Listen "Toxic Positivity vs. Office Politics, Which Is Worse?"
Episode Synopsis
Is your team's growth being silently blocked by toxic positivity, hidden politics, or a culture of avoidance? What if you could banish just one of these frustrations to unlock everyone's true potential?I put that exact challenge to three brilliant leaders in a special 'Leadership Room 101' debate. I welcomed Nishma Patel Robb (Founder, Glittersphere) , Ete Davies (EMEA EVP, Dentsu Creative) , and Natalie Winford (Chief Solutions Officer, Jellyfish) to each nominate the one leadership flaw they believe does the most damage in business today. The resulting discussion is a masterclass in identifying the root causes of team friction and building a culture based on reality, not pretence.We Cover: 01:57 – The 'Good Vibes Only' Trap: When positivity becomes toxic. 07:38 – A Leader's Most Powerful Tool: The choice to be vulnerable. 08:28 – Nishma on how relentless positivity can silence your team 12:46 – Exposing the Hidden Power Structure: The problem with organisational politics. 17:10 – How "corridor meetings" create a parallel culture of mistrust. 27:25 – Can you be a good person and good at politics? 29:29 – Natalie’s argument for banning the phrase "it’s above my pay grade" 35:07 – Why employees feel stuck: Is it evasion or a cry for help? 39:43 – Should you do a task before you're promoted for it?44:10 – The Final Verdict: The single most damaging leadership flaw is revealed.Don’t miss out on this powerful episode. 👍 Stay inspired by joining our YouTube community! Click the link, hit the subscribe button, leave a comment, and never miss an episode. Your support helps us empower courageous leaders like you!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ 🚀 Elevate Your Leadership:Book a call for transformative leadership and team coaching:Website: https://thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ → Join our newsletter for courageous leadership insights and advice. 👉 Subscribe here: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54
More episodes of the podcast The Courageous Leaders Podcast
What’s Killing Creative Leadership Today?
23/10/2025
The Fast and The Curious with Cameron Harris
03/10/2025
The Fast and The Curious with Pete Markey
26/09/2025
The Fast and The Curious with Jane Evans
19/09/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.