Working It
Finale: How work has changed since we started this show
After more than three years, and 153 episodes, this is the final Working It podcast. Isabel Berwick gathers three colleagues (and friends) to discuss what they’ve learned about the world of work since the show first launched. So please, if you will, join Isabel, Andrew Hill, Emma Jacobs and Anjli Raval in the kitchen for a slice of ‘Working It’ cake, and a heartfelt goodbye to the podcast. Subscribe to the Working It newsletter here. Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 Jan 2025 - 27 min 56 sec
Why being a CEO is so lonely (and how to fix that)
Running a business is rewarding in plenty of ways – not least in terms of salary. But it can also be extremely lonely. Having friends at work becomes complicated (or even impossible), and you can’t be sure if people like you, or if they’re just saying what they think you want to hear. If you’re the boss, how can you learn to live with those downsides? To find out, Isabel Berwick speaks to Allan Barton (former MD of the waste disposal firm Shanks), and Tiffany Gaskell, co-CEO at the coaching consultancy Performance Consultants International. Subscribe to the Working It Newsletter here . Want more? Free links: Lonely bosses seek opportunity in a crisis of disconnection It feels lonelier at the top with everyone working from home Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 Jan 2025 - 15 min 04 sec
The science of better workplace conversations
What can we learn about the way we speak by analysing thousands of everyday conversations? That’s a question that fascinates Alison Wood Brooks. Alison, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, and author of the forthcoming book, Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves joins Isabel Berwick to discuss her research. She explains how to plan a conversation even when you don’t know who you’ll be speaking to, how we misunderstand apologies, and why there’s no such thing as too many questions. Want more? Free links: What we talk about when we talk about the office The difficult work conversation AI helped me with Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 Jan 2025 - 18 min 11 sec
Why are some bosses infuriating (and others inspiring)?
When you’re a leader, colleagues look for hidden meanings in everything you do. That can make gentle suggestions sound infuriating – and amplify the effect of even off-hand compliments. So how can a leader make sure their words and actions are understood as intended? To find out, Isabel Berwick speaks to Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, and author of the forthcoming book ‘ Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others .’ Adam has asked tens of thousands of people about what makes a leader inspiring or infuriating. In this episode, he explains the perils of the ‘leadership amplification effect,’, how to praise colleagues judiciously, and why you should never tell someone to ‘drop by your office’. Want more? Free links: A Musk or a Ma: which type of manager are you? How common are bad bosses? Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
7 Jan 2025 - 18 min 24 sec
Best of: How to master the art of schmoozing
This week's episode of Working It – the last of the year – is a repeat of one of our favourite episodes. It features a masterclass in chit-chat from Matt Abrahams, a lecturer in communications at Stanford University, podcast host, and author of the since published book Think Faster, Talk Smarter . Good conversation is an essential tool of self-promotion in the office. So what do we make of Matt’s advice here at the FT office? Host Isabel Berwick gets the views of award-winning FT columnist Pilita Clark and Stephen Bush, who writes the FT’s daily Inside Politics newsletter. Want more? Top ways to be a super schmoozer Big Tech is doing small talk no favours Work etiquette: How to make small talk at a diplomatic function FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here . We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next. Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Laurence Knight and Audrey Tinline. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Simon Panayi. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 Dec 2024 - 23 min 15 sec
How to get ahead (without getting promoted)
You thought you were getting that big promotion – but you missed out. What are your next steps? Isabel Berwick speaks to Sarah Ellis (co-founder of careers consultancy Amazing If) and FT Management Editor Anjli Raval to find out. They discuss how to keep your emotions in check after suffering professional rejection, who you should turn to for advice, and why ‘squiggly’ careers are more popular than ever. Want more? Free links: What can I do if I hit a career plateau? ‘The flattening’: tech sector calls time on middle managers A big internal move Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 Dec 2024 - 17 min 24 sec
Best of: How to survive the office Christmas party
It's the work Christmas party season: you're out of the office, and the alcohol is flowing. How can you make sure you don't embarrass yourself (or derail your career)? And how can you bounce back if you do go wrong? Isabel Berwick speaks to FT columnist and veteran party-goer Stephen Bush, author and comedian Viv Groskop and party-shy FT columnist Emma Jacobs to find out. Warning: contains drunken secret Santas, dancefloor embarrassment and toe-curling apologies. Got a Christmas party nightmare you’d like Isabel and Jonathan to help you with? Submit it here: https://telbee.io/channel/ygf7_gly04xgtckcb0g56a/ or to isabel.berwick@ft.com Want more? Free links: Workers and bosses opt for Christmas payments over parties The office grinch may have a point — it’s not fun if it’s forced Credits: Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 Dec 2024 - 20 min 36 sec
How can middle-aged women get the most out of work?
Many middle-aged women leave the workforce with plenty left to give. What can managers do to stop that from happening? Isabel Berwick speaks to Lucy Standing, founder of Brave Starts, a not-for-profit that helps older workers realise their potential. Isabel and Lucy are joined by writer and comedian Viv Groskop, who coaches and consults widely in the corporate world. Together, they discuss how women can ask the right questions about company culture, the factors you can’t fight at work, and why the last thing older workers want is another training course. Want more? Free links: The perils of overlooking women of a certain age Too many women excel at their jobs but are ignored for top roles Advice to older workers: don’t be the office curmudgeon Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3 Dec 2024 - 21 min 16 sec
How to get the long-term sick back to work
The UK has a well-known problem with long-term sickness in the workforce – but it’s not alone. In several wealthy countries, the number of young people turning to disability benefits has risen. Why is that? What can managers do about it? And just how much could helping people back to work boost productivity? To find out, host Isabel Berwick speaks to John Burn-Murdoch, the FT’s chief data reporter, as well as Camilla Cavendish, FT contributing editor and columnist. Want more? Free Links: Out of work and unwell: the worrying rise of young people on benefits How companies can deal with in-work sickness Sickness and work is a disaster that must be fixed Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 Nov 2024 - 19 min 38 sec
What I wish I’d known when I started my career
Isabel Berwick writes about how managers and workers can get better at their jobs. But that doesn’t mean she’s always been a perfect employee… In this special episode, Isabel speaks to her former boss (and good friend) Michael Skapinker about how she’s changed over the course of her career, her professional shortcomings, and some of the run-ins the two of them have shared. Later, Isabel and Michael discuss nuggets of career wisdom from FT colleagues including Stephen Bush, Claer Barrett and Jemima Kelly: how important is talent to a successful career? Does anyone care where you went to university? And what if the biggest career decision you’ll ever make is really to do with who you marry…? Want more? Free links: Starting out in work? Here’s what you need to know My first job: what I wish I had known My career race is in the home stretch, here’s what I know Presented by Isabel Berwick, produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval, mixed by Simon Panayi. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
12 Nov 2024 - 21 min 43 sec