Work of Fiction

Jake Sully is shipped off to the moon of Pandora, where militant human invaders and native tribes are in desperate need of some basic conflict resolution training. This bioluminescent backdrop provides unique insights into: Leadership Styles, Types of Motivation in the Workplace, Building Trust as a Leader, and Negotiation Tactics.

Power struggles at your office making you feel like you’re working in Westeros? In our first episode dedicated to a TV series, we look at the different leadership styles of Cersei Lannister, Daenyers Targaryen, and Jon Snow, and how leaders attain (and maintain) power. We cover topics like: Leading in War and Peace Time, Sociopathy and Leaders, Transactional Power, Transformational Leadership, Servant Leadership, Role Models for Leaders. Hosted by Bud Caddell, Jane Garza, and Dr. Kim Perkins. Credits: Benioff, David and D.B. Weiss, showrunners. Game of Thrones. HBO, 2011. HBO Go. “Work of Fiction” Theme Song: Matt Garza

Wannabe journalist Andie will get any job she wants—if she can just survive a year as an assistant to Runway Magazine's notorious editor, Miranda Priestly. If you’ve ever had a boss who makes impossible demands—and it seems like everyone’s had at least one—this one’s for you. This episode covers: Challenges of Female Leadership, Surviving Toxic Work Environments, Work-Life Balance, Delegating Work, Best Practices for Interviewing and Quitting Hosted by Paula Cizek, Jane Garza, and Dr. Kim Perkins. Credits: The Devil Wears Prada. Dir. David Frankel. Perf. Meryl Street, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt. 20th Century Fox. 2006. “Work of Fiction” Theme Song by Matt Garza

Don’t let the aliens fool you: Men in Black is really about recruiting and onboarding new employees. When NYC beat cop James has a run-in with an alien, he’s initiated into the secretive world of the Men in Black, a shadowy organization dedicated to protecting the universe. Birthing squid babies, erasing memories, defeating giant cockroaches—and you thought your first week on the job was tough. This episode covers: Employee Recruiting and Onboarding, Tracking and Adapting to Customer Needs, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace, Retirement and “Offboarding”

That’s right, we’re talking about Fight Club. In Episode 3, we compare the employee experience at the film’s nameless (and soulless) automotive recall agency with life-affirming (though violent) Fight Club/Paper Street Soap Company/Project Mayhem. We are Jack’s detached interest in: Company Purpose and Mission, Startup Culture and the Myth of the Founder, Hierarchical vs. Flat/Autonomous Organizations, Onboarding and Cultural Norms, and Mental Health in the Workplace.

In Episode 2, we analyze the company cultures of RegalView and WorryFree, two dystopian employers in the recent satire “Sorry to Bother You.” “Cash” Green starts working his way up the corporate ladder, enjoying his newfound perks and status—at least until he discovers a horrible secret. It’s a bleak but funny take on: Leadership Development Employee Onboarding and Training Profitability and Corporate Ethics Diversity and Inclusion Hierarchies in the Workplace Authenticity in the Office Hosted by Bud Caddell, Jane Garza, and Kim Perkins.

Spoiler Warning: We will be discussing the movie's plot in its entirety. In our inaugural episode, we analyze Gregarious Games and Innovative Online Industries (IOI) from Ready Player One. It’s 2045, and societal collapse has driven people to escape to a virtual world called “The Oasis.” When its founder dies, the race is on to solve puzzles that will determine the next owner. In other words, it’s a perfect foil for the challenges that modern organizations are facing, including: Succession Planning Founders’ Influence on Company Culture Incentives and Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation Autonomy and Delegation in the Workplace Silos vs. Cross-Functional Teams The Role of the Corporate Board Hosted by Bud Caddell, Paula Cizek, and Jane Garza.

We're members of NOBL, an organizational design collective that helps leaders align company culture to strategy. Every month, we're going to take a break from helping real organizations change to discuss fictional leaders and organizations from movies and TV: What works? What doesn’t? And most importantly, we'll talk about the simple tools they (and you, our listeners) can implement to make the workplace better.