The Management Minute with Dr. Donita Brown

Send us Fan Mail What makes someone a good mentor? It may have less to do with having the right answers and more to do with asking the right questions. In this episode of The Management Minute , Dr. Donita Brown shares a lesson she learned from years of mentoring students and professionals: the mentor shouldn’t do the hard work for the mentee. It can be tempting to share your own experience and te...

Send us Fan Mail What if one sign of good leadership is that your team needs you less? In this episode of The Management Minute , Dr. Donita Brown reflects on a lesson she has experienced both as a mother and as a leader: doing your job well sometimes means becoming less necessary. After recently dropping her daughter off at college, Dr. Brown found herself thinking about the strange tension that...

Send us Fan Mail Resilience at work isn't about how much pressure you can take. It's about how you recover. For years, Dr. Donita Brown believed resilience meant pushing through, working harder, and making sure the people around her never saw that she was tired. Eventually, that approach contributed to burnout that affected her both personally and professionally. In this episode of The M...

Send us Fan Mail What changes when you slow down and write feedback by hand? In this episode of The Management Minute, Dr. Donita Brown explores why handwritten feedback can still have a place in a workplace increasingly shaped by speed, technology, and AI. After asking a classroom of students to complete peer feedback with pen and paper, Dr. Brown began thinking about what happens when we intenti...

Send us Fan Mail What makes difficult feedback actually land? In this episode of The Management Minute, Dr. Donita Brown explores one of the most challenging parts of leadership: giving and receiving difficult feedback. Through a personal experience with a trusted advisor, she examines how timing, trust, permission, and communication can determine whether constructive feedback creates defensivenes...

Send us Fan Mail Most mornings, before the house is even awake, Dr. Donita Brown is at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a notebook, writing out her list for the day. That's the whole process. A regular notebook and a pen she likes. Five mornings out of seven, and the other two, life happens. In this episode, she makes a case that's almost disappointing in how plain it is: the g...

Send us Fan Mail 47 seconds. That's how long the average person stays on one screen before switching to something else. The number comes from Gloria Mark at the University of California, Irvine, who has spent two decades measuring what people actually do at their computers. When she started, the average was about two and a half minutes. It's been falling ever since. In this episode, Dr....

Send us Fan Mail On a country road near Johnson City, Tennessee, a donkey ignored Donita and her dad completely. The next morning, all it took was his name and a pocketful of apples, and he crossed the whole field to reach them. What changed wasn't the donkey. Somebody had told them what he cared about. In this episode, Dr. Donita Brown turns a summer walk into a question for managers: who on...

Send us Fan Mail The Management Minute is back, and it looks different. After almost a year off, Dr. Donita Brown explains why the show went quiet, why she kept putting off the relaunch, and the line she teaches managers every week but had to learn again herself: perfect is the enemy of done. The new format is two episodes a week, each under five minutes. One idea you can use before your next meet...

This episode's interview is with Rob Massie, Vice President of Information Technology at Dollar General. He shares stories and advice based on his management experiences, including the importance of: Looking beyond the technical skills of your employees and putting them in opportunities to grow and succeed Not compromising quality but addressing problems with compassion and from a place of un...

This episode's interview is with Rebecca Whitehead, owner of Kidokinetics Nashville, Nashville Market Leader for The Gunter Group, and an award-winning author. Rebecca shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Connecting with people as a human first and understanding what drives them Asking for feedback in addition to giving feedback Helping y...

This episode's interview is with Sarah Bellenger, the CEO and Founder of Manage You. She also served for over two decades as an Army nurse and spent three years at the White House providing medical support to the nation’s top leaders. Sarah shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Actively listening and checking in with employees to foster tr...

This episode's interview is with Jason Elkins, a marketing coach, digital media specialist, and founder of 100 Cups Consulting. Jason shares stories and advice based on his management experiences, including the importance of: Leading with empathy to build stronger connections with employees and clients Creating a culture where people feel valued, supported, and cared for Adapting your managem...

This episode's interview is with Marshall Crawford, President and CEO of The Housing Fund. Marshall shares stories and advice based on his management experiences, including the importance of: Providing both employees and clients with the resources and support they need to thrive Responding well in high-pressure situations Maintaining open and ongoing communication Adapting your approach to ma...

This episode's interview is with Dr. Allison Duke, Dean of the College of Business at Lipscomb University. Dr. Duke shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Recognizing and leveraging each person’s unique strengths Helping employees discover what they love and aligning roles to fit those strengths Building trust through consistent, meaningful...

This episode's interview is with Jon Puncochar, the Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Transformation at Lifepoint Health. Jon shares stories and advice based on his management experiences, including the importance of: Taking a holistic approach to problem-solving and defining problems well Having alignment with key stakeholders across the organization Learning from others and the awarene...

This episode's interview is with Chip Higgins, a best-selling author, speaker, business coach, and mentor with more than 15 years of leadership experience in the banking industry.  He is also the founder of Bizzics, which provides business advisory, consulting, and coaching services. Chip shares stories and advice based on his management experiences, including the importance of: Focusing on t...

This episode's interview is with Heather Legg, a Realtor with Benchmark Realty. In this episode, she discusses how: Faith and ethics form the foundation of successful business practices - these core values should guide all professional decisions and interactions True influence comes through demonstrating genuine kindness and compassion - focusing on meaningful connections rather than just tra...

This episode's interview is with Mari Garner, Associate Director at The Refuge Center for Counseling. She shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Developing synergy and getting everyone moving in the same direction Building trust and treating others how you would want to be treated Remembering your journey and your why Learning from previous...

This episode's interview is with Alexa Hulsey. She is an acupuncturist, entrepreneur, and the founder and owner of Encircle Acupuncture. She shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Viewing mistakes as opportunities to learn and forge deeper relationships Being vulnerable and authentic with your team and customers Creating conditions where yo...

This episode's interview is with Lisa Arnold, Founder & CEO of Small Town Startup. She shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Growing the people that you have hired and empowering them to serve well Looking at the whole person and ensuring people's needs are met and that they are in the best position to succeed Creating an environm...

This episode's interview is with Dr. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi, CEO of Interfaith Dental. She shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Not compromising on excellence or quality Having alignment between your personal values and your organization's values Receiving and incorporating feedback She answers the same questions as each podcast gues...

This episode's interview is with David Denise, the Director of Clinical Imaging Systems at HCA Healthcare. David shares stories and advice based on his management experiences, including the importance of: Seeing your people as people first Embracing discomfort Being committed to your role and buying in Clearly setting and communication expectations He answers the same questions as each podcas...

This episode's interview is with Becky Magura, President & CEO of Nashville Public Television. She shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Mentoring and knowing what someone needs for their personal and professional growth Being bold, visionary, and brave Being vulnerable and true to who you are Becky also discusses her insights on the d...

This episode's interview is with Jennifer Jamison, Senior Director of Staffing Services at HCA and CereCore. She shares stories and advice based on her management experiences, including the importance of: Creating a fun and enjoyable atmosphere Making a conscious effort to be creative Looking for small tweaks in process improvements that can make things more simple, efficient, or functional F...