Sometimes the best way to fix a work problem is by taking a vacation. Yet, people tend to not use all their paid time off. This week, we have an episode of WorkLife for you that explores why vacation and actual rest time on the weekends can help you be your most productive and happiest self at work. Host Adam Grant examines the evidence on recovery and burnout, and might help you learn to turn on do not disturb.WorkLife is another podcast from the TED Audio Collective where organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world' most unusual professionals to discover the keys to a better work life. These insightful conversations will make you never see your job the same way again. Find WorkLife wherever you get your podcasts.Available transcripts for WorkLife can be found at go.ted.com/WLtranscripts

How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey complex information? How do I manage my reputation? Whether you’re giving a toast or presenting in a meeting, communication is critical to success in business and in life.This is an episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Join Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as he sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges.In this episode, Frances joins Matt to share advice on how to simplify complex ideas and communicate them effectively and why simple communication is the key to moving others to action. Listen to new episodes of Think Fast, Talk Smart every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.You can find show notes for this episode here:  https://link.chtbl.com/C8M79KA_?sid=fixable 

This is an episode of Design Matters featuring Fixable hosts Anne Morriss and Frances Frei. You'll receive a deep dive into the lives of them both, learning how they became the influential leaders they are today, as well as their process writing their new book, Move Fast and Fix Things. Design Matters with Debbie Millman is one of the world's very first podcasts. Broadcasting independently for over 15 years, the show is about how incredibly creative people design the arc of their lives. Find Design Matters wherever you get your podcasts.

Here on Fixable, we've addressed countless tough problems people face at work. One of the toughest problems companies deal with is when leaders don't see eye to eye. We know you enjoyed our previous episode about OpenAI, so we thought we'd share more insight into how the company behind ChatGPT went about solving their leadership problem on this episode from The TED AI Show, a new podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Former board member and AI policy expert Helen Toner joins host Bilawal Sidhu to discuss the existing knowledge gaps and conflicting interests between those who are in charge of making the latest technology – and those who create our policies at the government level. The TED AI Show helps you decipher what’s just hype and what's about to fundamentally change our world when it comes to AI. Creative technologist Bilawal Sidhu talks with the world’s leading experts, artists, journalists, and more to explore the thrilling, sometimes terrifying, future ahead. Listen to the TED AI Show wherever you get your podcasts.For transcripts for The TED AI Show, visit go.ted.com/TTAIS-transcripts. Fixable will be back soon with more episodes!

If you listen to Fixable, then maybe you've sometime wished someone would just help you figure out your life. John Paul Brammer’s job is to do exactly that – he’s the writer behind the hit advice column Hola Papi. Today, in an episode from another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, How to Be a Better Human, John talks about how he's helped all kinds of people on topics big and small. John reveals what constitutes good advice, why a lot of problems have similar solutions, and shares what we can do to get ourselves out of our trickiest situations.How to Be A Better Human isn’t your average self improvement podcast. Each week join comedian Chris Duffy in conversation with guests and past TED speakers as they uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on new ways to improve ourselves -- and show up for one another.  Get more How to Be A Better Human wherever you get your podcasts.For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts     Fixable will be back soon with more episodes!

This is an episode of another podcast we think you'll enjoy, A Slight Change of Plans, hosted by former TED Speaker Dr. Maya Shankar.Brené Brown is a bestselling author and social scientist known for her work on complex emotions like shame and vulnerability. She opens up to Maya about the evolution of some of her most important identities: big sister, recovering perfectionist, and reluctant public figure. She also shares how COVID affected her marriage, her struggles with social media, and how she's redefining ambition.Fixable will be back with new episodes soon!

Whether it's a hiccup at your job or a systemic issue that affects everyone you know, we've all encountered obstacles that just seem impossible to overcome. This week, Anne and Frances are joined by Master Fixer, journalist, and Revisionist History host Malcolm Gladwell, who shares his experience tackling big, complex challenges -- from rethinking homelessness in America to dysfunction in college ranking systems. Malcolm also shares how storytelling can change minds and why the people most optimistic about a problem are often the ones who are closest to it. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show.Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

Experience is not always seen as an asset in a world that equates innovation and youth, particularly in fast-moving industries like tech and art. How do you convince others that your work still matters…now more than ever? This week, Anne and Frances help digital artist and TED Fellow Julie Freeman break free from her own story about aging and relevance. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show.Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

This week, we wanted to give you a chance to check out another amazing show from the TED Audio Collective, The TED AI Show – a podcast meant to guide us through the mystifying world of artificial intelligence. We heard you when you said you enjoyed our AI episode with A.J. Jacobs – so we think this is going to be right up your alley. Our host and creative technologist, Bilawal Sidhu, sits down with Sam Gregory, a human rights activist and technologist, to discuss how we’re going to seize the opportunities and solve the problems that the newest technologies are bringing to our world. We’ll be back next week with more Fixable, and you can catch The TED AI show wherever you get your podcasts. 

It happens all the time - new leaders come in and make big changes. So how do we adapt to new styles and strategies? And protect the things we don’t want to change? This week, Anne and Frances help a senior executive build a more resilient future for his organization. Our listener leaves with a plan of action that is relevant for anyone who wants to leave a legacy they’re proud of.What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show.Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixabletranscripts. 

Starbucks’ stock price dropped sharply after the company reported a significant slowdown in visits to its stores in both the U.S. and China, its two biggest markets. Sales and profits are also not going in the right direction. Everybody seems to be worked up about company performance, especially former chairman and CEO Howard Schultz. Anne and Frances spill the tea (er, coffee) on how Starbucks and its leadership can revamp their strategy. Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

In a new Quick Fixes segment, Anne and Frances swiftly tackle the work problems of not one but two listeners, delivering relatable advice for both hard-working professionals in under 20 minutes. One listener struggles with how to quit gracefully, and another is challenged by their team’s slow pace. Both issues require a shift in perspective to understand how other people experience us in the workplace. Anne and Frances have some actionable advice to help you do that and more in this week’s episode. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show.Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

Listen to Fixable’s first live show at TED2024! Anne and Frances sat down with NYU professor, entrepreneur, best-selling author and celebrity podcaster Scott “Prof G” Galloway for a fascinating conversation on loneliness, resilience, inclusion in the workplace, raising healthy boys and what it takes to be personally and financially successful. Stick around to the end to hear how Scott learned to cry and moving answers from an unexpectedly emotional audience Q+A. To hear more from Scott, check out his TED Talk recorded the same day at go.ted.com/scottgalloway24. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

What do you do when there’s too much work but not enough people to do it? Bring in some support! This week, Anne and Frances talk to a listener whose expert sales team can no longer keep up with everything the company offers. Together, Anne and Frances outline ways to simplify work for a stressed out team—including the use of AI to reduce complexity and increase capacity. They also offer advice for any leader moving through a shift as radical as introducing AI into the workflow. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

This is an episode of The TED Interview, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, that we think you'll enjoy. To get a free copy of the Infectious Generosity book, visit ted.com/generosity Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is one of the top ten richest people in the world. But since 2008, he has traded his day-to-day role with Microsoft to focus full-time on his foundation's work to expand opportunity around the world. Chris interviews Bill about his philanthropy philosophy and digs into the opportunities and challenges that face one of the largest private charitable foundations in the world. The two also discuss The Giving Pledge, the movement Bill co-founded with Warren Buffet, which encourages wealthy individuals to commit the majority of their wealth to charitable causes within their lifetimes. Chris and Bill examine the importance of solving the world’s most pressing problems efficiently, talk about why meaningful change requires scale, and compare notes on how to best encourage collective excitement about giving back.

Bullies can’t bully alone – they need other people to participate in their campaigns to shame, discredit, and exclude their targets. This means that we often have more power than we realize to stop bullying in the workplace. In Part 2 of Anne and Frances’s conversation with Master Fixer and social psychologist Amy Cuddy, they explore smart, simple actions all of us can take to prevent bullying and shut it down in its earliest stages. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of this interview, make sure to first check out the previous episode, “How to spot a bully in the workplace.” What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show. Transcript for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts

(Note: This is an updated version of this episode – if you previously downloaded audio and got a different podcast, thanks for your patience as we deliver you the right episode, which is this one! The original episode is also updated and you can find it in this same feed.) Where do bullies go when they grow up? New research shows they just move from the playground to the workplace. This week, Master Fixer and social psychologist Amy Cuddy joins Anne and Frances to walk us through the strikingly stable patterns bullies follow to undermine and ostracize their targets – patterns that are way more common than you might think. Stay tuned for part two where Cuddy details actions you can take to stop bullies in next week’s episode. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixabletranscripts. Mental Health at Work Index (https://mentalhealthindex.org/): A partnership of Columbia University’s Mental Health + Work Design Lab (https://www.cugmhp.org/programs/mental-health-and-work-design-lab/) and One Mind at Work (https://onemindatwork.org/). This is an in-depth assessment tool created by a team of psychologists and business leaders to help companies measure and improve their mental health efforts in a scientfic and data-driven way.

Where do bullies go when they grow up? New research shows they just move from the playground to the workplace. This week, Master Fixer and social psychologist Amy Cuddy joins Anne and Frances to walk us through the strikingly stable patterns bullies follow to undermine and ostracize their targets – patterns that are way more common than you might think. Stay tuned for part two where Cuddy details actions you can take to stop bullies in next week’s episode. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixabletranscripts. Mental Health at Work Index (https://mentalhealthindex.org/): A partnership of Columbia University’s Mental Health + Work Design Lab (https://www.cugmhp.org/programs/mental-health-and-work-design-lab/) and One Mind at Work (https://onemindatwork.org/). This is an in-depth assessment tool created by a team of psychologists and business leaders to help companies measure and improve their mental health efforts in a scientific and data-driven way.

Multiple deadly crashes, a door flying off mid-flight, a CEO forced to step down Boeing has had more than a few disasters. And in case anyone at Boeing is listening, Anne and Frances have some advice to offer for our first ever “Unsolicited Advice” episode. How can a company redeem itself after so many appalling headlines? Where does the leadership team go from here? Listen for valuable takeaways anyone can learn from on taking “radical responsibility” for an organization’s performance. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixabletranscripts

How do you retain good people – and set them up for success in a dynamic, fast-moving environment? Promotion, job design, and clear career pathways are all part of the answer. This week, a pastor leading a growing church wants to know when is the right time to promote people and how to make sure they don't burn out. Anne and Frances deliver advice to help leaders embrace uncertainty and chart a course for success, whether they’re in the pulpit or the C-suite. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call or text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

Whatever happens off-the-job comes with us to work, including our mental health. And having the right tools to talk about it is crucial to improving our experience of work. In this episode, Master Fixer and Harvard Business School professor Lauren Cohen joins Anne and Frances to deliver some surprising statistics on mental health and why it’s vital to have conversations about wellness in the workplace. Whether you’re worried about an employee who lost a loved one or don’t know how to bring up your struggle with depression to your boss – you’ll hear how to have transparent conversations that can change the way you work for the better. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Call/text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts

Do ideas have the freedom to run in your workplace, or do they get caught in internal complexity? As companies grow, they tend to have more processes and stakeholders slowing down change. So what can you do to get things done? In this week’s episode, Anne and Frances help a rockstar Chief People Officer avoid her company’s bureaucratic tendencies and stay on the fast track to success. Tune in to learn how empowerment, reframing and intention can help accelerate your organization’s way of getting things done. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email [email protected] to be featured on the show.

Do you feel like you’re hitting a wall at work? This week, Anne and Frances are joined by Master Fixers Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao. Bob and Huggy are professors at Stanford University and authors of “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder”. Together, the four discuss how anyone can eliminate the obstacles to doing their best work—and create constraints that make work even better. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

You have a fantastic idea, but you're going to need help with execution. Thankfully, that’s what your network is for. In this week’s episode, a listener who developed her own pilates equipment business comes to Anne and Frances for advice on how to turn a successful product into a scalable company. With a little help from Anne and Frances, Bree learns actionable ways to ask the right people for help and make her goals a reality by focusing on what she’s great at! Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

You know what they say about unsolicited advice (don’t give it!) but when it comes to SOLICITED feedback, author and executive coach Kim Scott says: bring it on. Kim believes that when it comes to improving your life at home, work, and anywhere in between, it helps to ask for – and provide – kind, but radical, candor. In this episode, Kim shares what she’s learned about embracing candidness and care in the workplace, gives tips on how to engage in constructive conversations, and opens up about the benefits of addressing bias in communication. Her latest book, "Just Work: How to Root Out Bias, Prejudice, and Bullying to Build a Kick-ass Culture of Inclusivity" is out now. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts This is an episode of How to Be a Better Human, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. For more, check out How to Be a Better Human wherever you get your podcasts.

Have you ever been caught in the middle of a tricky work dynamic, struggling to please everyone? Sometimes, the only solution is to realize it’s not your job to fix everything. This week, Anne and Frances talk to a listener who’s struggling to manage relationships with multiple bosses with competing priorities. Together, they chart a path for this superstar employee to make it clear she can’t solve every problem while also safeguarding her career. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Sure, we all want our work to speak for itself… but who will make sure your impact is truly seen and valued? This week, Anne and Frances are joined by Master Fixer Carla Harris. Carla Harris is a Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, the bestselling author of books like Expect to Win and Lead to Win, and an expert on building relationships at work. This week, she brings her wisdom to Fixable to discuss why it’s impossible to have a true meritocracy – and why strong relationships are the key to succeeding in your career. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Have you ever felt like something about your identity was getting in the way of your success? This week, a listener needs help pushing through the resistance she’s facing as a woman navigating a male-dominated workplace. Anne and Frances discuss what you can do when someone else’s bias is standing in your way. Together, the three uncover how you can find your agency in unexpected places – and why you must use it unapologetically. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

How do you find common ground with skeptical audiences? Robin Steinberg is the CEO of The Bail Project, an organization that advocates for abolishing cash bail and reforming the criminal justice system. She knows her work is vital, but public anxiety about crime and safety often gets in the way of lasting change. Robin Steinberg asks Anne and Frances how to communicate her mission to people who don’t understand what she does or why she does it. They help Robin craft a new outreach strategy and discuss how you need more than just facts and data to win over new supporters.

What kinds of writing gets people to take action? In his book, “Writing Effectively for Busy Readers,” Harvard professor and this week’s Master Fixer Todd Rogers discusses his extensive research into the most effective writing styles. Todd talks with Anne and Frances about what it means to be "radically responsible" to your audience. Then he shares the best (and seemingly counterintuitive) writing techniques to stir your readers into action. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

How can you communicate confidence when the future is uncertain? Claire manages communications at a transportation company that’s going through major changes, and she’s tasked with making sure everyone—from C-level corporate executives to people out in the field—get the information they need. However, she finds herself competing with industry news cycles and word-of-mouth speculation to get people’s trust and attention. Anne and Frances discuss the importance of authenticity and trust at work – and show Claire how to create a clear line of communication at her company. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Hi everybody, new episodes of Fixable are back next week! In the meantime, we are bringing back this episode in case you missed it. Anne and Frances are joined by their first “Master Fixer," author Claire Hughes Johnson, who’s here to help you fix your meetings! Her book Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building draws on her executive experiences at Stripe and Google and reveals her techniques for getting the most out of the people she’s leading – especially while they’re gathered together. In this episode, Claire shares her recipe for better meetings, including how to make them more inclusive, why it’s crucial to delegate tasks, and how to make space for dissent. And remember — if you want to be on next season Fixable, call Anne and Frances with your workplace problems at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253). You can also email [email protected] or submit using THIS form.

This is an episode of one of our favorite shows, What's Your Problem? hosted by former Planet Money host Jacob Goldstein. Each week, Jacob talks to entrepreneurs and engineers about how they’ll change the world -- once they solve a few problems. We hope you enjoy Anne and Frances in conversation with Jacob while we're still on a short break. Find more about What's Your Problem at pushkin.fm And remember — if you want to be on next season Fixable, call Anne and Frances with your workplace problems at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253). You can also email [email protected] or submit using THIS form.

This is another episode of one of our favorite shows, Leading Up With Udemy, hosted by Alan Todd, the Udemy Vice President of Leadership Development. We hope you enjoy it while we're on a short break! Roberta Matuson is a talent consultant and author of several incredible leadership books, including international bestseller Suddenly In Charge, Can We Talk?, and The Magnetic Leader. She discusses how to manage up and how to have difficult conversations at work. If you're looking to become a more effective leader, this episode is for you. Listen now to learn from Roberta Matuson's years of coaching diverse clients who work in a range of organizations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. And remember — if you want to be on next season Fixable, call Anne and Frances with your workplace problems at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253). You can also email [email protected] or submit using THIS form.

Trust is the foundation for everything we do. So what do we do when it's broken? In this episode of TED Business, a familiar voice gives a crash course on the essential components of trust, and how to build them. Plus TED Business host Modupe Akinola explains how to apply those principles of trust with Black colleagues and others in the minority. And remember — if you want to be on next season Fixable, call Anne and Frances with your workplace problems at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253). You can also email [email protected] or submit using THIS form.

This is an episode of a podcast we hope you'll love. On After Hours, Harvard Business School professors Mihir Desai and Felix Oberholzer-Gee discuss and debate current events that sit at the crossroads of business and culture. In this episode, Felix and Mihir discuss how Sam Altman was fired and reinstated over the course of just a few days. Was the board right to dismiss Altman? Does the turmoil change how we think about hybrid organizations that combine nonprofit and for-profit motives? What does the episode teach us about the future of AI? Plus, we look at the reasons why men now die even earlier than women. What do the numbers say about being male today? And remember — if you want to be on next season Fixable, call Anne and Frances with your workplace problems at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253). You can also email [email protected] or submit using THIS form.

Hi Fixable listeners! We are going on a short break before we bring you new episodes of Fixable. In the meantime, here is another podcast we thought you’d love. It’s an episode from ReThinking with Adam Grant, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Carla Harris is a fierce leader, a devoted mentor, and a dynamic speaker. A Wall Street veteran who has been named one of the most powerful Black executives in America, Carla’s worked across multiple industries in her 30+ year career, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women's Business Council. In a highly entertaining Authors@Wharton event, Carla speaks with Adam about strategies for building relationships with mentors and sponsors, how to advocate effectively for ourselves and authors, and what to do when we’re not getting the support we need. Carla’s latest book “Lead to Win” is out now. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG15 And remember — if you want to be on next season Fixable, call Anne and Frances with your workplace problems at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253). You can also email [email protected] or submit using THIS form.

Hi Fixable listeners! We are going on a short break before we bring you new episodes of Fixable. In the meantime, here is another podcast we thought you’d love. It’s an episode from TED Talks Daily, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Resumes are a mainstay of the job application process — despite little evidence that they actually help job-seekers or employers get what they want. So why are we still so preoccupied with them? HR leader Nicos Marcou dives into the absurdity of these one-page documents (or can they be two pages?) and offers an update on how companies should think about hiring qualified candidates. And remember — if you want to be on next season Fixable, call Anne and Frances with your workplace problems at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253). You can also email [email protected] or submit using THIS form.

How do you balance what works professionally with other goals and needs? Curtis Sittenfeld is the bestselling author of Prep and Romantic Comedy. Though she has found great success as a full-time writer, Curtis wants more interpersonal connection than what she often gets from her very isolated approach to writing. In this episode, Anne and Frances talk to Curtis about how she can build more community in her day-to-day life without abandoning the most important part of her writing process. They also explain how we can all be more deliberate about work-life balance and make our jobs emotionally sustainable. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Do you want to feel more confident about speaking up at work? This week, Anne and Frances are joined by a Master Fixer: “Think Faster, Talk Smarter” author Matt Abrahams. Matt is a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an expert in communication. In this episode, Matt gives Anne and Frances a wide-ranging playbook for how to be a better, less anxious communicator, including how to recover after blanking out and the way focusing on an audience can actually make you more confident. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

How can you be caring at work while still maintaining personal boundaries? Gina Gutierrez, founder of the audio erotica app Dipsea, loves her close-knit team — but she’s worried that she might be acting too much like a parent as opposed to a boss. In this episode, Anne and Frances show Gina how to empower both herself AND her team while establishing limits at work. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

How can you make change in your workplace as a newer hire? That’s the problem Al is dealing with. He's an enthusiastic middle school teacher who is finding that his more senior colleagues are hesitant to embrace change and address bias in education. In this episode, Anne and Frances discuss ways Al can empower himself to be a change maker in the community and have more productive conversations with his colleagues in order to improve education for his students. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

How will AI change the way you work? This episode’s caller A.J. Jacobs is a journalist and author who has written books like The Year of Living Biblically, The Puzzler, and Thanks a Thousand. He's built a career off of his creative ideas, but the rise of ChatGPT has made him concerned whether there’ll still be a place for his work as technology gets more advanced. In this episode, Anne and Frances discuss why AI is a resource (not a replacement) and the ethical dilemmas that must be confronted as AI becomes a greater part of our lives. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

It’s hard to be honest about something not going well at work. Eliana, today’s caller, is struggling to navigate a classic problem — a coworker unwilling to improve or communicate. She knows it’s time for a drastic change but still wants to be kind. Anne and Frances share how to get over the fear of giving feedback and discuss why we can all benefit from having tough conversations at work. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

How can you make sure everyone on your team is on the same page? That’s the question posed by this episode’s caller, Luís Martín. Luís is the founder and CEO of an early stage startup, and he’s noticed some tension between his older employees and their Gen Z colleagues due to their different work styles. With the help of Anne and Frances, Luís gets to the root of the problem: when a company lacks focus, it’s hard for the employees to be aligned. Together, they create a roadmap to bring the company together on projects with a singular, united goal. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

As a standup comedian and the host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human, Chris Duffy knows how to be engaging in front of a microphone. However, he feels awkward about posting on social media yet worries that not posting is costing him opportunities and a bigger audience. It's a problem that Anne and Frances have faced too. Together, they talk about the art and mindset of self-promotion and the ways YOU can rethink your online presence so it feels more aligned with what you stand for. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

What’s the best way to transition back to work after going on leave? Wren is a newly minted director at a fintech company who got promoted into the role just a few months before going on maternity leave–and now she’s returning as the mom of a child with health challenges. However, her job and team have changed dramatically in her absence, and Wren doesn’t feel like the same person she was before her baby, either. Not knowing how to go into the office again, Wren turns to Anne and Frances for help. Anne and Frances give Wren a bombshell—she’s not going back to her old job, she’s starting a new one. Together, they create a plan for a successful restart and making the most of any transition. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

"There are unhelpful managers, and then there are ones who make you actively question your own skills. Rachel is a mid-level employee facing one big obstacle at work: a boss who refuses to hear her thoughts. The repeated stonewalling has made Rachel question her ability to do her job, and she turns to Anne and Frances for help. Together, they help Rachel unlock her inner fierceness and give her tips that can help anyone confront a dismissive boss. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts."

Remote work is here to stay — but even for companies that did it pre-pandemic, new challenges are popping up. Dean’s accounting firm has 4,000 employees, and people once happily alternated between working from home and the office. But recently there's been a shift, and the once-thriving hybrid environment is not quite as bustling. Afraid of losing the supportive and social in-office culture, Dean turns to Anne and Frances for help. Together, they find a balance between remote flexibility and in-person interaction. Anne and Frances also share tips on making office days not only productive but exciting for everyone who joins. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Welcome back to Fixable. This one’s a little different! This week, Anne and Frances dive into their area of expertise: trust. Frances recounts the time when she was brought in to help Uber fix their huge trust breakdown. Using Uber as a case study, they explain the three pillars of trust – authenticity, empathy, and logic – and actionable solutions to strengthen each leg when they’re on shaky ground. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Fixable will be back next week! For now, here's an episode of TED Talks Daily we think you'll like. Every weekday, TED Talks Daily brings you the latest TED talks on every subject imaginable — from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between — given by the world's leading thinkers and creators. In this practical, playful talk, leadership visionary Anne Morriss reinvents the playbook for how to lead through change -- with a radical, one-week plan to build trust and fix problems by following a step per day. Follow TED Talks Daily wherever you're listening to this.

Reshma is the co-founder of Girls Who Code, and she’s embarking on a second time founder journey now with her new organization Moms First. And she says being a second time founder is, in some ways, even harder than going at it completely green. So her question is, how do you reconnect to motivation for a project you love and feel passionate about – but which (for mostly external reasons) is maybe not organically as energizing as previous projects?

For some of us it’s easy to lose ourselves in our work. But a lack of boundaries between your personal and work life is something mental wellness educator Gloria Chan Packer would warn you twice about. Gloria speaks about the perils of gaining your sense of self-worth from your job, discusses her experience with burnout and stress and shares empowering insights on how to shift our perspectives to create – and maintain – a healthy distance. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts. This is an episode of How to Be a Better Human, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Find more How to Be a Better Human wherever you're listening to this.

Marcella Arguello is a walking business. As a comedian, she’s tasked with being her own marketer, manager, and more — on top of actually performing. However, she’s found that the unfiltered honesty that captivates an audience often gets her in trouble in business meetings. Needing help to manage these conflicting expectations, she turns to Anne and Frances for help. Together, they design a strategy for Marcella to be her most authentic self without compromising her career. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Lynn works in HR and leads DEI efforts for a multinational company. She’s seen leadership get excited about the idea of inclusion only to retreat at their first blunder. Now, she asks Anne and Frances for help on charging ahead. Together, they dig into the anxieties that prevent action from being taken — and create a plan to make DEI a real priority. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Lola Bakare is an author, marketer and advisor who was recently named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Marketing – unsurprisingly, she has a ton of projects on her plate. But recently Lola has been struggling with balancing her most energizing and creative endeavors with the, well, boring tasks that keep a business running. Anne and Frances dig into the things that stop Lola – and many of us – from creating space for our passions and suggest ways to reclaim the time needed for our most invigorating work. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Jai is an ethics and compliance officer at his company, working to make sure the business’ actions align with their values. However, he often feels pressure from management to let things slide. Jai turns to Anne and Frances for help and they give him a surprising remedy: approach conversations with more understanding. And Frances learns something new too, as they outline Jai’s strategy to help him communicate more effectively to upper management. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Delaney left a fulfilling teaching career to join the tech industry. But after a round of layoffs left her the sole remaining member of her team, she’s stopped feeling motivated and wants to start carving out time to pursue the artistic projects that actually inspire her. Needing to feel both invigorated and financially secure, Delaney turns to Anne and Frances for advice. Through a challenging conversation, they map a plan for Delaney to leave every workday energized and ready to chase her passions. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

When Carl started working at a green-energy company, there were 50 employees. Now, Carl is in management and the company has ballooned to 400 employees. Recently, he’s noticed that some of the new hires don’t want to engage with the company’s inclusive culture, and that’s creating friction. With the help of Anne and Frances, Carl discovers that the problem isn’t about a few toxic employees — it’s the culture of conflict aversion at the company. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Anne and Frances are joined by their first “Master Fixer," author Claire Hughes Johnson, who’s here to help you fix your meetings! Her book Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building draws on her executive experiences at Stripe and Google and reveals her techniques for getting the most out of the people she’s leading – especially while they’re gathered together. In this episode, Claire shares her recipe for better meetings, including how to make them more inclusive, why it’s crucial to delegate tasks, and how to make space for dissent.

Nai’a is a product operations manager at an education technology company that has gone through a major restructuring. With a shifting team and a brand new manager, she struggles to make sure her colleagues recognize the value of her work and what she needs to continue achieving success in her role. Anne and Frances help Nai’a reframe her mindset to be around approaching the situation with curiosity rather than judgment, effectively communicating her needs, and seeing her manager as a collaborator.

David and his brother have co-founded a non-profit helping Black youth in Miami… but David still has a full-time job. Wanting to turn his passion project into paid, full-time work, David asks Anne and Frances how he can grow his organization without losing his energy. After, Anne and Frances share strategies for fundraising and approaching non-profit work like an entrepreneur.

Teresa is the head of strategy at a small food startup, and she's having trouble balancing her desire to think things through with the fast-paced decision-making her role requires. After she shares stories of the collateral damage from the startup’s quick choices, Anne and Frances help Teresa reframe her concerns and discuss how the problem isn’t necessarily about speed, but trust.

Kelli is a nurse at a leading teaching hospital where communication issues are not only leading to resentment – they could also be affecting patient care. After hearing from Kelli about the larger problems at play in the healthcare space, Anne and Frances discuss the link between communication and transparency and guide Kelli into taking matters into her own hands.

Beloved Harvard Business professor Frances Frei and her wife, CEO and bestselling author Anne Morriss, pull back the curtain on leadership advice that's typically reserved for their exec-level clients. This show offers listeners a chance to sit down with two of the top leadership coaches in the world to help solve everyday organizational challenges—big and small. Each week, Frances and Anne host unfiltered conversations with a handful of guests that tackle unique work challenges. Drawing from their work advising companies that have confronted the toughest of workplace situations (Uber, Riot Games, and WeWork), this wise duo is bringing their practical, battle-tested tools to the masses. If you want to be on Fixable, call our hotline at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253) to leave Anne and Frances a voicemail with your workplace problem.