Leadership today is like an extreme sport, requiring stamina, adaptability, and emotional resilience. Diane Gherson, former Chief Human Resources Officer at IBM, Harvard professor, and current advisor to CEOs and CHROs, joins Let’s Talk, People to break down the realities of toxic leadership—and how organizations can define it, detect it, and dismantle it.

This episode goes beyond the buzzword. Diane and Emily unpack what “toxic” really means, why ambiguity does more harm than good, and how managers at every level can foster healthier, more sustainable team cultures. From the psychology of burnout to the risks of unchecked power, it’s a timely conversation for anyone leading in today’s high-stakes environment.

If you’ve ever struggled to tell the difference between a tough boss and a toxic one—or felt unsure how to respond to a culture that’s slowly becoming corrosive—this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

• [00:07:46] – Leadership as an Extreme Sport: Diane explores the toll of nonstop work and how treating leadership like an extreme sport reframes the importance of recovery, sleep, and emotional regulation.
• [00:17:15] – A Clearer Definition of Toxic Leadership: Diane shares a definition of toxic leadership grounded in behaviors—disrespectful, unethical, abusive, ruthless, and non-inclusive—and shares why intention shouldn’t override impact.
• [00:27:08] – Buffering Your Team from a Toxic Leader: What do you do when toxicity is above you? Diane and Emily offer practical strategies for managers who are protecting their teams from a senior leader’s harmful behavior.
• [00:39:03] – Team Resets and Culture Ownership: The conversation closes with insights on how to reset team dynamics, even midstream, and why shared ownership of culture is essential to navigating difficult moments.

Access the episode transcript.

Join the Conversation: This year we’re taking audience questions! Send in your toughest people management and leadership challenges, and we’ll anonymize them and tackle them in an upcoming episode. Email Abigail on our Let’s Talk, People team with your situation as a written note or voice memo to [email protected].

Connect with Emily Frieze-Kemeny on LinkedIn and Instagram or explore her work at AROSE Group.

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