From scuba instructor in Guam to the White House, the Senate, the State Department, and the Smithsonian, Eric Woodard's career never followed a script. He learned that nobody hires you for your skills, they hire you because they trust you.
The founder of Win at Work joins Sana to talk about why vulnerability builds trust faster than polish, the difference between agreements and expectations, and why leaning into being more human might be the most useful career skill in the age of AI.
About the Guest:
Eric Woodard is a high performance career and leadership coach, founder and CEO of Win at Work, and an ICF Master Certified Coach. Over more than 25 years and 70 countries, he has worked at the White House, the Senate, the State Department, and the Smithsonian.
Key Takeaways:
- Nobody hires you for your skills alone, they hire you because they trust you.
- Vulnerability builds trust faster than trying to look polished or impressive.
- Expectations are something you made up in your head, agreements are said out loud together.
- Formality can sometimes be a substitute for trust, not a sign of professionalism.
- Being more human, not less, may be one of the most valuable career skills in the AI era.
Connect With the Guest:
Website: https://winatwork.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericwoodard/
Books: Your Last Day of School; The Ultimate Guide to Internships (available on Amazon)
Episode Chapters:
[00:00] Opening: a scuba instructor's unlikely path to the White House (approx.)
[02:40] The letter to the President that started everything
[06:48] Why trust, not skill, is the real reason anyone gets hired
[11:28] Agreements versus expectations, and why "should" causes so much friction
[15:50] Why formality can be a substitute for trust, not a sign of respect
[20:20] Leaning into being more human in the age of AI
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