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Worklife with Molly Graham

Worklife with Molly Graham

TED 271 Episodes Aug 18, 2026

WorkLife with Molly Graham explores the messy, emotional side of the modern workplace. Host Molly Graham, a company builder, talks with founders, operators, and creatives about ambition, failure, joy, and burnout. Each episode uncovers the real stories behind success and offers lessons for building a meaningful career without losing yourself.

Episodes

Forget the corporate ladder — winners take risks with Molly Graham | from TED Talks Daily
Forget the corporate ladder — winners take risks with Molly Graham | from TED Talks Daily Aug 18, 2026 48:13 Success in your career looks different for everyone — but no matter your industry, you'll need to take risks. Company and community builder Molly Graham took to the TED stage two years ago to share three key skills to learn before jumping off a metaphorical cliff, outlining a path off the corporate ladder and into true professional and personal growth -- and these key skills are more relevant toda
Can AI make you a better manager? with Hilary Gridley
Can AI make you a better manager? with Hilary Gridley Aug 11, 2026 46:02 Managing people is a deeply human line of work—it requires relational skills, judgement, and deep knowledge of the people you work with. But Hilary Gridley believes that when used properly, AI can not only help you become a better manager, but can help your team make more meaningful use of their human skills. Hilary has spent years leading teams at companies like Whoop, and she’s known for her wor
Lessons: What to do when you get “layered” at work
Lessons: What to do when you get “layered” at work Aug 4, 2026 25:29 If your company is growing faster than you can keep up, your manager might decide to “layer” you—that is, split your job in half or hire someone with more experience to become your boss. This is an experience a lot of people go through at work, but it’s rarely talked about because it’s often unpleasant for everyone involved. In this episode, Molly offers practical advice for anyone going through l
What pressure can teach you about leadership with Don Faul
What pressure can teach you about leadership with Don Faul Jul 28, 2026 45:07 A good leader is one who anchors and supports their team under pressure—and nowhere are the stakes higher than in the military. Don Faul spent five years as an officer in an elite unit in the Marine Corps. He then went on to become one of the most important operational leaders at Facebook, where he built and ran global teams during the company's most intense years of growth before he left to lead
Why you should give away your most valuable assets with TED Chairman Chris Anderson
Why you should give away your most valuable assets with TED Chairman Chris Anderson Jul 21, 2026 41:18 In times of change, sometimes the best way to hold onto your success is to let go of the things that got you there. Chris Anderson became the steward of TED in 2001, and transformed what was once a small, exclusive conference into a household name when he made the risky decision to make TED talks free and globally accessible online. In this episode, Molly sits down with Chris at the 2026 TED Confe
Why faith has a place at work with Stacy Brown-Philpot
Why faith has a place at work with Stacy Brown-Philpot Jul 14, 2026 39:42 Religious faith is something that isn’t often discussed at work—in fact, speaking openly about your religious beliefs may be regarded as an unspoken taboo in some workplaces. But just like any other source of grounding intuition, faith is a powerful foundation for so many people when it comes to navigating uncertainty and tough decisions in their professional lives. Stacy Brown-Philpot was the CEO
How to find your way when you feel lost with Ify Walker
How to find your way when you feel lost with Ify Walker Jul 7, 2026 36:28 If you feel like you’ve lost your way at work—you’re burnt out, you’ve stopped trusting your own instincts, and every conversation leaves you overwhelmed or confused—then you might have a case of what Ify Walker calls the work twisties. Ify is the founder and CEO of Offor, a talent agency and recruiting firm that places executives at mission-driven businesses. In this episode, Ify and Molly reflec
Why the smartest person in the room is asking the “dumb” questions | from TED Business
Why the smartest person in the room is asking the “dumb” questions | from TED Business Jun 30, 2026 32:00 One of our favorite TED talks on TED Business is from company builder Molly Graham. She’s also the new host of WorkLife with Molly Graham, another podcast from TED. Modupe sits down with Molly at TED2026 to talk about her journey from Facebook to giving her first TED Talk to now joining TED as a podcaster. Molly shares how she quietens her inner critic whom she affectionately calls “Bob the Monste
What is your company culture (and why does it matter)? with Mike Schroepfer
What is your company culture (and why does it matter)? with Mike Schroepfer Jun 23, 2026 38:01 Most leaders say culture matters. Far fewer can explain how it's actually built. Mike Schroepfer spent more than a decade helping build Facebook's engineering organization during some of its fastest—and messiest—years of growth. As CTO, he helped shape a culture built around learning, experimentation, and moving quickly. In this episode, Mike discusses why great cultures aren't created through val
Why success is never linear with Claire Hughes Johnson
Why success is never linear with Claire Hughes Johnson Jun 16, 2026 33:28 It’s easy to look at successful companies and other people’s successful careers and assume the path was obvious. The reality is that success feels messy. Claire Hughes Johnson, former COO of Stripe, joins Molly to explore how difficult moments distort our perspective and why some of the work we're proudest of often felt like failure while we were living it. Together they discuss resilience, uncert
FAQ: How to disagree productively, know which hills to die on, and find your mentors with Ashley Murphy
FAQ: How to disagree productively, know which hills to die on, and find your mentors with Ashley Murphy Jun 9, 2026 41:38 In fast-changing companies, some things move so fast that you rarely have time to consult the business books when questions arise. Welcome to Frequently Asked Questions, a segment on WorkLife where Molly answers questions from listeners about the topics they confront in real time. In this episode, Molly is joined by Ashley Murphy, a key member of Molly’s team and one of the people that helped crea
How to find your purpose (w/ Master Fixer Molly Graham) | from Fixable
How to find your purpose (w/ Master Fixer Molly Graham) | from Fixable Jun 7, 2026 38:08 What is your true purpose—and how do you find it? This month, Anne and Frances are tackling one of life’s biggest questions in search of answers for Fixers of all ages, from fresh graduates charting their first career moves to seasoned executives craving something more. In this episode, Anne sits down with Molly Graham, a former executive at Facebook and the new host of TED’s WorkLife podcast, to

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