• Why unlimited PTO is actually an illusion of flex
• PTO shame and why we hoard our time off like it's precious (because it is)
• The unspoken rules that make taking time off feel like a crime
• How working from home makes PTO guilt even worse
• Planning, scheduling, and actually honoring your time off

• Stop teaching people you're always available (put down the work phone)
• Plan time to decompress after your vacation ends
• Set up coverage plans before you leave (so you don't feel guilty)
• Write an out-of-office that actually protects your inbox
• Honor your time off instead of just scheduling it

Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work!

This time, we're talking all about:

• Why forced team building exercises make everyone scatter like roaches
• The difference between building culture and forcing "fun"
• Stay interviews vs. exit interviews (and why timing matters)
• When the CEO thinks they're everyone's buddy (spoiler: they're not)
• How to survive mandatory team building when you'd rather be anywhere else

In this episode, Shannon and Deborah tackle the dreaded corporate team building exercise—from rope courses nobody asked for to virtual activities that somehow make it worse. They break down why these forced bonding sessions often backfire, what leaders get wrong about culture, and how knowing your team's actual needs (through stay interviews, not mandatory fun) makes all the difference. Plus, they share survival tips for when you're stuck doing trust falls against your will.

So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to:

• Learn what stay interviews are and why they beat exit interviews
• Understand why series beats events for building real trust
• Create your own team building moments (with people you actually like)
• Make the best of it when you can't escape the corporate games
• Recognize when leadership is too disconnected to plan effectively

Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Deborah: The Halo Effect — Half ounce of gin, peach liqueur, lime juice, orange bitters, topped with Prosecco and garnished with a flower. Shannon: Shaken Daiquiri — Bacardi, lime juice, simple syrup, shaken (not frozen) with extra lime for tartness. Find all our drink recipes and more at our website.

• Coffee Badging: The office protest you didn't know had a name
• Revenge Quitting vs. Quiet Quitting: When employees fight back (loudly or silently)
• Rage Applying: Blanketing the internet with your resume out of pure frustration
• Quiet Firing: When your company makes you so miserable you quit on your own
• Why all of these "trends" are really just symptoms of broken workplace culture

• Recognize the signs of quiet firing before it's too late
• Document everything (yes, screenshots count)
• Start "quiet learning" on the company dime while you still can
• Build your portfolio and LinkedIn testimonials before you need them
• Know when to walk away—and bring your people with you

Pop the tab on something cold and settle in — it's time for another round of Drinks After Work!

This time, we're talking all about:

• Why performance reviews feel like going to the principal's office
• How the rating system is rigged (spoiler: you're never getting that 5/5)
• The disconnect between widget-based work and knowledge-based work
• Why managers wait until the last minute and copy-paste from last year
• What to do instead if you want actual feedback that matters

In this episode, Shannon and Deborah dig into one of corporate America's most dreaded rituals: the annual performance review. From canned responses and forced rankings to managers who "never give out a 10," they break down why this outdated system leaves 80% of employees feeling uninspired and unappreciated. But they don't just vent—they also share practical advice for both managers and employees on how to make feedback meaningful, timely, and actually useful.

So sip, swig, or chug — and get ready to:

• Stop waiting until review time to give (or get) critical feedback
• Learn how to care personally while challenging directly (thank you, Kim Scott)
• Ask the right questions during job interviews to avoid toxic review cultures
• Use one-on-ones for coaching instead of just project updates
• Understand what "good" looks like before you're judged on it

Because it wouldn't be Drinks After Work without the drinks, here are the FAB: Shannon: Hot Apple Cider with Bourbon — Apple cider simmered with chunked apples, chunked oranges, and cinnamon sticks until reduced, then mixed with bourbon. Deborah: Pear Pressure — Vodka, spiced honey syrup, apple cider, lemon, topped with Prosecco.

Resources: Performance Reviews Are Pointless and Insulting: Why Do They Still Exist? (Forbes, 2018)

Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Psychology Today: Less than 20% of employees feel inspired by their review (2024)

• Why New Year's resolutions set us up for failure (and what to do instead)
• How SMART goals aren't actually that smart for personal growth
• The perfectionism trap that makes goal-setting feel like punishment
• Why reflection beats resolution every time
• Practical alternatives that actually work (hello, ALIGN goals)

• Ditch the guilt and perfectionism around goal-setting
• Learn the "Big Rock" chunking method for breaking down goals
• Discover ALIGN goals (Aspire, Live it, Integrate, Gauge, Nurture)
• Give yourself emotional grace instead of another reason to feel guilty
• Turn mandatory SMART goals into SMART ASS goals (yes, really)

• What happens when HR becomes more about protecting the company than the people
• Why surveys and “great place to work” badges aren’t always what they seem
• How trust is broken—and what it takes to rebuild it
• Why marginalized employees often face the worst of HR’s shortcomings
• What HR professionals can actually do to be human-centered again

• Rethink the role HR plays in your org’s culture
• Explore what people really want from workplace support systems
• Consider how L&D and HR can (and should) work together
• Walk away with simple, practical steps—whether you’re on the team or just surviving it

• How the recruiting process got so broken
• Why AI might actually be able to fix what’s wrong
• The hidden frustrations of cover letters, ATS filters, and job scams
• Real talk about bias, fairness, and the exhausting hunt for “culture fit”

• Learn how AI could make job matching more human (ironically)
• Hear firsthand stories of recruitment gone wrong
• Get practical, real-world tips to navigate broken hiring systems
• Discover tools to help your resume stand out without gaming the system

• How cognitive biases sneak into the way we design learning
• Why “expert syndrome” (aka Dunning-Kruger) can ruin credibility
• The hidden effects of the halo, horn, and affinity biases on planning and hiring
• False consensus and confirmation bias — and what they mean for team decision-making

• Spot the biases that may be creeping into your own L&D practice
• Rethink how you build learner personas and team dynamics
• Bring contrarian voices into the room (and see why you need them)
• Reflect on when bias holds you back — and when it might be working in your favor