logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
25m 35s

Why you should get good at being bad | F...

TED
About this episode

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 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.


For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts



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

Up next
Jul 7
How to change careers and reinvent yourself (w/ Dawn Burrell) | from How to Be a Better Human
Dawn Burrell is a celebrated long jumper, an Olympic athlete, and a chef’s whose cooking made her a semifinalist for a James Beard Award — and these are just a sampling of her many accolades. In this episode, Dawn talks about how she navigated the career shift from athlete to che ... Show More
40m 10s
Jun 30
A new vision of healthy masculinity | Davonte Green
What does it actually mean to be a "real man" these days? In a personal talk packed with actionable advice, youth advocate Davonte Green challenges age-old stereotypes about masculinity, showing that emotional intelligence and self-control — not aggression — are the keys to movin ... Show More
15m 11s
Jun 23
The climate movement needs new stories — here's mine | Fenton Lutunatabua
"We are not drowning. We are fighting," says storyteller Fenton Lutunatabua, echoing the mantra of the climate activists he works with across the Pacific. He shares stories of the people and communities at the front lines of the climate crisis, proving they're not waiting to be s ... Show More
11m 13s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
Why you should get good at being bad
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
25m 8s
Jun 15
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
Aug 2024
How do I move fast without breaking things? (Re-release)
Moving fast is essential for companies to do well, especially if they're just starting out, but so making thoughtful, informed decisions. This week, Anne and Frances talk to the head of strategy at a small food startup to help her navigate how to balance thinking things through w ... Show More
27m 37s
Nov 2024
How to fix any problem (w/ Anne Morriss and Frances Frei)
Some problems seem impossible. But this week’s guests say any problem can be solved. Leadership coach Anne Morriss and Harvard Business Professor Frances Frei are the power couple behind the book, Move Fast and Fix Things, the TED podcast Fixable, and more. They join Chris to dis ... Show More
40m 50s
Jan 2025
Sunday Pick: Why kindness is the secret to a successful business | Fixable
Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Is kindness (and a little math) all it takes to save a company? James Rhee, professor of entrepreneurship, author, and impact investor, believes the answer is yes. This week he ... Show More
31m 53s
Aug 2024
How you can bring out the best in others
We are back! To kick off the season, Anne and Frances provide some simple but impactful insights that can help you be the best leader you can be. They describe a powerful framework for creating the conditions for other people’s success by setting high standards and devotion. Fran ... Show More
35m 37s
Mar 2025
Quick Fixes: How to adopt a strategic mindset, lose that chip on your shoulder, and know when to walk away
In this Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances work to solve three different callers’ tricky work problems in under 20 minutes. One listener wants to prepare herself mentally to become a senior leader in her organization, the next struggles to move on from a past conflict with a c ... Show More
23m 6s
Jul 2024
Will AI replace me? with AJ. Jacobs (from Fixable)
How will AI change the way you work? A.J. Jacobs is a journalist and author who has written books like "The Year of Living Biblically", "The Puzzler", and "Thanks a Thousand." And although he's built a career off of his creative ideas, the rise of ChatGPT and other generative AI ... Show More
33m 36s
Mar 2024
How to Fail Right
We all know Silicon Valley’s mantra: fail fast, fail often. But when is it OK to fail in the real world? Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson says it depends on how and why you fail. She’s an expert on psychological safety and the author of the book, Right Kind of Wron ... Show More
36m 34s
Jan 2024
663: How to Grow From Your Errors, with Amy Edmondson
Amy Edmondson: Right Kind of Wrong Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, where she studies people and organizations seeking to make a positive difference in the world through the work they do. She has pioneered the co ... Show More
39m 30s