Dealing with a Toxic Boss? Here’s What You Need to Know! 🚨

·41 min·4 clips

Rob shares how a toxic boss led him to a suicide attempt in 2013, then he went to work the next morning.

The episode begins with host Divya Parekh introducing the topic of toxic bosses, noting many people leave jobs due to this issue. She shares a kindness story about a neighbor helping another, then welcomes guest Rob Kalwarowsky. Rob recounts a positive influence from his water polo coach who taught him about natural energy cycles. He then details his journey from MIT to coal mining in British Columbia, where he encountered his first toxic boss. This experience chipped away at his confidence and led to depression, culminating in a suicide attempt in 2013. Rob cites studies showing toxic managers increase depression risk by 300% and contribute to 120,000 deaths annually in the U.S. He explains his recovery through coaching and therapy, leading to his current role as an executive coach, author, and TEDx speaker living in Costa Rica. The conversation shifts to types of toxic leaders, with Rob listing six categories, including abusive narcissists and messy bosses. He differentiates between toxic feedback and constructive feedback, emphasizing the need for structured, future-centric communication. Rob provides strategies for managing specific boss types, such as asking for priorities with messy bosses or taking control with cowardly managers. He discusses the limitations of leadership training, citing a Harvard Business Review study on its low effectiveness, and stresses the importance of mindset work. Rob recommends 360 reviews and building trust through consistent actions. He delves into childhood origins of saboteurs, using an example of a child learning to seek approval, and suggests internal family systems techniques to address these patterns. The episode concludes with Rob sharing his contact details and offering free book chapters and a meditation track.

As heard by us

A grounded discussion of toxic workplace patterns and the choices people can realistically make around them.

Toxic leadership is treated here as something to recognize in the texture of a workday, especially when it starts to resemble ordinary management friction.

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Why you'd press play

If your boss leaves you feeling awful, this episode helps you notice the pattern before you rush the decision.

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