UNSTIFLD

George Nijmeh

THE UNSTIFLD PODCAST Say what you think. Feel how you feel. Work how you work. The Unstifld Podcast is where common sense finally gets a microphone. Hosted by George Nijmeh, a once-shy, now chronically outspoken VP-turned-culture-disruptor, this show takes on the everyday chaos of modern work and life — the leaders who don’t get it, the systems that make no sense, and the people who just want to breathe without someone scheduling another meeting. Every episode blends: • Sarcastic truth-telling about today’s workplaces • Real leadership lessons from someone who’s actually been in the trenches • Psychology, culture, Gen Z expectations, and “why are we still doing this?” moments • Stories from people who broke out of silence and found their voice • A comedic, side-eye view of all the nonsense we’ve normalized Unstifld is for anyone who’s tired of feeling muted — at work, at home, or anywhere in between — and wants to finally understand the why behind human behavior, anxiety, communication, confidence, and the invisible rules everyone secretly hates. If you’re looking for a podcast that’s part leadership workshop, part therapy session, part “did he really just say that?” … welcome to the crew. Because being yourself isn’t unprofessional. Staying silent about the obvious? That’s the real problem.

Episodes

  1. Audience Amplified- Who’s the Boss

    10/08/2024 · BONUS

    Audience Amplified- Who’s the Boss

    Hello to the Unstifled community. Welcome to the first audience amplified episode. So, I received a question from a listener on the unstifld.com topic creator form which I turn into an audience amplified episode. For those of you that don’t know. This form is located at the bottom of each webpage, I encourage all my listeners to go on the unstifld.com website, that’s Unstifld without the E, and plug in a topic and ill turn it into an episode. Ill only use first names for sake of privacy, but this great question came from Jeremy, and I couldn’t wait to talk about it. Ok, so let me read what Jeremy had to say. “Hey George, I’ve got a bit of a situation. I’m running a factory, and my managers just can’t seem to get along. Every day, it’s one of them in my office, complaining about the others. It feels like they’re more interested in proving they’re the better manager than fixing things in their departments. How do I get them to stop bickering and start working together? I want them to know I trust them, but I also need them to solve these issues on their own without dragging me into every little thing. Any advice?” I feel your pain Jeremy, and I’ve been there. It’s the biggest energy drain of any leader. The Good news is, there is a way to fix this…..it Sounds like your managers are caught up in some ‘who’s the boss’ games. First... make sure their departmental goals and objectives, AKA KPIs are aligned with the overall business objectives. All departments need to be working towards the same ultimate goals or you’re going to have wars out there. If their goals are aligned Here’s the move: let them know you’re not interested in hearing about the blame game anymore. Set the tone that collaboration is where the magic happens, not competing for who can get on your good side. Tell them you trust them to handle stuff on their own, and that you’ll only step in when things really need it. Tell them to come to you with solutions, not problems. And when they do work together, hype them up! Get excited, crack a joke, get some smiles- make everyone feel comfortable to be themselves. Its not easy, but if you want to be a great leader, you need to know how to bring out the best in everyone and usually that happens when their being themselves. That’s when you unlock your managers unique qualities and attributes. It’s like having cheat codes to a video game. And don’t forget to Reward that teamwork vibe, when you do, you’ll see less drama and more progress.” Ok, so what can you do right now? Here are two easy, quick, and effective ways I’ve personally tackled this exact issue. 1. Create a ‘Solve It Together’ Rule: Get your managers in a room and set a standard that before bringing any issue to you, they need to meet, discuss the problem, and try to resolve it among themselves through open dialogue. This forces them to work collaboratively and builds accountability. 2. Shift from Complaints to Solutions: in that same meeting let them know, when they do bring an issue to you, make it clear that they should also bring possible solutions. If they come in to point fingers, ask them, “What’s your plan to fix it?” This puts the focus on solving the problem rather than assigning blame or just plain gossiping. And again! Celebrate Team Wins: This isn’t done enough... I’m not saying to celebrate by renting out a banquet hall with private chefs. All I’m saying is to Start publicly recognizing when they do collaborate well. Whether it’s a shoutout in meetings or even a team lunch, show them that teamwork is rewarded, and individual competition won’t get the spotlight. These steps shift the focus from individual competition to a collective effort, helping managers align their priorities with the bigger picture. Alright, now that we talked about what’s going on and a couple effective solutions, I want to point out that there will be challenges with some individuals. I wish I could say their won’t be, but this platform is built on realness.

    11 min
  2. Loud Minds

    10/04/2024

    Loud Minds

    Hey everyone, welcome to UnStifld—the podcast where we break down how to create workspaces that actually let people be themselves. I’m George Nijmeh, your host, and today we’re kicking things off with our first episode: “Loud Minds.” Trust me, you don’t want quiet rooms filled with loud, unspoken ideas—it kills creativity! Here’s a sneak peek into today’s episode: I’ll be walking you through some tips on how to create that unstifled work vibe—how to let your team own their ideas, how to be real with them, and how to turn competition into collaboration. Think of it as a guide for becoming the kind of leader people actually want to work for. So, what’s UnStifld all about? It’s my journey of learning how to create open, authentic environments where people can feel comfortable expressing themselves, whether that’s in the workplace or beyond. Why does this matter? Because when people are free to be themselves, teams collaborate better, innovate faster, and actually enjoy what they do. A little about me—growing up, I had a ton of ideas, but thanks to overly strict teachers and judgmental bosses later in life, I shut down. I was terrified of speaking up, even when I had something valuable to say. Sound familiar? It wasn’t until I took a leap and bought a Subway franchise at 24 that I realized something huge—I had become the very kind of leader I hated. People were scared to talk, meetings were dead, and the vibe was off. But that failure woke me up. I hit reset, empowered my employees, and turned the business around. We were having fun and killing it. Fast forward a few years and some serious leadership lessons later, I’m now the VP of Operations at a company in Chicago, and I’m more passionate than ever about creating spaces where people can thrive. The goal of this podcast is to help leaders like you learn how to build unstifled environments where your teams can speak up, take risks, and feel like they’re truly part of something bigger. As we move through this journey together, I want to hear from YOU! Head over to Unstifld.com (that’s UnStifld without the “E”) and drop your thoughts, questions, or topics you want to dive into. This isn’t just my story—it’s yours, too. Thanks for tuning in to the first episode of UnStifld. Let’s shake up those quiet rooms and turn those loud minds into game-changing ideas.

    17 min

About

THE UNSTIFLD PODCAST Say what you think. Feel how you feel. Work how you work. The Unstifld Podcast is where common sense finally gets a microphone. Hosted by George Nijmeh, a once-shy, now chronically outspoken VP-turned-culture-disruptor, this show takes on the everyday chaos of modern work and life — the leaders who don’t get it, the systems that make no sense, and the people who just want to breathe without someone scheduling another meeting. Every episode blends: • Sarcastic truth-telling about today’s workplaces • Real leadership lessons from someone who’s actually been in the trenches • Psychology, culture, Gen Z expectations, and “why are we still doing this?” moments • Stories from people who broke out of silence and found their voice • A comedic, side-eye view of all the nonsense we’ve normalized Unstifld is for anyone who’s tired of feeling muted — at work, at home, or anywhere in between — and wants to finally understand the why behind human behavior, anxiety, communication, confidence, and the invisible rules everyone secretly hates. If you’re looking for a podcast that’s part leadership workshop, part therapy session, part “did he really just say that?” … welcome to the crew. Because being yourself isn’t unprofessional. Staying silent about the obvious? That’s the real problem.