How to Be Awesome at Your Job

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**How to Be Awesome at Your Job**

Get more fun, wins, meaning, and money from your job! With 25,000,000 downloads and mentions in *The New York Times*, *Forbes*, and *Linkedin Learning.* This show helps grow your skills and impact at any job that requires thinking and collaborating.

Each week, Pete interviews thought-leaders and results-getters to discover specific, actionable insights that boost work performance. Their stories and advice sharpen the universal skills to flourish at work. Boost your time/energy management, leadership, confidence, career opportunities, and fulfillment—while still getting home earlier.

Try starting with episode 0: START HERE and listener favorite episodes we put at the beginning numbered: A, B, C, D, E, and F. (Subscribe and/or sort Old to New to find these starter episodes.) Welcome!

Latest Episodes:

1104: Exploring the Timeless Principles of Influence through a Christian Lens with Brian Ahearn Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Brian Ahearn shares his strategies for people looking to create ethical and meaningful change–both at work and at home.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) How modern psychology and the Bible support each other

2) How to build instant rapport with anyone

3)  The master key to cementing your authority

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1104 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT BRIAN —

Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE. An international trainer and consultant, he specializes in applying the science of influence in everyday situations. He is one of only a dozen individuals in the world who holds the Cialdini Method Certified Trainer designation.

Brian’s first book, Influence PEOPLE: Powerful Everyday Opportunities to Persuade that are Lasting and Ethical, was named one of the Top 100 Influence Books of All Time by BookAuthority. His LinkedIn courses have been viewed by more than 400,000 people around the world.

• Book: Influenced from Above: Where Faith and Influence Meet

• Book: The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness

• Book Email: BookLaunch@InfluencePeople.biz

• LinkedIn: Brian Ahearn

• Website: InfluencePeople.biz

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasionby Robert Cialdini

• Book: Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman

• Past episode: 664: Dr. Robert Cialdini on How to Persuade with the 7 Universal Principles of Influence

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1103: The Four Universal Patterns of Winning Innovation with JoAnn Garbin Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Former Microsoft leader JoAnn Garbin reveals the patterns and principles behind Microsoft’s biggest innovation wins.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) What most people overlook about innovation

2) The secret to getting executives on board

3) The four patterns responsible for Microsoft’s success

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1103 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT JOANN —

JOANN GARBIN is a sustainability and technology entrepreneur with a 25-year track record of leading teams “from nothing to something to scale,” creating numerous innovative products and profitable businesses. During her tenure as Director of Innovation in Microsoft’s cloud business, she guided her team in developing billion-dollar opportunities, including the Regenerative Datacenter of the Future. In 2024, she founded Regenerous Labs, a collaboration committed to creating cross-sector transformations.

JoAnn is an active alumnus of Villanova University, where she studied mechanical engineering and philosophy. Her fresh eyes and thought leadership were instrumental in driving novel insights into The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft.

• Book: The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft

• Book LinkedIn: The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft

• Book Website: InnovationAtMicrosoft.com

• LinkedIn: JoAnn Garbin

• Website: JoAnnGarbin.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Website: Finding Mastery

• LinkedIn: Dean Carignan

• Book: Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter Than You Know by Angus Fletcher

• Book: Leonardo da Vinciby Walter Isaacson

• Past episode: 447: What Innovators Do Differently with Hal Gregersen

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1102: How to be “Lucky” by Hacking Hidden Markets to Get More What You Want with Judd Kessler Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

Judd Kessler discusses how to navigate the hidden markets that decide how scarce resources—like time and attention—get distributed.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) Why some people seem to score more coveted resources

2) The counterintuitive advantages of settling

3) An easy way to become the more appealing candidate

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1102 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT JUDD —

Judd B. Kessler is the author of LUCKY BY DESIGN: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want and the inaugural Howard Marks Endowed Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. For his work on the hidden market of organ allocation, Kessler was named one of the “30 under 30” in Law and Policy by Forbes. He is an award-winning teacher as well as a sought-after speaker.

• Book: Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want

• Book site: GetLuckyByDesign.com

• LinkedIn: Judd Kessler

• Website: JuddBKessler.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Study: “Propose with a rose? Signaling in internet dating markets” by Soohyung Lee and Muriel Niederle

• Book: Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell

• Book: Who Gets What — and Why: The New Economics of Matchmaking and Market Design by Alvin Roth

• Past episode: 015: David Allen, The World’s Leading Authority on Productivity

• Past episode: 482: David Allen Returns with the 10 Moves to Stress-Free Productivity

• Past episode: 1090: How to Get Recruiters to Compete for You with Madeline Mann

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1101: Navigating the Four Seasons of Leadership with Carolyn Dewar Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Carolyn Dewar shares insights from top CEOs on how to master each season of your leadership career.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) How to avoid the nearly universal blind spot of leaders

2) How to thrive in any leadership role

3) How to nail your first impressions and set the right tone

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1101 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT CAROLYN —

Carolyn Dewar is a senior partner in McKinsey’s San Francisco office. She coleads McKinsey’s CEO Excellence service line, advising many Fortune 100 CEOs how to maximize their effectiveness and lead their organizations through pivotal moments. She has published more than 30 articles in the Harvard Business Review and McKinsey Quarterly and is a frequent keynote speaker. She is also the founder of and faculty member for many of McKinsey’s client master classes for sitting CEOs and those preparing for the role.

• Book: A CEO for All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership

• LinkedIn: Carolyn Dewar

• Corporate Profile: McKinsey & Company

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (One World Essentials)by Trevor Noah

• Past episode: 1066: How to Thrive When Your Resilience Runs Out with Dr. Tasha Eurich

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1100: How to Be Bold in the Face of Uncertainty (According to Science) with Dr. Ranjay Gulati Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Ranjay Gulati discusses how to resource yourself for courageous action during times of uncertainty.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) The critical question to ask when you’re feeling fear

2) The six resources of courageous people

3) The simple mental shift that leads to braver actions

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1100 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT RANJAY —

Ranjay Gulati is the Paul R. Lawrence MBA Class of 1942 Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. His pioneering work focuses on unlocking organizational and individual potential—embracing courage, nurturing purpose-driven leaders, driving growth, and transforming businesses. He is the recipient of the 2024 CK Prahalad Award for Scholarly Impact on Practice and was ranked as one of the top ten most cited scholars in Economics and Business over a decade by ISI-Incite.

The Economist, Financial Times, and the Economist Intelligence Unit have listed him as among the top handful of business school scholars whose work is most relevant to management practice. He is a Thinkers50 top management scholar, speaks regularly to executive audiences, and serves on the board of several entrepreneurial ventures.

He holds a PhD from Harvard University and a Master's degree from MIT. He is the author of Deep Purpose (2022) and How to be Bold (2025), both published by Harper Collins. He lives in Newton, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.

• Book: How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage

• LinkedIn: Ranjay Gulati

• Website: RanjayGulati.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: The Power of Story: Change Your Story, Change Your Destiny in Business and in Life by Jim Loehr

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1099: How to Buy Back Your Time with the Right Assistant with Jess Lindgren Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Jess Lindgren shares what it takes to build a working relationship that helps give you back your time and focus.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) The must-have traits of any great assistant

2) The key to hiring an assistant

3) Where to find great assistants hiding in your own network

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1099 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT JESS —

Jess Lindgren has worked in the C-Suite of small companies for 20+ years, and developed a diverse skill set by wearing many hats on any given day. She focuses on supporting her current CEO in his many endeavors, works to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of EAs around the world, and has very low tolerance for any meeting that could have been an email. Jess hosts the wildly popular* business podcast, Ask An Assistant. (*in her Grandpa's woodshop)

She loves living in Syracuse with her husband and three cats in their century home. An avid fan of putting pen to paper, Jess personally replies to every handwritten letter she receives.

• Podcast: Ask An Assistant

• Website: JessLindgren.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxyby Douglas Adams

• Service: Fancy Hands

• Service: Care.com

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1098: How to Achieve Your Biggest Goals through Self-Persuasion with Jay Heinrichs Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

Jay Heinrich reveals how to unlock your best self using the ancient techniques of rhetoric.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) Aristotle’s lure and ramp method for making progress

2) Why to make your affirmations as silly as possible

3) Powerful reframes for failure and impostor syndrome

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1098 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT JAY —

Jay Heinrichs is the New York Times bestselling author of Thank You for Arguing. He spent twenty-six years as a writer, editor, and magazine publishing executive before becoming a full-time advocate for the lost art of rhetoric. He now lectures widely on the subject, to audiences ranging from Ivy League students and NASA scientists to Southwest Airlines executives, and runs the language blog figarospeech. He lives with his wife in New Hampshire.

• Book: Aristotle's Guide to Self-Persuasion: How Ancient Rhetoric, Taylor Swift, and Your Own Soul Can Help You Change Your Life

• Substack: Aristotle's Guide to Soul Bending

• Website: JayHeinrichs.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: On The Soul by Aristotle

• Book: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport

• Book: Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion (Wooden Books, 7) by Andrew Aberdein and Adina Arvatu

• Book: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

• Past episode: 873: Dr. Steven Hayes on Building a More Resilient and Flexible Mind

• Past episode: 2024 GREATS: 950: Cal Newport: Slowing Down to Boost Productivity and Ease Stress

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1097: Turning Conflict into Connection with Charles Duhigg Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Charles Duhigg reviews his communication techniques for finding common ground in any conflict.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) The three-step looping method for making others feel heard

2) The secret principle for keeping conversations aligned

3) How to uncover what people really want in a conversation

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1097 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT CHARLES —

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist and the author of Supercommunicators, The Power of Habit, and Smarter Faster Better. A graduate of Harvard Business School and Yale University, he is a winner of the National Academies of Sciences, National Journalism, and George Polk awards. He writes for The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine, and was the founding host of the Slate podcast How To! with Charles Duhigg.

• Book: Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection

• Book: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

• Substack: "The Science of Better"

• Website: CharlesDuhigg.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Study: Granovetter study on The Strength of Weak Ties

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• LinkedIn Jobs. Post your job for free at linkedin.com/beawesome

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1096: How to Find More Humor and Fun at Work with Adam Christing Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Adam Christing discusses how anyone can use humor to connect and succeed at work.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) Why humor matters at work

2) How to bring the fun—even if you aren’t funny

3) The five laugh languages

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1096 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT ADAM —

Adam Christing brings people together with humor and heart! He is a laughter expert, popular keynote speaker, and award-winning event emcee. Adam has delighted more than two million people across forty-nine of the fifty US states and internationally. He serves as president of CleanComedians.com and is a member of Hollywood’s world-famous Magic Castle. Featured on Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast and over 100 top podcasts and TV programs, Adam inspires leaders to empower their teams with positive humor and authenticity.

• Book: The Laughter Factor: The 5 Humor Tactics to Link, Lift, and Lead

• Book site: TheLaughterFactor.com

• Quiz: Discover Your Laugh Language

• Website: AdamChristing.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

• Book: Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! —

• Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome

• LinkedIn Jobs. Post your job for free at linkedin.com/beawesome

• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1095: Keeping Your Productive Groove through Movement, Thought, and Rest with Dr. Natalie Nixon Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Natalie Nixon discusses how to develop strategic thinking, prevent burnout, and enhance creativity through her move, rest, and think framework.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) The inner skills that make us more strategic and effective

2) The neglected skill that makes us more strategic

3) How to prime your best ideas in 90 seconds

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1095 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT NATALIE —

Dr. Natalie Nixon, creativity strategist and CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, is known as the ‘creativity whisperer to the C-Suite’ and is the world’s leading authority on the WonderRigor™ Theory. She excels at helping leaders catalyze creativity’s ROI for inspired business results. She is the author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap and the forthcoming Move.Think.Rest.

With a background in cultural anthropology, her career spans global apparel sourcing with The Limited Brands and a 16-year career in academia, where she was the founding director of the Strategic Design MBA at Thomas Jefferson University. She received her BA from Vassar College and her PhD from the University of Westminster in London. She’s a lifelong dancer and a new aficionado of open water swimming.

• Book: Move. Think. Rest.: Redefining Productivity & Our Relationship with Time

• Book: The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work

• Website: Figure8Thinking.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Study: “Knowing your own heart: Distinguishing interoceptive accuracy from interoceptive awareness” by Sarah N. Garfinkle, et al.

• Study: “Effects of interoceptive training on decision making, anxiety, and somatic symptoms” by Ayako Sugawara, et al.

• App: Fitebo

• Book: How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett

• Book: Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross

• Book: Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina

• Book: The Covenant of Water: A Novel by Abraham Verghese

• Book: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese