web01.fireside.fm Fri, 01 May 2026 18:45:38 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) The How This Works show - Episodes Tagged with “Leadership Coach” https://www.howthisworks.show/tags/leadership%20coach Thu, 14 Nov 2024 02:45:00 -0500 Talking shop with 100 people about their work and associated craft — exploring what they actually do, why they do it that way, and what changed along the way. Host Skipper Chong Warson sits down with folks to understand what's going on in their world right now. Season two explored product, design, and facilitation. The third season follows people actively building things right now. New episodes every few weeks. Part of How This Works co. en-us episodic What do people actually do all day? Skipper Chong Warson Talking shop with 100 people about their work and associated craft — exploring what they actually do, why they do it that way, and what changed along the way. Host Skipper Chong Warson sits down with folks to understand what's going on in their world right now. Season two explored product, design, and facilitation. The third season follows people actively building things right now. New episodes every few weeks. Part of How This Works co. yes subject matter experts, learn, learning, subject matter expert, expert, experts, amateur, professional, stories, story, lessons, lesson, work, home, education, educate, passion, passions, day in the life, walk in someone else's shoes, expertise, craft Skipper Chong Warson skipperchong@me.com Andy Polaine https://www.howthisworks.show/030-andy-polaine 09afb5cd-2af5-42b3-aeef-f5bd63ee7ed9 Thu, 14 Nov 2024 02:45:00 -0500 Skipper Chong Warson full 2 Skipper Chong Warson In this episode, Skipper chats with Andy Polaine about how he got started in the world of service design and his work as a design leadership coach 1:05:49 no In this episode, Andy Polaine, Dr. Polaine to some, talks about his career journey, starting with his background in film and interactive media, his transition into service design, and his current focus as a design leadership coach. Andy discusses his coaching approach, which is rooted in his experience as a designer, facilitator, and teacher. He also talks about some of what he's hearing from design leaders right now, emphasizing the importance of reading the room, even in a digital context, and how his work addresses common challenges faced by design leaders, such as imposter syndrome and the "leadership dip" — a period of uncertainty and self-doubt that can arise when transitioning into a leadership role. The interview also touches on the evolving role of design leadership in organizations and how designers can more effectively communicate the value of their work to stakeholders. * You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.howthisworks.show/030-andy-polaine (https://www.howthisworks.show/030-andy-polaine) * Or on Youtube: https://youtu.be/fdC1f-QcUMA (https://youtu.be/fdC1f-QcUMA) Some topics discussed: * Andy’s career began in the early '90s as an interaction designer, before "UX" or "user experience" were common terms * He studied film, video, and photography, transitioning into interactive media, which later led him to meeting Ben Reason at LiveWork and getting into service design * Andy was global Group Design Director of Client Evolution at Fjord and co-leads a Master’s program in service design in Switzerland * Fluent in German and having lived in Australia, Germany, and the U.K., Andy developed a deep appreciation for cross-cultural communication and how we use language * Andy describes his transition from filmmaking to design, drawn by the way multimedia integrates sound, video, and interactive elements — modes of storytelling persists today * Andy’s coaching focuses on supporting design leaders through a number of phases, including "design leadership dip," a period uncertainty common at mid- and advanced-career stages, which he helps leaders navigate * Andy shares his personal experience with imposter syndrome/phenomenon, emphasizing that it can affect anyone, regardless of background * Andy highlights the skill of “reading the room," focusing on empathy, active listening, and participant engagement * He discusses the nuances of digital coaching, using techniques like teleprompters and collaboration tools for increased effectiveness in virtual communication * Andy reflects on the future of design, noting that designers must focus on discernment and answering the question, So what?! * He concludes by emphasizing relationships, empathy, and plans for a book on the inner journey of design leadership, including "design leadership dip" * He talks about the "assembly line" approach to design, likens it to AI — where the subject matter is being treated as a mere tool for rapid prototyping rather than a process for addressing user needs, almost like the discipline is being treated like a GPT itself, which reduces designers to carry out prompts Stay tuned until the end where we hear a behind the scenes (bts) snippet, a peek into our lives today, where we wait for Andy's wife to open/close some doors as she's seeing a patient at home while we're recording. Special Guest: Andy Polaine. design leadership, service design, leadership coaching, design leadership dip, coaching reflections, imposter syndrome, imposter phenomenon, client interactions, team dynamics, emotional conversations, setting time boundaries, impact of AI on design, design challenges, cross-cultural communication, interactive media background, transition from filmmaking to design, reading the room, designer storytelling, value of design to stakeholders, assembly line approach to design, effective virtual communication techniques, empathy, future of design roles, "so what?" In this episode, Andy Polaine, Dr. Polaine to some, talks about his career journey, starting with his background in film and interactive media, his transition into service design, and his current focus as a design leadership coach. Andy discusses his coaching approach, which is rooted in his experience as a designer, facilitator, and teacher. He also talks about some of what he's hearing from design leaders right now, emphasizing the importance of reading the room, even in a digital context, and how his work addresses common challenges faced by design leaders, such as imposter syndrome and the "leadership dip" — a period of uncertainty and self-doubt that can arise when transitioning into a leadership role. The interview also touches on the evolving role of design leadership in organizations and how designers can more effectively communicate the value of their work to stakeholders.

Some topics discussed:

  • Andy’s career began in the early '90s as an interaction designer, before "UX" or "user experience" were common terms
  • He studied film, video, and photography, transitioning into interactive media, which later led him to meeting Ben Reason at LiveWork and getting into service design
  • Andy was global Group Design Director of Client Evolution at Fjord and co-leads a Master’s program in service design in Switzerland
  • Fluent in German and having lived in Australia, Germany, and the U.K., Andy developed a deep appreciation for cross-cultural communication and how we use language
  • Andy describes his transition from filmmaking to design, drawn by the way multimedia integrates sound, video, and interactive elements — modes of storytelling persists today
  • Andy’s coaching focuses on supporting design leaders through a number of phases, including "design leadership dip," a period uncertainty common at mid- and advanced-career stages, which he helps leaders navigate
  • Andy shares his personal experience with imposter syndrome/phenomenon, emphasizing that it can affect anyone, regardless of background
  • Andy highlights the skill of “reading the room," focusing on empathy, active listening, and participant engagement
  • He discusses the nuances of digital coaching, using techniques like teleprompters and collaboration tools for increased effectiveness in virtual communication
  • Andy reflects on the future of design, noting that designers must focus on discernment and answering the question, So what?!
  • He concludes by emphasizing relationships, empathy, and plans for a book on the inner journey of design leadership, including "design leadership dip"
  • He talks about the "assembly line" approach to design, likens it to AI — where the subject matter is being treated as a mere tool for rapid prototyping rather than a process for addressing user needs, almost like the discipline is being treated like a GPT itself, which reduces designers to carry out prompts

Stay tuned until the end where we hear a behind the scenes (bts) snippet, a peek into our lives today, where we wait for Andy's wife to open/close some doors as she's seeing a patient at home while we're recording.

Special Guest: Andy Polaine.

Links:

]]> In this episode, Andy Polaine, Dr. Polaine to some, talks about his career journey, starting with his background in film and interactive media, his transition into service design, and his current focus as a design leadership coach. Andy discusses his coaching approach, which is rooted in his experience as a designer, facilitator, and teacher. He also talks about some of what he's hearing from design leaders right now, emphasizing the importance of reading the room, even in a digital context, and how his work addresses common challenges faced by design leaders, such as imposter syndrome and the "leadership dip" — a period of uncertainty and self-doubt that can arise when transitioning into a leadership role. The interview also touches on the evolving role of design leadership in organizations and how designers can more effectively communicate the value of their work to stakeholders.

Some topics discussed:

  • Andy’s career began in the early '90s as an interaction designer, before "UX" or "user experience" were common terms
  • He studied film, video, and photography, transitioning into interactive media, which later led him to meeting Ben Reason at LiveWork and getting into service design
  • Andy was global Group Design Director of Client Evolution at Fjord and co-leads a Master’s program in service design in Switzerland
  • Fluent in German and having lived in Australia, Germany, and the U.K., Andy developed a deep appreciation for cross-cultural communication and how we use language
  • Andy describes his transition from filmmaking to design, drawn by the way multimedia integrates sound, video, and interactive elements — modes of storytelling persists today
  • Andy’s coaching focuses on supporting design leaders through a number of phases, including "design leadership dip," a period uncertainty common at mid- and advanced-career stages, which he helps leaders navigate
  • Andy shares his personal experience with imposter syndrome/phenomenon, emphasizing that it can affect anyone, regardless of background
  • Andy highlights the skill of “reading the room," focusing on empathy, active listening, and participant engagement
  • He discusses the nuances of digital coaching, using techniques like teleprompters and collaboration tools for increased effectiveness in virtual communication
  • Andy reflects on the future of design, noting that designers must focus on discernment and answering the question, So what?!
  • He concludes by emphasizing relationships, empathy, and plans for a book on the inner journey of design leadership, including "design leadership dip"
  • He talks about the "assembly line" approach to design, likens it to AI — where the subject matter is being treated as a mere tool for rapid prototyping rather than a process for addressing user needs, almost like the discipline is being treated like a GPT itself, which reduces designers to carry out prompts

Stay tuned until the end where we hear a behind the scenes (bts) snippet, a peek into our lives today, where we wait for Andy's wife to open/close some doors as she's seeing a patient at home while we're recording.

Special Guest: Andy Polaine.

Links:

]]> Jen Dary https://www.howthisworks.show/027-jen-dary 992c0fe6-c237-4d61-ae80-c6c3b42f79fa Mon, 11 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500 Skipper Chong Warson full 2 Skipper Chong Warson In this episode, Skipper talks with Jen Dary about her work as a leadership coach and trainer of managers among other topics 1:02:44 yes Back in August, Skipper had a conversation with Jen Dary about her personal experiences and insights on leadership coaching, the importance of self-awareness and belief in one's abilities, Plucky's So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), navigating the publishing industry, and prioritizing self-care in the coaching profession. Other topics include: Jen shares her experience as the oldest of three kids and how it influences her leadership style and ability to empathize with others (it might play it yours as well, dear listener) She highlights the importance of identifying a specific niche in coaching and how coaching is different from consulting Jen emphasizes the importance of setting a finite amount of time for coaching and encourages clients to come as long as they need and go when they're ready She primarily works with clients in technology, including engineers, designers, product managers, professors, academics, and doctors, with a majority of them being women Jen reflects on the importance of understanding one's purpose of work and encourages listeners to measure their current job against that purpose She talks more about So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), a manager training program that she's developed at Plucky currently modeled after a part-time MBA plus, the importance of community and connection in learning, and the challenges of remote training Jen has observed a trend of people in the tech industry expressing a desire to retire earlier and wanting to "do their own thing" She talks about recently watching "The Andy Warhol Diaries," a six episode Netflix series, and having a greater understanding of the '70s and '80s Stay tuned until the end for an outtake around speaking French to a stranger on the train in front of her sons Special Guest: Jen Dary. leadership coaching, trainer, managers, oldest child, empathize, coaching expertise, work with clients, self-awareness, niche, difference between consultant coach, feedback, listening, self-doubt, season, manager support, technology industry, women, quitting job, work purpose, job satisfaction, opting in, different seasons of life, manager training, remote work, community, virtual settings, my own thing, direction, fulfillment, authenticity, community, making friends, publishing industry, writing a memoir, emotional weight, self-care, art, culture, personal growth, documentary, Andy Warhol, AI technology, work-life balance, So Now You're A Manager, Day Of Big Dreaming Back in August, Skipper had a conversation with Jen Dary about her personal experiences and insights on leadership coaching, the importance of self-awareness and belief in one's abilities, Plucky's So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), navigating the publishing industry, and prioritizing self-care in the coaching profession. Other topics include:

  • Jen shares her experience as the oldest of three kids and how it influences her leadership style and ability to empathize with others (it might play it yours as well, dear listener)
  • She highlights the importance of identifying a specific niche in coaching and how coaching is different from consulting
  • Jen emphasizes the importance of setting a finite amount of time for coaching and encourages clients to come as long as they need and go when they're ready
  • She primarily works with clients in technology, including engineers, designers, product managers, professors, academics, and doctors, with a majority of them being women
  • Jen reflects on the importance of understanding one's purpose of work and encourages listeners to measure their current job against that purpose
  • She talks more about So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), a manager training program that she's developed at Plucky currently modeled after a part-time MBA plus, the importance of community and connection in learning, and the challenges of remote training
  • Jen has observed a trend of people in the tech industry expressing a desire to retire earlier and wanting to "do their own thing"
  • She talks about recently watching "The Andy Warhol Diaries," a six episode Netflix series, and having a greater understanding of the '70s and '80s
  • Stay tuned until the end for an outtake around speaking French to a stranger on the train in front of her sons

Special Guest: Jen Dary.

Links:

  • Plucky
  • Plucky's So Now You're a Manager
  • The Andy Warhol Diaries — In 2022, a Netflix series (titled after Warhol's 1989 book) puts on center stage the life and emotions of the artist after he was shot in 1968. The six episodes utilize Resemble AI and original recordings as Warhol narrates his own diary entries, accompanied by a cast of characters, including his friend Pat Hackett.
  • Plucky's Instagram
  • Jen's Instagram
  • Day Of Big Dreaming — Avail from today to end of January 2024, recommended
  • SNYaM 2024 — There are currently two (2) virtual So Now You're A Manager cohorts planned in 2024, dates are TBA, interested folks should pre-register
  • Plucky's podcast — This season, released earlier this year, featured eight (8) different mentors on a variety of topics, like negotiation, allyship, performance reviews, first impressions and more
]]> Back in August, Skipper had a conversation with Jen Dary about her personal experiences and insights on leadership coaching, the importance of self-awareness and belief in one's abilities, Plucky's So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), navigating the publishing industry, and prioritizing self-care in the coaching profession. Other topics include:

  • Jen shares her experience as the oldest of three kids and how it influences her leadership style and ability to empathize with others (it might play it yours as well, dear listener)
  • She highlights the importance of identifying a specific niche in coaching and how coaching is different from consulting
  • Jen emphasizes the importance of setting a finite amount of time for coaching and encourages clients to come as long as they need and go when they're ready
  • She primarily works with clients in technology, including engineers, designers, product managers, professors, academics, and doctors, with a majority of them being women
  • Jen reflects on the importance of understanding one's purpose of work and encourages listeners to measure their current job against that purpose
  • She talks more about So Now You're a Manager (SNYaM), a manager training program that she's developed at Plucky currently modeled after a part-time MBA plus, the importance of community and connection in learning, and the challenges of remote training
  • Jen has observed a trend of people in the tech industry expressing a desire to retire earlier and wanting to "do their own thing"
  • She talks about recently watching "The Andy Warhol Diaries," a six episode Netflix series, and having a greater understanding of the '70s and '80s
  • Stay tuned until the end for an outtake around speaking French to a stranger on the train in front of her sons

Special Guest: Jen Dary.

Links:

  • Plucky
  • Plucky's So Now You're a Manager
  • The Andy Warhol Diaries — In 2022, a Netflix series (titled after Warhol's 1989 book) puts on center stage the life and emotions of the artist after he was shot in 1968. The six episodes utilize Resemble AI and original recordings as Warhol narrates his own diary entries, accompanied by a cast of characters, including his friend Pat Hackett.
  • Plucky's Instagram
  • Jen's Instagram
  • Day Of Big Dreaming — Avail from today to end of January 2024, recommended
  • SNYaM 2024 — There are currently two (2) virtual So Now You're A Manager cohorts planned in 2024, dates are TBA, interested folks should pre-register
  • Plucky's podcast — This season, released earlier this year, featured eight (8) different mentors on a variety of topics, like negotiation, allyship, performance reviews, first impressions and more
]]>