The Modern Manager – Détails, épisodes et analyse

When there’s great leadership, everyone flourishes.

We’ve seen the outcomes of having great leaders at work countless times–high-performing teams, healthy workplaces, increased profitability, and happy employees, among other things.

But what actually makes a great leader? What leadership traits create a lasting impact not just on organizations but also on the lives of the people you lead? 

Thankfully, our guest expert is here to help us broaden our view of what effective leadership truly looks like.

Today’s guest is Gaia van der Esch. Gaia is an author, CEO, and policy expert. Above all, though, she sees herself as a change-maker. Gaia is currently the managing director of a large international foundation working to halt climate change, poverty, and exclusion, and previously served as the G20 Sherpa on gender equality. Her new book “Leading Our Way: How Women Are Redefining Leadership” was released recently by Wiley. Amongst others, she was nominated by Forbes in their 30under30 list.

In this episode, Gaia and I discuss what great leadership actually entails. Drawing on examples from influential women like Christina Figueres and Gloria Steinem, Gaia dives into how leaders can cultivate empathy, embrace vulnerability, and shift from hierarchical to circular leadership models. 

Plus, in the extended episode available to Podcast+ members, Gaia reveals the transformative effect of embracing your authentic leadership style and offers insights on how to help your team members do the same.

Tune in to discover how you can lead your way.

Join the conversation now!

Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Intro
• (02:13) The problem with women embracing traditional leadership style
• (07:05) Why leaders must have a hard back with a soft front approach to leadership
• (12:29) Crying in the workplace isn’t a sign of weakness
• (17:26) Leadership is power with people and NOT power over people
• (20:22) The pros and cons of co-leadership
• (25:46) Iconic women leaders and their leadership styles 
• (31:36) Keep up with Gaia
• (32:35) [Extended Episode Only] Tips in navigating people’s responses when you embrace your own authentic leadership style
• (36:58) [Extended Episode Only] How to empower your team members to embrace authentic leadership

Additional Resources:

- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month

- Read the full transcript here

- Follow me on Instagram here 

- Visit my website for more here

- Build your team’s skills here

- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here

Keep up with Gaia van der Esch

- Connect with Gaia on LinkedIn and Instagram

- Grab a copy of her book  here

- Visit Gaia’s website for more information here

20% Off Leading Our Way: How Women Are Redefining Leadership

In this book, Gaia shares an inspiring collection of leadership stories from seven iconic women around the world. These stories explore new leadership models, concepts, and tools to inspire action and solve global challenges.

To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

---------------------

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.

Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!

Imagine standing at the base of Mt. Everest, feeling the crushing weight of doubt and fear. Now, picture your toughest work challenge–where quitting feels like the best option. Would you push through or hit the quit button?

Many of us struggle with the internal battle of wanting to avoid discomfort, even though deep down, we know that overcoming these challenges is essential for growth and success. 

For managers, this struggle is even more amplified. Our roles demand that we make difficult decisions, provide tough feedback, and guide our teams through challenging situations. 

But how do we convince ourselves and our teams to do the hard things? Today’s guest will teach us how to build the mental toughness we all need.

Meet Lei Wang. Lei is a renowned international motivational speaker and executive coach, celebrated for her historic achievement as the first Asian woman to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam, which involves conquering the highest peak on each continent and skiing to both the North and South Poles. 

Through her incredible journey, Lei has developed a unique perspective on resilience, leadership, and personal growth, empowering individuals and organizations to reach new heights and achieve extraordinary success. 

In this episode, Lei shares her journey from being a “typical city girl” in Beijing to becoming an extreme adventurer. 

We explore the mental strength it takes to overcome adversity, the power of finding and holding on to your deeper why, the role of tough love in helping your team grow stronger, and more.

Join the conversation now!

Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Intro
• (01:54) Meet Lei Wang and her bigger-than-life goal
• (07:15) The mindset shift that gets you to show up even when you don’t want to
• (13:03) Trusting your own strength when the going gets tough
• (18:00) How managers can help their team push through
• (21:03) Introducing the Mighty Mouse framework
• (22:29) One key action to take if you want to play big
• (25:24) A great manager Lei has worked for
• (27:29) Keep up with Lei
• (28:09) [Extended Episode Only] How to support a team member through tough times
• (30:48) [Extended Episode Only] What to do when you make excuses to avoid hard tasks

Additional Resources:

- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month

- Read the full transcript here

- Follow me on Instagram here 

- Visit my website for more here

- Build your team’s skills here

- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here

Keep up with Lei Wang

- Follow Lei on LinkedIn here

- Invite Lei to speak to your next event here

-  Join Lei’s coaching program here

FREE Leadership Assessment Workbook: Uncover Your Mighty Leadership Potential

Lei is providing members of Podcast+ her Leadership Assessment Workbook: Uncover Your Mighty Leadership Potential for FREE. This downloadable workbook offers practical exercises and insights designed to help aspiring executives identify strengths, bridge gaps, and create a strategic plan for career advancement.

To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

---------------------

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.

Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!

When you think of project management, what first comes to mind?

For many folks, it’s associated with getting certified to lead the execution of major projects. You can even hold the title of Project Manager in some businesses!

Yet, much of what all managers do–setting goals, creating plans, managing teams–is essentially project management. 

We’ve quietly slipped into the project manager role, just without the official title. However, working intuitively in this capacity can lead to challenges. Today’s guest is here to set us on the right path toward project success.

Meet Kory Kogon. Kory Kogan is FranklinCovey’s vice president of Content and Senior Consultant. She is the co-author of Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager and has appeared as an expert on TODAY, MSNBC’s Your Business, Forbes.com, Inc.com, and FastCompany.com. 

She is also one of the authors of the following FranklinCovey work sessions: The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity®, Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager™, and Presentation Advantage®. Kory brings more than 25 years of business expertise, from frontline positions to an executive team member.

In this episode, Kory explains how intuitive project management skills from our personal lives can be applied in professional settings. She emphasizes the importance of combining value, people, and process for project success, shares a practical 5-step framework for effective project management, offers tips to keep projects moving forward and on track, and much more.

Join the conversation now and discover how to elevate your project management skills!

Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.

Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Intro
• (01:50) Why we’re all unofficial project managers
• (04:14) Project management in an organizational setting explained
• (08:13) The project management success formula
• (10:52) 5-step framework for effective project management
• (13:29) What does the scoping process look like?
• (20:56) Real-world example of poor scoping
• (24:26) Tips to keep projects moving forward and on track
• (31:01) A great manager Kory has worked for
• (33:29) Keep up with Kory
• (34:45) [Extended Episode Only] The power and components of Gantt charts
• (42:34) [Extended Episode Only] How to keep your project plan relevant and effective

Additional Resources:

- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month

- Read the full transcript here

- Follow me on Instagram here 

- Visit my website for more here

- Build your team’s skills here

Keep up with Kory Kogon

- Follow Kory on LinkedIn here

- Grab a copy of her book here

FREE Copies of Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager 

Kory is providing 2 copies of Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager to members of Podcast+. To win one of these copies, you must enter the drawing by July 10th.

To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

---------------------

The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.

Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!

Authentic leadership is unique to each of us. It's about understanding and being comfortable with who you are so that you can leverage your strengths. We can then use that information to guide our choices and lift up those around us. When you understand your strengths and values, they can create a personal roadmap to success.

Today’s guest is Lance Tanaka. Lance is an Executive Leadership Expert. He and his team elevate leaders and their teams to increase business production, performance and profits.

Lance and I talk about lessons from his latest book Dream and Achieve: 90 Days to a life of purpose. We walk through the process that Lance and hundreds of others have used to help clarify their goals and take steps towards their desired future.

Members of the Modern Manager community get 25% off Lance’s course, Dream & Achieve. This course has helped thousands of successful executives identify their purpose and move down the path to realizing it. Get this generous discount if you register before September 30, 2022. 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. 

Check out the new Modern Manager Skills Accelerator!

Read the related blog article: Carve a Path at Work That is Authentically You

KEEP UP WITH LANCE

Website: lancetanaka360.com

Key Takeaways:

• Focus more time on honing your strengths rather than fixing your weaknesses.
• The DNA “Dream N’ Achieve” process is a 90 day journey of self discovery and charting a path forward.
• First, reflect on your strengths and passions. Then look for common themes, ideally no more than 9.
• Drill into those elements with who/what/where/when/why questions to further clarify what matters most to you.
• Do this DNA process as a team activity. Others often see our strengths better than we do.
• Trying to Find your “True North” may slow you down. Instead, create a balance between all your needs by going in the right direction and adjusting over time accordingly.
• There are three outcomes that result from following your DNA: (1) a big shift to a new company/career/city, (2) a sideways shift to a different team or role in the same company, or (3) minor shifts that lead to a major tipping point down the road.
• Employees need purpose. When you help them find their DNA, they may leave, but they may also have greater loyalty to a workplace that enables them to shine.

[email protected]

instagram.com/mamieks

Microaggressions are harmful words and actions that stem from biases and stereotypes. They’re subconscious, meaning we may not even realize we’re being offensive or biased. The damage they inflict can be long-lasting and impact how individuals relate to us and the entire company. As managers, it's our responsibility to create a professional work environment that fosters understanding and listening, so all people can feel safe and supported at work.

Today’s guest is Martine Kalaw. Martine is an Elevation Strategist - she shifts mindsets, builds bridges & delivers results. She is the author of Illegal Among Us, experienced being an undocumented immigrant, and is a DEI Consultant.

Martine and I talk about how to confront, respond to and learn from uncomfortable DEI situations in the workplace. Maybe it’s something you said that landed the wrong way with a team member or maybe it’s something a colleague did that was insensitive or exclusionary. We talk about microaggressions and how to get smarter about your own behavior since so often we don’t even realize we’re creating harm.

Members of the Modern Manager community can get a free 60-Minute Masterclass: Advancing DEI. Scheduled for September 22, this 60-minute class will give you the top five keys to advancing DEI in your workplace over the course of 90 days. 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: What To Do About Microaggressions In The Workplace

KEEP UP WITH MARTINE

Website: https://martinekalaw.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/MartineKalawEnterprisesLLC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinekalaw/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/martinekalawconsulting/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/martinekalaw 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQTb6zI5m4jehE-czyT8SvQ/featured

Key Takeaways:

• Microaggressions are actions or words that are unintentionally offensive, stemming from biases and stereotypes.
• 40% of people leave their jobs due to microaggressions.
• Microaggressions come from biases rather than personal encounters. The more diversity on the team, the fewer microaggressions. 
• Microaggressions are diminished when there’s more than one person from that background on a team.
• Set aside 10 minutes during 1-on-1 meetings to ask for feedback to learn if you said anything harmful or if the preson has experienced any harm. 
• When informed of a microaggression, don’t react defensively. You don’t need to agree to be an ally. Listen to understand rather than defending your honor.
• Engage in solutions together. Consider what could be said/done differently.
• Ask your employee’s permission to ask follow up questions so it doesn’t feel like an interrogation. If it’s not the right time, address it at a future date.
• Show vulnerability that you are on this DEI journey and admit your mistakes. Employees will respect you for your growth mindset. 

[email protected]

instagram.com/mamieks

Brainstorming is a method of developing ideas in a group setting. It's used to solve problems, come up with new ideas, and generally explore possibilities. While it may seem like a simple task, there’s often much more than meets the eye when it comes to effective brainstorming. Working through various exercises helps you not only generate ideas but also deeply understand the situation you are looking at. 

Today's episode is about brainstorming. Almost every team, at some point, has a brainstorming session. While brainstorming can be as straightforward as “okay, what ideas do you have?” There are also different methods to help you make the most of your brainstorming time together, and that’s what I cover here.

The full episode guide includes lists of prompts and suggested approaches for boosting your brainstorming sessions. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or purchase the full guide at www.themodernmanager.com/shop.  

Get the free mini-guide at themodernmanager.com/miniguides.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles, and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. 

Read the related blog article: 3 Brainstorming Strategies for Every Situation

Key Takeaways:

• Separate the idea generation from idea evaluation in order to facilitate creative thinking.
• Use the phrase “If I had a magic wand…” to help people avoid censoring their ideas based on what they think is feasible or will be viewed as “good” by their colleagues.
• Prepare specific prompts ahead of time to help get people thinking more broadly. For example, “How might we use our space differently?” or “What 1-time changes could we make?” or “What global trends might impact us?”
• Ask people to “wear specific hats” to get them to think from other people’s perspectives. For example, “how would Steve Jobs solve this problem?"
• Try iterating on a single idea to see if there is a version of that idea that is more feasible or more impactful.
• Give people time to brainstorm quietly on their own before sharing all ideas out loud. 

[email protected]

instagram.com/mamieks

Identifying the core values and potential motivators of your team members isn't always the easiest task. There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to each individual personality, which makes for a delicate interpretation process. But optimizing your relationships with others comes down to understanding one thing: what on earth makes them tick?

Today’s guest is Rob Toomey. As President of TypeCoach, Rob lives at the intersection of his two passions: personality type and entrepreneurship. Working with 800 global client organizations, he has delivered live sessions to more than 50,000 participants and the TypeCoach online tools have reached more than 185,000 people. Rob is also Managing Director of The Idea Factory which is focused on early stage app and website projects.

Rob and I talk about the four temperaments - he’ll explain these better than I can in one sentence, but in essence we’re talking about the four different personality type core values and motivators. By identifying which of the four temperaments each of your team members identifies with, you’ll be able to use more effective strategies to motivate, appreciate and engage each person. 

Members of the Modern Manager community get a free Motivation and Feedback document. This will help you gain new insight into what makes people tick and how to tailor your feedback differently to each of the four temperaments for maximum impact. 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 Motivate Your Employees Based on the 4 Temperaments

KEEP UP WITH ROB

Website: Typecoach.com

Key Takeaways:

• Our temperament is our source of motivational energy. 
• There are 4 Temperaments based on categories of introversion/extroversion, judgers/perceivers, thinkers/feelers, sensory/intuitive. 
• Introversion/extroversion is whether we get energy from being alone or with others.
• Judging/Perceiving is how we prefer structure, whether playful or decisive planning.
• Sensory/Intuitive is how we take in and process information.
• Thinking/Feeling is whether we approach a situation through objective analysis or considering our feelings/values.
• The 4 Temperaments break down into Sensory Judgers, Sensory Perceivers, Intuitive Thinkers, and Intuitive Feelers.
• SJ (Sensory Judgers) are also known as Traditionalists. Their core values are reliability and responsibility. Don’t tell them to relax. If stressed, offer to take things off their plate. 
• SP (Sensory Perceivers) are more relaxed and playful about getting work done. Their core value is to take action and get results. Don’t micromanage SPs; they respond best to a free-spirited environment. 
• NTs (Intuitive Thinkers) are conceptual problem solvers who love long term strategic thinking. Their core value is leaving a positive impact. Give them context for why their work matters and benefits them. Don’t question their competency. 
• NFs ( Intuitive Feeler) are also known as The Idealists. They are future focused on new ideas, but are people and value-centered rather than analytical. NFs’ core values are helping others reach their full potential, and self actualizing in the process. Concentrate on building a strong environment of connection and belonging in the office for them to thrive.
• To figure out your team’s temperament, ask them what their motivational force is at work. 
• Experiment with giving teammates various feedback to see what most motivates them. 
• Be careful to remember individual temperament needs when stressed because that’s when we revert to personal preferences. 

[email protected]

instagram.com/mamieks

Managers all over the world facilitate meetings every day, but how many managers facilitate meetings well? The goal of facilitating a meeting is to create a space so that everyone can participate effectively. This may not come naturally to some managers, but it’s a skill that anyone can master with the right tools.

Today’s guest is Rae Ringel. Rae is an executive coach, facilitator, author and founding President of The Ringel Group. She is a faculty member at the Georgetown University Institute for Transformational Leadership and founding director of their certificate program in the Art of Facilitation and Design. She is also a frequent columnist for Harvard Business Review.

Rae and I talk about meeting facilitation. What facilitation really is, how to do it well when meeting in person or virtually, and Rae shares a bunch of facilitation tricks and activities you can immediately use with your team to improve your meetings.

Members of the Modern Manager community get two articles Rae has authored and published in Harvard Business Review. “Please Stop Using These Phrases in Meetings” helps readers take control of their speech patterns by learning phrases that aren’t as helpful as you think. “When Do We Actually Need to Meet in Person?” helps leaders determine which factors of work can be kept virtual and which require being in-person. 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 Facilitate an Effective Meeting

KEEP UP WITH RAE

Twitter: @ringelgroup

LinkedIn: @rae-ringel

Instagram: @julieraeringel

Key Takeaways:

• Facilitation is creating the space in a meeting where everyone can participate.
• It’s important to start with a planned agenda and then be flexible enough to pivot when needed. Plan the activities ahead so you can prepare any materials, e.g. polls, Miro boards, etc.
• Virtual meetings have the potential to be more inclusive and comfortable for people. Leverage the strengths of technology to create a more inclusive meeting by using different modalities of participation.
• Consider how you can arrange the room, or ask people to arrange their physical space, to support effective engagement.
• Overemphasize the importance of the remote participants in a hybrid meeting. By focusing on them, you’ll boost engagement for everyone.
• Use collaborative online tools to support more equitable engagement, even if you’re fully meeting in person.
• Use the HIIT approach of alternating between passive and activity activities in a meeting.
• As a facilitator, your energy is contagious. People will remember how they feel when they leave more than your specific facilitation abilities.

[email protected]

instagram.com/mamieks

Ever feel like you don't have enough time because you're too busy working on tasks, attending meetings, and checking email? If so, you're not alone. Who has time for planning when there is so much to do?! In reality, a daily planning habit puts you in control of your schedule, workload, and productivity. 

Today’s guest is Ashutosh Priyadarshy. Ashutosh is the Co-founder and CEO of Sunsama, a daily planning assistant that helps knowledge workers stay focused and productive throughout their workdays. Ashutosh has spent most of the last decade building and launching productivity software. His goal is to build products that help us navigate our work and life mindfully and intentionally.

Ashutosh and I  talk about why daily planning is an important process, how we can use daily planning to boost productivity and feel a sense of accomplishment, and more.

Members of the Modern Manager community get an exclusive 30-day free trial of Sunsama. 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: Boost Productivity with Daily Planning

KEEP UP WITH ASHUTOSH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsamahq/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sunsamaHQ

Website: https://get.sunsama.com/

Key Takeaways:

• Create a daily planning habit at a time that works best for you. It doesn’t need to be at the start of your day.
• Starting your day with a plan helps you focus on your most important tasks.
• Bring your calendar and tasks together to get an accurate picture of how you’ll spend your time.
• In addition to meetings and tasks, we have plenty of ‘work chores’ that need to be done every day.
• Share your daily plan with your team to keep people informed, create accountability, and encourage yourself to plan accurately.
• End your day with a reflection on what you accomplished to help feel fulfilled and build momentum.

[email protected]

instagram.com/mamieks

No matter how big or small your team is, there are always things to discuss. Most managers respond by holding weekly meetings. At their best, team meetings are a forum for open and productive communication between team members. At their worst, they waste everyone’s time and energy. If your weekly meetings aren't moving your work forward and leaving people in a positive mood, it’s probably time you redesign them.

In this episode, I share practical advice that you can implement to make your weekly meetings more productive and enjoyable for everyone.

The full episode guide includes an overview of the factors to consider when designing a team meeting, along with examples of team meeting structures, formats, and prework to consider using as a model for your team. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or purchase the full guide at www.themodernmanager.com/shop. 

Get the free mini-guide at themodernmanager.com/miniguides.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles, and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox. 

Read the related blog article: Make Weekly Team Meetings Work for Your Team

Key Takeaways:

• There is no right way to have a team meeting. The key is to identify your meeting objectives so that you can design the meeting to meet those needs.
• Consider the flow of the agenda. How will you structure your time together to achieve the meeting objectives? 
• Team meetings can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as multiple hours, as long as the time is well spent.
• Determine what people can do to best prepare for the meeting. This could include completing a dashboard, contributing topics to discuss, or nothing at all.
• Don’t assume a weekly meeting is necessary. Sometimes daily or monthly cadences are more appropriate.
• Explore the format that will best meet the team’s needs. It could be in person, virtually, via Slack, or something else.
• Regularly revisit the design of your team meetings to assess if they are still meeting the team’s needs. It’s okay to experiment with different choices in order to optimize how your team meets.

[email protected]