You’ve likely heard the expression “bring your whole self to work.” Sounds pretty good, right? As many people know – especially those who identify with marginalized groups – it’s not so simple. Not all companies do the work to foster a safe environment for our “whole selves.” And even in the most inclusive workplace, hidden biases and standards can make it feel risky to show up authentically – causing confusion, burnout, and definitely some awkward conversations. In this episode, Adam and Maude go beyond the buzzwords to seek a more honest version of “bring your whole self to work,” with green flags galore for both employers and workers. 

Guests include: Mike Robbins, author of Bring Your Whole Self to Work and other highly-cited books about teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence; Cindy Gallop, CEO of Make Love Not Porn, corporate innovation and leadership consultant, and self-described “Michael Bay of Business”; Ashanti Ishakarah, senior client partner at Spotify; and Chase Coleman, comedy and advice creator on TikTok and Instagram about the corporate workplace (@thecorporatechase).

In the recent frenzy over “woke” corporations, some argue businesses should stop looking after the wellbeing of “stakeholders” – i.e. communities, customers, and even workers – and get back to making money for shareholders. But lost in this uproar is a delicious irony: Companies that prioritize long-term investments in the public good produce higher returns over time than companies that focus only on boosting profits for the next quarter or two. In this mini-episode, Adam and Maude unpack the centuries-old debate over the purpose of a corporation, explore the financial upside of investing in broad prosperity, and discuss efforts  to shift conventional corporate thinking from a winner-take-all mentality…to a humanized approach with just as many winners, but far fewer losers.

Many companies offer perks as a way to attract talent, build company culture, and retain workers. Some perks truly do a great job of adding value for employees, like dream vacations or parental leave. But some perks from companies are truly bizarre. In this mini-episode, Adam and Maude dig into a brief history of perks, taking some detours to gawk at particularly weird ones, all before considering what a green flag future of perks might look like.