Frances Frei

Trust is the foundation for everything we do. But what do we do when it's broken? In an eye-opening talk, Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei gives a crash course in trust: how to build it, maintain it and rebuild it -- something she worked on during a recent stint at Uber. "If we can learn to trust one another more, we can have unprecedented human progress," Frei says.

A professor at Harvard Business School and expert in work culture, Frei goes into companies like WeWork and Uber with the goal of turning toxic environments into healthy, inclusive spaces. She shares why authenticity, logic and empathy are the most vital skills an employee can have -- and how the measure of a true leader can be seen not just in their presence, but in their absence, too. (Audio Only)

This is an episode of Fixable, a new business call-in podcast from the TED Audio Collective hosted by Harvard Business professor Frances Frei and CEO and best-selling author Anne Morriss. Kelli is a nurse at a leading teaching hospital where communication issues are not only leading to resentment – they could also be affecting patient care. After hearing from Kelli about the larger problems at play in the healthcare space, Anne and Frances discuss the link between communication and transparency and guide Kelli into taking matters into her own hands. If you want to be on Fixable, call the hotline at 234-Fixable (that's 234-349-2253) to leave Anne and Frances a voicemail with your workplace problem -- or email them at fixable@ted.com

As a standup comedian and the host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human, Chris Duffy knows how to be engaging in front of a microphone. However, he feels awkward about posting on social media -- yet also worries that not posting is costing him opportunities and a bigger audience. It's a problem that hosts Anne Morriss and Frances Frei have faced, too. Together, they talk about the art and mindset of self-promotion and the ways you can rethink your online presence so it feels more aligned with what you stand for. (This is an episode of Fixable, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. You can follow Fixable wherever you're listening to this.)

Have you ever felt like something about your identity was getting in the way of your success? On this episode of Fixable, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, a listener needs help pushing through the resistance she's facing as a woman navigating a male-dominated workplace. Fixable hosts Anne Morriss and Frances Frei discuss what you can do when someone else's bias is standing in your way. Together, the three uncover how you can find your agency in unexpected places – and why you must use it unapologetically. For more of Anne and Frances solving YOUR anonymous workplace issues check out Fixable wherever you get your podcasts. And if you want to be on Fixable, call the hotline at 234-Fixable (that's 234-349-2253) or email fixable@ted.com to leave Anne and Frances a voicemail with your workplace problem. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Multiple deadly crashes, a door flying off mid-flight, a CEO forced to step down Boeing has had more than a few disasters. And in case anyone at Boeing is listening, Anne and Frances have some advice to offer for our first ever "Unsolicited Advice" episode. How can a company redeem itself after so many appalling headlines? Where does the leadership team go from here? Listen for valuable takeaways anyone can learn from on taking "radical responsibility" for an organization's performance. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixabletranscripts

Listen to Fixable’s first live show at TED 2024! Anne and Frances sat down with NYU professor, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and celebrity podcaster Scott “Prof G” Galloway for a fascinating conversation on loneliness, resilience, inclusion in the workplace, raising healthy boys, and what it takes to be personally and financially successful. Stick around to the end to hear how Scott learned to cry and moving answers from an unexpectedly emotional audience Q+A. To hear more from Scott, check out his TED Talk recorded the same day at https://go.ted.com/scottgalloway24. Transcripts for Fixable are available at https://go.ted.com/fixablescripts.

Where do bullies go when they grow up? New research shows they just move from the playground to the workplace. This week, Master Fixer and social psychologist Amy Cuddy joins Anne and Frances to walk us through the strikingly stable patterns bullies follow to undermine and ostracize their targets – patterns that are way more common than you might think. Stay tuned for part two where Cuddy details actions you can take to stop bullies in next week’s episode. What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixabletranscripts.

The Democratic Party lost big in the 2024 election cycle. What are the lessons party leaders should take from what happened? In this special Unsolicited Advice episode, Anne and Frances share their thoughts on how the Democratic Party failed to understand what voters needed most. They explore how the party can identify its underlying problems, rebuild trust, and craft a rigorous and optimistic way forward – skills all leaders need in a complex, fast-moving world.

Do you feel like you’re hitting a wall at work? This week, Anne and Frances are joined by Master Fixers Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao. Bob and Huggy are professors at Stanford University and authors of “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder”. Together, the four discuss how anyone can eliminate the obstacles to doing their best work—and create constraints that make work even better.

What to do when your boss is your father-in-law, your colleague is your cousin, and your business partner is also your life partner? In the last episode of the season, Anne and Frances help a frustrated listener discover new ways to help her family business bounce back. She struggles to innovate when disagreements with her colleagues — who also happen to be her in-laws — repeatedly undermine progress. Together, they explore how to navigate personal relationships in business and how brave communication can help you overcome organizational stalemates. What problems are you dealing with at work? Text or call 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show next season.

Up to 80% of people experience impostor syndrome at some point in their lives—a feeling of inadequacy and anxiety about perceived flaws. In this episode, Anne and Frances break down exactly what impostor syndrome is, why we tell ourselves stories that distort reality, and how to break free from these harmful thought patterns. They also introduce some close relatives of impostor syndrome and discuss the pathway back to confidence and a clear-eyed relationship with our own abilities. This is an episode of Fixable, a podcast from the TED Audio Collective.