The Modern Manager
Mamie Kanfer Stewart
Host Mamie Kanfer Stewart shares practical approaches to help you be a great manager. Learn more at: https://themodernmanager.com/
Solo episodes are like mini-courses, providing actionable tips based on experience and research. Guest episodes are engaging conversations that elicit insights and suggestions for how to apply the ideas.
Learn more about effective meeting practices, communication skills, managing conflict, team building, time management, group dynamics, goal setting and accountability, team competencies, productivity and collaboration technologies, organizational culture, and more.
Be sure to follow the podcast on your favorite platform so you never miss a new episode!
Solo episodes are like mini-courses, providing actionable tips based on experience and research. Guest episodes are engaging conversations that elicit insights and suggestions for how to apply the ideas.
Learn more about effective meeting practices, communication skills, managing conflict, team building, time management, group dynamics, goal setting and accountability, team competencies, productivity and collaboration technologies, organizational culture, and more.
Be sure to follow the podcast on your favorite platform so you never miss a new episode!
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 12, 2026 • 10min
407: Hidden Causes of Burnout (And How to Fix Them Before It’s Too Late) – Part 2
Explore six hidden workplace dynamics that quietly drain energy over time. Learn how boundary erosion and being constantly “on” wear people down. Hear why micromanagement, toxic culture, and unclear leadership support sap engagement. Discover the impact of missing recognition and monotonous work. Find out how small, consistent leadership shifts can prevent burnout before it becomes visible.
May 5, 2026 • 35min
406: What to Do Instead of “Pushing Though” During Tough Times with Jay Abbasi
Jay Abbasi, leadership coach and former Tesla leader who helps people perform under pressure, reframes resilience as adaptability rather than forcing positivity. He explores why acknowledging experience matters, coaching over fixing, practical questions that open up solutions, and simple rituals to recharge and lead through uncertainty.
Apr 28, 2026 • 11min
405: The Hidden Causes Of Burnout (And How To Fix Them Before It's Too Late) - Part 1
Explore six hidden workplace dynamics that quietly cause burnout. Learn how false urgency, unfair treatment, relentless change, excessive workload, limited growth, and feeling undercompensated sap energy. Short, practical suggestions for spotting early warning signs and taking small prevention steps are highlighted.
Apr 21, 2026 • 30min
404: How to Spot and Stop Toxic Workplace Culture with Aoife O’Brien
Aoife O’Brien, an organizational psychologist who founded Happier at Work and wrote Thriving Talent, discusses how toxic workplaces form and persist. She describes different toxic types and outlines a framework for building psychologically safe, strength-based cultures. Practical signs to spot and clear actions to foster trust and meet what actually drives people at work are highlighted.
Apr 14, 2026 • 5min
403: How To Escape The Either/Or Trap And Make Better Decisions
They tackle why binary thinking stalls tough choices and how it narrows possibilities. You hear practical tactics like generating “options within options,” challenging assumptions, and sequencing decisions. The conversation highlights creating hybrid solutions and running small experiments. A clear push to notice either-or language and expand choices for better, more creative decision making.
9 snips
Apr 7, 2026 • 33min
402: The Missing Link Between Communication and Connection with Nidhi Tewari
Nidhi Tewari, a licensed clinical social worker and leadership expert who wrote Working Well, explains how past experiences shape workplace reactions. She discusses attunement, bodily sync in conversations, supporting neurodivergent teams, the CHECK-IN framework for hard talks, and shifting from fixer to curious explorer to build connection and psychological safety.
Mar 31, 2026 • 34min
401: How to Use Nature to Rewire Your Brain for Greater Focus, Creativity, and Energy with Dr. John La Puma
Dr. John La Puma, physician and two-time NYT bestselling author who pioneers culinary and lifestyle medicine, explores how indoor life derails brain function. He discusses why morning light, green and blue spaces, and sensory outdoor practices boost focus, creativity, and energy. Practical city and workplace strategies show how small nature doses can reset attention and resilience.
8 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 34min
400: Tackle the Five Sources of Stress at Work with Amy Leneker
Amy Leniker, former C-suite executive and leadership advisor who wrote Cheers to Monday, unpacks five distinct types of workplace stress. She explains why identifying the source matters. Short, practical strategies are shared for schedule, suspense, social, sudden, and system stress. Conversations cover how stress spreads through teams and simple habits that reduce strain and boost clarity and trust.
11 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 30min
399: How to Build Radical Trust Through Better Listening with Leilani Garrett
Leilani Garrett, a former corporate sales leader turned storyteller and leadership coach, helps teams build trust and belonging through empathy. She discusses listening as action, micro exercises and storytelling to surface what shapes people, spotting and removing procedural roadblocks, and simple practices that amplify quiet contributors and strengthen connection.
14 snips
Mar 10, 2026 • 33min
398: Become a Change Leader, Not Just a Change Manager with Yvonne Ruke Akpoveta
Yvonne Ruke Akpoveta, change leadership strategist and author with 20+ years guiding organizations through disruption. She contrasts visionary change leadership with project-focused change management. She discusses empathy, the head-heart-hand adaptive model, involving stakeholders early, treating resistance as feedback, and practical approaches for communicating and leading AI adoption.
