414: How to survive a toxic workplace - with Theresa Chilcoat
Release Date: 03/17/2026
415: How to build micro-cultures that boost performance - with Bruce Mayhew
The Simplifiers Podcast
When people hear the word culture, they often think of something big. Something set at the top. Something shaped by company values, leadership retreats, or a mission statement on the wall. But culture doesn’t only live at the organizational level. It gets built much closer to the ground. In the day-to-day interactions between a manager and their team. In the habits of a small group. In the trust, clarity, and behavior patterns people experience every single day. Because whether leaders realize it or not, they are constantly shaping small team environments that directly...
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414: How to survive a toxic workplace - with Theresa Chilcoat
The Simplifiers Podcast
A toxic workplace rarely reveals itself all at once. It builds slowly. In the tension people avoid. In the fear of saying the wrong thing. In the stress that follows you home and starts to change how you show up. And over time, even good people can begin reacting in ways that don’t feel like themselves. Because when you’re stuck in survival mode, your clarity gets cloudy. Your confidence starts to slip. And it becomes harder to tell what’s really happening… and how to move forward. My special guest today is Theresa Chilcoat, and she’s simplifying how to survive a...
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413: How to build a strong culture as a people manager - with Andre Young
The Simplifiers Podcast
When people hear the word culture, they often think of something abstract. Something owned by HR. Something written in a values statement or talked about at the annual offsite. But culture isn’t built in theory. It’s built in the everyday moments. In how a manager starts the day. In how they respond under pressure. In what they model, reinforce, ignore, and repeat. Because whether they realize it or not, people managers are shaping culture every single day. My special guest today is Andre Young, and he’s simplifying how to build a strong culture as a people manager. ...
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B167: How to lead with gratitude (guided visualization)
The Simplifiers Podcast
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412: How to respectfully disagree - with Justin Jones-Fosu (ALL-STAR)
The Simplifiers Podcast
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411: How to help high achievers share the load - with Meghan French Dunbar
The Simplifiers Podcast
High achievers are the ones everyone counts on. They say yes. They move fast. They carry the team when things get heavy. And on paper, it looks like high performance. But underneath? A lot of “high performance” cultures are really optimizing for output… not human flourishing. And the people who pay the price first are the high achievers — the over-functioners — the ones who quietly become the bottleneck and the safety net. Because when success means sacrifice… sharing the load can start to feel like failure. My special guest today is Meghan French Dunbar, and...
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410: How to be a joy-centered people leader - with Sheryl Raphael Whitaker
The Simplifiers Podcast
A lot of people leaders are exhausted right now. They’re holding the line on performance… trying to keep their teams engaged… and making hard calls under pressure. And in the middle of all that, one thing gets pushed to the bottom of the list: Joy. Not the “happy all the time” kind of joy. Not “good vibes only.” But joy as an operating system — the thing that stabilizes how you lead, how you respond, and how you treat people when work gets messy. Because when a leader runs on urgency, fear, or control… the team can feel it. And it costs you: trust,...
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B166: How to be a calm, centered people leader (guided visualization)
The Simplifiers Podcast
Time for a guided visualization exercise: How to be a calm, centered people leader. Because let’s be honest—leading people is meaningful work… and it can also be emotionally demanding. You’re holding space for others, making decisions, navigating change, managing expectations, and trying to do it all with empathy and integrity. This episode is for the moments when you want to lead with clarity instead of reactivity. With presence instead of pressure. With calm confidence instead of overwhelm. This is about learning how to center yourself first, so you can show up as the steady,...
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409: How to stand out on LinkedIn - with Haley ONeill (ALL-STAR)
The Simplifiers Podcast
Raise your hand if you’re currently looking for a job right now? You might be curious… How do I get more recruiters to notice me? How do I elevate my credibility in my sector? Or maybe you’re wanting to speak at more industry conferences? How might you better achieve your professional goals this year? Well, it’s time to rethink how you show up on LinkedIn... more specifically, how to stand out on this professional platform as a thought leader. My all-star special guest today is recruiter Haley ONeill and she’s simplifying how to stand out on LinkedIn. With over 109k followers...
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408: How to build entrepreneurial culture within HR teams - with John Bernatovicz
The Simplifiers Podcast
HR teams are being asked to do more than ever before — move faster, support burned-out employees, and navigate constant change. And yet, many HR functions are still operating with a compliance-first mindset that slows innovation and limits impact. What if HR didn’t function like a back-office department… but instead, like a startup inside the organization? My special guest today is John Bernatovicz, and he’s simplifying how to build entrepreneurial culture within HR teams. John has built his career blending entrepreneurship and HR, and he believes the future of HR depends on...
info_outline A toxic workplace rarely reveals itself all at once.
It builds slowly.
In the tension people avoid.
In the fear of saying the wrong thing.
In the stress that follows you home and starts to change how you show up.
And over time, even good people can begin reacting in ways that don’t feel like themselves.
Because when you’re stuck in survival mode, your clarity gets cloudy.
Your confidence starts to slip.
And it becomes harder to tell what’s really happening… and how to move forward.
My special guest today is Theresa Chilcoat, and she’s simplifying how to survive a toxic workplace.
Here’s how.
My special guest today is Theresa Chilcoat and she’s simplifying how to survive a toxic workplace.
We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:
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What actually defines a toxic workplace, and how to tell when you’re in one.
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What her personal breaking point was, and what made her decide this story needed to become a book.
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What’s happening internally when people go into survival or reactive mode and start acting out of character.
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How her four-step response works in real life:
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Self-awareness
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Self-control
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Self-care
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Self-empowerment.
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And the single most important pause or reset someone can use right before they react, to regain clarity and agency.
Q: Are you needing to learn how to survive a toxic workplace? If yes, this one is for you.
It’s time to #DoTheThing!
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Show notes available with all links mentioned here:
https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/414-how-to-survive-a-toxic-workplace---with-theresa-chilcoat