Reframing Manipulative: Jenny Wood on Turning Taboo Traits Into Superpowers

Most of us were raised to believe being manipulative is a career killer. Jenny Wood says it’s the opposite—if you reframe it. In her New York Times bestseller Wild Courage, the former Google exec argues that being manipulative, bossy, or even reckless can actually fuel your success—when done with empathy, strategy, and courage. In this conversation, Jenny reveals how to self-promote without the cringe, negotiate without apology, and lean into the traits you’ve been taught to suppress to finally get what you want.