The Modern Manager

Managers are often expected to be natural interviewers with a discerning ear, able to determine if a candidate is both capable of doing the job and a good fit with the team. I had to learn how to interview and assess a candidate because it's way more complicated than a gut check. This week, I explain learning from experience interviewing and the process I use to understand a candidates capability,...

Are you a good listener? Like breathing, listening is something we do every day yet most of us struggle to do it well simply because we were never taught how. A lack of listening skills in combination with the many distractions vying for attention can have a profound impact on our ability to work effectively, make good decisions, and connect with other people. This week, I speak with Oscar Trimbol...

How many times have you thought, “I’m too busy to figure out a better way to do X” or “I’ll improve this process as soon as things settle down.” The reality is that things never really settle down and yet, if we don’t periodically pause to reflect and improve our processes, we’ll soon discover they’ve eroded into overly complicated, burdensome ways of working. This week, I walk through a real-life...

Asking questions, and knowing when not to, can be a kind of ‘secret sauce’ that enables you and your team to be more efficient and effective. Questions can help you prioritize, clarify, and even make decisions, when you know how to use them. This week, I speak with Pete Mockaitis, award-winning speaker and coach who helps professionals perform optimally at work, and host of How to be Awesome at yo...

As a manager, you are responsible for your team members accomplishing their individual and collective goals, but you also need to motivate them to work in ways that will foster a culture that will ultimately serve the team best. This may include what seem like obvious behaviors such as owning your mistakes, or more complex ones such as giving real-time feedback to one another or asking for help. I...

"It's OK to fail." Really? Does anyone actually believe that? No matter how genuine your intent, innovation will never flourish while your team remains constrained by systems designed to enforce and reward traditional metrics of success. So how can you truly invest in new ideas and recognize "failure" as a vital part of the idea development cycle? This week, I speak with Jesse Fowl, managing direc...

I’ve found that most teams don’t often enough pause to reflect on or evaluate the success of the work itself. There is so much to do, that we just keep pushing forward without pausing to ask how we’re doing and if we should keep going. In this episode, I outline four approaches to evaluating your teams’ work.   Get the free mini-guide to help you get started with evaluating your team’s work.   Joi...

This is the fourth bonus episode in the Parenting Your Business series. In these episodes, I talk about my experiences as a parent and manager / entrepreneur, comparing situations and learnings. In this episode, I reflect on moments when we communicate unclearly or don't say what we actually mean and how we make assumptions about what other's say or do.   Get in touch and join the conversation! ma...

We all have moments when we wish we were better communicators: less nervous, more confident, better able to connect with and inspire members of our team, and more likely to really be heard by those listening. According to this week’s guest, “Owning your voice means feeling confident in the moment of communication because you know how to move through nerves and anxiety to say what you need to say s...

I’ve found that most teams don’t often enough pause to reflect on or evaluate the success of the work itself. There is so much to do, that we just keep pushing forward without pausing to ask how we’re doing and if we should keep going. In this episode, I outline four approaches to evaluating your teams’ work.   Get the free mini-guide to help you get started with evaluating your team’s work.    Jo...

When was the last time your team had a conversation about a non-work topic? That might seem like an unusual question when in fact, it’s an important component to building a high performing team. When people connect on a human level, they develop and deepen trust and respect, enabling them to constructively engage in conflict, openly share ideas and much more. This week, I speak with Ann Smith, Exe...

Meetings are just one form of communicate. Chat, email, collaborative digital tools and meetings are all good for some things and not others. While it seems simple to say, “let’s have a meeting,” it is important to pause and consider if a meeting is really necessary.   Get the free mini-guide to help you write a desired outcome.   Join the Modern Manager community to get the full guide which inclu...

Do you still remember that uncomfortable, nerve-wracking or awkward feedback conversation you had with your manager, a colleague or direct report? Why are these conversations so difficult and how can we be better feedback givers and receivers? This week, I speak with Robleh Kirce, Head of Coaching at LifeLabs. His research centers on transformative leadership experiences, behavioral-based 360 tool...

As we prepare for another year, many of you I’d expect are doing some reflection on yourself, your personal goals, and what you hope for in 2019. Teams have goals, skills and competencies, just as individuals do. As you reflect on individual performance and opportunities for growth, consider also reflecting on how your team could become stronger. How might you invest in your team’s capabilities in...

Team culture exists whether you intentionally shape it or not. Many managers organically build a culture based on their own values. But how do you design and transform a culture intentionally - one that delivers greater results for the individual, team and company? This week I speak with Isaac Tolpin, co-founder of ConveYour.com, the #1 Microlearning platform for learner engagement. Isaac and I ta...

This is the third bonus episode in the Parenting Your Business series. In these episodes, I talk about my experiences as a parent and manager / entrepreneur, comparing situations and learnings. In this episode, I reflect on moments when we make assumptions that result in wasted effort, and then how we respond to them. Get in touch and join the conversation! mamie@mamieks.com mamieks.com/podcast pa...

It’s normal to have ups and downs with any new app. There will be times when you love using your task manager and times when you slow down or completely stop. Thats because using an app is really about building new habits. Whenever we try to change behavior we run into challenges.   Get the free mini-guide to help you overcome some common challenges with using a digital task manager.   Join the Mo...

Hiring remote team members has gained in popularity over recent years. With access to a wider talent pool, more varied price ranges, and the ability to hire project-based and full-time resources, what's not to love? So how do you effectively hire and work with someone whom you never meet in person?   This week I speak with Nate Hirsch, entrepreneur and expert in remote hiring and eCommerce. Nate i...

Introducing a new technology tool to your workflow, whether doing it alone or with a team, shouldn’t be taken lightly. You have to work the technology in order to reap the benefits. Getting set up properly from the start will make it easier to sustain the new behaviors that will lead to less stress, more alignment, and greater productivity.   Get the free mini-guide to help you set yourself and/or...

We all have that inner critic who wants us to believe “I can’t.” As a manager, you may also see that voice taking control of your team mates. So how do you quiet the inner critic and unleash the full potential of yourself and your colleagues? This week I speak with Tara Mohr, expert on women’s leadership and well-being. Tara is the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Spea...

There are endless benefits to using technology at work. But, software tools and apps are not a magic pill. They require behavior change and sustained dedication to using them in order to reap the benefits. Therefore, even considering the idea of adding a new app to your tech toolbox should be done thoughtfully.   Get the free mini-guide to help you reflect on why you need a task management app and...

It's no fun to work with difficult people. As a manager, it's your responsibility to deal with difficult people and disruptive behaviors head on. It's not always easy, but it doesn't need to be complicated or anxiety-producing.  This week I speak with Kris Plachy, Founder and CEO of Leadership Coach and host of How to Lead podcast. Kris and I discuss proven approaches to dealing with difficult peo...

Almost everyone deals with times of procrastination, either with ourselves or our colleagues. At its best, procrastination is a natural tendency to wait until the last minute, resulting in a rush of adrenaline that actually creates focus and helps produce our best work. At its worse, procrastination is due to lack of clarity or avoidance of work. Regardless of the root cause, if procrastination is...

Sometimes, delegating work can feel like more trouble than its worth. Wouldn't it be nice to have more time for other work? Who will benefit from taking on new responsibilities and growing their skills? But then, how do I make sure the work is done "right"?   In episode 22, I talk with Dave Stachowiak, host of Coaching for Leaders podcast about all things delegation. From mindset to practical step...

This is the second bonus episode in the Parenting Your Business series. In these episodes, I talk about my experiences as a parent and manager / entrepreneur, comparing situations and learnings. In this episode, I reflect on moments when we might be too close to the work or situation, and would benefit from taking a step back. Get in touch and join the conversation! mamie@mamieks.com mamieks.com/p...