The Manager Lab

Want Engaged Employees? Better Have Engaged Managers

In this insightful episode of the Manager Lab, we steer away from our usual article reviews and dive into a transformative session from the 2024 Association for Talent Development conference. Explore the crucial connection between leadership energy and employee engagement with expert insights from David Yesford and Tom Roth of Wilson Learning Corporation.Discover why engaged managers are pivotal for cultivating high-performing teams and how leadership has remained a constant despite the evolving business landscape. Learn about key strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness, from establishing a solid leadership foundation to embracing servant leadership and forming a personal board of advisors.Join us as we unpack practical tools and profound ideas to elevate your leadership skills and guide your team towards success.

The Art of Focus: 7 Tips to Thrive in a World of Distraction

Welcome to the Manager Lab, where we explore the dynamic realm of talent management. In this episode, we dive into Rebecca Knight's insights on managing distractions, derived from her February 2025 HBR article, 'Seven Habits to Stay Focused in a World Full of Distractions.' Discover practical tips and strategies inspired by the book 'Finding Focus, Own Your Attention in the Age of Distraction' by Zelena Montmeny, aimed at helping you cultivate deep concentration amidst a myriad of interruptions.Join us as we unravel the science behind our attention spans, the high costs of multitasking, and how digital devices exploit our distraction vulnerability. Learn actionable techniques to lay the groundwork for focus, train your brain, enhance emotional control, and synchronize energy patterns with work schedules. Plus, explore the importance of active listening and replenishing your attention reserves to foster meaningful connections and sustain mental clarity.Embark on this journey to transform your focus skills and unleash your team's full potential in an era dominated by digital distractions. Let's enter the Manager Lab and do good work!

Mastering Meetings: 7 Rules for Effective Leaders

In this episode of the Manager Lab, we depart from our usual analysis of leading articles and delve into a discovered handout offering invaluable guidelines for effective meeting management. Our discussion uncovers seven vital principles to lead meetings with confidence and efficiency. From crafting a purposeful agenda and preparing for participants to delegating duties and mastering follow-ups, each rule is designed to enhance your managerial prowess. Join us as we explore these practical strategies aimed at unlocking your team's potential and ensuring productive, successful meetings in any professional setting.

Unlocking Hiring Talent: Mastering the Onboarding Experience

Welcome to the Manager Lab, where we delve into the dynamic world of talent management. This episode uncovers the vital role of onboarding in employee retention, highlighting common pitfalls and providing strategies for improvement. Discover why a strong onboarding experience is crucial in forming emotional bonds with new hires and preventing costly turnover. Gain insights into creating an engaging and supportive environment that reflects your company's employee value proposition (EVP) and ensures new team members feel valued from day one.

Manager Tool Kit: How to Improve Your Delegation Skills

Welcome to the Manager Lab, your go-to podcast for insights into talent management and leadership excellence. In our latest episode, we explore the art of delegation, inspired by Rebecca Knight's Harvard Business Review article, "How to Get Better at Delegating." Discover why delegation is more than just handing off tasks; it is a strategic move to empower your team and maximize your own impact. Learn why many managers struggle with delegation and how overcoming emotional barriers can liberate your time and energy for more critical tasks. Join us as we delve into eight practical steps to improve your delegation skills, from recognizing self-sabotaging habits to fostering autonomous work environments. Understand the importance of focusing on progress over perfection and building mutual trust and confidence within your team. Embrace the power of delegation and unlock new potential for both yourself and your team.

Well-Intentioned Behaviors: 5 Ways You Can Hurt Your Team

Welcome to the Manager Lab, where we explore the dynamic world of talent management. In this episode, we review Nihar Charya's article from the Harvard Business Review, examining the unintended consequences of certain managerial behaviors. Discover how well-intentioned actions like seeking constant agreement, overprotecting, and avoiding delegation can inadvertently harm your team. Learn to balance support and autonomy to unlock your team's full potential and dodge the pitfalls of counterproductive leadership.

The Trust Tree: Fostering Capabilities and Competence in Leadership

Welcome to the Manager Lab, a podcast dedicated to exploring the dynamic world of talent management. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the core values of the trust tree, as illustrated by Stephen M. R. Covey in his book The Speed of Trust. Building on our previous discussion about integrity and intent, we focus on the importance of competence, capabilities, and results in fostering trust within organizations. Discover how identifying unique strengths, maintaining a positive attitude, continuously improving skills, staying knowledgeable, and developing an effective style can enhance capabilities. Learn the significance of producing tangible results to bolster credibility and reputation, along with strategies to maintain focus on impactful tasks. Join us as we unravel these vital elements, providing actionable tips to optimize your approach in developing and retaining top talent.

The Trust Tree: Fostering Integrity and Intent in Leadership

Welcome to the Manager Lab, where we delve into the dynamic world of talent management. This episode takes you on a journey into Stephen M.R. Covey's celebrated book, "The Speed of Trust," exploring the integral concepts of trust in leadership. We examine the foundational values of integrity and intent, part of the "Trust Tree," critical for leaders aiming to develop genuine trust with their teams.Dive deep into the unseen and visible aspects of trust, where integrity involves living a life true to one's principles and intent emphasizes the purity of motives and mutual benefit. Discover practical strategies to enhance personal integrity, such as committing to personal promises, exploring one's core values, and fostering a mindset of abundant generosity.

Don't Neglect Your High-Performers: They Need Feedback, Too

Welcome to the Manager Lab, where we explore the dynamic field of talent management. In our latest episode, we delve into the pivotal role of feedback in enhancing the productivity of high-performing employees. Discover how effective communication can boost motivation and retention among top talents. Learn the art of delivering constructive feedback, avoiding hyperbolic language, and aligning feedback with skills and behavior rather than personal traits. Uncover four actionable strategies to keep your high performers engaged, focused, and on a clear path to growth, ultimately driving your organization's success.

The Art of Disconnecting: You and Your Team Depends on It

In this episode of the Manager Lab, we explore the significance of disengaging from work after hours, focusing on an insightful article from the Harvard Business Review by Remy Jennings, Allison Gabriel, and Claudania Lanage. Learn why leaders who mentally detach from their work during non-working hours perform better and feel more energized the next day. Discover practical strategies for establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life, and understand the importance of using recovery time effectively to enhance leadership identity and performance. Join us as we debunk the myth of 24/7 connectivity and reveal how leaders can thrive by mastering the art of switching off.