Dr. Laura welcomes Hall of Fame speaker, author, and workplace culture expert Michael Kerr for a conversation on how leaders shape environments where people and organizations thrive. Drawing on decades of global experience, Michael believes that, rather than depleting us, work should energize us, and that leaders play a defining role in creating cultures grounded in purpose and connection. He shares that leadership is less about managing tasks and more about influencing people in meaningful ways. According to Michael, the leadership goal should be to become a culture leader who recognizes the profound effects of work on our health, relationships, and sense of identity.

Together, Dr. Laura and Michael explore how small, everyday moments can have a lasting impact on trust and team cohesion. Culture is built through consistent, human interactions rather than grand gestures. They highlight the importance of simple acknowledgments and thoughtful communication in fostering hope during uncertain times. They also examine the rise of incivility in workplaces and the cost of tolerating harmful behavior, together reinforcing the importance of awareness and accountability in leadership. The message is a powerful reminder that when leaders prioritize people and lead with intention, they not only transform workplaces but also contribute to a better world. 

“Leadership is about connecting with humans and influencing them in a positive way toward a better future.” - Michael Kerr

“Leaders have a disproportionate impact on the happiness of their employees and the success of their culture.” — Michael Kerr

About Michael Kerr:

Michael Kerr, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame inductee, is an international business speaker, very funny motivational speaker, workshop trainer, and the author of six books including, Inspiring Workplaces: Creating the Kind of Workplace Where Everyone Wants to Work, and, most recently, The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses Are Laughing All the Way to the Bank. Michael travels the world researching, writing, and speaking about inspiring workplace cultures. He is known as one of North America’s leading speakers on workplace culture and on how businesses leverage their humor resources to deliver outrageous results -including lower absenteeism rates, lower employee turnover rates, less stress, more creativity, more effective communication, and increased sales. His hilarious, inspiring, and thought-provoking programs are often rated as having the greatest impact and relevance of any presentation at a conference, which is why Michael is listed as one of Canada’s most requested funny motivational business speakers.

Resources:

Website: MikeKerr.com

Inspiring Workplaces Blog

Every Other Wednesday podcast

Michael Kerr books

“Cher: Part One: The Memoir” by Cher

“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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this solo episode of Where Work Meets Life, Dr. Laura explores leadership through a bell curve, illustrating the range of leaders found in today’s organizations. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience as an organizational psychologist, Dr. Laura explains how leaders often rise not through careful selection, but through promotions based on technical skill or ambition. She outlines the spectrum from toxic bosses to truly great leaders and reflects on how leadership quality shapes culture, employee engagement, and organizational health. She asks us to consider where our own leaders fall on the continuum and what it would take to move leadership from merely adequate to genuinely inspiring.

Dr. Laura emphasizes that great leadership is not accidental. It requires intentional hiring and thoughtful promotion processes and involves ongoing development rather than one-time training efforts. She highlights the power of mentorship and self-insight as essential qualities that help leaders grow. In a time marked by burnout, mental health challenges, and global uncertainty, Dr. Laura stresses that organizations need more great leaders who understand that people and culture drive long-term success. She offers a thoughtful reflection on leadership responsibility and a call for both organizations and individuals to invest in developing leaders who bring out the best in others.

“Leading human beings is an honor and a privilege, and too often people are promoted into leadership roles without the ingredients that help someone truly thrive as a people leader.” - 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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Where Work Meets Life™, Dr. Laura welcomes back Dr. Michelle Johnston for a thoughtful conversation about the seismic shifts leaders must make to create meaningful connections and stronger results. Inspired by her new book, The Seismic Shift in You, coauthored with Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Dr. Johnston shares how the future of leadership depends less on achievement and more on humanity. Together, they explore the powerful shift from focusing on the what to prioritizing the who, reminding us that meaningful relationships are what sustain engagement and fulfillment. Dr. Laura and Michelle offer a hopeful path forward in a time marked by burnout and disconnection.

Dr. Johnston speaks candidly about her own experience with depletion and the realization that the most important relationship a leader has is with themselves. She introduces the idea of creating a connection cadence, a structured rhythm of intentional relationships and rituals that protect energy and strengthen teams. Dr. Laura’s warmth and professional curiosity bring depth to a discussion that bridges leadership psychology, burnout prevention, hybrid work realities, and workplace culture. This episode invites leaders to rethink how they show up and cultivate workplaces that truly work for people rather than against them.

“I really thought we were writing a book about how we can all be better at connecting with others. And what I learned is the most important who is you. And you're not going to be good at connecting with others unless you prioritize yourself and what you value first.” - Michelle Johnston

About Michelle Johnston:

Dr. Michelle K. Johnston is a passionate champion of connection-driven leadership. Recently featured on NBC News with Kate Snow, she is a best-selling author, top ten executive coach, podcast host, keynote speaker, and distinguished professor whose groundbreaking work is reshaping how leaders connect, communicate, and collaborate.

Widely regarded as being at the forefront of the connection movement, Michelle has spent her career showing leaders how authentic relationships drive both engagement and results. She is the bestselling author of The Seismic Shift in You: Seven Necessary Shifts to Create Connection and Drive Results, her newest book coauthored with Dr. Marshall Goldsmith. This powerful guide offers a transformative roadmap for leaders to reconnect with their priorities so they can drive more meaningful results.

Her first bestselling book, The Seismic Shift in Leadership: How to Thrive in a New Era of Connection—featured by Forbes four times—spotlights real-world leaders who embraced this shift and are seeing stronger teams and better outcomes because of it.

Michelle serves as a distinguished professor of leadership at Loyola University New Orleans, holds a PhD in Communication from Louisiana State University, and brings decades of insight to her coaching and keynotes. She also hosts The Seismic Shift podcast, ranked in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally, where she engages executives, authors, and thought leaders on the seismic shifts shaking up the way we work and the way we live.

Resources:

Website: MichelleKJohnston.com

Michelle Johnston on LinkedIn

YouTube: @TheSeismicShiftWithMichelle

“The Seismic Shift In You” by Michelle K Johnston, PhD and Marshall Goldsmith, PhD

Dr. Vivek Murthy

Previous Where Work Meets Life™ episode with Michelle Johnston: Seismic Shifts in Leadership

“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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Laura welcomes author, strategist, and keynote speaker Kim Bolourtchi to talk about unlocking potential by questioning the rules that shape our choices. Kim shares her journey from a high-powered legal career to embracing her full identity, including a lifelong passion for competitive Latin dance that she once hid out of fear of judgment. Kim and Dr. Laura explore how many professionals learn to succeed by following prescribed paths, only to discover a persistent sense that something is missing. Beliefs formed early in life about professionalism and permission can lead us to limit our creativity and personal growth.

Kim introduces the idea of strategic unruliness as a thoughtful, values-driven way of challenging rules that no longer serve us. She explains how listening to inner signals of restlessness or dissatisfaction can open doors to more fulfilling careers and personal ventures. Dr. Laura and Kim explore courage, identity, and the importance of allowing passion and purpose to coexist with ambition. Strategic unruliness encourages professionals who look accomplished on paper yet feel called toward something more to pursue the more. We all need to learn that growth does not end with achievement and that honoring the whole self can be a powerful source of wellness and innovation. 

“If you feel a call to do more, it is meant for you. You do not have to stop just because other people tell you that you should be satisfied.” - Kim Bolourtchi

About Kim Bolourtchi:

Kim Bolourtchi is a transformational keynote speaker and bestselling author whose work helps leaders break the rules they’ve inherited, reclaim the truth they’ve been trained to suppress, and lead with the full force of who they are. Her signature philosophy, Strategic Unruliness™, is the foundation of her #1 international bestseller, Strategic Unruliness: Break the Rules. Build What’s Next.

A former attorney, strategic executive advisor, and top-rated professor of communication, Kim’s career spans the boardroom, the classroom, and the dance floor — a combination that uniquely positions her to teach leaders how to access clarity, presence, and embodied confidence in high-pressure environments. She is known for her electrifying keynote style: part insight, part activation, part reclamation. Audiences don’t just hear her message; they feel it.

Over the past two decades, Kim has guided hundreds of leaders and organizations through moments of profound transition and growth. Her work is grounded in the belief that extraordinary leadership begins not with strategy, but with identity — with the courage to lead from truth instead of conditioning. She has served as Director of Leadership and Professional Development for a Top 20 law school, built nationally recognized organizations, developed graduate-level curriculum in organizational leadership and communication, and coached executives across industries through major inflection points.

Kim is also the author of Truly Inspired: Secrets for Finding Extraordinary Success at Work and host of the Get Unruly podcast. A competitive Latin dancer and movement enthusiast, she integrates embodied practices into her keynotes to help audiences access confidence and presence at a level they’ve never experienced before.

When she’s not on stage, Kim can be found dancing, writing, hosting transformational retreats in Mexico, or spending time with her two children, Nick and Samantha, and her beloved doodles.

Resources:

Website: KimBolourtchi.com

LinkedIn: Kimberly-Bolourtchi

“Strategic Unruliness™: Break the Rules. Build What’s Next” by Kim Bolourtchi

Strategic Unruliness Live

Podcast: Get Unruly

“Outrageous Openness” by Tosha Silver

“Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey

“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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Where Work Meets Life, Dr. Laura talks with Paul McCarthy (author of The Fired Leader; leadership speaker and global thought leader/consultant reinventing the future of leadership) and Dr. Markus Zehentner (European legal professional and author of Breaking Free from Toxic Leadership) about why toxic bosses often remain protected inside organizations while principled, high-integrity leaders get pushed out. Together, they examine how toxic leadership becomes “baked into” workplace culture through politics, retaliation against honesty, and performative “wellbeing” initiatives that look good on paper but don’t change day-to-day leadership behavior. Both Paul McCarthy and Markus Zehentner share their personal experiences with toxic bosses and how those inspired their books. 

Dr. Laura discusses what toxic bosses do and what it costs: manipulation, micromanagement, emotional blackmail, scapegoating high performers as “low performers,” and creating fear-based environments. Dr. Zehentner shares how a toxic boss exploited a family health crisis and eroded his confidence, which contributed to severe stress and burnout. His story shows how quickly toxic leadership can break even competent, experienced professionals. Paul McCarthy describes being fired for the very leadership qualities he was hired for, because calling out dysfunction threatens ego-based leaders. Toxic leaders are hard to “coach away,” and the conversation highlights that organizations must stop tolerating them and build real accountability if they want to keep good leaders and prevent toxic bosses from doing long-term damage.

“So [toxic workplace] is real. This isn't a trend. This is what we have baked into the very DNA of our organizations and our approaches to leadership, a normalization of things that shouldn't be happening.” - Paul McCarthy

“... all these official or burnout prevention measures, they are usually designed as an employee obligation rather than a task for the management to create a work environment that does not lead to burnout in the first place.” - Dr. Markus Zehentner

About Dr. Paul McCarthy:

Paul is an author and global thought leader creating the conditions to reimagine, reinvent, and regenerate the future of leadership. Amongst a crowded space, Paul brings a unique, freshly disruptive, and bold, yet evidence-based, experiential, and experimental approach that is shifting the narrative within and beyond organizations about the future of leadership and work. Before this, Paul’s career in management and leadership consulting spans over 25 years in over 100 organizations within over 10 industry sectors. His focus in this field has been to develop leaders and their capacity, capability, and competency, and he has supported thousands of leaders globally. He also supports clients in business transformation, organizational design, and talent management, and still consults in a senior-level advisory and delivery role.

Paul's work has been featured on dozens of podcasts, he speaks globally with organizations on his work, and supports organizations to identify, recruit, onboard, and develop leaders with the future leadership qualities needed to navigate ongoing disruption. 

More information on Paul can be found here: www.paulmacleadership.com or via email, [email protected]

About Dr. Markus Zehentner:

Dr. Markus Zehentner is the author of Breaking Free from Toxic Leadership — a powerful and practical guide that helps professionals recognize manipulation, build resilience, and reclaim their careers.

He works as Senior Legal Counsel in risk management at a public sector financial institution and holds a doctorate in law. With a background in Human Resources and a role on his organization's work council, Markus regularly supports colleagues facing toxic workplace dynamics.

Beyond his legal and organizational expertise, he brings a deeply personal lens to this conversation — shaped by lived experience, a passion for mental health, and his current training in psychotherapy.

Resources:

Paul McCarthy’s website: PaulMacLeadership.com

“The Fired Leader” by Paul McCarthy

Embracing Tomorrow’s Leader, Today - a one-hour program on disruptive leadership qualities and F.I.R.E.D. Leadership by Paul McCarthy

Paul McCarthy’s guest episodes on the Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization podcast

Dr. Markus Zehentner's website: ToxicLeadership.info

LinkedIn: markus-zehentner-toxic-leadership

“Breaking Free from Toxic Leadership” by Dr. Markus Zehentner (co-authored with psychotherapist & organizational psychologist Claudia Schwinghammer)

“Thrive” by Arianna Huffington

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins

“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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Laura welcomes Dr. Shirley Davis, a leadership development expert, culture transformation thought leader, bestselling author, and President and CEO of Shirley Davis International, to the show for a conversation on workplace leadership and what it means to live, be in leadership, and leave a legacy. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience across HR, executive leadership, and global workforce consulting, Dr. Davis and Dr. Laura explore why so many organizations struggle with inclusive guidance and low employee engagement, and how a strong mindset and trust-based leadership can be built. 

Dr. Davis shares insights from her upcoming book, Leading High Performance Teams for Dummies, which offers practical strategies for building excellent  teams in today’s changing workplace. Dr. Laura discusses the topics covered in the book: from managing remote and global teams to preparing leaders for the future of work leadership amid AI.  There is a difference between managing tasks and truly leading people, and Dr. Davis challenges us to move past fear and self-limiting beliefs to embrace leading with purpose and building a meaningful leadership legacy. Success is redefined in this episode, and both Dr. Laura and Dr. Davis stress that visibility does not equal value. Results, not physical presence, should define success in organizations.

“I always say, too, if you're a leader and nobody is following you, you're just taking a walk.” - Dr. Shirley Davis

About Dr. Shirley Davis:

Dr. Shirley Davis is an internationally recognized global workforce expert, culture transformation thought leader, Hall of Fame keynote speaker, and President & CEO of Shirley Davis International, providing transformative and innovative thought leadership through published keynote speeches, books, articles, LinkedIn courses, and workshops. With over 30 years of business experience in Fortune 50 companies, global nonprofits, and government agencies, she has worked in 40+ countries, served over 300 global organizations, and delivers over 100+ paid presentations a year . She’s been featured in nationally acclaimed publications including, but not limited to: Forbes, Fortune Magazine, CEO Magazine, Harvard Business Review, and Oprah Daily.

Dr. Shirley Davis is a best-selling author of Living Beyond “What If?” and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies (2022). Her other popular titles include Reinvent Yourself and Inclusive Leadership For Dummies (2024). A LinkedIn Learning author with 9 leadership courses—one of which was named among the Top 20 Most Popular Courses of 2024—she also holds over 10 professional certifications and 4 earned degrees, including a Ph.D. in Business and Organizational Leadership. Dr. Davis serves on the national board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and is a member of the NSA Million Dollar Speakers Group, Women Corporate Directors, and Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. A few of her many accolades include induction into the PGCPS Hall of Fame (2025), the prestigious Toastmasters International’s Golden Gavel Award (2022), induction into Inclusion Magazine’s Hall of Fame (2021), and the national title of Ms. American United States (2000). Driven by a lifelong passion for philanthropy, she co-founded the Dr. Shirley Davis Foundation with her daughter, Gabrielle Victoria, to uplift individuals and businesses through coaching, resources, and strategic development.

Resources:

Dr. Shirley Davis website: DrShirleyDavis.com

“Leading High-Performance Teams for Dummies” by Dr. Shirley Davis
“Inclusive Leadership for Dummies” by Dr. Shirley Davis

Other books by Dr. Shirley Davis

LinkedIn

YouTube

Dr. Shirley Davis Foundation

Make A Wish Calgary

“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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Laura talks to Catherine Mattice about navigating toxic workplaces, the topic of Dr. Laura’s new book. Catherine is a workplace culture expert, culture strategist, and author, having just released her own book called Navigating a Toxic Workplace for Dummies. She runs the organization Civility Partners that focuses on creating respectful workplace cultures across all sizes of companies. Dr. Laura and Catherine discuss organizational risk factors that lead to toxic workplaces, and examine the steps necessary to turn such toxicity around.

Catherine shares her journey of observing workplace bullying and experiencing it firsthand. She wrote a paper on toxic behavior in graduate school, which led her to focus on researching toxicity and bullying in workplaces as a career. Dr. Laura and Catherine note that the pandemic has shifted workplace culture, as everyone is now discussing employee experience and engagement, and toxic behaviors are being considered and exposed. They examine what bullying behavior looks like, HR’s role in assisting employees, and how to rebuild unhealthy workplace cultures. This episode exposes the dark side of workplaces and how to improve the culture, something Catherine’s company focuses on doing one company at a time. 

“... I want everybody who's maybe considering leaving to understand that quitting is a power move. It does not mean you've lost the battle. It means you've chosen yourself over the employer and that you're taking control back. And so if you need to leave, then leave. Nobody faults you for it.” - Catherine Mattice

About Catherine Mattice:

Catherine founded Civility Partners in 2008. After working in a toxic environment herself she decided this was a problem she could solve, and today is a leading expert on the topic of turning around a toxic workplace culture and building a positive one in its place.

Under Catherine’s leadership, the Civility Partners team has worked with over 250 clients, including Chevron, NASA, Stanford University, Embraer, and the American Red Cross to help their leaders and teams cultivate a respectful and civil work environment.

Catherine is an award-winning author, speaker, blogger, and business owner; has been cited in such news outlets as Forbes, INC Magazine, Entrepreneur, and USA Today; and has appeared as a guest expert on such venues as NPR and CNN. She also has over 60+ courses on LinkedIn Learning and reaching global audiences.

As a keynote speaker, Catherine is widely regarded by audiences around the world as she shares her disruptive and humorous take – and totally actionable steps – on building a positive and civil company culture. Her insights and consulting programs have transformed CEO’s of multi-national companies, leaders of all levels in the US Marines and US Navy, and professionals in companies of all shapes and sizes.

Schedule a consultation call with one of our team members.

Resources:

Catherine Mattice Website

LinkedIn
Instagram 

Facebook

YouTube

“Navigating a Toxic Workplace for Dummies” by Catherine Mattice

“The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins

“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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Laura officially releases her new book, “I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss”. She introduces us to what the book is about, why she wrote it, and her hopes for the book’s impact on people’s lives. Dr. Laura has run Canada Career Counseling for 16 years, and through the work of helping clients achieve career goals, she learned how many were suffering under a toxic boss. The numbers increased post-pandemic, with toxic workplace cultures becoming an uncomfortable rising trend. This is what inspired her to dig into research on toxic bosses and write her book.

One thing Dr. Laura notes is that she specifically calls the toxic management “toxic bosses” instead of “toxic leaders” because leaders are people who motivate, inspire, and help people grow. Toxic bosses do the opposite: they overtly or covertly harm people. Dr. Laura breaks down the accessible structure of “I Wish I’d Quit Sooner” and how she categorizes the eight personas of a toxic boss. Her goal is to spread the word about the emotional and physical pain toxic bosses cause, and to offer not only ways to identify them but ways to escape their clutches. By educating people on the damage being done by toxic bosses, she hopes to help organizations eradicate the issue by teaching them how to cultivate inspiring leaders instead.

“We see a lot of parallels between toxic bosses and toxic partners in a romantic relationship. Starts off good, goes bad, gets worse. Our self-esteem is challenged, our self-confidence goes down, and they suck our energy. And then it's hard to get out. You feel trapped, oftentimes financially, by a toxic boss.” - 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

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

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Laura welcomes international keynote speaker, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the world’s leading experts on executive presence and influence, Stacey Hanke, to the show to talk about how we can tend to and elevate our influence at work. Stacey defines the qualities of true influence and discusses her Monday to Monday philosophy of consistency in messaging. Not only is influence grown in what we say, but how we listen, how we show up daily, and how we continue to present ourselves. 

Stacey’s new book, Influence Elevated, describes how consistent quality communication is key to maintaining influence. Monday to Monday, to her, means that our influence does not take weekends off. We must present ourselves authentically and consistently in every interaction. Stacey and Dr. Laura explore the importance of body language, active and mindful listening, everybody’s individual influence type, and the necessity of being future-focused. Stacey’s insight reveals how leaders, executives, and professionals at every career stage can strengthen their executive presence and elevate the way they show up both in person and virtually. 

“There's tons of confusion about what influence is and how to achieve it. We define it, my team and I, as your body language and your messaging. They need to be consistent Monday to Monday. That way no one ever has to guess who's going to show up. And we all know that true consistency is doing what you say you're doing when no one's watching.” - Stacey Hanke

About Stacey Hanke:

Stacey Hanke is an international keynote speaker, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the world’s leading experts on executive presence, influence, and leadership communication.

For more than two decades, she has worked with leaders at nearly 100 Fortune 500 companies — including Microsoft, Google, American Express, Coca-Cola, Boeing, and FedEx — equipping them with the skills to command a room, earn trust, and be consistently perceived as the respected, influential leaders they intend to be.

Stacey’s transformative, humor-filled presentations teach audiences to overcome modern communication hurdles with proven strategies that capture attention, authentically connect, and inspire people to take action. From high-stakes presentations to casual conversations, prepare to elevate your communication skills and executive presence, Monday to Monday®. 

Resources:

Website: StaceyHankeInc.com

LinkedIn

Instagram

YouTube

“Influence Elevated: Maximizing Your Connection” by Stacey Hanke

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

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

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

Canada Career Counselling

Synthesis Psychology

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

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