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How to Be a Likeable Badass with Alison Fragale

Your Working Life with Caroline Dowd-Higgins

Release Date: 06/18/2025

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Alison Fragle episode: 

Distances by Beat Mekanik (source: Free Music Archive) (CC BY) 

 

ALISON FRAGALE, PhD
Speaker. Professor. Compulsive Organizer.

Website www.alisonfragale.com

Newsletter alisonfragale.substack.com

ALISON FRAGALE is the Mary Farley Ames Lee Distinguished Scholar of Organizational Behavior at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. Her scholarship has been published in the most prestigious academic journals in her field, and featured in prominent media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Boston Globe, and Inc. She is the author of the book, Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve, published by Penguin Random House on September 3, 2024. A sought-after keynote speaker and trusted advisor, she lives in Chicago with her family.

Questions/topics to discuss:

  • What is the difference between power and status? Why is status more important?
  • What is the definition of a Likeable Badass and why is it the key to managing your status?
  • You believe “don’t worry about what other people think of you” is bad advice. Why should we care?
  • What are some of the limiting mindsets that have a negative impact on someone’s status?
  • How does status affect your ability to be paid your worth or promoted at work?
  • What are “other promoters” and how can someone get more of them?
  • In the book, you share dozens of likeable badass tactical approaches. Can you share a few of your favorites?
  • What do you hope readers will learn from this book?

 

Book promo info:

A science-backed, easy-to-implement playbook for getting the respect, power, and influence you’re due, even when the odds are stacked against you.

Throughout my years of research, speaking gigs, and mentoring, I’ve been bombarded with questions from women of all stripes — from rising stars to those in the C-suite. How do we get credit for both likeability and competence? How can we get the recognition we deserve, negotiate like a boss, and navigate the intricate dance of office politics without losing our sanity or the respect of our peers?

Well, my friends, the answers are here, and they’re served up in Likeable Badass. Based on my twenty years of work studying power, status, and perceptions, I know one thing is true: No fancy title, degree or achievement is going to get us the rewards we deserve if it doesn’t impact how others perceive us. So, I’m pulling back the curtain on decades of science to reveal what all successful women have in common — they have found their unique way to show up as a likeable badass. All we need to do is follow their lead.

Yes, I’m a professor, but this book is not a dry, academic read. It’s a delightful blend of behavioral science and life hacks — think of it as your secret weapon for conquering the workplace. I’ve woven together solid research, practical advice, and kick-ass stories from a diverse group of women who’ve paved their own paths to success.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, Likeable Badass is your go-to guide for evidence-based strategies, sprinkled with a dash of inspiration and humor. It’s not just a book; it’s your ticket to a fulfilling career and a seat at the table.

Endorsement:

“The ultimate guide for women to achieve their goals. Drawing on her brilliant research and extensive experience, Alison Fragale reveals how to overcome the tradeoff between likeability and competence. But it’s not just for women—it’s a must-read for anyone who wants to be a better colleague, mentor, parent, or partner to half the population.”  Adam Grant

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