Dear Workplace
51 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 28 ratingsReimagine how you thrive at work through conversations that matter. Hosted by workplace creativity expert Monica H. Kang, we’ll study the latest trends, changes, and challenges to untangle workplace people problems. We’ll talk with executives, innovators, and experts and visit different industries around the world so that you get first dibs into the changing workforce. InnovatorsBox is a creative global leadership firm launched in 2016. Our mission is to unlock creativity for all so everyone can thrive no matter where they work. Subscribe to our newsletter at innovatorsbox.com
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Episodes
S3 E12: Falling in Love with Korean Culture with Talk to Me in Korean
April 25, 2024 07:00 - 49 minutes - 90.1 MBAnyonghaseyo! 안녕하세요! We're thrilled to welcome our guest today, Hyunwoo Sun, Founder and CEO of Talk To Me in Korean (TTMIK). Hyunwoo began his Korean language educational services in 2009, recognizing a gap in language learning options. Starting with a meetup in Seoul, he observed limitations in available tools. Understanding the transformative power of language, Hyunwoo aimed to make learning Korean fun, easy, and accessible. Today, TTMIK is a leading Korean language service, with 1.4 ...
S3 E11: Falling in Love with Korean Culture with Dokkaebier
April 18, 2024 07:00 - 32 minutes - 74.9 MBWhat would beer infused with Kimchi, rice, or lemongrass taste like? 'Wholesome' is the word Dokkaebier aims to evoke! Meet Youngwon Lee, Founder and CEO of Dokkaebier. In 2020, he launched this award-winning Asian-inspired brand, his fifth venture in the alcohol industry, to introduce innovation and diversity to craft beer. With only 2 percent of U.S. breweries owned by Asian Americans, according to Brewers Association data from 2023, Youngwon keenly felt the need for representation as he...
S3 E10: Falling in Love with Korean Culture with "Kimchi Juice"
April 11, 2024 07:00 - 29 minutes - 54.8 MBToday, the Korean Wave has swept across the globe, but for many in the Korean diaspora like myself, feeling truly seen hasn't always been the case. What's changed, and how have innovators embraced Korean culture to build thriving businesses? As we launch our new series, 'Falling in Love with Korean Culture,' we're thrilled to begin with the story of muralist Julia Chon, known as 'Kimchi Juice.' Based in Washington, D.C., Julia delves into the interplay between cultural traditions, generati...
S3 E9: Reinventing the Value of Touch with Haptic Innovation in Wearables, Fashion & Art
April 04, 2024 07:00 - 50 minutes - 91.7 MBToday, most product innovations are focused on two senses: vision and audio. However, this overlooks the experiences of over 2.2 billion people with vision impairment or blindness, leaving them unable to fully engage with the world. When Keith Kirkland first recognized this issue, he was struck by curiosity: How could his passions for fashion, technology, industrial design, and engineering contribute to making a difference? Haptic innovation was the answer, yet it remained largely unknown by...
S3 E8: Sensemaking AI - 4: A Day with AI and DC Women Techmakers
March 28, 2024 07:00 - 37 minutes - 67.9 MBWelcome to our first live conversations at Dear Workplace! I'm excited to share a sneak peek into the special day I had with DC Women Techmakers event in Washington D.C. I hosted on March 25, 2024. Women Techmakers (WTM) is a community program backed by Google and led by local community leaders like myself, and I'm thrilled to have made this event come to life with my friend Megha Sanghvi. As we brought together 20 speakers and 60 participants for a full day of learning, reflecting, and...
S3 E7: Sensemaking AI - 3: the Future of AI
March 21, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 112 MBAI has changed how we work, but how much are we keeping up with it? Today's guests are excited to shed some light on today's AI development and how its future is changing. From starting several AI startups to making sense of how to navigate AI skills in the workplace, we'll explore how we can upskill with AI. Meet Stephanie Wong from San Francisco and Alexander Fred-Ojala from Stockholm, Sweden. Both have been leading AI and innovation in their companies and communities for some time and hav...
S3 E6: Sensemaking AI - 2: Skincare and AI
March 14, 2024 07:00 - 21 minutes - 39.9 MBIf AI can help everything, what about skincare? You may be surprised, but somebody has thought of that solution and has made headways in how we rethink skincare products and innovation. Meet Yarden Horwitz, co-founder of SPATE, who is changing how we do skincare innovation and market research with the help of AI. Studying the market is key for any product development and today, your product can take years to develop and can become costly. Yarden and her team want to help you rethink that. W...
S3 E5: Sensemaking AI - 1: Where to Start
March 07, 2024 10:00 - 54 minutes - 98.9 MBAI is everywhere, but how much do you know? I'll be honest. I'm still making sense of it, and today's guests are here to say it's ok! For the next few weeks, we will speak with leaders who are building careers and companies in AI, making sense of the technology and its changes. And today's guests are a special start as we kick off the series. Meet Anne T. Griffin in New York and Andrew Ngui in Kansas City, who are on a mission to democratize AI and technology. So whether you've been doing AI...
S3 E4: All About Jobs, Careers and Compensation - 4: Diversify Diverse Paths
February 29, 2024 10:00 - 52 minutes - 95.5 MBHow can we cultivate better leaders, and why is leadership development so important? In today's conversation, we want to dive into leadership development by meeting two leaders working on L&D in different ways - in international development and technology. While where they are may look different, why they value leadership development and want to encourage you to invest in yourself may resonate. Meet Amanda Bensel from The Asia Foundation and Dr. Janine Lee from Google. Welcome to Dear Workpl...
S3 E3: All About Jobs, Careers and Compensation - 3: Finding Joy
February 22, 2024 10:00 - 46 minutes - 86 MBWhy do some people love what they do, and how can they build such careers? Public relations and software engineering are two competitive careers that could lead to burnout but also great success if you do it right. I was curious. Even if you don't choose to work in these fields, there is something important to learn about their journey that you'd want to include in your career development. Meet software engineer Mensur Duraković in Croatia and public relations expert Christina Lu in New York...
S3 E2: All About Jobs, Careers and Compensation - 2: The Underdogs Rise
February 15, 2024 10:00 - 31 minutes - 57 MBWhat if I don't have the right connections or a traditional resume? How can I find good jobs and stay calm from all the applying? You're not alone. Many people fall under this category, and we wanted to investigate further what we could do differently. This is the very gap that Jerry Lee and Jonathan Javier wished to address as they started their careers at Google. Learn how Wonsulting started and how they are advocating for underdogs to rise. Welcome to Dear Workplace. Click here for show...
S3 E1: All About Jobs, Careers, and Compensation - 1: The Change
February 08, 2024 10:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBThe job market has been weird lately. Despite the growing economy, we still see many layoffs and burnout in the workplace. What is going on, and why is this happening? Is it the right time to find a job? If so, how can I position myself to get the best pay? Luckily, we have Dr. April Willis and Lola Han to shed more light on what we can do better to make sense of this changing job market and how we build careers we can love. Welcome to Dear Workplace. Click here for shownotes, videos, gu...
S1 E1: All About Jobs, Careers, and Compensations - 1: The Change
February 07, 2024 10:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBThe job market has been weird lately. Despite the growing economy, we still see many layoffs and burnout in the workplace. What is going on, and why is this happening? Is it the right time to find a job? If so, how can I position myself to get the best pay? Luckily, we have Dr. April Willis and Lola Han to shed more light on what we can do better to make sense of this changing job market and how we build careers we can love. Welcome to Dear Workplace.
S3 E1: All About Jobs, Careers, and Compensations - 1: The Change
February 07, 2024 10:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBThe job market has been weird lately. Despite the growing economy, we still see many layoffs and burnout in the workplace. What is going on, and why is this happening? Is it the right time to find a job? If so, how can I position myself to get the best pay? Luckily, we have Dr. April Willis and Lola Han to shed more light on what we can do better to make sense of this changing job market and how we build careers we can love. Welcome to Dear Workplace.
Hello Season 3!
January 16, 2024 10:00 - 1 minute - 3.3 MBHello friends. We are thrilled to return with new stories and research to untangle your workplace questions. We hope you have been well. Subscribe today to Dear Workplace by InnovatorsBox®, hosted by the Founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox®, Monica H. Kang. Send us your questions and stories you'd like us to investigate at [email protected]. Learn more at dearworkplace.com.
10. Summary: Design The Life You Want
January 25, 2022 07:00 - 10 minutes - 23.2 MBAfter interviewing innovators from across the world in countless industries and in countless roles, one thing stuck out - we all have the power to design the life we want. It takes courage, intentionality, and trial and error but it’s so key to have that protagonist mindset. And again, thank you so much again for joining us on this journey together. So are you ready for it? Here let’s dive into the key insights from our guests from Season 2! Subscribe today. Dear Workplace is hosted by Mo...
9.Create Your Own Jobs
January 11, 2022 07:00 - 22 minutes - 50.3 MBIn these past years, while some of us were furloughed or let go, many others have also transitioned, got promoted, or resigned to start their dream jobs. In this episode, I want to dive deeper into the stories of people who have created their own jobs and opportunities both in organizations, and outside on their own, to see what we can learn as we continue to build our own careers and growth opportunities. I sat down with two friends - Ellie Kim and Youngmoo Kim - who carved their own path p...
8. Design for Inclusion
January 04, 2022 07:00 - 26 minutes - 61.6 MBDesigning for inclusion - whether it’s technology, a workflow, a product - is incredibly important as we move into the new normal of working. Creating a workplace for all is not an overnight journey, which is why constant care and development is there, but so is our workflow. In this episode, I dive deeper into the aspects of inclusive design with inclusivity experts Richard Reiman and Margaret Park. How do we design a workplace for all in what we create, how we serve, and what we do each da...
7. Rethink Team Wellbeing
December 28, 2021 07:00 - 29 minutes - 67.4 MBDid you get a full night’s rest last night? Are you eating well? When was the last time you took a true break away from your work? As we reach the end of the year and two years of working in the pandemic, these questions on wellbeing at the workplace are becoming even more important and timely. But it’s one thing to know about how we take care of ourselves, it’s another to think about our team. Our team has multiple people with different feelings, interests, communication styles, and needs. ...
6. Rethink Project Management
December 21, 2021 07:00 - 26 minutes - 60 MBNo matter where you work, learning how to manage your time, projects, and workflows is such a key skill. I often attributed my early success in my business, InnovatorsBox, to having strong project management skills. And no, I’m not just talking about the PMP - project management professional certifications - as a way to manage projects. And yes, organization and project management skills are crucial even as an executive - probably even more so as an executive. In today’s episode, I am not sp...
5. How We Lead is Changing For Good
December 14, 2021 07:00 - 27 minutes - 62.4 MBImagine a good leader. What do you think of? Has that changed over time? For me growing up, it was the person who was the loudest, tallest, boldest, and oftentimes the most “masculine.” But this view of leadership is changing, and it’s changing for the better. What does good leadership look like now? What is working and what isn’t working in leadership culture? And how can anyone work towards being a better leader? In this episode I chat with Zina B. Sutch Ph.D and Patrick Malone Ph.D toge...
4. Happiness at Work
December 07, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 54.1 MBAre you happy? How often are you genuinely happy at work? What makes us really happy at work and why is understanding the science of happiness at work important for us as individuals and for organizations? Turns out not a lot of people can't quite put their finger on what happiness is, but it’s because it’s different for everyone. And research shows that happiness is not only great for team wellbeing, but leads to higher company success. In this episode I talk to Dr. Kathryn Owler and Amani...
3. Rethinking Hybrid Experiences
November 30, 2021 07:00 - 27 minutes - 62.3 MBHybrid connection is the name of the game lately. As I start to attend my first in-person friends’ gathering and speaking events in two years, I’m having butterflies. While I love the ease that remote experiences have to offer, I do miss in-person connection. Hybrid and remote are here to stay so how do we use this time to really rethink about how we connect and share experiences together in a more meaningful way? In this episode, I speak with Amanda Ma and Mo Hamizan who are experts in co...
2. Bringing Our Whole Selves to Work
November 23, 2021 07:00 - 30 minutes - 68.8 MBAuthenticity at work - We want to be our 100% true selves but we also want to respectfully blend in and hear how this room and community work and engage before we do so. What’s the right balance of being respectful to the environment versus feeling like I can’t show who I am because of the environment? In this episode, we want to navigate these questions as we think about how we bring our full selves to work. Meet Mike Canter and Kristina Francis who share incredible insight into authentic...
1. Why We Stay (And Leave) Jobs
November 16, 2021 07:00 - 27 minutes - 63.6 MBPeople have said it! Enough is enough! We want to work at a workplace where we feel heard, appreciated, and understood. But why do we really leave or stay in jobs? What can both leaders and team members learn from these experiences? In this episode, I invited a few leaders and friends to get to the root of why they decided to stay in jobs despite challenges and why they left other jobs despite loving them. Thank you for your support in Season 1! Learn more about Colleen Beres, Marina Illar...
What to Expect From Season 2
November 04, 2021 06:00 - 3 minutes - 8.95 MBIt’s been 2 years since the pandemic started. How are you really doing? What do you do if you are tired of all the changes? In the next few weeks, we’ll dive deep into how the way we work, lead, and collaborate is changing. And we’ll explore what we can do better to navigate these changes as innovators. I am so thrilled to once again welcome you back to Dear Workplace, Season 2. Subscribe today to get the latest updates when we drop another episode about a workplace trend, challenge, or ch...
18. Advice For All
August 31, 2021 06:00 - 8 minutes - 18.7 MBWhat helps people thrive at work no matter where they are? In today’s special bonus episode, we reflect on all our 90+ interviews in Season 1 to compile a collection of advice for you. How can you find the courage to be your best self in this complex, stressful world? You start one day at a time. Watch the full video at our InnovatorsBox YouTube channel.
17. Future of Work
August 17, 2021 06:00 - 12 minutes - 29.3 MBWhat are some questions about the future of work we should be asking more? In this episode, we discuss whether we should plan for the future or not, and why thinking about these questions matter. Thank you for your support in Season 1! Learn more about us at dearworkplace.com and join InnovatorsBox’s monthly newsletter here. We’ll be back again with another season in October. Stay tuned!
16. How to do More with Less
August 10, 2021 06:00 - 30 minutes - 70.6 MBThe hunger for productivity and efficiency is always there in business, as time and resources feel finite. Yet, some people seem to always do more with less. How do they do it? In this episode, I speak with four friends who always do a lot, but with ease. How can we rethink optimization, agility and innovation? From marathon to 12-minute flow hacks, you’ll want to try a few things after this episode. Thank you to Kendall Ratliffe, Samson Williams, Namju Cho, and David Ricciardi for sharing...
15. No Such Thing As Stupid Questions
August 03, 2021 06:00 - 27 minutes - 62.9 MBWe’re all asking more questions these days. Should we stay remote? Should we scale now? We speak about how there is no such thing as a stupid question, but are there at least some good questions we should be asking more? In this episode, we talked to three friends to learn about how we can ask better questions. Thanks to Joo-Seuk Maing, Cassandra Lane, and Daniel Friedman for sharing your insights with us. Learn more about us at dearworkplace.com.
14. The Skill For The Future
July 27, 2021 06:00 - 26 minutes - 59.5 MBThe pandemic accelerated the need for reskilling in the workplace, but what skills are really important for us and how do we determine that? What are skills that robots won’t take away from us? In today’s episode, I visited with eight friends to learn what skills they find important and why I encourage you to expand your learning of this too. Thanks to Kia Weatherspoon, Julie Sciullo, Kevin Felix Chan, Manal Kahi, Simon Shim, Jeff Harry, Laurel Mitchell, and Johnathan Chen for sharing you...
13. Belonging for All Generations
July 20, 2021 06:00 - 31 minutes - 72.4 MBIn the wake of the ‘Great Resignation’ where 95% of employees are thinking of quitting or changing their career, how can you build a workplace for all to feel appreciated? All generations want and need something different. How can you design a workplace that makes all five generations feel included? Today, we discuss and explore the nuances of what you can do differently to create a workplace for all. Join us as we speak with Brandi Nicole Johnson, Abraham Kim, Kelly Cunningham, Blair Glen...
12. The Courage to Innovate
July 13, 2021 06:00 - 31 minutes - 73.1 MBInnovation is born out of trying something new. It’s risky. It can be uncomfortable. And it can be rewarding. How do you find the courage to do something new and innovate something meaningful? In this episode, we study what creativity and innovation is, how innovators from business to academia find the courage to innovate in the workplace, and how you can do it too. Thanks to our guests Brian Gaab, Terri Broussard Williams, Nish Parikh, and Emily Rosado for sharing your insights with us. Lea...
Bonus: Why Work in Roofing - Interview with the Meta Team
July 08, 2021 13:53 - 52 minutes - 119 MBIn our first bonus episode, we are excited to share our full interview with the Meta Team- the first and only national, certified women-owned commercial roofing company in the United States. Meta was founded by five women who provide over 250 years of combined expertise and experience in the roofing industry. But as you can imagine, their journey both into roofing and now leading roofing was not easy- as diversity and inclusion are still lacking. Here is our full interview Monica Kang had wi...
11. Why Relationships Really Matter
July 06, 2021 06:00 - 38 minutes - 88 MBWho we surround ourselves with at work matters. Not just because we could get new jobs, business opportunities, or recognition but because they could lead to friendships, innovation, partnerships, and finding new meaning in how you thrive. In this episode we study how to build more meaningful relationships at work, when relationships continue to change at work. Thanks to our guests: Meg Ugenti, Leo Chan, Alice Hu, Derrin Slack, and Meta Team, for sharing your insights. Learn more at dearwork...
10. Leaders Are Made
June 29, 2021 06:00 - 28 minutes - 65.2 MBIf the way we work is changing so much, would how we lead change too? COVID has taught us a lot of new lessons and what we expect of leaders and how we lead has been impacted too. In this episode, we dive into what makes a good leader and how good leaders are made today and will be needed for the future workforce. Thank you, Brandi Nicole Johnson, Abraham Kim, Jadayah Spencer, Jennifer Shinkai, Monica Maglaris, and Blair Glencorse for your insights. Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Join ou...
9. Certainty about Uncertainty
June 22, 2021 06:00 - 19 minutes - 44.5 MBHow do you handle ambiguity and uncertainty? Change is inevitable yet getting comfortable with uncertainty takes practice. How can I get better with it and why does this matter as we think about the future of work? In this episode, we untangle why understanding how we feel about ambiguity may help us get comfortable with it. I spoke with some friends to learn more. Thank you to Sudebi Thakurata, Andrew Ngui, Alana Karen, and the Complexity Weekend Team (Daniel, JP, and Shaun) for sharing you...
8. Verifying Authenticity
June 15, 2021 13:52 - 21 minutes - 48.8 MBThe importance of being authentic is limitless - it’s liberating, truthful, and a key foundation of building trust. But showing up authentically at work is not always easy. How much sharing is oversharing? What makes certain workplaces emotionally safe or not? In this episode, we untangle what it means to be authentic, why it’s hard, and what we can do differently to still show up authentically with courage. Hint: Self-reflection is a key element. Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Learn ...
7. Working As a Woman
May 11, 2021 06:00 - 26 minutes - 59.7 MBWhere do you start? Yes, gender pay gaps, overlooked harassment incidents, or lack of representation across industries are all still crucial problems we should change. But it’s also incredible to see more female youth programs, female entrepreneurs, and female leaders such as the U.S. Vice President. In this episode, we untangle the goods, bads, and unknown questions to reimagine how we can have a workplace that works for women too. Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Thank you to Coonoor Beh...
6. Redefining Success
April 27, 2021 06:00 - 21 minutes - 26.1 MBLet’s be honest. All of us want to be successful - professionally, personally, and in everything we do. Yet it’s worth wondering if what we define as success is the very barrier to us succeeding? In this episode, we’ll study how we redefine success may open up new doors of possibilities and growth both at work and in life that we may not have foreseen. Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Thank you to Coonoor Behal, Kevin Felix Chan, Ariana Gomez, Jeff Harry, and Luke Helder for sharing your i...
5. Where is Your Office
April 20, 2021 06:00 - 19 minutes - 45.4 MBA year of working from home forced us to ask some new questions about the purpose of a physical office - do we need it? and if so, what is the purpose of it if we can work from home? In this episode, we’ll study how the purpose of the office space is changing and what will remain. Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Thank you to Andrew Ngui, Kendall Ratliffe, Jan Wong, and Kia Weatherspoon for sharing your insights.
#Rethink How I Face Uncertainty
April 13, 2021 06:00 - 11 minutes - 26 MBGetting comfortable with uncertainty is hard. How can you get better at it when everything is always changing? Welcome to our Rethink series where Monica H. Kang shares bitesize power insights and actionable tips for innovators. In this first Rethink episode, she shares insights on how to rethink ambiguity by shifting the way you think and process information. Learn more at dearworkplace.com.
4. Inclusion Dilemma
April 06, 2021 06:00 - 21 minutes - 49.8 MBWhy does it feel so hard to create something we all want - an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace? In this episode, we’ll study the top challenges and opportunities associated with DEI, examine how we can build a workplace where everyone feels like they belong, and explore why all this is really important. Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Learn more about our guests: Thank you, Corey Ponder, Daniel Parra, Heather Hiscox, Abadesi Osunsade, Van Lai-DuMone, and Anne T. Griffin for sha...
Inclusion Dilemma
April 06, 2021 06:00 - 21 minutes - 49.8 MBWhy does it feel so hard to create something we all want - an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace? In this episode, we’ll study the top challenges and opportunities associated with DEI, examine how we can build a workplace where everyone feels like they belong, and explore why all this is really important.
Buying Cause You Care
March 30, 2021 06:00 - 15 minutes - 35.3 MBWhy do you buy what you buy? The pandemic not only shifted us online, but it has also caused us to pay more attention, and care more, about who we buy from. The question is: Why are we caring more now? In this episode we study how conscious consumers are impacting global supply chains, supplier diversity, sustainability, and society in a way we’ve never seen before.
3. Buying Cause You Care
March 30, 2021 06:00 - 15 minutes - 35.3 MBWhy do you buy what you buy? The pandemic not only shifted us online, but it has also caused us to pay more attention, and care more, about who we buy from. The question is: Why are we caring more now? In this episode, we study how conscious consumers are impacting global supply chains, supplier diversity, sustainability, and society in a way we’ve never seen before. Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Learn more about our guests: Heather Cox and Denise Naguib.
2: Work Without Burnout
March 23, 2021 06:00 - 15 minutes - 35.9 MBWe’ve seen an increase in burnout since the pandemic and an increase in workplace happiness. How can we reimagine well-being at work? We spoke with Avani Parekh, Smiley Poswolsky, and Claire Kennedy to examine this contradiction. Learn more at dearworkplace.com.
Work Without Burnout
March 23, 2021 06:00 - 15 minutes - 35.9 MBWe’ve seen an increase in burnout since the pandemic and an increase in workplace happiness. How can we reimagine well-being at work?
1: Rethink What is Normal
March 16, 2021 06:00 - 13 minutes - 30.6 MBIt’s been a year since the pandemic turned our lives upside down. Where are we now? How has this year changed the way we think about the normalcy of the workplace? Learn more at dearworkplace.com. Learn more about our guests: Jeanie Chang, Derrin Slack, Jennifer Shinkai, Heather Cox, Liz Whitehead, Diego Rhoger, Manal Kahi, Ivy Kwong, and Blair Glencorse.
Rethink What is Normal
March 16, 2021 06:00 - 13 minutes - 30.6 MBIt’s been a year since the pandemic turned our lives upside down. Where are we now? How has this year changed the way we think about the normalcy of the workplace?