393: How to Build a Win-Win Workplace with Angela Jackson
The Modern Manager
Defining the zero-sum workplace
Angela defines the zero-sum workplace, shares an early managerial mistake, and contrasts transactional norms with human-centered leadership.
Many organizations say they want to invest in people, but their hiring and talent practices often tell a very different story.
Degree requirements, limited benefits packages, and poor management practices continue to limit who gets access to opportunity and how teams perform. And the cost shows up everywhere: higher turnover, slower productivity, and missed potential.
Fortunately, this week’s guest brings clear data and practical strategies that show how companies can do better for both people and performance.
Dr. Angela Jackson is a Workplace Futurist and ESG expert, founder of Future Forward Strategies, and a lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She works with entrepreneurs, F100s, and policymakers on the future of work. Dr. Angela holds a doctorate from Harvard University and serves on several boards, including Needham Bancorp. Her book, The Win-Win Workplace, became a New York Times, USA Today, and Los Angeles Times Best Seller
If you want to build stronger teams, reduce turnover, and boost performance inside your organization, this episode offers a practical roadmap.
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Conversation Topics
- (00:00) Why “being your best self at work” is a business imperative
- (02:52) What is a “zero-sum workplace”?
- (06:05) What happens when workplaces invest in people
- (06:57) The 9 pillars of a Win-Win Workplace (overview)
- (12:26) What managers can do (even without company-wide power)
- (19:03) Distributed leadership and the Ownership mindset
- (26:57) A great manager story
- (29:30) How to connect with Angela
- (30:45) [Extended Interview] Building a deep talent bench
- (32:30) [Extended Interview] Hiring for skills, not credentials
- (36:18) [Extended Interview] How to design a skills-based interview
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Keep Up with Angela Jackson
- Connect with her on LinkedIn here: linkedin.com/in/dr-angela-jackson
- Follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/angela.jackson.48955/
- Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drangelajackson/
- Read her book here: https://www.readwinwinworkplace.com/
Guest Bonus: 1 Free registration to The Win-Win Workplace Summit
The Win-Win Workplace™ Summit is where visionary employers and workplace innovators gather to tackle real challenges. Grounded in research and a commitment to practice, the 2026 Summit is built to spark bold action. Come with real questions. Leave with new strategies, trusted advisors, and partnerships that last long after the event. This is where leaders stop going it alone—and start building what’s next, together.
MAY 4-5, 2026 | CHICAGO, IL
Learn more about the summit here:
https://www.winwinworkplacesummit.org/
If you’re not able to attend the summit, enter the drawing anyway, and you’ll be able to select another event to attend in the US.
Enter the drawing by February 27th, 2026.
To get this bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.
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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive and great work gets done.
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