A podcast about my work experience and history.

Key themes emerging from the recommendations include:

• Leadership and People Management: Evan is repeatedly described as an empathetic, humble, and supportive leader who prioritizes team growth, fosters psychological safety, encourages collaboration, and promotes professional development. Reviewers highlight his ability to rebuild teams during challenging periods, navigate interpersonal dynamics with emotional intelligence, and empower individuals to excel while maintaining calm under pressure.

• Project Management and Agile Expertise: He is praised for effectively implementing Agile methodologies, adapting processes to organizational needs, explaining complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders, and ensuring timely, high-quality project delivery. Several note his success in shifting priorities smoothly and driving innovation.

• Technical and Strategic Acumen: Contributors emphasize his deep technical knowledge (particularly in web development, digital solutions, and marketing technology), strategic thinking, and ability to align IT initiatives with business objectives, resulting in improved performance metrics and organizational growth.

• Interpersonal Qualities: Evan is characterized as approachable, compassionate, collaborative, and professional, with a focus on building trust, valuing diverse perspectives, and creating positive work environments. Many express eagerness to work with him again and recommend him highly for senior or executive roles.

Overall, the recommendations reflect unanimous positive regard, underscoring Evan's reputation as a transformative leader, mentor, and technical expert who consistently delivers results while nurturing team success. The endorsements demonstrate sustained excellence across multiple roles and years.

I worked at a large organization some time back, and when I started, I asked what the existing issue resolution plans were. I got a lot of blank stares. “What do you mean?” said one employee. I explained, “What do you do when there is a problem or critical issue?” “Well, you mean other than leadership running around with their hair on fire?” “Yes, other than that.” “Oh well, then nothing.” This got a good chuckle out of the other team members around the conference table.

“Yikes. Okay, well, I think we can improve that.”

The first problem in issue management is not having a plan. And by a plan, I mean an actual thought-through, written-down, executable series of actions that are used to respond to any and all situations. You’d be amazed at how many organizations do not have one.

I’ve got another myth in mind today. Big Foot? Aliens? The Bermuda Triangle? And by the way, whatever happened to the Bermuda Triangle? When I was a kid, it seemed like every show had some kind of reference to it. Now, no one ever talks about it anymore.

I think some of you won’t agree with my characterization of this as a myth. You will say, “Oh, but Evan, it is very real.” Well, yes, it is real, in the sense that there are many leaders who believe in this; in fact, some might think it is the most important aspect of your work life. But I’m going to explain why it isn’t a real thing, and shouldn’t be a real thing.

The myth of “managing up”. 

Let me explain. Have you heard this phrase before? Have you used this phrase before? First, let me say that this isn’t about judging, it’s about awareness and helping leaders improve…without, as the subtitle of my book says, losing your soul.

Most organizations are structured pretty similarly. There are the people who DO the work (in my world, that would be the programmers and developers). They DO 90% of the work. Then there are the managers and directors, those who, hopefully, help those who do the work remove roadblocks, care for their day-to-day needs, ensure they have the support and tools they need to do the work efficiently, etc….Then you have the VPs who hopefully take care of the managers and directors and see that they have good goals and support toward those goals, and the resources they need to accomplish those goals. Then you have executive leaders who should be setting strategy and high-level goals and overall roadmap for the organization.

Right? Isn’t that essentially how most companies are structured? So here is where things, in my opinion, go wrong. When anyone above the DOer group starts to believe the people under them exist to serve their own needs. If I, as a manager, believe that my team’s job is to serve me and do things to make me look good and appease me, we have a broken system. The same is true at each level. So if a VP demands of a director or manager that they “manage up” rather than manage down, it’s a sign of a broken system, a broken culture, one that is essentially driven by the concept that I’m more important than you are, and you must understand that and capitulate to my importance.

Evan interviews guest Jay Brummett.

They explored the evolution of the workforce and the impact of AI on knowledge workers, examining how AI can complement human skills while highlighting its limitations. The conversation concluded with discussions about team management challenges, the importance of creating safe work environments, and the significant costs associated with poor management practices and employee turnover.

Leadership and Employee Voice

Evan and Jay discussed the challenges of creating a safe environment for employees to speak up and the importance of leaders demonstrating humility and openness to feedback. They highlighted how quickly people can recall a "bad boss" experience, emphasizing the psychological and productivity impacts of poor management. Jay shared insights from Agile methodologies and a game called "Needs and Wants" to illustrate the value of autonomy and employee input. They also discussed the need for leaders to balance technical expertise with the ability to guide teams collaboratively, drawing parallels to historical examples like George Washington's approach to leadership.

Bad Management's High Cost Impact

Evan and Jay discussed the significant impact of bad managers on employee turnover and its associated costs. Evan shared alarming statistics, including that 50-52% of voluntary quits are due to bad managers, resulting in an estimated $500 billion in losses annually for American companies. They explored the reasons behind employee departures, highlighting the role of culture and management style, and discussed the myth of the $25,000 average replacement cost, suggesting it is much higher. Evan questioned what actions are being taken to address this issue, emphasizing the need for better management practices and cultural improvements.

I’ve got 3 very important words for you today.

In America, you have probably heard the popular saying, “The customer is always right.” It is supposed to reflect our culture of customer satisfaction and experience. In Germany, there is a twist on that saying which pokes fun at Germany’s own perceived approach to customer service. The saying goes, “In Germany, the customer is King…and he shall be punished for his arrogance.” Ha!

Sometimes words go along with philosophy in how you view or treat people. Sometimes those words are accurate and meaningful, other times they are not.

I’ve got 3 very important words for you today. Words, as a manager or leader, you should be saying to your people at least weekly, if not daily. What are they?

Some of you might think the words are “job well done.” But that is related to their word tasks. They might be okay, but those words, ultimately aren’t particularly fulfilling as a human being.

Others of you might think, “I love you.” Well, yes, those are important words, but probably more appropriate for your family and closest friends.

Still others might think 3 important words are, “Paid vacation days.” or “Friday half days” or even “Work from home”. Those are good, but I have something else in mind.

What we probably hear most often at work though is, “Resend that email.” or “Make it pop” or “Is that done?” Those words don’t usually help.

No, these three important words can go a long way to building relationships, encouraging others, and making work life more fulfilling and meaningful. But, sadly, not that many people use these words regularly.

But you should.

Not saying the 3 words can be frustrating to others, just like you are now frustrated because I have waited so long to tell you what they are. Well, without further delay here they are.

Player-Coach Concept in Sports

Evan opened by discussing Pete Rose, who was the last player-coach in major American sports from 1984 to 1986 with the Cincinnati Reds. He noted that:

• There have been no player-coaches in professional sports in the last 40 years

• The last player-coach in the NBA was over 50 years ago

• There has never been a player-coach in the modern era of football or hockey

• Most player-coaches in professional sports were failures in terms of winning percentage

• Virtually all player-coaches had sub-.500 records and short-lived dual careers

Evan explained several reasons why the dual role is problematic:

• Knowing how to do something doesn't make you good at coaching it

• It's nearly impossible to both play and coach simultaneously and be successful at either

• People generally become mediocre at both roles at best

• The issue is fundamentally about focus and priorities

• The two skill sets don't mix well

Evan then connected this concept to business settings:

• While professional sports has abandoned the player-coach model, the business world hasn't figured this out yet

• Many job descriptions use terms like "hybrid role" or "hands-on manager" which are essentially player-coach positions

• Companies often try to save money by having one person handle both technical and management responsibilities

• Leadership often underestimates the difficulty of balancing technical work with management duties

• Career progression often leads to this problem when technical experts are promoted to management but still expected to maintain their technical duties

Evan shared some concerning statistics:

• Nearly 20 million employees leave companies each year due to having a "bad manager"

• Conservative estimates put replacement costs for these employees at upwards of $500 billion annually

Evan offered several recommendations to address these issues:

1. Completely eliminate hybrid player-coach roles as they hurt both the manager's growth and the development of people working under them

2. Evaluate and determine effective managers through anonymous surveys and 360 reviews conducted by third-party organizations

3. Organize departments so dedicated managers have one job - managing people - rather than being "manager project managers" or "manager programmers"

4. Continuously solicit feedback and respond to it, creating an environment where employees feel they can be heard safely

5. Avoid protecting managers who "get stuff done" but destroy long-term culture, including bullies and micromanagers

Evan concluded by drawing a parallel to Pete Rose's gambling troubles during his player-coach tenure, suggesting that creating player-coach job descriptions is a gamble that rarely pays off and generally hurts organizations in ways they may not fully understand.

Evan Baltz, a marketing technology leader, discussed the distinction between lowercase "agile" and uppercase "Agile" in the context of business processes. He explained that lowercase agile refers to quick adaptability, while uppercase Agile is a structured project management approach emphasizing iterative processes, collaboration, and flexibility. Evan highlighted that many organizations confuse the two, leading to chaos and inefficiency. He also addressed common misconceptions about Agile, such as its perceived inflexibility, and outlined its benefits, including increased adaptability, enhanced collaboration, and faster delivery of high-quality work. Evan encouraged listeners to clarify the use of the term "agile" when they encounter it in business discussions.

The Transactional vs. Relational Manager

Welcome to season 2 of The Manager’s Desk. I’m Evan Baltz, a Marketing Technology expert and a team builder, and…a bit of an author.

In May, I was pleased to publish my book “The Art of Leadership without Losing Your Soul” which is available on Amazon in 4 different formats: paperback, hardcover, Audible, and Kindle.

In one of the chapters in the book, and on a previous podcast, I discussed The Art of the 1:1. But I wanted to dig into that topic a little more by talking about the differences between the transactional manager and the relational manager.

What’s the first topic your manager discusses with you in a 1:1? I’m not counting the “hi, how’s it going” line…beyond that. Does it feel like they are trying to build a relationship, or simply there to get something from you?

Is the 1:1 about tasks? How is this task coming along? Where are you on that project? Update me on everything you’ve done since our last meeting.

Or,

Is it more like, “tell how you are feeling about your workload?” What challenges are you facing? Are there any roadblocks I can help you remove? Have you been able to enjoy your hobbies lately? How are your kids or family?

The first, as you might have guessed, is the transactional manager. I call them the Task Master Taker.  The second is the relational manager, whom I call the Empathetic Encourager.

The task-master taker is primarily focused on what you can do for them. They need things from you, so that is what they focus on. You are their worker. Your job is to please them with what you do. They expect you to make them look good by the work you do for them. They take.

The empathetic encourager gives. They want to give you things that will build you up. They want to come in behind you and support you, and find where your strengths are, and then watch you grow into a role that is best suited for your likes and skills.

As a manager in Marketing or IT technology, it’s important to not only develop your team members understanding of technology and performance, it is also important to coach them how to be business-minded technologists.To be truly successful within a business organization, every contributor needs to understand the business. However, this is often lost on your individual contributors, especially within technology fields. And that, I believe, is the manager/directors responsibility. For instance, within the field of web development, each developer or designer or programmer, should think first about the business needs. What are the key drivers for my company’s business success? Perhaps it is lead generation. If so, what is our main demographic? How does our web presence contribute to the goal of improved efficiency of our lead generation? Understanding that will inform your architecture or programming or design. Each team member should think like the business person they ultimately serve.As a leader, you can help break down the KPIs and business model for your teams.Ask business-minded questions in 1:1s with your team members to guage there understanding levelThrough discussion help them articulate those needsHave them state 3 ways the project they are working on will serve the business needsTeach them to evaluate each stakeholder requirement through that lensEncourage them to offer revised solutions that can more effectively address those requirements from a technical perspectiveInvolve you team in higher level discussions of purpose for projectsDirect them to include at least two solutions, one with a short term, faster turn-around and one with a longer-term, but more elegant solution, but both should still focus on the business needs.It may take some time to help your teams fully understand and implement this extra level of thinking, but it will help elevate your team within your organization, and improve the career paths of each of your direct reports.You can watch each of my podcasts on Spotify or YouTube, as well as listen on iHeartRadio and Amazon Music.

An important part of being a manager is communicating regularly with your direct reports.