Work Wives & Real Lives
Welcome to Work Wives & Real Lives - the podcast where two best friends (and coworkers) spill the tea on business, boundaries, and all the beautiful chaos in between. From workday wins to real-life messes, we're talking through it all - unfiltered, unpolished, and always putting friendship first. Think of it as your weekly catch-up with your favorite coworker turned soul sister. Grab your coffee (or your wine) ...let's get into it!
Work Wives & Real Lives
Episode 24: "That’s Not a Leadership Style"
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High standards… or just high cortisol?
In this episode, we’re unpacking the leadership behaviors many of us were taught to tolerate — the ones disguised as “high standards,” “fast-paced environments,” or “just being blunt.” From micromanagement to emotional volatility, we’re talking about the red flags that workplaces normalized for far too long.
We share stories from our own careers, the leadership styles that aged us prematurely, and the moments we realized we had to lead differently. Because if your team is scared of you… that’s not respect — that’s survival.
We also break down the difference between fear-based leadership and healthy leadership, how bad leadership impacts team culture (and nervous systems), and what to do if you’re the leader trying to get it right.
Plus: a dramatic email reading featuring a customer threatening to curse our staff, a life catch-up, and our weekly reality TV recap.
No shame. Just awareness.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
00:31 – Life recap & recent chaos
28:24 – Dramatic email reading: customer threatens to “curse” our staff
47:36 – Main topic: leadership red flags & fear-based leadership
1:26:54 – The Traitors recap & closing thoughts