20: From Positional Power to Humanized Leadership

On this episode of Bad Boss Confessional, host Beth Fahey sits down with Mary Pat Knight, author of The Humanized Leader, to unpack a career-defining moment of shame. Mary Pat tells how, at 19 and newly promoted in a troupe of performers, she lost control, hurled objects, and verbally exploded at a colleague. She reflects on how that moment taught her the limits of positional power and the lifelong work of emotional regulation. Conversation moves from the sting of shame to practical repair: naming triggers, practicing box breathing, learning the drama triangle, and choosing empathy and accountability. You’ll leave with a clear leadership takeaway: own your mistakes, learn your triggers, and wear the world like a loose garment so shame cannot stop your growth.

00:00 Introduction to Mary Pat Knight
03:04 Mary Pat’s Bad Boss Moment
07:39 Triggers, Shame, and Loose Garments
11:26 The Humanized Leader System
15:20 Empathy in a Wound-Up World
18:35 Common Leadership Issues and Willingness
22:21 Understanding the Drama Triangle
29:00 The Power of Frameworks
31:22 Future Books and Meditation
35:10 Tattoos and Final Thoughts

About: 
Beth Fahey is a leadership coach, Expert EOS Implementer, and co-creator of the How to Be a Great Boss Workshops. With nearly 40 years of hands-on leadership experience, Beth has worn many hats: from working in film and owning a bakery to leading a national trade association.
 
Now, as the host of The Bad Boss Confessional, she shares candid stories about the challenges of leadership, mistakes made, lessons learned, and the path to becoming the kind of boss your team actually wants to follow. Through humor, honesty, and heart, Beth is on a mission to help leaders grow, one confession at a time.
 
Show Links
For more information about Beth Fahey follow the links below.
Website: www.eosworldwide.com/beth-fahey 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BethFaheyEOS
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethfaheyeos/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@bethfaheyeos
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bethfahey/
Bad Boss Confessional YouTube: 
https://www.youtube.com/@badbossconfessional 
Beth's Youtube: 
https://www.youtube.com/@bethfaheyeos 

Guest Links
Mary Pat Knight, author of the international best seller, The Humanized Leader, is on a mission to develop more humanized leaders inside workplaces all over the world. She is the CEO and Founder of Leaders Inspired, a global training and development firm dedicated to personal and leadership transformation, and a speaker, author, coach, and consultant who is an expert in leadership and emotional intelligence. Leaders Inspired exists with a simple goal in mind – When inspired leaders inspire others, they have the capacity to change the world.

Website: https://leadersinspired.com/about/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpknight

Sponsor Links
Thanks to our Sponsors
A 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.