The Bosshole® Chronicles

Real Good Ventures

Never waste a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss. Our guests and Subject Matter Experts share their stories about challenging, difficult, and even mean bosses that they have had through their careers. Hosts Sara Best and John Broer explore what happened, what made the relationship difficult, and even the role WE play in our Bosshole experiences. More importantly, we apply some of our insight and analysis around behavioral science and emotional intelligence so that we (and managers listening in) can learn from the experiences and avoid common Bosshole® Blunders. If you have questions or stories you want to share, contact us at info@realgoodventures.com

  1. 5th Anniversary Flashback - "Don't Bring Him Back..."

    DEC 16

    5th Anniversary Flashback - "Don't Bring Him Back..."

    A fifth anniversary deserves a true origin story, and ours begins with a manager who meant well and nearly torched hard-won credibility. We rewind to the first Bosshole Chronicles episode and unpack two moments that shaped our mission: a plant visit where a leader faked fluency and a high-stakes client dinner that turned into a monologue. The details are uncomfortable on purpose—because every leader has felt the urge to fill silence, prove expertise, or take control at the worst time. HERE ARE MORE RESOURCES FROM REAL GOOD VENTURES: Never miss a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss... Click HERE to get your very own Reference Profile.  We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Follow us on Instagram HERE and make sure to share with your network! Follow us on X HERE and make sure to share with your network! Provide your feedback HERE, please!  We love to hear from our listeners and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how to improve the podcast and even suggest topics and ideas for future episodes. Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's present state and how to grow toward a stronger future state.  Send us a text

    26 min
  2. Dr. George Reed - A Journey into Toxic Leadership

    DEC 9

    Dr. George Reed - A Journey into Toxic Leadership

    What if the most dangerous person in your company is also your top performer on paper? We bring Dean and Professor Emeritus Dr. George Reed to unpack toxic leadership with a definition that cuts through opinion, ego, and excuses: it’s a sustained pattern of behavior that damages team climate over time. Not a bad day. Not a tough conversation. A measurable, persistent drag on safety, trust, retention, and results. Click HERE to connect with Dr. Reed on LinkedInClick HERE to order Tarnished: Toxic Leadership in the U.S. MilitaryHERE ARE MORE RESOURCES FROM REAL GOOD VENTURES: Never miss a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss... Click HERE to get your very own Reference Profile.  We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Follow us on Instagram HERE and make sure to share with your network! Follow us on X HERE and make sure to share with your network! Provide your feedback HERE, please!  We love to hear from our listeners and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how to improve the podcast and even suggest topics and ideas for future episodes. Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's present state and how to grow toward a stronger future state.  Send us a text

    40 min
  3. DEC 2

    TBC Flashback - Are You Ready to Become a New Manager? (April 2024)

    Most promotions celebrate your past performance; leadership demands a different future. We’re pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to move from star individual contributor to effective first-time manager, with candid stories from Karen Schulman and sharp, field-tested tactics you can use today. If you’ve ever been “tapped on the shoulder” and told you’ll be great at managing because you’re great at your job, this conversation is your reality check—and your roadmap. Related TBC episodes: Making Mini Me'sIs it a Bosshole or a Tormentor?Jason Lauritsen - The Check-In Method™ HERE ARE MORE RESOURCES FROM REAL GOOD VENTURES: Never miss a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss... Click HERE to get your very own Reference Profile.  We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Follow us on X HERE and make sure to share with your network! Provide your feedback HERE, please!  We love to hear from our listeners and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how to improve the podcast and even suggest topics and ideas for future episodes. Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's present state and how to grow toward a stronger future state. Send us a text

    33 min
  4. NOV 25

    Thanksgiving 2025 - "Thank you sir, may I have another!"

    Gratitude gets real when work gets hard. We mark Thanksgiving by leaning into the uncomfortable truth that thankfulness isn’t just for cozy moments—it’s a practical, biological, and leadership-level tool for moving from fight or flight into calm, focus, and connection. John and Sara reflect on why gratitude helps leaders navigate tough feedback, toxic dynamics, and the wider “emotional recession” many teams feel today. Click HERE for Mark Ostach's Gratitude JournalClick HERE for Sara's Gratitude & Appreciation worksheetSara and John - Gratitude in the WorkplaceHERE ARE MORE RESOURCES FROM REAL GOOD VENTURES: Never miss a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss... Click HERE to get your very own Reference Profile.  We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Follow us on Instagram HERE and make sure to share with your network! Follow us on Twitter HERE and make sure to share with your network! Provide your feedback HERE, please!  We love to hear from our listeners and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how to improve the podcast and even suggest topics and ideas for future episodes. Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's present state and how to grow toward a stronger future state.  Send us a text

    23 min
  5. Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 3)

    NOV 18

    Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 3)

    Forget the lazy Gen Z cliché. We asked RGV's young pro to share what bias looks like on the ground, then brought in author and generational sociologist Lisa X. Walden to unpack the real forces shaping how the newest cohort works, learns, and leads. The conversation moves from stereotypes to systems, showing how curiosity disarms conflict, how digital native skills accelerate adoption of AI and new tools, and why mental health resources are not perks but infrastructure. Click HERE to order The Future of Work is HumanClick HERE for Lisa's LinkedIn profileClick HERE for the Good Company Consulting websiteHERE ARE MORE RESOURCES FROM REAL GOOD VENTURES: Never miss a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss... Click HERE to get your very own Reference Profile.  We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Follow us on Instagram HERE and make sure to share with your network! Follow us on Twitter HERE and make sure to share with your network! Provide your feedback HERE, please!  We love to hear from our listeners and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how to improve the podcast and even suggest topics and ideas for future episodes. Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's present state and how to grow toward a stronger future state.  Send us a text

    21 min
  6. Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 2)

    NOV 11

    Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 2)

    Sunday shouldn’t feel like a countdown to dread. In Part 2 we dig into the real drivers of the “Sunday Scaries” with Lisa Walden, co-author of The Future of Work Is Human, and get practical about what actually changes how teams feel and perform: human-centered leadership, clear communication, and thoughtful hybrid rituals that spark connection instead of compliance. Click HERE to order The Future of Work is HumanClick HERE for Lisa's LinkedIn profileClick HERE for the Good Company Consulting websiteHERE ARE MORE RESOURCES FROM REAL GOOD VENTURES: Never miss a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss... Click HERE to get your very own Reference Profile.  We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Follow us on Instagram HERE and make sure to share with your network! Follow us on Twitter HERE and make sure to share with your network! Provide your feedback HERE, please!  We love to hear from our listeners and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how to improve the podcast and even suggest topics and ideas for future episodes. Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's present state and how to grow toward a stronger future state.  Send us a text

    24 min
  7. Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 1)

    NOV 4

    Lisa X. Walden: The Future of Work is Human (Part 1)

    The ground beneath work has shifted, and many leaders are still wearing shoes from another era. We dig into the “great chasm” between how managers were taught to lead and what today’s teams actually need, with guest Lisa Walden bringing sharp insight from her book The Future of Work Is Human. This first part of our three-part series tackles the return-to-office debate without clichés, showing why mandates may fill desks but drain trust—and how a clear why, intentional connection, and outcomes-first thinking can turn flexibility into a competitive edge. Click HERE to order The Future of Work is HumanClick HERE for Lisa's LinkedIn profileClick HERE for the Good Company Consulting websiteHERE ARE MORE RESOURCES FROM REAL GOOD VENTURES: Never miss a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss... Click HERE to get your very own Reference Profile.  We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Follow us on Instagram HERE and make sure to share with your network! Follow us on Twitter HERE and make sure to share with your network! Provide your feedback HERE, please!  We love to hear from our listeners and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how to improve the podcast and even suggest topics and ideas for future episodes. Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's present state and how to grow toward a stronger future state.  Send us a text

    21 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Never waste a good opportunity to learn from a bad boss. Our guests and Subject Matter Experts share their stories about challenging, difficult, and even mean bosses that they have had through their careers. Hosts Sara Best and John Broer explore what happened, what made the relationship difficult, and even the role WE play in our Bosshole experiences. More importantly, we apply some of our insight and analysis around behavioral science and emotional intelligence so that we (and managers listening in) can learn from the experiences and avoid common Bosshole® Blunders. If you have questions or stories you want to share, contact us at info@realgoodventures.com

You Might Also Like