The Manager Track

By Ramona ShawBusiness Careers

The Manager Track episodes

November 16, 2021How to Overcome Your Brain's Fixation on Bad Things
Do you sometimes ruminate for hours over a critical comment from a co-worker or from your boss?

Or when you evaluate your team member, do you find it easier to spot the mistakes than to see the great thing they did?

If the answer was yes to either of those, then rest assured that nothing has gone wrong...

As humans, we tend to focus a lot more on negative things than on positive events or circumstances. This tendency is called Negativity Bias and it means that we not only register negative stimuli more quickly but also that we tend to dwell on these events.

As such, this bias influences how we feel, think and act and that's why you, as a leader, need to be keenly aware of it.

If left unchecked, it will make you...
more critical of others and yourself than what's called for

worry more than what's helpful

be more risk-averse than what's rational

be more swayed by negative comments than what's appropriate
...and the list goes on!

In this episode, Ramona talks about the Negativity Bias and how it impacts leaders and their effectiveness. She also shares two simple steps to course-correct this tendency and be less biased in how you think and act.

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --
Schedule a call with Ramona: http://www.ramonashaw.com/apply
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling new book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
14 min
November 09, 2021 How to Change Behaviors and Grow as a Leader
Have you been trying to be more confident or assertive at work? Or have you been wanting to block out more time for strategic thinking? Or maybe you've really tried to delegate more to free up your calendar a bit?

...But despite the effort and the commitment, it's been harder to change that behavior than you thought it would?

If you can relate then read on.

And please bear in mind, changing behaviors is not just about getting rid of some "weaknesses" or bad habits. Changing behaviors is something we all have to do on an ongoing basis if we want to grow as leaders in our careers.

Our careers only grow to the extent that we grow. And change is an inherent part of growth.

But change is uncomfortable by design. Our minds want to keep us safe and what kept you alive so far is likely what's going to keep you alive going forward. Change, on the other hand, is uncertain and risky.

Plus, on top of that, our minds love patterns as these repeated behaviors (i.e. habits) or repeated thoughts (i.e. beliefs) help our minds navigate and regulate our bodies more efficiently.

But despite it being hard to change behaviors, it is always within your possibility to do so. Based on my experience, all we need to make it happen is clarity, self-leadership, self-compassion, and support.

In this week's episode of The Manager Track podcast, I'm inviting Simon Vetter, an expert on behavioral change and seasoned Executive Coach, to a conversation about how to change our own behaviors and how to help others, specifically our direct reports, develop stronger behaviors.

Simon shares numerous great examples, insights, and tools that you don't want to miss.

If you want to be a great leader, then this is a must-have in your management toolkit.

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --

Simon's website: https://simonvetter.com/
Simon's LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/simonvetter1/
Amazon link to Leading with Vision: The Leader's Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce

Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling new book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
32 min
November 02, 2021How to Create a Strategy for Your Team
Get this... 96% of leaders say they lack the time for strategic thinking and 43% of managers cannot stat their own strategy (HBR).

That's crazy, right?!

As leaders, we MUST carve out time (i.e. ruthlessly prioritize) time to operate on a strategic level, to think about, discuss, plan, and then repeatedly communicate our strategies.

But let's be real. I know it's easier said than done to carve out time for "strategic stuff" in your packed schedule. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't or you can't.

Thousands of CEOs, founders, and execs do it EVERY SINGLE DAY and that means you can too.

But the importance of moving from being all transactional to stepping into a more transformational leadership arena is not all we're going to talk about here. In fact, what I'm really sharing with you in this episode are...
The 6 steps to develop a rock-solid 2022 strategy

The 2 important considerations to make all along to ensure your strategy is set up to be successful

The 4 most common challenges or reasons why strategies fail and how to prevent them
With this information in your pocket, you'll be ready to wow your team and your boss not only with a great 2022 strategy but also with an effective way to go about the entire endeavor.

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --
The Pause Principle: Step Back to Lead Forward by Kevin Cashman

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

The New Manager Toolkit (free download)
_____
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling new book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
28 min
October 26, 2021 Being Caught In The Middle of Vax Mandates
Whether we like it or not, the discussion on vax mandates will become more prominent over the next few months as companies who aim to return employees to offices will have to decide what requirements they'll put in place (unless the government makes that decision for them, of course).

And unless all of your team members are fully vaccinated, you as a front-line or mid-level manager will likely find yourself caught in the middle.

You want your team members to be happy and to feel heard. At the same time, you know that you have the duty to enforce organizational requirements.

Many of the leaders I have been talking to shared that this topic makes them nervous. For that reason, I decided to record this podcast episode to share my point of view and help you navigate the conversations that you may need to have with employees. I also talk about what potential pitfalls to be aware of that if not avoided could quickly erode the trust you have in place with upper management and directs alike.

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --
Sign up for the Leadership Audit here: www.ramonashaw.com/leadership-audit
_______

Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling new book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!

* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
22 min
October 19, 2021 Curiosity: Your Doorway to Positive Relationships and Collaborative Leadership with Dr. Alison Horstmeyer
Could it be that your "expert mindset" is what got into your first leadership but now actually gets in the way of your leadership effectiveness?

I heard Dr. Alison Horstmeyer address this very question and it piqued my interest. Alison is an executive coach and a humanistic researcher who focuses on the topic of curiosity and I'm thrilled to bring her on as a guest in this week's episode of The Manager Track podcast.

Together, we explore curiosity and its relevance for leaders. Curiosity has become a powerful meta-skill, a higher-order skill that energizes and empowers other skills like critical thinking, creativity, divergent thinking, empathy, collaboration, and trust.

We also discuss how having an "expert mindset" and the need to give advice and have all answers gets in the way of leaders' effectiveness, especially in a world full of uncertainty and constant change.

About our guest today, Dr. Alison Horstmeyer:

Dr. Alison Horstmeyer is a leading-edge talent development consultant, executive coach, and humanistic researcher. Her research focuses on curiosity and associated mental, emotional, and motivational attributes. Alison is considered one of the pioneering practitioners in workplace curiosity.

You can find her work in various peer-reviewed journals and business publications including Forbes, Chief Learning Officer, and CEOWORLD Magazine, and in Harvard Business Review Press, Journal of Organizational Change Management, and Development and Learning in Organizations publications.

She believes we each are innately curious, we just tend to stifle it away. Learn more about her and her work at www.dralisonh.com or on LinkedIn.

Other resources mentioned:
Byron Katie's 4 Questions: https://thework.com/instruction-the-work-byron-katie
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
33 min
October 12, 2021Is It Me or Is It Them?
"Is it me or is it them?" This is a question that I hear so often from new managers. So, let's peel the onion on this one in this week's episode.

Part of your job as a leader, whether explicitly stated in your job description or simply implied, is your responsibility to manage people's performance.

For most, this is the "sticky" part of leadership. The shadow side of all the good stuff that comes with the new title and status. And if you're in your first leadership role then this is brand new territory.

Managing people who aren't meeting expectations is never fun. In fact, it can really push us outside of our comfort zones. It can bring up beliefs and assumptions such as...
Who am I to tell them how to do their job?

Maybe they don't do it because they don't like or respect me.

Maybe they think I'm a complete micromanager or way too nitpicky.

Why do I have to constantly "babysit"? That's not what I should have to do.

What if they hate me after I give them feedback and I start getting a bad reputation as a manager?
If any of those sound familiar, then this episode is for you.

It's normal to feel challenged and uncomfortable and to be wondering if it's you or if it's them.

In this episode, you'll learn...
The main reasons leading to underperformance

Why the "grey zone" is what often makes it so hard to manage performance

The 3 questions to ask yourself to know if it's you or if it's them

What to do to fix your part
Ready? Hit play and let's go!

Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling new book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!

* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
16 min
October 05, 2021 6 Often-Overlooked Traits That Separate Great Leaders From The Rest
What do you think makes a great leader? Intelligence, confidence, charisma, or expertise?

These all sound reasonable, right?

But over the many years, I’ve spent as a coach helping new and mid-level managers become great leaders, I’ve realized that the truth about good leadership comes down to skills and behaviors that are a lot less showy and obvious.

When you let go of the image of what makes you look like a great leader, you can start to focus on the traits that will allow you to build the right environment and make people love working for you.

To me, there are 6 specific leadership traits that make the biggest difference. A few of them might surprise you.

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --

Schedule a Call With Ramona: www.ramonashaw.com/apply

Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling new book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
25 min
October 05, 2021 6 Often-Overlooked Traits That Separate Great Leader From The Rest
What do you think makes a great leader? Intelligence, confidence, charisma, or expertise?

These all sound reasonable, right?

But over the many years, I’ve spent as a coach helping new and mid-level managers become great leaders, I’ve realized that the truth about good leadership comes down to skills and behaviors that are a lot less showy and obvious.

When you let go of the image of what makes you look like a great leader, you can start to focus on the traits that will allow you to build the right environment and make people love working for you.

To me, there are 6 specific leadership traits that make the biggest difference. A few of them might surprise you.

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --
Schedule a Call With Ramona: www.ramonashaw.com/apply

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
25 min
September 28, 2021How My APS Method Helps (New) Managers Succeed
Today, I want to take you behind the scenes of my coaching practice and introduce you to my proprietary APS Method.

Here is the thing... If you want to be a high-performing leader, be respected and liked by your directs, and be admired by your peers, then in my view, this is the fastest path to get you there.

The APS Method emerged out of coaching and training hundreds of new and mid-level leaders who were smart and who had their hearts in the right place but still struggled to lead well.

The reason why so many new managers fail (studies say it's up 60%), is not only because many are simply thrown into the cold water with a "sink or swim" approach (which is crazy in my view!), but also because so many leadership development initiatives completely miss the mark.

In this episode, you'll learn...
the main reasons why new managers fail and struggle more than they should

the biggest issues with the most common leadership development initiatives

what the A, the P, and the S stands for in the APS Method and why developing all 3 pillars are important to you if you're serious about leadership
I'm excited to share this with you and take you a bit behind the scenes of my work as a leadership coach.

-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --

Watch Ramona's Free Training: www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass
Schedule a Call With Ramona: www.ramonashaw.com/apply
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
22 min
September 21, 2021How Great Leaders Control Their Egos
Here is the thing when it comes to our egos... It is a lot easier to see someone else’s than it is to see your own.

It’s like that little piece of spinach stuck in between your teeth. You can go all day not knowing it’s there, but everyone else sees it.

When you finally look in the mirror and discover that it's there, it’s like, “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

But let's be clear. Having an ego isn’t the problem. The problem is when the ego grows beyond what's helpful. And unfortunately, successful leaders who climb the ranks faster than others are particularly prone to that.

This is why I want to tackle this topic in this week's episode of The Manager Track so that you can have an honest look in the mirror, know what to pay attention to and how to keep your ego in check if and when needed.

Specifically, you'll finish the episode knowing...
What differentiates an ego-driven leader from a humble leader and how to detect where you stand

The 4 ego-driven thinking traps that get us into trouble and why new managers, in particular, are prone to be at the effect of them

The 4-step process to curb your ego when it gets tempted to take charge
-- RESOURCES MENTIONED --
"Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company" book on Amazon

Connect with Ramona on Instagram or LinkedIn
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling new book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw/

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for --> www.ramonashaw.com/masterclass

Don't forget to invest time each week to increase your self-awareness, celebrate your wins, and learn from mistakes. Your career grows only to the extent that you grow. Grab your Career Journal with leadership exercises and weekly reflections here: www.ramonashaw.com/shop

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://www.ramonashaw.com/itunes and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
28 min

About The Manager Track

From the publisher's feed

If you’re in you're a new manager and want to become a confident and competent leader people love to work with, then join leadership expert Ramona Shaw in this podcast. Each week, Ramona shares…