The Modern Manager

Your body language at work sends messages before you say a word. A flat face while you listen, a phone on the desk, a slouch in a meeting: your team reads all of it, and it can quietly undercut your intention. Former CNN correspondent Gina London shows how to match your face, posture, and appearance to the values you hold, so you communicate by design instead of by default, without feeling fake.

Guest Bio

From Farmland, Indiana, to boardrooms around the world, Gina London has spent her career helping people find their voice. A former CNN correspondent and Emmy-winning journalist, she is founder and CEO of Language of Leadership, Ltd., and advises leaders across nearly 60 countries on communication, leadership, and influence. Gina is an adjunct professor at University College Cork, a columnist for The Irish Independent, and author of Amplify You: How to Power Up Your Connections in an AI World.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Why you're never not communicating at work
• (05:36) Active listening: what your face, phone, and posture say
• (12:42) Authenticity at work: matching your values to your body language
• (17:13) What to wear at work: dressing for culture and respect
• (21:05) Professional appearance: polished, not fake
• (24:53) A great manager's lesson in psychological safety

Connect with Gina London

• Free guide, Network with Confidence: https://pages.ginalondon.com/network-with-confidence
• Website: https://ginalondon.com
• Book: Amplify You: How to Power Up Your Connections in an AI World, available at ginalondon.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble
• LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/ginalondon
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theginalondon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGinaLondon/

Additional Resources:

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cMUKheY93vRvsLJ_B2Y8D1OYuTtVKc3bCHA9O4L6rgg/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

🎓 Build your management skills with our short mini courses for managers: https://www.themodernmanager.com/courses

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#BodyLanguage #ActiveListening #ExecutivePresence #CommunicationSkills #NonverbalCommunication #Leadership #ManagementTips #PsychologicalSafety #ProfessionalDevelopment

Learning how to delegate without micromanaging starts before you hand anything off. You ask for something that feels perfectly clear, and it comes back reasonable, thoughtful, and not at all what you wanted. The problem usually isn't the other person. It's the details you never said out loud because they felt obvious. Learn the four parts of a successfully done statement, see a real request rewritten, and get specific about the result while leaving the how to your team.

🎓 Go deeper with the mini course on delegation: https://themodernmanager.com/successfullydone

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Why the handoff moment decides what you get back
• (01:38) Why your delegation feels clear but isn't (the curse of knowledge)
• (03:59) The four parts of a successfully done statement
• (05:14) Example: rewriting a vague delegation request
• (06:06) How to delegate without micromanaging
• (07:30) How to practice delegating clearly this week

Additional Resources

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/177GnaN8XmjkrtuDvz5EyV1KVykwnO1sdUr16JdfYqeg/edit?usp=drive_link

✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#HowToDelegate #Delegation #Micromanagement #Leadership #ManagementTips #NewManager #ClearCommunication #TeamProductivity #ModernManager

Want to overcome resistance to change on your team? Start by noticing that the loudest pushback usually isn't the real problem. Hidden resistance often looks like nodding along in the meeting, then quietly sticking to the old way. Expert Tony Chatman explains why change threatens people's sense of identity, how to tell agreement from true buy-in, why the trusted voices on your team matter more than your title, and what AI adoption reveals about the fear of starting over.

💌 Get new episodes and one-page takeaways by email: https://www.themodernmanager.com

Guest Bio

For over two decades, Tony Chatman has delivered keynotes, training, and coaching that help leaders engineer their way through resistance and deliver results when change can't afford to fail. He has spoken to more than 100,000 leaders and teams in over 100 industries. Tony is a TEDx speaker, a certified speaking professional, the author of The Force Multiplier, and the number one expert on engineering results from resistance.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: Why Resistance to Change Is Inevitable
• (01:14) Why We Resist: Identity, Comfort Zones, and the Military Base Closure Story
• (06:32) Hidden Resistance: Spotting Fake Buy-In and Preparing for Pushback
• (12:54) Opinion Leaders: The Secret to Moving Your Team Through Change
• (18:51) Communicating Through Change: Listen First, Then Show You Heard
• (23:07) Why People Resist AI Adoption and How Leaders Can Respond
• (28:58) Closing: A Great Manager and Where to Find Tony

Keep Up with Tony Chatman

• Website: https://tonychatman.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonychatman
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyChatman
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tonychatmanspeaks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tony.chatman.92
• Facebook (Business): https://www.facebook.com/tonyblueprint
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyChatman

Additional Resources

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u6v4XaPR-JMS5FeKT_fgReUUemwg_jmSK0HGIOt8SC0/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#ResistanceToChange #ChangeManagement #EmployeeBuyIn #Leadership #ManagementTips #TeamLeadership #OrganizationalChange #AIAdoption #WorkplaceCulture #TheModernManager

It's 4:47 on Thursday, the report still isn't in, and the story forming in your head is that they just don't care. But that story is usually wrong, and it's also the easiest one to tell because it means you don't have to look at anything you did. This episode gives you a three-question framework, person, process, promise, to find where a performance problem actually lives before you walk into a feedback conversation assuming the worst.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: Why "They Just Don't Care" Is Usually the Wrong Story
• (01:33) The Three Places a Performance Problem Can Live: Person, Process, Promise
• (04:15) Why Managers Default to Blaming the Person
• (05:15) The Right Order to Diagnose the Problem: Promise, Process, Person
• (08:15) Turning Accusations Into Questions That Uncover the Truth
• (10:30) Your Action Step and Final Takeaway

Additional Resources

• ✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rp0C9sRoPtnHWJ5ZZ_ck_GEFjmbxeSD7lNNoUk76v70/edit?usp=sharing
• ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/
• ✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/
• ✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes and key takeaways delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

Get the feedback minicourse at https://themodernmanager.com/feedback

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #FeedbackCulture #ManagementTips #PerformanceManagement #TeamManagement #WorkplaceCommunication #NewManager #LeadershipDevelopment

Some days, gratitude feels like something for people with calmer inboxes. Someone dropped the ball, you're three meetings deep, and "thank you" is the last thing on your mind. But gratitude that only shows up on easy days never shows up at all. Learn what grateful leadership really looks like, how to appreciate the team member you struggle with, why a pizza party can backfire, and the one question that reveals how each person wants to be recognized.

We could all use a bit more gratitude, so this one’s for you.

Guest Bio

TJ Sweet is a keynote speaker, author, executive coach, and host of the Living The Sweet Life podcast. He helps leaders and high performers reconnect with what matters most so they can win at work without losing what matters at home. Through powerful storytelling and practical tools rooted in connection, gratitude, and purpose, TJ has impacted more than 10,000 leaders across 48 countries. His message is simple: connection changes everything.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: Why Gratitude Feels Optional on Hard Days
• (01:09) What Grateful Leadership Really Means
• (04:47) How Gratitude Turns Scarcity into Ambition and Abundance
• (11:50) Navigating Team Members You Struggle to Appreciate
• (15:17) Building a Culture of Personalized Appreciation
• (22:30) Taking Your Gratitude Practice to the Next Level
• (26:47) Closing Stories: Gratitude in Action at Work and Home

Additional Resources

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pWCw68mo2xN5C6-fqN1gdk_g5eXumJzi7QEBSDQUwx0/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Keep up with TJ Sweet

Website: https://tjsweet.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetjsweet/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetjsweet/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetjsweet

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetjsweet

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetjsweet

Podcast: Living The Sweet Life with TJ Sweet: https://tjsweet.com/podcasts/

Email: tj@tjsweet.com

Join my newsletter to get episodes and key takeaways delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #GratefulLeadership #EmployeeAppreciation #WorkplaceCulture #ManagementTips #EmployeeEngagement #TeamCulture #PeopleFirstLeadership #Gratitude #TheModernManager

Planning an agenda feels like it takes forever, so too often, we skip it or do it poorly at the last minute. But that’s often because we treat each meeting like we’re starting from scratch. Instead, what if you perfected your weekly team meeting, brainstorm session or any other type of meeting you hold regularly and then just used that same agenda structure again so meeting prep becomes fast and easy? That’s called creating a meeting portfolio. This episode breaks down exactly how to design a meeting once, so it works every single time you use it.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: The Hidden Cost of Winging Your Meetings
• (01:06) What Is a Meeting Portfolio? (Episode Overview)
• (01:36) Why Most Managers Reinvent Every Meeting From Scratch
• (02:23) Building the Core Template: Name, Purpose, and Structure
• (03:57) Adding Pre-Work to Complete Your Template
• (05:01) Iterating Until Your Meeting Design Actually Works
• (05:38) Your Action Step: Build and Use Your First Template
• (06:44) Closing Thoughts and Recap

Additional Resources

• ✨ Read the full transcript: 427-transcript
• ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/
• ✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/
• ✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes and key takeaways delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #ManagementTips #MeetingCulture #TeamManagement #Productivity #WorkplaceCulture #MeetingDesign #LeadershipDevelopment

Most of what happens in a workday, from how you open a meeting to how you respond to bad news, runs on autopilot. Habits, not decisions, are doing the heavy lifting. Behavior scientist BJ Fogg explains why willpower fails, why "bad habits" aren't really the enemy, and how one tiny action, done consistently, can quietly reshape how you see yourself as a leader, teammate, and person.

Guest Bio

BJ Fogg, PhD, is a behavior scientist at Stanford University, where he founded the Behavior Design Lab. In addition to his research, Fogg teaches industry innovators how human behavior really works. He created the Tiny Habits Academy to help people around the world. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Find out more at BJFogg.com and TinyHabits.com.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: Meet BJ Fogg, Habit Design Expert
• (01:06) How Habits Quietly Run Your Workday
• (04:15) Building New Habits vs. Breaking Old Ones
• (07:40) A Gratitude Habit in Action: BJ's Own Example
• (11:23) How Small Habits Reshape Your Identity
• (18:43) The Power of "Shine": Celebrating Small Wins to Make Habits Stick
• (24:15) Coaching Your Team's Habits Through Specific Praise
• (28:43) Closing Thoughts: Lessons from a Great Manager

Additional Resources

• ✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_f7ADen1bpZN0FM21os0kTtb5GgQ_aSDAegwKCkNGA4/edit?usp=sharing
• ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/
• ✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/
• ✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Keep Up with BJ Fogg

• Website: https://www.bjfogg.com
• Tiny Habits: https://www.tinyhabits.com
• Behavior Model: https://www.behaviormodel.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjfogg/
• Social: @bjfogg on most social platforms
• Training: Learn Fogg Behavior Design directly from BJ at bjfogg.com/training

Join my newsletter to get episodes and the one page takeaways delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #TinyHabits #BehaviorChange #ManagementTips #WorkplaceCulture #HabitFormation #TeamLeadership #PersonalDevelopment #ManagerLife #EmployeeEngagement

Most AI tools promise to make you more productive, but few actually remove the friction hiding in your daily grind. This episode breaks down four AI tools used every single day, not for the novelty, but for the real bottlenecks they eliminate: typing, email triage, meeting notes, and building the small tool you always wished existed. If you want less busywork and more bandwidth for the parts of management that actually matter, this one's for you.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: Becoming Obsessed with AI Tools
• (00:44) The Core Idea: Removing Friction, Not Just Adding Features
• (01:59) Wispr Flow: Ditching Typing for Dictation
• (02:53) Shortwave: Taming Email Overload with AI Sorting
• (04:18) Granola: Meeting Notes That Write Themselves
• (05:30) Replit: Building Custom Apps Without Coding
• (07:12) What These Four Tools Have in Common
• (07:33) Your Challenge This Week & Closing Thoughts

Additional Resources

• ✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u3xuVepkPpSSdju0--Kgu4M8U4qetYczr1h7MmCKGrY/edit?usp=sharing
• ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/
• ✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/
• ✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1
• ✨ Check out Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai/r?MAMIE12
• ✨ Check out Granola: https://join.granola.ai/t/e74nryr4pc
• ✨ Check out Shortwave: https://www.shortwave.com/
• ✨ Check out Replit: https://replit.com/refer/mamieks

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #ManagementTips #AIforManagers #Productivity #ArtificialIntelligence #WorkSmarter #ManagementSkills #FutureOfWork #TechTools #TimeManagement

Most leaders pour all their energy into managing the people who report to them and forget the other two-thirds of the job: managing up to their boss and across to the peers who can make or break a project. Skip those relationships and you end up stuck in silos, guessing what your boss actually wants, and wondering why cross-functional projects keep stalling. Here's the mindset shift and the exact moves that fix all three.

Guest Bio

For almost 20 years, Kristen Harcourt has been a trusted partner to executives and emerging leaders across hundreds of organizations around the globe, helping them unlock extraordinary, sustainable results through the power of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and conscious leadership. A sought-after speaker and facilitator, she's a professionally accredited coach who empowers leaders to uncover their strengths, challenge their blind spots, and lead with purpose and impact. She hosts the Inspirational Leadership Podcast.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: The Art of Managing Up, Down, and Across
• (01:28) Defining the Three Directions of Management
• (05:53) How to Open Up the Conversation When Managing Up
• (10:11) A Prioritization Tool — and Protecting Your Work-Life Balance
• (14:22) Managing Across: Why Curiosity Beats Assumptions
• (21:39) Building Trust With Cross-Functional Teams You Don't Manage
• (27:52) When (and How) to Advocate for an Overloaded Teammate
• (31:07) What Makes a Great Boss — Closing Thoughts

Additional Resources

• ✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ynqnot4_ewNELrzpTs6bCT1Kq7qa0jSDdfp68rBF1PI/edit?usp=sharing
• ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/
• ✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/
• ✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Guest Links

• Website: https://kristenharcourt.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenharcourt/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristenharcourt/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenharcourt/
• Email: kristen@kristenharcourt.com

Join my newsletter to get episodes and the key takeaways guides delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #ManagingUp #EmotionalIntelligence #TeamCommunication #WorkplaceCulture #Management #EQinLeadership #CrossFunctionalTeams #LeadershipDevelopment #TrustAtWork

Most of us have an instinctual positive response to great work.“This is amazing, thank you so much.” It feels warm and authentic, but could have been said about anyone or any work. The lack of specificity means those words are cheap and the positive impact they make is short-lived. Here's how to show authentic appreciation, using AI as a thinking partner (not a ghost writer) to pinpoint exactly what you appreciate so you can convey a truly meaningful message of thanks.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: A Team Member's Effort and My Weak “Great Job”
• (00:34) Welcome to the Show, Plus a Confession
• (01:23) The Real Cost of Vague Appreciation
• (02:21) Turning to Claude to Find the Specific Words
• (03:17) Own It, Then Say It: Turning the Draft Into Real Appreciation
• (04:21) The Right Way to Use AI: Thinking Partner, Not Ghostwriter
• (05:31) This Week's Exercise and Free Resources

Additional Resources

• ✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ft_fJZsu_cNReD1sjjPuSVaOo-u8hxu7G6fa2wp0yiU/edit?usp=sharing
• ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/
• ✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/
• ✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #ManagementTips #EmployeeAppreciation #AIforManagers #TeamLeadership #FeedbackMatters #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeRecognition #ManagerLife

That stomach-drop feeling before a hard conversation? It's not weakness. It's your brain doing exactly what it was designed to do. Emotional intelligence expert Amy Jacobson breaks down the neuroscience of avoidance, the exact questions to ask before you say anything difficult, and why the conversation you've been dreading might be the most important one you ever have.

Guest Bio

Amy Jacobson is an emotional intelligence and human behavior specialist delivering programs, keynotes, and workshops across Australia and internationally. She is a twice Wiley-published author of Emotional Intelligence: A Simple and Actionable Guide to Increasing Performance, Engagement and Ownership and The Emotional Intelligence Advantage: Mastering Change and Difficult Conversations.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Why humans are wired to avoid difficult conversations
• (02:32) The role of the amygdala and fear of the unknown
• (06:00) How our brain deprioritizes hard conversations to protect us
• (07:12) What actually counts as a "difficult conversation"
• (08:18) The difference between a difficult conversation and a difficult delivery
• (09:38) Why curiosity is the most important tool in a first conversation
• (10:21) Why you should never over-prepare for a first conversation
• (15:16) The Ask, Ask, Tell framework
• (16:41) How to remove emotion and get factual when someone won't own it
• (19:29) Separating the person from the role
• (21:27) Real-world story: a leader in the wrong role
• (27:45) What a follow-up conversation must include: the consequence
• (29:42) Great manager shoutout: Tina Fisher

Additional Resources

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AK1zgeJoKYqMWkNmGM-p-QkWz27Sd_p8_QxFqoRTf8U/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Keep up with Amy Jacobson

• Website: https://amyjacobson.com.au/
• Book: The Emotional Intelligence Advantage — https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-Advantage-Mastering-Conversations/dp/1394337949
Free eBook: https://app.box.com/s/0yjaellmagoc8dyceu5bdyndk4uoku6x
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-jacobson-emotional-intelligence/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyjacobson_ei
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/findingyoury/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3tV1e6qV8EHqmA7_RFnPTw

Join my newsletter to get episodes and my one page episode guides with the key takeaways delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #DifficultConversations #ManagementTips #WorkplaceConflict #TeamLeadership #PeopleManagement #ManagerSkills #EQ

Picture a room stuck for three weeks on one sentence for a new policy. Half the team wants a rule tight enough to enforce, the other half wants it loose enough to survive real life. Nobody's wrong, and nobody's moving. This episode breaks down why chasing full agreement kills decisions, why forcing a vote kills them slowly in the background, and the three questions that get a group to something everyone can actually stand behind.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction
• (01:39) Redefining Consensus: It's Not About Full Agreement
• (02:27) The Two Traps: Endless Debate vs. Forced Votes
• (03:57) The Three Questions That Break the Deadlock
• (05:19) Why Silence Isn't the Same as Consent
• (06:13) How to Apply This in Your Next Tough Decision

Additional Resources

• ✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1khG9LS-iuWW5Re14TuclvVFKzx8FSdo7xlFiWGsf_JI/edit?usp=sharing

• ✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

• ✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

• ✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes and key takeaways delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #TeamCommunication #Consensus #DecisionMaking #ManagementTips #WorkplaceCulture #TeamLeadership #ConflictResolution

Your team isn't falling apart because something went wrong. It's falling apart because that's what teams do by default, drifting toward disconnection unless someone actively counteracts it. Lucky for us, there are four forces that pull people back together. Discover the fast, free actions any manager can take this week to stop the drift before it costs you your best people.

Guest Bio

Matt Poepsel, PhD is the author of Expand the Circle: Enlightened Leadership for Our New World of Work and host of the Lead the People podcast. He serves as Vice President & Godfather of Talent Optimization at The Predictive Index. He holds a PhD in Psychology, an MBA, and a Harvard Business School Certificate of Management Excellence. Matt is a part-time faculty member at Boston College where he teaches in the areas of leadership, human resources, and business spirituality.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: Why Teams Naturally Drift Apart
• (01:19) Team Entropy: Why Cohesion Doesn't Happen by Accident
• (09:46) Counterforce #1 — Creating Hope Through a Shared Future
• (12:46) Counterforce #2 — Building Mutuality Through Fairness and Transparency
• (17:17) Counterforce #3 — Strengthening Commitment by Investing in Team Identity
• (24:43) Counterforce #4 — Creating Synchrony So Teams Work Together Smoothly
• (27:55) The Manager Who Got It Right & Final Leadership Takeaways

Additional Resources

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qGzsoaFZ-5Dz7a8-X8AQEmYHxFrfqAj6q-pziO5kksg/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Keep Up with Matt Poepsel

• Website: http://mattpoepsel.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpoepsel/
• Book: Expand the Circle: Enlightened Leadership for Our New World of Work: https://a.co/d/08N6iDTp
• Podcast: Lead the People: https://www.mattpoepsel.com/podcasts/lead-the-people

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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it.

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#Leadership #TeamCohesion #ManagementTips #WorkplaceCulture #TeamBuilding #EmployeeEngagement #ModernManager #FutureOfWork

You say yes to the small stuff: the draft review, the book recommendation, the shampoo run. Then Thursday comes and none of it has happened. No one complains, but something quietly cracks. Every broken commitment, even the tiny ones, adds up to a trust tax you’re paying without realizing it. This episode breaks down the three-part structure that turns a yes into something people can actually count on.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction: The Three Small Promises I Broke
• (01:31) Redefining Integrity: It’s About Keeping Commitments
• (02:37) Why Good People Still Break Their Word
• (03:04) The Hidden Cost: How Broken Commitments Erode Trust
• (04:21) The Three-Part Structure of a Real Commitment
• (06:08) How to Renegotiate and Repair a Broken Commitment
• (07:11) Your 3-Step Challenge for This Week

Additional Resources

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10EkeUUQhCQ9ltwuunRuglPyNMBmQz8KTHkYC5MnYD7U/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more: https://www.themodernmanager.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

✨ Get the book: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Klemp - https://a.co/d/0hP0FUJr

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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast that helps you close the gap between knowing what good management is and actually doing it. Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode!

#Leadership #Integrity #TrustAtWork #Commitment #ManagementTips #ConsciousLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #PersonalAccountability #TeamTrust

Some of the best leadership lessons don't come from business books. Throughout history, different cultures have developed wisdom for how we can interact with and lead others. By exploring what different cultures value, we can identify insights into what might help us be better managers today.

Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is an attorney, executive leadership consultant, and author of The Souls of Queer Folk. Drawing on lessons from LGBTQ+ cultural values and decades of leadership consulting, he helps organizations build more inclusive, perceptive, and human-centered leadership practices.

In this episode, we explore how the unique values of the LGBTQ+ community offer a powerful blueprint for transformational leadership. We’ll discuss how you can integrate these human-centered insights into your own team culture to create a more inclusive and effective workplace.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction
• (02:34) Why Joel started researching LGBTQ+ culture and leadership
• (06:19) How the research worked: 15 values sorted into 9 meta-themes
• (09:45) Overview of the meta-themes: justice, authenticity, verve, interconnectedness, creativity, fluidity, resilience, somatic awareness, perceptiveness
• (12:52) Authenticity: internal alignment before external behavior
• (14:57) Verve: internal exuberance versus charisma
• (18:12) Non-binary thinking: rejecting either/or decisions
• (22:55) Somatic awareness: what your body tells you about your work
• (26:57 Two great managers Joel’s worked for
• (33:06) [EXTENDED EPISODE] Building these values into team culture, not just individual leadership
• (39:28) [EXTENDED EPISODE] Perceptiveness: situational awareness and reading the room

📚 Additional Resources:

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z2kdQnqMCcz92rq31pnfzOMH4O9df6rqYddUXwlvtg0/edit?usp=drive_link

✨Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨Visit my website for more: https://www.mamieks.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Keep up with Dr. Joel A. Davis-Brown.

- Connect with Joel on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelanthonybrown/

- Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelabrown/

- Visit the Pneumos website:https://www.pneumos.com/

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

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 never miss an episode!

#Leadership #TeamCommunication #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #InclusiveLeadership #Teamwork #WorkStyles #ManagerSkills #PsychologicalSafety #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipTips #Collaboration #WorkplaceCommunication #FutureOfLeadership #TheModernManager

Hitting the goal doesn’t always mean the project was a success.

A project can finish on time, hit every target, and look like a clear win on the dashboard while quietly burning out the team, damaging trust, or leaving the same problems waiting to happen again.

In this episode, I explain why outcomes alone don’t tell the full story of project success and introduce three measures every manager should consider: the outcome, how the work got done, and what the team learned. You'll discover how to distinguish between a win you can repeat and one that may be costing you future success.

You'll also learn why the way your team achieves a goal matters, how learning can change the value of both wins and failures, and how to evaluate whether your team is better positioned to succeed next time.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a practical framework for measuring success beyond the dashboard and building a team that can deliver strong results again and again.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Why hitting the goal doesn't always mean the project was successful
• (01:00) The problem with measuring success by outcomes alone
• (02:00) Why a win today can quietly cost you the next one
• (03:00) The three components of project success
• (04:00) Measure #1: Did you achieve the outcome you set?
• (04:00) Measure #2: How effectively did the team get the work done?
• (05:00) Measure #3: What did the team learn that can improve future performance?
• (06:00) [Extended Only] How to explain an unsustainable win to a boss who only cares about results
• (07:00) [Extended Only] How to own a missed goal without losing the value of what you learned

📚 Additional Resources

✨ Read the transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Sp9sEhxynY8oS_glRYpJhV0UmMU5HTQ4z3RVStGBoD0/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more:

https://www.mamieks.com/

✨ Level up your skills:

https://themodernmanager.com/replaybundle

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

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 never miss an episode!

#Leadership #Management #ProjectManagement #TeamPerformance #GoalSetting #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleManagement #ManagementSkills #TeamSuccess #TheModernManager

Difficult conversations are rarely difficult because we don't know what to say.

More often, they fall apart because we have the conversation at the wrong time, in the wrong way, or without realizing that the other person is experiencing the situation very differently than we are.

Fortunately, this week's guest shares a practical framework for navigating challenging conversations without creating more conflict. Instead of focusing on "winning" the discussion, you'll learn how to create the conditions for people to listen, collaborate, and move forward together.

Victoria Rennoldson is a global leadership expert, executive coach, and author of Become a Global Leader. She helps leaders communicate across cultures, build stronger relationships, and handle difficult conversations with greater confidence and empathy.

In this conversation, we explore why difficult conversations so often break down, how culture and communication styles shape conflict, and a simple framework that helps leaders replace defensiveness with genuine dialogue and better decisions.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction
• (01:56) Why most difficult conversations fail before they even begin
• (05:18) Preparing yourself before addressing conflict
• (09:41) The hidden emotional baggage that shapes difficult conversations
• (13:27) How culture influences communication, conflict, and feedback
• (17:42) Three communication differences every manager should recognize
• (22:06) How to avoid misreading what someone is really communicating
• (26:11) Practical ways to create safer, more productive conversations
• (28:09) [Extended Episode Only] The BRIDGE framework for difficult conversations
• (35:02) [Extended Episode Only] How to avoid misunderstandings across different communication styles
• (37:13) [Extended Episode Only] Why simple check-ins uncover what meetings often miss

📚 Additional Resources:

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GJRsTpWGQWe-Bq0caozgV3uDo-0hkyeXyhy58Jim6NY/edit?usp=drive_link

✨Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨Visit my website for more: https://www.mamieks.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Keep up with Victoria Rennoldson

- Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson

- Listen to the Cultural Communication Confidence podcast:https://culturecuppa.com/podcast

- Check out her book Become a Global Leader:https://culturecuppa.com/book

- Visit the Culture Cuppa website:https://culturecuppa.com/

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

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.

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#DifficultConversations #LeadershipCommunication #ConflictResolution #ManagerSkills #WorkplaceCommunication #LeadershipDevelopment #CommunicationSkills #EmotionalIntelligence #CrossCulturalCommunication #ManagementSkills #PsychologicalSafety #LeadershipTips

Most onboarding plans focus on helping new hires feel welcome and settled in their role.

But the real purpose of onboarding isn't orientation; it's creating clarity before misunderstandings become habits and before small mistakes turn into difficult performance conversations.

In this episode, I explain why the success or struggles you see three months after someone joins your team are often determined before they even start. You'll learn the difference between orientation and onboarding, why unclear expectations quietly undermine great hires, and the three things every manager should define during the first 30 days.

You'll also discover how AI can help you build a practical onboarding plan in less time, why documenting your team's unwritten rules matters more than you think, and how to reset expectations if someone has already been in the role for weeks or even months.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a simple framework for creating onboarding plans that build confidence, prevent unnecessary feedback conversations, and help new employees succeed from day one.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Why the real onboarding work begins after a candidate accepts the offer
• (01:56) Orientation vs. onboarding: the difference most managers miss
• (03:45) Why unclear expectations create future performance problems
• (06:13) Step #1: Define what success looks like at 30, 60, and 90 days
• (07:18) Step #2: Teach the unwritten rules that every team follows
• (08:49) Step #3: Explain how to work effectively with you as a manager
• (09:41) How AI can help you build a stronger onboarding plan in minutes
• (10:18) [Extended Only] How to re-onboard an employee when things aren't going as planned
• (11:44) [Extended Only] A simple conversation that resets expectations without creating defensiveness
• (13:00) [Extended Only] Why a "fresh start" can rebuild confidence and improve performance

📚 Additional Resources

✨ Read the transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1it3sq2F1DMg7SaFcJY68HAbo9Kxgi2Pz_nvEYLBNwKg/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more:

https://www.mamieks.com/

✨ Level up your skills:

https://themodernmanager.com/replaybundle

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Join my newsletter to get episodes delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.themodernmanager.com

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 never miss an episode!

#Leadership #Management #Onboarding #NewManager #PeopleManagement #EmployeeOnboarding #LeadershipDevelopment #ManagementSkills #FutureOfWork #TheModernManager

Most managers know they should spend more time thinking strategically. The problem is that strategy often gets crowded out by urgent tasks, endless decisions, and the pressure to solve today's problems.

But strategic thinking isn't just about setting long-term goals. It's about creating the space to explore possibilities, challenge assumptions, and help your team think beyond what's immediately in front of them.

Fortunately, this week's guest shares a practical approach to developing strategic thinking, creating compelling visions of the future, and leading conversations that generate better ideas rather than rushing to premature solutions.

Howard Teibel is the founder of Teibel Education and an expert in leadership development, organizational strategy, and team effectiveness. For decades, he has helped leaders and organizations build cultures where people communicate more effectively, think more strategically, and navigate change with greater confidence.

In this conversation, we discuss why strategic thinking is often misunderstood, how leaders can create a compelling vision that inspires action, and why slowing down conversations is often the key to generating better ideas. We also explore how moods influence team performance and what managers can do to help teams stay productive when emotions threaten to derail progress.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction
• (02:12) Why strategic thinking is more than long-term planning
• (05:41) Creating a compelling vision of the future
• (10:06) How vision shapes what organizations believe is possible
• (16:38) Helping teams think strategically together
• (18:47) Why strategic conversations often collapse into action planning
• (22:14) The difference between debating ideas and exploring them
• (25:06) What great leaders and partners do differently
• (28:31) [Extended] Why knowing what to do isn't enough to change behavior
• (29:30) [Extended] The hidden role moods play in team performance
• (32:44) [Extended] How to recognize and shift unproductive moods in meetings
• (35:40) [Extended] A simple exercise to create more intentional team conversations

📚 Additional Resources:

✨ Read the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UiIcgN4YcpNc0fAHakdjK_DZBCmb4N2io6xjX_2ZQso/edit?usp=sharing

✨Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨Visit my website for more: https://www.mamieks.com/

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

Keep up with Howard Teibel

- Connect with Howard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardteibel/

- Visit Teibel education here: https://teibelinc.com/

Get episodes and key takeaways delivered to your inbox when you join my newsletter at

http://www.themodernmanager.com

---------------------

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!

#StrategicThinking #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamLeadership #LeadershipSkills #DecisionMaking #OrganizationalLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #BusinessStrategy #LeadershipCommunication #ManagementSkills #TeamEffectiveness #FutureThinking #LeadershipMindset #OrganizationalDevelopment #TheModernManager

When a meeting becomes tense, your natural instinct might be to calm things down.

But when emotions start rising, the real problem usually isn’t the conflict itself. It’s that something important is at stake, and the conversation has shifted from solving a problem to defending positions, competence, or credibility.

In this episode, I explain why trying to smooth things over or bypass the hard stuff by “taking it offline” often makes things worse. You'll learn how to recognize what's really happening when discussions become emotional, why tension can be a useful signal rather than a threat, and how to help a group move from arguing with each other to working on the problem together.

I also share a real example from a meeting where I wasn't the leader in the room but still had an opportunity to intervene. You'll learn three practical steps for slowing down heated conversations, uncovering the real issue beneath the disagreement, and helping teams make productive progress without shutting conflict down.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a simple framework for navigating difficult moments in meetings and the confidence to step in when everyone else is waiting for someone else to act.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) A meeting that became more heated than anyone expected
• (01:06) Why most people freeze when conflict escalates in a meeting
• (02:05) The hidden issue underneath emotional disagreements
• (02:52) Why "let's take this offline" often makes things worse
• (03:32) Emotions are information, not a problem to solve
• (04:25) Why don't you need authority to help with a difficult conversation
• (05:40) Step #1: Slow the conversation down without shutting it down
• (06:00) Step #2: Identify the real concern underneath the disagreement
• (06:43) How to redirect emotional energy toward solving the problem
• (07:11) Step #3: Decide what happens next so the issue moves forward
• (08:00) The difference between burying a problem and intentionally parking it
• (08:50) [Extended] How to repair trust after an emotional reaction at work
• (09:20) [Extended] Why apologizing alone often isn't enough to rebuild credibility

📚 Additional Resources

✨ Read the transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hFBOi5jIA5I3TCv9h-BJDu7bmN0Yp8T2zhc9wDglGsM/edit?usp=sharing

✨ Follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/

✨ Visit my website for more:

https://www.mamieks.com/

✨ Level up your skills:

https://themodernmanager.com/replaybundle

✨ Subscribe to my YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jhYz8b16g1SsLia4EhO5w?sub_confirmation=1

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 never miss an episode!

#Leadership #Management #CommunicationSkills #ConflictResolution #MeetingManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleManagement #TeamCommunication #ManagerTraining #TheModernManager