If the themes in these podcasts resonate, and you sense your mid-level managers could benefit from deeper reflection and peer exchange, consider joining our monthly online community. Hosted by Roddy Millar, it’s a relaxed yet purposeful space where leadership challenges are unpacked with insight and camaraderie. Each session offers structure without rigidity, and conversation without jargon. To learn more or explore joining, drop us a line at: [email protected]

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In this episode of The Power Between by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar speaks with Ashley Herd, Founder and CEO of Manager Method, Author of book “The Manager Method”, Author at Hay House, Inc., and LinkedIn Learning Instructor at LinkedIn. Ashley is also a Contributor at Fast Company, an Advisor at Bereave, and Country Director for the US and Canada at The Circle Bank Initiative. She shares her career journey from corporate sales to law, including her roles as former Associate General Counsel at McKinsey & Company and former Director of Legal at KFC US. Ashley explains how these experiences shaped her focus on middle managers and discusses her book The Manager Method, offering practical guidance on communication, leadership, and building strong teams without burning people out.

Ashley shares how her background shaped her focus on helping managers tackle everyday challenges, emphasizing clear communication, follow up, and practical frameworks. She highlights balancing structure with autonomy and using simple steps like pause, think, and act to build trust and stronger teams.

Key Topics:

-Middle Manager Influence: Their hidden power and pressure in organizations.

-Practical Leadership Skills: Clear communication and follow-up over theory.

-Balancing Structure and Freedom: Structure without micromanaging.

-Managing Fear and Uncertainty: How lack of clarity harms trust and performance.

-Simple Leadership Frameworks: Simple tools like pause, consider, act for better decisions.

📘 Explore practical tools for better leadership and people management. Learn more about Ashley Herd’s book, The Manager Method, releasing on 10th February, at: https://www.managermethod.com/book

Timestamps:

[00:00] Teaser

[01:33] Ashley’s early career and path into law

[04:52] Discovering what drives engagement at work

[08:53] How the idea for The Manager Method began

[12:21] Tight jeans leadership and micromanagement

[16:07] Oversized sweatpants leadership and lack of direction

[18:17] The pause, consider, act framework

[23:33] The octopus wizard problem and workload pressure

[28:53] Leading in remote and in person environments

[33:39] Intentional leadership and building strong habits

📚 Resources:

👉 Subscribe to DLQ just for $3 for 3 months - https://developingleadersquarterly.com/

👉 Read this article from DLQ46 for free on ‘From Compete and Compare to Collaborate and Care’ - https://developingleadersquarterly.com/from-compete-and-compare-to-collaborate-and-care/?share=ccyoGhQUZSYB

👉 The Manager Method, to be released on February 10th: https://www.managermethod.com/book

Follow our guest, Ashley Herd:

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

Follow our Guest’s Companies:

- Manager Method:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/managermethod/

Website: https://www.managermethod.com/

- Hay House, Inc.:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-house-inc-/

Website: https://www.hayhouse.com/

- LinkedIn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/linkedin/

Website: https://careers.linkedin.com/

- Fast Company:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fast-company/

Website: https://www.fastcompany.com/

- Bereave:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bereave/

Website: https://www.bereave.io/

- The Circle Back Initiative:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-circle-back-initiative/

Website: https://circlebackinitiative.com/

- McKinsey & Company:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mckinsey/

Website: https://www.mckinsey.com/

- KFC US:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kfc-us/

Website: https://www.kfc.com/

Follow the Host, Roddy Millar:

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

Follow Ideas For Leaders:

Website: https://ideasforleaders.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ideas-for-leaders/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideasforleaders.dlq

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

X (Twitter): https://x.com/ideas4leaders

Listening Links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NHgbWdUlJS8z1aSTgcIYt?si=d4f19ce12516420f

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-power-between/id1842080646

Podcast site: https://ideasforleaders.com/

Subscribe for more insights on practical leadership and supporting middle managers, and share your thoughts in the comments!