Squiggly Careers

If networking feels awkward or transactional, this Squiggly Shortcut offers a simpler starting point: give to gain. Inspired by the theme of International Women's day, Helen explores why focusing on what you can contribute, rather than what you can get, makes building relationships easier and more effective. Generosity strengthens connections and creates reciprocity, a concept backed by research from Adam Grant. To make it practical, she shares three easy ways to get started: reflect on what you’re recommended for, share lessons from your experiences, and offer your expertise in small, useful ways. A short, actionable guide to building career karma that feels genuine, not transactional.

Episode 540

🦞 Learn Like A Lobster:
🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn
🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://bit.ly/46lj8Av

📚 Resources Mentioned
Are you a giver or a taker? | Adam Grant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyXRYgjQXX0
How to create career karma | Squiggly Careers E298 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rcBw84iTUA

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:
📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/
🦞 Join the Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz
📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction
📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from a powerful Harvard Business Review article by James Elfer, Siri Chilazi, and Edward Chang on the science of behaviour change at work.They unpack the “Four T’s” model, a practical framework used in big organisations to drive measurable behaviour change. But instead of keeping it theoretical, they apply it to real team challenges like:

- Reducing interruptions in meetings
- Prioritising important work over easy tasks
- Keeping objectives alive (not just setting them)
- Moving from “busy” to genuinely impactful

You’ll hear how to get specific about the behaviour you want to change, design simple interventions that fit your culture, introduce them at the right moment, and measure whether they’re actually working. If you’ve ever said, “We know what to do… we’re just not doing it,” this episode will give you a structured, science-backed way to close that say-do gap, without adding more noise to your workload.

Episode 539

🦞 Learn Like A Lobster:
🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn
🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://bit.ly/46lj8Av

(00:00) How to Change Behaviour at Work
(01:00) The Four T’s explained
(05:49) Step 1: Target the right behaviour
(07:02) Step 2: Build your theory of change
(08:28) Step 3: Make it timely
(09:27) Step 4: Test the effect
(10:48) Real examples from teams

📚 Resources Mentioned
To Change Company Culture, Start with One High-Impact Behavior: https://hbr.org/2026/01/to-change-company-culture-start-with-one-high-impact-behavior

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:
📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/
🦞 Join the Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz
📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction
📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If influence sometimes feels uncomfortable or awkward, this is a fresh take that reframes it as collaboration rather than persuasion. In this Squiggly Shortcut, Sarah shares a practical, three-step approach to influencing with curiosity rather than control. Using the example of someone challenging the idea of squiggly careers, Sarah explores why pushing harder rarely works and why listening first is often your most powerful move. From opening up the conversation with genuine curiosity, to involving someone in shaping the solution, to landing on a payoff they actually care about, this episode is a simple guide to influencing in a way that feels thoughtful, not manipulative.

Episode 538

🦞 Learn Like A Lobster:
🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn
🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://bit.ly/46lj8Av

📚 Resources Mentioned

Episode 239: Ask the Expert with Connson Chou Locke - https://shows.acast.com/amazingif/episodes/239-ask-the-expert-influence-with-connson-chou-locke

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:
📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/
🦞 Join the Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz
📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction
📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you make your LinkedIn feed work harder for your career instead of just scrolling past the same ideas on repeat? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are Borrowing Brilliance from LinkedIn’s Top Voices list. They share three people worth following right now and why. This episode is all about curating smarter inputs, breaking out of echo chambers, and learning faster from the right voices.

Episode 537

🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster
🇺🇸 PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn
🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR

🎯 What You’ll Learn

- How to escape the LinkedIn echo chamber
- Three experts to follow for smarter career insights
- Small ways to influence your algorithm and improve what you see

📚 Resources Mentioned

LinkedIn Top Voices list: https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/meet-the-linkedin-top-voices-class-of-january-2026-6924764/
Dr Shani Dhanda: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/shanidhanda
Zoe Kleinman: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/zoe-kleinman-a057878
Cassian Horowitz: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/cassian-horowitz-3166a47b
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Squiggly Shortcut, Helen shares why self-awareness is one of the most important skills for your career and how to build it in small, practical ways. Rather than relying on reflection alone, she explains how self-awareness also means understanding how others experience you and offers three simple exercises to help you spot blind spots, manage your energy, and support your growth.

Episode 536

🦞 Learn Like A Lobster:
🇺🇸PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn
🇬🇧 Amazon UK - https://bit.ly/46lj8Av

For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected]

More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:
📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/
🦞 Join the Learn Like a Lobster Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz
📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction
📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.