The Manager's Desk with Evan D. Baltz

A podcast about my work experience and history. Key themes emerging from the recommendations include: Leadership and People Management : Evan is repeatedly described as an empathetic, humble, and supportive leader who prioritizes team growth, fosters psychological safety, encourages collaboration, and promotes professional development. Reviewers highlight his ability to rebuild teams during challe...

I worked at a large organization some time back, and when I started, I asked what the existing issue resolution plans were. I got a lot of blank stares. “What do you mean?” said one employee. I explained, “What do you do when there is a problem or critical issue?” “Well, you mean other than leadership running around with their hair on fire?” “Yes, other than that.” “Oh well, then nothing.” This go...

I’ve got another myth in mind today. Big Foot? Aliens? The Bermuda Triangle? And by the way, whatever happened to the Bermuda Triangle? When I was a kid, it seemed like every show had some kind of reference to it. Now, no one ever talks about it anymore. I think some of you won’t agree with my characterization of this as a myth. You will say, “Oh, but Evan, it is very real.” Well, yes, it is real,...

Evan interviews guest Jay Brummett. They explored the evolution of the workforce and the impact of AI on knowledge workers, examining how AI can complement human skills while highlighting its limitations. The conversation concluded with discussions about team management challenges, the importance of creating safe work environments, and the significant costs associated with poor management practice...

I’ve got 3 very important words for you today. In America, you have probably heard the popular saying, “The customer is always right.” It is supposed to reflect our culture of customer satisfaction and experience. In Germany, there is a twist on that saying which pokes fun at Germany’s own perceived approach to customer service. The saying goes, “In Germany, the customer is King…and he shall be pu...

Player-Coach Concept in Sports Evan opened by discussing Pete Rose, who was the last player-coach in major American sports from 1984 to 1986 with the Cincinnati Reds. He noted that: There have been no player-coaches in professional sports in the last 40 years The last player-coach in the NBA was over 50 years ago There has never been a player-coach in the modern era of football or hockey Most play...

Evan Baltz, a marketing technology leader, discussed the distinction between lowercase "agile" and uppercase "Agile" in the context of business processes. He explained that lowercase agile refers to quick adaptability, while uppercase Agile is a structured project management approach emphasizing iterative processes, collaboration, and flexibility. Evan highlighted that many org...

The Transactional vs. Relational Manager Welcome to season 2 of The Manager’s Desk. I’m Evan Baltz, a Marketing Technology expert and a team builder, and…a bit of an author. In May, I was pleased to publish my book “The Art of Leadership without Losing Your Soul” which is available on Amazon in 4 different formats: paperback, hardcover, Audible, and Kindle. In one of the chapters in the book, and...

As a manager in Marketing or IT technology, it’s important to not only develop your team members understanding of technology and performance, it is also important to coach them how to be business-minded technologists. To be truly successful within a business organization, every contributor needs to understand the business. However, this is often lost on your individual contributors, especially wit...

An important part of being a manager is communicating regularly with your direct reports. This can be a valuable time to connect with your team members. But for many it ends up being a lost opportunity or a checking-the-box experience. Here are some helpful tips on how to get the most out of your 1:1s: 1. Have a meeting agenda for the appointment. 2. Ask open-ended questions. 3. Seek feedback - An...

Manager as coach tips: Demonstrate through examples - show them how you do it and talk about why it works Provide feedback on performance - meaningful, not participation ribbon type positive feedback and not overtly harsh or destructive Give opportunities for growth/advancement Create gameplans/strategies to make them successful - play to their strengths Reward them for outstanding performance #co...

In this episode of The Manager's Desk, Evan discusses all things managers with Jerry Black. Jerry has 20+ years of experience in leadership, project management, team building, and coaching, as well as being a stand-up comedian. They discuss topics like: What makes a great manager? What makes a bad manager? What are some of the most important things you can do to ensure you are the former? What do...

On this episode of The Manager's Desk, Evan interviews  Jay Brummett, CSPO, CSM, CSP-SM, CAL, (PMP) about Agile Ceremonies. They discuss: The basic agile “ceremonies”/meetings. What purpose do they serve, and who is involved What the role of the manager is in relationship to the ceremonies and the product owner and SCRUM master Recommendations for new year’s resolutions for Agile teams #agile #scr...

In previous podcasts, I offered recommendations for New Year’s Resolutions for managers and for employees. In today's episode, I am going to recommend resolutions for executive leaders. So here they are for 2025: 1. Solicit feedback 2. Encourage debate and dissenting opinions 3. Be generous with time off 4. Don’t let AI make hiring decisions for you And finally, 5. Be accountable and hold all lead...

On a recent podcast, I shared 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Managers. Today, I am recommending 6 New Year’s Resolutions for Employees. So here they are for 2025: Nail the small stuff - One of the best things you can do to set yourself up for a great year and a great review and possible promotions, is to nail all the small stuff consistently. What is “the small stuff” you ask? Things like promptness...

Well it is now officially 2025 - we are ¼ of the way into this century already! By the way, whatever happened to Y2K? :-) Maybe a discussion for another time. Did you  make any New Year’s Resolutions? Maybe getting back to the gym, or doing more reading or completing a project around the house? From a professional standpoint, it might also be a good idea to create New Year’s Resolutions for yourse...

Evan discusses with Jay the Agile Pre-Mortem, or risk assessment. Questions addressed include: In Agile, what is a “retro” or post-mortem? What is the major goal of this ceremony? What is a pre-mortem? Goal? Who attends? How are risks prioritized? What are some common risks? How are risks mitigated? Who’s responsibility is it? What are some obstacles to risk assessment? How do you know if your ris...

It's a popular opinion and theory that employees don't quit companies, they quit bad managers. While there is truth to that thinking, it's missing the bigger picture. Listen to Evan discuss this issue and some possible solutions. #badmanager #culture #employee #leadership #manager #review #survey #podcast

Evan discusses the differences between introverts and extroverts and how it presents challenges to a manager. The first step is understanding what each personality type is like and what is important to them. At its most basic, extroverts receive energy from social interactions and introverts lose energy from social interactions. A smart manager understands both and how to best interact with each p...

Join Evan and his special guest, Jay Brummett - CSPO, CSM, CSP-SM, CAL, (PMP), Agile expert as they discuss some of the following: How does it differ from other methodologies? On a scale of 1-10, how hard do you think it is to institute Agile in an organization? What are some of the key blockers to that (Evan will confirm leadership adoption) How does Agile help the “doers”? How does Agile help th...

Leave a comment expressing your interest in a free consulting session and I'll put your name into a random drawing. The winner will receive a 1 hour Zoom meeting consultation. Open to managers or employees.

Perhaps the most critical thing you can do as a manager/leader is to build trust. Here are 6 ways to do that: Authenticity Compassion Honesty Career Path Support Support - public and private Ask for advice and take it #trust #leadership #managers #podcast #buildtrust

Evan discusses the importance of having SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). These are often misunderstood in their purpose, or sometimes shunned by executives who would rather create panic and "emergencies" to exercise authority and control. Ultimately that is not sustainable. So what is a good SOP and why should you have them? #SOPs #leadership #managers

There are three perspectives for promotions: 1. The employee's perspective 2. The manager's perspective 3. HR/Sr. Leadership perspective Evan walks through these perspectives and provides tips on how to be successful. #promotions #managers #leadership

The differences in managing remote teams or in-person teams. I share some tips on how to effectively manage employees remotely. Please share your thoughts and comments.