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The Modern Manager

The Modern Manager

Mamie Kanfer Stewart 417 Episodes Jul 21, 2026

Host Mamie Kanfer Stewart shares practical approaches to help you be a great manager. Solo episodes are like mini-courses, providing actionable tips based on experience and research. Guest episodes are engaging conversations that elicit insights and suggestions for how to apply the ideas. Topics include effective meeting practices, communication skills, managing conflict, team building, time management, group dynamics, goal setting and accountability, team competencies, productivity and collaboration technologies, and organizational culture.

Episodes

417: Why Hitting Your Goal Doesn't Always Mean You Were Successful
417: Why Hitting Your Goal Doesn't Always Mean You Were Successful Jul 21, 2026 417 Hitting the goal doesn’t always mean the project was a success.A project can finish on time, hit every target, and look like a clear win on the dashboard while quietly burning out the team, damaging trust, or leaving the same problems waiting to happen again.In this episode, I explain why outcomes alone don’t tell the full story of project success and introduce three measures every manage
416: Stop Difficult Conversations From Going Wrong (Before They Even Start)
416: Stop Difficult Conversations From Going Wrong (Before They Even Start) Jul 14, 2026 1761 Difficult conversations are rarely difficult because we don't know what to say.More often, they fall apart because we have the conversation at the wrong time, in the wrong way, or without realizing that the other person is experiencing the situation very differently than we are.Fortunately, this week's guest shares a practical framework for navigating challenging conversations without cre
415: The 30-Day Onboarding Plan Isn't a Welcome Packet
415: The 30-Day Onboarding Plan Isn't a Welcome Packet Jul 7, 2026 661 Most onboarding plans focus on helping new hires feel welcome and settled in their role.But the real purpose of onboarding isn't orientation; it's creating clarity before misunderstandings become habits and before small mistakes turn into difficult performance conversations.In this episode, I explain why the success or struggles you see three months after someone joins your team are often
414: How to Create Space for Strategic Thinking with Howard Tiebel
414: How to Create Space for Strategic Thinking with Howard Tiebel Jun 30, 2026 1776 Most managers know they should spend more time thinking strategically. The problem is that strategy often gets crowded out by urgent tasks, endless decisions, and the pressure to solve today's problems.But strategic thinking isn't just about setting long-term goals. It's about creating the space to explore possibilities, challenge assumptions, and help your team think beyond what's immedi
413: What to Do When a Meeting Gets Heated
413: What to Do When a Meeting Gets Heated Jun 23, 2026 554 When a meeting becomes tense, your natural instinct might be to calm things down.But when emotions start rising, the real problem usually isn’t the conflict itself. It’s that something important is at stake, and the conversation has shifted from solving a problem to defending positions, competence, or credibility.In this episode, I explain why trying to smooth things over or bypass the ha
412: How Great Managers Create Accountability Without Micromanaging with Molly Rodau
412: How Great Managers Create Accountability Without Micromanaging with Molly Rodau Jun 16, 2026 1927 Managers often say they want more accountability on their teams. But accountability often feels like micromanaging people, chasing updates, or constantly correcting mistakes.In fact, many accountability problems begin long before performance issues show up. They start with unclear expectations, missing resources, and assumptions that everyone interprets requests the same way.Fortunately,
411: 3 Types of Team Conflict and How to Resolve Each One
411: 3 Types of Team Conflict and How to Resolve Each One Jun 9, 2026 777 Some team conflicts seem to get resolved quickly.Others keep resurfacing in meeting after meeting, leaving everyone frustrated and no closer to a solution.In this episode, I explain why certain disagreements are so difficult to resolve and introduce a simple framework for identifying the three types of conflict that show up on nearly every team: process conflict, perspective conflict, and
410: The Simple Coaching Habit That Changes How Teams Think with Laura and Dominic Ashley-Timms
410: The Simple Coaching Habit That Changes How Teams Think with Laura and Dominic Ashley-Timms Jun 2, 2026 1897 Most managers think their job is to have the answers.But the managers who create the strongest teams often do the opposite: they ask better questions.The challenge is that under pressure, most of us default to fixing, advising, and jumping in with solutions. And while that may feel efficient in the moment, it can unintentionally shut down ownership, confidence, and independent thinking on
409: The Feedback Conversation Managers Avoid (And How to Finally Have It)
409: The Feedback Conversation Managers Avoid (And How to Finally Have It) May 26, 2026 482 Most managers think difficult feedback conversations are hard because they don’t know what to say.But often the real problem is that the conversation they’re preparing for is the wrong one.In this episode, I break down why feedback conversations become so emotionally exhausting, why managers keep delaying them, and how unclear expectations quietly damage trust long before feedback is ever
408: Why AI Makes Human Thinking More Valuable, Not Less with Dr. Vivienne Ming
408: Why AI Makes Human Thinking More Valuable, Not Less with Dr. Vivienne Ming May 19, 2026 2060 AI can now answer questions faster, cheaper, and sometimes better than humans. So where does that leave managers and teams?For many leaders, the instinct is to use AI to speed up execution and automate tasks. But the bigger challenge isn’t getting faster answers. It’s learning how to ask better questions, navigate uncertainty, and create environments where people are encouraged to think c
407: Hidden Causes of Burnout (And How to Fix Them Before It’s Too Late) – Part 2
407: Hidden Causes of Burnout (And How to Fix Them Before It’s Too Late) – Part 2 May 12, 2026 601 Most managers assume burnout is caused by one thing: workload.But in reality, burnout is rarely that simple. It’s usually the result of multiple hidden workplace dynamics that quietly drain energy over time, long before anyone officially burns out.In this episode, I break down six overlooked causes of burnout that show up in everyday leadership decisions, from lack of work-life balance an
406: What to Do Instead of “Pushing Though” During Tough Times with Jay Abbasi
406: What to Do Instead of “Pushing Though” During Tough Times with Jay Abbasi May 5, 2026 2098 Resilience is often framed as pushing through, staying positive, and powering past challenges.But that version of resilience can backfire, especially for managers trying to support their teams. When leaders jump too quickly into problem-solving or positivity, they can unintentionally make people feel unheard, dismissed, or disconnected.Fortunately, this week’s guest shares a more effectiv

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