🔍 Summary
Discover how to turn toxic leadership into fuel for your growth. In this episode, Jason Rigby chats with corporate veteran Eric Charran about nine boss archetypes that sabotage morale—and how to beat them. Learn to lead yourself with clarity, regardless of the dysfunction above you.
📖 Overview
Navigating a workplace filled with unpredictable or overbearing bosses can feel like walking a minefield. Host Jason Rigby teams up with Eric Charran—seasoned executive and author of Have You Ever Had a Boss That...—to dissect nine distinct toxic boss types. From the forgetful genius to the panic-prone micromanager, Eric offers not only hilarious anecdotes but also leadership tools rooted in accountability, emotional intelligence, and what he calls “managing up with grace.”
This conversation is rich in real-world examples from Microsoft and beyond, and it’s a masterclass in resilience. Whether you’re reporting to a crisis junkie or becoming one yourself, you’ll gain actionable strategies to stay grounded, redirect chaos, and grow your influence. At its core, the episode is about leading with humility in dysfunctional systems—and learning to transform frustration into forward motion.
⏱️ Timestamps
02:14 – The Blame Game: Why insecure leaders default to finger-pointing.
07:33 – The Deer-in-Headlights Boss: How to manage up with empathy.
13:21 – Crisis Junkies: Why emotional regulation is a leader’s secret weapon.
18:45 – The Complainer: Reframing negativity as insight.
24:10 – Forgetful Leaders: Leading when memory fails and pressure rises.
29:18 – Yes-Men & Order Takers: The hidden cost of blind compliance.
33:56 – Overly Sensitive Leaders: Coaching through emotional fragility.
40:30 – Attack Subs & Last-Minute Missiles: Defusing stealth sabotage.
47:15 – Superman vs. Lex Luthor: The ultimate leadership archetypes.
🔗 Resources Mentioned
📣 Call to Action
Tired of working under chaos? Identify your boss—or yourself—in Eric’s framework and start shifting the dynamic. Grab his book, share your boss horror story in the comments, and subscribe to The Self Aware Leader for more clarity in leadership. Your growth starts now—don’t wait for change, lead it.
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