About
At Empathy Lab + Bad Boss Club, we’re on a mission to uncover and understand the behaviors that create bad bosses, toxic workplaces, and poor leadership. But this isn’t just about pointing fingers—it’s about creating space for honest, empathetic conversations that empower people to thrive, even within broken systems.
We believe in the power of stories to spark "good trouble"—challenging the status quo with compassion, courage, and care. By exploring harmful leadership behaviors, we aim to shed light on the patterns that hold people back and offer insights that can help individuals grow, heal, and lead with empathy.
This journey isn’t just for the "bad bosses." It’s for all of us—those impacted by toxic environments and those striving to do better. Together, we can change the way we think about leadership, not by fixing systems but by empowering the people within them. And maybe, just maybe, the bosses will change too.
Empathy first. Change together.
Our Approach: Discover, Design, Practice
Discover
We begin by listening. Through our anonymous survey and conversations, we’re uncovering the behaviors and patterns that contribute to bad boss dynamics, toxic workplaces, and harmful leadership. This phase is about amplifying voices, gathering stories, and gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges people face every day.
Design
Armed with these insights, we’ll collaboratively explore ways to disrupt these patterns with empathy and intention. This isn’t about creating cookie-cutter solutions—it’s about co-designing tools, resources, and practices that empower individuals to navigate, address, and transform harmful leadership behaviors in their own unique contexts. How we share these insights will be part of the design process!
Practice
Change takes practice. In this phase, we’ll focus on putting what we’ve learned into action—both individually and collectively. We’ll encourage people to practice empathy, accountability, and courage in their own lives and workplaces. And, for those open to it, we’ll share these practices to inspire growth, healing, and change.
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Together, we’ll spark "good trouble," one step at a time—starting with discovering the truth, designing solutions with care, and practicing what we preach.