In this episode, Dr. Laura breaks down why toxic bosses are so widespread and costly, and addresses the first step to stopping them: naming what’s happening. Drawing from her research and her new book, I Wish I’d Quit Sooner, she explains eight “toxic boss personas”. These include the dishonest manipulator, the gaslighter, and the control freak. Having a shared language matters when describing harmful behaviors and their impact: accurate communication helps employees, HR, and leadership alike. 

Dr. Laura details what it takes to stop toxic bosses at an organizational level: the three C’s of care, curiosity, and courage. Care includes a workplace culture grounded in compassion; curiosity means going beyond surface-level engagement to ask targeted questions and protect confidentiality; and courage means taking swift action and enforcing zero tolerance for abuse. Abuse includes covert, manipulative behavior that negatively impacts the well-being and health of employees. Dr. Laura distinguishes “difficult” bosses, who can often be coached, from truly toxic ones, who tend to escalate over time and shouldn’t remain in people-leadership roles.

“So, letting go of a toxic boss or repositioning them out of a people leadership role ain't easy. But if you're in a leadership capacity, you have a great responsibility for human lives! And those tough decisions, I'm sorry, they come with your compensation, but you can do it. You are strong. And if you want to have a healthy culture, just like a healthy garden, you've got to get rid of the weeds.” - Dr. Laura

About Dr. Laura:

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her passion for taking creative ideas and launching them into successful business strategies led her to start three counselling psychology practices (Calgary Career Counselling, Canada Career Counselling, and Synthesis Psychology), as well as six different business brands offering organizational assessment and consulting services.

Dr. Laura is honoured to have been selected as a Woman of Distinction in Canada in 2014 and received a Canadian Woman of Inspiration Award as a Global Influencer in 2018. Her new book, I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss, is available for purchase on Amazon now.

Resources:

“I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett

Dr. Laura on LinkedIn

Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube

Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live

For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: 

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

Pre-order Dr. Laura’s new book today: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss

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