Rachel Cooke is your guide to leadership and communication, helping you craft a workplace environment you can feel good about. She’ll share tips to help you balance your work and personal life, effectively invest your time, and be mindful about where you’re devoting your energy. Let Rachel help you navigate your path to success—however you define it.
Build a culture of accountability with Work Design
Episode 892
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • Duration 09:03
892. Is your team missing targets, dropping the ball, or responding to missed deadlines with a shrug?
Many leaders believe accountability is a personality trait—you either have it or you don’t. But in reality, accountability is a design problem. When ownership is lacking, it’s usually because the "work design" itself is getting in the way.
In this episode, Rachel shares a case study of a pharmaceutical manufacturer where low accountability wasn't just a frustration, it was a safety risk. You’ll learn the results of a real-world "work design pulse check" and the five simple, high-impact tweaks that transformed a culture of "oh well" into a culture of "I’ve got this."
Workplace cheat codes: 5 ways to up your odds of success
Episode 891
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 • Duration 09:43
891. At work we're constantly placing bets on uncertain outcomes, which projects to prioritize and which risks to take. But most of us never think about how to improve our odds. Today Rachel shares five “cheat codes,” simple, high-impact practices that give you a massive advantage before things go sideways. From running a "premortem" to flush out hidden risks to using a "stinky fish" exercise to surface team anxieties, learn how to anticipate problems before they become crises. Whether you're a team lead or a solo contributor, these tactics will help you work better by design and give your career a few "extra lives."
Being a giver at work can actually help you get ahead. When we give meaningfully and intentionally rather than indiscriminately and at our own expense. Here are 4 things a strategic giver will do – to infuse meaning into any situation.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
Employees at every level are feeling exhausted – not from too much work, but from too much changing of direction. If it feels like every day there’s a new set of priorities, here are some things you can do to stay afloat.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
So many of us are still struggling with burnout. And while we can’t always conquer it in a single effort, sometimes just finding small ways to ease it in moments can give us the breathing space we need to move forward.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
Vulnerability has become a buzzy word in the workplace. But author and speaker Jacob Morgan is here to say vulnerability can be a superpower when done well. But can also cause harm or damage when misunderstood.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
People are feeling really disappointed by and at work these days. Leaders are making (or not making) choices we don’t love. So how can we constructively manage this disappointment while holding onto our jobs?
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
How to solve an organizational problem that won’t go away
Episode 790
Tuesday, April 9, 2024 • Duration 07:30
Organizations lose tremendous productivity - and employee engagement - when breakdowns in the system go unnamed and unsolved. But there are some simple strategies that can equip and empower you to solve the thing once and for all. Here is a step by step plan.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
There’s a lot of information out there about leadership. Which we often assume to mean leading those reporting to us. But an ability to lead up – to manage our managers effectively – is an equally important part of the job. Here are some tips on doing it well.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
Discover shows related to Modern Mentor, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
