I Hate It Here Podcast

I hate to say it, but your amazing culture might be a lie.



Today, Latesha Byrd and I are ripping off the culture band-aid to expose whats actually happening in your org!



You know the drill: shiny values on the wall that nobody abides by, all-hands full of empty promises, and that lovely gaslighty feeling when leadership says were family but acts like a toxic ex.



Were explaining why bring your whole self to work is a scam if your culture is performative, how to spot and fix the disconnect between what leaders say and what employees live, and the corporate red flags that scream RUN, along with the green flags worth fighting for!



Multi-state compliance is a nightmarebut SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. VisitSixFifty.comto learn more!



Whether youre scaling fast or filling a critical role, Oyster helps you tap into the global talent pool and navigate international hiring with confidence. Hire full time talent or work flexibly with contractors- hire remotely, manage payroll, and ensure compliance ethically, with real employment experts by your side. Visit oysterhr.com to learn more!



0:01:40 - One Truth About Work Latesha Wishes More Leaders Understood

0:03:51 - How to Define Real Culture and How to Tell When Its Missing

0:10:39 - When a Companys Culture Initiative Falls Completely Flat

0:19:03 - Why Performative Actions Ruin Trust at Work, and How to Fix It

0:22:47 - The Role Communication Plays in Shaping Culture Narratives at an Org

0:26:30 - Towing the Line Between Being Inspiring and Being Honest About Challenges

0:31:32 - How to Hold Leaders Accountable

0:37:31 - The Red Flag or Green Flag? Game

0:41:10 - If Latesha Could Redesign Culture From Scratch, What Would She Prioritize First?

0:46:16 - What the Next Generation of Employees Will Expect From Real Workplace Culture

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebbas newsletter! Its for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/



And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Latesha:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lateshabyrd/

Follow Hebba:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Look, I’ll be honest: most “leadership experts” lowkey make me want to throw my laptop into a pool. 



But Dr. Matt Poepsel? This man’s the REAL DEAL!



Marine veteran, Ironman triathlete, PhD in psychology, and the actual godfather of talent optimization (no, really, he wrote the book on it)! 



So when he says leadership today is broken, you listen.



Today, we’re dragging egos, calling out the “hero leader” BS, and answering the question employees are too scared to ask: 

Why are so many leaders terrible at their jobs? 



From vulnerability without oversharing to why your status reports are already obsolete, this is the leadership reset you didn’t know you needed.



Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more!



Whether you’re scaling fast or filling a critical role, Oyster helps you tap into the global talent pool and navigate international hiring with confidence. Hire full time talent or work flexibly with contractors- hire remotely, manage payroll, and ensure compliance ethically, with real employment experts by your side. Visit ⁠oysterhr.com⁠ to learn more!



0:02:30 - One Truth About Work Matt Wishes More Leaders Understood

0:03:37 - How to Build Self-awareness as a Leader

0:06:57 - When A Leader’s Ego Gets in the Way of Good Leadership

0:09:36 - Spotting the Difference Between Authentic Leaders and Stiff Leaders

0:12:58 - A Game-changing Moment in Matt’s Leadership Journey

0:19:21 - What Employees ACTUALLY Want From Leaders

0:22:19 - If a Manager Only Has Time to do One Thing, What Should it Be?

0:27:07 - A Small Action Leaders Can Take That Has a Huge Impact

0:32:41 - The Fine Line Between Vulnerability and Oversharing

0:34:39 - Navigating Leadership in an Era of Burnout, Layoffs, and AI

0:40:03 - Something Every CEO Should Understand About Their Company

0:43:41 - Rewriting the Playbook on How Companies Develop Leaders

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

 

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Matt: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Whether we like it or not, office politics are an unavoidable part of corporate life.



But don’t worry—you’re in for a TREAT today because one of my absolute favorite humans, Jessica Winder, is back on the pod, and we’re diving into the BS of corporate life in detail! 



You know, the kind where you’re expected to read minds, kiss ass, and perform miracles while leadership acts like promotions are some kind of Da Vinci Code situation. 



We’re talking about why “being liked” often beats “being right,” how LinkedIn is just one giant performance of corporate cringe, and why trust is literally cheaper than surveillance (but somehow, companies still don’t get it). 



There’s value in learning how to play the corporate game without compromising your integrity, so let’s get into it!



Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more!



Whether you’re scaling fast or filling a critical role, Oyster helps you tap into the global talent pool and navigate international hiring with confidence. Hire full time talent or work flexibly with contractors- hire remotely, manage payroll, and ensure compliance ethically, with real employment experts by your side. Visit oysterhr.com to learn more!



0:03:17 - One Truth Jessica Wishes More Leaders Understood

0:04:16 - What Does Kissing Ass Mean in the Workplace?

0:06:02 - When Good Work Isn’t Enough to Get Ahead

0:08:57 - Unwritten Rules of Career Advancement That Nobody Talks About

0:12:06 - Is Playing Office Politics Part of the Job, or is There Another Way to Succeed?

0:15:01 - How Race and Gender Tie Into Unspoken Rules of Advancement

0:24:23 - Hebba’s Round of Spicy Questions

0:35:11 - How Jessica Would Rewrite the Rules of Career Advancement

0:38:44 - Employees Who Feel Stuck Because They Refuse to Kiss Ass



And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

 

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!



Follow Jessica:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicadwinder/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

This should come as no surprise anymore, but your employees aren’t just asking for certainty these days, they’re BEGGING for it! 



And yet, most workplaces still operate like a Magic 8 Ball: "Ask again later," "Outlook not so good," and my personal favorite, "Cannot predict now." Cool, cool. 



So why do we keep acting shocked when people quit over unclear expectations, bad leadership, and the soul-crushing weight of "figure it out yourself" culture?



Joining me today is Kat Kibben, recruiting expert and professional truth-teller, to drag the leadership myths we’re all tired of and drop some real talk on how to actually make work WORK for people! 

We’re breaking down why humans would rather deal with a known disaster than unknown chaos, how bad managers create generational trauma in the workplace, and the one thing leaders always get wrong about certainty.



Lots of gems in here, so buckle up!



Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit ⁠⁠⁠lattice.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more.



Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more!



0:03:51 - One Truth About Work Kat Wishes More Leaders Understood

0:05:05 - Why Do Humans Crave Certainty So Much?

0:08:25 - How Leaders Can Make Employees Feel Safe

0:19:43 - Why Not Every Good Employee Needs to Be a Manager

0:24:38 - What Does Creativing Clarity Actually Look Like?

0:31:58 - How Good or Bad Communication Shapes Teams Over Time

0:38:34 - Bouncing Back From a Toxic Boss/Environment

0:46:13 - One Thing Leaders Often Get Wrong About Providing Certainty

0:49:33 - One Message Leaders Should Repeat to Their Teams During Uncertain Times



And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

 

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Kat:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinakibben/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: MONEY. 💸



And who better to talk about money with than compensation guru Matt McFarlane?



In this episode, we’re ripping apart everything you think you know about fair pay. 



Why do employees feel stiffed? Are pay gaps accidental or systemic? And why the hell is talking about salary still taboo?



We’ll also be discussing why fair pay is still a myth at most companies, how to handle founders who treat compensation like a dark art, and what actual pay transparency looks like (hint: it’s not just publishing salaries).



Choosing the wrong HR platform is rife with regrets: losing a top performer, promoting the wrong person, or failing to engage your team when the business needs it most.



Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between investing in people programs and consolidating your tech stack. With Lattice, you can have both. Visit ⁠⁠lattice.com⁠⁠ to learn more.



Multi-state compliance is a nightmare—but SixFifty makes it easy. Get instant answers to employment law questions, generate a compliant multi-state handbook in minutes, and stay ahead of changing laws with automated updates. Visit ⁠⁠SixFifty.com⁠⁠ to learn more!



0:01:57 - One Truth About Work Matt Wishes More People Understood

0:03:20 - What Being Paid Right Actually Means, and Why Companies Get it Wrong

0:06:58 - What “I Don’t Feel Like I’m Being Paid Fairly” Really Means

0:08:50 -  Why is Talking About Pay Such a Taboo Topic at Work?

0:11:49 - Should Employees Know What Their Coworkers Make?

0:14:36 - Are Pay Gaps Intentional, or a Result of a Broken System?

0:19:56 - If Matt Could Change One Thing About Compensation, What Would It Be?

0:22:36 - Dealing With Founders Who Don’t Want to Define Anything Compensation-related

0:27:50 - What Role Should Managers Play in Pay Equity?

0:34:03 - What Does a Truly Fair, Inclusive, and Modern Compensation Philosophy Look Like?

0:39:47 - One Thing Matt Nerds Out About When It Comes to Compensation

0:41:25 - How Matt Would Rewrite the Unwritten Rules About Money at Work

0:47:45 - A Conversation About Money That Matt Wishes He Had Earlier in His Career

0:52:00 - What Workplace Money Utopia Could Look Like in the Future

And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

 

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out  https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

Follow Matt:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmcfarlane/

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef