182: Building Better Bosses with Debra Corey

Are you worried about being an ineffective leader?

In this week's episode, we had the pleasure of chatting with Debra Corey, a dynamic speaker and expert in the field of employee engagement and HR. Debra opened up a discussion about power dynamics at work, particularly focusing on the concept of hoarding information. She explained how hoarding information can be a power play, with individuals deliberately withholding knowledge and positioning themselves as gatekeepers. The negative impact of this behaviour on colleagues and overall team morale cannot be underestimated. 

During our conversation, Debra highlighted the importance of distinguishing between different types of bosses. On one hand, there are those who simply don't care about the harm they may cause to their team members. On the other hand, there are well-intentioned bosses who may be unaware of the negative impact they have on others. 

Debra shared personal experiences of working with terrible bosses who fell into both categories. To tackle this issue, Debra suggested the importance of educating people on being great bosses and fostering self-awareness. It's essential for individuals to understand the impact they have on their team and to create an environment where open and honest feedback is encouraged. 

Debra mentioned that sometimes people may be afraid to give direct feedback, and it got us thinking about how we can create a safe space for such conversations. One fascinating point Debra brought up was the power of humour in diffusing tense situations. She believed that humour could play a role in turning a difficult situation into something that can be laughed about and learned from. We couldn't agree more - finding ways to bring lightness into our work lives can make a significant difference in our overall happiness. 

In addition, Debra stressed the importance of setting clear expectations and practising effective communication. This includes being transparent about the time required for tasks and projects, as well as the level of quality expected. By reducing ambiguity, we can avoid confusion, overdelivering, or unnecessary stress. 

She also mentioned her upcoming book, in which she interviews 24 thought leaders to gain even more insights into workplace dynamics. We can't wait to get our hands on it and learn from her valuable findings.

The main points throughout this podcast include:

• The negative impact of hoarding information
• Distinguishing between different types of bosses
• The importance of educating people on being great bosses and fostering self-awareness
• The power of humour in diffusing tense situations
• Setting clear expectations and practising effective communication

Connect with Debra

Website www.debcohr.com 

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/debracorey 

Twitter https://twitter.com/debracoreyrebel

Do you have any feedback or thoughts on this discussion? If so, please connect with Aoife via the links below and let her know. Aoife would love to hear from you!

Connect with Happier at Work host Aoife O’Brien:

Website: https://happieratwork.ie 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HappierAtWorkHQ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happieratwork.ie/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happieratwork.ie

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm0FKS19I5qSlFFmkx1YGqA