logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
25m 8s

Why you should get good at being bad

TED
About this episode

Sometimes the only way to win is by finding the courage to lose. This week, Anne and Frances want you to “dare to be bad” in order to free up capacity to excel at more important things. They share insight on the power of strategic “no”s, the value of ruthless prioritization, and how Steve Jobs and Apple delivered breakthrough innovation by strategically underperforming. Frances explains why you can’t always trust your own instincts, and Anne reflects on the lessons she learned in her early days of parenting. 


What problems are you dealing with at work? Text or call 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 6
How to communicate with your colleagues
Do you find yourself overwhelmed by too many Slack messages? Or unsure how to talk so that people will listen? In this episode, Anne and Frances help a caller who finds herself in the middle of a communication breakdown between her and her colleagues. Together, they explore the p ... Show More
34m 21s
Sep 29
Quick Fixes on Confidence: How to feel less awkward at the office, stay strong during a job search, and build up your team (w/ Morra Aarons-Mele)
In this special Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances are joined by Morra Aarons-Mele, workplace mental health expert and author of The Anxious Achiever, to help three different callers with their confidence conundrums. One listener feels awkward in-person after years of remote w ... Show More
37m 45s
Sep 22
How to get your confidence back (Re-release)
When negative feedback shakes your confidence, it can be difficult to get back to feeling like yourself at work. In this episode, Anne and Frances help a struggling listener who has spent years toning herself down in the workplace after being told that she was too assertive — now ... Show More
42m 26s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Why you should get good at being bad | Fixable
This is an episode of Fixable, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Sometimes the only way to win is by finding the courage to lose. This week on Fixable, Anne and Frances want you to “dare to be bad” in order to free up capacity to excel at more important things. They ... Show More
25m 35s
Jun 2025
Sunday Pick: Why you should get good at being bad | Fixable
Sometimes the only way to win is by finding the courage to lose. This week, Anne and Frances want you to “dare to be bad” in order to free up capacity to excel at more important things. They share insight on the power of strategic “no”s, the value of ruthless prioritization, and ... Show More
26m 22s
May 2025
The Leadership Mistake That’s Costing You Your Best People (Anne Chow)
Most leaders are blind to the biggest threat to their team’s success. In this episode, Anne Chow, former CEO of AT&T Business, reveals the hidden leadership myth that quietly undermines team performance and destroys trust. Drawing on decades of experience leading thousands, she e ... Show More
42m 38s
Apr 2018
Finding the Motivation to Learn - & Stay Agile
In this week's podcast we move on to the final Agile Principle, number 12: "At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly." The hard truth is that learning is horrible. It means coming face to face with y ... Show More
18m 12s
Jul 29
Aspire with Bozoma Saint John: Why Playing Small Is Sabotaging Your Success (and How to Stop)
In this electrifying sit-down, marketing powerhouse Bozoma Saint John tells Emma Grede how trusting her gut—and refusing to shrink—propelled her from a junior assistant’s cubicle to the C-suite, and now to founding the hair-care disruptor, Eve by Boz. She unpacks why “excellence ... Show More
1h 40m
Apr 2025
The Future Won’t Wait: How to Build When Everything’s Changing | GaryVee Samsung Keynote
In today’s episode of The GaryVee Audio Experience, we're sharing a powerful keynote Gary gave at Samsung — all about leadership, adaptability, and thriving in the face of chaos.Gary dives deep into why the old rulebooks for business no longer apply, and how kindness, accountabil ... Show More
39m 7s
Oct 2023
Critics Are Awesome. Here's Why.
Ready for a game-changing perspective shift? Instead of fearing criticism, what if you saw it as your secret weapon for growth? Darren Hardy takes Aristotle and Elon Musk's wisdom to reframe criticism as your invaluable ally. Don't shy away—embrace it for unmatched success. Get m ... Show More
1m 54s
Jun 2025
#243: Steve Case, Cofounder of AOL – Success takes time
When you’re building something new, it’s easy to get discouraged by how long it takes to gain traction. But if anyone knows how to stay in the game, it’s Steve Case. In this episode, the AOL cofounder and Revolution CEO opens up about the grit, patience, and strategy it took to p ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 2024
#192: Kim Scott—The Hidden Cost of Being Too Nice in Leadership
What’s the real cost of being too nice? It’s more than you might think. Many leaders, especially small business owners, fall into the trap of “ruinous empathy”, which is the failure to provide essential feedback due to the fear of hurting someone's feelings. Avoiding difficult co ... Show More
49m 24s
Feb 2025
Why Top Performers Get the Hate: Success Resentment in Sales
In this episode, Bill and Bryan explore a common phenomenon in sales organizations: why middle performers often harbor resentment towards top performers. The guys dissect the excuses commonly used to discredit high achievers’ success - from territory advantages to preferential tr ... Show More
18m 3s