The New Manager Podcast

If you're not sure where to start when it comes to AI, this episode is for you. For starters, when you think about using a generative AI tool like Claude or ChatGPT, follow this rule: "Treat it like a person, but tell it what kind of person it is." Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, by Ethan Mollick RACE Prompt Framework: https://www.acronymat.com/2024/12/22/race-prompt-fra...

Ok, it's time for us to start talking about AI. Are you an enthusiastic user? Or do you feel reluctant to learn about it? It might seem overwhelming, like one more thing to learn about when you already have a full plate. So today, let's start with something simple: the present moment. Do you currently use AI tools at work? And if so, how? Are you reluctant to use AI at work? And if so, why...

Every team is different. Even if you have the same people, the team can change over time -- because people can change over time. Today's episode gives you a few reflection questions to help sharpen your thinking and highlight some existing learning skills you've honed over time. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/...

Being a manager is stressful. And hey, stress is normal when you're doing something new -- especially if you've had little to no training or guidance! The goal is not to eliminate all stress. Instead, you want to learn to distinguish between healthy stress, and unhealthy stress, and handle them differently. **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://...

Today we revisit one of the most popular episodes from the past year: Working with Difficult People. At some point in your career, you're going to find yourself in this situation. It can be frustrating. How you choose to respond is everything. **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Private coaching:...

Too many meetings on your calendar? Welcome to being a manager. Expect to have more meetings, including: 1:1s with your team, plus team meetings, meetings with your manager and other leadership and project meetings. . . It's worth it to take a step back and make a plan. Listen to this bonus mini episode for three questions to ask yourself to have better meetings and 1:1s. **After the Episode**...

The Dishwasher Dilemma uses an everyday task to illustrate just how much nuance and thought goes into delegating tasks -- and what happens when things don't go the way you expected. Managers spend a lot of time on : 1) Making decisions, and 2) Communicating. Those are foundational for managing relationships and emotions, whether you want to build trust, influence without authority, engage or m...

Nothing can fully prepare you for the reality of managing people. Different personalities, priorities, and communication styles can shake any new manager's confidence, and leave you wondering: "Am I really cut out for this?" If being a manager is activating frustration and imposter syndrome, this episode will help! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠...

Managers deal with a lot of change. Some of it you have no say about -- leadership simply makes a decision that you now have to communicate to your team. Other times, you will be the one initiating change -- and you'll have to figure out how to get a person or your team on board. Here are seven tips to help managers facilitate change. People want to know about: Meaning: What does this change m...

Being a people manager means developing the soft skills you need to manage a range of people. You'll encounter people with different personalities and work styles, and a range of communication skills. Each person may have different priorities and motivations. "Soft skills" can be hard to get right, depending on your situation. This episode starts with some prompts to get you thinking...

Every day you get examples of communication. You're surrounded by it! When you think about the people you work with, who stands out as being a great communicator? Why? What are they doing -- or not doing? This deceptively simple practice will activate your powers of observation and curiosity. You will become more intentional and less reactive, when you start where you are and learn from your d...

A lot of new managers tell me they're conflict avoidant and struggle to communicate directly when it feels like there's conflict brewing. If that's you, then this episode is for you. I've been reading a book, Dignity: The Essential Role It Plays in Resolving Conflict . The author is Dr. Donna Hicks , an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard Univer...

Do you know the Eisenhower Matrix? It's a classic framework for organizing tasks and clarifying priorities. In this episode, I walk you through the basics, adding a Neurodiverse lens that makes this framework even more useful. This is also the 200th episode of The New Manager Podcast. Wow! Thank you for listening, and being part of this. In this episode I also share an announcement: that I wil...

If you're conflict avoidant, or grew up as the peace-maker in your family or friend group, then save this episode! You probably have a gut sense that conflict is bad, and must be prevented. But did you know that conflict can actually be an indicator of psychological safety? Conflict is a normal part of human relationships. What's important is what kind of conflict it is, and how you handle...

You must find out how things work. One of the most common misconceptions is, "If I just do good work, it will be recognized and rewarded." When you don't question your assumptions about process --how things work -- it leaves you with blind spots you don't realize are holding you back! Here's a simple three step framework that can help you: What do you want? Make a list of all...

There's a perspective shift that happens when you step into a manager and leadership role. Instead of thinking, "I have to do it all", you begin to take a bigger view and ask, "How can all this get done?" You'll be thinking about how work is allocated, and what are the different strengths and qualities you have on the team. You'll start thinking about what strengths...

It's December now, and I'm feeling reflective about time passing. So, in today's episode I share some ideas to encourage your own reflection, and how doing so can help you show up more grounded at work. Resources mentioned in the episode: Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver https://maryoliver.com/prose/ If you're a fan of Mary Oliver, go listen to this iterview she gave back i...

The end of the year is a great time do a personal Year in Review. I'm using the Year Compass, and will share some of the questions to get you started. Let's discuss! Download your own free Year Compass workbook: https://yearcompass.com/en/ **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Private coaching:...

In the course of your career, you're likely to encounter some toxic traits at work. These can show up in any relationship and undermine trust, making it harder to work well together. The first step is to simply become aware of them: Criticism / Blame Contempt Defensiveness Stonewalling To address this, you'll need to: Increase your skill & capacity for dealing with conflict Be responsi...

It's the end of the year -- you might be feeling some overwhelm! In this episode I walk you through a mindfulness practice to try when you want to feel more grounded and calm. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Private coaching: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Follow me...

Feeling overwhelmed about a situation, or uncertain about what to do next? Ask yourself these two questions to help organize your thinking and get clear on your next steps: What's the goal? What's your intention? When you take a breath, take a step back, and look at the bigger picture, the GOAL can help clarify what matters, and your INTENTION gives you direction for how to show up today....

Managers and leaders are always learning, and today's episode will walk you through a practice to help you learn through appreciative inquiry. **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Private coaching: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ki...

There's a lot to learn about being a manager. To feel less overwhelmed by it all, focus on the essentials. You're invited to my free upcoming class on Essential Skills for New Managers, where you'll learn: Where to start What no one told you, and How to advocate for yourself to get the support you want Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers...

Ever notice how being hard on yourself can make it harder to learn? The perfectionism and pressure to not make mistakes can really bog you down. Instead, be easy on yourself. In this episode I'll walk you through a series of questions to ask that will help you focus and make progress on one thing at a time. You'll increase your rate of learning, and reduce the feeling of overwhelm. Let&#39...

Humans vary, and it's completely normal to experience friction in working relationships. Expect to feel frustrated when there are different perspectives, competing priorities, or a clash in working styles and preferences. Three things that will help you: Identify the real issue. Choose a strategy and next steps. Be ok being uncomfortable. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Comm...