Episode 11- The Starks and Succession Planning

Even today, women within the American workforce make substantially less than their male counterparts. This week, we discuss the glory that is Wonder Woman as a lens through which to explore the status of woman within the modern workforce. We also examine the Equal Pay Act, along with some of its provisions, requirements, and (at least according to some) its loopholes.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Avengers Initiative is supposed to be designed to protect mankind from extraordinary threats. However, it seems that the Avengers are better at creating and then saving us from the threats of their own creation. Like a mod boss and a protection racket, it seems that wherever the Avengers go trouble follows.

Though their intentions are pure and their abilities undeniable, they continue to squabble and work in opposition to one another. Often they work in secret, encountering problems they could easily avoid. They chaff at oversight and fail to recognize that they could likely solve half of their challenges fairly easily if they just work together more effectively. In other words, they are just like most workplaces.

This episode, we look at the unique challenges and special tactics that must be employed when managing exceptionally bright, capable, and creative workers.

Board Games used to mean long nights of Monopoly that usually end with half of the players storming off in anger and disgust. However, we are now in what is considered commonly known as a "golden age" of gaming, with thousands of complex titles being published every year. And while board games are mostly about having a good time with family and friends, many of the most popular titles can help you develop skills which you can use every day in order to further your personal development and professional advancement.

During this episode we look to Doctor Strange in order to explore ways to approach a change in your career. Our first lesson is do not text and drive! OK, now that is out of the way, we can get down to the topic at hand. Whether career changes are forced or chosen, they can be an excellent opportunity to choose a path that fits your skills, interests, and passions. But often, indecision and fear make it hard for even the brightest of us to make an informed and reasoned decision. We have a few insights, that might make it easier for you to choose a path that fits and fulfills. And bonus, you won't have to die a thousand deaths at the hand of a vengeful chaos God in order to begin your true calling.

During this week's episode of I'm Only Human, we look back at The Office. However, rather than focusing upon Micheal's "that's what she said" jokes, or Angela's homophobia, or that fact that Creed may be a serial killer (really, all the signs kinda' suggests that his is the Scranton Strangler) we focus upon sweet and romantic Jim and his unnatural a distracting obsession with demeaning, harassing, and shaming Dwight. Through Jim's hilarious (and likely felonious) hijinks we look at the very really and destructive problem of workplace bullying and how you can take steps to reduce either its impact or its prevalence.

This week we talk about some of the behavioral science that impacts the ways that we pre-judge circumstances and others. Using the Netflix original series, Amanda Knox as our stepping of point we use the massive failures in the Knox instigation to help you avoid similar mistakes when you are assessing applicants, drawing conclusions about workplace conflicts, conducting internal investigations, and more. By being aware of the ways that our minds work, we can all avoid making unfounded assumptions that can have significant and occasionally adverse impacts.

This week we look to the scientist at the Department of Energy from Hawkins, Indiana in order to help us understand a few of things you shouldn't do if you want to keep a safe workplace. Sure, they summoned a blood thirsty kill machine from the ether (and don't get us wrong that's bad) but their greater sins were far more mundane. Were their exit's properly marked? Did they have complete Material Safety Data Sheets? Did they provide flotation devices for all workers working within three feet of a sensory deprivation tank? Did they properly disclose the risk caused by neck breaking telekinetic pre-teens? Clearly, they weren't aware of the duties imposed upon them by the Occupational Safety Hazard Act and it's many regulations. But you won't be caught flat footed after listening to this episode. Note: Here, there be spoilers. (Also, demogorgons. But mostly, spoilers.)

While Westworld is admittedly a remarkable spectacle and a marvel of science, the Delos Board must be run my absolute idiots. They have given unfettered and exclusive access to every form of their intellectual property to a man that keeps a robot in his office just to play him classical tunes on a 1860's piano. He spends large parts of his day in a leaky meat freezer talking to a glitchy gunslinger. He has recreated a copy of his ancestral home (complete with abusive father) in the far reaches of the park. He has... well, let's just say he has a hard time letting go of people. He is a certifiably madman (come on, he's played by Anthony Hopkins, for cripe's sake). And they have given him the literal keys to everything, with no way to protect their most valuable assets. This week we look at the errors of Delos in order to help you understand how you can better protect and preserve your trade secrets.

During this episode we look at the failed leadership style of Amanda Waller, "leader" of the Suicide Squad, in order to explore ways that you can effectively motivate your employees.

While fear, mutual contempt, and the avoidance of death may seem like great motivators, they are less effective in getting the people under your command to turn in their best performances than you might expect. While most employees are not psychotic kill machines (most, mind you) a surprising number of employers use similar motivating tools in order to provoke productivity. However, an overwhelming body of research shows that employees motivated by fear are sloppy in their work, unlikely to meet deadlines, and eager to embrace distractions.

We'll walk through why Waller's leadership is not only immoral but also unlikely to work and discuss some of the tactics she could have employed in order to create a more cohesive and effective team.

Ned Stark got just about everything wrong. In his wake, Robb Stark got even more wrong. If "The North Remembers" then... well, maybe a Stark regency isn't something they should embrace. Ever.

When it comes to succession planning, the Starks have just about all of it wrong. While they clearly excel when it comes to preserving the family's cultural norms, they have done little to nothing in order to protect productivity, create opportunity, and evolve their methods. This week we look at the Stark family's failures in order to offer you advice on how you can ensure that your family business can grow and endure over the years and through the generations.