Manager on a Mission

This whole episode is full of a-ha moments, those things that make you stop your usual routine and question if you’re doing everything you were meant to do with your life. It’s full of thought-provoking questions, like: did your 6-year old self already have the answer to who you really are? Or are you a closet changemaker? And how do you make a PIVOT? Dr. Taryn Fletcher is coach, author, and educa...

Can your career be completely layoff-proof? Probably not. But can you do more than just worry about a layoff happening to you? Heck, yeah, and in this episode my guest shares some of her best strategies for protecting and advancing your career with you. Nicole Miles is a Certified Career Coach, founder of HerCareerStrategist and former Global Recruiting Leader at Tesla, and she brings over 20 year...

Wait, what’s wrong with vulnerability? And are we really talking about cosmology and poetry on this podcast? Yes, today’s episode is a bit different from our usual fare here at Manager on a Mission. My guest is Conner Kees - author, acupuncturist, and interfaith minister. In this convo, we explore why traditional notions of vulnerability in leadership might be missing the mark, and how radical aut...

Recent data from Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report reveals that 76% of workers experience burnout at least sometimes, with 28% reporting they feel burned out "very often" or "always." The financial impact is staggering - employee burnout costs companies over $320 billion globally in turnover and lost productivity. In this episode, we explore how toxic management behaviors have become n...

The evidence is clear: rigid RTO policies and stack ranking systems are failing modern teams. But there are some innovative companies embracing flexibility and trust. And they are thriving. In this episode, we contrast outdated "Factory Floor Management" and more innovative, modern approaches, including my own “Lead Like a Landscape Architect” approach. We take a look at recent studies that provid...

(This episode features three special guests: my birds Nacho, Goochie, and Smokey who were in the hotel room with me when I recorded this due to Southern California wildfire evacuations.)  Get my book, Not Safe for Work A 1:1 meeting may sound basic, but it can absolutely transform how you and your team work together. If your 1:1s are supportive, consistent, and positive, your team has a much...

Did you know that almost 80% of people have experienced imposter syndrome at some point? According to the American Psychological Association, people with imposter syndrome live with the ongoing fear that they’re going to be unmasked as being incompetent and unable to perform according to expectations. When you boil it down, imposter syndrome is a combination of constant inner judgment and the unde...

I know you listen to this podcast at least in part because you believe everyone should have dignity in their work. But do you also like chocolate? If you’re wondering what those two things have to do with each other you’re going to have to check out this conversation with Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton! Aurora is Founder and Chief Change Agent of Astrapto LLC, which exists to advance positive impact in th...

In this episode, I read a section from my book on leading with vision. Many leaders think “having a vision” is a luxury, or even just a waste of time. But every team needs one - especially when you feel like you don’t have time for one. Yes, even your team. A vision is more than just goals and objectives. It’s a way for you and your team to identify the “why” behind what you do and map out a path...

What's the connection between why HR is getting a bad rap and why some employees don't want to be managers? Listen as Megan Wheeler and I try to unravel this tough question and talk about leading with curiosity and questions instead of making assumptions. Megan is a former coworker of mine from my design agency days in Brooklyn. She is the founder of Spoken,  a consultancy dedicated to helpin...

For a change of pace, I'm excited to read to you from my book, NSFW (Not Safe for Work) - A good manager's guide to better-feeling work in a toxic culture . In this episode I'm going to share little bit of Chapter 5: Lead and Inspire or Get Out of the Way - the section called “Sticks and Stones.” Spoiler: It’s about words. Well, it’s about phrases - some of my least favorite phrases, because I thi...

Forbes reports that the tech industry has laid off more than 124,000 workers in 2024 alone. Layoffs are a massive problem and source of strife and low morale - not just for those laid off, but for those who remain. But this episode isn’t about layoffs. Well, it’s not JUST about layoffs.  Layoffs are a symptom. Lower salaries and less frequent raises are a symptom. Having less power and levera...

A lot of us have dreamed of - or even dabbled in - entrepreneurship at some point. But you probably have so many questions, like: How do you make the transition? What if your initial business strategy needs to change?  How do you handle all the technology and platforms?   Well you found the right episode of Manager on a Mission, because our guest has the answers. Diane Lam come...

I’m not an economist, a historian, or a philosopher. But when I started putting out podcasts and writing my book, I had to go outside of my comfort zone in order to develop a sense of context, as well as a more informed opinion, on what is happening for employees and why in so many cases it feels so wrong.  In this episode, I interview some real experts - Paul Knowlton and Aaron Hedges, autho...

I recorded my first podcast as a guest on Friday. I was so excited, but afterward I didn't celebrate or rest. No, instead I worried. I worried about everything I said that might have been offensive. I was terrified and ashamed that when the episode came out, I would come across as too angry, too negative, too opinionated. Why? That's exactly what we'll explore in this short little episode: how in...

Whether entrepreneurialism is burning inside you or is something you've never allowed yourself to consider, Steph Sheldon shares her wisdom about the creative process and finding your voice. Yes, even in a corporate job. Steph is the talent behind my top-to-bottom rebrand - from this podcast name and artwork, to my new site, and all those photos I've been using on the socials. In this episode we t...

Sometimes it feels like nothing you do matters as a manager, unless maybe you're the CEO. You can't hire the people you need to hire, you can't get the software your team needs, and you can't get them the raises they deserve. It feels like no matter what you do, you just can’t make a difference. What if i told you you don’t need to fix everything and you could still improve the lives of your team?...

In the first episode of Season 2, we look at how management is stuck in the 90s and hasn’t kept pace with the challenges that employees are dealing with at work, like how quickly priorities change, how ambiguous projects can be, and how much more complexity employees face as far as office politics, layoffs, and far-flung coworkers in multiple time zones.  Old-school managers are shortchanging...

For the final episode of our first season, we’re doing something a little bit different. I asked you to send me questions, and now I'm sharing my best answers regarding: How managers can help you increase your visibility and build your reputation Why doing boring work doesn't mean you're doomed to never get a better job than the one you have now How to become a better presenter, even if you feel l...

Brian Walch is a coach, consultant, and speaker who helps organizations develop their managers and build best-in-class management cultures. He is the owner of Shiftfocus Coaching and Consulting, where he provides services to help empower managers to lead themselves, their teams, and their organizations.  In this episode, Brian and Tosca talk about management culture and what to do when organi...

The #1 barrier to productivity isn't remote work, or RTO policies, or even mass layoffs. It's meetings. As more and more employees struggle to complete their actual work, why is the tyranny of meetings not just tolerated but expected in Corporate America?  The recent Atlassian Workplace Woes survey about meetings validated everything I had been feeling about meetings before I left my corporat...

Dina Berman is a 30 year agency veteran, San Francisco native, and recovering ‘good girl’ who leveraged her mastery as a middle child and her love of commercials into a career in advertising with a focus in Account Management. She is Head of Account and Project Management at wello, Wells Fargo’s creative agency where she’s also a member of the Leadership Team. For the past 6 years Dina has been wo...

Promotions and progress are the lanugage of success in Corporate America. But promotions can be notoriously difficult to get, or at least difficult to understand. Some companies keep the process shrouded in mystery and very tightly controlled. But when prospective employers want to see progress, advancement, and forward movement - and current employers are reluctant to provide it - what’s an emplo...

Jess Walker has spent over 20 years as a manager and organizational leader at some of the top creative agencies in New York City, working with Fortune 10 trailblazers, long-standing companies, and fast-growing brands. She now applies her dedication to creating value and growth to what she cares about most: people. She recently founded Wondering Forward, a coaching practice for individuals and team...

Our first interview episode features Jod Kaftan, Head of Product Design & Research at Oracle. Jod has over 20 years of experience in product, UX, and strategy, and as a trailblazer and leader in the industry, he is an advocate for a people-centered approach to management.  Having recently branched out into coaching, Jod has been reflecting on his evolution as a manager who now believes hi...