The Modern Manager

By Mamie Kanfer Stewart

Host Mamie Kanfer Stewart shares practical approaches to help you be a great manager. Learn more at: https://themodernmanager.com/

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How many episodes does The Modern Manager have?

The podcast currently has 365 episodes available.

The Modern Manager episodes:

March 15, 2022195: Lessons Learned From Managing People and Arranging Flowers with Elise Bernhardt
Managers know the value of team building, but not all activities are effective or right for your people. Traditional team-building activities like ropes courses, paintball games, or scavenger hunts often don’t speak to millennials or employees in other generations. They can also be competitive instead of collaborative, or require physical abilities that not everyone is capable of. Instead, managers can look for activities that are fun, accessible, and translate into productive relationships in the workplace, like floral design.
Today’s guest is Elise Bernhardt. Elise served as CEO or Executive Director of multiple non-profit cultural organizations during her 30 year career. She then reinvented herself as a floral designer and facilitator which combined her passion for flowers and bringing people together through her flower design workshops.
Elise and I talk about the lessons she’s learned from years of leading people and organizations of different sizes, as well as her unusual approach to team building that includes flowers, and what we can learn from that process.
Three members of the Modern Manager community get a discount on Elise’s floral design workshops. Get one of these when you join the Modern Manager community.

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Read the related blog article: How Floral Design Can Strengthen Your Team’s Relationships.

KEEP UP WITH ELISE
Website: www.fleurelisebkln.com
Instagram: @fleur_elise_bkln

Key Takeaways:
Many common team-building exercises can be stressful and competitive, making the experience feel less inclusive.
Ikebana is the Japanese art of floral design. It is considered a spiritual practice and a life skill. Flowers have also been shown to reduce blood pressure.
Floral design team building workshops are non judgemental and relaxing. They create opportunities for bonding, creativity, and self-expression because there is no right answer.
After completion, everyone shares observations about each others’ work such as color and placement. This is different from sharing feedback on what you like or dislike, or what you think would make the arrangement better.
Observational dialogue shifts how people reflect and share. It is a useful tool to carry over into workplace feedback. It focuses on what you notice and conveying that in a neutral tone.
The best team building exercises help us see our colleagues in a new light and realize unknown qualities about them.
Floral design can be done remotely. It can also be done separately and then collectively shared afterwards.
You can DIY a floral design team-building workshop by getting supplies from a local grocer and looking up online videos for inspiration, if needed. The only rule is that no stems can be the same length! Consider who can facilitate during the presentation portion so that it engages everyone and follows the observation (not criticism) approach.
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instagram.com/mamieks
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31min
March 08, 2022194: Build a Culture of Accountability
Accountability, when done right, isn't about exerting power or authority. It’s not about enforcing punishments or negative consequences. Instead, it’s about making sure that everyone does what they commit to doing through shared responsibility for success. Managers who do this develop strong teams with strong performance. Those who don’t do this end up with extra pressure on themselves and disengaged employees who are underperforming or unhappy in their jobs - both of which are downright unhealthy for everyone.

Today's episode is about how to create a culture of accountability. Accountability often feels hard, in part because it's the thing we do when something goes wrong. Instead, you can make accountability ever-present on your team so that everyone holds themselves and each other accountable.

The full episode guide contains more detailed actions, questions for reflection, and worksheets to help you foster a culture of accountability with your team. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or purchase the full guide at www.themodernmanager.com/shop.

Get the free mini-guide at themodernmanager.com/miniguides.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles, and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: 5 Steps to Creating a Culture of Accountability

Key Takeaways:
Accountability at work is not an individual burden on the manager but about creating a culture of accountability that is shared by the team.
Without a culture of accountability, the best workers leave and performance suffers.
Articulate and model your team’s values and expected behaviors. Own your mistakes when you misstep to foster trust.
People take seriously what they feel responsible for. It’s essential to connect accountability to celebrating successes and to give credit when it’s due.
Teammates who care about each other and feel valued by their manager don’t want to let each other down. Shared accountability means they will push each other even when the boss isn’t around.
Explain why the expectations matter and how it impacts them, you, the team, and/or the organization’s success.
Create a safe space for your team to admit their mistakes. Encourage questions, provide support, and don’t blame when things go off track.
Have organic, real-time conversations and scheduled 1-on-1s to provide positive feedback and address concerns.

Additional Resources:
Episode 76: Bring Team Values to Life
Episode 72: Align Your Team By Creating Shared Values
Episode 138: Managing Four Types of Accountability
[email protected]
...more
14min
March 01, 2022193: Navigating Change, Ambiguity and Uncertainty with Russ Linden
As managers, we have a responsibility to help our employees find stability in a time of chaos. To do this most effectively, we need to understand how the brain functions best—and most importantly, how it can go wrong. Understanding the neuroscience of change will give us unparalleled insight into managing moments of uncertainty and times of change so that our team members remain productive, engaged, and loving their work.

Today’s guest is Russ Linden. Russ is a management consultant, leadership instructor, and author who's worked with public and nonprofit organizations for 36 years. He specializes in change management, collaboration, and the use of influence (when formal authority won't cut it).

Russ and I talk about the experience of navigating change, how to better deal with ambiguity, the phenomenon called loss aversion, the relationship between change and learning, and so much more.

Members of the Modern Manager community at the Sprout level and above get 30% off all of Russ’s books, including his latest, Loss and Discovery: What the Torah Can Teach Us about Leading Change. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: How Managers Can Create Stability In Unpredictable Times

KEEP UP WITH RUSS:
Website: www.loss-discovery.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/russ.linden.9/

Key Takeaways:
Our brains are wired to perceive a lack of control, predictability, and certainty as threats.
Create stability for your team by building steady, predictable relationships. Be an honest, trustworthy leader they can depend on.
Define and implement your company’s core values so your team knows what to expect and how the organization operates.
Loss aversion is the brain’s way of avoiding the pain of loss which is stronger than the desire for winning.
Honestly address the potential losses that arise with any change. Give your employees space to mourn these losses.
Our brains continue growing new cells and neural pathways throughout our life, called neuroplasticity.
Shrink the overwhelm of change by reminding your team what’s not changing. Assure them that the changes are not their fault and compliment them on their past work.
People value what they make themselves, the IKEA Effect. Give them choices so they feel more a sense of control over the changes.
Build on your team’s strength while minimizing weaknesses, so they don’t lose their sense of competency.
Additional Resources:
Book: Leadership On The Line
Book: In Search Of Excellence
Episode 149: Planning a (Virtual) Retreat with Seth Linden
[email protected]
...more
34min
February 22, 2022192: Unleash Your Brain’s Potential with Collin Jewett
The brain is an amazing thing. Its capacity to learn is almost endless. But too often the process of learning can feel boring, difficult, stressful, and even painful. In order for the brain to retain what we’ve learned, we need to deploy the right strategies. These simple approaches make learning efficient and enjoyable.
Today’s guest is Collin Jewett. Collin is an industrial engineer, author, coach, and adventurer. He loves helping others rediscover the joy of learning and partnering with their brains to unlock limitless memory, boundless creativity, and unshakeable focus.
Collin and I talk about the process of learning, how to remember better, the relationship between learning and creativity, and so much more.
Members of the Modern Manager community get access to Collin’s 7-part video series titled “Unlock your 3 Brain States” to help you discover the 3 critical brain states and unlock hyperfocus and endless creative potential. Get this guest bonus and dozens more when you join the Modern Manager community.
Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: Unlock Your Brain’s Ability To Learn

KEEP UP WITH COLLIN
Website: https://curiosityjump.com/
Course: maven.com/curiosityjump/superlearner

Key Takeaways:
We are born with the desire to learn about the world and ourselves.
Curiosity is the innate desire to ask questions.
Creativity is the innate desire to answer questions and solve problems.
Creativity isn’t a “have it or you don’t” thing. Creativity is the process of combining existing ideas in new ways.
Memory works by associating and comparing old knowledge with new information.
Analogies and metaphors are powerful because they take new ideas and put them in a familiar context.
Learning that is relevant to our lives is more enjoyable and stickier. Clarify how and why this information or skill is relevant.
Use the observation and visualization to get brain neurons to fire as if you were going through the motions.
Use as many kinds of VARK learning methods (visual, auditory, reading/writing, kinesthetic) as possible for ultimate knowledge retention.
Reward and punishment don’t motivate real learning or creativity. In fact, they often result in the opposite.

Additional Resources:
Video on motivation
[Quiz] What’s your delegation downfall?
mamieKS on Instagram

[email protected]
...more
35min
February 15, 2022191: Principles of The Leadership Blueprint with Lisa Marie Platske
It’s easy to get caught in the whirlwind of work. We can get carried along by the hundreds of things that need to get done, never stepping back to consider if it’s actually working or whether the path is even the right one. Taking time to prioritize, reflect, or set boundaries that actually get followed can feel like a luxury we just can’t afford given the fires that keep popping up, the ever-growing to-do list, and wanting to be there for our team members when they need us. But imagine what work and life could be, if we did.

Today’s guest is Lisa Marie Platske. Lisa Marie is an award-winning leadership expert in human behavior and recognized as one of the top 100 women making a difference in the world. She left her Federal law enforcement career after 9/11 to build Upside Thinking, Inc. She is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, and Lisa has trained or coached over 100,000 leaders around the globe.

Lisa and I talk about the Leadership Blueprint. She shared the three principles of the Leadership Blueprint which can help you up your management game and unleash your full potential as a people leader.

Members of the Modern Manager community get the Influential Leadership Blueprint, a simple, step-by-step workbook that allows you to create clear next steps for your journey.

Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: How To Become A Leader Worth Following

KEEP UP WITH LISA MARIE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamarieplatske/
Facebook business: https://www.facebook.com/UpsideThinking
Facebook personal: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.marie.platske

Key Takeaways:
Courage is more important than expertise. Courageous leadership comes from making and acting on difficult decisions.
Consider the knowledge and experience you have from all aspects of your life, not only professional ones.
Prioritize the goals that will make the greatest impact. Decide these based on personal and/or organizational values.
It’s more important to move one important thing a mile than 10 things only three steps. Set your priority goals and then reassess during the day by using SNAP at random intervals; Stop, Notice, Ask, Pause, Pray, and Pivot.
Focusing on priorities leaves wiggle room for when unexpected issues arise and prevents overload. Be present by focusing on less.
Discuss with your team how they can focus and prioritize. Learn what times of day are best for each person to both collaborate and work alone.
We are filled with unconscious beliefs of what we “should” be doing. Examine what you really want and why it matters. Do what is right for you, not what you “should” according to other people’s ideas.
Be honest about what roles, responsibilities, and requirements you don’t want. Create nonnegotiables and set boundaries for what you can’t and won’t do.
Discuss with your team what they do and don’t want. Be aware these may change.
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36min
February 08, 2022190: Influencing without Authority
Influencing others is a key part of most managerial positions. Too often we conflate authority with influence. Authority is an exercise in power while influence is about encouraging people to join you in a shared mission.
Whether it's getting a team member to change their behavior, generating buy-in from your supervisor, or getting a colleague in a different department to help out, we are often in positions where we don’t have (or don’t want to use) positional power to get what we need. This is where we rely on our ability to influence.
In this episode, I walk through 5 approaches to influencing without authority so that you can gain support in ways that both deliver results and feel good along the way.
The full episode guide includes tips and suggestions for each of the five approaches. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or purchase the full guide at www.themodernmanager.com/shop.

Get the free mini-guide at themodernnmanager.com/miniguides.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: 5 Approaches to Influencing Without Authority

Key Takeaways:
Influencing without authority happens by building relationships not through exercising power.
Start with curiosity. Learn who they are and what they care about. When you ask for their involvement, align your project or request with their values.
Figure out what barriers are stopping people from saying yes. Address concerns and find ways to help remove obstacles. Being willing to help will make a strong positive impression.
Cultivate an authentic relationship before making any asks. Use the “3 Touches Before An Ask” strategy to reduce the likelihood that the person will feel they’re being used..
If you struggle with building authentic relationships, think about what someone skilled in this would do in such a situation. Then take those steps.
Include others in the decision making process. People support what they help create. Listen to ideas and be open to reshaping your vision.
Craft compelling personal narratives to increase interest in your cause. People give when their emotions are aroused.
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...more
13min
February 01, 2022189: Bridging All Sorts of Cultural Differences with Laura Kriska
It’s easy to get caught up in the “us versus them” mentality. Our brains naturally like to categorize people and then bond with those who are “on our team” while alienating those who are not. This can happen within an organization “marketing vs sales” or by identity “men vs other gender identities” or geography “London HQ vs remote team members” and many other factors. When cultural divides separate colleagues, it inhibits effective communication and collaboration. Instead, we need to find ways to bring people together that honors our cultural differences while building bridges.

Laura Kriska is the author of The Business of WE and a leading cross-cultural consultant with more than thirty years of experience bridging gaps in diverse workplaces. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies on four continents helping thousands of professionals build trust across Us versus Them differences based on nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, age or any factor of identity. Her WE-building framework provides practical and actionable insights for creating a more inclusive and productive world.

Laura and I talk about how to understand cultural differences from norms and behaviors, to mindsets, and how to bring people together across the ‘us vs them’ divide.

Be one of the first two members to request a free audiobook copy of The Business of We: The Proven Three-Step Process for Closing the Gap Between Us and Them in Your Workplace. This offer is available only to members of The Modern Manager. Join at themodernmanager.com/join.
Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: Go From “Us Vs Them” To “WE” At Work

KEEP UP WITH LAURA
Book: The Business of We
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurakriska_author/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraKriskaauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraKriska
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-kriska-0a93902a/

Key Takeaways:
When teams separate because of diverse identities, it can create divisive “insider/outsider” dynamics that break down trust and communication.
“Us vs Them” dynamics can show up between departments, hierarchies, and geographic locations, in addition to various individual identities.
Visible culture norms are things like dress or language. Invisible cultural norms are unspoken rules about how people are expected to act. These are learned through involvement in the culture.
Invisible cultural norms that aren’t working for your team need to be addressed.
Look at missed outcomes or HR complaints. They may point to breakdowns in cohesion amongst your team.
Have open conversations with your team about what’s not working. Model self-reflection and commitment to change to encourage others to open up.
Measure your level of integration with diverse groups and commit to increasing your knowledge of various cultures/backgrounds.
Have everyone share a personal experience of feeling like an outsider to highlight the importance of a feeling of belonging.
Those with a scarcity mindset might worry they will lose power if they bring others up. Explain how everyone benefits from greater inclusion and a “WE” culture.
Additional Resources:
Book: The Sum Of Us
Free Assessment
[email protected]
...more
35min
January 25, 2022188: How to Work Effectively With Freelancers with Matthew Mottola
Some managers worry that hiring a freelancer means you will have to take a leap of faith. You won’t know that person’s work ethic or professional personality. But in reality, hiring and managing a freelancer doesn’t need to be scary. Instead, it can transform your team’s work.

Today’s guest is Matthew Mottola. Matthew is a leader in ethically creating the remote freelance economy. He is CEO of Venture L, Author of The Human Cloud and a Forbes Contributor.

Matthew and I talk about working with freelancers - how the Pandemic has changed things, how to overcome common challenges of working with freelancers, and how to optimize the entire lifecycle of hiring, onboarding, collaborating and more.

Members of the Modern Manager community get Matthew’s Leadership Deck To Hire Freelancers and his Worksheets To Identify The Work And Hire Your First Freelancer. Get these bonuses when you join the Modern Manager community.

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Read the related blog article: 6 Essential Things To Know About Managing Freelancers

KEEP UP WITH MATTHEW
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmottola/
Resources: https://humancloud.substack.com/
Book:https://www.amazon.com/Human-Cloud-Changemakers-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1400219736
Twitter:https://twitter.com/matthewrmottola

Key Takeaways:
Freelancers are a good alternative to an expensive agency or hiring a full-time employee. They specialize in a specific skill set for a set amount of time.
Freelancers don’t have to be temporary. If you like them, you can take them on to future projects for years to come.
Because they don’t feel as fearful of losing their job, freelancers may be more forthright with critical, helpful feedback about your work culture.
Give freelancers feedback; everyone enjoys growth opportunities.
Involve them in your team; everyone benefits from a sense of belonging.
The number one mistake managers make with freelancers is micromanaging. They are the experts. Be honest about what you don’t know and give them space to do what they do best.
Begin with small projects first instead of everything at once, so you can check in early and ensure you’re on the same page.
Don’t spend as much time onboarding. Build trust and teach them the culture by working together.
Don’t worry if they don’t fit into the team culture. Innovation comes from the outside. Cherish their outside perspective.
Let them pitch ideas. Freelancers can bypass HR red tape that often slows down salaried employees and try out new roles and ideas.
[email protected]
...more
29min
January 18, 2022187: Continuing to Develop Inclusive Leadership Skills with Perrine Farque
Like any field, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion continues to evolve. As managers, we need to continue to grow and develop our skills. While it may seem hard to keep up with the newest concepts, it may very well be one of the most important components to being a rockstar manager now and in the future.

Today’s guest is Perrine Farque. Perrine is an author, entrepreneur, keynote speaker and diversity and inclusion expert who empowers leaders to leverage diversity and inclusion as their competitive advantage. Nominated in the Top 50 Most Influential UK Tech Women, Perrine continues to be recognized for her contributions. Perrine drove the strategy at companies such as Facebook and is on a mission to make the workplace more inclusive and diverse.

Perrine and I talk about the experiences of feeling depreciated and rejected and what we can do to continue to develop our people management skills as the world of DEI continues to evolve. We get into the use of language, anti-bias training, and how to engage your team in the process of creating an inclusive culture so that all team members feel included and appreciated.

Members of the Modern Manager community get my 5 easy actions to become a more inclusive leader. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: Top Diversity Skills For A Rockstar Manager in 2022

KEEP UP WITH PERRINE
Personal
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PerrineFarqueUK
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrinefarque/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerrineFarque
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perrinefarqueofficial/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmYKgD9mNq80PJshb8PZjsg

Business
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Iminspiredhuman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspired-human/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspiredhumanconsulting

Key Takeaways:
Employees who feel devalued/depreciated are less productive/engaged.
Unconscious bias training can work when it’s part of a larger diversity, equity and inclusion program.
Begin explaining why D&I is important. Set goals for diversity and inclusions, and track progress.
Be cognizant of how you and your team use language. Use more inclusive gender terms and avoid ableist language that is insensitive to those with mental/physical disabilities.
Create a greater understanding of the cultures your colleagues come from. What communication and gender dynamics are they used to? How do they like to be addressed?
Small efforts make a big impact. Talk with your team about why D&I matters to you personally. Create a slack channel or email chain for your team to share relevant articles/podcasts/books.
Address those skeptical of the benefits of increasing diversity and inclusion. Share research on how diversity leads to more innovation and success. Explore their personal story of being excluded to understand their resistance.
Additional Resources:
Harvard Business Review: Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter
McKinsey: Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters
Episode 150: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Allyship
[email protected]
...more
32min
January 11, 2022186: Create an Actionable Individual Development Plan
Great managers invest in growing their team members. But who is actually responsible for professional development? Surprise: it’s the individual, not the manager. Organizations take a wide variety of approaches to professional development ranging from none at all to reserving Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for only high potentials or those struggling the most. So where does that leave everyone else?

This episode is all about taking control over your individual development plan. I walk through the process of crafting an IDP for yourself and how to work with your team members so they can own their professional growth.

The full episode guide includes a detailed process for developing an IDP as well as how to work with your team members to create and manage their IDP. It also includes the template I use with my clients for documenting and tracking goals, measures of success and actions. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or purchase the full guide at www.themodernmanager.com/shop.

Get the free mini-guide at themodernnmanager.com/miniguides.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.

Read the related blog article: Own Your Professional Development

Key Takeaways:
Individual Development Plans work for short and long term goals.
Make goals based on where you want to be in the future or what you need to feel more satisfied at work.
Figure out what knowledge, behavioral skills, or real life experience will help you achieve your goals.
Get feedback from colleagues about what could help you succeed.
Consider what measures of success would mean you’ve achieved your dreams. These are either externally-based from a colleague or through passing a test or internally-based on your sense of achievement.
Keep between 1-3 goals at a time. One goal often feels too slow and more than 3 goals can be distracting.
IDPs are living documents that should be revised and updated. Check in monthly to update actions taken, measure goals, and add new ones.
Your teammates need to take ownership of their success and make their own IDPs.
Brainstorm with your team about their goals and offer them feedback, accountability, and securing funds for these goals.
[email protected]
...more
14min

FAQs about The Modern Manager:

How many episodes does The Modern Manager have?

The podcast currently has 365 episodes available.

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