎭 Build your professional persona. Your persona isn't fake — it's your authentic self with just enough protective distance. Think of it as your armor and your sparkle at the same time. 👀 Observe before you trust. People tell you who they are through their behavior, their talking points, and how they treat others. Pay attention before you open up. 🤫 Be careful who you vent to at work. If someone gossips with you, they'll gossip about you. There are no different rules for the workplace than there are for life. 💡 Be intentional about your workplace relationships. Don't rely on natural social instincts — work relationships require deliberate strategy, especially when promotions and visibility are on the line. 🧠 Bring your spidey senses to work. The same instincts you use to fact-check Instagram content or spot a red flag in dating? Use those at the office too. 🧭 Know your environment before you trust it. Company culture, regional culture, leadership style, and team dynamics all change what's appropriate — read the room, always. 📣 How you pitch an idea matters as much as the idea itself. "This is stupid" closes doors. "Help me understand this, because I think there might be another way" opens them. 💪 Don't lose yourself — even when it gets really bad. Getting burned doesn't mean you give up on who you are. Your career is yours. You have every right to be there. TIMESTAMPS: 0:30 — Intro & guest welcome 2:34 — "Don't trust too easily" — Rajni's #1 career advice 4:06 — Don't go full cynical; keep your humanity 6:02 — You're a human at work, not just an employee 13:55 — Reading the room: spotting red flags in people 17:51 — Corporate vs. agency cultures — different animals 20:00 — Slack is not your friend; assume everything is monitored 25:19 — The "work bestie" trap and trauma bonding 26:35 — Specific story: gossiping with a coworker backfires 28:00 — Company culture reflects leadership character 37:55 — Don't bring your emotional needs to work 45:11 — School dynamics vs. workplace dynamics 56:41 — How to navigate trust with your boss 59:10 — Finding your "persona" — the balance between authentic and strategic 1:01:09 — Being intentional with workplace relationships 1:03:44 — Rajni's socials & wrap-up 1:07:32 — Top 5 takeaways from the episode

  5. May 13

    Well-Traveled, Well-Respected. Leadership on the Road with Kristine Young

    What does it actually look like to build a career without borders — and still thrive? In this episode, Kiana sits down with Kristine Young, an OG digital nomad and global marketing executive who has lived and worked across 8+ countries, from Russia to Hong Kong to South America, long before remote work was even a buzzword. Kristine gets real about ditching pre-med at Berkeley, ignoring the naysayers (including her own parents), and chasing a life that felt fully hers. She breaks down how she built a powerhouse career at brands like Adidas and Levi's while moving across continents, how to get credit for your work when you're not in the room, and why your network is only as strong as the real friendships behind it. Whether you're dreaming of working abroad, going remote, or just trying to stop living someone else's life plan — this one's for you. Key Takeaways: ✈️ How Kristine went from pre-med at Berkeley to working across 8+ countries with zero blueprint 🌍 Why choosing a globally-relevant career (like marketing) makes the nomadic lifestyle a strength, not a liability 🧠 The mindset shift that made her walk away from med school — and why she has zero regrets 🏢 How to stay high-performing and respected at work even when you're remote or halfway around the world 📣 The real way to get credit for your work (hint: it's not just working hard in silence) 🤝 Why your colleagues become your best career currency — and how friendships, not just contacts, land you your next role 🌐 The non-negotiable traits you need to thrive in international business: flexibility, adaptability, and clear communication 📅 Small but powerful ways to show cultural respect that make you the easiest person in the room to work with 🗺️ What it was really like working for Adidas across 14 Asia-Pacific markets — Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing Olympics and all 💡 Why you don't have to choose between your career and the life you actually want to live Timestamps: 0:00 Intro & guest introduction 3:39 How Kristine got started — medicine to travel 4:43 First international trip to Peru 5:17 Working & living in Russia 6:51 Quitting medicine & moving to South America 13:24 Building your personal brand & reputation 15:08 Self-promotion & getting credit at work 21:00 Networking — knowing people is key 22:02 The Adidas story — coffee to job offer in Hong Kong 26:16 Building a network early in your career 30:01 Maintaining your network over time 32:37 Key traits for international business 44:08 Adulting as a nomad — healthcare, taxes, laundry 53:36 Favorite country — Hong Kong & APAC marketing at Adidas 57:23 Wrap-up & call to action

  6. Apr 29

    Winning in Big Orgs Without Being the Loudest with Jasper Seldin

    In this episode, Kiana and Tara sit down with former Google and Amazon manager Jasper Seldin to crack the code on workplace success. Drawing from over a decade of experience in big tech and people leadership, Jasper shares actionable strategies for navigating office politics, managing difficult bosses, and accelerating your career. They discuss how to identify a rational manager, why your boss's boss is the most important person to impress, and how to advocate for your work so effectively that others promote it for you. Whether you're feeling stuck, misunderstood, or just ready to level up, this conversation is packed with tactical advice for working smarter and building a career that thrives. Key Takeaways: 🎯 Reframe your manager as a human ally, not a corporate obstacle. Success comes from aligning your work with their goals. 📈 Master the art of the 2–3 sentence "win." Package your accomplishments so clearly that your boss can't help but share them upward. ⚠️ Learn to spot an irrational manager—poor communication, disorganization, misplaced priorities—and develop a plan before it derails your growth. 🫅 Your real job is to make your manager look good to their boss. Always tie your work to the organization's top-tier objectives. 🔒 Audit your social media like a hiring manager would. Your digital footprint can be the difference between a promotion and a pink slip. Timestamps: 0:31 Intro & Jasper's background 4:50 Core advice: See your boss as human & align with their goals 7:47 Rational vs. irrational managers 16:33 What the boss's boss cares about & how to align 19:08 Advocating for yourself: situation-behavior-impact format 24:51 Specialize early & balance menial vs. strategic work 28:17 Why the boss's boss strategy works (even for introverts) 36:27 Work-life balance & finding purpose beyond the grind 43:35 Social media & career risk 54:13 Tech overhiring & STAR interview format

  7. Apr 14

    The Truth Deserves Strategy, Not Just Courage with Keesha Jean-Baptiste

    In this episode of "How to Survive Your Boss," Kiana and Tara welcome Keesha Jean-Baptiste, a seasoned HR and leadership expert with a unique background in marketing and talent management. Keesha shares hard-earned wisdom on navigating workplace politics, truth-telling, and compassionate leadership. Drawing from her extensive career—from agency HR roles to founding her own company—she offers practical advice on managing up, understanding organizational dynamics, and fostering healthier work environments. 🔍 Key Takeaways: 😶 Truth-telling isn’t always welcome – Not every leader is ready to hear unfiltered feedback. Understanding their priorities, pressures, and political landscape is key before sharing hard truths. 🫂 Build political capital through relationships – Influence in the workplace often depends on trust, rapport, and perceived value—not just on being right. 🎭 HR carries a stigma – Many see HR as protecting the company, not the people. Breaking that perception requires consistent advocacy, empathy, and human-centered actions. 🧠 Actions reveal intent – Watch what leaders do, not just what they say. Patterns of behavior show whether someone is operating with integrity and compassion—or just performing. 🐾 Share your truth safely – If you can’t speak up at work, confide in a trusted friend, pet, or even an AI chatbot. Getting it out is important for your mental health. 💬 Feedback framing matters – When voicing concerns, position them as collaborative problem-solving rather than criticism. Example: “Here’s a challenge I see—what’s your take on how we might approach it?” ❤️ Compassionate leadership transforms culture – Keesha now teaches compassionate leadership, emphasizing that workplaces should enable people to come home with good news—not just stress and frustration. 🛡️ Job hugging is real – In today’s economy, many employees are clinging to their roles despite poor treatment, making it even harder to speak up or leave toxic environments. 📚 HR is more than hiring & firing – It encompasses People (well-being, experience), Talent (skills, growth), and Culture (environment, behavior)—all vital to organizational health. Keesha also introduces her Compassionate Leadership Certification program, designed to help leaders and teams foster more supportive, human-centered workplaces. If you’re struggling with a difficult boss, navigating office politics, or just trying to share your truth without backlash—this episode is for you. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Introduction and guest welcome 00:33 – Keesha’s career journey: from marketing to HR leadership 05:01 – The hard lesson: Not every leader wants to hear the truth 07:45 – The role of political capital and relationship currency at work 10:48 – How to tell if a leader is using information for good or bad 13:41 – Fragile egos, psychological safety, and giving/receiving feedback 18:57 – Personal story: A truth-telling failure with a new manager 22:46 – The HR stigma: Being seen as a label, not a person 27:24 – Flipping the script: Why bosses struggle with truth 30:11 – The true, expanded role of HR: People, Talent, and Culture 36:02 – The humanity problem in HR scripts and layoffs 40:26 – “Job Hugging” in a tough economy vs. the “Great Resignation” 43:24 – Should you still speak your truth? How and where to share safely 49:35 – A powerful leadership model: “Come home with good news” 51:11 – Introducing the Compassionate Leadership Certification

  8. Apr 1

    Conflict Is Inevitable. Chaos Is Optional. Respect is key with Lisa Pomerantz

    Ever dealt with simmering team drama, clashing egos with your boss, or department wars that kill productivity? Kiana and Tara sit down with Lisa Pomerantz—a powerhouse lawyer, mom, golfer, and mediation expert from Colorado—who has navigated litigation, in-house counsel roles, and now runs her own business helping people resolve workplace conflicts. Lisa breaks down what mediators really do (hint: it’s not just lawyer stuff), identifies sneaky conflict triggers like unclear roles or misaligned incentives, and shares compelling stories from medical practices and beyond where she transformed resentment into teamwork. Perfect for anyone searching “workplace conflict resolution,” “how to mediate at work,” “survive a toxic boss,” or “team mediation tips”—tune in to learn practical strategies for smarter confrontations, empathetic feedback, and navigating the double standards women face in high-stakes workplaces. Key Takeaways 🧠 Spot conflict roots: Unclear roles, clashing incentives, or management blind spots fuel most workplace issues—dig deeper before reacting. ⚖️ Mediation magic: Neutral professionals like mediators or ombuds facilitate conversations, uncover hidden issues, and create collaborative agreements for teams. 👥 Shift perspectives: Step into others’ shoes—empathy tools can turn resentment into collaboration, as seen in Lisa’s multicultural medical team turnaround. 💬 Feedback finesse: Frame critiques as shared goals (“We both want this done right”), allow graceful exits, and pause to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally. 🚀 Boss battle strategies: Reframe conflicts as shared problems; if toxicity continues, it may be time to polish your résumé—protecting your peace beats constant stress. 👩‍💼 Women at work: With narrower margins for error, lean into strengths like advocacy and negotiation; push for company-wide training to level the playing field. 🛡️ Proactive peace: Don’t avoid conflict—address it early with respectful communication or involve EAPs/ombuds before small issues escalate.

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About

How to Survive Your Boss is a practical podcast about decoding corporate politics and making work work for you. Hosted by Kiana—a strategist who’s navigated the maze from startups to enterprise—each episode blends real stories with expert perspectives (HR leaders, psychologists, managers, employment attorneys, and more) to turn unspoken rules into usable playbooks. We cover managing up, team communication, boundaries, career moves, and mental health with clear language, no gatekeeping, and steps you can use the next day.

Information

  • Creator
    Shizuko Digital
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Shizuko Digital
  • Show Website
    How To Survive Your Boss