#139 From Toxic to Trusted: How Leaders Rebuild Psychological Safety & Performance

2025-08-10

A leadership psychologist shares the toughest workplace turnaround of her career, the skill most leaders get wrong, and how to restore trust, unity, and results. In this episode Rebecca Jenkins and Callum Jenkins talk with Dr. Mira Brancu, leadership advisor, licensed psychologist, and CEO of Towerscope, to explore how and why leadership needs to evolve. Mira has over 20 years’ experience helping technical experts transition into leadership roles, navigate complex organisations, and build trust in challenging environments. Mira is the author of Millennial’s Guide to Workplace Politi...

A leadership psychologist shares the toughest workplace turnaround of her career, the skill most leaders get wrong, and how to restore trust, unity, and results.

In this episode Rebecca Jenkins and Callum Jenkins talk with Dr. Mira Brancu, leadership advisor, licensed psychologist, and CEO of Towerscope, to explore how and why leadership needs to evolve.

Mira has over 20 years’ experience helping technical experts transition into leadership roles, navigate complex organisations, and build trust in challenging environments.

Mira is the author of Millennial’s Guide to Workplace Politics and host of The Hard Skills Podcast, where she focuses on the intersection of leadership, behavioural science, and organisational psychology.

Together, we dive into:

Toxic vs. healthy cultures - what the warning signs look like and how to intervene early.
Psychological safety - why it’s the cornerstone of innovation and high performance.
The leadership skill most leaders struggle with right now - and how to improve it.
Introvert vs. extrovert leadership - busting the myths and understanding their unique strengths.
Humility and confidence - finding the balance between approachability and authority.
How to rebuild trust in a team - after conflict, politics, or organisational trauma.

Mira also shares her pivotal career moment, in being asked to lead a “toxic and hostile” workplace early in her career and the lessons that shaped her approach to leadership ever since.

If you’re a leader navigating change, wanting to engage your team more deeply, or curious about how leadership styles need to shift now, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

Connect with Dr. Mira Brancu

Website: gotowerscope.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mirabrancu
Podcast: The Hard Skills Podcast
Book: Millennial’s Guide to Workplace Politics

Resources & Links

Rebecca Jenkins – LinkedIn | RJEN
Callum Jenkins – LinkedIn
The CEO Revenue Architecture Briefing - access your copy here to avoid revenue growth plateaus

Listen now - if you enjoyed the conversation, please leave a review on your favourite podcast platform and share it with a colleague who’s passionate about leadership.

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