Ep 6: Good Clay, Great Bosses & This American Woman (with Hazel Raja)

In this episode of Doug Reads with Friends, I’m joined by my longtime friend and former colleague Hazel Raja. We first met in 2013 when she interviewed me to join NYU Abu Dhabi, and over the years we became not just colleagues, but close friends. In this conversation, we reflect on what it means to build real relationships at work, the blurred lines between being a boss and a friend, and how those relationships can shape us long after we’ve moved on.Hazel shares her perspective on leadership and career development, including her belief in seeing and supporting the “whole person”—not just the job they do. We also talk about her transition from life in Abu Dhabi to suburban California, what she misses about living abroad, and how becoming a parent has changed the way she thinks about work, time, and presence.We then turn to the book she chose, This American Woman by Zarna Garg—a funny, candid memoir that opens up deeper conversations about culture, identity, ambition, and the different ways success is defined in American and Indian contexts. We explore how we each experienced the book from our own perspectives, and what it reveals about career paths, family expectations, and gratitude.As always, the book is just the starting point. This episode is really about friendship, growth, and the stories that shape who we become.Chapters00:00 – Introduction: Friendship First, Book Second01:54 – Bosses, Boundaries & Blurred Lines06:00 – Leading the Whole Person10:38 – Why This Work Matters13:13 – Abu Dhabi vs Suburban Life15:58 – Parenting, Presence & Phones20:53 – The Book: This American Woman23:12 – Culture, Ambition & Career Paths27:14 – Humor, Hardship & Perspective39:26 – Looking AheadIn the next episode, I’ll be joined by Dr. Lana Mahgoub, one of the members of the Posse I mentored while at Grinnell College. Lana has chosen the novel Culpability by Bruce Holsinger—a compelling, fast-paced story full of secrets and difficult questions. I hope you’ll consider picking up a copy and reading along before that conversation drops.Music for Doug Reads with Friends by my friend Eiren Caffall. You can find her work on Spotify—please give it a listen and support her music.