Doing the best at your job isn't just about working harder — it’s also about connecting better, says psychologist Alyssa Birnbaum. She shares practical, research-backed tips for strengthening relationships with your coworkers (whether you’re together in person or working remotely) in order to boost engagement, fight burnout and make work better for everyone.

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Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and co-creator of Freakonomics—the cultural phenomenon that, over the past 20 years, has grown into a global franchise, changing how millions think, revealing the hidden side of everything, and challenging us to question what we know.

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Parenthood and leadership have a shared mission to set other people up for success. Renowned “parenting whisperer” Dr. Becky Kennedy (@drbeckyatgoodinside) joins Anne and Frances to discuss the lessons that parenthood and leadership have to offer each other, from how to repair damaged relationships to the importance of embodying your authority and leading with sturdiness.​​ They also dig into some of the advice in Dr. Becky’s bestselling book Good Inside, and reflects on how childhood experiences can affect your adult relationship with conflict.

This is an episode of TED's Fixable podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://link.mgln.ai/M3ovC5

You can find transcripts for Fixable at ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts

This episode originally aired on March 10, 2025.

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Relationships of any kind can be tricky—but therapists are here to help. In this special episode, Anne and Frances talk to clinical psychologist Dr. Orna Guralnik, star of the hit show Couples Therapy, to translate her advice for romantic relationships to the professional world. Together, they discuss the art of deep listening, underline the importance of patience and working through differences, and reframe relationships as a constant cycle of rupture and repair. Dr. Guralnik also reflects on the making of Couples Therapy and gives Anne and Frances advice as a couple who work together.

Hosts & Guests

Anne Morriss (Instagram: @annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss)

Frances Frei (Instagram: @francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei)

Orna Guralnik (Instagram: @ornaguralnik)

Links

https://anneandfrances.com/

https://www.ornaguralnik.com/

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In this brand-new Fixations segment, Anne and Frances reveal the companies and tools they’ve been fixated on recently—and the lessons we can learn from what they’re getting right. Frances tells the story of how The Farmer’s Dog saved dinnertime for her pets and champions Blackmagic Design’s switcher device as a game-changer for remote presentations. Anne recounts her 5-star experience with Waymo’s self-driving cars and makes the case for manila folders.

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Technologist Tristan Harris has an urgent question: What if the way we’re deploying the world’s most powerful technology — artificial intelligence — isn’t inevitable, but a choice? In this eye-opening talk, he calls on us to learn from the mistakes of social media’s catastrophic rollout and confront the predictable dangers of reckless AI development, offering a “narrow path” where power is matched with responsibility, foresight and wisdom.

After the talk, Sherrell reflects on why it's wise to slow down AI's development and discuss about the organizations working to safeguard AI's impact.

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In this Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances work to solve three callers’ tricky work problems in under 30 minutes. One listener seeks advice on stepping into a leadership role for the first time, the next struggles with feeling powerless in a middle management position, and a final caller tries to regain the support of her team after receiving some difficult feedback.

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We’re constantly negotiating in our everyday lives—deciding where to go to dinner, haggling with sellers on Facebook Marketplace—but when it comes to higher-stakes conversations, clinching the deal can be daunting. In today’s episode, Frances calls on her colleague Deepak Malhotra for his expert advice at the negotiating table. They discuss how to balance flexibility and assertiveness, the pivotal role of empathy in conflict resolution, and the critical difference between interests and positions. Deepak also gives his take on the breakdown in talks over the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement and shares plans for his new AI negotiation advisor.

Hosts & Guests

Anne Morriss (Instagram: @annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss)

Frances Frei (Instagram: @francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei)

Deepak Malhotra (LinkedIn: @prof-malhotra)

Links

https://anneandfrances.com/

https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=189290

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After the Minnesota Lynx were knocked out of the WNBA playoffs, star player Napheesa Collier used her exit interview to issue a scathing critique of the league’s leadership. In this installment of Unsolicited Advice, Anne and Frances coach the WNBA’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, on how to rebuild player trust, take full accountability for the league’s problems, and deliver an effective apology. They also address stalled progress in the players’ collective bargaining agreement and discuss what it will take for Engelbert to become a true champion for the organization’s most important stakeholders: the women on the floor playing world-class basketball.

Hosts

Anne Morriss (Instagram: @annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss)

Frances Frei (Instagram: @francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei)

Links

https://anneandfrances.com/

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How much time do you spend commuting to and from work in your car? And do you drive alone? In the US, the transportation sector emits more carbon pollution than any other sector—but in 1991, Washington State decided to take matters into their own hands. In this episode, Ryan and Anjali talk to Brian Lagerberg, who worked on the state’s commuter trip reduction plan: a policy that required employers to provide their employees with alternative ways to get to work. Together, they unpack the factors that led to the plan’s success and discuss how other cities and states can promote the same practices that make Washington the carpool state, and the kind of model that others can follow.

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