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The Meg and Amy Show

The Meg and Amy Show

Written by: WRKdefined Podcast Network
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 Join best friends Meg Bear and Amy Wilson on The Meg and Amy Show – a podcast for big-picture thinkers who are ready to challenge the status quo. As former tech executives and seasoned business leaders, Meg and Amy have spent decades leading through change. Now, they’re joining forces to break down the trends they’ve lived and helped shape.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Careers Economics Personal Success
Episodes
  • Episode 30 | WAR STORIES: The Corporate Scars That Made Us Stronger | Season 1 Finale

    Episode 30 | WAR STORIES: The Corporate Scars That Made Us Stronger | Season 1 Finale
    Dec 26 2025
    Amy and Meg get brutally honest about the toxic workplace archetypes every leader faces - and share the real stories that shaped their careers. This isn't just storytelling; it's a masterclass in pattern recognition, strategic response, and hard-earned wisdom. These are REAL experiences from two executives who've navigated decades in corporate America. We're not just sharing war stories - we're breaking down what was actually happening, how we handled it (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and what we'd tell our former selves now. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Cold Open - "Airing of Grievances" 00:44 Book Club Anniversary & PeopleSoft Legacy 04:51 The Caregiving Burden During The Holidays (Women in the Workplace Reality) 08:39 Amy's "Undercover Man" Confession 15:11 Season 1 Finale Announcement 17:01 The Credit Thief - When Ideas Get Stolen 22:36 The Diminisher - Toenail Polish & Power Games 40:34 The Gatekeeper - Controlling Access & Visibility 53:01 The Saboteur - Coordinated Workplace Attacks 1:09:01 The Narcissist & The Proxy War - When You're a Pawn 1:18:42 The Wins - How We Became a Force of Two 1:31:50 Season 2 Vision & 2026 Predictions 1:35:11 Thank You & Madison's Maternity Leave 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS & HARD-EARNED WISDOM: - Why some executives have an invisible "unfair advantage" (Amy's stay-at-home husband revelation) - How to recognize when someone is diminishing you - and why it's about their insecurities, not your worth - The crucial difference: gatekeepers you can work around vs. narcissists you must exit from - Why workplace sabotage is often a twisted compliment - you've struck a chord - How to identify proxy wars (when you're collateral damage in someone else's battle) - Strategic advice: "Don't let your enemies know who they are" - The middle schooler test: advise yourself like you'd advise your kid about bullies - Why investing in your own professional development can't depend on your employer - When credentials get weaponized: "If they have to explain how important they are instead of discussing ideas, that's a red flag" - The power of documentation: timestamp your ideas, save your receipts - Sometimes the only winning move is to walk away (and that's not failure) - How gratitude and appreciation unlock more than demands ever will 📚 RESOURCES: Jess Von Bank on The Women in the Workplace 2025 Report | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jessvonbank_the-women-in-the-workplace-2025-report-is-activity-7404939453028274176-HR6Y/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAVeN8BrXyqZRtd37eT9lCYDRykSAdLh5A Charlotte Otter’s LinkedIn Post | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charlotteeliseotter_no-one-gets-badges-for-being-a-good-parent-activity-7406374962317594624-xpbB/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAVeN8BrXyqZRtd37eT9lCYDRykSAdLh5A Festivus Airing of the Grievances | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l8Eag9CAFk 🔗 CONNECT: Amy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-wilson-insight/ Meg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbear/ Meg’s Blog: https://www.megbear.com/blog Special thanks to our Executive Producer Madison Harney - enjoy maternity leave! And to our book club celebrating 20 years of badass women supporting each other. These stories shaped us. They don't have to break you. We'll be back March 2026 for Season 2. #Leadership #CorporateToxicity #WorkplaceArchetypes #ExecutiveLeadership #CareerAdvice #WomenInLeadership #ToxicWorkplace #WorkplaceBullying #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerStrategy #WorkplaceWisdom #LeadershipLessons #CorporateLife #WorkplacePolitics #ExecutiveCoaching #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceResilience #LeadershipSkills #WomenInBusiness #CareerSuccess #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveInsights #WorkplaceStrategy
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • Episode 29 | Jason Averbook on 4 Forces Reshaping Work: Why AI Transformation Isn't About Technology

    Episode 29 | Jason Averbook on 4 Forces Reshaping Work: Why AI Transformation Isn't About Technology
    Dec 19 2025
    🚀 Jason Averbook reveals the 4 forces creating the biggest change HR has ever seen—and why 95% of AI projects are failing. This isn't about technology; it's about trust, engagement, and fundamentally rethinking how work gets done. ⚡ THE 4 FORCES RESHAPING WORK: 1. Engagement is slipping (trust in companies at all-time lows) 2. Jobs and skills are changing rapidly 3. Early career on-ramp is broken 4. AI is being pushed into unprepared organizations 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - We're asking people to change while wearing "uniforms they don't trust" - AI transformation is a people problem, not a technology problem - Most companies are trapped in task optimization vs. workflow revolution - Early talent needs to challenge assumptions, not just fill roles - "Proof of work" beats "proof of education" in today's job market - Unlearning matters more than skill development 💡 FRAMEWORKS REVEALED: - Jason's 4 Sets: Mindset, Heart Set, Skill Set, Tool Set - Amy's AI Transformation Maturity Model - The FAFO Philosophy (Fool Around and Find Out) - AI Enablement Centers vs. traditional training 🎯 TACTICAL TAKEAWAYS: - Build proof of work without a job (18-year-old built 5 apps example) - Use LinkedIn to access networks, not just contact people - Start with workflows, then add technology (not the reverse) - Invest in unlearning before upskilling - Create "challenge partners" across age groups 🏢 THE PEOPLESOFT CONNECTION: Jason, Meg, and Amy share insights from their days as young professionals disrupting the status quo at PeopleSoft—and why today's organizations need that same fresh perspective. Jason Averbook is Senior Partner and Global Leader of Digital HR Strategy at Mercer, guiding 1,000+ organizations through transformation. This conversation bridges cutting-edge AI strategy with timeless leadership principles. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction & The 4 Forces Framework 07:55 Trust Crisis: Why Engagement Matters 17:00 AI Enablement Centers vs. Traditional Training 28:37 Early Career Crisis: Proof of Work vs. Education 41:09 Diversity Redefined: Age, Context & Experience 42:43 Amy's AI Transformation Maturity Model 44:45 Jason's 4 Sets Framework 47:40 Leadership Corner: Merging Dysfunctional Teams 📚 RESOURCES: Jason's Now to Next Podcast | https://open.spotify.com/show/1zrFUr0dBTUG2EUcK8ca5g How HR Took Over the World | https://www.economist.com/business/2025/11/10/how-hr-took-over-the-world The Palantir Model | https://blog.palantir.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-palantir-forward-deployed-software-engineer-45ef2de257b1 Meg Bear on WTF Is a Forward-Deployed Engineer? by Thomas Otter | https://thomasotter.substack.com/p/wtf-is-a-forward-deployed-engineer/comment/110916540 Amy's Transformation Maturity Model | https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-transformation-paradox-why-todays-innovation-tomorrows-amy-wilson-8adqf/ 🔗 CONNECT: Jason Averbook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonaverbook/ Amy Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-wilson-insight/ Meg Bear: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbear/ Instagram: @megandamyshow #AITransformation #Leadership #HRStrategy #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork #EmployeeEngagement #EarlyCareers #WorkflowOptimization #MegAndAmyShow
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    55 mins
  • Episode 28 | HR Tech's Top Analyst John Sumser: AI Reality, Career Reinvention & What's Broken in HR

    Episode 28 | HR Tech's Top Analyst John Sumser: AI Reality, Career Reinvention & What's Broken in HR
    Dec 12 2025
    🚀 FROM FOOD CRITIC TO KITCHEN: John Sumser, HR tech's leading independent analyst for over 20 years, reveals what happens when you step from the sidelines into operations—and why most of what we believe about AI, HR, and career success is wrong. Learn how to navigate uncertainty as opportunity, why "I don't know" is the most powerful thing a leader can say, and what the next 5 years hold for HR in this candid conversation about transformation and truth-telling. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Teaser: The Best Clips 02:21 Welcome & Introduction 03:03 The Door-to-Door Santa Story 05:03 Polaroid's $100M Mistake: Old Problems, New Technology 10:00 Navigating Recession and Uncertainty 15:40 Comfort with Uncertainty as a Career Tool 18:00 From Food Critic to Kitchen: The Analyst Becomes an Operator 20:30 "I Don't Know" - The Most Powerful Leadership Tool 22:00 What Surprised Him About Being Inside 25:48 Re-igniting HR Examiner with Heather Bussing 28:00 AI's 80% Problem: Why Silicon Valley's $20 FUD is Working 31:55 Anthropomorphism: When AI Feels Like Your Friend 35:00 The Gigawatt Problem: AI's Energy Reality 40:00 Five Years Out: HR's Cracks Are Starting to Show 42:30 "What the Hell Do You Need Recruiters For?" 45:00 Strategy = Alignment (Not What HR Thinks It Means) 48:00 Leadership Corner: Caught Between Competing Executives 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - People take new technology and solve old problems without understanding what the new tech can do—this is how Polaroid failed, and it's exactly where we are with AI today - The difference between being a food critic and working in the kitchen: analysts imagine smooth stories, operators learn to wrap stories around chaos - "I don't know" is the most powerful thing you can say—it gives you a path out and creates space for improvisation - LLMs are 80-84% accurate, which means 1 out of every 5-10 words is wrong—and that makes them unusable for most HR applications - AI companies want you to anthropomorphize their tools so you'll lower your expectations and stay sticky with their product - In 5 years: People closer to the problem will solve it—recruiting shouldn't be centralized, it's a first-level supervisor's job - HR is an "ocean of exceptions to budget discipline" while every other function has rigorous budget management - The line from checkbook to productivity runs AROUND HR, not through it—and that has to change 📚 RESOURCES: HR Examiner: https://www.hrexaminer.com (John's analysis and commentary) John's Articles: 80% Isn't Very Good | https://www.hrexaminer.com/p/80-isnt-very-good Anti-Anthropomorphism Prompt | https://www.hrexaminer.com/p/anti-anthropomorphism-prompt Promptly Transparent | https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/promptly-transparent-john-sumser-qwjgc/? Sam Altman on AI's Energy Consumption | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnl833wXRz0 Democrats Seek New Relationship With Fossil Fuels | https://www.semafor.com/article/12/04/2025/democrats-seek-a-new-relationship-with-fossil-fuels 🔗 CONNECT: John Sumser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsumser/ Amy Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-wilson-insight/ Meg Bear: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbear/ Instagram: @megandamyshow This episode features one of the most provocative conversations we've had about the gap between AI hype and AI reality, why HR's current design is broken, and what happens when someone who's been watching for decades steps into the arena. John doesn't hold back—and neither do we. #AITransformation #HRTech #CareerReinvention #Leadership #FutureOfWork #MegAndAmyShow
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    53 mins
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