The People Stack Podcast
We explore the intersection of Tech Leadership & Dream careers. We do this by creating inspiring podcasts - including interviews with amazing individuals in the tech leadership space. Dr. Jen Bunk earned her Ph.D. in I/O Psychology (a.k.a. The Science of Work). She is a retired Associate Professor and an accomplished speaker & researcher. As the CEO of the People Stack, she’s used her decades of experience to coach hundreds of tech leaders to create their dream careers - and the dream lives that go with them. Rob Allen (Jen’s husband) is a 20+ year software industry veteran who moved from IC to Leadership in 2010, where the focus has always been on helping the technical folks who worked for him live their best lives. In 2019, he broadened that to the tech community as a whole by joining Jen full-time at The People Stack as her Co-CEO.
Episodes
September 26, 2023 • 85 mins
For this episode, I interviewed Marc Prine who is an I/O Psychologist with the management advisory firm MIP Consulting.
We talked about:
The good, bad, and ugly of employee monitoring systems
How to REALLY build trust with team members
Psychometric testing (and why Meyers Briggs & DISC are good for fun & games only)
How to increase your confidence and executive presence
The best way to hire (that’s backed by the scientific literatu...
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September 19, 2023 • 34 mins
There are no quick answers to complex problems - including career problems.
It’s never - “You just have to update your resume” or something similar.
Also, there are no guarantees in life so why should we offer guarantees to you?
In this episode, I explain exactly why we don’t offer money-back guarantees (like so many other coaches are doing right now)...
…and more importantly, I explain why embracing your own agency - your own bada...
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September 12, 2023 • 103 mins
For this episode, Rob and I interviewed April Wensel, founder of Compassionate Coding.
We talked about:
* What her mission at Compassionate Coding is
* Why compassion is so important
* How leaders can create more compassionate organizations
* Connection, communication across differences, & assertiveness
* The roles of suffering and intuition in building compassion
* How mindfulness and spirituality are important pieces to the comp...
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September 5, 2023 • 26 mins
It’s back-to-school time so let’s talk about books and online courses.
Let’s get serious about what they can and cannot do.
In this episode, I invite you to take an honest look at what you’re doing (and not doing) to intentionally create your dream tech career.
And ask yourself: Are those books and online courses REALLY helping?
Because they are NOT the key to career success.
In this episode, I talk about what that key is.
Enjoy!
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In this episode of the People Stack Podcast, Rob sits down with author and consultant Avi Ben-Yosef to talk about:
smaller teams with smaller egos
leading teams worth leading
leadership as a profession
connecting tech teams more closely to business outcomes, and how that determines startup success
how you actually gather REAL experience (not just years or lines on your resume)
Enjoy this jam-packed episode! Special Guest: Aviv Ben-...
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For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Josh Doody, a self-employed Salary Negotiation Coach who specializes in helping high earners get paid what they’re worth.
We talked about:
* Fearless Salary Negotiation
* Pay Bands
* Revealing Your Salary History
* Salary Transparency
* His money beliefs and definition of financial success
* Why being a Salary Negotiation Coach is his dream career
Enjoy this informative and eye-opening episod...
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August 15, 2023 • 22 mins
What’s your career worth?
In this episode, I crunch some numbers to show why it’s worth way more than $5M.
And more importantly, I address why this is so important.
Spoiler alert: Many of you are not giving your career it’s due attention.
I talk about how to fix that.
Tune in right now!
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For this episode, Rob and I interviewed Roy Rapoport, a people-oriented people leader with decades of experience working for marquee tech companies including Macromedia, Slack, and Netflix.
We talked about:
* Roy’s dream jobs and why they were dream jobs
* Why Roy doesn’t want to identify as a “great leader”
* Shame & Leadership
* Mentoring vs. Leading
* Why love is a key ingredient to making an impact
* Roy’s views on retirement a...
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August 1, 2023 • 35 mins
Want to be able to access confidence on demand?
Confidence even when - especially when - things aren’t the way you want?
Then this is definitely a podcast you’ll want to listen to very carefully!
I explain exactly what unconditional confidence is and why it’s so important - spoiler alert: it profoundly affects your ability to build your dream career.
I also explain HOW to cultivate this kind of confidence - and to get better at it ...
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July 27, 2023 • 27 mins
In this episode, I want to get into a tricky topic that a lot of our clients deal with.
It’s this idea that being paid more is somehow bad or evil. That wanting bigger paychecks and a higher quality of life means you’re a craven Scrooge who’s in it for the money, not because you truly love the work.
To illustrate this quandary, I share the Tale of Two Joes (both tech leaders).
By the end of the episode, I hope you’ll see that money...
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This interview was super fun to do and I hope you find it super fun to listen to!
Rob and I interviewed Joe Meyer, an NLP researcher at Erudit, an AI-based HR company.
In addition to his expertise in AI, Joe is also persuing a Ph.D. in I/O Psychology, so two of us go along swimmingly. ;)
We talked about:
* Some big AI myths (and Joe dispelled them)
* Faking good and the validity of AI data
* The fear and excitement around AI
* The ...
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July 20, 2023 • 37 mins
What are you tolerating in your career and at work?
What are you settling for?
Because we get what we tolerate.
If you’re tolerating an asshole boss or less-than-adequate paychecks, or unfulfilling work, you’re gonna keep getting those things.
So, how do you shift to a place where you’re no longer willing to tolerate anything less than your dream career and dream life…
…so that you can gratefully LIVE your dream without an ounce of...
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July 11, 2023 • 77 mins
The People Stack Podcast interview series is back!!!
And what better way to re-launch than to have our friend and trusted mentor Micheal Lopp back on.
Please consider this episode a master class in tech leadership best practices - with many other juicy topics mixed in.
Rob interviewed Michael and they talked about:
* Getting humans to communicate better (Michael’s bread and butter)
* Michael’s dream jobs and how they came into ...
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June 27, 2023 • 31 mins
What’s in your way of creating your dream career & dream life?
It’s NOT the economy, the job market, your workplace, your boss, or anyone else in your life.
NOTHING external to you is truly in the way.
So I invite you to STOP using the external as excuses like when you say:
“The job market is bonkers right now. I’m gonna stay put even though my job could be better.”
“The economy is terrible right now. We need to put off that vacati...
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June 9, 2023 • 31 mins
We all beat ourselves up from time to time.
What does this look like, why is it bad, and what do you do instead?
I share this b/c I want ALL of you to be able to create your dream careers from a pure place of joy, freedom, love, and prosperity.
Give this one a listen right away!
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May 25, 2023 • 32 mins
Many tech leaders believe that in order to create your dream life, you have to do it on your own.
They follow in the footsteps of people who say, “I’m a self-made millionaire!”
For example, many of you have not reached out for help because you believe you need to solve your problems on your own.
In this episode, I bust this Self-Made Myth.
And, I show you what to focus on instead so that you can not only achieve your wildest career...
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May 17, 2023 • 34 mins
Stop setting goals that you think are reasonable, achievable, or attainable.
In other words - SMART goals often set you up on a path toward failure!
In this episode I talk about why…
…and what to do instead so you can set goals that set you up for success and fulfillment every single time…
…in your career and the rest of your life!
Tune in right now!
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May 9, 2023 • 26 mins
Are you confused about your tech career? Do you desperately want to make a decision but you can’t?
Maybe it’s deciding whether you stay or go on the job market?
Maybe it’s deciding whether or not to ask for a raise?
Maybe it’s deciding HOW to go on the job market or ask for a raise?
Whatever it is…it’s weighing you down.
In this episode, I show you the REAL remedy to indecisiveness and confusion…in your career and the rest of your ...
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April 25, 2023 • 31 mins
Many of you wish you had more time.
If only you were given 1, 2, 3 more hours each day…
…then you can create the impact you know you’re capable of.
Many of you think you need to get better at time management.
If only you can use time more effectively and efficiently.
I’m here to tell you that it’s NOT that you don’t have time.
You do NOT need to get better at “managing time.” (How is that even possible?)
In this podcast, I’m going ...
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March 30, 2023 • 5 mins
Is your career working for or against you?
Do you feel like your career is driving the bus?
Because as leaders, we want our careers working FOR us!
We drive the bus!
Check out this micro-podcast for guidance on embracing this shift for yourself.
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