The Modern Manager

We all have that inner critic who wants us to believe “I can’t.” As a manager, you may also see that voice taking control of your team mates. So how do you quiet the inner critic and unleash the full potential of yourself and your colleagues?

This week I speak with Tara Mohr, expert on women’s leadership and well-being. Tara is the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead. Tara and I talk about different forms of fear, that annoying inner critic that holds us back, and how to respond to someone else’s inner critic when it’s holding them back.

Join the Modern Manager community to get Tara's "Ten Rules For Brilliant Women Workbook” and other additional resources to support your learning journey.

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Key Takeaways:

• Playing big is not about striving more or working harder. It’s about getting in touch with and taking action on your own hopes and dreams.
• There are different kinds of fear. The first type 'pachad' is projecting the worst case scenario. This is the irrational fear that holds us back. The second type 'yirah' is the feeling of taking on more responsibility, getting an influx of energy, or being in the presence of the sacred. This is the fear that tells us we're on the right track.
• If you don't address your inner critic, it will sabotage you time and again.
• The inner critic works almost identically in all of us. When you do something that feels emotionally risky, the inner critic speaks up, trying to get us to retreat to emotional safety.
• Ask yourself, "What is the emotional risk I'm taking - failure, rejection, incompetence, uncertainty, etc." Once you've identified it, you can acknowledge it, have compassion for yourself, and decide to act from the part of you that wants to fulfill your dreams.
• Especially as women, if you do substantive work, it will be met with praise and criticism. When you get praise or criticism, what comes up for you?
• As managers, we get an up close view of our colleagues' inner critic. We often make the mistake of thinking our encouragement or confidence will make someone's inner critic will go away. But it actually can make someone more concerned.
• Have a conversation with your team about the inner critic. https://www.taramohr.com/quieting-the-inner-critic/
• Being your authentic self, and sharing creative or innovative ideas often comes with self doubt.
• Confidence doesn't come with more experience when we are continuing to grow, take on more responsibility, and work at our learning edge.

KEEP UP WITH TARA

Book: Playing Big available on  Amazon

Upcoming: Playing Big Facilitators Training - taramohr.com/facilitators-training

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarasmohr/

Twitter: @tarasophia

Instagram: @tarasophiamohr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasmohr/

Twitter: @tarasophia

There are endless benefits to using technology at work. But, software tools and apps are not a magic pill. They require behavior change and sustained dedication to using them in order to reap the benefits. Therefore, even considering the idea of adding a new app to your tech toolbox should be done thoughtfully.

Get the free mini-guide to help you reflect on why you need a task management app and what features are most important. 

Join the Modern Manager community to get the full guide to generating buy-in for a collaboration app with your team along with suggested tools.

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Key Takeaways:

• Adding a new technology tool to your workflow, whether doing it alone or with a team, shouldn’t be taken lightly. New apps require new behaviors.
• Be clear about the problems you want the tool to solved. 
• Paint a vision of what benefits you (and the team) will receive when using the app successfully.
• Identify unique capabilities and feature needs based on the type of work your team does.
• Explore 3-5 apps by reviewing their marketing site, using the web and mobile apps, visiting the help site, and reading reviews.
• Select one to use first and give it a go for a few weeks. You'll discover things you like more about it and things you like less or that it doesnt do which are needed. 
• Then decide if you want to stay with this one, try another, or find a non-technical way to solve the problems you identified.

Articles with app reviews:

https://zapier.com/blog/best-todo-list-apps/

https://www.proofhub.com/articles/top-project-management-tools-list-2018

Get it touch! Email me at [email protected]

It's no fun to work with difficult people. As a manager, it's your responsibility to deal with difficult people and disruptive behaviors head on. It's not always easy, but it doesn't need to be complicated or anxiety-producing. 

This week I speak with Kris Plachy, Founder and CEO of Leadership Coach and host of How to Lead podcast. Kris and I discuss proven approaches to dealing with difficult people and how to hold them accountable to change.

Join the Modern Manager community to get Kris's free course on how to have difficult conversation and for additional resources to support your learning journey.

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

Key Takeaways:

• We have behaviors that get interpreted and lead to labels. Instead of labeling a person as rude, describe the behavior which makes you feel they are acting rude. 
• Sometimes we misinterpret behaviors because we make assumptions about what a behavior means.
• It often feels hard to confront someone because we inherently don't want to hurt someone's feelings.
• If you think someone is difficult, it colors your perspective and you anticipate the person to always be difficult.
• We each interpret and make meaning of a behavior differently. Sometimes people need to be aware that others are perceiving the behavior as disruptive.
• When confronting someone, start by identifying the behavior and the impact on me, the team, the organization. Then let the person respond and be heard. Then state the expectation and what will happen if they don't change their behavior.
• Holding people accountable for behaviors and work results are the same. You must have set, clear expectations for what behaviors are expected. You also need a consistent practice for feedback.

KEEP UP WITH KRIS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/howtolead/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisplachy/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@krisplachy

How to Lead Podcast: https://leadershipcoachllc.com/podcast/

Website: https://themanagerformula.com

Almost everyone deals with times of procrastination, either with ourselves or our colleagues. At its best, procrastination is a natural tendency to wait until the last minute, resulting in a rush of adrenaline that actually creates focus and helps produce our best work. At its worse, procrastination is due to lack of clarity or avoidance of work. Regardless of the root cause, if procrastination is something you or a colleague struggle with, there are proven approaches that will help you get a handle on procrastination.

Get the free mini-guide to help you better manage procrastination tendencies. 

Join the Modern Manager community to get the full guide to tackling procrastination and many more resources to support your learning journey.

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

Key Takeaways:

• Procrastination is not always a bad thing. Some people do their best work when they are forced to focus under the pressure of an upcoming deadline.
• If you manage someone who procrastinates, you may need to learn to manage your own expectations rather than change their behavior.
• There are multiple approaches to combating procrastination IF you've determined it's causing problems such as missed deadlines or poor work quality.
• Set milestones to create mini-deadlines along the path to project completion.
• Determine why you're avoiding the work - lack of clarity? task feels too big? it's not fun work? etc.
• Commit to doing the task you've been avoiding first thing.
• Schedule time on your calendar to do the task.
• Determine what the first, smallest step is to get started on the work.
• Bribe yourself. Determine a reward that is equal to the work being accomplished.

Get it touch! Email me at [email protected]

Sometimes, delegating work can feel like more trouble than its worth. Wouldn't it be nice to have more time for other work? Who will benefit from taking on new responsibilities and growing their skills? But then, how do I make sure the work is done "right"?  

In episode 22, I talk with Dave Stachowiak, host of Coaching for Leaders podcast about all things delegation. From mindset to practical steps, learn how to hand off work and set everyone up for success.

Key Takeaways:

• Delegation is as much a mindset as it is a practice. As Simon Sinek says, “Leaders aren't responsible for the results. Leaders are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results.”
• Before you sit down to review the delegated work with an employee, get clear on:
• What is the quality metric? What does success look like? What are the outcomes?
• What is the timeframe for the work?
• What are the budget and resources available for this work?
• Consider: Who is the right person to delegate the work to? Who is already good at this work? Would could benefit from growing in this way?
• Focus on explaining the outcome rather than all the steps of how to do the work to achieve the outcome.
• Consider delegating anything that you aren’t uniquely qualified to do or that is only appropriate for your role.
• Get it in writing to ensure clarity and alignment of expectations for both parties.
• Encourage ownership of the work by having the employee create a plan and come back to you a few days later to review and enhance the plan.
• When reviewing the plan, look for indicators that the plan will accomplish the outcomes within the timeframe, resources and quality metrics.
• When you delegate the right work to the right people, it’s possible to achieve even greater results.

oin the Modern Manager community and get Dave's guide 11 Crucial Books that Every Leader Should Know and additional resources to support your learning journey.

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Listen to my interview on productive meetings on Coaching for Leaders -- https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/358/

KEEP UP WITH DAVE

Website: https://coachingforleaders.com

podcast: https://coachingforleaders.com/itunes

LinkedIn: https://coachingforleaders.com/linkedin

This is the second bonus episode in the Parenting Your Business series. In these episodes, I talk about my experiences as a parent and manager / entrepreneur, comparing situations and learnings.

In this episode, I reflect on moments when we might be too close to the work or situation, and would benefit from taking a step back.

Get in touch and join the conversation!

[email protected]

mamieks.com/podcast

patreon.com/modernmanager

There are times when rich conversation is exactly what needed to happen, but that’s really the exception, not the norm. For most meetings, a good conversation is simply not enough. Too often meetings that are intended to produce a decision or clarify next steps result in little if any follow through. So what can you do about that? 

In this episode, I discuss 5 practices to make your meetings outcomes more actionable, ensuring greater meeting follow-through.

Get the free mini-guide to better follow-through.

Join the Modern Manager community to get the full guide to managing meeting follow-through and many more resources to support your learning journey.

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Key Takeaways:

• Recap next steps and decisions at the end of the meeting.
• Assign one owner to each action item.
• Write down the tasks, decisions, and learnings (key takeaways) so you don't need to rely on memory.
• Share the meeting notes with all attendees and those who need to be informed. 
• Use a meeting note app such as Beenote or Wisembly Jam.
• Follow-up on tasks assigned from prior meetings. Use the old notes to help keep track of open items.
• Transfer action items assigned to you to your project plan or regular to-do list. Don't keep meeting action items separate from your other work.

Get it touch! Email me at [email protected]

It's helpful to hear stories and lessons learned from managers who have experienced the daily challenges of working with a team. In episode 020 I speak with Rick Kiley, a founding partner of Soho Experiential. We talk about his experiences as a manager growing his team, holding people accountable, and lots more lessons over his 13 year journey in the business. One word of warning: there is some inappropriate language for children in this episode.

Key Takeaways:

• Train people properly. Invest in people's growth. Set them up for success. 
• Incorporate your company or team values into your hiring process.
• Hiring is not just about talent. ​How the person will act and interact with colleagues and clients is just as important.
• There are three types of people: 
  • problem makers (who you want to avoid hiring)​
  • problem identifiers (who are helpful but common)
  • problem solvers (who will figure out solutions and are critical to success)
• Find problems and poor performers quickly and take action. The sooner you find it, the sooner you can address it.
• As teams and organizations evolve, processes need to be formalized and systemized.
• As an entrepreneur, you begin by wearing all the hats (roles) and over time you take off a hat as you hire someone to do that role. The person you hire for that role should do the job as good or better than you.
• Don't feel bad if the people you hire are better than you at that role. They should be! Your team will be more successful if each person does great work and you are a great manager.
• Manage people and teams by objective (results) and empower them to do their roles. 

Join the Modern Manager community for additional resources to support your learning journey.

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

KEEP UP WITH RICK

Website: sohoexp.com/
Email:[email protected]
Instagram:@sohoexp

For many of us, there never seem to be enough hours in the day. Our to-do lists seem to accumulate new tasks faster than we can cross them off. There are demands from colleagues and clients at work, family obligations, and social responsibilities. And in addition to all the things we’re supposed to do, there are things we wish we had time to do - like going to the gym, cooking, playing an instrument or reading a book for fun, or getting a full 8 or 9 hours of sleep at night - that feel impossible to try to squeeze in.

While it’s true that we probably can’t do everything (at least at the same time), on the whole, when you approach your time with intentionality, you may be surprised by how much you can accomplish in 24 hours. In this episode, I discuss 4 time management strategies I use to manage my time as a busy entrepreneur, mom, wife, and philanthropist, plus some pro-tips for effective time management.

Get the free mini-guide to better time management. Get the free time tracker at: http://bit.ly/MMTimeAudit

Join the Modern Manager community to get the full guide to effective time management and many more resources to support your learning journey.

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Read the article based on this episode:  Time Management Strategies Every Manager Should Know

Key Takeaways:

• Do fewer things. Question whether everything you're doing needs to be done at all, and if yes, can it be done for less time or less frequently.
• Delegate. Determine what can be off loaded from your plate and who can take it on best.
• Use a 2x2 matrix: "Things only I can do” vs “Things someone else can do” and  “Things I like to do” vs “Things I prefer not to do.” This will help you determine what to hand off.
• Think of time as abundant or expansive. Prioritize things that are important and give up those activities that don't serve you.
• Look for ways to streamline your work. 
  • Bundle similar tasks
  • Automate with technology
  • Time-block tasks to avoid spending too long on them
  • Develop your skills and become more efficient

Get it touch! Email me at [email protected]

Whether you're trying to build a high performing team or transform your organization's culture, you need to be a change agent. When it comes to changing culture, thinking like a marketer can help. In episode 018 I speak with Wes Kao, an expert in marketing, product, and growth, and former Executive Director of Seth Godin’s altMBA. We talk about generating buy-in for bigger culture change work as well as creating a high performing team culture in which people take ownership.

Key Takeaways:

• Culture is simply 'how we do things around here.' It subconsciously impacts how we engage at work - are we proactive, do we take ownership, etc.
• Changing culture is, in part, marketing. We're selling ideas to our team members, supervisors, and colleagues.
• If your values are out of line with those of your organization, (1) move to a different organization or (2) frame your idea in ways where people who are attached to the status quo don't feel threatened.
• You want your idea to be new and interesting, not new and scary.
• Culture change happens person by person. It needs to be continually reinforced.
• Create a foundation of psychological safety so people are able to share their ideas without feeling foolish.
• Combine psychological safety with rigor. This means you encourage people to share out-of-the-box ideas knowing that they will be met with a rigorous discussion. That response is not because the ideas are bad or the person was wrong to share them, but because we have a culture of rigor when it comes to debating ideas. 
• In a high performing team, everyone thinks like an owner and is proactive, people care about each other, and people ask question and think critically. 

Read the article based on this episode:  How Rockstar Managers Tackle Changing Culture

Join the Modern Manager community to listen to the recoding of the bonus Q&A call with Wes. Get additional resources to support your learning journey when you join.

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KEEP UP WITH WES

website: https://www.weskao.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weskao/

Seth Godin's AltMBA: https://altmba.com/

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @wes_kao