The Modern Manager: Create and Lead Successful Teams

We don't come into this world with particular biases. We pick them up from our experiences with the people and world around us over time. And these biases affect how we show up every day (and not in a good way!)So, today's guest is here to share her wisdom on what managers can do to have a more inclusive workplace where everyone thrives.Today's guest is Risha Grant. Risha is an award-winning diversity consultant and international corporate speaker. She is the author of Be Better Than Your BS: How Radical Acceptance Empowers Authenticity and Creates a Workplace Culture of Inclusion.In this week's episode, Risha and I talk about what “BS” is and how to identify your own biases and work through them.We also talk about microaggressions and their opposite - micro-inclusions - and how to respond when someone has said or done something you've found offensive and when someone calls you out. Ready to create a more inclusive workplace for your team?Join the conversation now!Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics (00:00) Intro (02:07) What does BS stand for (04:08) How Risha became more aware of her own BS  (11:21) The microaggression and micro-inclusion concepts explained (19:15) What managers can do differently in handling microaggressive behaviors (24:53) The role that radical acceptance plays in creating an inclusive workplace (29:23) How to create an organization that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (34:22) A great manager that Risha has worked for (35:38) Keep up with Risha (36:44) [Extended Episode Only] How to start educating yourself to undo internal biases (43:53) [Extended Episode Only] An honest answer to a tough question Additional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Read the related blog article here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more hereConnect with Risha:- Follow Risha on Instagram here- Follow her on Twitter here- Check her out on LinkedIn here- Visit her official website for more information hereGuest Bonus: 5 Copies of Be Better Than Your BS Book Risha is happy to offer 5 copies of “Be Better Than Your BS: How Radical Acceptance Empowers Authenticity and Creates a Workplace Culture of Inclusion” to members of The Modern Manager community. Using stories from her personal and professional journey as well as those of her clients, Grant encourages you to first examine the roots of your own BS through a process of radically accepting yourself and then to build a BS-free culture, which can only happen when you learn to radically accept others. She also shares the exercises, tools, and strategies she has taught thousands of people at all levels to make their workplaces more accepting, inclusive, and productive. Get a chance to win a copy of this book and many other member benefits when you join The Modern Manager Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won't miss an episode!

Is your team safe enough at work? Just like physical safety in the workplace, we also need psychological safety if we want people to do their best at work.Psychological safety is about creating a safe space where team members feel comfortable taking risks, sharing their thoughts or ideas, and making mistakes without worrying about ridicule, punishment, or exclusion. And today's guest is just the right person to talk about psychological safety at work.Today's guest is Rich Fernandez. Rich is the CEO of SIY Global and a former Executive Director for People Development at Google. His Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia University, as well as his extensive background in senior leadership for multiple Fortune 500 companies, has made him an unmatched thought leader in the industry of workplace psychology. Rich is an expert in cultivating workplace environments that foster emotional intelligence and mindfulness from the top down. In this episode, Rich and I talk about psychological safety and the interplay between trust, inclusion, belonging, and safety. He also shares why psychological safety at work matters and how you can foster more of it within your team.Join the conversation now!Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics (00:00) Intro (01:41) What is psychological safety, and how is it different from trust? (05:43) How psychological safety and trust go hand-in-hand (07:26) An example of psychological safety in Rich's team   (10:02) How do you know if you're fostering psychological safety in your team (13:03) Two ways for managers to create psychological safety at work (17:18) How to create an atmosphere where all team members can freely share their perspectives (19:10) How to handle dissenting views without scaring off your team members (22:34) Challenges that managers need to overcome when cultivating psychological safety in the team (29:17) A great manager that Rich has worked for (32:52) Keep up with Rich (34:24) [Extended Episode Only] The role of emotional intelligence in fostering psychological safety (39:10) [Extended Episode Only] First step in developing emotional intelligence Additional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Read the related blog article here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more hereConnect with Rich:- Follow Rich on LinkedIn here- Visit SIY Global for more information hereFree eBook: Emotional Intelligence and Mindfulness at WorkRich Fernandez is happy to offer a free eBook to The Modern Manager membership community: Emotional Intelligence and Mindfulness at Work: Why Human-Centered Skills are Essential to Future-Proof Your Organization. In this eBook, you will find the latest research conducted by SIY Global and experts around the impact of emotional intelligence and mindfulness on 4 key organizational trends: 1. Why current levels of stress and burnout are costly and unstable; 2. How connection and belonging in a disconnected world are essential for team performance; 3. The emerging demands for human-centered leadership; 4. The need for resilience and agility to innovate and adapt.Get this free eBook and many other member benefits when you join The Modern Manager Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won't miss an episode!

Do you ever wish you could accomplish more of your goals personally and professionally?Many people believe that accomplishing goals is about time management when, in fact, it's about holding yourself accountable.But why is it hard for people to be accountable?Joining me in this week's episode are two guests who live and breathe accountability.Today's guests are Tasha Howland and Cheron Porter. Tasha and Cheron are passionate about helping individuals reach their highest potential both personally and professionally through accountability coaching, which they do through their business AQ partners.Today, Tasha, Cheron, and I talk about all things accountability. We discuss why it's hard to be accountable and the strategies to increase accountability for yourself and your team members.We also dive into what a good accountability partnership looks like, how to support your team members to be accountable, and more.Join the conversation now!Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics (00:00) Intro (01:45) Why is it hard to hold people accountable (03:13) #1 reason why people avoid self-accountability (06:51) Explaining the chances of reaching your goals (09:32) How to manage accountability during uncertain times (11:51) What does it look like to have an accountability partner (15:15) Factors that are essential in making a good accountability partner (18:34) Formula in setting goals (20:25) The power of specificity (21:58) Tips for doing effective weekly accountability conversations (26:41) Great managers that Tasha and Cheron have worked for (29:50) Keep up with Tasha and Cheron (31:04) [Extended Episode Only] How to find an accountability partner (37:24) [Extended Episode Only] What to do when the other person always seems to make excuses (41:02) [Extended Episode Only] How to make progress when accountability isn't enough Additional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Read the related blog article here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more hereConnect with Cheron and Tasha- Follow Cheron on LinkedIn here- Follow Tasha on LinkedIn here- Check out The AQ Partners on LinkedIn here- Visit their website to learn more here50% Off One-Hour Strategy SessionThe AQ Partners will offer a one-hour strategy session designed to help you break down your big-picture goal into small, actionable steps and craft a massive plan of action tailored to your lifestyle. This dynamic roadmap will guide you and help serve as a foundation when you encounter inevitable struggles and setbacks so you can focus on success. The cost is typically $300, but you can book a strategy session for $150. Get this discount and many other member benefits when you join The Modern Manager Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won't miss an episode!

Are you becoming a bad boss? What are the signs that you're turning into one? Bad boss behaviors can range from micromanagement and poor communication to lack of appreciation and unreasonably high expectations for their employees.The good thing is that bad boss behaviors can be changed. And we've invited someone to help us explore today's topic.Today's guest is Rob Kalwarowsky. Rob is a High-Performance Leadership Coach and TEDx Speaker whose quiet realizations give his audience loud transformations. Rob shares wise insights about toxic leadership, mental health, and finding purpose in life. In this week's episode, Rob and I talk about the six different types of bad bosses, how to avoid accidentally becoming a bad boss, and how to deal with someone with bad boss behaviors.Whether you might be unintentionally using bad boss behaviors or are currently dealing with a toxic boss, tune in now for an insightful conversation.Let's get started!Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics: (00:00) Intro (02:05) What is a bad boss? (03:27) 6 archetypes of bad bosses (10:06) The first step on how not to be a bad boss (15:52) How to determine that you're being a bad boss (19:24) Rob's own experience of dealing with a toxic boss (23:17) Tips on how to start changing your bad boss behaviors (27:36) A great manager Rob has worked for (28:41) Keep up with Rob (30:30) [Extended Episode Only] How to deal with a bad boss (38:01) [Extended Episode Only] What to do when your bad boss's behaviors fit your style? Additional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Read the related blog article here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more hereConnect with Rob Kalwarowsky- Follow Rob on LinkedIn here- Check Rob out on Instagram here- Visit Elite High Performance for more here- FREE How to Deal with A**hole Boss eBook here- Get $50 Off promo code for the How to  Deal with A**hole Boss program here(Use the code MODERNMANAGER)*Members of The Modern Manager community get a FREE Elite High Performance's Purpose Playbook (Usually at $99).Elite High Performance's Purpose Playbook program supports people in becoming clear on their core values and uncovering their innate gifts so they can tap into their sweet spot and create more purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in their lives. Get this discount and many other member benefits when you join The Modern Manager Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won't miss an episode!

Have you had the opportunity to use ChatGPT or other AI tools in your work yet? Have you considered harnessing these tools to improve your communication skills? This conversation might convince you to do so.Today's guest is Helen Dayen. Helen is an executive coach with over 15 years of experience in leadership development, relationship management, business development, and executive coaching. She specializes in elevating influential leadership, honing executive presence, building teams, and fostering stronger professional relationships.In this episode, Helen and I uncover how you can effectively use AI tools like ChatGPT to help you become a better communicator and manager. We talk about how to craft better prompts for more appropriate responses, use ChatGPT to help you better prepare for actual conversations, and leverage its features to improve your strategic thinking and decision-making skills.If you want to learn more about AI and how it can improve your communications, make sure to tune in to this week's episode to learn more!Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Key Takeaways: (00:00) Intro (02:07) AI as a tool for becoming a better manager (03:58) How to use AI to be a better communicator (06:56) The secret to writing good AI prompts (10:09) How AI can help you communicate better in actual conversations (15:36) The disadvantages of using AI as a communication tool (20:36) How to use AI in meetings to improve the group's decision making (22:25) How to get your team to use AI to improve their communication skills (26:33) A great manager Helen has worked for (28:12) Keep up with Helen (29:48) [Extended Episode Only] How AI can help you in decision making (33:34) [Extended Episode Only] Tips for avoiding getting bad responses from AI (36:25) [Extended Episode Only] The MOA influencing model explained Additional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Read the related blog article here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more hereConnect with Helen Dayen- Follow her on Instagram here- Check her out on LinkedIn here- Visit her website for more information here*Members of The Modern Manager community can schedule a complimentary coaching session with Helen. In addition, you can receive a 10% discount on all coaching packages.Get this discount and many other member benefits when you join The Modern Manager Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won't miss an episode!

Throughout millions of years of evolution, our brains became formidable tools of innovation, helping us transcend from agricultural to industrial. However, as the world of work underwent radical changes, we mostly found ourselves facing new challenges that our brains were not initially designed to handle.Today's guest is Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman. Gabriella is an author, entrepreneur, executive, and startup advisor trained as an MD. She has served as Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Product Officer at BetterUp, as well as the founding CEO of Lifelink. Her expertise spans the future of work, behavior change, leadership, well-being, productivity, and behavioral health.In this episode, Gabriella and I explore the critical skills required to thrive in today's rapidly evolving work environment. She shares how we can tap into our brain's evolutionary insights to meet the demands of the modern workplace.From enhancing creativity to fostering trust and collaboration, Gabriella offers practical advice for cultivating these vital skills so you can become a better manager.Tune in now to learn more!Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Key Takeaways: (00:00) Intro (02:26) The evolution of the human brain  (06:21)  Five skills that are important for success in today's modern world  (13:33)  How to help your team feel that they and their works matter (21:11)   How to get your team in the mindset of creativity  & innovation (23:23) The four different types of creativity (26:55) Two ways to help your team tap into their strengths (29:43) A great manager Gabriella has worked for (31:18)  Keep up with Gabriella (32:49) [Extended episode only] How to become a more resilient leader (35:34) [Extended episode only] What can managers do to help their team members become resilient (41:53) [Extended episode only] The different faces of resilience Additional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Read the related blog article here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more hereConnect with Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman- Follow Gabriella on Instagram here- Check Gabriella out on LinkedIn here- Learn more about Gabriella's book Tomorrowmind here* Members of the Modern Manager community get a chance to own a signed copy of Dr. Kellerman's book, “Tomorrowmind”.Get it when you join The Modern Manager Community.-------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won't miss an episode!

For decades, the office served as the central hub of the business ecosystem until the pandemic. Remote work became a trend, and virtual meetings became the standard for collaboration with our teams and facilitating communication. However, along with the convenience of work-from-home setups, a new challenge arose–how can managers effectively convey their thoughts and ideas and become excellent digital communicators?Today's guest is Ty Hoesgen. Ty is a top communication coach, #1 best-selling author, and the Founder of Advanced Growth Institute. He helps professionals from around the world communicate with confidence, charisma, and clarity — so they can get more respect, become stronger leaders, and advance their careers.In today's episode, Ty and I discuss how you can be an excellent communicator using digital mediums - like virtual meetings and emails. We get into the small things you can do to make yourself appear more trustworthy and engaged on the camera, how to write better emails, and more.You don't want to miss this. Tune in now! Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Key Takeaways: (00:00) Intro (02:34) How to make proper eye contact during video calls (06:15) Getting your body position right when on Zoom (09:02) A great tip you can do at every beginning of a call (11:45) The importance of proper lighting (13:50) Natural vs. virtual backgrounds (16:50) How to get your team to follow good video setups (19:03) Email writing hacks (27:03) A great manager Ty has worked for (29:23) Keeping up with Ty (31:22) [Extended episode only] How to effectively convey your ideas or thoughts to your team (32:34)[Extended episode only] The PREP framework explained (39:14) [Extended episode only] Ty's final tips Additional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Community for just $15 per month- Read the related blog article here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more hereConnect with Ty Hoesgen- Follow Ty on Instagram here- Check Ty out on TikTok here  - Check out his latest updates on LinkedIn here- Access Ty's FREE course: 5 Science-Backed Video Call Secrets Every Professional Needs to Know. * Members of the Modern Manager community get a FREE digital copy of Ty's Elite Communication Skills: How to Get More Respect, Make Your Work Life Easier, and Rapidly Advance Your Career. *PLUS 20% off coaching with Ty if you want to speak with confidence and clarity - and finally, stop being overlooked and undervalued. Get all of these when you join The Modern Manager Community.-------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won't miss an episode!

Many of us fall into the perfectionist trap. Whether it's because of strict bosses, high academic standards, or just self-motivation, perfectionism is more common than you'd think. While it's important and healthy to strive to do our best work, at some point all managers have to acknowledge that people will make mistakes and good enough can truly be good enough.Today's guest is Thomas Curran. Thomas is a professor of psychology at the London School of Economics and author of a landmark study that the BBC hailed as “the first to compare perfectionism across generations.” His TED Talk on perfectionism has received more than three million views. His research has been featured in media ranging from the Harvard Business Review to New Scientist to CNN and he has appeared on numerous television and radio programs.Thomas and I talk about, no surprise, perfectionism. He shares the problems that come from being a perfectionist and working in a perfectionist culture, what's really driving perfectionist tendencies, how to identify someone struggling with perfectionism, and of course, what to do to manage perfectionist tendencies in yourself and how to help others.Members of the Modern Manager community get a chance to win 1 of 5 copies of “The Perfection Trap”. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Read the related blog article: Stop Perfectionism From Impeding Your Team's SuccessKEEP UP WITH THOMASBook: https://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Trap-Embracing-Power-Enough/dp/1982149531Read the Full Transcript.Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:53 What is perfectionism? 04:20 What are the harms of always striving for perfection? 06:57 A story of unhealthy perfectionism 09:29 How can managers give feedback to perfectionists? 11:02 How to shift out of perfectionism thinking 20:59 Creating a work environment that doesn't set a perfectionist standard 28:31 A great manager Thomas worked for 30:45 Keeping up with Thomas 31:50 [Extended episode only] Is it true that some aspects of perfectionism lead to success? 39:12 [Extended episode only] What is the link between perfectionism and procrastination? Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $15 per month. mamie@mamieks.cominstagram.com/mamieks

Do you ever feel stuck in the middle? Middle managers have a unique opportunity to understand the high-level objectives of an organization and touch the day-to-day activities that accomplish those goals. However, middle managers can often feel pulled in two different directions, answering to their superiors and the employees below them. How can middle managers effectively balance their time and attention to be their best selves at work? Today's guest is Emily Field. Emily helps organizations establish a talent-first approach, instilling a high-performance culture, and adopting effective people-analytics approaches. Her new book Power to the Middle focuses on how organizations can empower their middle managers who are uniquely positioned close to the daily work AND overall business strategy.  Emily and I talk about the important role that middle managers play, what it is they are uniquely suited to do, and how they can start to shift their role to do more of what's essential and less of what isn't! Five members of the Modern Manager community can get a copy of Emily's book, Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: How to Tap the Hidden Value of Middle Managers   KEEP UP WITH EMILY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilykfield/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Middle-Managers-Hold-Future/dp/1647824850/   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:56 Why middle managers are the secret ingredient in organizations 03:24 What aspects of the managerial role make it essential? 07:58 A manager's unique ability to reallocate work 10:31 A manager's unique ability to connect people with roles (supermarket story) 13:00 How can managers advocate for appropriate compensation and professional development dollars? 24:46 Tools and frameworks to help managers be better in their role 27:17 A great boss Emily has worked for 29:41 Keeping up with Emily 30:50 [Extended episode only] What's the role of a senior manager in this context? 32:40 [Extended episode only] Client story: Bank managers 36:09 [Extended episode only] What is the impact of hiring and promoting managers well? Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Teams are the backbone of all workplaces. When teams are functioning properly, organizations can thrive; and in order for teams to function properly, people must be good teammates. Success often comes down to the ability of individuals to work together effectively. But how do people continue to be good team members in today's ever-changing workforce? Today's guest is Lance Loya, best-selling author and authority on the mindset of a good teammate. His most recent book, The WE Gear, made Forbes' list of “20 Books to Make You a Better Coach or Mentor.” He is also the founder and CEO of The Good Teammate Factory and the creator of National Be a Good Teammate Day. Lance and I talk about what it means to be a good team member. He breaks down the ALIVE model and explains the five factors that every person and manager can embody to be a superstar teammate. Members of the Modern Manager community get 50% off Lance's professional team development course, The Good Teammate Factory. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: The Five Qualities of A Good Teammate Anyone Can Achieve    KEEP UP WITH LANCE Website: http://www.coachloya.com/   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:07 What is the “we gear” concept? 05:49 Five components of the ALIVE model: put the “we gear” mindset into action 10:11 What did Lance discover in his research about great teammates? 11:46 How do leaders show they are truly invested in their teams? 16:23 The importance of simply waving hello 20:48 How to confront people who aren't being good team members 26:38 A great manager Lance has worked for 28:26 Keeping up with Lance 30:00 [Extended episode only] The five teammates that each person needs 34:37 [Extended episode only] Which of the five roles should the manager be? 37:12 [Extended episode only] How can we be a good ‘buddy' with our colleagues without crossing a boundary? Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

EPISODE 263: NAVIGATE EMOTIONS IN THE WORKPLACE WITH JEN HOPE Whether you find yourself grappling with stress, loneliness, or irritation—or simply seeking to cultivate a more positive and productive work environment—managers must learn to navigate the intricate landscape of emotional regulation. Feelings of all sorts make their way into our daily work experience. The challenge is that when they're negative or really strong, they can quickly throw us and our teams off track. Today's guest is Jen Hope. Jen is an accomplished leadership coach with over a decade of experience in helping entrepreneurs and tech leaders thrive. With her unique process that utilizes data to create deeper levels of self-awareness, Jen is committed to promoting compassion and kindness while teaching highly-effective research-backed tools and frameworks to help clients achieve their goals. Jen and I talk about emotions and their impact on us, how we can process our emotions, the integration of emotional and rational thinking, strategies for staying calm and moving forward when your emotions spike and so much more. Members of the Modern Manager community get a major discount on two “Accelerate Your Growth” Strategy Sessions with Jen. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: 4 Steps to Manage Your Emotions at Work   KEEP UP WITH JEN Website: https://heyjenhope.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyjenhope LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heyjenhope/   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:14 Why do we experience emotions? 03:38 Why do some people seem to be less emotional? 08:23 The skill of acknowledging what you're feeling 10:43 Strategies we can use to name our emotions 21:26 How can we support our team members through emotional experiences? 27:00 A great boss Jen has worked for 28:21 Keeping up with Jen 29:00 [Extended episode only] Tangible tips to prepare for emotional conversations Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

EPISODE 262: CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING WITH DR. SAM ADEYEMI Decision-making has been somewhat of a hot topic for leaders lately, and for good reason. Each decision we make, whether big or small, plays a role in either accomplishing our goals or straying from them. But how do we learn to make better decisions, and how do we teach our team members to do the same? Today's guest is Dr. Sam Adeyemi. Sam is a leadership coach, global speaker, and strategic leadership expert, who is focused on shifting people's mindsets so they can see possibilities and become those possibilities. And, he is the author of Dear Leader: Your Flagship Guide to Successful Leadership. Sam and I talk about creative problem solving and decision-making. He shares the special ingredients to bringing a group together to creatively tackle challenges and make strong decisions. Members of the Modern Manager community get a 30 Day free trial to Dr. Sam's Reset Program for Leaders. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article:  How to Creatively Solve Problems and Make Decisions as a Team   KEEP UP WITH DR. SAM Twitter: https://twitter.com/sam_adeyemi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesamadeyemi/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesamadeyemi  Website: https://samadeyemi.com/ Read the Full Transcript.   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:50 Creative problem solving in a team 06:07 Harnessing ideas through brainstorming 09:46 Mind-mapping and other tools for brainstorming 15:43 Using our intuition to make decisions 16:28 A story on intuitive decision-making 21:01 Four lenses for decision-making 25:31 A great manager Sam has worked for 28:01 Keeping up with Sam 30:00 [Extended episode only] Extreme Ownership: What it is, and what does it look like in action? 34:52 [Extended episode only] How do we shift our work culture to encourage extreme ownership? Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Do you ever feel like you can see the end in sight, but you don't know how to get there? Having a vision is important—having clear processes and procedures to accomplish your goals is just as important. In fact, creating and sticking to work processes can be the difference between a team that is chaotic and unorganized versus a team that works together seamlessly to get work done. Today's guest is Racheal Allen. Racheal is a Lean Six Sigma certified consultant, coach and CEO with over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and C-suite executive. Racheal specializes in helping her clients operationalize their visions by leveraging systems, automation and delegation strategies. Racheal and I talk about how to establish work processes that get the ideas out of your head and onto paper in a way that doesnt feel like micromanaging. We get into the role of technology to support ways of working, the importance of setting the team up for effective information flow, and so much more! Members of the Modern Manager community get access to an exclusive “Multiplying Your Time” workshop facilitated live by Racheal. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: Improve Your Team's Operations With the Right Technology   KEEP UP WITH RACHEAL Website: http://www.rachealallen.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachealallen/   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:57 What does it mean to create an operational system in your team? 04:04 What's the right amount of structure in an organization? 06:41 Setting the tone for team infrastructure. 10:43 Systems and processes that are fundamental for any team 12:43 The role of technology and automation 19:09 Best practices for documenting processes 24:17 Onboarding to a tool versus maintaining use of a tool  29:18 A great manager Racheal has worked for 32:04 Keeping up with Racheal 33:00 [Extended episode only] How do we encourage people to maintain operational systems? 37:11 [Extended episode only] Best practices for keeping to-do lists updated 40:31 [Extended episode only] Supporting our team members in what works best for them Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Do you ever feel like the world is against you? Many leaders have risen to the top of their industries by working hard, trying to prove themselves against all odds. But surprisingly, those who have found the greatest success have seen themselves as partners with the world. This deep, sometimes unconscious mindset colors everything from the decisions you make to the habits you form. The question is: do you believe the world will help you get what you want? Today's guest is Dr. Stephen Barden. Stephen is an accomplished coach-mentor and author specializing in developing top-level leaders and organizational cultures. He has a decade of experience in the media, technology, and communications sectors, including ten years as a CEO. Stephen brings a unique perspective on leadership and business, and he is the author of the rigorously researched book, How Successful Leaders Do Business with Their World.  Stephen and I talk about his Navigational Stance concept that depicts how leaders see themselves in relation to the world around them. We get into the Navigational Compass, in which he shares some of the behaviors and mindsets that great managers possess.  Members of the Modern Manager community get a slide deck with the SOVOS approach to help you prepare for difficult conversations. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: Proven Mindsets for the Successful Leader   KEEP UP WITH STEPHEN Book: https://www.amazon.com/Successful-Leaders-Business-Their-World/dp/0367564114  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbarden/ Website: https://www.stephenbarden.org/   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:57 What is the Navigational Stance mindset?  05:21 How do people come to believe the world is for or against them? 10:19 Compass Point: Holism – see all the linkages mindset 15:50 Compass Point: Triangular challenge - explore assumptions mindset 22:29 Compass Point: Pragmatism - Do the best possible mindset 27:42 A great manager Stephen has worked for 29:03 Keeping up with Stephen 30:45 [Extended episode only] How do we identify potential leaders within our organizations? 37:42 [Extended episode only] Holding a partnering mindset with our team members Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Have you ever heard the phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who you know"? The people in our circles can have a large impact on the work we do and the career decisions we make. But how do we get people in our circles in the first place, and keep them there? Networking. An essential skill for managers, networking allows you to build relationships with people in and out of your industry, learn about new opportunities, and find mentors who can help you advance your career.  Today's guest is Megan Burke Roudebush. Megan is the Founder + CEO of keepwith, a technology that is helping the world network better. Megan speaks globally, has appeared on other well-followed podcasts, has written articles on networking topics for national publications, including Fast Company, Thrive, TLNT and Law360.com, and has been featured in global publications for her networking expertise. Megan and I talk all things networking. What it is, how to do it well, how to support your team members to network, and so much more. Members of the Modern Manager community get 50% off a 1-year subscription of keepwith. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: How to Network Your Way to Success   KEEP UP WITH MEGAN Website: www.keepwith.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/keepwithnetworking Twitter: www.twitter.com/keepwithnetwork LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/18768126/admin/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/keepwithnetworking/ Email: megan@keepwith.com   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:45 What is networking and how do you maintain relationships? 04:17 The first step (which we often get wrong!) 07:01 Building authentic, not transactional, relationships 09:32 Client story: Meeting Taylor Swift 10:34 Networking in vs. outside your company 16:05 How to construct a networking conversation 18:31 How can managers support their peoples' networking journeys? 21:15 When to say “no” 24:28 Develop your networking strategy 27:25 A great manager Megan has worked for 28:26 Keeping up with Megan 29:30 [Extended episode only] What to do during your strategic networking time  33:21 [Extended episode only] How do you network with strangers? 35:12 [Extended episode only] The key is humility Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Of all the learning resources available, sometimes the best one is another person. No matter how much we know about a certain topic or industry, there is likely someone who knows a bit more. Mentorship allows people to grow and learn directly from another person, who shares their wisdom, guidance, motivation, and knowledge. But how frequently is mentorship used in the workplace, and what can we do about it? Today's guest is Scott Jeffrey Miller. Scott is a highly sought-after speaker, author, and podcast host. He is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and currently serves as FranklinCovey's senior advisor on thought leadership. Prior to his advisor role, Scott was a twenty-¬five-year FranklinCovey associate, serving as the Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President. He hosts On Leadership With Scott Miller, the world's largest weekly leadership podcast. Scott is a partner in Gray+Miller, a speaking, literary, and talent agency. We talk about mentorship, why it's important to find yourself a mentor and how to be one, as well as what to do and what not to do.  We also cover the difference between mentoring and coaching and whether managers can mentor their staff, plus a whole lot more. Members of the Modern Manager community get a digital card deck for mentoring sessions. To complement his book, Scott created a set of handy, quick reference cards to use in your mentoring sessions. The cards highlight key insights from each of the 13 roles, as well as questions, watchouts, and phrases to progress your mentoring success. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: How to Use Mentorship To Change Your Life   KEEP UP WITH SCOTT Great Mentorship Website: http://www.greatmentorship.com/ Gray + Miller Website: http://www.graymilleragency.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottjeffreymiller/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scottmillerj1 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/franklincovey-on-leadership-with-scott-miller/id1391164389   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:27 How is mentorship different from coaching? 05:07 Why do we need mentors? 08:32 Key roles mentors can play 11:05 Role 2: The Boundary Setter 15:32 Role 8: The Visionary 21:34 How to find the right mentor 24:22 How to ask for mentorship so the person will say yes. 27:41 A great manager Scott has worked for 29:50 Keeping up with Scott 31:07 [Extended episode only] Role 1: The Revealer 34:50 [Extended episode only] The one thing never to do as a mentor 36:01 [Extended episode only] Role 11: The Activator Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

While we may not realize it, stories are constantly underlying our thinking. We formed stories about ourselves when we were younger, we interpret messages through our pre-existing stories, and we tell ourselves stories to help us understand the world around us. These stories have a great influence on how we relate to the people around us. So, how can we recognize the impact stories have on us and learn how to utilize them more effectively when communicating with others? Today's guest is Chuck Wisner. Chuck is a sought-after thinker, coach, and teacher in organizational strategy, conversational dynamics, and leadership excellence. He has spent twenty-five years as a business and personal consultant and a trusted advisor to leaders in high-profile companies across industries including Google, Apple, Tesla, Ford, DTE Energy, General Motors, and others. He is author of The Art of Conscious Conversations. Chuck and I talk about the stories we tell ourselves and how they can get in the way of productive conversations with our colleagues, and also help or hinder us in general. We touch on how to unpack our own thoughts, how to better understand our team member's perspectives, and a whole lot more. Members of the Modern Manager community get a discount on a speaking engagement if you would like Chuck to speak at your corporate or community event. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: Confront the Stories in Your Head that Hold Your Team Back   KEEP UP WITH CHUCK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chuck_wisner/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-wisner/Website: https://www.chuckwisner.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chuckwisnerconsulting   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:52 Stories are the foundation of our thoughts 03:11 An example of how stories can serve us 04:46 How do we become more conscious of the beliefs we embody? 06:43 Exercise: “Left-hand column” 11:13 How do we help our team members shift their consciousness?  15:30 Facts vs. opinions 19:12 Example of a client who has gone through this process 27:00 A great boss Chuck has worked for 28:25 Keeping up with Chuck 29:15 [Extended episode only] The next stage of conversation: What comes after storytelling? 31:14 [Extended episode only] How can we commit to more effective conversations? 35:27 [Extended episode only] Making better commitments Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  Additional Resources: Download the PDF introduction to Chuck's book, The Art of Conscious Conversations, on his website. Book a free, 30-minute consultation/advising session if you are interested in understanding more about Chuck's work and how you could work together. Via his contact link, send an email, letting Chuck know you came from The Modern Manager. mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Each person brings their values and perspectives to group decision-making. But what happens when those perspectives seem to be conflicting? We need to be cost conscious, and we also need high quality. We need honesty, and we also need kindness and grace. We need structure, and we also need flexibility. When we feel like we're stuck between conflicting options or mindsets, it might be a moment for both/and thinking. Having a better understanding of polarities can help us leverage the best of both worlds. Today's guest is Ronni Hendel. Ronni works as a coach and facilitator with individual leaders, teams, and organizations. She supports her clients in building their capacity to achieve results through others and to navigate through increased complexity. She helps them move beyond self-awareness into being able to consistently respond with grace and clarity under pressure. Ronni and I talk about what polarities are, how they show up in the workplace and create tension or conflict, and how to embrace them using a both-and mindset. We get into the polarities map and how it can be a tool to help your team find a better path forward. Members of the Modern Manager community get a guide to leveraging polarities including how to identify when a polarity is at play. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: The Magic of Both/And Thinking and Exploring Polarities   KEEP UP WITH RONNI Website: www.insightoutleadership.com   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:01 What are polarities? 07:56 How to collaborate instead of choose sides 12:37 Introducing the idea of polarities to colleagues 14:56 Understanding the polarity map 18:46 The vulnerability of letting go 22:59 How to find a middle ground 25:12 A great manager Ronni has worked for 26:49 Keeping up with Ronni 27:30 [Extended episode only] The difference between ‘complex' and ‘complicated' 32:55 [Extended episode only] Common situations that managers mislabel 35:25 [Extended episode only] How polarities show up in complex versus complicated situations Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

How can a manager help their team members grow if they aren't aware of their skillsets, dreams, and roadblocks? Managers play a critical role in supporting their people's growth, and in order to do this, they need a better understanding of how to help each person. The best way to make this happen is one-on-ones.  Today's guest is Jason Wick. Jason is a Director of Product Development with nearly a decade of management experience in a variety of industries. His passion lies in managing and guiding others to reach higher levels in their professional performance, both as individuals and as teams. He is also the host of the Leadership Voyage podcast. Jason and I talk about the infamous one-on-ones: what these meetings are all about, how you can use them to strengthen your team, what everyone should be doing to prepare for a productive conversation, and so much more.  Members of the Modern Manager community get a one-pager with 1-1 reflection questions and 8 ways to ruin (or restore) your 1-1s. Members also get the extended interviews and other benefits! Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: How To Have One-on-Ones That Center What Your Employee Needs   KEEP UP WITH JASON LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonallenwick/   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:50 What are one-on-ones all about? (Your team member is your customer!) 06:45 How often should we hold one-on-ones? 11:45 Can canceling one-on-ones really be hurtful to our team members? 13:59 How should managers properly prepare for a one-on-one? 19:00 The 10/10/10 approach, and other ways to focus on employee growth 21:19 How should team members properly prepare for a one-on-one? 23:55 Receiving and encouraging employee feedback 27:06 A great manager Jason has worked for 28:19 Keeping up with Jason 29:25 [Extended Interview] How do you serve employees who don't want to engage in one-on-ones? 34:20 [Extended Interview] Other processes for performance reviews and relationship building mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the way we work. From hybrid work to workplace culture; from motivation to burnout; from work-life balance to communication; the pandemic changed nearly everything about the workforce. Not only did employees have to navigate these changes, but managers had to drastically adjust the expectations for their teams—and many are still adapting today. Today's guest is Mia Russell. Mia has served in various roles across nonprofit, academic, and corporate sectors. Currently, as a lecturer in the Center for Leadership Education at Johns Hopkins University, she teaches leadership and management courses, and her research focuses on the sustainability of well-being, specifically family economic well-being and career/work-related well-being. We talk about the expectations about work that are changing. We touch on quiet quitting, what employers or bosses can reasonably ask of their people, how all of this ties to burnout and the need to create a healthy balance in life, and so much more. Five members of the Modern Manager community can get a 30-minute call with Mia to help them identify strategies to reduce organizational factors that promote burnout. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: It's Not Quiet Quitting: What's Really Going On With Your Team   KEEP UP WITH MIA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miabrussell   Timestamps & Topics: 00:00 Intro 01:49 Three categories of “Quiet Quitting” 06:17 How are pre-pandemic work expectations different from current expectations? 10:03 How do we meaningfully engage our team members? 15:03 The importance of healthy motivation 17:50 How can we set boundaries to avoid burnout? 23:26 Understanding your values around work and time 27:17 A fantastic boss Mia has worked for 29:09 Keeping up with Mia 30:20 [Extended episode only] How can managers identify team members on the verge of burnout? 38:47 [Extended episode only] Physical versus emotional burnout mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Setting healthy productivity habits is crucial for our overall well-being. When we are productive, we feel good about ourselves and our accomplishments; we are also more likely to achieve our goals. However, if we are not careful, an excessive emphasis on productivity without boundaries can lead to burnout. We can experience overwhelm as extreme physical and mental exhaustion which keeps us from being our best. So, how do we find the balance of a productive yet fulfilling approach to work? Today's guest is Byron Morrison, the author of "Maybe You Should Give Up - 7 ways to get out of your own way and take control of your life". He is also a mindset and performance coach, who for close to a decade has worked with CEOs, business leaders and entrepreneurs in 15 different countries to take control and become more effective in their role. Byron and I talk about managing your time and energy to be most productive and effective. He shares some counterintuitive approaches to dealing with overwhelm, stress and more. Members of the Modern Manager community get access to Byron's “Amplify” Course for free with the purchase of his book. This course is the ultimate productivity, time, and energy management course for CEOs and business leaders. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: Better Manage Your Time and Energy to Reduce Overwhelm   KEEP UP WITH BYRON Website: byronmorrison.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorbyronmorrison/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbyronmorrison Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorbyronmorrison   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:43 “Someone who is overwhelmed is just under-planned” 03:36 Strategy to get through mental overwhelm (brain dump) 05:29 What are push days vs. pull days? 09:42 How to structure push days and pull days 11:03 Byron's approach to reducing task-associated stress 15:31 Recommendations for daily planning 17:33 How do teams collectively become more productive? 19:52 Client story on accountability 21:52 Byron's stress de-compounding approach 27:26 A great manager Byron has worked for 28:48 Keeping up with Byron 30:00 [Extended episode only] Setting boundaries in your planning 35:28 How do we stay involved while setting boundaries? mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Collaboration is essential for success in today's workplace. No matter how much intelligence and creativity any individual possesses, collaboration between team members always leads to better results. Collaboration allows team members to pool their ideas and expertise, leading to more creative, diverse, and innovative solutions while leveraging each person's strengths. Plus, team members who experience successful collaborations feel more engaged and satisfied at work. Today's guest is Deb Mashek. Deb is a social psychologist who helps business leaders navigate the relationship headwinds that tank timelines, bottom lines, and well-being. An experienced business advisor, professor, and nonprofit executive, her writing appears in MIT-Sloan Management Review, Fortune, ReWorked, The Hechinger Report, and Psychology Today. Deb has been an invited speaker on collaboration and viewpoint diversity at leading organizations including the United Nations and the American Psychological Association. She is the international bestselling author of Collabor(h)ate. We talk about how to foster successful collaborations within your team and organization. What are different ways we work together that we might call collaboration, what are the factors that go into collaboration, and how do you improve each of them or deal with it when things aren't going well. Members of the Modern Manager community get a recording of Deb's 1-Hour Workshop on Deep Collaboration, which will equip you to identify and overcome the collaboration headwinds that are holding back your organization. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: How to Build Strong Collaborations (Even When Your Team Can't Stand Each Other)   KEEP UP WITH DEB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-mashek/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@debmashek Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebMashek Instagram: www.instagram.com/debmashek/   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:00 What counts as collaboration? 03:32 What does ‘successful' collaboration mean? 05:07 The importance of relationships 10:08 How integrated should we be with our co-workers? 11:50 Four quadrants of collaboration, with examples 19:52 How to increase the quality of your relationships 26:51 A great manager Deb has worked for 28:47 Keeping up with Deb 30:00 [Extended episode only] How to increase interdependence 31:19 [Extended episode only] Creating a strong collaborative ecosystem 34:47 [Extended episode only] What skills and competencies can we develop to become better collaborators? 37:25 [Extended episode only] Software and tools for effective collaboration mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Being productive is a skill that comes naturally to some people, but it can be more difficult for others, especially those with learning differences or other challenges. Depending on your attention span, level of motivation, executive functioning skills, and environment, you may struggle to find success with traditional productivity advice. It's important to remember that everyone's mind is different, and with the right tools and mindset, you and each of your team members are capable of productivity greatness! Today's guest is Sandra Halling. Sandra is a marketing systems and technology consultant who has a passion for finding smart, efficient ways of working so you can let go of the hustle. Sandra is a systems expert on platforms like Notion and ConvertKit but her real priority is helping you develop better work habits by achieving Aligned Productivity — that is to say, aligning your work with your values so you feel calm, confident, and can prioritize what matters to you. Sandra and I talk about different approaches to planning and staying organized that work for different styles of thinking. She shares her thoughts on what productivity is all about and how to navigate differences in productivity approaches, and a whole lot more. Members of the Modern Manager community get two bonuses this week! The first is 1 Free Month of Aligned Productivity Membership, which helps highly sensitive entrepreneurs and professionals feel more productive, without the hustle or overwhelm that comes from traditional productivity. The second is a set of Free Productivity Reflection Templates. Get these when you join the Modern Manager community. Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email. Get 25% off The Modern Manager Skills Accelerator through April 30, 2023. The Skills Accelerator is designed to help you gain the skills, mindset and habits needed to effectively manage your team and yourself so that everyone gets to be their best selves and do their best work.   Read the related blog article: Productivity Approaches That Reduce Stress and Increase Accomplishment   KEEP UP WITH SANDRA Website: https://sandrahalling.com/ Membership Website: https://feelmoreproductive.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrahalling/   Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:12 Why do we feel pressure to be so productive? 05:46 Do we set ourselves up for failure? 07:59 How to acknowledge what we've accomplished 10:34 Tip for neurodivergent listeners: breaking down tasks 12:30 Why different approaches work for different people 18:30 What happens when your preferred method doesn't match your co-workers'? 24:05 Tools for team productivity 29:43 About a great manager Sandra has worked for 31:28 Keeping up with Sandra 33:00 [Extended episode only] Getting started with “aligned productivity” 38:40 [Extended episode only] How to align your daily tasks with larger goals Additional Resources: Join the Skills Accelerator (which includes a Patron level membership) this month to get 25% off to celebrate my 250th episode. Go to themodernmanager.com/milestone250 for details and the discount. mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Welcome to episode 250 of The Modern Manager! Phew! I'm so excited to reach this milestone, and I'm so grateful for everyone who has listened to and supported the podcast along the way. Thank you for being here; here's to 250 more! For this episode, I decided to take a look back at some key ideas that I've learned from my amazing guests over the past year or so. While every guest shares something insightful, I chose 5 key takeaways that, for me, stood out in some way. Members of the Modern Manager community get a massive discount on a 360 process facilitated by me. This includes a survey of up to 10 of your colleagues to gather feedback on their experience working with you, your strengths and where you can improve. You'll receive a full written report plus a 1-hour debrief session with me to review the findings and plan next steps. This special pricing of $250 (instead of upwards of $1,000) is available to 10 members. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.    Get 25% off when you join the Modern Manager Skills Accelerator before 11:59pm Eastern April 30, 2023.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles, and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: 5 Quick Actions for Managers to Improve Their Leadership   Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:26 The four temperaments that shape our core values (from episode 219) 03:05 Excerpt from episode 219 05:21 Mamie's takeaways from episode 219 06:25 Mental toughness (from episode 229) 06:45 Excerpt from episode 229 08:34 Mamie's takeaways from episode 229 10:00 How the seeds you plant can grow (from episode 237) 10:20 Excerpt from episode 237 11:39 Mamie's takeaways from episode 237 12:40 Acknowledging emotions during times of change (from episode 193) 13:03 Excerpt from episode 193 15:43 Mamie's takeaways from episode 193 16:30 Addressing conflict head on (from episode 228) 16:44 Excerpt from episode 228 20:11 Mamie's takeaways from episode 228 mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

Do you know your team members' unique talents? Every member of a workplace possesses a unique set of talents and skills that can be valuable to a team. By utilizing these diverse abilities, teams can become more efficient, innovative, and successful. Even more, when team members feel valued for their contributions, it fosters a positive and collaborative work environment. Today's guest is Scott Whiteford. As Director of Leadership Analytics, Scott is a leading authority on The Science of Talent and has coached over 1,700 leaders on how to develop talent. His primary analytical focus is on utilizing Talent Plus' Executive Interview to help companies select and coach leaders and their teams based on their strengths. He thoughtfully uses talent solutions such as the Team Retreat, TeamView, Leadership 360s, Collaborative Coaching, and Progression & Succession Planning to develop leaders and build effective teams through a strengths-management approach. Scott and I talk about taking a strengths-based approach to management and talent development. We discuss what it means to focus on talents, how to figure out what those strengths are, how to lean into the strengths of your team members and how to do so in ways that feel fair. Members of the Modern Manager community get a free talent assessment and customized report. Take it yourself or give it to your team members as a tool to guide professional development. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week's episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.   Read the related blog article: Focus On Developing Your Team Members' Strengths (Instead of Their Weaknesses!)   KEEP UP WITH SCOTT: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TalentPlusInc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TalentPlusInc/ Scott LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwhiteford/ Talent Plus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talent-plus-inc/   Timestamps & Topics: 0:00 Introductions 1:54 What is strengths-based management? (Mercedes Benz analogy) 5:46 How do leaders recognize what people's strengths are? 7:17 Examples of strengths Scott has encountered, and how he helped develop them 10:12 How to have conversations with team members about shaping their job to better suit their strengths 14:01 What if someone wants to do a particular job, but you don't think it fits their strengths? 17:26 Examples of a strengths-based assessment at work 19:00 What to do if you realize you don't have particular talents that are needed (compensatory strategies) 23:04 How do we shift jobs based on strengths while staying fair and equitable? 26:36 About a great manager that Scott worked for 28:00 Keep up with Scott [Extended episode only] 29:00 Addressing strengths as an element of DEI [Extended episode only] 31:20 Shifting roles on a full-scale vs. team-wide level [Extended episode only] 35:00 Tips on reorienting our thinking to be strengths-based Get the extended episode by joining The Modern Manager community for just $5 per month.  Additional Resources: https://go.talentplus.com/makeitagreatday mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

At some point, we’ve all been told to “Work smarter, not harder.” But what does that actually mean? Working smarter often means recognizing the importance of mindset in our work. The way we approach tasks, challenges, and even successes can have a significant impact on our team. Recognizing when your mindset isn’t serving you can help you overcome obstacles and achieve your goals. Today’s guest is Dre Baldwin. Dre is CEO and Founder of Work On Your Game Inc. He has given 4 TEDxTalks and has authored 33 books. Dre had a 9-year professional basketball career, playing in 8 countries. His framework is the "roadmap in reverse" for professional mindset, strategy, systems, and execution. Dre and I talk about one of his chapters from his book Work On Your Game where he lays out mental mistakes that good people make that can inhibit you and your team from accomplishing your goals. Members of the Modern Manager community get a chance to win one copy of Dre’s book, Work On Your Game. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email. Read the related blog article: Four Common Mental Mistakes That Trip Managers Up KEEP UP WITH DRE LinkedIn: http://LinkedIn.com/in/DreAllDay Facebook: http://Facebook.com/WorkOnYourGame Twitter: http://Twitter.com/DreAllDay Instagram: http://Instagram.com/DreBaldwin YouTube: http://YouTube.com/Dreupt Website: http://DreAllDay.com Key Takeaways: Mindset impacts success. Unhealthy ways of thinking can block us from our goals. Replaying negative memories/worries in our head robs us of the potential energy of the presen

You’ve probably heard of meditation as a personal practice, but did you know it can have benefits to your professional life? Regular meditation practice can help reduce stress, improve focus, and increase emotional regulation. In addition, it can spark increased creativity, better decision-making, and improved relationships. Imagine how our workplaces would be if all of these benefits became reality! Today’s guest is Shai Tubali. Shai is a happiness history expert and a PhD researcher at the University of Leeds in the UK. His numerous books published over the last two decades have won awards, become bestsellers and been published in 11 languages. His newest book, "Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Meditation,” was published in January 2023 and explores 35 meditation techniques from all over the world. Shai’s postgraduate expertise in science fiction film and pop culture enables him to share common principles that can help modern humans struggling with trauma, fear, uncertainty, depression, anxiety, and screen addiction. Shai and I talk about why it’s helpful to meditate, the benefits you can expect to feel, how to get started with meditating and the various different techniques, and how meditation can improve how you show up as a manager and engage with your colleagues. Members of the Modern Manager community get a 50% discount on Shai’s 21-Day Challenges. These challenges are an invitation to tap into a new potential and to bring the light and clarity of consciousness to your everyday life. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email. Read the related blog article: How a 5 Minute Meditation Routine Can Make You a Better Manager KEEP UP WITH SHAI Website: https://shaitubali.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sevenawakenings https://twitter.com/STubali Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaitubali/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShaiTubali Book: https://www.amazon.com/Llewellyns-Complete-Book-Meditation-Comprehensive-ebo

While everyone approaches their work with a different mindset, there’s one factor that can heavily influence the mindset you bring to work: your generation. From Gen X, to Millennials, to Gen Z, different generations can bring unique perspectives to a workplace that can lead to communication and cultural differences. To work together effectively, it’s important for individuals to recognize and respect each other’s experiences and strengths, and share their unique knowledge with each other. Today’s guest is Vivek Iyyani. Vivek is a professional speaker and author. He's written 3 books on Millennials and consults to Fortune 500 organizations to bridge the generational gap within their teams. We talk about what managers can learn from Millenials and Gen Z, and what those generations can learn from older generations, too, all in service of making the workplace healthier and stronger for all of us. Members of the Modern Manager community can win 1 giveaway copy of Vivek’s book, The Millennial Leader. In a new age of leadership, millennial leaders face the ultimate challenge of overcoming generational differences, reverse ageism, motivating an isolated, remote, gig and burnt-out workforce, while juggling all the responsibilities and expectations as a leader. This book is the ultimate guide for any Millennial who’s moving into management. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email. Read the related blog article: What Boomers and Millennials Can Learn From Each Other at Work KEEP UP WITH VIVEK LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millennialexpertasia Website: https://www.vivekiyyani.com/ Key Takeaways: Millennials prefer new technology and focus on doing things more efficiently. This may be mislabeled as being “lazy”. Incorporating new technology or learning new processes (even if more efficient) can slow down Boomers, which is often why they resist new methods. Balance new technology with helping everyone master it at their own pace. Ask with curiosity why processes or workflows are the way they are. Millennials text more than talk, which can cause communication breakdowns. They can learn from Boomers the soft skills of having di

Teams are the backbone of organizations. When functioning well, team members feel a sense of belonging, while maximizing their collective resources and skills to accomplish the organizations’ goals. In addition, effective teams will enable organizations to become more efficient and productive. Therefore, the leader of every team must ask: Is my team performing effectively? If not, where do they need to improve, and how can I guide them to success? Today’s guest is Dave Gloss. Dave is the Head of Team Effectiveness at AIIR Consulting, leading a global practice dedicated to building high-performing and inclusive company cultures. As an expert Team Consultant, Dave has worked with hundreds of Senior Leadership Teams to assess their companies and identify the root causes of underperformance and low engagement. As such, he is the go-to partner when you need to integrate cultures following complex mergers & acquisitions, design thriving hybrid workforces and cascade new "ways of working" across your teams. Dave and I talk about team effectiveness - what it is, the components of what makes for strong team performance, how you can use operating principles to help your team more quickly adopt better behaviors and so much more. Members of the Modern Manager community get access to 2 bonuses this week. The first is a free assessment: AIIR Team Effectiveness Survey. This assessment will help you get a better understanding of your team’s strengths, weaknesses, and ways of working. The second bonus is 50% off the AIIR Team Effectiveness Certification, where you will learn to quickly diagnose the root causes of any team challenge. Get these when you join the Modern Manager community. Get FREE mini-sketchnotes with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email. Read the related blog article: How to Improve Your Team’s Effectiveness KEEP UP WITH DAVE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkgloss/ Website: https://aiirconsulting.com/ Key Takeaways: Team Productivity + Team Culture = Team Performance. Team productivity measures how efficiently and effectively the team gets work done. Team culture measures how team members interact and relate to one another. Team performance is a team’s ability to maximize its potential and fulfill its purpose. Strong culture + high product

Why does your team exist? What is the deeper purpose behind the list of tasks you accomplish each day? Without a clear, defined purpose, teams will lack inspiration and focus. This can lead to team members feeling unmotivated, reducing productivity and morale. Furthermore, how can you set goals and develop strategies to achieve them when you don’t have a vision for your work? Today’s guest is Ranjay Gulati. He is the author of the book Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. As an educator and researcher, he is passionate about how to unlock organizational and individual potential. Ranjay and I talk about Purpose. What organizational purpose is and isn’t, why it's so powerful when done right, how to connect individual purpose to the organization and the magic that happens when you go from satisfied employees to truly inspired ones. Members of the Modern Manager community get a chance to win 1 of 3 free copies of Ranjay’s book, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. A revolutionary approach to business exists, one that delivers game-changing results for companies of all sizes: the serious and deep pursuit of purpose. This book shows the possibility of embedding purpose as a radically new operating system for your business. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: What It Really Means To Have a Company Purpose KEEP UP WITH RANJAY Website: Deeppurpose.net LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ranjay-gulati Key Takeaways: A purpose is an intention to accomplish something meaningful to the self that has consequences for the world beyond the self. While the idea of individual purpose has been around for thousands of years, company purpose is a relatively new concept. A company purpose is the “why” behind your mission statement: why you exist, who you’re impacting, and the strategy to accomplish it. A deep company purpose trickles down to all areas of the office, including strategies, resource allocation, hiring and promotion, DEI, and measuring success. Purpose is not “charity”, but a long term value that should include profitability. Make sure all your stakeholders benefit from your purpose.

A positive workplace culture can be the difference between a thriving and barely surviving team; between people staying because they love their job and people eagerly searching to work somewhere else. When managers create an environment that is welcoming, trusting, and encourages creativity and feedback, people will find more overall satisfaction in their work. But how does a manager actually create this type of culture, especially on remote teams? Today’s guest is Abhishek Nayak. As a co-founder and CEO of four startups, one of which was funded by Sequoia Capital, Abhishek is well-versed in the art of starting and scaling a business. But during a stint as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Accel, he discovered how much time engineers spend building internal applications, so he and two co-founders created Appsmith to put customizable app tools directly into developers’ hands. The once-small, open-source project is now used by over 10,000 teams, employs people in sixteen countries, and has raised over $51 million in capital. Abishek and I talk about how he’s built an incredible team and culture for his fully remote business. He shares the lessons he’s learned and steps he’s taken to support his people along the journey from a small co-located team, through the disruption of COVID, to a fully remote, global company with over 120 employees. Members of the Modern Manager community get a Template and Guidelines for Requesting Feedback. This internal document is used by Appsmith to guide employee feedback. Outlining feedback guidelines and questions for specific feedback outcomes, this resource can help any manager give and receive more valuable feedback. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Do These Five Things to Effectively Manage a Remote Team KEEP UP WITH ABHISHEK Website: Appsmith.com Twitter: twitter.com/arey_abhishek LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/abhisheknayak/ Email: abhishek@appsmith.com Key Takeaways: Know the advantages of remote work, including more focus time, a larger talent pool, and better customer service availability. Invest in technology

As managers, emotional intelligence plays an important role in how you interact with your team and make decisions. Being aware of your capabilities, motivations and emotions, and knowing how to act on them, enables you to connect with your colleagues and build a trusting relationship. High emotional intelligence enables managers to more easily accomplish those goals, helping both you and your people thrive at work. Today’s guest is Robin Hill. Robin is the director of Ei4Change, a company specializing in educational training, coaching and personal development focused around emotional intelligence, positive psychology and neuroscience. He has taught over 300,000 people in more than 195 countries how to build resilience, increased self-awareness and understanding of others. Robin and I talk about emotional intelligence. He breaks down the components of EQ, including how to better understand yourself so you can develop your emotional intelligence skill set. Members of the Modern Manager community get Robin’s ‘Working with Mindfulness’ Course, typically $49, for free. The ‘Working with Mindfulness’ course supports the development of a manager’s emotional intelligence by helping them to work more effectively with mindfulness. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How Managers Can Build Their Emotional Intelligence Skill Set KEEP UP WITH ROBIN Website: https://ei4change.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EI4Change/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ei4Change LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinhills/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ei4change/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBBxGskYxL0wnRfuyz_wHZA/feed Key Takeaways: Emotional intelligence is the ability to use your thoughts and emotions to make quality decisions and build relationships. The five elements to emotional intelligence are self awareness, self regulation, empathy, communication, and motivation.

When a crisis hits someone’s life, the effects aren’t limited to home. Personal, communal, or even global crises can have a significant impact on someone’s stress levels. In situations where a crisis or tragedy has occurred, there’s likely little you can do to ‘fix’ the situation; however, there are steps every manager can take to help support their team members during these difficult and uncertain times. Today’s guest is Holly Welch Stubbing. Holly currently serves as President and CEO of E4E Relief. She has over 25 years of experience in HR, endowment investments and disaster relief. Her organization E4E Relief is an employee relief fund that works with global companies like Salesforce and Wells Fargo to relieve employees when it’s needed most. Holly also serves on the Forbes Human Resources Council and shares her philanthropic vision with fellow executives. She is a thought leader in ESG, philanthropy, and corporate social responsibility and speaks on ESG investment portfolios and strategies, CSR strategies, philanthropy, social enterprise and tax-exempt legal matters. Holly and I talk about how we as managers can best support our colleagues when a tragedy occurs - this could be a natural disaster, a death in the family, political upheaval in their city. She shares what employees care about, what we can do, and why it’s important to support people through these difficult moments. Members of the Modern Manager community get a Free Disaster Worksheet, “Things to Consider When Responding to a Crisis.” This worksheet will lay out the stakeholders (employees, communities, etc.) to consider, partners to establish, and funding to set aside for navigating an unforeseen event impacting your people or your business. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Support Your Team in Times of Crisis KEEP UP WITH HOLLY Website: https://employeerelieffund.org/ Key Takeaways: Since the pandemic, managers are taking on more responsibility to support their teams during times of crisis. Personal, local, national, and global crises can have a significant impact on people. This includes a death in the family, political unrest, natural disasters (flooding, fires, hurricanes, etc), violence in a community, and more. Update or create a comprehensive benefits plan that includes crisis support, mental health, and hybrid/flexibility needs. Make sure employees in all locations receive benefits they need to navigate a crisis

Of all the mindset tips and tricks, there is one aspect that is often overlooked: the questions we ask ourselves. Questions have the potential to shift conversations, open new ideas, and broaden understanding. The thoughts we have are in response to the questions we ask ourselves, often without conscious thought. Managers can learn how to use these internal questions as a tool to transform difficult relationships, spark creativity, reduce stress, and much more. Today’s guest is Dr. Marilee Adams. Marilee is an award-winning author and pioneer in the fields of inquiry-based coaching, leadership and organizational culture. She is CEO/Founder of the Inquiry Institute, a solutions and performance-focused company providing consulting, coaching, training, keynotes and eLearning. She is the author of the best selling book Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 12 Powerful Tools for Leadership, Coaching and Results. Marilee and I talk about the powerful questions we ask (without even realizing it) that shape our thoughts and actions. We get into what you can do to recognize these questions and start to change them, so you can truly transform your relationships and really, your life. Members of the Modern Manager community get a $10 Discount on The Choice Map Course. The Choice Map is your roadmap to creating a foundational awareness of your mindsets and questions. It will help you to live predominantly on the Learner mindset path, or ‘Learner Living’. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or become a member of the Skills Accelerator. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Ask Yourself the Right Questions KEEP UP WITH MARILEE Website: https://inquiryinstitute.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/marileeadams Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/questionthinking Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marileeadams Institute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inquiryinstitute/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/InquiryInst Key Takeaways:

Developing a remote work culture is a crucial step for businesses to take in today’s workplace landscape. However, developing a remote work culture requires different skills and practices than an in-person culture. The majority of people working remotely report struggling to maintain their work friendships and feeling distant from their work. It’s up to managers to cultivate a remote culture that is inclusive and engaging—despite the distance. Today’s guest is Kapil Kale. Kapil is the co-founder and COO of Tremendous. Kapil previously co-founded GiftRocket, an online gift card company that went through Y Combinator and became profitable. Prior to that, he worked as a Senior Associate Consultant at Bain & Company and also worked as a Portfolio Team member at Insight Venture Partners. Kapil and I talk about building a remote-first culture. We get into ways to build trust, foster deep relationships, manage accountability, and so much more. Members of the Modern Manager community get a $100 reward for a $1,000 Tremendous purchase. Tremendous is the simplest way for businesses to send money to people. Managers can offer employees more than 800 redemption options, from gift cards to donations to cash. Get this bonus when you join the Modern Manager community or The Modern Manager Skills Accelerator. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Strengthen Your Team’s Capability for Remote Work KEEP UP WITH KAPIL Website: https://www.tremendous.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/gotremendous LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tremendous-rewards/ Key Takeaways: Explain to your team the reasons why you’re choosing a remote work setup. Think through the skillsets your team members need for remote workers including good written communication and self management. With remote work, we lose the opportunity to organically build casual relationships, like those ‘watercooler’ conversations. Supercharge work relationships by engineering offsite events. Make sure these retreats focus only on having fun and not anything work-related. Encourage teammates who struggle with remote work to s

You probably know the feeling of ‘there’s an elephant in the room’ and no one wants to address it. But letting things go unspoken creates problems in the workplace. This is true of the large and small things. Are you letting the ‘mice in the room’ go unaddressed because they’re just not a big deal? By raising small issues, we are able to address potential areas of concern before they become bigger problems. Plus, by acknowledging these small things, we’re able to better understand one another. Today’s guest is David Wood. After life as a consulting actuary to Fortune 100 Companies, David built the world’s largest coaching business, becoming #1 on Google for “life coaching”. He believes the tough conversations we avoid are our doorways to confidence, success and even love - in both work and life. David coaches high performing entrepreneurs, executives and teams - and even prison inmates - to amazing results AND connection. One conversation at a time. David and I talk about the lessons in his book Mouse in the Room. He explains the concept, shares some of the common mice we experience and how to raise small issues so that we can have meaningful conversations. Members of the Modern Manager community get a free, personalized gift basket from David that includes a 15-minute Double Your Revenue Strategy call for qualifying businesses, the Online Double Your Revenue Replay, a cheat sheet, and the Mouse in the Room minibook. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How To Have Those Conversations Everyone Prefers To Avoid KEEP UP WITH DAVID Website: https://focus.ceo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/focus-ceo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ExtraordinaryFocuswithDavidWood Twitter: https://twitter.com/_focusceo Extraordinary Focus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extraordinaryfocus Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playforrealll Read the Full Transcr

Managers often focus on creating work environments that cultivate inclusivity, productivity, and innovation - which are all important. However, when was the last time you intentionally created an environment for… joy? Turns out, when employees are joyful at work, they are more likely to be productive and work harder to achieve their goals. In fact, joy in the workplace can lead to a more successful team and a better working experience for everyone involved - and it’s up to the manager to create the conditions to make that happen. Today’s guest is. Akaya Windwood. Akaya advises, trains, and consults on how change happens individually, organizationally, and societally. She is on the faculty for the RSF Social Finance Integrated Capital Fellowship and is the founder of the New Universal, which centers human wisdom in the wisdom of Brown women. She was the president of Rockwood Leadership Institute for many years and directed the Mycelium Fund. Akaya and I talk about the bits of wisdom she and her co-author collected over the years on what it means to foster joy in the workplace and how you can too. Members of the Modern Manager community get a chance to win 1 free copy of Akaya’s book, Leading with Joy. Sharing vignettes about the authors’ insights and stories and discussion questions to go along, Leading with Joy promotes a courageous and compassionate approach to leadership that can sustain purposeful action and social change. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Create a Joyful Work Atmosphere KEEP UP WITH AKAYA Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeadingWithJoy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leadingwithjoy/ Website: https://leadingwithjoybook.com/ Key Takeaways: We can’t force our team members to feel joy (nor is our responsibility to), but we can (and should) create the conditions for people to find joy. Happiness is an emotion from an external experience while joy is a bodily sense from within.

We've all heard it a million times, especially as kids: "Be nice!" Most people have been taught that if you don't have something kind to say, don't say anything at all. However, what do you do when you have necessary feedback to give, but it's not positive? This is where radical candor comes into play. The goal is to always speak with both love AND truth - at the same time. Today’s guest is Kim Scott. Kim is the author of Just Work and Radical Candor. Kim was a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies. She was a member of the faculty at Apple University and before that led AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google. Kim and I talk about how to give productive feedback using her famous Radical Candor model. We talk about why giving feedback is so important even if it's uncomfortable, and how to solicit feedback most effectively. Members of the Modern Manager community get 10% Off The Feedback Loop Course. Starring David Alan Grier, Kim Scott, and a cast of eccentric characters, The Feedback Loop workplace comedy series and e-course teach Radical Candor’s proven feedback framework in a way that's fresh, fun, and effective to improve your communication skills at work and in life. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Give Your Team Members the Gift of Feedback KEEP UP WITH KIM Radical Candor Website: www.radicalcandor.com Just Work Website: www.justworktogether.com Radical Candor Twitter: https://twitter.com/candor Just Work Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustWorkBook Personal Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimballScott Key Takeaways: The idea of radical candor is that you care personally and challenge directly at the same time. This means saying what needs to be said in a way that demonstrates carin

Each person on the planet has a way of being and thinking that when tapped into feels both natural and fulfilling. This is called your inner genius. The goal for each person is to find their inner genius; the goal for each manager is to help people leverage this knowledge, to help them bring forth the genius that lies within each of us. Today’s guest is Catherine Mattiske. Catherine is a leading global business educator and author with 30 years of experience across industries, including banking, insurance, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and retail. She is the founder of TPC — The Performance Company, an international training and consulting organization that has worked with Fortune 100 companies worldwide. Catherine has authored more than 30 books, her latest being “Unlock Inner Genius: Power Your Path to Extraordinary Success”. Catherine and I talk about the inner genius concept. We get into how to find your inner genius, how to connect what you love to do outside of work and get the same state of flow while at work, the different genius archetypes, building a team that optimizes for inner genius, and much more. Members of the Modern Manager community get 50% Off the Inner Genius Profile. Take the Inner Genius Profile to discover how you learn and communicate. The profile takes 10 minutes and will make the way you work, study, and communicate more efficient and effective. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Or, check out The Modern Manager Skills Accelerator. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Unlock the Power of the Inner Genius KEEP UP WITH CATHERINE Inner Genius LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discover-your-inner-genius- Inner Genius Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geniusquotient/ Inner Genius Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/innergeniusnow Inner Genius Insta: https://www.instagram.com/innergeniusnow/ Catherine Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/catherinemattiske The Performance Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePerformanceCompany

Many studies have shown that the best and most innovative companies are those who embrace diversity and make an effort to recruit people with different personalities and different strengths. While some areas of diversity are visible, one in particular is not: neurodiversity. People who are neurodivergent have brain differences that affect how their brains work. As managers, it's up to us to be knowledgeable about neurodiversity and create work environments where neurodivergent people can be their truest and best selves. Today’s guest is Genie Love. Genie has been trying to figure out how to stay focused and attentive, how to decrease procrastination, how to manage “to do” lists, and generally how to get things done her entire adult life. As an executive functioning coach, she brings her personal trial and error experience as well as 20 years of experience teaching high school students with ADD and Autism to help adults take control of their time and attention. Genie and I talk about what neurodiversity means and how our work environments help or hinder different ways people’s brains work. We get into strategies to help yourself and your team members to create workplaces that work for all different brains. One member of the Modern Manager community can get a 1.5-hour consulting session focused on simple strategies to support underutilized human assets in your organization. She will provide tips on the use of physical space, training in executive functioning, and strategies in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and retention in order to increase productivity and job satisfaction. Get this bonus and more when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Support Neurodivergent Team Members KEEP UP WITH GENIE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genie-love-4b13451b8/ Website: https://genielove.coach/ Key Takeaways: Neuordivergent thinking is a spectrum of different ways of processing, communicating, and thinking. It includes ADHD, autism, and dyslexia among others. Neurodivergent teammates may have trouble creating a work plan, getting ideas across verbally or in writing, or sitting still for long periods of time. Consider how space impacts a person's ability to focus. Some people are sensitive to noise, lighting, visual distractions and furniture. Invest in sea

Work and home life are not two distinct worlds. Despite the concept of work-life balance, they are inextricably intertwined. What’s happening at home often affects us at work, and vice versa. While we can’t close off those two worlds from each other, there are practices we can put in place to help us process personal situations and still show up to work as our best selves. Today’s guest is Andrea Liebross. Andrea is a coach, speaker, podcast host, and soon to be published author who is known for helping bold, ambitious women make clear, confident decisions, so that they get exactly what they want, every time, and not just add another thing to their to-do list. Over the last few decades, Andrea has started three successful businesses and ultimately became a certified business and life coach. Andrea and I talk about how to leave the stress of home at home. We get into strategies for helping yourself and your team better manage through stressful times, collaborate and support each other, and show up as your best selves. Members of the Modern Manager community get $100 off Full Focus coaching AND free access to the 5 Days to Clear Thinking challenge. In 30 days, Full Focus coaching will give you the tools and thinking you need to become fully focused and stop procrastinating. The 5 Days to Clear Thinking Challenge will help you clean up your mind so you can be truly ready and able to plan and organize. Get them when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Manage Stress From Home While at Work KEEP UP WITH ANDREA Website: www.andreaslinks.com Podcast: https://pod.link/timetolevelup Key Takeaways: Just as work stress comes home with us, the stress of home life impacts our work life. To shift from ‘Stuck Stress’ to ‘Productive Stress’, become solution focused. Stop worrying about what might happen that you don’t have control over and instead focus on what you can do. Share the facts and frame your experience by including the negative and positive parts of the stressful situation. Sharing what’s going on for us takes out the drama of coworkers guessing what’s going on. We tend to make up stories or assumptions to explain behavior which often is incorrect and has negative consequences.

Goals are the backbone of our teams. Around this time of year, businesses and individuals often set goals for themselves, but not all goals are created equally. Truly effective goals are strategic plans for the entire year that guide us in the direction of our dreams; they help managers focus a team’s efforts and achieve maximum success. Today’s guest is Hilary DeCesare. Hilary is an award-winning business expert, esteemed author, and pioneer of female powerhouses in Silicon Valley. As a sought-after speaker, founder of The Relaunch Co., and one of the first women to create a quarter of a billion dollars in revenue for the tech giant Oracle, Hilary brings fresh energy to industry leaders, CEOs, and solopreneurs. She is widely recognized for her work in neuropsychology as it relates to business and life, and holds several certifications from top practitioners in the field. Hilary and I talk about her ROCK-IT goal setting process. She shares how to work backwards to make goals manageable, the mindset needed to accomplish big goals, and basically all things goals related. Members of the Modern Manager community get access to Hilary’s free webinar, Rock-it Your Way to Success in 2023. In this 60-minute workshop, you'll get the goal setting framework that has been proven to work for over 25+ years, without adding more to your already overflowing plate. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Set Goals That You Actually Achieve KEEP UP WITH HILARY Website: https://therelaunchco.com/ Business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReLaunchCo/ Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hilary.howarddecesare Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therelaunchco/?hl=en Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilarydecesare/?hl=en LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilarydecesare Twitter https://twitter.com/hilarydecesare?lang=en Key Takeaways:

It's that time of year again. Holidays are coming up, and while some messages and practices will be perfect for your team members' individual needs, others won't match up with their values, beliefs, or lifestyles. Despite the busyness of this season, it's crucial for managers to consider how all people may be experiencing the upcoming holidays. With intentionality, managers can create an environment where people of all beliefs and practices can feel seen and included. Today’s guest is Dr. Jen O’Ryan. Jen is a consulting editor specializing in Inclusion, Diversity, and Representation. She works with organizations to design content, culture, and processes that are welcoming and inclusive. Jen has a PhD in Human Behavior and her background in tech includes designing new experiences for customers, launching global initiatives, and leading organizational change. Jen and I talk about the hidden places that bias shows up and how we may be unintentionally setting up barriers or making things challenging for our colleagues, and of course, what to do about it. We also go deep on how to be thoughtful about the end of year holidays which can have religious undertones and bring up lots of feelings for folks. Members of the Modern Manager community can get 1 of 3 copies of Jen’s book, Inclusive AF: A Field Guide for “Accidental” Diversity Experts. Designed for anyone thinking about Inclusion and Diversity, AF outlines a roadmap to safely introduce meaningful and lasting change. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Design an Inclusive Holiday Party (or Anything, Really!) KEEP UP WITH JEN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenoryan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pagingdrjen/ Website: https://www.pagingdrjen.com/ Key Takeaways: Create an atmosphere of psychological safety so that your team willingly gives honest feedback. Be vulnerable and admit mistakes. Keep your door open for questions or input. Ask if things work for them. When designing a party (or product, marketing materials, etc), consider how different people would experience it. Imagine different ways of being in the world and what people would need.

Human beings are creatures of habit. Just watch a child or animal go through their daily routines and you can see that habits are deeply ingrained in our biology. While we’re often aware of some habits, others happen regularly without us ever realizing them. Maintaining good habits, identifying bad habits, and building new ones all take determination and perseverance. Today’s guest is Dr. Jon Finn. Dr. Jon founded the award-winning Tougher Minds consultancy and has three psychology-related degrees, including a PhD. He has worked in performance psychology, resilience, and leadership science for over 20 years. Dr. Finn wrote his best-selling book ‘The Habit Mechanic’ (which took him over 20 years to compose) because his life’s mission is to help people to be their best in the challenging modern world. Dr. Finn and I speak about what it is to be a habit mechanic, why habits are so important, the role of social acceptance in driving our habits, how to manage your super habits and destructive habits, and a lot more. Members of the Modern Manager community can win a free 12 month ‘At Your Best’ premium subscription membership. You will quickly learn how to feel better, do better and lead better. To learn more access the free version of the app here: https://www.tougherminds.co.uk/habit-mechanic-app/. Get this bonus and many more when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Understand Your Brain to be Successful at Work KEEP UP WITH DR. FINN Website: https://www.tougherminds.co.uk/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jon-finn Get 'The Habit Mechanic' book here:

Obstacles come in many forms. They can be physical (withholding us from being somewhere or doing something we want to do), mental (making us believe we're not capable of achieving), or emotional (adding undue stress, fatigue, or other burdens to our minds). No matter what obstacles you're facing, moving through them is possible with dedication, determination, and the right mindset. You’d be amazed by what you can achieve! Today’s guest is Joel Green. Joel is CEO of Pro Level Training, the National Director of Nike Sports Camps, a former professional basketball player, and a renowned motivational speaker. A thought leader in the motivational category, Joel Green has developed a reputation for personal excellence and motivational talks that contribute tangible advice for attaining desired goals. Many of the messages he has delivered are conveyed in his first book, Filtering: The Way to Extract Strength from the Struggle, which was released on September 6th. Joel and I talk about how to overcome obstacles or difficult moments. We get into the importance of perspective, how to get yourself to do what it takes, and a lot more insights from Joel’s experience as an athlete and successful businessman. Members of the Modern Manager community get a special set of graphics with mindset messages that you can use as the background for your computer, your phone, or print out as mini-posters in your workspace. Get this bonus and more when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Get Your Team From Ordinary to Extraordinary KEEP UP WITH JOEL Website: https://www.joelbgreen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaygreenplt/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-green-95340417/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joel.green.35 Key Takeaways: To deal with overwhelming emotions, practice “filtering” by breaking things down in order to help you manage your feelings. Breathe for 30 seconds to gain control rather than feel reactive. Then lean into the emotions by trying to learn from this challenge. Focus on yourself rather than your competition or what the world throws at y

In my years of working with managers, one of most frequent questions I get is this: How do I deal with conflict in my team? This dilemma can be approached from two perspectives. First, there are practices a team can adopt to help limit the number of conflicts that arise. Second, there are approaches a team can use to dissolve conflict quickly and effectively. Used together, these techniques can help any team become more cohesive and productive. Today’s guest is Hesha Abrams. With over 30 years of experience solving conflict and difficult problems, Hesha comes to the table as a world-renowned meditator, negotiator, and author. As an expert in conflict and pragmatic solutions, Hesha implements innovative approaches and thought-provoking solutions that obtain favorable outcomes for even the most complex conflicts, including mediating the case over the secret recipe for Pepsi. Hesha's popular new book, Holding The Calm shares her secrets on how to read a situation to solve problems, eliminate conflict, and restore harmony. Hesha and I talk about what we do wrong that makes it harder to resolve conflicts and she shares some of her practical approaches to addressing conflict more effectively. We also get into how to help your team members resolve conflicts so you can foster stronger teamwork. Members of the Modern Manager community can get a free, 1-hour Zoom if The Modern Manager community together purchases 100 copies of Hesha’s book, Holding the Calm. This book shares key strategies and inspirational treasures to resolve disputes, settle cases, and re-channel arguments; buy it for yourself and your team! Get this bonus when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How to Hold the Calm when Dealing with Conflict KEEP UP WITH HESHA Website: holdingthecalm.com Key Takeaways: Conflict is like spilled spaghetti sauce; the sooner you deal with it, the easier it is. When we don’t understand others, we label them negatively. Confirmation bias then looks for evidence for these negative beliefs of others which further cements our belief. Try to find redeeming qualities of others or consider how they operate (introvert/extrovert, a kinesthetic/visual/auditory learner) to give yourself a more expansive view of their humanity. Think like a doctor when someone emotionally erupts on you.

Look in any organization and you'll see a variety of leadership styles. One crucial aspect of leadership is staying true to yourself and what feels most natural to you as a leader, which means not trying to be all things to all people. Research has found that most leadership styles fit into one of four categories. Understanding these categories can help leaders stay true to themselves while enhancing their skills, building their careers, and achieving their organization’s goals. Today’s guest is Robert Jordan. Robert is the CEO of InterimExecs, which matches top executives with companies around the world. Based on research with thousands of leaders and companies, he and Olivia Wagner wrote "Right Leader Right Time: Discover Your Leadership Style for a Winning Career and Company," and have launched the FABS Leadership Assessment, a free assessment at RightLeader.com designed to help leaders and organizations perform better. Jordan also authored "How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America," and helped publish "Start With No," Jim Camp’s bestseller on negotiation. Robert and I talk about the four leadership styles, their strengths and optimal conditions in which each leadership style thrives, and how to think about your career to optimize your leadership potential. Members of the Modern Manager community can participate in a free, town-hall style webinar. In this webinar, Robert will give direct, real-time feedback on peoples’ leadership styles to help them grow personally and professionally. Get access when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Use the Four Leadership Styles to Advance Your Work KEEP UP WITH ROBERT Right Leader website: https://www.rightleader.com/ Interim Executives website: https://interimexecs.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/interim_execs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjjordan/ Key Takeaways: There are four types of leadership approaches; Fixers, Artists, Builders, and Strategists. Each archetype has skills, contexts, and motivators that enable it to thrive. The Fixer is drawn to broken organizations and crises. The Artist sees a project as a blank canvas. They wi

Focus: It’s an important skill for the success of any organization or individual. While it's natural for anyone to get distracted by new ideas, potential projects, overwhelming to-do lists, and ongoing problems, learning how to focus can save us time and energy in the long-run. Today’s guest is Erik Qualman. Erik is five-time #1 Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker who has performed in over 55 countries and reached over 50 million people. He was voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling. He is the host of the popular Super U Podcast and his work has been used by the National Guard to NBC Universal to NASA. Erik and I talk about what it means to really be focused. He shares his lessons learned and best tips and tricks for how you and your team can accomplish great things simply by staying focused. Members of the Modern Manager community get a Buy One Get One Free deal on two of his products. The first is his Kittycorn card game, designed for any group to learn easily and have a great time. The second is his book, The Focus Project, designed to provide solutions to the challenge of focusing in an unfocused world. Get them both when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How To Focus So The Big Things Get Done KEEP UP WITH ERIK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equalman/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/equalman TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@equalman.official Super U Podcast contact: eq@equalman.com Key Takeaways: Fear of failure disrupts focus. Remember that evaluated failure makes us better. Learn from mistakes. When you fix clients’ problems, they are 3 times more likely to be repeat customers. People don’t love us because we’re perfect, but because we’re perfectly flawed. Aim to be “flawsome.” Trying to do too many things is almost always the wrong approach. Focus on crushing one thing, even if it requires you to cannibalize your own product line. When you add more tasks, subtract others so that you don’t ove

Whether you want to develop new products, update internal processes, or make sure that every client is satisfied with your service, one thing is true: you need to be clear about your goals. Without direction, you will lose your way. Direction comes from having a bold vision of what you want your life, team, and organization to look like. Then, you must create actionable steps to move forward. Today’s guest is Lisa McCarthy. Lisa is the CEO and co-founder of the Fast Forward Group, a training and executive coaching company based on the philosophy that when people are living their best lives, they do their best work. Clients include innovative companies of all sizes, including Amazon, Facebook, Google and JPMorgan Chase. Prior to launching Fast Forward, Lisa spent 25 years leading sales organizations at prominent media companies, including ViacomCBS and Univision. Lisa and I talk about goals and establishing a bold vision. She shares why goals like these are important and she walks us through her process that has helped over 100,000 people achieve their big dreams. Members of the Modern Manager community get two FREE months of Lisa’s Fast Forward membership program, which has helped thousands of professionals play big, manage stress, and achieve extraordinary success. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Set Big Goals With Your Team KEEP UP WITH LISA Membership Website: https://fastforwardgroup.net/ Personal Website: https://lisamccarthy.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamccarthyffg/ Key Takeaways: We resist goal setting because we’re risk averse; we’d rather underpromise and overdeliver. To encourage thinking big, managers must assure their team that there won’t be any negative consequences if expectations aren’t reached. Challenge self-limiting beliefs (I’m not X enough, I don’t have the right background, etc) that stop you from dreaming of your future. Create a vision of where you want to be in a year. What does “extraordinary success” look like? Reflect on your qualities. What are you known for

Management is about helping other people achieve greatness - in the results they produce and the career path they take. However, if you've had any experience as a manager, you know how difficult it can be to help a variety of people develop their skill sets and get work done, all while fostering healthy team dynamics and driving towards goals. It helps to know the specific areas you should focus on to help your team grow most efficiently with the limited time you have. Today’s guest is Russ Laraway. Russ has had a diverse 28 year operational management career. He was a Company Commander in the Marine Corps before starting his first company, Pathfinders. From there, Russ went to the Wharton School, and then onto management roles at Google and Twitter. He then co-founded Candor, Inc., along with best selling author Kim Scott. Russ and I talk about what he’s discovered through research are the most important areas of focus for a manager. We get into why it's so hard to be a great manager, and what you can do to immediately put Russ’s finding to work for your team. One member of the Modern Manager community can get a copy of Russ’s book: When They Win, You Win. Russ provides a handbook for managers on how to implement The Big 3 - a surprisingly simple, coherent leadership approach that measurably and predictably delivers more engaged employees and better business results. To be eligible, join the Modern Manager community as a Patron or sign up for The Modern Manager Skills Accelerator. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and transcripts delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: Simplify Management by Focusing on These Three Areas KEEP UP WITH RUSS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whentheywin Twitter: https://twitter.com/theywinyouwin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theywinyouwin/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russlaraway/ Key Takeaways: Research has proven that more engaged employees deliver 2.5 times more revenue. Managers may feel overwhelmed by deciding what advice to follow. Simplify management by focusing on direction, co

Anyone who's worked on a team knows that communication can be a challenge. Sometimes, common problems require creative solutions. Improv is a powerful tool that brings out the best in any group or team. It’s not just for comedians; it can be used to create new ideas, solve problems, explore feelings, and connect with each other. Today’s guest is Brian Rolnick-Fox, the Founder, CEO, and Chief Evangelist of Nimble Learning Strategies. Brian has been using improvisation as a channel for individual growth, group development, and organizational success since 1999. He has delivered communication and leadership programs for a diverse set of organizations from Fortune 100 companies to educational institutions some of which include Citibank, Goodyear, Dartmouth College, and Harvard Business School. Brian and I talk about what we can learn from the field of comedic improv to help us be better communicators. We get into specific behaviors, mindsets, principles and tactics that can help us connect and collaborate better, plus we have a whole lot of fun. Members of the Modern Manager community get a free Communication and Collaboration document from Nimble Learning Strategies. This document describes the three As of communication and how you can implement them to communicate more effectively in your daily life. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community. Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. Read the related blog article: How Managers Can Use Improv Strategies to Improve Communications KEEP UP WITH BRIAN Website: https://www.nimblelearningstrategies.com Company LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nimblelearningstrategies Personal LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brianrolnickfox Key Takeaways: We are always naturally improvising; we take in stimuli and respond to them in the moment. Improv strategies can help us collaborate better by providing an opportunity to explicitly talk about how we communicate and collaborate. We often forget that people or departments have different perspectives and assume we’re all seeing the situation the same. Being specific in our language is essential to ensuring everyone is on the same page.