The Modern Manager

Toxic workplaces come in many different forms that we might not always notice.  And because we aren’t all affected in the same ways, even the most well-meaning managers can unintentionally contribute to an unhealthy culture if they aren't paying close attention.  Aoife O’Brien is an organizational psychologist, leadership expert, and author of Thriving Talent. Her work focuses on helping organizat...

You’re stuck between two options, going back and forth, trying to figure out the “right” choice. Should you hire or not? Change systems or stay the same? Restructure or keep things as they are? The more you think about it, the more stuck you feel. It’s easy to assume the answer is hidden somewhere between those two choices, but often, that’s the real problem. You’re treating a complex decision as...

We often think our reactions at work are about what’s happening in the moment: a frustrating colleague, a difficult conversation, or a stressful situation. But what if those reactions are actually coming from somewhere else? For many managers, moments of irritation, defensiveness, or emotional overwhelm can feel confusing or even unprofessional. But these responses aren’t random and they’re not a...

We spend most of our time indoors moving from screens to meetings to more screens without realizing the toll it’s taking on our focus, energy, and overall well-being. For many managers, burnout and fatigue feel like a personal failing or just “part of the job.” But what if the real issue isn’t you… it’s your environment? Fortunately, this week’s guest explains how reconnecting with nature isn’t ju...

Stress is something every manager experiences. Tight deadlines, constant decisions, competing priorities; it can feel like pressure is simply part of the job. Most leaders treat stress like one big, unavoidable force. In reality, stress isn’t just one thing. It appears in different forms, and each requires a different response. When leaders don’t understand the source of their stress, they often t...

Empathy is often talked about as a “soft skill,” but in reality, it can be one of the most powerful leadership strategies for building trust, improving collaboration, and helping teams perform at their best. When leaders understand the experiences and stories that shape how people think, communicate, and respond under pressure, they can lead in ways that make team members feel truly seen and suppo...

Change is constant. But too often, leaders treat change as a project instead of a core leadership skill. That’s when teams disengage, resistance grows, and initiatives stall. The problem isn’t the change itself. It’s how it’s led. Fortunately, this week’s guest shares a powerful new approach to help leaders guide their teams through uncertainty, build trust, and turn resistance into meaningful pro...

Many leaders assume communication is about clarity. But the real challenge is getting people to truly understand, care, and take action. Too often, managers jump straight into slides, updates, or instructions without thinking about the impact of their message. As a result, even important communication falls flat, creates confusion, or leaves teams unsure what to do next. Fortunately, this week’s g...

Many managers believe pressure drives performance. Others focus heavily on support. But high-performing teams don’t choose one or the other. They operate with both. When expectations are high, but support is low, people become defensive, stressed, and disengaged.  When support is high but expectations are low, performance suffers. The real challenge for managers is learning how to balance intensit...

Many teams struggle with the same invisible problem: unspoken norms that quietly undermine collaboration, performance, and trust.  Even when leaders want better behaviors, more ownership, healthier boundaries, and stronger collaboration, change often stalls because no one has named what’s actually happening. Fortunately, this week’s guest helps managers put language to the hidden norms shaping the...

Managing a team gets especially challenging when emotions run high. Whether it’s you who regularly rides the emotional rollercoaster or a team member who explodes in meetings, shuts down during feedback, or feels unpredictable from one conversation to the next, many managers struggle with how to respond when emotions show up in the workplace. Fortunately, this week’s guest offers a grounded framew...

Many organizations say they want to invest in people, but their hiring and talent practices often tell a very different story. Degree requirements, limited benefits packages, and poor management practices continue to limit who gets access to opportunity and how teams perform. And the cost shows up everywhere: higher turnover, slower productivity, and missed potential. Fortunately, this week’s gues...

About 95% of people believe they’re self-aware, but research shows only 10–15% actually are. And that gap matters, especially for managers. Self-awareness shapes how we communicate, make decisions, handle conflict, and interpret others’ behavior. When we don’t understand what’s driving our reactions or how our actions land, we risk creating friction, bias, and misunderstanding on our teams without...

You already have a personal brand, whether you’ve chosen it or not. And every meeting, email, and interaction at work is quietly shaping it. Many managers assume personal branding is about being visible online or promoting yourself. But in reality, it’s about how you show up, how others experience working with you, and what people say about you when you’re not in the room. It’s essentially your re...

Hiring a friend can feel both generous and like a leadership landmine waiting to explode. Good intentions aren’t enough when power dynamics shift, boundaries blur, and personal relationships collide with professional expectations. The risk isn’t just losing a friendship; it’s undermining trust, fairness, and team culture if the situation isn’t handled thoughtfully. Fortunately, this week’s guest h...

Salary conversations are inherently complex and challenging, filled with hidden traps. They are high-stakes, deeply personal, and blend factors like budgets, fairness, expectations, and emotions. Since these discussions are infrequent, many managers lack the necessary practice, which adds to the difficulty. Fortunately, this week’s guest breaks down exactly how to navigate compensation conversatio...

When disruption hits your team, confidence often drops, communication gets messy, and progress slows. But disruption isn’t the problem; how we respond to it is. Fortunately, this week’s guest offers a clear, practical framework for leading with steadiness even when everything around you is shifting. And just as importantly, he explains how we can become positive disruptors in order to facilitate a...

Ever feel like you should know more, be more confident, or have everything figured out by now? You’re not alone, and more importantly, you don’t need to be a “know-it-all” to be an exceptional leader. In fact, the strongest leaders today share one trait: They are learn-it-alls, people who grow through challenges instead of shrinking from them. Fortunately, this week’s guest brings a powerful, acti...

In a world that constantly demands breakthrough solutions, do you ever feel like innovation is reserved for a select few, or that you’re simply not "creative enough"?  This week’s guests are here to set the record straight: that we are all capable of creative thinking if we just give ourselves permission and a little guidance.  Tessa Forshaw and Rich Braden are the co-authors of Innovation-ish: Ho...

When the world around you feels chaotic, leading a team can feel overwhelming, especially when your inner world is just as loud. Most managers try to push through, rely on willpower, or double down on doing more.  But in reality, external chaos only becomes manageable when we learn to work with the internal chaos driving our emotions, reactions, and habits. Fortunately, this week’s guest helps us...

Managers play a crucial role in shaping how employees experience work. But when ADHD enters the mix, good intentions can backfire if not handled thoughtfully. With the right mindset and tools, you can create a space where everyone performs at their best. Fortunately, this week’s guest brings both personal and professional expertise to this conversation. Rita Ramakrishnan is an executive leadership...

Have you ever had a great idea but struggled to get others on board? You don’t need a title to have influence; you need a strategy. Fortunately, this week’s guest knows exactly how to build credibility and momentum without formal power. Tami Reiss is an expert on influence-driven leadership. She’s a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and CEO of Leader Within, where she helps leaders master influe...

Are you showing up as your full, authentic self or just the version you think others expect? Authenticity isn’t a matter of oversharing or saying whatever’s on your mind. It’s about honesty balanced with humility and vulnerability, the kind that builds genuine trust and stronger teams. Thankfully, today’s guest brings both experience and expertise to this conversation.  Mike Robbins is the author...

At some point in your career, you’ve probably worked with someone who is on the autism spectrum, but you might not have known. There are many misconceptions about autism, which damage how we understand and therefore support these colleagues. Viewing autism through a new lens can help every manager unlock hidden potential and design environments where everyone thrives. Today’s guest brings both per...

Most people don’t set out to be “bad bosses.” But good intentions aren’t enough when your habits unintentionally create frustration, fear, or disengagement. Thankfully, today’s guest helps us see what’s really happening beneath the surface.  Mita Mallick is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best-Selling author. She’s on a mission to fix what's broken in our workplaces. She’s a corporate change-m...