Recorded July 5, 2025---09:19 Organizations are terrible at dealing with toxic colleagues12:00 The real cost of toxic colleagues17:00 Does a culture of radical transparency solve this?21:50 Bridgewater might not really be a cult24:36 Most firms don't compete on culture30:26 Do we teach students how to deal with toxic workplaces?34:00 The challenge of explaining why you left a toxic environment36:00 The people who won't leave toxic places40:30 HR management awards don't mean what you think42:00 Organizations never ask about your values47:00 Is Ivey a toxic place?53:20 Jeremy's attempt to give feedback01:03:00 Are NYU and Wharton different?

---I chat with Jeremy DeMello (Ivey HBA) about his experience dealing with a toxic colleague, as well as his thoughts on the the negative aspects of the Ivey experience. This is the first of two separate episodes.

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Amazon link to my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5N6F1FV

Recorded May 1, 202500:51 -- Was the MBA degree worth it?

04:00 -- Rob reflecting on the road not taken

08:15 -- What percentage of Rob's class would say the MBA was worth it

10:36 -- Why isn't there there more honest conversation from B-school graduates?

12:02 -- Rob: I came to the MBA to explore

12:52 -- B-school isn't Dead Poets Society

14:29 -- Global demand for MBAs is declining

15:41 -- Full-time MBAs: Not the most profitable part of a B-school

17:41 -- B-school don't publicize their satisfaction rate

19:54 -- Satisfaction rates are a better metric to measure B-schools

23:55 -- Rob's framework to finding happiness at work

29:11 -- A lot of organizations aren't intellectually satisfying

30:08 -- Where do intellectuals get to be free in society?

00:47 -- The newest wave of intellectual leadership doesn't come from academia

08:47 -- How far beyond survival can we go?

39:21 -- When we lose our job, how limited are our options?

41:41 -- Why the ability to take on risk matters

46:41 -- Rob's practices to figure out the right next step

50:48 -- Could the education system have helped more?

56:29 -- Things could be worse, but can they also be better?

58:20 -- The voice of the pragmatist vs. another voice

01:00:40 -- Advice Rob would give his younger self

---I chat with Rob, a former MBA student of mine when I taught at NYU Stern. We talk about whether getting the MBA degree was worth it, the challenges of balancing fulfillment with the need for pragmatism, and where intellectuals can thrive in society. ---

Amazon link to my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5N6F1FV

Recorded June 22, 202505:10 -- Overview of Dave's path

07:50 -- Dave's big decision

13:10 -- How Ivey defined success

22:15 -- ...and then the pandemic came

27:30 -- Dave learning about himself

32:10 -- Challenges relating

35:10 -- On finding a new community

45:00 -- What would the other path have looked like?

53:10 -- London to Barcelona

55:45 -- Finding a new home that feels more like home

1:01:20 -- Did Dave know things would turn out this way?

1:06:45 -- How Ivey's rat race distorts students' goals

1:10:13 -- Dave discovers Bryan's book

1:15:30 -- The declining appeal of universities

----I chat with Dave Tang (former Ivey HBA) about how he managed two major life and career pivots in his 20s after graduation. The last time I spoke to Dave was over a decade ago, and at the time it was already clear the path he was on wasn't the right one. In this episode, he discusses what unfolded next.----Amazon link to my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5N6F1FV