Episode 21 - Resist. Speak Up. Do Good with Marion Anderson
Marion Anderson is a Scottish expat living in North West Arkansas, the Co-founder and CEO of The Fearless PX, and co-host of The Elephant in the Org podcast—where workplace taboos get the airtime they deserve. Currently pursuing a PhD, her research dives into psychological safety and how companies are (or aren’t) getting it right when it comes to remote, hybrid, and return-to-office policies. When not debating the future of work, she’s a devoted dog parent to Jack and Talisker—the latter named after her favorite Scottish whisky, of course. Expect hot takes, humor, and just the right amount of rebellion.
What we talk about:
01:48 – Growing up in 1980s West of Scotland: poverty, violence, and early caregiving
03:36 – The strategic good girl: how conditioning served and harmed
04:04 – Rebellion in HR: rejecting outdated norms and using data-driven influence
05:59 – Class trauma, food insecurity, and safety behaviours that linger
07:18 – Avoiding more dangerous paths: controlled rebellion and survival
08:42 – Caring for her father through illness and dementia from a young age
10:15 – Making the impossible decision to place her dad in care
14:16 – Grieving through dementia: ongoing loss and emotional suppression
19:06 – Burnout in the Middle East: filling the void with work and others’ problems
19:41 – Complex PTSD and the realisation of deep emotional damage
21:16 – The origin of Marion’s PhD: why workplace inclusion for carers matters
24:23 – The George Banks problem: work built for men, not women
25:23 – Elon, inequality, and the illusion of meritocracy
27:59 – The cost of existing and how working class women are punished
28:36 – Living in the US South: brainwashing, amnesia, and resistance
31:23 – The call to arms: speak up, be a nasty woman, use your power
33:01 – Research as resistance: how people still want to be heard
37:42 – Why psychological safety must not be the next DEI casualty
39:50 – The business case is clear—but control and conformity are rising
40:47 – Final words: resist, speak up, do good—because it’s the right thing
Follow Marion on social media:
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marionandersonpx/
Elephant in the Org - https://theelephantintheorg.buzzsprout.com/
The Fearless PX - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-fearless-px
Follow Michelle on social media:
Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin
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