The New Manager Podcast

Your health and well-being make a difference in how you show up as a manager and leader. And, your work can also effect your health and well-being. So in today's episode, you'll learn an easy framework to help organize your thinking about this. It will enable you to recognize what you do well, and identify areas you'd like to nurture. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in...

To work effectively and sustainably, you want to think about what support you need. This might be new if you're extremely self-reliant. Your first impulse might be to say, "I'm good, I don't need any support." You might also do this if you feel that asking for support somehow makes you look bad. But being able to identify and advocate for resources is a leadership skill, and...

Perfectionism isn't about being perfect. It's about feeling safe. In this episode, learn to recognize the signs of perfectionism holding you back -- including when you might drift towards micromanaging. When you can recognize when it happens and understand why it's happening, you will be more empowered to access your agency and choose a more useful approach. Let's discuss! **After...

In the course of your career you will want to develop a well-nurtured network. This will help you navigate your career, as well as manage and lead more effectively. In this episode you will learn more about why you should care about growing and nurturing your network, as well as gain some specific, simple steps for how to do that. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Sk...

Becoming a better communicator and more effective manager means being less reactive and more intentional. How do you do that? Start by growing your self-awareness. When you slow down, step back, and see your own habits and preferences, you will be able to bring more intention to how you communicate. Instead of simply operating by default and being reactive, you become more deliberate and intention...

In this episode I talk with listener Adrian Bond about lessons learned as a new manager. We discuss: managing peers ("Who am I to tell these people what to do?"), the key difference between being a manager and a leader, how work stress can affect your home life, the importance of redefining success ("recognize what to STOP doing"), and the importance of training before you move...

How do you manage change effectively? First, you must expect there to be resistance. When you understand what might be creating resistance or avoidance, you will be better at creating a plan to address it. And one of the best places to start is with yourself. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strate...

The more aware you are of how to work with emotions, the more effective you will be as a communicator and leader. Especially when it comes to disappointment. This one emotion is often behind why we avoid conversations, or don't ask for what we need. Instead of trying to avoid disappointment at all costs, try: 1) Accepting it is a human emotion, and let yourself feel it 2) Identify the unmet ex...

Managing people and being a leader means people look to you for direction. Realize that you can be direct, directive, and clarify direction (the vision towards which you want people to go) -- and, importantly, you can do all this in a way that is kind and clear. There are examples of this all around you, when you start to look for them! In this episode you'll also learn how making decisions an...

A good foundation makes everything easier, and it is never too late to revisit your foundation and make some improvements. In this episode you'll learn about Strategic Failure, and why so many new managers worry about whether they are doing a good job. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategie...

What do new managers need to know about working with HR? And what can you do to create great relationships at work -- with your manager, your team, and internal clients? This episode covers all that and more, with special guest Maggie Reyes. Before becoming a Master Certified Life Coach and expert in marriage and relationships, Maggie worked in HR. In this episode she shares her wisdom, strategic...

Happy New Year! Getting a fresh perspective is like looking with new eyes at a familiar scene. You will find new opportunities and possibilities. In this episode you will learn a simple framework to help you get a fresh perspective, so you can make micro-adjustments. Small changes add up, and can be easier to implement in the moment so you build up momentum. Whether you are a first-time manager, a...

When you care about your team and want to do a good job as a manager and leader, it's easy to over-give and always put others first. If you being self-reliant is one of your strengths, you might not have much practice in self-care and asking for support. But as you grow in your career and gain more responsibility, it becomes more important. When more people depend on you, tending to your own s...

As a leader, you have more people looking to you -- and depending on you. You might feel more pressure and notice more fear of making mistakes. In this episode you'll learn how to recover from failure, and how your perspective will determine what happens next. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-s...

Work doesn't happen in a vacuum. When you're a new manager, there are two things that you'll want to identify in order to be more effective: Systems and Environment. These are often relational, making them tacit and invisible. And yet they are everywhere. In this episode, I'll talk about a few specific systems you'll want to identify, and some aspects of the larger environment...

In this Listener Spotlight episode I talk with Amberlee, a new manager of a small team with big wisdom and insights to share. We talk about: self-care, perfectionism, identity, culture and intersectionality, and the role of vulnerability and transparency in being a human-centered leader and manager. You will learn so much from her! To learn more about Amberlee and her work, visit her website: www....

One of the most valuable skills in your leadership toolbox is your ability to Ask. New managers sometimes assume they should just know everything. Instead of wondering, Ask. In this episode you'll get some examples of how to do that, and what it can sound like. I share a situation that a listener submitted, and my thoughts for why an Ask might be a great next step, and how to go about it. **Af...

When your to-do list is long enough, try the "To Be" list. This is a simple concept that can simplify your life as a new manager. When you feel overwhelmed, or are not sure what to do, the "To Be" list will help. Practice it regularly and you will see real change in your confidence as a leader, and the level of calm you feel in the moment. **After the Episode** Enroll in Commun...

Being a manager comes with plenty of challenges, but being a leader means finding ways to stay calm and grounded when you face them. In today's episode, you'll learn a simple framework that can help you in a wide range of situations. No matter what's happening, or how you're feeling, you will feel more calm and grounded when you try this out. **After the Episode** Enroll in Communi...

Most time management issues are not really about managing time, but about managing other things. If you've ever felt resentful about the number of meeting requests you get, or if you put a lot of pressure on yourself and feel like you're always behind, this episode is for you. Let's discuss! **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnic...

Being a manager comes with more responsibility, and more decisions. How you make those decisions is up to you. So much about leadership and being a manager is in your hands. What kind of leader do you want to be? What's important to you, as you manage people and make decisions that affect others? In this episode you'll hear a bit about my perspective on leadership, as well as the distincti...

We're coming up on the end of the year -- the next 2 months will go by faster than you expect! In this episode you'll get my Q4 Checklist, with three simple questions every new manager should ask at this point in the year. It will help you feel grounded, calm, and confident as you approach year-end. Plus, you'll hear why this is the perfect time in the year to ask *your* manager about...

Work-life is often focused on actions and what you do. But it's important to remember the value in being, as well. So if you find yourself overwhelmed by your To Do list, or feel like you're Not Doing Enough, or you're wondering, "What should I do?" -- this episode will help. Actions and doing is not the most important thing. Let's discuss! Resources mentioned in this epi...

Great managers are good at being resourceful and resilient, making things work even under challenging circumstances. If you've had to make due throughout your life, then it's easy to take that approach as a default. But just because you *can* make it work, doesn't mean you have to. Sometimes you need to take a step back and look at a situation with fresh eyes -- and then decide what yo...

If you're feeling a lot of pressure to do a great job as a new manager, this episode is for you. **After the Episode** Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠ For private coaching: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠ Become a more calm and confident leader: ⁠⁠⁠https:/...