Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett

In my years as an organizational psychologist and career coach, I’ve listened to countless stories about bosses who bend reality, shift blame, and create chaos through deception. The Dishonest Manipulator is one of the most insidious toxic boss types you’ll encounter in the workplace. Their tactics might not always be obvious at first, but the impact on your well-being and career can be profound.  What Is a Dishonest Manipulator—and How Do You Recognize One?   This toxic boss persona thrives...

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, and lack of...

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 they serve different...