204. The Bully in the Mirror with Massimo Backus

Fine is a 4-Letter Word is all about those moments when “fine” is just the mask we wear before life gives us a loud wake-up call.

For Massimo Backus, that wake-up call came wrapped in a leadership 360 evaluation that painted a picture he didn’t recognize. The team he thought he was inspiring and supporting saw someone defensive, unsafe to approach, even a bully. Gut punch, right?

Raised by creative, supportive parents who met in a woodworking class over a three-legged chair, Massimo learned the values of creativity, acceptance, and generosity that would later guide his unconventional career path. He also carried the invisible weight of childhood dyslexia and a lifelong habit of needing to prove himself. That pattern followed him into adulthood and eventually showed up in how he led others.

His relentless pursuit of purpose-driven work eventually led him to a prestigious position as global head of leadership development for a large international consulting firm, where he thought he had finally “made it.” However, that 360-degree feedback assessment came as an unexpected wake-up call.

Massimo first tried to “fix” himself on his own. It wasn’t until he surrendered control and attended the Hoffman Process, a weeklong retreat, that he uncovered the real saboteur: his own inner critic.

Through self-compassion, Massimo finally found the power to stop performing and start being. Listen as we unpack his journey from overactive inner critic to radical freedom.

Massimo’s hype song is Dance Yrself Clean by LCD Sound System

Resources:

• InKind Leaders Website: https://www.inkindleaders.com/
• Massimo’s Personal Website: https://massimobackus.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/massimo-backus/
• Claim your copy of: “Human First, Leader Second” book

Invitation from Lori:

This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit.

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