logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2025
15m 40s

Why good people become bad bosses | Jami...

TED
About this episode

You’ve probably had a bad boss, but you might not realize how easy it is to become one. Leadership experts Jamie Woolf and Christopher Bell unpack “power blindness” — how authority can warp your perspective — and share smart, practical ways to break the cycle of toxic bosses for good. After the talk, Modupe shares one more exercise to help you become a better boss.



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

Up next
Sep 14
How to get past the "messy middle" of a big change | Mary Martin
Did progress on your next big project stall out? Transformation expert Mary Martin refers to this moment as the "messy middle" — the frustrating gap between starting and finishing a goal, when you might lose confidence or give up altogether. Offering three ways to find glimmers o ... Show More
15m 24s
Sep 7
Can AI make you a better manager? with Hilary Gridley | from WorkLife with Molly Graham
Managing people is a deeply human line of work—it requires relational skills, judgement, and deep knowledge of the people you work with. But Hilary Gridley believes that when used properly, AI can not only help you become a better manager, but can help your team make more meaning ... Show More
46m 32s
Aug 31
The fleeting euphoria of success | Debbie Millman
Over two decades of interviewing countless creative people, Debbie Millman (host of the iconic "Design Matters" podcast) had a realization: the pride and joy of accomplishing something often evaporates almost instantly. She explains how to stop chasing external validation for you ... Show More
11m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
Why good people become bad bosses | Jamie Woolf and Christopher Bell
You’ve probably had a bad boss, but you might not realize how easy it is to become one. Leadership experts Jamie Woolf and Christopher Bell unpack “power blindness” — how authority can warp your perspective — and share smart, practical ways to break the cycle of toxic bosses for ... Show More
13m 25s
Oct 2020
Flawed Bosses
Do you wish you could understand your boss better? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Mimi Nicklin, a business coach and author. They talk through what to do when you have a boss who is unforgiving, who relies on you to cover their flaws, or who flip-flops betw ... Show More
36m 58s
Jul 2022
Best of The New Way We Work: This is why your boss is so bad at his job
Kate Davis is joined by Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic to discuss how the people who end up in leadership positions often possess the traits least suited to manage and lead people. Dr. Chamorro-Premuzic is the Chief Innovation Officer at Manpower Group, Professor of Business Psychol ... Show More
44m 53s
Feb 2018
First-time Bosses
What should you do when you become the boss? Co-hosts Alison Beard and Dan McGinn answer your questions with the help of Harvard Business School professor Alison Wood Brooks, an expert on behavioral insights. They talk through what to do when your direct reports are older than yo ... Show More
36m 14s
Apr 2018
Bad Bosses
Is your boss making your life miserable? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Moshe Cohen, a senior lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. They talk through what to do when your boss is a jerk, a workaholic, or simply incompetent. 
37m 37s
Dec 2021
This is why your boss is so bad at his job
Kate Davis is joined by Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic to discuss how the people who end up in leadership positions often possess the traits least suited to manage and lead people. Dr. Chamorro-Premuzic is the Chief Innovation Officer at Manpower Group, Professor of Business Psychol ... Show More
42m 59s
Dec 2023
Stories About Bad Bosses | Part 1 (of 2)
If you’ve ever had a bad boss, not only did they make work miserable, but also probably gave you a good story to tell later on. In this episode of Honest HR, host Amber Clayton is joined by SHRM Knowledge Center Advisors Robyn Hopper and Rue Dooley to read listener-submitted stor ... Show More
46m 40s
Jun 2025
Ask the Amys: Sabotaging Bosses, Irritating Employees, and More
What if your boss turns against you the minute you ask for a promotion? Or you struggle with strategic thinking and keep getting feedback that you’re “too in the weeds”? Or the person dragging down your team is doing just enough to stay out of trouble? The Amys give advice for de ... Show More
30m 24s
Jul 2020
The Go-To Question 2 | 8
Being the boss doesn’t mean you automatically get respect from people, but the authority does have an automatic impact on what people will say to you. Unfortunately, people are primed to mistrust you based on all the preconceived notions against bosses. As the boss, you’ll tend t ... Show More
25m 42s
Mar 2024
E285: How Leaders Overcome the Ego Challenge
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style= "font-family: 'Encode Sans Condensed'; color: #3b3838; mso-themecolor: background2; mso-themeshade: 64;"> In this episode, Perry Holley and Chris Goede dive into the topic of leaders feeling overlooked, undervalued, and unappreciated in the middl ... Show More
16m 55s