Fixable

When it comes to many jobs—think food service and frontline retail—conditions can be miserable and demoralizing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this episode, Anne and Frances call in MIT professor Zeynep Ton, author of The Good Job Strategy and founder of The Good Jobs Institute, to investigate the systems that make jobs bad and reveal what it takes to make them better for everyone. Zeynep breaks down the four elements of her “good job strategy,” and together they look at companies that have made these changes and are outperforming because of it. Featured guestFollow Zeynep Ton on LinkedIn and at https://www.zeynepton.com/Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokChaptersWHAT IS A GOOD JOB AND WHAT ARE THE STAKESCOMPANY EXAMPLES THAT USE THE GOOD JOB STRATEGY DOING IT SMALL SCALE WITH MOE’S ORIGINAL BBQFOUR OPERATIONAL CHOICES THAT LEAD TO GOOD JOB OUTCOMES1- FOCUS AND SIMPLIFY 2 - STANDARDIZATION & EMPOWERMENT3 - CROSSTRAINING4 - OPERATE WITH SLACKHOW TO APPLY THESE CHANGES TO YOUR SMALL TEAMFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What gets in the way of good communication? In this special Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances are joined by Matt Abrahams, Stanford lecturer and bestselling author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter, to answer questions from listeners about how to communicate effectively. One listener struggles giving feedback to their elders, and another has a hard time speaking from the heart. A third listener finds themself getting defensive when asked questions, and the last caller wants to learn to speak like a leader without using empty jargon.Featured guestFollow Matt Abrahams on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://mattabrahams.com/Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you mess up, a sincere apology can make all the difference. But making things right takes more than a simple “I’m sorry.” In this episode, Adam takes us from the pre-kindergarten classroom to Formula One’s race track to investigate what it takes to make amends, right wrongs, and repair relationships. Guests: pre-K teacher Kath Konecky; management professor Beth Polin; Formula One executive Mark Gallagher.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Communication is a performance, and if you want to land it, you need to approach it like a performer. In the second part of this essential Toolkit segment, Anne and Frances break down their “deeply/simply” communication framework, share practical advice on how to take control of your presence as a speaker, and make a persuasive case for practicing in low-stakes environments. Frances also shares a surprising piece of style advice.Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all heard that actions speak louder than words—but the words you choose can have a profound impact on the actions of the people around you. In the first part of this essential Toolkit segment, Anne and Frances break down the learnable skills that everyone can use to communicate more confidently and effectively. They share practical ways to help others avoid embarrassment, get on the same “frequency" with your conversation partners, and deliver comments that are clear, concise, and persuasive.Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giving and receiving feedback is an important part of any job or relationship—but it can be tricky to get it right. This season, Anne and Frances are introducing a new segment called Toolkit: a practical guide to ideas, tools, and frameworks that can help you reach your goals at work and beyond. In this episode, they break down the different kinds of workplace feedback and share common pitfalls that can keep you and your colleagues from reaching your full potential. They also offer actionable tips for delivering both praise and critique, along with advice for what to do with criticism that falls short of constructive.Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Washington Post, owned by Jeff Bezos, recently carried out a massive layoff that eliminated more than a third of its staff. In this episode of Unsolicited Advice, Anne and Frances dive deeper into the underlying issues affecting the paper and the journalism industry at large, arguing that Bezos should sell the company to a team of can-do entrepreneurs who are willing to truly listen to the data, take big swings, and rebuild the paper’s reputation at a time when great journalism is more important than ever.Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all carry insecurities and negative beliefs that can quietly hold us back—but rewriting that narrative is up to us. In this episode, Anne and Frances call on leadership expert and executive coach Muriel Wilkins, author of the new book Leadership Unblocked, to unpack the self-doubt that often stands in our way. Together, they break down Muriel’s seven most common leadership blockers, examine where these limiting beliefs come from, and answer listener questions about how to get what you want at work.Featured guestFollow Muriel Wilkins on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://www.murielwilkins.com/Buy Leadership Unblocked by Muriel WilkinsConnect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When an organization lays people off, those who remain are often left scrambling to find their footing – and hold other people up – in an environment that no longer feels stable. In the wake of ongoing tech layoffs and the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the public sector, Anne and Frances are back with a new Unsolicited Advice segment to set the record straight about what layoffs mean for an organization — and the responsibility leaders have to own what went wrong.This episode originally aired on March 3, 2025.Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a company extraordinary? In this episode, Anne and Frances study Zappos, the online shoe retailer that shaped the early days of e-commerce and even outperformed Amazon by delighting everyone in its ecosystem, from customers to employees to suppliers. They discuss how the company bet on exceptional service rather than traditional marketing, built a deliberately distinctive workplace culture, and the steps founder Tony Hsieh took to put happiness at the center of his business model.Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Quick Fixes episode, Anne and Frances work to solve three callers’ tricky work problems in under 30 minutes. One listener struggles to collaborate with a difficult colleague, the next asks a follow-up question about a previous episode “How to get good at being bad,” and a final caller wants to empower her team while keeping important issues and decisions on track. Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a new year comes new goals and new hopes and dreams. This season, Anne and Frances are introducing a new segment called Toolkit: a practical guide to ideas, tools, and frameworks that can help you reach your goals at work and beyond. In this episode, they tackle the important first step of setting those (ambitious) goals, and break down the tried-and-true Harada Method into a few easy steps. They take a closer look at Shohei Ohtani, a baseball player who put this method into wildly successful practice, and discuss how they set goals in their own lives and in their relationship.Connect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at fixable@ted.com or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next week we're launching a new season of Fixable, so today we're sharing an episode from the archive. Are you feeling overwhelmed, uninspired, or burned out at work? In this special Unsolicited Advice episode, Anne and Frances are getting ready for summer by tackling the importance of rest and the power of intention. They offer unexpected tips and tricks for recovering from constant stress, owning what you need to feel alive and engaged, and creating an experience of work that unleashes your ambition.This episode originally aired on June 23, 2025.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edith Zimmerman is a sketchbook cartoonist and writer of the Substack newsletter, Drawing Links. In this episode, she joins Chris to talk about honesty and self-discovery. From sharing her artwork to discussing her sobriety journey to falling in love with running, Edith and Chris explore how creativity and pursuing new activities can help you overcome personal challenges.This episode is part of the How to Be a Better Human Bonus Videos series. You can find the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel.WatchEdith draw and go running with Chris: https://youtu.be/1jWA3mE5o9YEdith and Chris' interview: https://youtu.be/U_tOmuja0w8For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timm Chiusano was having one of the worst days of his career when he found himself inexplicably fascinated by a mundane part of the world on his walk home. That moment sparked a life-changing realization: he was addicted to appreciation, and it was actually his superpower. He shares a disarmingly simple practice that will make you happier, more present and better equipped to navigate your most challenging days.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Jaffe is the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She and Chris discuss the emotional toll of modern work culture and the importance of community. They also dive into Sarah’s newest book, From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire, and explore the idea that between pandemics, climate change, and economic inequality, many of us are feeling a huge (and often unacknowledged sense of grief. Sarah explains the concept of “disenfranchised grief” and how collective mourning can invite meaningful social connections.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a business journalist, Andrew Ross Sorkin writes for the New York Times DealBook, which he founded, and co-anchors Squawk Box on CNBC. In this episode, Adam and Andrew riff on what makes a great conversation and compare notes on their best and worst interviews—including when Elon Musk told Bob Iger to f*** off. They also investigate what Andrew has learned about the psychology of powerful people and explore surprising insights from his new book, 1929, on the infamous stock market crash.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doing the best at your job isn't just about working harder — it’s also about connecting better, says psychologist Alyssa Birnbaum. She shares practical, research-backed tips for strengthening relationships with your coworkers (whether you’re together in person or working remotely) in order to boost engagement, fight burnout and make work better for everyone.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and co-creator of Freakonomics—the cultural phenomenon that, over the past 20 years, has grown into a global franchise, changing how millions think, revealing the hidden side of everything, and challenging us to question what we know.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Parenthood and leadership have a shared mission to set other people up for success. Renowned “parenting whisperer” Dr. Becky Kennedy (@drbeckyatgoodinside) joins Anne and Frances to discuss the lessons that parenthood and leadership have to offer each other, from how to repair damaged relationships to the importance of embodying your authority and leading with sturdiness.​​ They also dig into some of the advice in Dr. Becky’s bestselling book Good Inside, and reflects on how childhood experiences can affect your adult relationship with conflict.This is an episode of TED's Fixable podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://link.mgln.ai/M3ovC5 You can find transcripts for Fixable at ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsThis episode originally aired on March 10, 2025.For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcriptsLearn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.