But interestingly, Jay’s best boss has nothing to do with marketing. 

Jay talks about working under a general contractor when he was in college, and what that leader taught him about having a solid work ethic, the right way to treat employees, and why it’s important to always do your best work. 

Listen in to hear more about the lessons Jay learned from his best boss that still have a major impact on how runs his business today. 

As Dr. Paul puts it, “When people feel respected, they engage. When they feel disrespected, they disengage with their boss and organization.”

Listen in to learn why Dr. Paul thinks performance reviews should go the way of the dinosaur, the fundamentals that make a great boss, and what he’s learned from the bosses who’ve helped inform his work. 

Frank shares the experience he had with a boss who taught him everything he knows about doing business in other parts of the world. He supported him in effectively conducting business by helping him understand the intricacies of different cultures and showed him how to adapt his communication to build impactful connections and drive results.

Listen in to learn why his immediate feedback helped Frank adapt quickly, how he was there to help him ensure family came first, and why recognition is so critical when working on collaborative projects. 

Brittany shares the story of her “best boss ever,” Frank, who she met when she was an attorney. 

Explaining how Frank’s affinity for leadership was clear from the very beginning, she says he was someone who set an example for the “emotional professionalism” that was expected in the organization. This was essential to creating a culture where growth could flourish, where Brittany felt comfortable taking ownership of any mistakes so that they could be rectified as efficiently as possible.

Listen in to hear how these learnings stayed with Brittany well after she left her legal career behind, and why Frank’s practice of maintaining emotional professionalism, assuming positive intent, and making tough feedback feel easy made his coaching so impactful. 

Though Tom recalls Carolyn being a coach and mentor, he also recounts how she gave him the space to fail, so he could learn from his own mistakes. 

Listen in to hear how this experience set up Tom for a successful career in executive recruitment, and how his best boss ever helped him learn the importance of composure, compassion, and collaboration. 

Jason talks about his current boss, Beth, who he describes as a transformational leader. She’s helped the business grow by rethinking how things are done–and has never hesitated to push others onto center stage. She helped the company raise its rates to make it significantly more profitable, while effectively communicating with clients who were happy to pay more for the incredible service they’d been receiving. 

Listen to learn how Beth played a critical role in enabling the company’s growth by building trust, empowering people, and delegating effectively.

Listen in to hear why sometimes parents are the best (and most memorable) bosses, how the most impactful leaders trust their gut and their employees, and why it’s important to break the rules every once in a while.

Listen in to see why difficult feedback is best delivered by leaders who’ve demonstrated genuine care for their teams, how productivity is made possible by unlocking someone’s motivations and ensuring they feel valued, and why you need to work hard to get the honest feedback that will propel your success.

Jessica’s had so many great bosses but speaks to one who’s really special–who went above and beyond. He was the principal when Jessica was a teacher and was a true “servant leader” who implemented the practice of lifelong learning. 

She explains how he aligned the way he worked to the needs of each staff member for the greater good of the school and its students, how he helped them assess their goals and the processes that would be required to get there and was able to spark enthusiasm even in difficult situations.

Marianne’s been fortunate enough to learn from three leaders who she’d describe as the best bosses ever. Each one had a huge influence on her career. 

These three were the bosses that immediately figured out what made her tick so they could uplift her, showcased incredible integrity and transparency, took her expertise seriously, and weren’t afraid to think (and work!) outside the box.

Lule shares her experiences with a number of leaders whose influences have been formative to her career growth and have shown that the best bosses elevate their unique qualities to help their teams shine. 

She speaks to the importance of being generous with knowledge, how to build someone up while also delivering tough feedback, how strong personalities can complement one another, and why being a great boss is about so much more than the work you do.

Naomi shares her experience with one of her first bosses, Chuck, whom she started working with after moving to New York City. 

As a brand-new consultant, she felt lost, but Chuck quickly took her under his wing and made her “part of his posse.” Chuck helped her find her footing, grow her confidence, and learn how she wanted to learn. He was the type of leader Naomi never felt she had to be fearful of, which impacted the entire team. Even managers reporting to Chuck followed his example, leading in a motivating, empowering, and firm-but-fair way. 

Learn how Chuck created so much safety in a large organization, and why he’s continued to influence Naomi’s own leadership style.

A serial entrepreneur, Joanna has had an incredibly successful career, and she attributes a lot of her success to one of her very first bosses, Guy. In this episode, Joanna shares why Guy has had such an effect on her professional path and how he continues to impact the way she runs her business today.

Even after 30+ years in the workforce, and countless great bosses, Atsushi says it’s still the lessons he learned at 17 when he worked with his dad at a sawmill in small town British Columbia that have stuck with him throughout his career. 

Atsushi and Christine discuss the importance of hard work, humility, and why it’s critical to consistently look for opportunities to add value.

Brent speaks to his experience working with Joe Brandt who, 15 years later, continues to have an impact on his team. 

Brent and Christine talk about the “The 10 Rules of Managing People” that Joe created over the course of his career. They dive into the importance of expecting the unexpected, reading between the lines when communicating with team members, and how feedback that covers “the stuff around the edges” builds trust. 

They also talk about another great boss Brent worked with through the tumultuous times of the COVID-19 pandemic, who exemplified the importance of leading with authenticity and living by your values.

Monica shares her experience with the boss who hired her for her first sales role when she was fresh out of college. Early in her career, Monica was invited to attend a conference alongside her boss and was given a piece of advice that she describes as “the best antidote to imposter syndrome.” Rather than trying to impress, her boss told her to spend her time connecting. This experience changed how Monica saw herself as a professional in an irreversible way and has continued to guide her throughout her career.

She and Christine also dive into why professionals need to be challenged, how bad work habits are formed in toxic environments, and why drawing a line between work and your personal life is critical.

Jon shares the career-shaping experiences he had working with two outstanding bosses who believed in him, challenged him, and allowed him to make mistakes without fear of judgment. They talk about the impact of a boss that encourages ownership of ideas, the invaluable learning that takes place when leaders give their teams the go-ahead to act as the experts they are, and why we don’t have to be experts in everything to succeed.

Matt works with executives to improve both their performance and the performance of their teams through high-growth conversations. He reflects on an amazing boss he had at the Oregon Department of Justice–one who stood out to him immediately and is someone he still uses to this day as a model for exceptional leadership.

They talk about the impact of an always-authentic leader who had the ability to elevate vastly different types of personalities by creating a safe environment that allowed for shame-free communication and conflict resolution. They also dive into how the potential for success skyrockets when leaders demonstrate kindness, grace, and respect even in the most difficult moments.

Vasie shares the experiences she had with an amazing leader from her last role, who championed allyship in a male-dominated industry. 

Motivated to make positive changes within the company, Vasie was challenged to accomplish this in an environment where there was limited representation. Fortunately, Vasie’s boss actively listened and advocated for her to expand her breadth of experience and knowledge. Not only did this enable her to grow as a leader, but helped create a culture change within the company, where more women could see themselves leading. 

They discuss the necessity of consistency, the powerful combination of self-advocacy and a network of champions, how male leaders can make small shifts to elevate diversity, and the priceless return on investing in your employees. 

Serena shares how the entire C-suite and management team of a major Las Vegas production show implemented holistic wellness policies, which gave every employee confidence and security in their well-being so that they could do their best work. 

They discuss the competitive advantage that comes with a 360-degree approach to wellness, the power of communication and ownership, and how this environment unified teams and fostered a strong sense of purpose.