In this episode of Frog Talk, Nader sits down with Ursula Pottinga—certified executive coach, neuroscience-based leadership expert, and co-founder of Be Above Leadership—to explore what actually happens to the brain when someone works in a toxic workplace and why recovery is so difficult. Ursula, who brings over 25 years of professional coaching experience and more than three decades leading workshops across Europe, North America, and Asia, reveals how toxic workplace dynamics literally rewire cognition, behavior, and emotional regulation, reducing focus, confidence, and creativity in high-performing professionals who slowly lose themselves under harmful leadership.

Together, they unpack why narcissistic behavior is widely misunderstood and often excused as “strong leadership” while masking real harm, how psychological safety—the foundation of creativity, engagement, and performance—disappears long before people speak up, and why “people-pleasing” and fawning are trauma responses, not personality flaws. From the “rotten stew” metaphor that describes how toxicity spreads through systems to why HR often feels unsafe and toxic behavior can come from any level (though leadership position amplifies its impact), this conversation reframes self-blame with the liberating truth that “it’s not your fault” while explaining why some leaders cannot be coached and toxic systems perpetuate themselves.

Ursula walks through the neuroscience of embodied change, the body’s critical role in transformation, and why healing requires education, time, and often professional support—not just “moving on”—offering leaders a user’s manual for the brain that prioritizes sustainable performance, safety, and growth over the illusion of strength that toxic cultures mistake for leadership.