Managing Up: Why Your Hard Work Won’t Get You Ahead (And What Will)

Your team is showing up. But are they really working?In this game-changing episode, host Bernadette Boas sat down over the summer with Rebecca Reed, global Workplace Well-being Specialist and creator of the Mental Flex Method, to expose the silent productivity killer costing organizations 10 times more than sick days: presenteeism.When employees are physically present but mentally checked out, it's not just a morale problem—it's a financial crisis. In the UK, presenteeism accounts for £24 billion of the £51 billion annual cost of poor mental health. In the US, that's $1,500 per employee per year compared to just $150 for absenteeism.This isn't another "add a wellness program" conversation. This is about recognizing trauma responses disguised as productivity, fixing broken systems instead of blaming people, and creating psychological safety that actually works.If you're an HR leader, C-suite executive, manager, or anyone responsible for team performance, this episode will fundamentally change how you approach workplace wellbeing.What You'll Learn✅ The shocking cost difference between presenteeism and absenteeism (and why you should care)✅ How to identify when hyper-productivity is actually a fear response, not ambition✅ The real reason your wellness initiatives fail (hint: it's not the program itself)✅ How "accidental managers" are contributing to team disengagement✅ The hidden influencers in your workplace who can drive culture change without C-suite buy-in✅ Nervous system regulation techniques that actually work for high performers✅ Practical strategies to create psychological safety where people feel safe to challenge, struggle, and be humanKey Timestamps:[00:00:00] Introduction: The silent productivity killer destroying your business[00:01:00] Meet Rebecca Reed: From personal wellbeing journey to global workplace specialist[00:03:00] What is presenteeism? Understanding "bums on seats, but nobody's home"[00:04:00] The shocking cost: Why presenteeism is 10x more expensive than absenteeism[00:06:00] The "accidental manager" problem: Why promotional ladders create unprepared leaders[00:12:00] The hyper-productivity trap: How fight response disguises itself as high performance[00:14:00] Creating safety: The foundation of everything in workplace wellbeing[00:22:00] The HR burnout crisis: Why the people caring for everyone are drowning[00:24:00] The Influentials: How 1/10 of people drive what the other 9/10 think and do[00:32:00] Leadership strategies: Four ways to support your team's wellbeing right now[00:36:00] Final takeaways and resourcesFeatured GuestRebecca Reed Global Workplace Wellbeing Specialist | Founder of Siendo | Creator of the Mental Flex MethodRebecca helps organizations transform their approach to workplace wellbeing through science-backed strategies that address root causes, not just symptoms. After her own profound wellbeing journey, she's dedicated to helping leaders understand the real drivers of burnout, disengagement, and presenteeism.🌐 Learn more: siendo.co.ukResources Mentioned📖 "Finding Inner Safety" by Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan - Essential reading on nervous system regulation and creating internal safety📖 Support the show

Are you working harder than ever but still getting passed over for promotions? Your problem isn't effort—it's visibility and strategy.In this episode, Bernadette Boas reveals why 78% of professionals believe their manager has no influence on their career advancement—and how understanding managing up creates a massive competitive advantage for those who get it right.Most professionals think managing up means being a "yes person" or playing politics. They're wrong. Managing up is strategic leadership that makes you indispensable while advancing your career and supporting your team.What You'll Learn: 8 actionable strategies to effectively manage up starting this week • How to bring solutions instead of complaints (and why this matters) • The visibility framework that gets you noticed for the right reasons • Why leaders actually want you to challenge them (and how to do it respectfully) • Communication mistakes that make your boss tune you out • The self-advocacy approach that doesn't feel like bragging • How to anticipate needs before they're voiced • Why emotional intelligence is your career currency • The alignment conversation that changes everythingTimestamps[00:00] Introduction: What is managing up really about?[03:00] The foundational principle: Leave people and places better than you found them[09:00] What managing up is (and what it isn't)[14:00] Myth #1: Hard work and long hours will get you ahead[16:00] Myth #2: Managing up means being a yes person[18:00] Myth #3: You can't push back or create healthy tension[20:00] Mistake #1: Bringing complaints without solutions[22:00] Mistake #2: Overloading your boss with problems you could solve[23:00] Mistake #3: Failing to adapt to your boss's communication style[26:00] Mistake #4: Assuming your boss understands your workload and impact[28:00] Mistake #5: Inconsistent follow-through destroys trust[30:00] Mistake #6: Not seeking visibility for your contributions[32:00 - 46:00] 8 Strategies [48:00] Summary: Managing up is about managing your impact[50:00] Your challenge: Pick one strategy for the next 7 days[52:00] Final thoughts and next episode previewConnect with Bernadette BoasWebsite: https://balloffirecoaching.comBook a Discovery Call: coachmebernadette.com/discovery-call LinkedIn: @BernadetteBoas Podcast Website: balloffirecoaching.com/podcastNext EpisodePresenteeism: The Silent Culture Killer with Rebecca Reed Discover how showing up without being present is destroying your culture—and what to do about it.Support the show

Are you constantly saying "sorry" for the smallest thing? Smoothing over tensions? Fixing everyone else's problems while your own leadership presence suffers? You're not alone - and it's costing you more than you think.In this game-changing episode, powerhouse coach Kelly Travis reveals the hidden toll of over-apologizing and people-pleasing among high-achieving professionals. Discover how internalized roles like "the fixer," "the good girl," and "the perfectionist" are unconsciously driving your leadership decisions and holding you back from your true potential.🎯 What You'll Learn:The childhood programming that's sabotaging your adult leadershipWhy your team feels insecure when you constantly apologizeHow to identify if you're "the helper," "the achiever," or "the good girl"A powerful exercise to transform your inner dialogueSimple language swaps that instantly boost your executive presence💪 Ready to lead with clarity, confidence, and real self-trust? This episode is your wake-up call to stop operating on autopilot and start making deeply aligned leadership decisions.Timestamps[00:02:00] - Meet Kelly Travis: Competitive Athlete, Coach & Mom [00:03:00] - Competition Lessons: Why Women Apologize for Success[00:06:00] - The Breakthrough Moment: Why Kelly Focuses on Apologizing[00:09:00] - Childhood Programming: Who You Had to Be vs. Who You Are Now[00:11:00] - The Comfort Zone Trap: Why We Stay in Familiar Patterns[00:13:00] - Simple Email Fix: "Thanks for Your Patience" vs. "Sorry I'm Late"[00:14:00] - The Four Types: Perfectionist, Helper, Achiever, Peacemaker[00:17:00] - When These Roles Become Toxic in Leadership[00:19:00] - The Self-Awareness Continuum: From Autopilot to Integration [00:22:00] - Red Flag Warning Signs You're Stuck in Old Patterns [00:31:00] - What Others Really Think When You Over-Apologize📝 TAKE ACTION:Count your apologies for one week - you might be shocked!Replace one "sorry" email with "thanks for understanding" this weekAsk yourself "Is this thought useful?" when you catch negative self-talkYOUR GUEST:Kelly Travis is a powerhouse coach, team dynamics expert, and certified Enneagram practitioner who specializes in helping high-achieving women break free from outdated patterns that sabotage their leadership. As a competitive athlete and single mom, Kelly brings a unique perspective on performance, resilience, and authentic leadership.Connect with Kelly:Website: KellyTravis.netPodcast: Ready When You AreInstagram: @WithKellyTravisYOUR HOST:Bernadette Boas is an executive coach, author, and host of Shedding the Corporate Bitch podcast. She transforms today's managers into tomorrow's powerhouse leaders through her no-nonsense approach to leadership development.Website:🎧 LOVED THIS EPISODE? Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to help other leaders find this show!📱 FOLLOW US:Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast appYouTube: Shedding The Bitch TV ChannelWebsite: BallOfFireCoaching.com/pSupport the show

Do you have a “good guy, but…” on your team? They’re smart, hardworking, maybe even a top producer—but they gossip, interrupt, or stir up conflict. You know it. Your team knows it. And yet, you hesitate to act.In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, Bernadette Boas exposes the hidden cost of excusing a good guy, but..., even when it comes from your most likable or high-performing team members.You’ll learn:Why the “good guy, but…” mentality sabotages trust, culture, and resultsThe personal fears and biases that keep leaders from actingHow one person’s bad behavior spreads like wildfire across a teamSix practical steps to spot, address, and resolve these issues earlyHow to redefine accountability so it feels like courage—not crueltyIf you’re serious about building high-performing teams and protecting your credibility as a leader, this episode is a must-listen.Listen + Subscribe:Apple Podcasts | Spotify| DOWNLOAD our free Powerhouse Communication Assessment to begin your journey to shift away from the good-guy syndrome. Support the show

Are you resilient—or just surviving? In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, I sit down with Russell Harvey, “The Resilience Coach,” to challenge how leaders and HR managers think about resilience. Together, we unpack why resilience isn’t about “bouncing back” but about springing forward with learning.If you’re a leader navigating burnout, constant change, and underperforming teams, this episode will show you how to shift from coping to thriving and build a team that’s unstoppable.⏱ Episode Timestamps[00:02] What a truly resilient leader looks like[00:06] The 3 things leaders are actually responsible for[00:12] Why delegating brilliantly fuels succession planning[00:16] The resilience wheel: 7 dimensions every leader must know[00:22] How social connection—not happy hours—builds stronger teams[00:27] Why your “top five” people shape your leadership style[00:31] Reflection practice: What behaviors serve you vs. hold you back[00:38] Why resilience is proactive, not reactive💡 What You’ll LearnThe difference between coping, surviving, and thriving as a leaderHow to simplify leadership down to three core responsibilitiesThe power of delegation for growth and succession planningPractical ways to remove blockages and clear the path for your teamHow to use the Resilience Wheel to strengthen yourself and your teamWhy resilience is about choice, not crisisResources & LinksConnect with Russell Harvey at theresiliencecoach.co.ukFollow me, Bernadette Boas, on LinkedIn for bold leadership insightsSubscribe to Shedding the Corporate Bitch wherever you listen to podcastsCall to ActionIf this episode sparked insight, share it with your colleagues and HR leaders who need to hear it. Leave us a rating and review to help more leaders find the show. And don’t just listen—take action: choose one way this week to build resilience into your leadership.Support the show

Time is the one resource you can’t get back — and if you don’t take control of it, it will control you. In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, Bernadette Boas reveals why so many leaders struggle with time management, the hidden costs of poor productivity, and actionable strategies to reclaim your focus, sanity, and performance.Packed with tools like time blocking, the Eisenhower Matrix, SMART goals, and boundary-setting, this episode gives you a proven roadmap to beat burnout, boost productivity, and lead with clarity.If you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed by your calendar, buried under endless to-do lists, or stuck in the trap of “busyness,” this episode is your blueprint to take back your time — before it masters you.⏱️ Chapters & Timestamps:[00:00] The Real Cost of Poor Time Management[02:15] Stress, Burnout, and the Leadership Crisis[05:30] Self-Inflicted Time Traps Leaders Create[07:45] Why Multitasking Is a Myth[09:20] Your Calendar Is Too Full — Here’s How to Fix It[11:40] Distractions and Mental Fatigue in Leadership[14:00] The Hidden Impact of Overwhelm on Teams & Business[20:00] Master Time with Proven Tools & FrameworksSMART GoalsThe Pareto PrincipleEisenhower Matrix (Do, Delegate, Delete, Delay)Time BlockingTwo-Minute Rule[27:00] Setting Boundaries That Stick[31:00] Reflection and Progress Tracking for Lasting Change[34:00] Final Leadership Takeaways & Next Steps🔑 Key Takeaways:Why busyness is not a badge of honor — it’s a burnout trigger.How to cut through the noise of multitasking and focus on what matters.The Eisenhower Matrix framework to prioritize with clarity.Why time blocking is the #1 productivity game-changer for leaders.The power of saying “no” and setting boundaries without guilt.How reflection accelerates leadership growth and team success.📢 Call to Action:If you’re ready to stop playing catch-up and start leading with intention, hit subscribe to Shedding the Corporate Bitch on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.👉 Share this episode with a colleague or leader who needs to hear it. 👉 Want personalized coaching to master your time and leadership? Visit BallOfFireCoaching.com to learn more.Stay bold, stay focused, and keep shedding the corporate challenges holding you back!Support the show

Connection isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s a business driver every leader needs to put front and center if they want to achieve their goals and succeed. When employees feel seen, heard, and included, performance skyrockets. Yet, many leaders still struggle with creating cultures of belonging. Why is that?In this powerful episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, I sit down with Greg Morley, global leader, author of Bond: Belonging and the Keys to Inclusion and Connection, and champion of inclusive leadership. With over 25 years of HR experience at companies like Disney, Hasbro, and LVMH, Greg shares hard-earned lessons and practical tools to help leaders and HR professionals turn inclusion into impact.🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why inclusion is not just a moral imperative—it’s a business imperativeHow risk-taking connects directly to inclusive leadershipThe micro-actions leaders take daily that shape cultureWhy the quietest voice in the room often carries the best ideasHow to measure and sustain belonging with real-world tools⏱️ Episode Timestamps:00:02:00 – Greg’s global journey and what inspired his book Bond00:08:30 – Why belonging is the foundation of high-performing teams00:11:00 – The role of risk-taking in driving inclusion00:15:00 – The “10 scoops of vanilla” analogy: finding uniqueness in similarity00:18:00 – Why inclusion is a proven driver of business results00:23:00 – How to move inclusion beyond “politically correct” language00:26:00 – Practical techniques to ensure every voice is heard in meetings00:31:00 – Trust: the #1 element of lasting culture change00:35:00 – Building collaboration through strengths and weaknesses00:39:00 – Greg’s #1 step leaders can take today to foster belonging🚀 Call to Action:✅ Learn more about Greg at www.gregmorley.com✅ Pick up his book: https://www.gregmorley.com/books ✅ Follow the show and reach out to Bernadette: BallofFireCoaching.com/podcastSupport the show

Your highest performers haven’t quit—yet. But they’re not fully present either. They’re quietly cracking under the weight of stress, burnout, AI-driven changes, and poor leadership. And the cost? A staggering $438 billion in lost productivity.In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, Bernadette Boas unpacks:What “Quiet Cracking” really is and how it’s different from Quiet QuittingThe hidden warning signs leaders miss in their best peopleThe real business costs of burnout and disengagementA proactive action plan to stop Quiet Cracking before it destroys your cultureIf you’re an HR leader, manager, or executive who wants to protect performance, retain talent, and lead with confidence—this episode is a must-listen.🕒 Episode Breakdown with Timestamps00:00 – 01:00 | The crisis you don’t see: Why your top people are quietly cracking01:00 – 02:30 | Quiet Cracking vs Quiet Quitting: What leaders need to know05:00 – 10:00 | 7 warning signs your people are cracking under the pressure06:30 – 07:30 | The shocking stats: $438B lost productivity, 67% burnout rates15:00 – 22:00 | The leadership action plan: Conversations, pulse checks, redesigning workloads27:00 – 28:30 | Why Quiet Cracking isn’t a character flaw—it’s a leadership signal30:00 – 31:30 | How to reset your team’s wellbeing + free assessment31:30 – 32:00 | Next episode preview: Belonging & Connection with Greg Morley✅ Resources & Call-to-Actions📥 Download Your Free Tool: Powerhouse Communication Assessment - balloffirecoaching.com/opt-in🎯 Book a Reset Workshop: 45-Minute Workload & Wellbeing Reset - coachmebernadette.com/discoverycall🎧 Catch All Episodes and Expert Interviews: Shedding the Corporate Bitch Podcast -balloffirecoaching.com/podcastSupport the show

Your success as a leader isn’t determined by how well you talk—it’s determined by how well you connect. And nowhere is that more critical than when the stakes are high and emotions are running hot.Episode Overview: In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, I sit down with Dr. Amber Johnson—leadership consultant, high-stakes communication expert, and truth-teller on why most leaders fail in conflict.We dig into the hidden reasons leaders struggle to get communication right—especially under pressure—and why avoiding tough conversations is costing you trust, performance, and top talent.Challenges We Tackle:Why “being nice” is sabotaging your leadership effectivenessHow busyness kills connection and erodes team trustThe gap between leaders’ “open door” intentions and employees’ real experiencesWhy avoidance turns small problems into reputation-damaging crisesWhat You’ll Learn:The difference between kindness and niceness—and why it matters for resultsHow to lead without having all the answers by mastering the art of powerful questionsSimple techniques to keep conversations future-focused and defuse defensivenessHow to recognize when your “open door” is actually closedStrategies to address issues early—before they turn into patterns or cultural problemsKey Takeaways:Kindness is truth delivered with care; niceness is a performance that avoids discomfort.The conversation IS the relationship—avoid it and the relationship weakens.If no one has given you hard feedback lately, your team doesn’t feel safe enough to tell you the truth.Your Next Step: Don’t let communication blind spots limit your leadership impact. 🎧 Listen now and discover the tools to lead with clarity, connection, and confidence—even when conflict knocks at your door.👉 Download the episode here: balloffirecoaching.com/podcast 📌 Follow me on LinkedIn: Bernadette Boas 📌 Take the Powerhouse Communication Assessment: balloffirecoaching.com/opt-inTimestamps:00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Tough Conversations00:21 Welcome to Shedding the Corporate Bitch00:56 Meet Dr. Amber Johnson01:16 Challenges in Leadership Communication02:57 Amber's Background and Personal Insights04:22 Strategies for Effective Communication10:42 The Power of Asking Questions15:56 Creating a Safe and Open Environment20:11 Handling Difficult Bosses29:39 Avoidance in Leadership31:39 Final Thoughts and Takeaways33:57 Closing Remarks and ResourcesSupport the show

What if the biggest threat to your workplace isn’t external—but staring back at you in the mirror?In this powerful episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, Bernadette Boas dives deep into the hidden signs of toxic leadership, team behavior, and culture. You’ll learn how to identify red flags before they cost you your best people, and discover proven strategies to transform a dysfunctional team into a powerhouse culture that thrives.Whether you’re a corporate leader, HR professional, or aspiring change agent, this episode will challenge your thinking, sharpen your awareness, and equip you with actionable steps to create a high-performing, healthy team environment.What you’ll learn in this episode:The silent killers of team trust and performanceHow leaders unintentionally feed toxic culturesStrategies for confronting and eradicating toxic behaviorsWhy culture change starts with inner work, not policyThe essential steps to build a team that’s engaged, empowered, and loyalTimestamps / Chapters:0:00 – Introduction: The hidden threat of toxic leadership 1:15 – My own wake-up call: Realizing I was the problem 2:30 – What “toxic behavior” really means in the workplace 5:00 – Key questions every leader must ask themselves 6:20 – Hidden signs of a toxic individual or team 21:00 – Identifying and addressing one key toxic behavior 33:00 – The hallmarks of a high-functioning culture 36:10 – Why real change takes time and persistence 37:00 – Call to action: Start the conversation and lead boldlyCall to Action:If you’re ready to become a powerhouse change agent, share this episode with your team, colleagues, and HR partners. Start the brave conversations that will transform your workplace into one where people love to contribute, grow, and thrive.📌 Free Discovery Call: https://coachmebernadette.com/discoverycall 📌 Past Episodes including HR: The Superpower You're Ignoring - https://balloffirecoaching.com/podcastSUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW, and RATE the show on Apple Podcast, Spotify and YouTube Support the show