Your Brain Is a Real Ahole: Making Managers Suck Less

EPISODE 63 with guest Dr. jamie lewis smith

Better Leadership Begins with Better Thinking

Why do smart, capable people overthink, avoid difficult conversations, resist change, and sometimes become ineffective leaders? According to psychologist and executive coach Dr. Jamie Lewis Smith, it’s because our brains aren’t designed to make us successful—they’re designed to keep us alive. It’s true and sad at the same time!

In this episode of The BOLT Podcast, Todd Bertsch sits down with Dr. Jamie Lewis Smith (aka the NeHRd Lady), Founder and CEO of Pixel Leadership Group, to explore the fascinating connection between neuroscience, leadership, burnout, and workplace culture. Together, they unpack why our brains often sabotage our best intentions and how understanding human behavior can transform the way we lead ourselves and others.

Whether you’re a leader, HR professional, manager, entrepreneur, or simply someone looking to better understand your own mind, this conversation is packed with practical strategies to build cognitive agility, create psychologically safe teams, coach more effectively, and become the kind of leader people actually want to follow.

Watch the Full Episode

Watch Todd and Jamie dive into the neuroscience behind better leadership, resilient teams, and why your brain isn’t always your best friend.

Listen to the Podcast Episode

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What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why your brain naturally resists change and how to work with it instead of against it
• The surprising reason great employees often become ineffective managers
• What “making managers suck less” really means
• How psychological safety fuels innovation, trust, and employee engagement
• Three things every employee’s brain needs to feel safe at work
• Why coaching is one of the most valuable leadership skills you can develop
• The hidden cost of canceling one-on-one meetings
• How clarity reduces stress and increases performance
• Why servant leadership creates stronger organizations
• Practical brain hacks to become a more resilient and empowering leader

Key Quotes from This Episode

“Our brains aren’t designed to make us successful. They’re designed to keep us alive.” – Dr. Jamie Lewis Smith

“Most managers don’t mean to suck. They just don’t know any better.” – Dr. Jamie Lewis Smith

“Your brain is a real a**hole—but you don’t have to let it win.” – Dr. Jamie Lewis Smith

“When people are lit up, they’ll go to war for you.” – Todd Bertsch

“Put your employees first, and everything else will fall into place.” – Dr. Jamie Lewis Smith

Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 – Welcome to The BOLT Podcast
• 02:30 – Why Jamie became fascinated with psychology and leadership
• 06:00 – Why most managers struggle
• 13:00 – The promotion problem: Great performers don’t always become great leaders
• 18:00 – Why your brain resists change
• 24:00 – Your brain is designed for survival, not success
• 31:30 – Psychological safety and building trust
• 38:00 – The power of meaningful one-on-one meetings
• 46:00 – Brain hacks every leader should know
• 1:00:00 – Jamie’s upcoming book and closing lightning round

Why Your Brain Resists Change

Our brains crave certainty because uncertainty feels like danger. Dr. Jamie Lewis Smith explains why resistance to change isn’t a character flaw; it’s biology. Understanding how your brain processes uncertainty can help leaders implement change more effectively, reduce burnout, and build resilient teams that adapt with confidence instead of fear.

The Leadership Skills Nobody Taught You

Most organizations promote high performers into leadership without teaching them how to lead people. Todd and Jamie discuss why coaching, curiosity, psychological safety, and meaningful conversations are far more valuable than simply managing tasks. Great leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about helping others succeed.

Resources and Books Mentioned

The following books, tools, and resources were mentioned or referenced throughout this episode.

• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
• Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do great employees often become poor managers?

Because the skills that make someone a high-performing individual contributor are very different from the skills required to lead people. Leadership requires coaching, communication, empathy, and the creation of an environment where others can succeed. Oftentimes, this is their first role in management, and they were never given any training. We need to start investing in our new managers!

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety is the belief that you can speak up, ask questions, make mistakes, and share ideas without fear of embarrassment or punishment. It’s one of the strongest predictors of team performance and innovation. This term was first coined by Harvard Business School professor Dr. Amy Edmondson in 1999.

Why is change so difficult for people?

Our brains are wired to prefer familiarity because unfamiliar situations require more mental energy and can trigger our survival instincts. Understanding this helps leaders introduce change in ways that reduce resistance. Decision fatigue is a real thing; check out this episode on how to escape decision fatigue.

What’s one simple thing leaders can do immediately to improve engagement?

Schedule consistent, meaningful one-on-one conversations with every team member. Regular coaching conversations build trust, provide clarity, and help employees feel seen, valued, and supported. The key word here is “consistent”. Stick to it. Don’t move it or cancel it.

Explore More Resources

Continue exploring practical tools, conversations, and frameworks designed to help individuals and organizations navigate change, strengthen mindset, and unlock sustainable growth.