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    Categories>Leadership & Corp Culture>Defusing Defensiveness: A CEO's Guide

    Defusing Defensiveness: A CEO's Guide

    55 min
    |
    |
    21. Jan. 2026
    LeadershipCommunication skillPsychology

    Discover why your brain treats criticism like physical pain and learn practical strategies to extract value from advice—even when you question the source's experience.

    Defusing Defensiveness: A CEO's Guide

    Bestes Zitat aus Defusing Defensiveness: A CEO's Guide

    “

    The leaders who learn fastest aren't those who get the most feedback; they're those who receive it well and consciously act upon it.

    ”

    Diese Audiolektion wurde von einem BeFreed-Community-Mitglied erstellt

    Eingabefrage

    I’m a CEO. How not to get defensive when someone gives advice that I believe is not rooted in experience.

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    "Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

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    "Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

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    "I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

    @Chloe, Solo founder, LA
    platform
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    117

    "Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

    @Raaaaaachelw
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    "Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

    @Matt, YC alum
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    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

    @Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
    platform
    comments
    254
    likes
    17

    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

    @djmikemoore
    platform
    star
    star
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    Kernaussagen

    1

    The Pain of Unwanted Advice

    0:00
    0:16
    0:24
    0:38
    0:55
    1:05
    1:24
    2

    The Anatomy of Defensive Leadership

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    3

    When Experience Becomes a Prison

    7:21
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    4

    The Neuroscience of Staying Open

    13:16
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    5

    The Hidden Value in Unlikely Sources

    19:41
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    6

    Transforming Resistance Into Strategic Advantage

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    7

    The CEO's Practical Playbook for Graceful Reception

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    8

    Building a Culture of Constructive Challenge

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    9

    The Compound Returns of Intellectual Humility

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