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Bad Boss Confessional
Bad Boss Confessional episodes
- 57: The Storm That Made a Better Leader
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Michael Hennon, former CIA analyst, bank technology executive, and EOS implementer based in Durango, Colorado. Michael's confession comes not from the boardroom but from a sailing dock in Annapolis, where he was managing 18 instructors and hundreds of kids on the water when a storm rolled in fast.
His instinct was to get loud, bark orders, and project control. It made everything worse. The conversation explores what happens when a leader performs intensity instead of actually leading, why calm is one of the most underrated skills in any organization, and how one honest after-action review changed the way Michael has shown up in every high-pressure situation since.His lesson is simple and transferable: the strongest response in the room is usually the quietest one.Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Introductions02:22 A Diverse Career Path05:05 Coaching and Consulting Differences07:38 The Power of Calm Leadership12:13 Self-Correction and Professional Growth16:18 Reflecting on Career Highlights20:40 Distilling Complexity27:35 Reflection and Future PlansSubscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
35 min - 56: The Untouchable Employee Who Was Destroying the Culture
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Matt Dusa, former firefighter, paramedic, and CEO of a family-owned private fire department business that he helped grow to 140 employees before a successful exit. Matt's confession centers on a top salesperson who was generating most of the company's biggest contracts and making everyone around him miserable.
The conversation explores what happens when a revenue generator becomes untouchable, why documentation matters more than most leaders realize, and what it actually costs a team to keep the wrong person in the building too long. Matt also shares what happened the day after the separation, when a line formed at his door of people finally willing to say what they had been holding back for months.His lesson is one every leader who has ever looked the other way on a top performer needs to hear: the uncomfortable conversation you keep avoiding is usually the one your team needs most.Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction02:28 From Firefighting to Entrepreneurship06:47 Identifying a Toxic High-Performer11:53 The Breaking Point and Challenges17:02 Terminating and Managing Repercussions23:12 Lessons in Leadership and Documentation28:07 Better Team Dynamics and Growth33:20 Closing Thoughts and Tattoo ReflectionSubscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
36 min - 55: Conflict Avoidance Has a Price Tag
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Patrick Van Abel, lifelong entrepreneur and EOS implementer whose family has been welcoming guests in Hollandtown, Wisconsin since 1848. Patrick's confession isn't about one dramatic moment. It's about a pattern: watching the culture he built start to drift and saying nothing.
The conversation explores what conflict avoidance actually costs a business over time and why the hard conversation you keep putting off is rarely as painful as you imagined. Patrick also shares the moment he finally spoke up about something small and discovered the whole thing resolved in thirty seconds.Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Show Introduction03:07 Growing Up in a Family Business08:46 Building a Legacy of Entertainment12:37 The Struggle with Conflict Avoidance18:12 Navigating Difficult Leadership Conversations24:38 Reflecting on Leadership and PurposeSubscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:
🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
32 min - 54: Overcorrection Is Not a Strategy
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Troy Schuette, expert EOS implementer and former business owner who spent 23 years building, growing, and eventually selling his own company. Troy's confession spans nearly a decade and swings between two extremes: the micromanager who made people afraid to fail, and the checked-out owner who handed over the keys with no training, no tools, and no real support.
The conversation explores what fear does to a leader's management style, why overcorrecting is just as damaging as the original problem, and what it actually looks like to find the middle ground.His lesson is one every entrepreneur who has ever been called a micromanager needs to hear: the answer isn't to disappear. It's to learn how to lead.Timestamps
00:00 Welcome to Bad Boss Confessional06:47 The Roots of Micromanagement12:32 Swinging to the Other Extreme17:03 Finding the Middle Ground23:25 The Responsibility of Letting Go28:44 Driving for 1% ImprovementSubscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:
🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
33 min - 53: When Friendship and Leadership Collide
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Mark Henderson Leary, expert EOS implementer and host of Practice Freedom. Mark's confession goes back to his early days running an IT services company, when a close friend and trusted colleague joined his business, and things quietly started to unravel.
Mark watched him struggle, said nothing, and eventually laid him off when the business took a hit. The conversation digs into what it actually means to set clear expectations, why friendship in business demands more honesty, not less, and what happens when a leader confuses watching someone fail with managing them. Mark also shares a powerful reframe he now uses with clients stuck in the same pattern.His lesson is one every leader who has ever hired someone they care about needs to hear: the kindest thing you can do is tell the truth before it's too late.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Mark’s Background06:22 The Painful Layoff Confession12:52 Setting Clear Expectations19:26 Maintaining Professionalism and Truth24:36 Courageous Leadership and Truth Telling32:02 Avoid The ‘Infinite Expansion’ Trap41:39 Looking Ahead and Closing ThoughtsSubscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
47 min - 52: When Fear Makes the Decision
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Justin Maust, expert EOS implementer, John Maxwell certified speaker, and someone who has built, scaled, and exited companies on both sides of success. Justin's confession is one he has had to sit with for a long time: he fired someone he loved and respected, on a weekend, without warning, because he was afraid of losing someone else.
The conversation explores what happens when fear overrides judgment, why the feedback we act on fastest is often the least reliable, and what it costs a team when a leader skips the hard conversation and goes straight to the irreversible one. Justin also reflects on how the decision violated every one of his own core values and what he wishes he had done instead.His lesson is one every leader needs to hear: when fear is driving, slow down and check your filters before you make a move you can't take back.Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction03:12 Setting the Stage: Launching a Business07:56 A Painful Leadership Confession12:30 Analyzing the Impact of Fear on Decisions18:20 Lessons Learned and Better Approaches24:00 Aligning Leadership with Core Values30:20 Embracing Failure as a Learning Tool34:00 Final Thoughts and ReflectionSubscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
39 min - 51: Falling in Love With Your Own Idea
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Chris Hallberg, expert EOS implementer, founder of GoXpand, and someone who learned his most expensive lesson long before he ever walked into a session room. Chris's confession is about a venture he poured everything into, including his house, his savings, and his team, built on assumptions nobody tested and a structure nobody controlled.
The conversation explores what happens when a visionary gets so sold on an idea that warning signs become background noise, why minority ownership in your own vision is a trap, and what it costs a team when the person at the top stops listening. Chris also reflects on how that failure rewired the way he asks questions, invites dissent, and shows up for the people around him.
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome and Introductions05:08 A Visionary’s Misstep11:00 The High Cost of Poor Structure17:23 Lessons Learned and New Beginnings23:36 Turning Failure into Growth33:29 Using the VTO for Alignment37:24 Departmental Planning and Accountability43:06 The Crucial Role of Mid-Managers48:45 Innovative Tools and Veteran Leadership55:18 Closing Thoughts and MantrasGuest Links:
EOS Site: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/chris-hallberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hallberg-01516315/Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
58 min - 50: When Hustle Becomes the Enemy
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Travis Townsend, president of North Star Refrigeration, who built his company from a used van to a 100-person operation across New England. Travis's confession comes from the early days, when lean meant running a skeleton crew at full speed and hoping nobody broke.
The conversation explores what it costs a team when the owner assumes everyone shares the same drive, why the pacesetter mentality can quietly demoralize the people trying to keep up, and what it took to go from six employees grinding themselves down to a culture built to last.His lesson is one every growth-stage founder eventually has to face: you can't build a great company by burning through the people inside it.Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Travis Townsend03:02 From Landscaper to Entrepreneur06:11 The Josh Hill Wake-Up Call09:51 Understanding Visionaries and Integrators12:33 Navigating Entrepreneurial Fears15:20 Preventing Burnout and Leading by Example19:01 Future Vision: Employee-Owned Company21:30 Culture, Growth, and Leadership Evolution26:13 The Importance of EOS Implementers30:22 Burn the Boats Mentality and ConclusionSubscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
33 min - 49: When The Expert Gets It WrongIn this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with CJ Dube', expert EOS implementer, author, and someone who has spent more than 40 years in the people business. CJ's confession is one that will hit close to home for anyone who has ever hired against their better judgment.The conversation digs into what it actually means to hire slow and fire fast, why the tools only work when you use them, and what it costs a team when a leader keeps someone in the wrong seat for the sake of convenience.Her lesson is one she now coaches every client on: the red flags in a reference check are there for a reason.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to CJ DuBe'02:12 CJ’s Journey: From Placement to EOS06:05 The Confession: Hiring Mistakes and Lessons10:47 The ‘Hire Slow, Fire Fast’ Philosophy13:04 Deep Dive into Hiring Process18:00 Addressing People Issues: Timing and Empathy22:56 Leadership Credibility and Outgrowing Seats25:25 Strategies for Organizational Growth and Tools31:19 Aha Moments from ‘The People Book’35:45 Tattoo Confession and Closing Remarks
Sponsor Links
Thanks to our SponsorsA big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible:Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies.
Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.
Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:
🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@BethFaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
39 min - 48: Two Million Reasons to Ask More Questions
In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Dan Wallace, one of the first EOS implementers and a former turnaround operator with a background spanning Harvard Business School, investment banking, and strategy consulting. Dan's confession is a good one: six weeks into a new role, he green-lit a $2 million software build that the company never launched.
The conversation explores what happens when a high quick start moves before they've truly understood the problem, why buying is almost always better than building, and what it costs a team when the person at the top has no one to slow them down. Dan also reflects on the two leadership lessons he stumbled into by accident, both of which still shape how he coaches teams today.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Dan Wallace02:50 Career Shift to Turnarounds07:39 Joining EOS and Growth11:25 The Niche Lending Company Challenge15:05 The $2 Million Software Mistake24:50 Visionary-Integrator and Empathy33:32 Lessons: Do Ask, Don’t Tell40:09 Preparing for Departure43:02 The Need for Operating Systems50:47 Walmart Missionary Mix-Up53:11 Humility and KindnessSponsor Links
Thanks to our SponsorsA big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible:Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies.
Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.
Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:
🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessionalThe Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss.
Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop.
Connect with Beth Fahey:
🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@BethFaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire.Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/order
Download free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.comJoin Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events
1 hr
About Bad Boss Confessional
From the publisher's feed
Bad Boss Confessional is the podcast where entrepreneurs, founders, and leaders fess up to their most cringeworthy management moments—the times they micromanaged, blew up in meetings, or simply got it dead wrong. With names changed (to protect the innocent...and guilty), guests walk us through their “bad boss” moment in all its messy glory.
But this isn’t just a cringe-fest—it’s a redemption story.