Episode 15

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Published on:

30th Jan 2026

Live Q&A: Dealing with Insubordinate Employees & Instilling an Ownership Mindset

"They clearly want my job."

It is one of the most uncomfortable situations in leadership: A direct report who is talented but insubordinate, networking with your boss, and actively trying to bypass you.

Most leaders shrink back because they feel threatened. But the truth is, if they are walking all over you, it is because they tested your power and you failed the test.

In thisLive Q&A Session, we tackle the "sharp edges" of leadership—from handling political saboteurs to fixing a team that refuses to make decisions without you.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The "Usurper" Strategy:How to handle an employee who oversteps boundaries (hint: you have to challenge them back to earn their respect) .

-The Ownership Framework:How to stop your team from checking in with you for confirmation on everything.

-The "Microsoft" Story:A personal confession of how I was accidentally poisoning my own company culture by complaining about a vendor—and how I fixed it .

-Saying the Unsaid:Why you must confront false allegations and sabotage head-on, even if it feels "unprofessional" to bring it up .

💪 The Challenge for This Week:The "Victim" Audit.

-Reflect:Where is your team currently showing up as a victim?

-The Shift:Bring this up to your team. Communicate it, come up with a plan.

-The Agreement:Get a clear commitment from them on showing up in ownership, then hold them accountable.


Resources

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

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About the Podcast

Leadership Mindset 2.0
Transform From Tactical Doer to Strategic Leader: The Psychology of Scaling for Executives & Entrepreneurs
Leadership Mindset 2.0 is the definitive playbook for executives and entrepreneurs ready to break free from the "Doer Trap" and scale their business using psychology and strategy.

Host R. Michael Anderson has scaled multiple software companies to the Inc. 5000 list and was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Now, as a 2x Executive Coach of the Year, he uses that experience to help high-performers transform from Tactical Operators into Strategic Leaders.

In this podcast, Michael blends cutting-edge neuroscience, emotional intelligence (EQ), and battle-tested business strategy to help you overcome burnout, imposter syndrome, and the "Leadership Incompetence Trap" so you can lead with clarity and confidence.

Two New Episodes Every Week which include a mix of:
• Strategy: Neuroscience frameworks & leadership tactics to start your week.
• Mentorship: Live Q&A and specific answers to your leadership challenges.
• Coaching: A fly-on-the-wall look at real, unscripted executive coaching sessions as Michael helps leaders break through their blind spots live.
• Masterclasses: Listen in as Michael and guests teach valuable leadership and management skills to a real-life audience.

Topics include: The Psychology of Scaling, Burnout Prevention, Strategic Planning, Executive Coaching, and Emotional Intelligence.

About your host

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R. Michael Anderson

R. Michael Anderson, MBA, MA has a striking combination that creates truly impactful transformation in leaders – he has the real-life business success of founding, scaling and exiting three software companies, plus the educational background of a Masters Degree in Psychology.



This combination gives him the unique ability to connect to other leaders as a peer, then teaches evidence-based leadership skills that genuinely drive behaviour and performance.