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

    Defusing Defensiveness: A CEO's Guide

    55 min
    |
    |
    21 janv. 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

    Meilleure citation de 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.

    ”

    Cette leçon audio a été créée par un membre de la communauté BeFreed

    Question posée

    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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    Mentally Strong Leader
    Great by Choice
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    TWELVE AND A HALF

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    Cree par des anciens de Columbia University a San Francisco

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    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

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

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    "BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

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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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    "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
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    "BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

    @Pitiful
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    "BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

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    "It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

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    "The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

    @Leo, Law Student, UPenn
    platform
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    483

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

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

    @Moemenn
    platform
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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
    comments
    12
    likes
    117

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

    @Raaaaaachelw
    platform
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    star

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

    @Matt, YC alum
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    108

    "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
    star
    star
    star

    "BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

    @Pitiful
    platform
    comments
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    "BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

    @SofiaP
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    "BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

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    "It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

    @OojasSalunke
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    "The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

    @Leo, Law Student, UPenn
    platform
    comments
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    "Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

    @Cashflowbubu
    platform
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    Resumes de livres en vedette
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    Categories tendance
    Self HelpCommunication SkillRelationshipMindfulnessPhilosophyInspirationProductivity
    Listes de lecture de celebrites
    Elon MuskCharlie KirkBill GatesSteve JobsAndrew HubermanJoe RoganJordan Peterson
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    Pulitzer PrizeNational Book AwardGoodreads Choice AwardsNobel Prize in LiteratureNew York TimesCaldecott MedalNebula Award
    Sujets en vedette
    ManagementAmerican HistoryWarTradingStoicismAnxietySex
    Meilleurs livres par annee
    2025 Best Non Fiction Books2024 Best Non Fiction Books2023 Best Non Fiction Books
    Outils d'apprentissage
    Knowledge VisualizerAI Podcast Generator
    Auteurs en vedette
    Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieGeorge OrwellO. J. SimpsonBarbara O'NeillWinston ChurchillCharlie Kirk
    BeFreed vs autres applications
    BeFreed vs. Other Book Summary AppsBeFreed vs. ElevenReaderBeFreed vs. ReadwiseBeFreed vs. Anki
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    © 2026 BeFreed
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    Points clés

    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

    1:36
    1:48
    1:49
    2:04
    2:14
    2:30
    2:32
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    3:10
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    5:23
    5:41
    2:14
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    1:05
    6:34
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    6:54
    7:07
    3

    When Experience Becomes a Prison

    7:21
    7:36
    7:51
    7:56
    8:14
    2:14
    8:37
    8:47
    8:59
    9:11
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    11:36
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    2:32
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    4

    The Neuroscience of Staying Open

    13:16
    13:31
    13:36
    13:49
    2:14
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    14:27
    14:33
    14:46
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    2:14
    5

    The Hidden Value in Unlikely Sources

    19:41
    19:57
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    20:14
    20:29
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    20:52
    2:14
    21:06
    21:08
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    6

    Transforming Resistance Into Strategic Advantage

    26:22
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    15:07
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    27:15
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    2:14
    27:56
    1:05
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    7

    The CEO's Practical Playbook for Graceful Reception

    33:02
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    8

    Building a Culture of Constructive Challenge

    19:41
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    32:44
    9

    The Compound Returns of Intellectual Humility

    47:26
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    48:36
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    55:18

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