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Job Search, Promotion, and Career Clarity: The Mid-Career GPS PodcastAuthor: John Neral
Get Clarity. Get Promoted. Get Hired.Are you feeling stuck, undervalued, or underutilized in your current role?Wondering how to position yourself for a promotion, raise, or leadership opportunity?Are you trying to figure out whats next for your career, but not sure where to start?You're not alone, and you're in the right place.Hosted by executive and career transition coach John Neral, The Mid-Career GPS Podcast is your go-to resource to help you confidently navigate your job search, career advancement, and workplace challenges. Whether you want to find a new job, get promoted, or simply feel more fulfilled at work, this show will help you build the clarity and strategy you need to take your next step.Each episode features actionable advice, insightful interviews, and real-world strategies to help mid-career professionals, typically managers to senior directors, design a career they love or love the career they have.Youve built a solid career. Now its time to build Your Mid-Career GPS to figure out what's next and how to get there.New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe today and let's start figuring out whatever is next for you and your career, together. Language: en-us Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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326: Why People-First Cultures Win in 2026 with Kat Ortiz
Tuesday, 9 December, 2025
Send us a textIn this episode, John is joined by industrial-organizational psychologist Kat Ortiz to break down how evidence-based practices can transform workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and employee experience in ways that genuinely support performance and growth.Kat’s unconventional career journey sets the stage. From earning her GED and starting college in her thirties to choosing IO psychology over the therapy path, she shares how she learned to change systems at scale rather than support individuals one at a time. Her insights reveal why psychological safety, emotionally intelligent leadership, and inclusive design are not optional if organizations want to thrive in 2026 and beyond.We look closely at what IO psychologists do and how their work shows up in real workplaces. Kat explains how better hiring practices, leadership development programs that actually work, and people-first culture strategies lead to measurable improvements in collaboration and retention. She also highlights how AI can support stronger teamwork by reducing friction, not replacing human connection.If you are feeling stuck or overlooked, Kat’s message is especially powerful. She reframes career clarity through the idea of agency. “This is where I am now” is the starting point for building momentum, whether you are job-hugging for security or actively planning your next move. You will learn how to leverage sponsors, make small bets that showcase your strengths, and use self-knowledge as your internal career GPS.For leaders, you will hear practical steps to build psychologically safe environments, create better feedback loops, and design culture rituals that promote accountability and respect. These insights will help you support your teams and advance your own leadership brand.In This Episode, You Will Learn• What IO psychology is and how it improves workplace culture • Why Kat transitioned from therapy to IO psychology and how that shift expanded her impact • How 2026 workplace trends are affecting mid-career professionals • How to partner with IO psychologists inside your organization • How to build agency when you feel stuck, unheard, or undervaluedConSupport the showReady to give your career the jumpstart it needs to whatever is next? Schedule a $197 Career/Leadership Strategy Session. Click here to learn more about how this transformative strategy session will help you. Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to: Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter Get The Mid-Career Promotion Blueprint to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career Join The Mid-Career GPS Membership Community. Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here. Connect with John on LinkedIn here.Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here. Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching. Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.













