Episode 24: "That’s Not a Leadership Style"

High standards… or just high cortisol? In this episode, we’re unpacking the leadership behaviors many of us were taught to tolerate — the ones disguised as “high standards,” “fast-paced environments,” or “just being blunt.” From micromanagement to emotional volatility, we’re talking about the red flags that workplaces normalized for far too long. We share stories from our own careers, the leadership styles that aged us prematurely, and the moments we realized we had to lead differently. Because if your team is scared of you… that’s not respect — that’s survival. We also break down the difference between fear-based leadership and healthy leadership, how bad leadership impacts team culture (and nervous systems), and what to do if you’re the leader trying to get it right. Plus: a dramatic email reading featuring a customer threatening to curse our staff, a life catch-up, and our weekly reality TV recap. No shame. Just awareness. Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 00:31 – Life recap & recent chaos 28:24 – Dramatic email reading: customer threatens to “curse” our staff 47:36 – Main topic: leadership red flags & fear-based leadership 1:26:54 – The Traitors recap & closing thoughts