Podcast
Fixable
Hosted by TED · EN
Frances Frei is a Harvard Business professor. Anne Morriss is a CEO and best-selling author. Anne and Frances are two of the top leadership coaches in the world. Oh, did we mention they're also married to each other? Together, Anne and Frances move fast and fix stuff by talking to guest callers about their workplace issues and solving their problems – in 30 minutes or less. Both listeners and guests will receive actionable insights to create meaningful change in the workplace. From CEOs to nurses, the restaurant world to Silicon Valley, Frances and Anne have a plan for anyone hoping to improve their their workplace.
Follow Anne on Instagram @annemorriss and on LinkedIn @anne-morriss. Follow Frances on Instagram @francesxfrei and on LinkedIn @francesfrei
If you want to be on Fixable, call our hotline at 234-Fixable (that's 234-349-2253) to leave Anne and Frances a voicemail with your workplace problem, or email us at fixable@ted.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
60episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Why AI is our ultimate test and greatest invitation | from TED Tech
Nov 1000:19:00Summary readyTechnologist Tristan Harris has an urgent question: What if the way we’re deploying the world’s most powerful technology — artificial intelligence — isn’t inevitable, but a choice? In this eye-opening talk, he calls on us to learn from the mistakes of social media’s catastrophic rollout and confront the predictable dangers of reckless AI development, offering a “narrow path” where power is matched with responsibility, foresight and wisdom. After the talk, Sherrell reflects on why it's wise to slow down AI's development and discuss about the organizations working to safeguard AI's impact.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsInterested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryQuick Fixes: How to step into leadership, improve your organization, and regain lost support
Nov 300:35:23Summary readyIn this Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances work to solve three callers’ tricky work problems in under 30 minutes. One listener seeks advice on stepping into a leadership role for the first time, the next struggles with feeling powerless in a middle management position, and a final caller tries to regain the support of her team after receiving some difficult feedback. For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsInterested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to negotiate with confidence (w/ Master Fixer Deepak Malhotra)
Oct 2700:30:35Summary readyWe’re constantly negotiating in our everyday lives—deciding where to go to dinner, haggling with sellers on Facebook Marketplace—but when it comes to higher-stakes conversations, clinching the deal can be daunting. In today’s episode, Frances calls on her colleague Deepak Malhotra for his expert advice at the negotiating table. They discuss how to balance flexibility and assertiveness, the pivotal role of empathy in conflict resolution, and the critical difference between interests and positions. Deepak also gives his take on the breakdown in talks over the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement and shares plans for his new AI negotiation advisor. Hosts & GuestsAnne Morriss (Instagram: @annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss) Frances Frei (Instagram: @francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei) Deepak Malhotra (LinkedIn: @prof-malhotra)Linkshttps://anneandfrances.com/https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=189290Follow TED! X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedFacebook: https://facebook.com/TEDLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferencesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsInterested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryUnsolicited Advice: The WNBA has a leadership problem
Oct 2000:38:14Summary readyAfter the Minnesota Lynx were knocked out of the WNBA playoffs, star player Napheesa Collier used her exit interview to issue a scathing critique of the league’s leadership. In this installment of Unsolicited Advice, Anne and Frances coach the WNBA’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, on how to rebuild player trust, take full accountability for the league’s problems, and deliver an effective apology. They also address stalled progress in the players’ collective bargaining agreement and discuss what it will take for Engelbert to become a true champion for the organization’s most important stakeholders: the women on the floor playing world-class basketball. FollowHosts: Anne Morriss (@annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss), Frances Frei (@francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei) Guest: Cathay Engelbert (Instagram: @wnbacommish) Linkshttps://anneandfrances.com/Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsInterested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow employers in Washington State solved a transportation crisis (from Speed & Scale)
Oct 1300:24:52Summary readyHow much time do you spend commuting to and from work in your car? And do you drive alone? In the US, the transportation sector emits more carbon pollution than any other sector—but in 1991, Washington State decided to take matters into their own hands. In this episode, Ryan and Anjali talk to Brian Lagerberg, who worked on the state’s commuter trip reduction plan: a policy that required employers to provide their employees with alternative ways to get to work. Together, they unpack the factors that led to the plan’s success and discuss how other cities and states can promote the same practices that make Washington the carpool state, and the kind of model that others can follow. For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsInterested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to communicate with your colleagues
Oct 600:34:21Summary readyDo you find yourself overwhelmed by too many Slack messages? Or unsure how to talk so that people will listen? In this episode, Anne and Frances help a caller who finds herself in the middle of a communication breakdown between her and her colleagues. Together, they explore the power of understanding your message deeply and communicating it simply. They also discuss the benefits of frequent, intentional repetition and the value of tools like video and AI to aid in company-wide communication. For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsInterested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryQuick Fixes on Confidence: How to feel less awkward at the office, stay strong during a job search, and build up your team (w/ Morra Aarons-Mele)
Sep 2900:37:45Summary readyIn this special Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances are joined by Morra Aarons-Mele, workplace mental health expert and author of The Anxious Achiever, to help three different callers with their confidence conundrums. One listener feels awkward in-person after years of remote work, the next wants to prepare his team for his exit from the company, and a final caller struggles to keep her spirits high during a frustrating job search. FollowHosts: Anne Morriss (@annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss), Frances Frei (@francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei) Guest: Morra Aarons-Mele (Instagram: @morraam | Website: https://morraam.com/) Linkshttps://anneandfrances.com/The Anxious Achiever by Morra Aarons-MeleHiding in the Bathroom by Morra Aarons-MeleSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to get your confidence back (Re-release)
Sep 2200:42:26Summary readyWhen negative feedback shakes your confidence, it can be difficult to get back to feeling like yourself at work. In this episode, Anne and Frances help a struggling listener who has spent years toning herself down in the workplace after being told that she was too assertive — now, she feels that her modest approach is holding her back. Together, they use Anne and Frances’s “trust triangle” framework to explore how empathy, authenticity, and logic can help you rebuild confidence and trust with your colleagues, and share helpful confidence hacks for getting comfy with discomfort. What problems are you dealing with at work? Text or call 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show.This episode originally aired on February 3, 2025.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryHow to beat impostor syndrome
Sep 1500:40:14Summary readyUp to 80% of people experience impostor syndrome at some point in their lives—a feeling of inadequacy and anxiety about perceived flaws. In this episode, Anne and Frances break down exactly what impostor syndrome is, why we tell ourselves stories that distort reality, and how to break free from these harmful thought patterns. They also introduce some close relatives of impostor syndrome and discuss the pathway back to confidence and a clear-eyed relationship with our own abilities. For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsFor a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SummaryBoost your confidence (w/ Master Fixer Ian Robertson)
Sep 800:35:40Summary readyAnne and Frances are back with a new season of Fixable to tackle a subject that impacts everyone’s experience of work: confidence. In this episode, the pair sit down with Master Fixer Ian Robertson, a professor of psychology at Trinity College Dublin and author of the new book How Confidence Works: The New Science of Self-Belief, to discuss where confidence comes from, how to inspire confidence in others, and how to deal with overconfident leaders. Ian also shares his confidence framework and explains why anxiety is actually your friend. FollowHosts: Anne Morriss (@annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss), Frances Frei (@francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei) FollowHosts: Anne Morriss (@annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss), Frances Frei (@francesxfrei | LinkedIn: @francesfrei) Guest: Ian Robertson (Instagram: | LinkedIn: | Website:) Linkshttps://anneandfrances.com/https://ianrobertson.org/How Confidence Works: The New Science of Self-BeliefSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcastsFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsFor a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Summary