In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Troy Schuette, expert EOS implementer and former business owner who spent 23 years building, growing, and eventually selling his own company. Troy's confession spans nearly a decade and swings between two extremes: the micromanager who made people afraid to fail, and the checked-out owner who handed over the keys with no training, no tools, and no real support.The conversation explores what fear does to a leader's management style, why overcorrecting is just as damaging as the original problem, and what it actually looks like to find the middle ground. His lesson is one every entrepreneur who has ever been called a micromanager needs to hear: the answer isn't to disappear. It's to learn how to lead.   Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Bad Boss Confessional06:47 The Roots of Micromanagement12:32 Swinging to the Other Extreme17:03 Finding the Middle Ground23:25 The Responsibility of Letting Go28:44 Driving for 1% Improvement   Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Mark Henderson Leary, expert EOS implementer and host of Practice Freedom. Mark's confession goes back to his early days running an IT services company, when a close friend and trusted colleague joined his business, and things quietly started to unravel.Mark watched him struggle, said nothing, and eventually laid him off when the business took a hit. The conversation digs into what it actually means to set clear expectations, why friendship in business demands more honesty, not less, and what happens when a leader confuses watching someone fail with managing them. Mark also shares a powerful reframe he now uses with clients stuck in the same pattern.His lesson is one every leader who has ever hired someone they care about needs to hear: the kindest thing you can do is tell the truth before it's too late.  Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Mark’s Background06:22 The Painful Layoff Confession12:52 Setting Clear Expectations19:26 Maintaining Professionalism and Truth24:36 Courageous Leadership and Truth Telling32:02 Avoid The ‘Infinite Expansion’ Trap41:39 Looking Ahead and Closing Thoughts Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Justin Maust, expert EOS implementer, John Maxwell certified speaker, and someone who has built, scaled, and exited companies on both sides of success. Justin's confession is one he has had to sit with for a long time: he fired someone he loved and respected, on a weekend, without warning, because he was afraid of losing someone else.The conversation explores what happens when fear overrides judgment, why the feedback we act on fastest is often the least reliable, and what it costs a team when a leader skips the hard conversation and goes straight to the irreversible one. Justin also reflects on how the decision violated every one of his own core values and what he wishes he had done instead.His lesson is one every leader needs to hear: when fear is driving, slow down and check your filters before you make a move you can't take back.  Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction03:12 Setting the Stage: Launching a Business07:56 A Painful Leadership Confession12:30 Analyzing the Impact of Fear on Decisions18:20 Lessons Learned and Better Approaches24:00 Aligning Leadership with Core Values30:20 Embracing Failure as a Learning Tool34:00 Final Thoughts and Reflection Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Chris Hallberg, expert EOS implementer, founder of GoXpand, and someone who learned his most expensive lesson long before he ever walked into a session room. Chris's confession is about a venture he poured everything into, including his house, his savings, and his team, built on assumptions nobody tested and a structure nobody controlled. The conversation explores what happens when a visionary gets so sold on an idea that warning signs become background noise, why minority ownership in your own vision is a trap, and what it costs a team when the person at the top stops listening. Chris also reflects on how that failure rewired the way he asks questions, invites dissent, and shows up for the people around him. Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Introductions05:08 A Visionary’s Misstep11:00 The High Cost of Poor Structure17:23 Lessons Learned and New Beginnings23:36 Turning Failure into Growth33:29 Using the VTO for Alignment37:24 Departmental Planning and Accountability43:06 The Crucial Role of Mid-Managers48:45 Innovative Tools and Veteran Leadership55:18 Closing Thoughts and Mantras Guest Links:EOS Site: https://implementer.eosworldwide.com/chris-hallberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hallberg-01516315/ Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Travis Townsend, president of North Star Refrigeration, who built his company from a used van to a 100-person operation across New England. Travis's confession comes from the early days, when lean meant running a skeleton crew at full speed and hoping nobody broke.The conversation explores what it costs a team when the owner assumes everyone shares the same drive, why the pacesetter mentality can quietly demoralize the people trying to keep up, and what it took to go from six employees grinding themselves down to a culture built to last.His lesson is one every growth-stage founder eventually has to face: you can't build a great company by burning through the people inside it. Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Travis Townsend03:02 From Landscaper to Entrepreneur06:11 The Josh Hill Wake-Up Call09:51 Understanding Visionaries and Integrators12:33 Navigating Entrepreneurial Fears15:20 Preventing Burnout and Leading by Example19:01 Future Vision: Employee-Owned Company21:30 Culture, Growth, and Leadership Evolution26:13 The Importance of EOS Implementers30:22 Burn the Boats Mentality and Conclusion Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with CJ Dube', expert EOS implementer, author, and someone who has spent more than 40 years in the people business. CJ's confession is one that will hit close to home for anyone who has ever hired against their better judgment. The conversation digs into what it actually means to hire slow and fire fast, why the tools only work when you use them, and what it costs a team when a leader keeps someone in the wrong seat for the sake of convenience.  Her lesson is one she now coaches every client on: the red flags in a reference check are there for a reason.   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to CJ DuBe' 02:12 CJ’s Journey: From Placement to EOS 06:05 The Confession: Hiring Mistakes and Lessons 10:47 The ‘Hire Slow, Fire Fast’ Philosophy 13:04 Deep Dive into Hiring Process 18:00 Addressing People Issues: Timing and Empathy 22:56 Leadership Credibility and Outgrowing Seats 25:25 Strategies for Organizational Growth and Tools 31:19 Aha Moments from ‘The People Book’ 35:45 Tattoo Confession and Closing Remarks   Sponsor LinksThanks to our SponsorsA big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.   Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@BethFaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey sits down with Dan Wallace, one of the first EOS implementers and a former turnaround operator with a background spanning Harvard Business School, investment banking, and strategy consulting. Dan's confession is a good one: six weeks into a new role, he green-lit a $2 million software build that the company never launched.The conversation explores what happens when a high quick start moves before they've truly understood the problem, why buying is almost always better than building, and what it costs a team when the person at the top has no one to slow them down. Dan also reflects on the two leadership lessons he stumbled into by accident, both of which still shape how he coaches teams today.  Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Dan Wallace02:50 Career Shift to Turnarounds07:39 Joining EOS and Growth11:25 The Niche Lending Company Challenge15:05 The $2 Million Software Mistake24:50 Visionary-Integrator and Empathy33:32 Lessons: Do Ask, Don’t Tell40:09 Preparing for Departure43:02 The Need for Operating Systems50:47 Walmart Missionary Mix-Up53:11 Humility and Kindness   Sponsor LinksThanks to our SponsorsA big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.   Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@BethFaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth Fahey is joined by four fellow EOS implementers right off the back of a Great Boss Workshop. Mary Reilly-Magee, Jordan Regas, Phil Ouellette, and Barb Reimbold each bring their own confessions to the table, and none of them hold back.The conversation covers public callouts, unclear roles, avoided confrontations, a deleted dataset, and the slow damage of being too nice to have the hard conversation. They also dig into what they saw in the workshop that day, why so few leaders ever receive formal management training, and what it actually takes to give feedback people can hear and act on.Four leaders, four stories, one honest conversation about what it really takes to get better.  Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Introductions06:47 Early Management Mistakes09:43 Role Clarity and Buddy vs. Boss14:14 Addressing Confrontation and Epiphanies17:47 Leadership vs. Management & Nice Cultures23:22 Conflict Debt and Communication25:58 Positive to Negative Feedback Ratio35:06 No Poop Sandwiches and Conclusion   Sponsor LinksThanks to our SponsorsA big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.   Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@BethFaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, Beth sits down with Scott Rusnak, expert EOS implementer, Olympic team coach, and author of the Audible bestseller "Who Is the Architect of Your Life?" Scott's confession starts at a Canadian Tire warehouse in 1979 and ends with a million-dollar mistake decades later that nearly cost him everything.The conversation explores what happens when a leader stops listening, charges ahead on gut instinct alone, and finds out too late that the team saw it coming. Scott reflects on the moment he flipped the boat, what it cost him, and why the right people around you are only useful if you actually let them speak.  Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Bad Boss Confessional02:29 The Root Cause of Business Issues05:10 Early Bad Boss Experience08:12 Ego and Colossal Failure12:25 Surrounding Yourself with Right People17:39 The Art of Saying No24:55 Fourth Quarter Mindset and Legacy   Sponsor LinksThanks to our SponsorsA big thank you to our amazing sponsors for making this episode possible: Titus Talent – Helping organizations make the best hiring decisions with performance-based talent strategies. Strety – Empowering teams through strategic planning and performance management tools built for modern workforces.   Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@BethFaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events

In this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, there's no guest... just Beth!  Listeners sent in their questions and she answered them, from EOS deep dives to career what-ifs to a heartfelt moment about the baking industry she'll always call home. She also shares a confession of her own about a pastry chef, a walk-in cooler, and a moment she wishes she could take back. It's the most personal episode yet, and proof that nobody is off the hook on this podcast... not even the host. Timestamps00:00 Introduction & Career What-Ifs03:39 My Bad Boss Confession06:09 Favorite Non-EOS Leadership Book07:37 Connecting Diverse Career Paths10:20 Ideal Kolbe Score for an Integrator12:51 Visionary-Integrator Authority Dynamic17:37 Common Leadership Team Mistakes20:18 Running EOS During Major Change23:09 Baking Industry Crisis & Adaptation29:51 Lessons as an EOS Implementer Subscribe to the Bad Boss Confessional podcast:🎙️ Podbean: https://www.badbossconfessional.podbean.com▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional The Bad Boss Confessional is where leaders come to tell the truth about the moments they rarely talk about out loud. The mistakes, the hard lessons, and what it actually takes to become a great boss. Hosted by Beth Fahey, Expert EOS Implementer, co-author of ROLLOUT, and creator of the Great Boss Workshop. Connect with Beth Fahey:🌐 https://www.bethfahey.com▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyWant to be a guest on the show? Visit https://www.bethfahey.com/podcast to inquire. Pick up a copy of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision at https://www.rolloutbook.com/orderDownload free Rollout resources at https://www.rolloutbook.com Join Beth at the next Great Boss Workshop at https://www.bethfahey.com/events