We’ve all had bad bosses.

We might have even been one. At the very least, we’ve probably let people down who counted on us.

We all carry burdens from our past that show up in how we lead. And we’re all confronting systems that foster toxic workplace cultures where overwork and blurred boundaries are the norm, spaces that don’t feel safe or generative, and where there is little to no accountability.

The question we face is simple, but urgent: How do we want to lead?

Our leadership can reinforce toxic systems and norms. Or we can learn to recognize our own burdens and do the work to become more aware, adaptable, and flexible. We can create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued, even when systems feel unstable or unfair.

Because leading is about deciding, in every moment, whether we respond from our burdens or from our values. 

And my guest today helps us reflect on those choices and decide how we want to lead through her own lived experiences with bad bosses. 

Mita Mallick is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author who is on a mission to fix what’s broken in our workplaces. She’s a corporate change maker with a track record of transforming businesses and has had an extensive career as a marketing and human resources executive. 

Mallick is a highly sought-after speaker who has advised Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike. She is a LinkedIn Top Voice and was named to the Thinkers 50 Radar List. She’s a contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Adweek, and Entrepreneur. Mallick has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, Forbes, Axios, Essence, Cosmopolitan Magazine and Business Insider.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Three scenarios where leaders commonly shift into being bad bosses
• Key reasons why we tolerate bad bosses and what we can do to shift the culture
• Why Mita’s 13 archetypal bad bosses persist in our workplaces
• Why leaders have to invest time and connection in their team members if they want to retain them
• Why another executive coaching program will not fix a truly bad boss
• The number one skill leaders can focus on to become a better boss
• Why corporate America needs more humility and vulnerability

Learn more about Mita Mallick:

• Website
• Connect on LinkedIn
• Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace
• The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses

Learn more about Rebecca:

• rebeccaching.com
• Work With Rebecca
• The Unburdened Leader on Substack
• Sign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader Email

Resources:

• EP 102: Toxic Leadership: The True Cost of Workplace Trauma with Mita Mallick
• Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, Adam Grant
• The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, Amy C Edmondson
• The Normalization Of Corruption In Organizations, Blake E. Ashforth and Vikas Anand
• Managing to be ethical: Debunking five business ethics myths, Linda Klebe Treviño and Michael E. Brown
• Examining the Link Between Ethical Leadership and Employee Misconduct: The Mediating Role of Ethical Climate, David M. Mayer, Maribeth Kuenzi, Rebecca L. Greenbaum
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
• The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe, Stephen W. Porges
• Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence, Prof Daniel Goleman PH D, Richard E Boyatzis, and Annie McKee
• Psychological Conditions of Personal Engagement and Disengagement at Work, William A. Kahn
• Emotional Intelligence: Theory, Findings, and Implications, John D. Mayer, Peter Salovey, David R. Caruso
• Working with Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman
• The 5Ds of Bystander Intervention – Right To Be
• EP 52: Charlie Gilkey: Leading With What Matters Most
• EP 85: Team Habits: Redefining Workplace Dynamics with Charlie Gilkey
• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert
• The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears Into Your Leadership Superpower, Morra Aarons-Mele
• Sia – Unstoppable
• The Sopranos
• Breaking Bad
• Fresh Off the Boat
• The Fresh Prince of Bel Air