.jpg)
The Bosshole® Chronicles
Never waste a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss. Our guests and Subject Matter Experts share their stories about challenging, difficult, and even mean bosses that they have had through their careers. Hosts Sara Best and John Broer explore what happened, what made the relationship difficult, and even the role WE play in our Bosshole experiences. More importantly, we apply some of our insight and analysis around behavioral science and emotional intelligence so that we (and managers listening in) can learn from the experiences and avoid common Bosshole® Blunders. If you have questions or stories you want to share, contact us at info@realgoodventures.com
Episodes
274 episodes
Joe Short - "Love Where You Live, Love What You Do"
What if the best leadership lesson starts with hauling your own kegs? We sit down with Shorts Brewing founder Joe Short to trace the arc from a teenage homebrewer in northern Michigan to a 22-year craft mainstay known for fearless creativity, c...
•
27:38
Lilly's Story - A "Grade A" Bosshole
The lights were bright, the stakes were high, and the work felt world‑shaping. Lilly stepped into national broadcast straight out of college, scaled a tiny shop into a multi‑crew operation, and answered calls when presidents landed or crises er...
•
36:17
.jpg)
Erica Ishida - The Potential Era™
Feeling overwhelmed by AI but tired of the buzzwords? We sat down with executive coach and AI23 co‑founder Erica Ishida to reframe the moment: this isn’t about squeezing a few more percentage points of efficiency. It’s about unlocking human pot...
•
39:42
TBC Flashback - Dr. Jeremy Pollack, "The Peacebuilding Leader" (Feb 2023)
Ever wish tough conversations didn’t spiral into stress and silence? We bring peace psychologist Dr. Jeremy Pollack back in this TBC Flashback to explore how leaders can turn friction into trust with a simple shift: care before solution. Instea...
•
41:21
.png)
Chad Littlefield - The Contribution Method
What if your next meeting didn’t start with, “Let’s wait for a few more to join,” and end with, “Sorry, we’re out of time”? We sat down with Chad Littlefield, co-founder and Chief Experience Officer at We and Me, to unpack a practical, repeatab...
•
44:55
Glassdoor’s 2026 Worklife Trends Every Manager Must Face
Trust is thinning across today’s workplaces, and the cracks aren’t coming from the usual suspects alone. We dive into Glassdoor’s 2026 worklife trends and unpack what managers and teams are actually feeling: a power swing back to employers, a r...
•
26:09
Navigating Change and Uncertainty in the New Year (Part 2)
Change feels relentless right now—faster cycles, noisier feeds, and fewer chances to catch our breath - and we're just 20 days into the new year! We take you inside what’s actually happening in your brain and body when uncertainty spikes, then ...
•
38:38
Navigating Change and Uncertainty in the New Year (Part 1)
Change isn’t new, but the pile-up is real. Between shifting budgets, reorgs, tech churn, and personal life turns, even strong teams feel their vitality drop. We open up a practical, empathetic way to navigate uncertainty using the change curve:...
•
34:54
TBC Flashback - The Fearless Organization with Dr. Amy Edmondson
Click HERE for Amy's LinkedIn profileClick
•
30:05
Resolutions for the 2026 Manager
The final Tuesday of the year is the perfect moment to trade vague goals for practices that actually change teams. We share five manager resolutions for 2026 that cut through noise and target what matters most: self-reflection, psychological sa...
•
16:53
'Twas the Night Before Christmas ... (non-Bosshole® Version)
Something for the holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to The Bosshole Transformation Nation!
•
4:08
5th Anniversary Flashback - "Don't Bring Him Back..."
A fifth anniversary deserves a true origin story, and ours begins with a manager who meant well and nearly torched hard-won credibility. We rewind to the first Bosshole Chronicles episode and unpack two moments that shaped our mission: a plant ...
•
25:56
Dr. George Reed - A Journey into Toxic Leadership
What if the most dangerous person in your company is also your top performer on paper? We bring Dean and Professor Emeritus Dr. George Reed to unpack toxic leadership with a definition that cuts through opinion, ego, and excuses: it’s a sustain...
•
39:33
TBC Flashback - Are You Ready to Become a New Manager? (April 2024)
Most promotions celebrate your past performance; leadership demands a different future. We’re pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to move from star individual contributor to effective first-time manager, with candid stories from Ka...
•
33:24
Thanksgiving 2025 - "Thank you sir, may I have another!"
Gratitude gets real when work gets hard. We mark Thanksgiving by leaning into the uncomfortable truth that thankfulness isn’t just for cozy moments—it’s a practical, biological, and leadership-level tool for moving from fight or flight into cal...
•
23:21
Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 3)
Forget the lazy Gen Z cliché. We asked RGV's young pro to share what bias looks like on the ground, then brought in author and generational sociologist Lisa X. Walden to unpack the real forces shaping how the newest cohort works, learns, and le...
•
20:51
Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 2)
Sunday shouldn’t feel like a countdown to dread. In Part 2 we dig into the real drivers of the “Sunday Scaries” with Lisa Walden, co-author of The Future of Work Is Human, and get practical about what actually changes how teams feel and perform...
•
24:28
Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 1)
The ground beneath work has shifted, and many leaders are still wearing shoes from another era. We dig into the “great chasm” between how managers were taught to lead and what today’s teams actually need, with guest Lisa Walden bringing sharp i...
•
20:36
TBC Flashback: Heather Haas - Finding the "People-First" Managers
Want a culture that actually improves performance instead of living on a poster? We sat down with Heather Haas, CEO at Advisa and Predictive Index Certified Partner, to explore a clear, practical path to compassionate leadership that drives rea...
•
32:20
Mike McFall: Leading Through a Purpose Reset
What happens when a beloved company purpose stops landing the way it used to? We sit down with Biggby Coffee co-founder Mike McFall (and Bosshole Chronicles alum) to unpack a rare level of candor: why he let go of an identity he helped build, h...
•
28:26
.png)
Battle Tested! with Col. Jeffery McCausland (ret.) - Part 2
A battlefield can teach you more about leadership than a bookshelf ever will. We sit down with retired U.S. Army Colonel Jeffrey McCausland—former Dean of Academics at the U.S. Army War College and CEO of Diamond 6 Leadership and Strategy—to tr...
•
27:20
.png)
Battle Tested! with Col. Jeffery McCausland (Ret.) - Part 1
A battlefield can teach you more about leadership than a bookshelf ever will. We sit down with retired U.S. Army Colonel Jeffrey McCausland—former Dean of Academics at the U.S. Army War College and CEO of Diamond 6 Leadership and Strategy—to tr...
•
23:21
.png)
Sara and Karen - Your Manager May Not be Able to Apologize
Why is it so difficult for managers to simply say "I'm sorry"? This fascinating episode dives deep into the psychology behind leadership vulnerability and the barriers that prevent authentic connection in the workplace.HERE ARE MORE R...
•
25:04
Reference Profile Series: The Venturer Manager
The Venturer stands as one of the rarest profiles in the workforce - representing only 3.31% of the population. These self-starting risk-takers bring a unique combination of analytical thinking and bold action that can transform organizations w...
•
19:13
Reference Profile Series: The Individualist Manager
Dive into the fascinating world of the Individualist manager. Making up just 3.66% of the population, Individualists bring a unique combination of independence, persistence, and results-orientation that can transform teams when properly underst...
•
20:55
