Jazzed About Work WOUB Public Media

Today we discuss ways to overcome the polarization that’s everywhere in our society, and sometimes is a destructive, wasteful element in the workplace. Our guest, David Livermore, is an expert on how people from different cultures can bridge the gap and find ways to talk and work together. He shares insights from his interesting and instructive book: Digital, Diverse & Divided: How to Talk to Racists, Compete with Robots, and Overcome Polarization. David describes “culturally intelligent problem-solving,” a process to help working teams get past their differences and work together to find solutions. He shares tips for moving beyond some of the big differences between us, like origin, race, gender, faith and politics. And he talks about how people are really more alike than you may think.

Our guest, Mark Miller, writes about financial matters for publications like the New York Times, Reuters, and Wealth Management. And Mark is widely recognized as an expert on retirement and aging. His latest book -- Retirement Reboot: Commonsense Financial Strategies for Getting Back on Track – is a terrific guide to planning for a secure and rewarding lifestyle in the years after your primary career. Today we discuss why it’s never too early to lay groundwork for your later life. And Mark explains keys to planning, like considering your timing, becoming familiar with Social Security options, smart ways to save money, and strategies for turning home equity into cash. For more see: https://retirementrevised.com

Many agree that listening is a career superpower. But just because it’s important, doesn’t mean we’re all good listeners. Today’s guest, Oscar Trimboli, is a coach, consultant and podcaster who helps leaders, and lots of other people, become better, deeper listeners. His most recent book, how to listen, offers practical tips for improving the way we communicate. The book describes what listening involves, and suggests how we can be better at it. In this show, Oscar shares insights from the book, like the importance of preparing to listen, and the fact that silent pauses can help unlock a message. He also describes habits that undercut our listening skills, and suggests how to move beyond the barriers to deep listening. For more see: www.listeningquiz.com and https://www.oscartrimboli.com/

Our guest, William Vanderbloemen, was a senior pastor and then a corporate HR specialist. From there, he created a thriving search firm, which he called Vanderbloemen. At the beginning, the firm focused on finding candidates for churches seeking pastors. Today, Vanderbloemen also consults about succession planning, diversity, organizational culture and other leadership issues. Their broad client base includes nonprofits, family offices and values-based businesses. William says the firm’s rapid growth was helped by his diverse network. Also supporting success is his intense commitment to gathering and learning from data. His most recent book is Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace. In this episode he shares insights about the attributes of successful job seekers and professionals, as well as the keys to employee retention. For more see: https://www.vanderbloemen.com

Today’s return guest, Mark Anthony Dyson, is a respected career consultant, writer and podcaster. And he describes himself as “a job seeker advocate.” His robust website, thevoiceofjobseekers.com, is packed with free advice, and this key message: “Job search is a lifestyle!” In this episode, we talk about 2023 trends in the world of work, and why a strong resume isn’t enough if you’re considering a career shift. Mark says employers are now interested in candidates’ “soft skills,” which should be called “essential skills.” He says the starting point for a search is an honest assessment of your skills and strengths. And he offers more tips for a thriving career in a year that’s bringing rapid change. For more see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonydyson/

Today we discuss new trends in the complex effort to address climate change, as well as career opportunities related to building a more sustainable world. Our guest, Geoff Dabelko, is a professor at Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service. He’s also associated with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program, and other leading research organizations. Geoff says older people are particularly hard hit by climate change, and describes efforts to bring together leaders in climate adaptation and resilience with proponents of age-friendly communities. He also discusses other environmental trends and ways they may lead to career opportunities. For more on Geoff, see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffdabelko/ For info on a new online grad program on sustainability, security & resilience see: https://www.ohio.edu/voinovich-school/sustainability-security-resilience