The New Manager Podcast

If you find yourself suddenly having to lead a team through hard times, this is for you. Layoffs are hard on everyone -- including those left behind, who are grieving the loss of their teammates, fearing for their own job security, and feeling betrayed or mistrustful of upper management and leadership.

When things feel out of your control, the ideas here will help ground you and give you an idea for how to approach the new reality in a human-centered way.

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're a good problem-solver, chances are you spend a lot of time looking at. . . problems. This week, ask yourself, "What's working?" To be an effective manager and an inspired leader, you want to have an accurate picture of the situation -- which means being just as mindful of the strengths and positive qualities that you are your team possess as you are aware of the challenges.

This will also help you build trust and good-will, and set you up for success later on in the year when it comes time to do performance reviews.

In this episode you'll learn why it's easy to overlook the good stuff, and you'll get some specific strategies to help you refocus your attention.

Let's discuss!

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

Good leaders and effective managers think about strategy. They consider the desired outcome or goal, and then make decisions based on the available resources and assets, constraints and obstacles. Plus, when you become more strategic, you will feel less reactive to other people's urgency.

To develop this skill, start by understanding your own strategies. Why are you doing things the way you are doing them? In this episode, you'll learn a simple practice that will help you begin to see your own strategies in daily life. Increase your self-awareness, and you'll become more intentional about the strategies you want to put into practice at work. Let's discuss!

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn some practical strategies for communicating your point of view. You want to understand you options, because different relationships and situations will require different approaches. You will be more influential as a leader and manager when you consider nuance and options in how you choose to communicate. If you get uncomfortable with dis-harmony, conflict, or confrontation, you will love this episode. Lets discuss!

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

When you rise to higher levels of leadership and people management, expect to be invited to more meetings. If you feel like you're not sure when to get work done, because meetings have taken over your calendar, then today's episode will help!

You'll learn a simple process you can use today to re-evaluate your meetings, so you can find small ways to make them much better. You may also need to reconsider which meetings you attend, and which you decline or delegate. Just because you're invited, doesn't mean you have to go. Let's discuss!

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find the most valuable lessons on being an effective manager and leader from experiences you have outside of your regular work. A side quest (or side hustle) can help you tap into strengths and develop abilities that you can then bring, more intentionally, to your job.

In today's episode I share the story of my time as a fitness instructor, and how it helped make me a better Director in my corporate job.

Let's discuss!

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

Think about your career and work as being part of an ecosystem. It will give you a useful perspective for addressing problems you face as a manager and leader. Let's discuss!

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bonus episode with *video* and an invitation!

Join me and career coach Wendy Saccuzzo for a live (on Zoom) Career Conversation on Pivots and Side Hustles.

One of the inspirations behind this podcast is the experience I had over 12 years ago, when I was promoted to a Director role and started managing a team of my peers. There wasn't much guidance or training available to me as a new manager, and it's one reason I started teaching Essential Skills for New Managers, which then led to this podcast.

My career journey has had a number of pivots (I've been a lawyer, a yoga teacher, and a public speaking trainer). Now I work full-time as a coach in private practice, but looking back I can see how my side-hustles helped me become a better manager, a more inspired leader, and led me to work I really love.

This free✨ live (on Zoom) event is on Thursday, April 25, at 9am Pacific Time.

RSVP here: https://lu.ma/hswnn6lv

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

There will be times at work when you wonder, "WTF are they doing?!?"

When you're a manger you might wonder this about someone on your team who reports to you, or your own manager and leadership team.

Instead of saying that out loud, however, try asking this question instead: "What are you trying to solve for?"

You want a better picture of how this person is thinking and seeing -- because that is what drives their choices and actions. Using this question will help you illuminate their intentions and the perspective behind their behaviors.

This episode breaks down why that question is so effective, especially when you're working with someone who might get defensive easily or who might be in a position of formal power over you.

Instead of feeling confused or frustrated, try using this question instead and see what happens.

Other episodes referenced:

• Ep. 129 - "Walk me through"
• Ep. 110 - Identify the Problem

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠

As an individual contributor, your role is to be good at your specific task or function. As a manager and leader, your role shifts -- and now you're making more decisions. When you understand how to make decisions, you'll feel more confident and less drained.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Signs you might be avoiding a decision
• The real cost of "keeping your options open"
• Why the freedom of making a decisions feels better than the freedom of not deciding

**After the Episode**

Enroll in Communication Skills for Managers:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://maven.com/kimnicol/communication-strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private coaching:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimnicol.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimnicol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Become a more calm and confident leader:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/mindfulness-for-managers-at-work⁠⁠⁠⁠