Workplace Weirdness Podcast Por Maya Kadar Kovalsky arte de portada

Workplace Weirdness

Workplace Weirdness

De: Maya Kadar Kovalsky
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 Welcome to "Workplace Weirdness," the podcast that takes a deep dive into the delightful oddities of office life. Ever wondered why the break room smells like a science experiment or why your boss insists on using 'synergy' in every meeting? We've got you covered! Join Maya and her revolving door of guest hosts as they unravel the mysteries of cubicle culture and decode the cryptic behaviors of your coworkers. From bizarre email sign-offs to the enigma of office fridge politics, no topic is too weird for us to tackle. Each week, we'll talk about hot HR topics, answer listener questions and dissect an awkward workplace theme, all while keeping things light, fun, and packed with HR humor. Tune in, because in the world of work, the only thing you can count on is the unexpected! So, grab your coffee, put your feet up on that ergonomic footrest, and let's get weird at work together. Trust us, it’ll be a productivity boost like no other!© Green Banana Consulting LLC | 2025 | All Rights Reserved Economía Exito Profesional Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo Política y Gobierno
Episodios
  • Unbossed and Unbothered: Ex-Chief Creative Gets Real

    Unbossed and Unbothered: Ex-Chief Creative Gets Real
    Jul 9 2025
    Ever wondered what happens when you trade agency ownership for creative leadership? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Paul McDowall, brand architect, former agency owner & co-founder of ClarkMcDowall, to discuss his unconventional career journey from Liverpool to New York and his transition into leadership at Vault49. Paul shares insights from decades in branding, touching on the challenges of staying culturally relevant without losing brand identity. He opens up about the personal and professional growth that comes from letting go of ego, embracing new roles, and learning from failure. They also explore how to navigate tricky workplace dynamics, including handling conflicting feedback from leadership, weighing the pros and cons of moving into consulting, and recovering gracefully from Zoom call blunders. Tune in to hear reflections on leadership, resilience, and the joy of embracing the weirdness in the workplace! Key Takeaways You don’t have to lead to lead: A creative life can thrive without the title. Ego can be a culture killer; humility and humanity build stronger teams. Your brand’s future is written in its past... Go back to the DNA. Flexibility and authenticity are driving today’s shift toward small consultancies. If you’re stuck between bosses, don’t pick sides: document, clarify, and protect yourself. In This Episode: [00:00] Introduction to Paul McDowall [02:18] Paul’s journey in the creative world [06:00] Lessons from running a business [09:10] The transition from boss to peer [13:29] Paul’s weirdest workplace moment [17:29] Week in Work: Un-bossing yourself [20:32] Freelancer vs. consultant lifestyle [21:09] Flexibility and challenges of small agencies [21:36] Massive shifts in the industry [23:34] Navigating conflicting bosses [23:45] Creating supportive workplaces in education [25:14 ] Listener Question #1: Stuck between feuding bosses [30:31] Listener Question #2: Consulting as a career pivot [36:09] Cringeworthy Question: Job hunting caught on Zoom [39:24] Final thoughts and farewell Notable Quotes [03:02] “You can leave Liverpool, but Liverpool never leaves you.” — Paul McDowall [06:24] “Fear is the biggest thing that holds us back.” — Paul McDowall [07:17] “ Define your authentic self, your own tone of voice. That takes away a lot of the pressure.” — Paul McDowall [08:40] “Ego silos us and it destroys culture.” — Paul McDowall [11:43] “Gut instinct is there for a reason. It's why we think with our stomachs.” — Paul McDowall [12:06] “For a brand to survive, you need to survive in culture.” — Paul McDowall [18:05] “ For many managers who wanna un-boss themselves, letting go of management responsibilities can also be a little bit psychologically challenging.” — Maya Kadar Kovalsky [31:47] “The  hardest question in life is ‘what do I want?’”— Paul McDowall [41:16] “The world doesn't need another asshole. So don't be one.” — Paul McDowall Resources & Links Paul McDowall LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-mcdowall-00b0b11 clarkmcdowall - http://www.clarkmcdowall.com Vault 49 - https://www.vault49.com/ Maya Kadar Kovalsky Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/ Workplace Weirdness Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/ Mentioned WSJC Article: Can You 'Unboss' Yourself Without Ruining Your Career? Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.
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    43 m
  • Art of Great Meetings, AI Anxiety and Antisocial Animals at Work

    Art of Great Meetings, AI Anxiety and Antisocial Animals at Work
    Jun 25 2025
    Meetings often get a bad rap, but did you know they can actually be the cornerstone of a positive workplace culture? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky is joined by Hannah Dubin, founder of The Group Forward and a powerhouse facilitator with a background in camp leadership, corporate consulting, and culture design. Together, they explore what it really takes to lead humans—awkward moments, messy emotions, and all. Hannah shares how her early work in summer camps shaped her facilitation style and why she believes your meetings reflect your workplace culture more than anything else. Hannah and Maya touch on topics like design thinking, power dynamics, and the importance of emotional intelligence in group settings. They also discuss the role of AI in the workplace and how to foster a culture of experimentation without fueling anxiety. Key Takeaways How design thinking helps build smarter solutions—with real human input. AI adoption isn’t just about tech—it’s reshaping workplace power and pace. Pitching yourself after a layoff? Package your value. Show, don’t tell. How to deal with negative workshop feedback (and how to not take it personally). When pets and professionalism clash—and what your dog’s behavior says about your judgment. In This Episode: [00:00] Introduction to Hannah Dubin [04:10] Getting into facilitation and early inspiration [07:15] Designing meetings for humans [08:56] AI’s role in facilitation and experimentation [10:33] Weirdest workplace moment [13:47] Power literacy in the workplace [14:54] Week in Work: AI reshaping the workplace [26:08] Listener question #1: Edtech career pivot [32:35] Listener question #2: Handling negative training feedback [36:55] Cringeworthy question: pet-friendly office mishap [41:12] Closing thoughts Notable Quotes [05:50] “You don’t change the world by telling people what to do. You change the world by asking, “Do you want to explore this question with me, and what do we want?" — Hannah [07:30] "Your meetings are your culture. Period." — Hannah [08:22] "How do I want the humans to feel before, during, and after the experience? You might have plowed through and crushed it on goal one, but if everybody feels like crap, then was that worth it?." —Hannah [18:02] "I’ll tell you the truth. I feel like there is fear around AI, and anything we can do to dissipate that fear, I think, is positive. On the other hand, the fear comes from this end-of-the-world scenario where we think robots are taking over." — Hannah [24:06] “'I love the idea of teams working together to build something, and I see work as a shared culture toward a positive goal.” — Hannah [36:27] “You make yourself vulnerable when you stand in front of a room of people, and you’re just going to get better with more practice.” — Maya Hannah Dubin The Group Forward - https://www.thegroupforward.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-feldberg-dubin Maya Kadar Kovalsky Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/ Workplace Weirdness Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/ Mentioned Forbes Article on AI Reshaping the Workplace - https://www.forbes.com/sites/solrashidi/2025/05/31/ai-is-reshaping-the-work-faster-than-companies-can-upskill/ Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.
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    44 m
  • Pushups, Poaching, & Professional Pivots

    Pushups, Poaching, & Professional Pivots
    Jun 11 2025
    Ever wondered what it’s really like to run a gym beyond the sweaty workouts and Instagram selfies? In this episode of Workplace Weirdness, host Maya Kadar Kovalsky sits down with Matt Pack, founder of Primal Fit Miami and a fitness pro with 25 years under his belt, to get the unfiltered scoop on fitness entrepreneurship. Matt shares the wild ride of starting his own gym, from jumping off the college basketball court into exercise science, to facing the scary leap of launching a business. They talk about why building friendships with clients is key, how word-of-mouth can make or break you, and the art of hiring coaches who not only know their stuff but fit the vibe. Plus, Matt weighs in on whether work-life balance in fitness is a myth or a must, and how to find your emotional “why” to keep going. If you’re dreaming of a career in fitness, thinking about starting your own business or just want to survive the weirdest parts of work life, this episode is packed with real talk and tough lessons you don’t want to miss. Key Takeaways How setbacks (like a double knee injury) can become launchpads for reinvention. The importance of hiring for personality first, skill second in people-focused businesses. Why trainers are performers—and how knowing a client’s name can make or break retention. The real cost of scaling too fast—and what Matt would do differently. How to deal with trainers who poach clients—and the limits of non-competes. Tips for instructors handling inappropriate client comments while protecting their income. Why your “why” needs to make you cry—and how that emotional connection drives fitness success. In This Episode: [00:00] Introduction to Matt Pack [03:28] Taking the leap to entrepreneurship [04:42] Building relationships & gym culture [07:23] Leadership challenges in gyms [09:33] Lessons from early mistakes [11:17] The dangers of overexpansion [14:43] Weirdest workplace moment: Hygiene email [19:36] A week in work: Work-life balance in fitness [23:25] Finding your emotional “why” [26:03] Listener Question #1: Networking for new instructors [32:30] Listener Question #2: Client poaching by trainers [38:43] Cringeworthy Question: Inappropriate client comments [43:24] Closing thoughts & episode wrap-up Notable Quotes [22:40] "Consistency is everything. Consistency over perfection. And that's really what we're after with people." — Matt Pack [23:19] "Most people need a why that is going to make them cry. And if it doesn't make you cry, you need to think of another why." — Matt Pack [07:48] "I always try to hire personality first, and then I make them a good coach second." — Matt Pack [10:37] "Sometimes bad things lead to really good things." — Matt Pack [43:13] "All money is not good money. Some money's not worth it, right?" — Matt Pack Resources and Links Matt Pack Primal Fit Miami - https://www.primalfit360miami.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-pack-077ab9123 Books by Matt Pack on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BSS6QQXD Maya Kadar Kovalsky Website - https://www.mayakadar.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayakadar/ Workplace Weirdness Email: info@workplace-weirdness.com SpeakPipe - http://speakpipe.com/workplaceweirdness Website - http://workplace-weirdness.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/workplaceweirdpod/ Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional, legal, or workplace-specific advice. Listeners are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals for their individual situations.
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    45 m
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