Izzy Neis

Yo, let's talk about being a servant leader 🤘 As the boss, you gotta walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Putting your team first and modeling that humble, empathetic mindset? That's how you create an environment where everyone thrives. 🌳 Servant leadership is all about rolling up those sleeves and getting your hands dirty right alongside the crew. And here's the real kicker - when things are going great, you let your team bask in that well-deserved glory. 💖Promotions, praise, and pats on the back galore for them! But when stuff 💩 hits the fan? That's on you, leader. No throwing folks under the bus 🚍 allowed. It's an ego-check for sure, but that's the price of admission for inspiring everyone to row in the same direction towards collective wins over individual glory. I try to model that mindset daily through collaborating, owning my screwups, and investing in my team's growth. So who's ready to get their servant leadership on? Turn that hierarchy upside down and start putting those people first! It'll change the game, I swear. 🙌 #ServantLeadership #Leadership #EmployeeEngagement #HumbleLeader #GreatestHumbleFlexEver

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🏅 Recognition isn't just a reward — it's a powerful tool to foster fairness and reduce biases. Ok, this may not make sense at first, but here's the thing: awarded status seem to have a disciplining effect on people, who then end up better scrutinising their own behaviour for #bias. 📄 In an insightful study, Tristan Botelho and Marina Gertsberg explore how status awards, such as Yelp's "Elite" designation, influence evaluators' behaviour, particularly in reducing #GenderBias in restaurant reviews. By analysing a large dataset from Yelp, they demonstrate that once evaluators receive a status award, the disparity in ratings between men and women servers decreases significantly (56.5%!). This effect is particularly notable in contexts where evaluators are under the scrutiny of their local Elite community. In other words – and if I got this right – once we see ourselves in the podium, being not only recognised but also watched by our peers, we feel compelled to put an extra effort in better doing the job we've just been rewarded for. And that includes checking out for ways in which unfairness may cloud our judgement. 💡 I see this insight can be valuable for organisations when we implement our own status recognition programmes (such as "employee of the month" kind of rewards), as it seems that increased scrutiny and peer evaluation within these groups can further reduce bias and promote accountability. 🤔 How else would you see this principle being useful in organisations? 🔗 Link to paper in the comments. P.S.: if I were you, I'd follow Rosalind Chow for more evidence-based approaches to get #diversity and #inclusion right.

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If anyone questioned if there was a link between people who play mobile games and their love for fast food - we have your answer...yes. Actually a whopping 86% of people who play mobile games eat at or order from a QRS at least once a month! Get actionable steps for reaching this audience in our report (link below)

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Google’s $250M pledge to fund California journalism is making waves, but is it really a win for publishers, or just another strategic play to avoid regulation? 🤔 With AI-driven search reshaping the landscape and Big Tech under scrutiny, this move raises big questions about the future of news. Explore how this deal impacts local journalism, AI, and the power balance between tech and media. Discover the full story on AdMonsters and how it could affect the future of digital publishing. #AdTech #Publishing #Journalism #Google

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🎤 Mic Check. Mic Check. 🎤 #OpenToWork As some of you may have heard, and others are finding out for the first time right now, I was impacted by the recent layoffs at BENLabs. And as I embark on the journey of finding my next professional adventure and team, I can’t help but draw on the inspiration of some of the greatest collaborators to ever do it: boy bands. (Admittedly, my daughter has also had me watching Trolls: Band Together. A lot. Like A Lot.) So while BENLabs may have said “Bye Bye Bye”, I’m taking this as an opportunity to join a new group. As anyone who has worked with me can attest, I’m all about delivering “Larger Than Life” results. Whether that’s starting a new process from scratch or joining something already in progress, I will do whatever is necessary to take us from Gold to Platinum. I’m no stranger to rolling up my sleeves, diving in head first and “Hanging Tough” to ensure that we can deliver the highest quality work for our clients. Much like the best boy bands, I firmly believe that being an incredibly strong team member is paramount. It’s like I always say “U + Me = Us…being successful.” While I can pick up existing choreography quickly and seamlessly, I’m also ready to take the lead, and be the frontman for our group ensuring that we hit every note perfectly and get the crowd singing our songs back to us (read: hit those KPIs and beat our projections). If you're looking for a clutch performer who can deliver the harmonies, hit the key changes, or drop the dance moves, “It’s Gonna be Me!” I'll be the one with the frosted tips, matching outfits, and a microphone at the ready. My goal is to make sure our clients say “I Want You Back”. Let's create some chart-toppers and make some big hits together, baby! #MmmmBopLetsWorkTogether #BadubadopWeCanGrabCoffee #BadubopAnytimeThatsGoodForYou Yeah Yeah! #JobSeeker #JobSearch #NewBeginnings #ReadyToWork #LookingForWork #NextChapter #WorkWithMe #JobHunt #Networking #boybands #harmony #teamwork #getinformation

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I wrote this piece for MFG Gaming about my experience with gamertags and why you should consider changing yours.

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A note about networking, inspired by the very clever Ges Fischer who wrote a great post on concrete steps to take after being laid off: Everyone tells you to lean on your network after you've been laid off, but most people new to being laid off will stop at posting that they're looking for work. All your post is going to accomplish -- all a social media post is ever going to accomplish, says the person who updates social media as part of the job -- is to raise general awareness that you, a Cool Person who deserves a new gig, are available. You have blown on a dandelion puff and your availability is now floating through the air. The trouble is, most of the seeds sailing on the breeze are not going to become dandelions. They're going to come to rest on the road. The sidewalk. Onto the lawn of that slightly aggressive dude with the poison spray. It's still worth doing, because seeds that land in the right places will take root, but hope and hot air are rarely enough. Leaning on your network means actually contacting people one on one. It means seeing a job post, and looking for mutuals at that company and asking for advice. This is terrifying when you've just been laid off! It's very easy to think, in your haze of self-doubt and shock and fear, that the person you haven't spoken to in five years will be annoyed with you for only reaching out when you need something. And hey, if you're a taker and never a giver, sure, take this time to reexamine your life. But if you're basically a good person, go easy on yourself. If you're on my list of connections, I remember something good about you, and even if we didn't work together enough that I could give you a recommendation, I'm still happy to help you with an introduction if I can or intel if I've got it. I am not unusual or special, either. This is true of almost everyone you know. Every job I've ever had has come from a friend or a former colleague, someone I didn't talk to every day or even every month, but who remembered our common roots. There are a lot of us out there waiting to pay it forward. Good luck, and TTYS.

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Over my 20 years at record companies i have been asked for countless ticket request here are my top 15 complaints 1.  I love when you say Oh, I will pay for them. I hate to break it to you You’re Goddamn Right You’re Paying for them. 2.  NO I cannot get you a deal on tickets. What kind of deal are you looking for???? Tickets cost what they cost. There is no discount 3.  Don’t ask me what the tickets cost. LOOK IT UP. It is your job to know what you are asking for. If you ask me to get you tickets, you can safely assume I am going to pull the top tier P1 tickets. That means whatever the highest price is and add another $150 to and that is what it costs. 4.  If you ask me for tickets and I go through all the trouble to get them for you and now you find out that the tickets are $300.00 per ticket and then say,  "Oh never mind I did not realize they would be so expensive". Pull that move and you will move to the head of the line on THE LIST 5.  YES, you asking me to get you tickets is a massive pain in the ass. 6.  Oh you want 9 tickets all in the front row .... Yea if you think you’re a dick for asking for 9 tickets go with the feeling. 7.  Don’t call me every day because your credit card has not been charged yet. If you don’t like the way I am doing, you a favor please go to Ticketmaster they will charge your card right away. 8.  Call me at the last second to change the name on the tickets or the dates will get you added to THE LIST. 9.  NO I am NOT going to call the promoter to get you a "Deal" on your tickets. Please see line 2. What kind of deal do you think you can get…Dumbass. 10. If you give me a credit card that is maxed out, cancelled or your card is declined you have now just made THE LIST. That’s it, you have blown it...No I don’t want to hear the excuse. You have made me look stupid and now I have to do double the work to fix it. 11. NO, there are no backstage passes with these tickets and NO there is no VIP parking for you either. 12. If you are buying tickets for your best friend’s next-door neighbor’s cleaning woman's cousin’s daughter who is just the biggest Justin Bieber fan, Please DONT CALL ME. I will get tickets for YOU because you are a friend once you get 2-3 people removed, I want no part of it. 13. Parking is YOUR problem. I have done everything for you. Figuring out where to park will be your problem. Put a crowbar in your wallet and pry out a $20 and park. 14. Remember the phrase THANK YOU.     When it is all done and you have your tickets and you have enjoyed the show, a simple Thank You goes a Looooooong way. Everyone will bust my balls for tickets with countless emails and phones calls, but do they ever say Thank You!  NO, THEY DONT If you pull that move more than once and guess what you make THE LIST. 15. If you have not emailed, texted or spoken to me on the phone in the last 6 months DO NOT call and ask me for tickets. If you can’t even maintain a basic friendship do not come around asking for favors.

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We've shared a ton of info on our clients Chipotle Mexican Grill ongoing campaign with the fighting game community. With year 2 in full swing and Evolution Championship Series quickly approaching, we're dropping some great results from year 1. From YouGov: -- Chipotle Purchase Intent doubled among US Esports Fans, Age 18-44. After the campaign, 1-in-5 (20%) reported they intended to eat at Chipotle within the next month (1.3x higher than Nat Rep 18-44; 1.8x higher than All US 18+)  -- Consideration of Chipotle among US Esports Fans, age18-44, rose from 28% to 38% (1.2x higher than national average among US 18-44-year-olds;1.6x higher than All US 18+) -- Chipotle’s Overall Brand Impression (sentiment) score among US Esports Fans, age 18-44, rose from 29% to 41% (1.5x higher than national average among US 18-44-year-olds) The results are in, the achievement is unlocked.... Sound strategy, industry expertise, great insights, a client who thrives to find whitespace while focused on adding true value will deliver results. Shout out to all our partners RTS, PlayStation, Capcom, Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. and of course our team rEvolution. EVO is right around the corner and we're ready for round 2...see you in Vegas. #gaming #esports #sportsbiz #partnerships

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This is a really interesting chart from Axios Visuals and Eleanor Hawkins about considerations for communicators and companies when deciding if/how they should respond to external issues. What do you think? I'll share a link to the full article in the comments below!

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A couple of months ago I posted about RIAA suing Verison. Last month Verizon shot back: https://lnkd.in/g23p4KSX What will be the end result of this “conversation’ playing out in court. In the long term. Is this a result of technology (streaming services) not addressing the problem that they were trying to solve? Perhaps this is a signal that further innovation is needed in how content is managed, distributed, and monetized online. There's a strong argument that, while tech helped create more accessible music platforms, it hasn't fully addressed the concerns of artists, songwriters, and other creators. Is this lawsuit an opportunity to revisit those revenue-sharing models and perhaps craft something fairer?  We want to move forward and not limit creativity as it seems the problem is still not solved. Where do we go from here?

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Had an absolute blast presenting with John-Martin Reynolds at #tice2024 on the power of play in the workplace! 🎉🤹‍♀️ If we spend an average of 90,000 hours at work over our lifetime, why does it have to be all work and no play? 🧐 Play is crucial for innovation, bonding with teammates, and injecting some much-needed fun into the daily grind. At our session, we guided attendees through an exciting 45-minute tabletop role-playing game. And in just 5 minutes, total strangers went from forming- to norming, storming and even performing their team "Rally Cry"! 🗣️💥 Talk about speed to market! People walked away with fresh insights on team dynamics, communication, and relationship-building. 🧠 Play unlocks creativity, reduces stress, and reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. When we create space for play at work, magic happens. Ideas flow more freely, workplace relationships deepen, and problem-solving gets a refreshing jolt of energy. ✨🔥 So embrace the power of play, folks! Organize silly team-building activities, have impromptu dance parties (responsibly, of course 😆), or simply inject more humor and lightness into meetings. Your work will be more joyful, and your teams will be firing on all cylinders. 💃🕺 Who's ready to get their play on at work? Drop a 🤪 if you're in! And share your favorite ways to crank up the fun factor in your workplace. Let's start a playful revolution! 👇 #PlayAtWork #TeamBuilding #Creativity #Innovation #EmployeeEngagement

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Curious about how camera shutters work? 📸 Check out this link to dive in. https://lnkd.in/gKzNbagf

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“Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl says metadata issues make the industry more susceptible to AI in his NMPA meeting keynote: “It takes the teeth out of things.” Metadata problems have been a continual thorn in the side of music rights holders for the last two decades. When performing rights organizations (PROs) can’t accurately match a track’s metadata to its use, artists and their contributors miss out on hard-earned revenue. Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl wants to bring those issues to light for the industry to solve, and he’s got some suggestions for going about it. At the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA)’s Annual Meeting in New York on Wednesday (June 12), Kyncl was interviewed by NMPA President and CEO David Israelite, during which the Warner exec was asked for his views on positive reform in collection societies. “One of the things that troubles me personally is that we’re basically collecting digital revenue the way we’ve collected analog revenue for decades. The speed of it; everything is the same,” said Kyncl. “That’s something we all collectively can do better and I think that will help songwriters tremendously.” “There’s a wealth of repertoire ownership information that sits with the collection societies, PROs, the [Mechanical Licensing Collective] and not everything matches perfectly,” he explained, calling for the industry to enable collection societies worldwide to collaborate in order to solve the continued issue of unmatched data. Kyncl stressed that reducing the amount of mismatched data is “incredibly important, not only for a faster flow of money today,” but for the music industry down the road as AI technology continues to grow. “If we set the rules of the road correctly with the platforms, it will have to depend on ownership information,” he added. “It’s one of the things that we really need to focus on.” Read the full article for more: #Metadata #PROs #CMOs #MLC #WarnerMusicGroup #WMG #NMPA #MusicRights #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz

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For my industry peeps, here are two quick articles on the latest shiny red ball "curation." https://lnkd.in/eYcNQ3Rh and https://lnkd.in/eN9xrXeX #themoreyouknow

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My JSC (Job Search Council) starts this week and I am super excited!! If you need a new job or are thinking about the next chapter in your career, trust me, you NEED Never Search Alone to help you through the process! Listen in on Friday's LinkedIn Live for more information. #neversearchalone

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I love that accessible gaming is getting more and more awareness. The Last of Us 2 was a milesteone and things are getting better and better! NOTE: NPR's podcast page doesn't provide a transcript, so if you need to read the podcast, I recommend turning on Chrome's Live Caption feature - it'll generate the captions for you on the fly (and will feed into a refreshable braille display). #a11y #accessibility

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As a screenwriter, should you pay for access to reps or executives? As a manager who has been on the "paid" side of these interactions, here's my answer: Paying for connections to reps/execs isn't actually a bad route. Sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to open a door. But it is a waste of your money if you don't take advantage of that brief interaction. I have made lasting friendships and professional connections with writers I met through Roadmap, Stage 32, paid conferences, etc. (Not many, but at least a handful!) Here's what those writers had in common: 1. Genuinely delightful personalities that I wanted to spend more time with, even if we weren't working together professionally. 2. Material that got me excited, even if it wasn't perfect. 3. A willingness to stay in touch and follow up on a personal level, even if there wasn't an obvious path forward to working together (or if I wasn't interested in representing them). Just because a manager doesn't want to sign you or an executive doesn't want to attach to your project doesn't mean this was a waste of an interaction. Keep cultivating that relationship! You never know what it might lead to in the future. *** You don't have to pay anyone to open doors. What you do need is a logline that gets people excited and a query email that conveys it. If you want agents & managers to actually request your screenplay, make sure you follow the advice in my Ultimate Guide to Querying! Link where you can download it (for free!) in the comments below.

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