About the episode

What happens when manipulation, control and narcissistic behaviour are mistaken for strong leadership?

In this episode of Making Work Work for Humans, Sallina Jeffrey speaks with Dr Samantha Worthington, a neuropsychology and human behaviour specialist, keynote speaker, strategic adviser and bestselling author, about the patterns of behaviour that quietly damage people, teams and organisations.

Together, they examine the commercial cost of toxic leadership, including the loss of high performers, declining psychological safety, burnout, absenteeism and stalled innovation. They explore why organisations often protect powerful individuals despite the harm they cause, and why damaging behaviour is frequently dismissed as high standards, strong leadership or a personality clash.

Dr Samantha Worthington explains the relationship between narcissism and manipulation, how charisma and empathy can be used selectively, and why intelligent, capable and empathetic people are often particularly vulnerable to these dynamics.

The conversation then turns to the human experience: what prolonged exposure to manipulation does to the brain, how it activates survival responses, and how it gradually destabilises a person’s confidence and sense of reality.

Finally, Sallina and Dr Samantha Worthington explore recovery, shame, formative experiences and the difficult but transformative process of reconnecting with yourself.

This episode is not about diagnosing every difficult leader as a narcissist. It is about learning to recognise repeated patterns of behaviour, understand their impact and create healthier ways of leading, working and relating.

In this episode

• The hidden commercial cost of toxic and narcissistic leadership

• Why boards and organisations sometimes protect harmful leaders

• The difference between narcissism as a personality structure and manipulation as a behaviour

• How charisma, empathy and influence can be used as tools of manipulation

• Why these behaviours are often dismissed as personality clashes or high standards

• The importance of documenting patterns, incidents and observable behaviour

• How fight, flight, freeze and fawn responses appear in the workplace

• Why intelligent, capable, empathetic and high-performing people can become targets

• How prolonged toxicity affects the brain, psychological safety and innovation

• The difference between genuine leadership and control or possession

• Why shame and self-blame can prevent people from recognising what is happening

• How childhood experiences and emotional neglect can shape later patterns

• Moving beyond healing towards growth, self-trust and reconnection

• Becoming the person you once needed

A final note

If this conversation resonates with you, remember that one difficult interaction does not define a person or an organisation. Look for repeated patterns of behaviour, document what is happening and seek informed support. Recognising the pattern is often the first step towards rebuilding trust in yourself.

You are not alone, and support is available.

Connect and work with Dr Samantha Worthington

Dr Samantha Worthington works with organisations through keynote presentations, leadership workshops and advisory services focused on human behaviour, performance and psychological safety.

She also provides individual counselling and coaching for people experiencing or recovering from narcissistic abuse in workplaces, families and intimate relationships.

Dr Samantha Worthington is also the founder of Healing After Harm, a community supporting women who are living through, leaving or recovering from narcissistic abuse.

To learn more about Dr Samantha Worthington’s work, book her for an organisational workshop or keynote, explore individual support, or join the Healing After Harm community, visit:

www.samanthaworthington.com

Thank you for listening to Making Work Work for Humans. Until next time.

Mastering Your Biology: The Leadership Skill AI Can't Replace

As AI reshapes the workplace, the greatest leadership advantage may not be technological; it may be deeply human.

In this episode of Making Work Work for Humans, host Sallina Jeffrey - MBA, sits down with Dr Albert Viljoen, Executive Leadership Coach, Human Performance Specialist and Co-founder of Be Fully Human, to explore why mastering our biology is fundamental to resilient leadership, high performance and healthier workplaces.

Together, they explore:

• Why leaders are increasingly operating in survival mode
• The neuroscience behind stress, decision-making and performance
• How nervous system regulation influences leadership and organisational culture
• Why coaching and mentoring are becoming strategic business investments
• How organisations can embrace AI without losing their humanity
• The leadership skills technology will never replace

Whether you're a leader, founder, HR professional or passionate about creating better workplaces, this conversation offers practical, evidence-based insights to help you lead with clarity, resilience and humanity in an increasingly complex world.

Host

Sallina Jeffrey, MBA
APAC Growth Specialist | Bridging Technology, People & Trust | PhD Candidate, Organisational Psychology

Guest

Dr Albert Viljoen
Executive Leadership Coach | Human Performance Specialist | Co-founder of Be Fully Human

In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr Vishal Rana, we explore one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence: successful AI adoption is not primarily a technology challenge—it is a leadership challenge.

Together, we discuss why trust is often the deciding factor in whether organisational change succeeds or fails, the role leaders play in creating cultures of experimentation and learning, and how organisations can adopt AI in ways that are ethical, human-centred and future-focused.

We also explore the emerging role of the Chief AI Officer, the risks of cognitive offloading and over-reliance on AI tools, the importance of critical thinking, and why continuous learning is becoming essential for both leaders and employees.

Whether you're a CEO, HR leader, learning professional or simply curious about the future of work, this conversation offers practical insights into how organisations can embrace AI without losing sight of the human experience.

Key topics discussed:
• AI adoption and organisational change
• Trust and leadership in times of transformation
• Human-centred AI implementation
• Critical thinking and cognitive offloading
• The future of learning and work
• Employee wellbeing in an AI-driven world
• Chief AI Officers and AI strategy
• Continuous learning and adaptability

Guest: Dr Vishal Rana
AI & Workplace Learning Researcher | Human-Centred AI Advocate

Connect with Sallina Jeffrey:
Leadership Advisor | MBA | PhD Candidate in Organisational Psychology.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallinajeffreydirectorscalinghrtechintoapac/

Making Work Work for Humans explores the ideas shaping the future of leadership, employee experience, trust and organisational performance.

AI is moving faster than most organisations can keep up and it’s not just a technology problem. It’s a leadership challenge.

In this episode of Making Work Work for Humans, Sallina Jeffrey speaks with Assistant Professor Dr. Vishal Rana to explore how AI is reshaping learning, leadership, and the way we think at work.

Together, they unpack the growing tension leaders are facing balancing the pressure to adopt AI with the reality that many organisations are not yet equipped to integrate it in a way that is ethical, human, and effective.

This conversation explores:
• Why AI is changing not just how we work, but how we think
• The hidden fears employees have around AI adoption
• Where leaders are getting change management wrong
• How organisations can redesign work to combine human and AI capability

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation.

In Part 2, the discussion goes deeper into trust, ethics, and what leaders must understand to implement AI in a way that strengthens both performance and wellbeing.

—

Hosted by Sallina Jeffrey - Human-Centred Leadership Advisor, MBA, and PhD candidate focused on trust, psychological safety, and workplace dynamics.

In this episode of Making Work Work for Humans, Sallina Jeffrey sits down with Therese, the CEO of Oporto and former CEO of Mad Mex, to explore what trust, humanity, and real leadership look like at the very top of an organisation.

Therese’s leadership journey began on the restaurant floor at age 15, working shifts at KFC, learning to serve customers, run teams and understand people long before stepping into the C-suite. Today, she leads one of Australia’s most recognisable brands with a style grounded in humility, presence and leading with heart.

In this conversation, Therese shares how her views on trust have evolved from simply “getting the job done” to defining trust as a two-way relationship where people know you’ve got their back, even when you disagree. She speaks to the power of dropping one's ego, saying what’s real, and building credibility by being fully oneself, not wearing an executive mask.

We explore practical leadership behaviours that deepen trust: listening without defensiveness, understanding the different need states of franchise partners, frontline workers and support office teams, and creating environments where everyone feels safe to speak up, not just agree.

Therese also shares why she spends time on the restaurant floor, packing chips during a rush, observing workflow, learning from franchisees and hearing what customers really experience. These grounded moments shape decisions in store design, operations, and culture, proving that trust is built through actions, not announcements.

We unpack psychologically safe environments, the damage of silence, and how staying quiet can erode trust just as quickly as poor decisions. Therese shares honest reflections on the times she’s worked in toxic cultures, and how environments either bring out the best in people or slowly dim who they are.

Her advice to leaders is simple and powerful:

• - Listen.

• - Understand people’s motivations.

• - Back yourself.

• - Lead with heart, not ego.

• - Be the change you wish to see, even when you’re not at the top.

• Therese also talks openly about supporting her executive team to lead with humanity, cascading human-centred leadership across all levels, and ensuring culture isn’t shaped by hierarchy but by consistent, everyday interactions.

  This episode is a grounded, generous and human conversation that shows what modern leadership can look like when trust is treated not as a concept, but a daily practice.

  
  

  EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

  - How trust evolves from working on the restaurant floor to the CEO role

• - The power of dropping ego and being fully yourself as a leader

• - Trust as a two-way relationship: “I’ve got your back even when we disagree”

• - Listening as the foundation of human-centred leadership

  - Understanding the different needs of franchise partners, frontline teams and support office staff

• - Why Therese still works in stores - and how 30 minutes on the floor can inform strategy

• - Creating psychologically safe environments where silence is not seen as support

• - How negative cultures shape behaviour and how to stay grounded in your values

• - Leading with heart at scale and cascading care through the leadership team

• - The role of extreme ownership in repairing or exiting toxic workplaces

• - “Everything in life is temporary” - Therese’s advice to her 15-year-old self

• - How leaders can build credibility quickly when stepping into a new executive role

• - Using small, everyday interactions to strengthen trust and belonging

• - Why coffee conversations can be more powerful than formal meetings