About Dr. Laura:

Bringing nearly 25 years of expertise as an Industrial/Organizational and Career Psychologist and pioneer on the future of work, Dr. Laura helps organizations evolve their cultures, and leaders and employees to thrive in their work and lives.

She shares her expertise through keynote speaking, the Where Work Meets LifeTM podcast, strategic career coaching, and writing articles and books.

Episode Notes:

Dr. Laura explores more on the subject of toxic bosses, a topic she is passionate about researching for the benefit of people suffering under one. In this episode, she explains some of the defining and brutal behaviors of a toxic boss. Since a toxic boss can be anyone from a first-time manager to a CEO, it’s the psychological and physical health damage they cause to people working under them that makes them toxic. Understanding their behavior will help people to identify a toxic boss and, ideally, leave their sphere of control.

There are fourteen categories of behaviors that Dr. Laura and her research assistant, Renee Pye, have learned through their study. Toxic bosses have many different ways of presenting themselves. Dr. Laura addresses three types of behavior in detail today: 1. Control and micromanagement, 2. Power dynamics and favoritism, and 3. Self-serving and exploitative behavior. She describes each set of behaviors in detail, addressing how the toxic boss comes across and the damage they inflict. The more information Dr. Laura uncovers and shares about toxic bosses, the sooner people struggling under them can see warning signs and get help to navigate the situation.

“The only way to know if a leader is a great leader, a mediocre leader, or a toxic leader, is to find out from the people that report to him or her. So with that said, I think that whether the leader is controlling and micromanaging, whether they’re creating power dynamics and divides in their team, or whether they’re self-serving and exploiting others, all of these things are brutal behaviors and are causing a lot of harm to people.”  Dr. Laura

Resources:

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

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

 

Season 4 Episodes:

Episode 62 | The Gift of Intuition in Our Work and Lives

About Dr. Laura: Bringing nearly 25 years of expertise as an Industrial/Organizational and Career Psychologist and pioneer on the future of work, Dr. Laura helps organizations evolve their cultures, and leaders and employees to thrive in their work and lives. She...

Episode 61 | Vitamin N: The Power of Nature in Work/Life Wellness

About Laura Cohen: Originally from Montreal, Laura is now based in Halifax with a 10 minute walk to the ocean. For the last 6 years, Laura has worked as a counsellor in universities, Employee Assistance Programs, and in private practice, including her own nature...

Episode 60 | Exploring the Human Side of Unconscious Bias at Work

About Tina Varughese: An Indo-Canadian daughter of first generation parents, Varughese says her cultural background allows her to find “the best of both worlds” and shed light, knowledge, and, most importantly, universal humor into the changing workplace. Her highly...

Episode 59 | Closing the Confidence Gap to Thrive in Your Career

About Kelli Thompson: Kelli Thompson is a women’s leadership coach and speaker who helps women advance to the rooms where decisions are made. She has coached and trained hundreds of women to trust themselves, lead with more confidence, and create a career they love....

More Thriving Human Episodes:

Episode 95 | Listening to the Call to Live Your Most Authentic Life

About Tresa Gibson: Recognized for her unique impressionist style that balances colour and depth, Tresa’s work has been described as a simultaneous sense of order and chaos. She has been a thriving self-taught artist for over 14 years specializing in oil on canvas. ...

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