Do you feel like you’re hitting a wall at work? This week, Anne and Frances are joined by Master Fixers Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao. Bob and Huggy are professors at Stanford University and authors of “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder”. Together, the four discuss how anyone can eliminate the obstacles to doing their best work—and create constraints that make work even better. 

Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Friction 101: How to make the right things easier and wrong things harder (w/ Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao)

Frances Frei is a Harvard Business professor. Anne Morriss is a CEO and best-selling author. Anne and Frances are two of the top leadership coaches in the world. Oh, did we mention they're also married to each other? Together, Anne and Frances move fast and fix stuff by talking to guest callers about their workplace issues and solving their problems – in 30 minutes or less. Both listeners and guests will receive actionable insights to create meaningful change in the workplace – regardless of their position on the company ladder. If you want to be on Fixable, call our hotline at 234-Fixable (that's 234-349-2253) to leave Anne and Frances a voicemail with your workplace problem.

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Starbucks’ stock price dropped sharply after the company reported a significant slowdown in visits to its stores in both the U.S. and China, its two biggest markets. Sales and profits are also not going in the right direction. Everybody seems to be worked up about company performance, especially former chairman and CEO Howard Schultz. Anne and Frances spill the tea (er, coffee) on how Starbucks and its leadership can revamp their strategy. Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

Unsolicited Advice: Can Starbucks get their order right?

In a new Quick Fixes segment, Anne and Frances swiftly tackle the work problems of not one but two listeners, delivering relatable advice for both hard-working professionals in under 20 minutes. One listener struggles with how to quit gracefully, and another is challenged by their team’s slow pace. Both issues require a shift in perspective to understand how other people experience us in the workplace. Anne and Frances have some actionable advice to help you do that and more in this week’s episode. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show.Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

Quick Fixes: How to quit and how to work smarter

Listen to Fixable’s first live show at TED2024! Anne and Frances sat down with NYU professor, entrepreneur, best-selling author and celebrity podcaster Scott “Prof G” Galloway for a fascinating conversation on loneliness, resilience, inclusion in the workplace, raising healthy boys and what it takes to be personally and financially successful. Stick around to the end to hear how Scott learned to cry and moving answers from an unexpectedly emotional audience Q+A.

To hear more from Scott, check out his TED Talk recorded the same day at go.ted.com/scottgalloway24.

Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Fixable Live: A conversation with Scott Galloway

What do you do when there’s too much work but not enough people to do it? Bring in some support! This week, Anne and Frances talk to a listener whose expert sales team can no longer keep up with everything the company offers. Together, Anne and Frances outline ways to simplify work for a stressed out team—including the use of AI to reduce complexity and increase capacity. They also offer advice for any leader moving through a shift as radical as introducing AI into the workflow.

What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show.

Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

Is AI your next hire?

This is an episode of The TED Interview, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, that we think you'll enjoy.

To get a free copy of the Infectious Generosity book, visit ted.com/generosity 

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is one of the top ten richest people in the world. But since 2008, he has traded his day-to-day role with Microsoft to focus full-time on his foundation's work to expand opportunity around the world. Chris interviews Bill about his philanthropy philosophy and digs into the opportunities and challenges that face one of the largest private charitable foundations in the world. The two also discuss The Giving Pledge, the movement Bill co-founded with Warren Buffet, which encourages wealthy individuals to commit the majority of their wealth to charitable causes within their lifetimes. Chris and Bill examine the importance of solving the world’s most pressing problems efficiently, talk about why meaningful change requires scale, and compare notes on how to best encourage collective excitement about giving back.

Friction 101: How to make the right things easier and wrong things harder (w/ Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao)

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