Management Material

Send a text Welcome back to Management Material with Catherine Van Der Laan! In this episode, Catherine discusses the critical importance of leading with a clear and inspiring vision, especially in today's rocky and inconsistent world. She shares insights on how a well-defined vision can motivate your team, attract the right talent, and transform your organization's performance.  Learn h...

Send a text In this episode, host Catherine Van Der Laan discusses the critical role your social media plays in getting hired. She explains that many hiring managers now scrutinize candidates' online presence to determine if they are an asset or a liability to the company.  Catherine provides a three-step process to "scrub" your social media, ensuring it presents a professional imag...

Send a text This video provides an in-depth guide on creating an AI-proof resume and cover letter. The speaker, Catherine Van Der Laan, shares insights on how AI and recruiters typically screen job applications, emphasizing the importance of tailoring your resume and cover letter with relevant keywords and action verbs. She advises against directly copying job descriptions and discusses how to pre...

Send a text We're starting a 7-part series entitled "Get a New Full-Time Job." This series mimics the more in-depth group program called "Get a New Full-Time Job." You can find out more about the group program here: https://www.saverstreet.com/service-page/find-a-new-ft-job-group-coaching-session Class 1: Find Your Full-Time Fit Class 2: Create an AI-Proof Resume and Cover...

Send a text "People don't leave jobs; they leave managers." - a common managerial proverb Getting the title of "manager" doesn't automatically qualify you as a leader. Most managers (at least 58%, according to one study) are so bad at leadership that their employees call them "toxic" and leave.  If that doesn't sound an alarm for you, I don't know...

Send a text Ever wondered how to piece back together the fragile puzzle of trust once it's fallen apart? That's what we conquer on today's Management Material, as I share the transformative journey of a leadership development client navigating the treacherous waters of office politics and slander.  You'll be privy to our intense discussions on accountability and the power of tr...

Send a text In this episode, we cover the fine-tuned art of giving feedback so it's received well.  It's not easy to give feedback. Most of us have had at least one experience with giving feedback and seeing it blow up in our faces.  If you like to avoid conflict, like me, it might seem like giving feedback to a colleague is a lose-lose situation.  Let's turn giving feedback into a...

Send a text Unlock the secrets to revitalizing your team's passion and productivity with me, Catherine Van Der Laan, as we navigate the storm of today's workplace challenges.  In this episode, I share my personal journey and the strategies that have transformed teams facing the threat of financial instability and job insecurity. You'll learn about the three-step process that can shi...

Send a text There's a right way and a wrong way to lead after a layoff.  When RIFs shatter company morale and rewrite the organizational chart, people can do really weird and stupid things.  Let's talk through what it means to be a leader after layoffs affect your colleagues emotionally.  My journey through the aftermath of downsizing has taught me invaluable lessons about strengthening...

Send a text If you've been through a RIF or know someone who has, this episode is here to help you get back on your feet. I'm sharing a six-step lifeline for anyone treading in these choppy waters—all to help you find a new job, position yourself well, and reach out when you need help. Transforming a setback into a setup for a greater comeback, we pivot to the mechanics of a job search s...

Send a text Today’s topic is about real leadership that inspires people but is super hard on the manager.  Taking the blame and lending the credit is a tough thing. That means taking the fall when a project doesn’t go well or your team doesn’t make its numbers AND talking your team up, giving the right person credit when your team does super well.  Would you follow a leader if you thought they wou...

Send a text This topic came up because a career coaching client of mine got a new job recently as a manager. She has a team of people that she inherited from the company. That means that she didn’t get to hire her own people; they were a team the company gave her to lead.  Now, she’s having some trouble with respect on her team. Some of her direct reports are questioning where she is, questioning...

Send a text If you're on your way to being known as the next up-and-coming manager or management material , you might have some haters. The world is full of people who want to get credit and don't want to put in the effort. You'll probably find some of those on your way to a senior management or senior leadership position.  Let's talk through how to handle it when someone else...

Send a text OOPS! The right file is now uploaded. Sorry, everyone! I uploaded the next episode for my other podcast, The Money Minister, but now the right episode for Management Material is up.  ___________________________________________________ Let’s talk about how to get promoted.  Yes, I know we’re in a down market. When there’s a down market, there are reorganizations and layoffs. There’s a l...

Send a text The economy is in a little bit of trouble. When interest rates go up, businesses that rely on loans have to balance their budgets, so they tend to lay people off.   Let’s take this episode to learn how to protect yourself from being laid off.  Some signs of a looming layoff include: Heightened or more frequent budget tracking An announcement of a future reorganization Delayed payment t...

Send a text A few years ago, I was a defacto leader on a team and I had a boss who was super indecisive. I’m not sure I blamed him, because his boss was indecisive as well and it was a VERY political company.  Our guy in charge - our guy in the chief officer position at the time was very much a bully. People would leave meetings with him in TEARS and some would throw up from anxiety before meeting...

Send a text Someone recently asked me about being a leader or peer leader for a team that’s half in the office and half working from home. To be clear, he’s not their boss but is a kind of peer leader at work, and he wanted to get better at helping everyone feel included and part of the team.  You see, the people working from home didn't feel included. They didn't have a voice and didn&a...

Send a text At one point in my career, I started giving presentations to senior management - GMs, SVPs, and occasionally our Chief Product Officer.  When I first started giving those presentations, I would present my data, decision-making process, and the whole story before getting to the potential options for how we could move forward. These were usually strategy presentations and I thought the l...

Send a text Joining a new team can feel exciting, terrifying, inspiring, overwhelming, and stressful.  Most people will focus on building relationships with their new team members... which can sometimes go wrong.  In this podcast episode, we talk about how to get close with your new team members, how it can go wrong, and how it can go well. ___________________________________ If you'd like to...

Send a text A friend of mine came up to me last Sunday at church and asked how I would answer an interview question since I’ve managed larger teams before. He was sitting in an interview for a senior-level position and was asked how he’d manage the team. Nothing more, nothing less. Just, “How would you manage the team?” Well, that’s a curious question. How would you answer it?  Take a moment and t...

Send a text Focusing on getting what's  fair to you will make you bitter. Bitter people don't get promoted. Bitterness is poison to careers. Bitter people think they deserve more than they get in life. They’re never satisfied with what they have. They’re usually paranoid and think everyone is out to get them. They don’t appreciate the kindness of other people. They think they deserve it....

Send a text Guys. Stop stealing from your company. You might think, "I'm not stealing from the company!"  Yeah, so did I.  Give this a listen. You might just change your mind, change your work life, and change your timeline for becoming a manager. If you have any feedback, send me an email at catherine.vanderlaan@saverstreet.com. I'd love   to hear it! Book a complimentary mana...

Send a text Underperformers can plummet a team's enthusiasm and morale. They can kill projects, suck motivation, and make their colleagues look bad. So - if you're trying to become a people manager - what do you do? In this episode, we talk through what to do, how to do it, and why this flow matters: 1. Compensate for their underperformance (short-term ONLY). 2. Talk to their manager and...

Send a text Even the most honest person can work on their integrity. Integrity is more than just telling the truth. Integrity is about doing what you say you'll do when you say you'll do it. Senior leaders only promote leaders they believe have integrity. If you don't have integrity, you will not become a manager. It's the KEY characteristic of a strong, long-lasting leader. In...

Send a text When you use weak words or you kneecap your sentences, people notice - either subconsciously or consciously - and they treat you as someone who’s not confident and doesn’t deserve to be a people manager. They treat you like someone who isn’t sure, even though you were trying to be polite. They treat you like someone who didn’t do the work you did, even though you’re the resident expert...