Lift as you climb – a metaphor for developing the bench strength of your team with guest expert Scott Mautz

Scott Mautz, author of Leading from the Middle: A Playbook for Managers to Influence Up, Down, and Across the Organization

Bill Ringle and Scott Mautz discuss the pressures and opportunities to make a difference as middle managers in a small business.

Scott Mautz and Bill Ringle discuss Leading from the Middle: A Playbook for Managers to Influence Up, Down, and Across the Organization for small business leaders

>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.

Interview Insights

Top 3 Takeaways from this Interview

No one is born a manager. Our leadership is a product of our environment and the influence of those who came before us.

Middle managers can improve employee retention and attraction with the right approach and skill set. This is why they are the backbone of the organizaton.

Learn from good influences and in turn, be a good influence.

Read the Show Notes from this Episode

Scott proudly talks about his mom and the massive influence on his life helped shape his leadership style. [01:09] 

Bob was a former manager at Proctor and Gamble who’s confused expressing authority with expressing anger. Scott shares how his mother’s influence helped him deal with and better the situation. [04:12]

The effect of workplace environment and culture on leadership. [07:32] 

Defining the middle manager. [08:46]

Why middle managers are the backbones of their companies. [09:24]

Scott shared how he first conceptualized his book The Middle Manager. [10:33]

The importance of influence and influencing people in building a solid company. [11:59]

The SCOPE that makes middle management uniquely challenging. [15:16]

How to be integral. [17:42]

Meaning beyond the book’s subtitle: A Playbook For Managers To Influence Up Down Across The Organization and why he chose it. [19:21]

Ryan was a middle manager who was unsure of his responsibilities. [20:34]

My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [30:12]

Expert Bio

Scott Mautz is a former Procter & Gamble senior executive who successfully ran four separate multi-billion-dollar businesses. He’s the author of three multi-award-winning, best-selling books, including his latest, "Leading from the Middle: A Playbook for Managers to Influence Up, Down, and Across the Organization" Scott is faculty at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business for Executive Education. He’s a former top columnist for Inc.com where he drew 2 million readers a month and where he was named a “Top 50 Leadership Innovator.” Scott frequently appears in a variety of national media.

Scott Mautz , author of Leading from the Middle: A Playbook for Managers to Influence Up, Down, and Across the Organization.

Contact Info and Social Media for Scott Mautz

Primary Website

Travels from: San Diego, CA

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Resources Mentioned During the Interview

Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed so you can explore further.

Proctor and Gamble 

LinkedIn Courses by Scott Mautz

11 Inactions that Ruin a Leader's Reputation

Building a Better Relationship with Your Boss

Change Leadership

Change Management Foundations

Develop and Promote Your Hybrid Competence

Eight Ways You Block Your Success

Happiness Habits

How Leaders Can Connect Empathy and Results

How Leaders Can Motivate Others by Creating Meaning

How to Get People to Like You

How to Think Big

Inspiring Today's Workforce to Go Above and Beyond