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Recognizing and Protecting Yourself from a Narcissistic Boss
Toxic leaders don’t all look the same. Some command the room with charisma, and others quietly drain your confidence over time. Through my research and work with professionals navigating unhealthy workplaces, I’ve come to recognize eight distinct toxic boss types, and the Narcissistic Boss is one of the most common of them all. The American Psychological Association describes narcissism as a “pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, an

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Nov 214 min read


Why Networking Isn’t Enough: The Art of Building Allies in Your Career
In today’s challenging labor market, “networking” has become a common recommendation to cut through the masses of people applying online. We’re told to build our networks, grow our contacts, and “get ourselves out there.” But after years of coaching leaders and professionals across industries, I’ve come to see a profound difference between networking and building allies , and I want to share these differences in this month’s blog. Both are useful—both can open doors—but the

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Oct 224 min read


The Toxic Boss Who Won’t Let You Breathe: Life Under a Control Freak
Continuing my series on the eight types of toxic bosses, and leading up to the release of my upcoming book, I Wish I’d Quit Sooner:...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Sep 164 min read


Mind Games at Work: Surviving the Gaslighting Boss
This blog is part of my ongoing series on toxic bosses, and the eight distinct personas I’veidentified through my latest research on the...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Aug 215 min read


Top 10 Health Reset Gems to Heal Your Mind, Body, and Spirit: What I Learned From Mountain Trek
What does it mean to be healthy ? It’s about balanced health : being mentally , emotionally , physically , socially , and spiritually well. If any of these components are lacking, our overall feeling of well-being is gradually depleted . If you’re like me, you focus on various components more or less often at certain points, and sometimes you’re just too busy to even consider these aspects. This is exactly why I was grateful to do a health-reset retreat in early July at the

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Jul 186 min read


When It’s All About Them: Spotting the Self-Serving Egomaniac at Work
I’ve come to understand that toxic leadership doesn’t have just one face. In my ongoing research and work with thousands of professionals...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Jun 204 min read


The Great Divide: Myths and Realities about Generations in Today’s Workplaces
In today’s rapidly evolving world of work, there are four – or even five – generations in many workplaces. People in each generation have...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
May 155 min read


Difficult vs. Toxic Bosses: What’s the Real Difference?
This month’s blog is about versus bosses, because understanding the difference could be the key to protecting your career and...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Apr 225 min read


Navigating Uncertain Times
The world continues to face many challenges, from geopolitical unrest to tragic wars to economic volatility. Heightened levels of polarization are causing anger, anxiety, and extreme frustration as respectful debates are often impossible. Furthermore, the rapid pace of AI and the need to keep up with technology adds extra pressure to already busy work lives. Organizations are doing more with fewer people, causing unsustainable workloads, high levels of stress, and ultimately,

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Mar 145 min read


Does a Great Boss Need to be Liked?
As I encourage people to escape from toxic bosses, I redirect them toward looking for great leaders in healthy workplaces. But what is a great leader? That is a big question that has been researched and spoken about extensively for decades. Thousands of books exist on what makes great leadership. When I’m asked what makes a great leader, I think of a leader who exemplifies the descriptions I’ve listed in the table below: Authentic and empathetic Respectful Supports people’

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Feb 204 min read


Is Your Boss a Self-Serving Egomaniac?
As I continue to research, write, and speak about toxic bosses, I’m noticing how many people have been reaching out and thanking me for...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Jan 174 min read


The Perils of Perfectionism at Work
— Winston Churchill This quote is spot on when it comes to the perils of perfectionism; it’s not a strength but rather an obstacle to our...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Dec 17, 20244 min read


The 5 Warning Signs of a Toxic Boss During the Hiring Process
Toxic bosses supervise and lead in a self-promoting, narcissistic, authoritarian, unpredictable, and abusive manner (Schmidt, 2008). Our...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Nov 26, 20245 min read


Let's Stop "Justing" Ourselves: Why the Word Just Undermines our Confidence
I’ve found myself gently nudging people to remove the word “just” when they’re explaining what they do or their achievements. For example, someone recently said to me: “I just have an undergraduate degree.” My reaction? Four plus years of grueling hard work minimized in this way is a travesty! Remove the word just and own the degree you accomplished. Yes, some people go on to do graduate degrees, but that in no way undermines the achievement and dedication of completing an u

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Oct 25, 20244 min read


Why Companies Should Continue Making Hybrid Work...
The great debate about hybrid work and whether to continue allowing employees to work some days remotely has persisted. Is your company...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Sep 6, 20244 min read


How We Can Cultivate the Spark in Today's Young People - Part 2
Welcome to the second part of a blog around how we as adults can cultivate the spark in today’s young people. Part 1 focused on the...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Jul 15, 20244 min read


How We Can Cultivate the Spark in Today's Young People - Part 1
Making a positive impact on the world by inspiring and helping others to evolve and thrive is my behind what I do as a psychologist,...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Jun 21, 20244 min read


The Toxic Trio: Three Types of Toxic Bosses
I can tell when I’m striking a chord with people on an issue that is impacting them; such is the case with the topic of toxic bosses....

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
May 14, 20245 min read


Toxic Leadership: Harmful Impacts and When to Move on
In my 25 years in the field of industrial/organizational and career psychology, I have witnessed and experienced oxic bosses. This...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Apr 13, 20244 min read


Exhaustion to Empowerment: Navigating Burnout with New Energy
Burnout is a topic I have been speaking on in recent years. Through my 25 years in the field of psychology, I’ve seen a growing number of...

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett
Mar 18, 20245 min read
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