Totally Unacceptable with Ed Clementi

Ed Clementi

Some things in leadership, careers, and life don't just frustrate us. They cost us. Real money. Real ambition. Real years. Totally Unacceptable is where we name those things — honestly, directly, and without apology. I'm Ed Clementi. I spent 25 years in financial services, rising from Executive Assistant to Managing Director. What I learned along the way is that the most important conversations — about leadership, about careers, about the life we're building around all of it — are the ones nobody is having out loud. That changes here. Some episodes shine a light on the external — the leadership behaviors, the organizational failures, and the cultures that hold great people back. Others turn the lens inward — on the choices we make, the stories we tell ourselves, and the moments where we have to decide who we're going to be. Because leadership doesn't stay in the office. It follows you home. And how we lead — at work, in our careers, in our lives — matters more than most people are willing to admit. If you're a professional who refuses to accept less than what you're capable of, this podcast was built for you. 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

  1. Almost Chosen - The Cost Nobody Names

    1d ago

    Almost Chosen - The Cost Nobody Names

    There's a name for what you've been feeling. You've delivered. You've developed. You've done everything they asked. And yet — year after year — someone else gets the call. You get the praise, you get the appreciation, you get told how valuable you are. But you don't get chosen. I call it Almost Chosen. And it has a very real cost. In this episode, I walk you through what Almost Chosen actually looks like — the commute home when you let yourself believe this is the year, the dinner table conversation, the quiet shift in how you show up when it keeps not happening. And then I price it out. Conservatively, being Almost Chosen in financial services can cost you $50,000 a year in foregone compensation. Over multiple years — that's six figures of real money, real lifestyle decisions, real ambition eroded. But this isn't just about the individual. Almost Chosen is a leadership failure with a price tag. When great talent gets maintained instead of advanced, the organization pays too — in productivity, in engagement, and eventually in the talent that walks out the door. If you've ever carried Almost home, this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISODE: The Almost Chosen moment — and why it's more common than anyone admitsWhat it does to you psychologically over timeThe real financial cost of being passed over — year after yearWhat it costs the organization when they keep doing itThree honest questions every Almost Chosen professional needs to ask themselvesWhy Almost Chosen is a choice to stay — but not a permanent verdictMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 📖 Almost Chosen No More — The Playbook Everything I wish someone had handed me, built into a framework you can use starting today. For the professionals done waiting and ready to become undeniable. 👉 https://edclementi.com/almost-chosen-no-more/ 📩 The FireStarter Newsletter Every Monday. One idea to start your week. Leadership, careers, and life — the stuff nobody tells you until it's too late. Free. 👉 https://firestarter.edclementi.com 🌐 AxioLead™ — Leadership Risk Advisory 👉 https://edclementi.com CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Intro 00:11 — Have You Ever Known Someone Like That? 02:15 — It Has a Name: Almost Chosen 02:50 — Who I Am and Why This Matters 05:07 — Walk With Me: The MD Journey 12:39 — The Almost Chosen Moment 16:17 — What It Does to You Over Time 19:36 — Let's Price This Out 22:54 — What It Costs the Organization 23:50 — Who This Is For 25:13 — Almost Chosen No More: The Playbook 28:42 — Three Honest Questions 29:55 — Almost Chosen Is a Choice — Not a Verdict CONNECT WITH ED: 🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/edwardclementi 🌐 edclementi.com 📩 FireStarter Newsletter: firestarter.edclementi.com Learn more at edclementi.com Follow Ed on Linkedin Subscribe to The FireStarter Join the Waitlist for Leadership at the Dinner Table

    32 min
  2. Your Boss Isn't A Leader and It's Hurting Your Career

    05/16/2025

    Your Boss Isn't A Leader and It's Hurting Your Career

    Your Boss Isn’t a Leader — and It’s Hurting Your Career Waiting for a weak leader to suddenly become strong is a career death sentence. And handing over your future to someone threatened by your potential? That’s not loyalty. That’s self-sabotage. In this episode of Totally Unacceptable, Ed Clementi calls out the silent epidemic of non-leaders in leadership roles — and the damage they cause to careers, teams, and company culture. This one’s not just a vent session. It’s a blueprint. You’ll learn: How to recognize when your boss isn’t actually leading Why staying silent and “waiting it out” is the real risk What to do when your growth is being stifled How to build trust and visibility anyway And the parable of the elephant and the rope — and how it applies to you If you’ve ever felt stuck, overlooked, or underestimated by someone who was supposed to have your back — this is the episode you didn’t know you needed. 🎧 Don’t give your power to the wrong person. Reclaim your voice. Multiply your value. 🔥 Stay connected & fuel your leadership fire: 🔗 Follow Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardclementi/ 📬 Subscribe to The FireStarter Newsletter: https://thefirestarter.beehiiv.com/ 🌐 Explore more at edclementi.com: https://edclementi.com/ Learn more at edclementi.com Follow Ed on Linkedin Subscribe to The FireStarter Join the Waitlist for Leadership at the Dinner Table

    19 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Some things in leadership, careers, and life don't just frustrate us. They cost us. Real money. Real ambition. Real years. Totally Unacceptable is where we name those things — honestly, directly, and without apology. I'm Ed Clementi. I spent 25 years in financial services, rising from Executive Assistant to Managing Director. What I learned along the way is that the most important conversations — about leadership, about careers, about the life we're building around all of it — are the ones nobody is having out loud. That changes here. Some episodes shine a light on the external — the leadership behaviors, the organizational failures, and the cultures that hold great people back. Others turn the lens inward — on the choices we make, the stories we tell ourselves, and the moments where we have to decide who we're going to be. Because leadership doesn't stay in the office. It follows you home. And how we lead — at work, in our careers, in our lives — matters more than most people are willing to admit. If you're a professional who refuses to accept less than what you're capable of, this podcast was built for you. 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.