Manager Tools

Tired of management theory? Want to learn specific skills to help improve your management performance? Then Manager Tools is the podcast for you! Manager Tools is a weekly business podcast focused on helping professionals become more effective managers and leaders. Each week, we discuss specific actions for professionals to take to achieve their desired management and career objectives. Manager Tools won Best Business Podcast Award in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2012 as well as the People's Choice Award in 2008. Find more at http://www.manager-tools.com/

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20 episodes
Updated Monday

Episodes20

Newest first

Monday
Your Job Includes Teaching Professionalism - Chapter 1 - Timeliness
Don't believe the "news" that organizations are changing so fundamentally that the core standards of professionalism no longer apply. In fact, as the world becomes faster, the old rules of working together effectively and efficiently become even more important. The speed of AI only adds to this insistence. We start with teaching timeliness because a professional who isn't timely isn't a professional at all.
July 20
Culture - Chapter 3 - Performance!
There's always a lot of talk by a lot of so-called experts about culture. That's because they define culture any way they want. That way they can say whatever they want. But some cultures are better than others, regardless of any definition those experts apply.
July 13
Give Positive Feedback Just For Doing Their Job! - Part 2
The vast majority of things that happen in your organization are good. Otherwise your company would go out of business. But most managers think their job (and it's a part they hate) is to give negative feedback. They have it backwards. The road to be able to give negative feedback and have it be effective is through positive feedback. And we're putting too high a bar on what behaviors deserve feedback.
July 6
Give Positive Feedback Just For Doing Their Job! - Part 1
The vast majority of things that happen in your organization are good. Otherwise your company would go out of business. But most managers think their job (and it's a part they hate) is to give negative feedback. They have it backwards. The road to be able to give negative feedback and have it be effective is through positive feedback. And we're putting too high a bar on what behaviors deserve feedback.
June 29
Sourcing And Your Bench
If you have a good network, with some of those in your network on your bench, you can shorten your hiring process and increase the chances of a successful hire.
June 22
How To Work With Competencies
There's an organizational tool, almost always used by Human Resources, called competencies. Even though it's a fairly popular model for thinking about professional development, it's a terrible system we don't recommend. But if you have to use competencies, here's how.
June 15
Presenting Mistakes - Chapter 2 - Rigidity
One of the most common presenting failures is being too rigid in one's preparation and delivery. If you're not well prepared, and therefore flexible, your rigidity can cause your message to not be persuasive.
June 8
Company Change With A Promotion Is Unlikely - For Managers - Part 2
Many professionals think that one way to keep their career moving upwards is to change companies. Unfortunately, this is a relatively rare occurrence.
June 1
Company Change With A Promotion Is Unlikely - For Managers - Part 1
Many professionals think that one way to keep their career moving upwards is to change companies. Unfortunately, this is a relatively rare occurrence.
May 25
Teaching Your Directs How To Interview - Chapter 1 - Basics - Part 2
The Manager Tools Interview Process recommends having your direct reports interview candidates who would become their peers. Here's how to teach your directs to be Effective Interviewers.
May 18
Teaching Your Directs How To Interview - Chapter 1 - Basics - Part 1
The Manager Tools Interview Process recommends having your direct reports interview candidates who would become their peers. Here's how to teach your directs to be Effective Interviewers.
May 11
Presenting Failures - Chapter 1 - Front Of The Room Behaviors
Too many managers, and the majority of execs, too, are TERRIBLE at presenting. But getting good at presenting is just like getting good at managing. Since everyone else is so terrible, all you have to do not be terrible. And that means doing a lot of small, simple things the right way.
May 4
Top 10 Hiring Mistakes - #6 - The Warm Body Problem
There is a 3-Body Problem in Classical Mechanics. That one cannot be solved. But hiring managers are also afflicted with *The Warm Body Problem.* But this one is easily solved.
April 27
Job Requirements - Beware The Ratchet!
You may not realize it, but your company makes it increasingly harder to find qualified candidates without intending to. How does it do that? With The Hiring Requirements Ratchet. Why does it do that? Because it can, and it has a short memory.
April 20
Fill The Vacuum! - Communicate Your Vision - Chapter 1
If your people say they don't know what's going on strategically, or operationally, **it's your fault.** You can fill that void with your own vision and communications.
April 13
Network Building - The St. Jude Rule
Do you know what it's like to lose a job? Get fired? Get laid off? If you don't, that's good. But more people who go through it wish more people who haven't did a better job of helping. When it happens to you, it's easy to feel lonely and afraid. St. Jude - the Patron Saint of Lost Causes - tells us what to do for those going through those hard times.
April 6
Building Peer Relationships - Part 2
When you're a manager, you're thinking of your team all the time. But remember you're a part of a team, too: your boss's team. You need to work on having good relationships with your peers so your boss can achieve her goals.
March 30
Building Peer Relationships - Part 1
When you're a manager, you're thinking of your team all the time. But remember you're a part of a team, too: your boss's team. You need to work on having good relationships with your peers so your boss can achieve her goals.
March 23
Top Ten Hiring Mistakes - #7 - Being Swayed
One of the most common mistakes of managers when hiring - it made our Top 10 list! - is being swayed by their directs into hiring someone that they weren't that impressed by. They always regret, they often write to us. Here's how to not fall prey to one of the most common hiring mistakes.
March 16
The Difference Between Line And Staff Leadership
Managers today are constantly besieged by requests and demands from above their level. But just because someone is "above" you in the org chart doesn't mean they can easily task you and your team. Here's how to make that a little easier.

Manager Tools

Your Job Includes Teaching Professionalism - Chapter 1 - Timeliness

Culture - Chapter 3 - Performance!

Give Positive Feedback Just For Doing Their Job! - Part 2

Give Positive Feedback Just For Doing Their Job! - Part 1

Sourcing And Your Bench

How To Work With Competencies

Presenting Mistakes - Chapter 2 - Rigidity

Company Change With A Promotion Is Unlikely - For Managers - Part 2

Company Change With A Promotion Is Unlikely - For Managers - Part 1

Teaching Your Directs How To Interview - Chapter 1 - Basics - Part 2

Teaching Your Directs How To Interview - Chapter 1 - Basics - Part 1

Presenting Failures - Chapter 1 - Front Of The Room Behaviors

Top 10 Hiring Mistakes - #6 - The Warm Body Problem

Job Requirements - Beware The Ratchet!

Fill The Vacuum! - Communicate Your Vision - Chapter 1

Network Building - The St. Jude Rule

Building Peer Relationships - Part 2

Building Peer Relationships - Part 1

Top Ten Hiring Mistakes - #7 - Being Swayed

The Difference Between Line And Staff Leadership