The Modern Manager

When a crisis hits someone’s life, the effects aren’t limited to home. Personal, communal, or even global crises can have a significant impact on someone’s stress levels. In situations where a crisis or tragedy has occurred, there’s likely little you can do to ‘fix’ the situation; however, there are steps every manager can take to help support their team members during these difficult and uncertai...

Of all the mindset tips and tricks, there is one aspect that is often overlooked: the questions we ask ourselves. Questions have the potential to shift conversations, open new ideas, and broaden understanding. The thoughts we have are in response to the questions we ask ourselves, often without conscious thought. Managers can learn how to use these internal questions as a tool to transform difficu...

Developing a remote work culture is a crucial step for businesses to take in today’s workplace landscape. However, developing a remote work culture requires different skills and practices than an in-person culture. The majority of people working remotely report struggling to maintain their work friendships and feeling distant from their work. It’s up to managers to cultivate a remote culture that...

You probably know the feeling of ‘there’s an elephant in the room’ and no one wants to address it. But letting things go unspoken creates problems in the workplace. This is true of the large and small things. Are you letting the ‘mice in the room’ go unaddressed because they’re just not a big deal? By raising small issues, we are able to address potential areas of concern before they become bigger...

Managers often focus on creating work environments that cultivate inclusivity, productivity, and innovation - which are all important. However, when was the last time you intentionally created an environment for… joy? Turns out, when employees are joyful at work, they are more likely to be productive and work harder to achieve their goals. In fact, joy in the workplace can lead to a more successfu...

We've all heard it a million times, especially as kids: "Be nice!" Most people have been taught that if you don't have something kind to say, don't say anything at all. However, what do you do when you have necessary feedback to give, but it's not positive? This is where radical candor comes into play. The goal is to always speak with both love AND truth - at the same time. Today’s guest is Kim Sc...

Each person on the planet has a way of being and thinking that when tapped into feels both natural and fulfilling. This is called your inner genius. The goal for each person is to find their inner genius; the goal for each manager is to help people leverage this knowledge, to help them bring forth the genius that lies within each of us. Today’s guest is Catherine Mattiske. Catherine is a leading g...

Many studies have shown that the best and most innovative companies are those who embrace diversity and make an effort to recruit people with different personalities and different strengths. While some areas of diversity are visible, one in particular is not: neurodiversity. People who are neurodivergent have brain differences that affect how their brains work. As managers, it's up to us to be kno...

Work and home life are not two distinct worlds. Despite the concept of work-life balance, they are inextricably intertwined. What’s happening at home often affects us at work, and vice versa. While we can’t close off those two worlds from each other, there are practices we can put in place to help us process personal situations and still show up to work as our best selves. Today’s guest is Andrea...

Goals are the backbone of our teams. Around this time of year, businesses and individuals often set goals for themselves, but not all goals are created equally. Truly effective goals are strategic plans for the entire year that guide us in the direction of our dreams; they help managers focus a team’s efforts and achieve maximum success.  Today’s guest is Hilary DeCesare. Hilary is an award-winnin...

It's that time of year again. Holidays are coming up, and while some messages and practices will be perfect for your team members' individual needs, others won't match up with their values, beliefs, or lifestyles. Despite the busyness of this season, it's crucial for managers to consider how all people may be experiencing the upcoming holidays. With intentionality, managers can create an environme...

Human beings are creatures of habit. Just watch a child or animal go through their daily routines and you can see that habits are deeply ingrained in our biology. While we’re often aware of some habits, others happen regularly without us ever realizing them. Maintaining good habits, identifying bad habits, and building new ones all take determination and perseverance. Today’s guest is Dr. Jon Finn...

Obstacles come in many forms. They can be physical (withholding us from being somewhere or doing something we want to do), mental (making us believe we're not capable of achieving), or emotional (adding undue stress, fatigue, or other burdens to our minds). No matter what obstacles you're facing, moving through them is possible with dedication, determination, and the right mindset. You’d be amazed...

In my years of working with managers, one of most frequent questions I get is this: How do I deal with conflict in my team? This dilemma can be approached from two perspectives. First, there are practices a team can adopt to help limit the number of conflicts that arise. Second, there are approaches a team can use to dissolve conflict quickly and effectively. Used together, these techniques can he...

Look in any organization and you'll see a variety of leadership styles. One crucial aspect of leadership is staying true to yourself and what feels most natural to you as a leader, which means not trying to be all things to all people. Research has found that most leadership styles fit into one of four categories. Understanding these categories can help leaders stay true to themselves while enhanc...

Focus: It’s an important skill for the success of any organization or individual. While it's natural for anyone to get distracted by new ideas, potential projects, overwhelming to-do lists, and ongoing problems, learning how to focus can save us time and energy in the long-run. Today’s guest is Erik Qualman. Erik is five-time #1 Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker who has performed in over 55 c...

Whether you want to develop new products, update internal processes, or make sure that every client is satisfied with your service, one thing is true: you need to be clear about your goals. Without direction, you will lose your way. Direction comes from having a bold vision of what you want your life, team, and organization to look like. Then, you must create actionable steps to move forward. Toda...

Management is about helping other people achieve greatness - in the results they produce and the career path they take. However, if you've had any experience as a manager, you know how difficult it can be to help a variety of people develop their skill sets and get work done, all while fostering healthy team dynamics and driving towards goals. It helps to know the specific areas you should focus o...

Anyone who's worked on a team knows that communication can be a challenge. Sometimes, common problems require creative solutions. Improv is a powerful tool that brings out the best in any group or team. It’s not just for comedians; it can be used to create new ideas, solve problems, explore feelings, and connect with each other. Today’s guest is Brian Rolnick-Fox, the Founder, CEO, and Chief Evang...

Authentic leadership is unique to each of us. It's about understanding and being comfortable with who you are so that you can leverage your strengths. We can then use that information to guide our choices and lift up those around us. When you understand your strengths and values, they can create a personal roadmap to success. Today’s guest is Lance Tanaka. Lance is an Executive Leadership Expert....

Microaggressions are harmful words and actions that stem from biases and stereotypes. They’re subconscious, meaning we may not even realize we’re being offensive or biased. The damage they inflict can be long-lasting and impact how individuals relate to us and the entire company. As managers, it's our responsibility to create a professional work environment that fosters understanding and listening...

Brainstorming is a method of developing ideas in a group setting. It's used to solve problems, come up with new ideas, and generally explore possibilities. While it may seem like a simple task, there’s often much more than meets the eye when it comes to effective brainstorming. Working through various exercises helps you not only generate ideas but also deeply understand the situation you are look...

Identifying the core values and potential motivators of your team members isn't always the easiest task. There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to each individual personality, which makes for a delicate interpretation process. But optimizing your relationships with others comes down to understanding one thing: what on earth makes them tick? Today’s guest is Rob Toomey. As President o...

Managers all over the world facilitate meetings every day, but how many managers facilitate meetings well? The goal of facilitating a meeting is to create a space so that everyone can participate effectively. This may not come naturally to some managers, but it’s a skill that anyone can master with the right tools. Today’s guest is Rae Ringel. Rae is an executive coach, facilitator, author and fou...

Ever feel like you don't have enough time because you're too busy working on tasks, attending meetings, and checking email? If so, you're not alone. Who has time for planning when there is so much to do?! In reality, a daily planning habit puts you in control of your schedule, workload, and productivity.  Today’s guest is Ashutosh Priyadarshy. Ashutosh is the Co-founder and CEO of Sunsama, a daily...