

The Indigo Podcast
Ben Baran and Chris Everett
Take control of your life, business, and career once and for all. The Indigo Podcast offers raw, unfiltered, and science-based talk about flourishing in life. Join CEOs, executives, and regular folks in learning how to build a better future at work and beyond. Check out this top ranked podcast! For more information, visit www.indigotogether.com.
Our approach is evidence based and our conversation is quirky. In every episode, we:
1. Promote the flourishing of people and organizations.
2. Bridge the gap between social science and management practice.
3. Provide an antidote or counterpoint to the ever-increasing overly simplistic, reductionist approaches to work and life.
4. Feed the curiosity of people who want to make the world a better place through work.
5. Inspire listeners to become lifelong learners and bold difference-makers.
Our approach is evidence based and our conversation is quirky. In every episode, we:
1. Promote the flourishing of people and organizations.
2. Bridge the gap between social science and management practice.
3. Provide an antidote or counterpoint to the ever-increasing overly simplistic, reductionist approaches to work and life.
4. Feed the curiosity of people who want to make the world a better place through work.
5. Inspire listeners to become lifelong learners and bold difference-makers.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 7, 2020 • 1h 8min
Kate Ball on Career Pivots, Champions, and Finding Purpose
Today we have the pleasure of learning from Kate Ball. Kate is the Director of Talent and Leadership Development at a large tech company and she's been an officer in the U.S. Navy since 2002. Kate is going to share her story about finding what is possible in your life and career. We'll also discuss the circuitous nature of careers and navigating possibilities. And, chat about the importance of finding purpose and implications for all of us.

Jun 30, 2020 • 1h 6min
Beyond "What Do You Do?" Developing an Identity OUTSIDE of Work
This podcast is about human flourishing at work AND BEYOND. Work and non-work are often intertwined, but if we're to flourish in life, we need to pay attention to the full spectrum of human flourishing. Today's episode is probably a little more on the "beyond" side of the spectrum. We discuss: What is your identity and why is it important? Work identity and the benefits of a more complex identity. Developing a balanced "you." Links & Show Notes Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/TheIndigoPodcast/ Subscribe on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdek-k3uDlmX5FPuOAbqoAg Cerulo, K. A. (1997). Identity construction: New issues, new directions. Annual Review of Sociology, 23(1), 385-409. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev.soc.23.1.385 Caza, B. B., Vough, H., & Puranik, H. (2018). Identity work in organizations and occupations: Definitions, theories, and pathways forward. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 39(7), 889-910. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2318 https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/12/the-real-roots-of-midlife-crisis/382235/ https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/05/the-invention-of-the-midlife-crisis/561203/ https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Mastery-Liberating-Master-Musician/dp/156224003X effortless mastery by kenny werner https://www.amazon.com/Intimacy-Desire-Awaken-Passion-Relationship/dp/0825305675

Jun 23, 2020 • 1h 15min
Seriously, Another Zoom Meeting? Are you kidding me?!
Today's podcast is on the subject of virtual meetings. Fun fact: Zoom has surpassed 300 million daily meeting participants as of April 2020. To help us present the best evidence on how to run better meetings, we have guest, Lea Williams. We will discuss: The proliferation of online meetings Pitfalls and opportunities Implications for people and organizations Lea Williams, a proud caretaker of two greyhounds living in the Queen City (Charlotte, NC), is an organizational scientist with a passion for researching workplace meetings and helping nonprofit organizations. Her prior industry experience includes work at Duke Energy, TIAA, and Ingersoll Rand, and consulting with dozens of nonprofit organizations. Lea earned her Ph.D. in organizational science and master's degree in industrial and organizational psychology from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her bachelor's degree in psychology from Davidson College. Links: https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/need-know-tips-acting-camera-4073/ https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/23/21232401/zoom-300-million-users-growth-coronavirus-pandemic-security-privacy-concerns-response https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/answering-9-questions-making-virtual-meetings-better-steven-rogelberg/ https://www.amazon.com/Surprising-Science-Meetings-Lead-Performance/dp/0190689218

Jun 16, 2020 • 1h 5min
This Fall Will Be a COVID Nightmare … or Will It?
Today, we talk with Dr. Warren D. Everett and end up with a moral case for opening the economy in the wake of Covid-19. Dr. Everett has practiced medicine for over 40 years, is a retired medical school professor from the University of AL, and has specialties in Aerospace Medicine and Family Practice. He also has a B.S. in Economics from the United States Air Force Academy. Specifics we address: How pandemics end: medically vs socially Psychology of exhaustion and self-control The role of organizations and leaders as we move forward

Jun 9, 2020 • 1h 4min
You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Podcast is About You
Many of us have worked for someone we suspected might be a narcissist, or maybe have simply wondered, "What's wrong with this person?" Some of you may not be able to get enough of yourself. In this episode we talk about Narcissism and leadership. What is narcissism? What do narcissistic leaders do in organizations? How to spot, avoid, and deal with narcissistic leaders around you. "Narcissism and self-deception are survival mechanisms without which many of us might just jump off a bridge." –Todd Solondz

Jun 2, 2020 • 1h 8min
Make it RAIN! Money as a Motivator
This episode is all about the mighty dollar's relationship with humans and work. We dive deep into: Does money motivate people at work? Your relationship with money and why that matters Implications for organizations and for us as individual people Show Notes Pfeffer, J. (1998). Six dangerous myths about pay. Harvard Business Review, 76(3), 109-120. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA20567116&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00178012&p=AONE&sw=w Dunn, E. W., Aknin, L. B., & Norton, M. I. (2008). Spending money on others promotes happiness. Science, 319(5870), 1687-1688. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/319/5870/1687.long?casa_token=03XvPmXw4IQAAAAA:_x-EIemt8mCnQKZGCxXszH3R4fkqdv1FHOE4jayec-o6udPIB-prtimDg_MpP7PoWUwpObVE_62N6A Boyce, C. J., Brown, G. D., & Moore, S. C. (2010). Money and happiness: Rank of income, not income, affects life satisfaction. Psychological science, 21(4), 471-475. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797610362671?casa_token=oef6k-m0a68AAAAA%3As-guoATHc76FfWzS6q4yrGZFdTzrZr65Nh5MCi9Z-GI6FPsMSWBog3wi1H7hEYK4-m7ezBbS9tpf Quoidbach, J., Dunn, E. W., Petrides, K. V., & Mikolajczak, M. (2010). Money giveth, money taketh away: The dual effect of wealth on happiness. Psychological science, 21(6), 759-763. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797610371963?casa_token=jbNlYjbnCssAAAAA%3ANAN5GsOaZLvkTFkY4i6l8Vrezb8LkwFM6pqDgxQnzw6_hQmo_iEIaozuqUNbzx4yhc-C-NTKWqo6 The Birth of the New American Aristocracy: 2018 article in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/06/the-birth-of-a-new-american-aristocracy/559130/

May 26, 2020 • 1h 2min
High School, Again: An Adult View of Popularity
Would you like to go back to high school? For many, the deciding factor in answering this question would be popularity. And, for those of us who perhaps despised high school, the "adult" world can be quite disappointing when we realize popularity contests don't go away. All potential cringing aside, in this episode we discuss: What is popularity and how does it relate to the workplace? How do people achieve popularity and what happens if you are popular? What does popularity have to do with flourishing in life?

May 15, 2020 • 1h 10min
Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self! Self-Leadership and Managing Emotions
We couldn't help it....we love Ice Cube. But alas, today's episode is about managing your emotions. Once you understand how your mind works you will be able to hack it. Others' behaviors will likely make more sense as well. So we dive deep into: What is self leadership and how is managing one's emotions part of it? How understanding how your mind works is the key to "hacking" your future Using this understanding to improve your interactions with others Show Notes George, J. M. (2000). Emotions and leadership: The role of emotional intelligence. Human Relations, 53(8), 1027-1055. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0018726700538001 Difficult Conversations podcast: https://www.indigotogether.com/indigopodcast-1/difficult-conversations Chimp Paradox book by Steve Peters: https://www.amazon.com/Chimp-Paradox-Management-Program-Confidence/dp/039916359X

May 12, 2020 • 1h 3min
WFH? WTF! Puncturing the "Perfect" You
We're talking about working from home, and in particular, how working from home has caused so many of us to have a collision between our personal and professional lives ... a "puncturing" of an illusion of perfection that many of us have created. So we dive deep: ● What is a private vs. professional persona? ● How this is potentially helpful and potentially harmful in the workplace? ● Some tips for how to best navigate between private and professional personas.

May 5, 2020 • 1h 10min
Us versus Them: Healing the Management-Employee Rift
The big rift that can emerge between management and employees Aligning the factions Practical steps to head in the right direction


