The Modern Manager

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 Liebross. Andrea is a coach, speaker, podcast host, and soon to be published author who is known for helping bold, ambitious women make clear, confident decisions, so that they get exactly what they want, every time, and not just add another thing to their to-do list. Over the last few decades, Andrea has started three successful businesses and ultimately became a certified business and life coach. Andrea and I talk about how to leave the stress of home at home. We get into strategies for helping yourself and your team better manage through stressful times, collaborate and support each other, and show up as your best selves. Members of the Modern Manager community get $100 off Full Focus coaching AND free access to the 5 Days to Clear Thinking challenge. In 30 days, Full Focus coaching will give you the tools and thinking you need to become fully focused and stop procrastinating. The 5 Days to Clear Thinking Challenge will help you clean up your mind so you can be truly ready and able to plan and organize. Get them when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: How to Manage Stress From Home While at Work   KEEP UP WITH ANDREA Website: www.andreaslinks.com Podcast: https://pod.link/timetolevelup   Key Takeaways: Just as work stress comes home with us, the stress of home life impacts our work life.  To shift from ‘Stuck Stress’ to ‘Productive Stress’, become solution focused. Stop worrying about what might happen that you don’t have control over and instead focus on what you can do. Share the facts and frame your experience by including the negative and positive parts of the stressful situation.  Sharing what’s going on for us takes out the drama of coworkers guessing what’s going on. We tend to make up stories or assumptions to explain behavior which often is incorrect and has negative consequences. Coworkers will feel more compassionate and generous towards you if they know what’s happening.  We all have manuals for how we expect work life to be. When our individual expectations conflict, problems arise. Sharing how you respond to stress gives colleagues insight into how you work so they can best support you.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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-winning business expert, esteemed author, and pioneer of female powerhouses in Silicon Valley. As a sought-after speaker, founder of The Relaunch Co., and one of the first women to create a quarter of a billion dollars in revenue for the tech giant Oracle, Hilary brings fresh energy to industry leaders, CEOs, and solopreneurs. She is widely recognized for her work in neuropsychology as it relates to business and life, and holds several certifications from top practitioners in the field.  Hilary and I talk about her ROCK-IT goal setting process. She shares how to work backwards to make goals manageable, the mindset needed to accomplish big goals, and basically all things goals related. Members of the Modern Manager community get access to Hilary’s free webinar, Rock-it Your Way to Success in 2023. In this 60-minute workshop, you'll get the goal setting framework that has been proven to work for over 25+ years, without adding more to your already overflowing plate. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: How to Set Goals That You Actually Achieve   KEEP UP WITH HILARY Website: https://therelaunchco.com/ Business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReLaunchCo/ Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hilary.howarddecesare Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therelaunchco/?hl=en Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilarydecesare/?hl=en LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilarydecesare Twitter https://twitter.com/hilarydecesare?lang=en   Key Takeaways: Know your endpoint. Consider scary and crazy (scazy) dreams and make goals for them.  Think ahead to your goal in 12 months. Then work backwards to first quarter goals based on your year goal. Break this down further into monthly, weekly, and daily goals.  Empowering beliefs help us reach goals. What we believe about ourselves impacts what we believe we can accomplish and therefore what we actually accomplish. Those with an empowered identity operate at a higher energy that others resonate with. For each goal, brainstorm actions you could take to accomplish it and focus on implementing what pops out at you. You don’t have to do everything! Consider the answer (where you want to go) before the question (what you need to get there, including self beliefs).  To avoid burnout, don’t take on too much too soon. Prioritize no more than three goals at a time. mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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 environment where people of all beliefs and practices can feel seen and included. Today’s guest is Dr. Jen O’Ryan. Jen is a consulting editor specializing in Inclusion, Diversity, and Representation. She works with organizations to design content, culture, and processes that are welcoming and inclusive. Jen has a PhD in Human Behavior and her background in tech includes designing new experiences for customers, launching global initiatives, and leading organizational change. Jen and I talk about the hidden places that bias shows up and how we may be unintentionally setting up barriers or making things challenging for our colleagues, and of course, what to do about it. We also go deep on how to be thoughtful about the end of year holidays which can have religious undertones and bring up lots of feelings for folks.  Members of the Modern Manager community can get 1 of 3 copies of Jen’s book, Inclusive AF: A Field Guide for “Accidental” Diversity Experts. Designed for anyone thinking about Inclusion and Diversity, AF outlines a roadmap to safely introduce meaningful and lasting change. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: Design an Inclusive Holiday Party (or Anything, Really!)   KEEP UP WITH JEN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenoryan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pagingdrjen/ Website: https://www.pagingdrjen.com/    Key Takeaways: Create an atmosphere of psychological safety so that your team willingly gives honest feedback. Be vulnerable and admit mistakes. Keep your door open for questions or input. Ask if things work for them. When designing a party (or product, marketing materials, etc), consider how different people would experience it. Imagine different ways of being in the world and what people would need.  Invite your team to share what holidays they celebrate and what they need to feel supported, either with time off, language used, or anything else.  Educate yourself on the different holidays. Bring in experts for objective knowledge and don’t make assumptions about how people practice or observe various holidays. The holiday season may bring up grief or difficult emotions for those estranged from loved ones. Some people may be less celebratory and need extra support during this time. Ask your team what accomplishments they are celebrating at the end of the year. Make this the focus, imagery, and language associated with your party rather than a religious lens. mamie@mamieks.cominstagram.com/mamieks

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. Dr. Jon founded the award-winning Tougher Minds consultancy and has three psychology-related degrees, including a PhD. He has worked in performance psychology, resilience, and leadership science for over 20 years. Dr. Finn wrote his best-selling book ‘The Habit Mechanic’ (which took him over 20 years to compose) because his life’s mission is to help people to be their best in the challenging modern world. Dr. Finn and I speak about what it is to be a habit mechanic, why habits are so important, the role of social acceptance in driving our habits, how to manage your super habits and destructive habits, and a lot more.   Members of the Modern Manager community can win a free 12 month ‘At Your Best’ premium subscription membership. You will quickly learn how to feel better, do better and lead better. To learn more access the free version of the app here: https://www.tougherminds.co.uk/habit-mechanic-app/. Get this bonus and many more when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: Understand Your Brain to be Successful at Work   KEEP UP WITH DR. FINN Website: https://www.tougherminds.co.uk/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jon-finn Get 'The Habit Mechanic' book here: https://geni.us/TheHabitMechanic   Key Takeaways: A manager’s most important resource is their team’s habits. Habits account for 98% of our thoughts and actions. Neuroplasticity teaches that our brains are always changing based on what we think and do. We need at least a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative feedback for psychological safety, or even more positive if the negative feels extra heavy.  We procrastinate with big tasks because we’re hardwired to conserve energy, and thinking takes energy.  The part of our brain related to thirst and hunger also relates to social status. Social acceptance is a primary need.  Super habits are habits that have a disproportionately positive impact while destructive habits lead to disproportionately negative impact. Self monitor behavior to determine what action to build up individually. Monitor your progress by creating a SWAP, Self Watching Action Plan. mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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 by what you can achieve! Today’s guest is Joel Green. Joel is CEO of Pro Level Training, the National Director of Nike Sports Camps, a former professional basketball player, and a renowned motivational speaker. A thought leader in the motivational category, Joel Green has developed a reputation for personal excellence and motivational talks that contribute tangible advice for attaining desired goals. Many of the messages he has delivered are conveyed in his first book, Filtering: The Way to Extract Strength from the Struggle, which was released on September 6th. Joel and I talk about how to overcome obstacles or difficult moments. We get into the importance of perspective, how to get yourself to do what it takes, and a lot more insights from Joel’s experience as an athlete and successful businessman. Members of the Modern Manager community get a special set of graphics with mindset messages that you can use as the background for your computer, your phone, or print out as mini-posters in your workspace. Get this bonus and more when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: How to Get Your Team From Ordinary to Extraordinary   KEEP UP WITH JOEL Website: https://www.joelbgreen.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jaygreenplt/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-green-95340417/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joel.green.35   Key Takeaways: To deal with overwhelming emotions, practice “filtering” by breaking things down in order to help you manage your feelings. Breathe for 30 seconds to gain control rather than feel reactive. Then lean into the emotions by trying to learn from this challenge. Focus on yourself rather than your competition or what the world throws at you. “Prune” by reassessing what and who needs to be cut off/set aside to make space for new opportunities. Cut out unhelpful things/people in order to allow space for growth.  Fatigue is part of the process of growth. Embrace it by seeing fatigue as a sign that you’re on the path to accomplishing your goals.  Fulfillment comes from fighting through fatigue, knowing that many other people would have already given up. To be extraordinary, don’t settle for the bare minimum. Keep pushing yourself to do “just one more”. Small increments help us get past the hump.  Offer your team personal stories and inspirational quotes to encourage them to prune, filter, embrace the fatigue, and do just one more.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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 help any team become more cohesive and productive. Today’s guest is Hesha Abrams. With over 30 years of experience solving conflict and difficult problems, Hesha comes to the table as a world-renowned meditator, negotiator, and author. As an expert in conflict and pragmatic solutions, Hesha implements innovative approaches and thought-provoking solutions that obtain favorable outcomes for even the most complex conflicts, including mediating the case over the secret recipe for Pepsi. Hesha's popular new book, Holding The Calm shares her secrets on how to read a situation to solve problems, eliminate conflict, and restore harmony.  Hesha and I talk about what we do wrong that makes it harder to resolve conflicts and she shares some of her practical approaches to addressing conflict more effectively. We also get into how to help your team members resolve conflicts so you can foster stronger teamwork. Members of the Modern Manager community can get a free, 1-hour Zoom if The Modern Manager community together purchases 100 copies of Hesha’s book, Holding the Calm. This book shares key strategies and inspirational treasures to resolve disputes, settle cases, and re-channel arguments; buy it for yourself and your team! Get this bonus when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: How to Hold the Calm when Dealing with Conflict   KEEP UP WITH HESHA Website: holdingthecalm.com   Key Takeaways: Conflict is like spilled spaghetti sauce; the sooner you deal with it, the easier it is.  When we don’t understand others, we label them negatively. Confirmation bias then looks for evidence for these negative beliefs of others which further cements our belief.  Try to find redeeming qualities of others or consider how they operate (introvert/extrovert, a kinesthetic/visual/auditory learner) to give yourself a more expansive view of their humanity. Think like a doctor when someone emotionally erupts on you. Instead of looking away, look closer to find clues about their pain.  Create a moat around yourself so that others’ emotions don’t overwhelm you. Repeat “Hold the calm” to remind your amygdala you’re safe.  VUCS others when they are upset by Validating their emotions, Understanding their perspective, Clarifying the situation, and Summarizing what you heard. This takes the wind out of the conflict. If colleagues are warring, meet with them privately. Help them find redeeming qualities of the other and share that positive information with them.  mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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 enhancing their skills, building their careers, and achieving their organization’s goals. Today’s guest is Robert Jordan. Robert is the CEO of InterimExecs, which matches top executives with companies around the world. Based on research with thousands of leaders and companies, he and Olivia Wagner wrote "Right Leader Right Time: Discover Your Leadership Style for a Winning Career and Company," and have launched the FABS Leadership Assessment, a free assessment at RightLeader.com designed to help leaders and organizations perform better. Jordan also authored "How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America," and helped publish "Start With No," Jim Camp’s bestseller on negotiation. Robert and I talk about the four leadership styles, their strengths and optimal conditions in which each leadership style thrives, and how to think about your career to optimize your leadership potential. Members of the Modern Manager community can participate in a free, town-hall style webinar. In this webinar, Robert will give direct, real-time feedback on peoples’ leadership styles to help them grow personally and professionally. Get access when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: Use the Four Leadership Styles to Advance Your Work   KEEP UP WITH ROBERT Right Leader website: https://www.rightleader.com/ Interim Executives website: https://interimexecs.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/interim_execs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjjordan/   Key Takeaways: There are four types of leadership approaches; Fixers, Artists, Builders, and Strategists. Each archetype has skills, contexts, and motivators that enable it to thrive. The Fixer is drawn to broken organizations and crises. The Artist sees a project as a blank canvas. They will say or do what others won’t.  The Builder thrives in growing small teams/projects into something much larger. They get bored when scale is achieved. The Strategist loves working with large, complex teams. They have strong company loyalty and love mentorship opportunities.  Most leadership styles (except The Artist) are realized through experience as you go about your career. Pay attention to what excites you. Managers fail when they try to do everything. Secure leaders concentrate on strengths and let others take charge. Be careful not to overdo your strengths. A Fixer might create problems that don’t exist. Have your team take a FABS leadership assessment and share their findings for better collaboration. mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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 countries and reached over 50 million people. He was voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling. He is the host of the popular Super U Podcast and his work has been used by the National Guard to NBC Universal to NASA.  Erik and I talk about what it means to really be focused. He shares his lessons learned and best tips and tricks for how you and your team can accomplish great things simply by staying focused. Members of the Modern Manager community get a Buy One Get One Free deal on two of his products. The first is his Kittycorn card game, designed for any group to learn easily and have a great time. The second is his book, The Focus Project, designed to provide solutions to the challenge of focusing in an unfocused world. Get them both when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: How To Focus So The Big Things Get Done   KEEP UP WITH ERIK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equalman/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/equalman TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@equalman.official Super U Podcast contact: eq@equalman.com   Key Takeaways: Fear of failure disrupts focus. Remember that evaluated failure makes us better. Learn from mistakes. When you fix clients’ problems, they are 3 times more likely to be repeat customers.  People don’t love us because we’re perfect, but because we’re perfectly flawed. Aim to be “flawsome.” Trying to do too many things is almost always the wrong approach. Focus on crushing one thing, even if it requires you to cannibalize your own product line. When you add more tasks, subtract others so that you don’t overstuff your To Do list.  The Army Ant tries to do too much at once. Put one project on hold or label one “major” and focus on it first. The Squirrel loves shiny objects and has trouble completing tasks. Make a commitment not to move on to other work until you’ve completed your priority at hand. The Chameleon is a people pleaser who has difficulty saying no. Find little wins for saying no, ask yourself if this is what you want to be doing, and don’t guess what others want.  The Hedgehog is cautious about taking risks. Let go of perfectionism before moving forward. Do the Superhero pose to reduce cortisol and empower yourself. Be firm in your destination but flexible in your path. Let go of sunken costs, even if it’s hard to move on. Ask why you do things a certain way and if you can change. Go where the market and future opportunities are. mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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. Today’s guest is Lisa McCarthy. Lisa is the CEO and co-founder of the Fast Forward Group, a training and executive coaching company based on the philosophy that when people are living their best lives, they do their best work. Clients include innovative companies of all sizes, including Amazon, Facebook, Google and JPMorgan Chase. Prior to launching Fast Forward, Lisa spent 25 years leading sales organizations at prominent media companies, including ViacomCBS and Univision. Lisa and I talk about goals and establishing a bold vision. She shares why goals like these are important and she walks us through her process that has helped over 100,000 people achieve their big dreams. Members of the Modern Manager community get two FREE months of Lisa’s Fast Forward membership program, which has helped thousands of professionals play big, manage stress, and achieve extraordinary success. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: Set Big Goals With Your Team   KEEP UP WITH LISA Membership Website: https://fastforwardgroup.net/ Personal Website: https://lisamccarthy.co/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamccarthyffg/   Key Takeaways: We resist goal setting because we’re risk averse; we’d rather underpromise and overdeliver. To encourage thinking big, managers must assure their team that there won’t be any negative consequences if expectations aren’t reached. Challenge self-limiting beliefs (I’m not X enough, I don’t have the right background, etc) that stop you from dreaming of your future.  Create a vision of where you want to be in a year. What does “extraordinary success” look like?  Reflect on your qualities. What are you known for in your professional and personal life? What are your most important relationships like? Are these what you want them to be? Make goals bold, specific, and measurable. Avoid vague terms like “better” and “more”.  Be as detailed as possible. What would be accomplished? How would you feel? Write out 2 pages for your vision. Have each team member individually create a vision and goals. Then share at a team meeting to build accountability and support.  Consider a team vision. What would success look like? What kind of language would you use? Additional Resources: Fast Forward’s monthly free intro workshops: https://fastforwardgroup.net/free-leadership-workshops/ Fast Foward’s Bold Vision Exercise download: https://fastforwardgroup.net/bold-vision-exercise-download/ Fast Foward’s Design my Program tool: https://fastforwardgroup.net/design-my-program/ mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks

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 on to help your team grow most efficiently with the limited time you have. Today’s guest is Russ Laraway. Russ has had a diverse 28 year operational management career. He was a Company Commander in the Marine Corps before starting his first company, Pathfinders. From there, Russ went to the Wharton School, and then onto management roles at Google and Twitter. He then co-founded Candor, Inc., along with best selling author Kim Scott. Russ and I talk about what he’s discovered through research are the most important areas of focus for a manager. We get into why it's so hard to be a great manager, and what you can do to immediately put Russ’s finding to work for your team. One member of the Modern Manager community can get a copy of Russ’s book: When They Win, You Win. Russ provides a handbook for managers on how to implement The Big 3 - a surprisingly simple, coherent leadership approach that measurably and predictably delivers more engaged employees and better business results. To be eligible, join the Modern Manager community as a Patron or sign up for The Modern Manager Skills Accelerator.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and transcripts delivered to your inbox.    Read the related blog article: Simplify Management by Focusing on These Three Areas   KEEP UP WITH RUSS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whentheywin  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theywinyouwin  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theywinyouwin/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russlaraway/    Key Takeaways: Research has proven that more engaged employees deliver 2.5 times more revenue.  Managers may feel overwhelmed by deciding what advice to follow. Simplify management by focusing on direction, coaching, and career. Develop direction by clarifying your long-term purpose and vision, and short-term quarterly goals.  Reduce workload by prioritizing daily and weekly tasks.  Hold Stand Up Meetings where everyone shares their weekly goals and use a Slack bot to prompt employees to enter daily goals.  Serve as a coach to your team members to help them deliver stronger results and better behaviors. Desired behaviors are those aligned with your organizational or team core values. Encourage your team to either repeat successful behaviors or understand what they need to change.  Avoid vague feedback. Use the phrase “Do you know what I love about your…” to encourage positive behaviors. We are here to assist our teammates realize their wildest dreams, not just do well in their current role. Help your people develop their long term vision of where they ultimately want to end up.  Look for opportunities to help them grow and advance in alignment with that vision. mamie@mamieks.com instagram.com/mamieks