Narcissistic leadership leaves a trail of hidden costs - to people, culture and performance. This episode explores what it looks like, how it harms, and how leaders can choose courage over control.

Welcome to Under the Rug at Work, where we shine light on the things that are normally swept under the rug. I’m your host, Nicole Turnbull, and today I’m chatting with Jane Phipps about the cost of narcissistic leadership.

Jane Phipps is a heart-centred leader, resilience advocate and former COO turned consultant. A single mum who carved her path through male-dominated industries, workplace bullying and corporate politics, she wrote The Heart-Centered Leader to open the conversation and help others lead with trust, empathy and respect.

We unpack how narcissistic and command-and-control behaviours show up at work, the toll they take on people and culture, and the hidden price leaders rarely count - disengagement, turnover and lost innovation.

Jane shares the personal impact of toxicity including hypervigilance, anxiety and physical symptoms, and the slow steps that helped her recover with therapy, community and practical self-care.

We also explore what heart-centred leadership looks like in practice - respect, trust, transparency, vulnerability and genuineness - and how to build fear-free teams where workers can think independently, challenge with facts and collaborate for purpose, not ego.

If this conversation resonates, please subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with more heart and less fear.

Connect with Jane 👇

🔹Website

🔹Instagram

🔹LinkedIn

🔹Amazon