It should be obvious to any manager, no matter how new, that the more engaged in their work an employee is, the more productive they will be – and the less likely to leave for another position. 

But in this time of remote working, the “great resignation” and economic uncertainty, what should a manager be doing to ensure maximum engagement of the members of their team?  In this episode of Management Mastery we address this critical

A transition to a new leader is pivotal for the leader, the staff, and the business. One of the most important decisions a new leader must make is whether to stick with the existing team and for how long. In this episode, we discuss some of the important issues in deciding what, if any, staff changes to make and when and how to make them.

Regardless of the problem facing your team, as manager, you are expected to have the answer. Right? After all, you are the manager. Well, not necessarily. Unfortunately this is a trap many managers – and not just new ones – often fall into. In this episode, we’ll explore why “always having the answer” can often backfire and how to avoid it yourself.

Leaders often experience isolation at greater levels than

In this episode we discuss some of the challenges leaders face and how to address them.

Every manager, at some time, has to fire an employee. It is one of the most difficult tasks a manager has, but it must be done caringly and professionally. Layoffs are a special subset of termination. We’ll discuss the process for both

A performance improvement plan or “PIP” is a document that aims to help employees who are not meeting job performance or behavior-based goals.  A PIP covers specific areas of performance deficiencies, identifies skills, training, or behavior gaps, and sets clear expectations for an associates’ future conduct.

A critical part of any manager’s job is conducting regular employee performance evaluations or reviews. Obviously, if things are going well, these can be positive experiences for both the Manager and the employee. But, if things are not going well, they can be very stressful for both parties. In this episode, we will cover how to make the most of either situation.

Whether it is through a formal written employment contract, or a more informal “on boarding” process, every new employee must be told exactly what is expected of them if they are to succeed in their new position. Establishing such an employment agreement with a new employee requires understanding, a professional approach and following your company’s hiring system. It also provides the foundation for the equally critical process of employee performance review. In this episode, we will cover how to ensure this important process is successful for both you and the new team member.

Sometimes how something is communicated can almost be as important as what is being communicated.  In this episode, we talk about the importance of presentation – whether written or spoken – in ensuring your communications are effective in achieving their desired goals.

The second aspect of influence is presentation – how you communicate your ideas and what you want the audience to take away or do. 

Importance of Presentation in Written Communications: When we think about “presentation” in terms of communication, we usually are thinking of oral communication – whether one-on-one, a small meeting, or to a large group.  But presentation is just as important in written communication.  And very often overlooked as a critical aspect of delivering the content of the communication.

In spoken presentation, there are three critical elements: The Verbal – what you are saying; the vocal – how you are saying it (i.e., your tone of voice); and the visual – your appearance as you are saying it (e.g.,

The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills of any manager. All communication has two aspects – What you want to communicated or the content and How you communicate it – or the presentation.  In this episode, we will discuss how to make your content as effective as possible.

Regardless of the purpose or the method of your

In this episode, we will focus on content; that is, how to make what you want to communicate as effective as possible.