Fixable

Giving and receiving feedback is an important part of any job or relationship—but it can be tricky to get it right. This season, Anne and Frances are introducing a new segment called Toolkit: a practical guide to ideas, tools, and frameworks that can help you reach your goals at work and beyond. In this episode, they break down the different kinds of workplace feedback and share common pitfalls that can keep you and your colleagues...

The Washington Post, owned by Jeff Bezos, recently carried out a massive layoff that eliminated more than a third of its staff. In this episode of Unsolicited Advice, Anne and Frances dive deeper into the underlying issues affecting the paper and the journalism industry at large, arguing that Bezos should sell the company to a team of can-do entrepreneurs who are willing to truly listen to the data, take big swings, and rebuild the...

We all carry insecurities and negative beliefs that can quietly hold us back—but rewriting that narrative is up to us. In this episode, Anne and Frances call on leadership expert and executive coach Muriel Wilkins, author of the new book Leadership Unblocked, to unpack the self-doubt that often stands in our way. Together, they break down Muriel’s seven most common leadership blockers, examine where these limiting beliefs come from...

When an organization lays people off, those who remain are often left scrambling to find their footing – and hold other people up – in an environment that no longer feels stable. In the wake of ongoing tech layoffs and the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the public sector, Anne and Frances are back with a new Unsolicited Advice segment to set the record straight about what layoffs mean for an organization — and the respon...

What makes a company extraordinary? In this episode, Anne and Frances study Zappos, the online shoe retailer that shaped the early days of e-commerce and even outperformed Amazon by delighting everyone in its ecosystem, from customers to employees to suppliers. They discuss how the company bet on exceptional service rather than traditional marketing, built a deliberately distinctive workplace culture, and the steps founder Tony Hsi...

In this Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances work to solve three callers’ tricky work problems in under 30 minutes. One listener struggles to collaborate with a difficult colleague, the next asks a follow-up question about a previous episode “How to get good at being bad,” and a final caller wants to empower her team while keeping important issues and decisions on track. 

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/f...

With a new year comes new goals and new hopes and dreams. This season, Anne and Frances are introducing a new segment called Toolkit: a practical guide to ideas, tools, and frameworks that can help you reach your goals at work and beyond. In this episode, they tackle the important first step of setting those (ambitious) goals, and break down the tried-and-true Harada Method into a few easy steps. They take a closer look at Shohei O...

Next week we're launching a new season of Fixable, so today we're sharing an episode from the archive.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, uninspired, or burned out at work? In this special Unsolicited Advice episode, Anne and Frances are getting ready for summer by tackling the importance of rest and the power of intention. They offer unexpected tips and tricks for recovering from constant stress, owning what you need to feel alive a...

Edith Zimmerman is a sketchbook cartoonist and writer of the Substack newsletter, Drawing Links. In this episode, she joins Chris to talk about honesty and self-discovery. From sharing her artwork to discussing her sobriety journey to falling in love with running, Edith and Chris explore how creativity and pursuing new activities can help you overcome personal challenges.

This episode is part of the How to Be a Better Human Bonu...

Timm Chiusano was having one of the worst days of his career when he found himself inexplicably fascinated by a mundane part of the world on his walk home. That moment sparked a life-changing realization: he was addicted to appreciation, and it was actually his superpower. He shares a disarmingly simple practice that will make you happier, more present and better equipped to navigate your most challenging days.

For the full text tra...

Sarah Jaffe is the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She and Chris discuss the emotional toll of modern work culture and the importance of community. They also dive into Sarah’s newest book, From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire, and explore the idea that between pandemics, climate change, and economic inequality, many of us are feeling a huge (an...

As a business journalist, Andrew Ross Sorkin writes for the New York Times DealBook, which he founded, and co-anchors Squawk Box on CNBC. In this episode, Adam and Andrew riff on what makes a great conversation and compare notes on their best and worst interviews—including when Elon Musk told Bob Iger to f*** off. They also investigate what Andrew has learned about the psychology of powerful people and explore surprising insights f...

Doing the best at your job isn't just about working harder — it’s also about connecting better, says psychologist Alyssa Birnbaum. She shares practical, research-backed tips for strengthening relationships with your coworkers (whether you’re together in person or working remotely) in order to boost engagement, fight burnout and make work better for everyone.

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts

Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and co-creator of Freakonomics—the cultural phenomenon that, over the past 20 years, has grown into a global franchise, changing how millions think, revealing the hidden side of everything, and challenging us to question what we know.

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts

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Parenthood and leadership have a shared mission to set other people up for success. Renowned “parenting whisperer” Dr. Becky Kennedy (@drbeckyatgoodinside) joins Anne and Frances to discuss the lessons that parenthood and leadership have to offer each other, from how to repair damaged relationships to the importance of embodying your authority and leading with sturdiness.​​ They also dig into some of the advice in Dr. Becky’s bests...

Relationships of any kind can be tricky—but therapists are here to help. In this special episode, Anne and Frances talk to clinical psychologist Dr. Orna Guralnik, star of the hit show Couples Therapy, to translate her advice for romantic relationships to the professional world. Together, they discuss the art of deep listening, underline the importance of patience and working through differences, and reframe relationships as a cons...

In this brand-new Fixations segment, Anne and Frances reveal the companies and tools they’ve been fixated on recently—and the lessons we can learn from what they’re getting right. Frances tells the story of how The Farmer’s Dog saved dinnertime for her pets and champions Blackmagic Design’s switcher device as a game-changer for remote presentations. Anne recounts her 5-star experience with Waymo’s self-driving cars and makes the ca...

Technologist Tristan Harris has an urgent question: What if the way we’re deploying the world’s most powerful technology — artificial intelligence — isn’t inevitable, but a choice? In this eye-opening talk, he calls on us to learn from the mistakes of social media’s catastrophic rollout and confront the predictable dangers of reckless AI development, offering a “narrow path” where power is matched with responsibility, foresight and...

In this Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances work to solve three callers’ tricky work problems in under 30 minutes. One listener seeks advice on stepping into a leadership role for the first time, the next struggles with feeling powerless in a middle management position, and a final caller tries to regain the support of her team after receiving some difficult feedback.

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-t...