This week, I sat down with Brady Pyle, former HR leader at NASA and now CHRO at Space Center Houston. Brady spent nearly thirty years building teams, leading major organizational shifts, and shaping how one of the most high-stakes institutions in the world develops its people.
He has lived through large-scale transformation, resistance to change, cultural resets, and the pressure of maintaining excellence in an environment where failure carries real consequences.
What makes this episode stand out is how directly Brady speaks about what worked, what did not, and what leaders consistently underestimate about growth.
In our conversation, we dig into one theme that runs through every successful organizational shift: the ability to stay aligned, learn fast, and adapt even when the change does not personally benefit you.
We unpack:
If you want a grounded look at how leadership is developed in a complex environment, this episode will be well worth your time.
Listen or watch now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
- Brady Pyle's website: https://bradypyle.com
- Brady Pyle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradyapyle
- Brady Pyle's Book: Out of This World Leadership: https://www.outofthisworldleader.com
- Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
- Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
- Let us know what you think by sending an email to contact@archova.org
- Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona: HERE
- Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 282 - Leadership Lessons from a CEO Who Built Cultures by Design - With Lawrence R. Armstrong
- Episode 264 - Build a Team Culture You’re Proud Of Even When the Company’s Isn’t
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
Review season can feel like another task on the calendar, but it’s actually one of the most valuable leadership moments of the year.
When done well, it gives your team clarity, strengthens alignment, and it sets the tone for the next year.
The real opportunity lies in how you approach it. Most leaders focus on the conversation itself, but the real impact comes from:
This sets a tone for fairness, raises the bar for your team, and gives people a sense of direction they can trust and act on. When it isn’t, the noise around ratings grows louder, development plans become vague, and calibration turns into a negotiation instead of objective decision-making.
This week on The Manager Track, we’re digging into what a well-run review season actually makes possible and why this moment deserves more rigor and attention than it typically gets.
In this episode, you'll hear both my take and the perspective of several HR leaders who added their point of view. With that, we cover:
Listen or watch now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
If you want to create more consistency and fairness across your team, or you’re supporting leaders who are heading into reviews, this is an episode worth sharing.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
The promotion feels like a win, and it certainly is. It means people see your potential. But it also kicks off one of the hardest transitions of your career.
We often assume that because we were great individual contributors, leadership will come naturally. But being promoted doesn't mean you are prepared.
In fact, statistics show that 60% of new managers underperform in their first two years.
Why? Because most new leaders fall into one of two traps: they are either held back by insecurity ("I have no clue what I'm doing") or they charge forward with overconfidence ("I'm great at my job, this will be fine"). Both approaches can erode trust and slow down your team.
This week on The Manager Track, we are breaking down what you might be underestimating about this transition-and why "trial and error" is the most expensive way to learn.
In this episode, we cover:
You wouldn't tell an engineer to just "figure out coding" on the job. Leadership requires the same level of intentional study.
If you want to lead well (or support someone who is just starting out), this is the episode to share.
Listen or watch now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
Many leaders still treat high performance as the destination.
They double down on output, visibility, and achievement, convinced that hitting those marks means they have arrived.
The reality is different. And maybe you can relate. Maybe you, too, ask yourself what the achievement is really all about when you still don't seem satisfied despite all the success..
That's because for most of us, meaningful success today comes from shifting the focus inward, examining old habits, and being willing to reinvent the way we operate.
This week on The Manager Track podcast, I'm joined by Jason Jaggard, CEO of Novus Global and USA Today bestselling author of Beyond High Performance.
Jason explains why the real bottleneck is rarely skill. It is identity. Leaders cling to roles, habits, and assumptions that once helped them succeed, but now hold them back.
When you focus on looking like a high performer, you miss the deeper work that creates reinvention and bigger contribution.
You'll learn how to:
- Use the Meta Performance question to unlock endless growth
- Find the hidden "kernel" of value inside your judgments about peers and bosses
- Apply the Athlete Mindset to your career and development
- Understand the shift from paradoxical thinking to multiaxial thinking and why senior leaders rely on it
This episode helps you look closely at how you show up in your role and what mindset shifts could help you reach the next level.
Listen or watch now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
- Jason Jaggard's website: https://novus.global/
- Jason Jaggard's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonjaggard/
- Jason Jaggard's Book: Beyond High Performance: https://book.novus.global/
- Beyond High Performance Assessment by Novus Global: HERE
- Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
- Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
- Let us know what you think by sending an email to contact@archova.org
- Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona: HERE
- Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': https://amzn.to/3TuOdcP
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 67 - How Do You Measure Your Own Performance?
- Episode 279 - The Behaviors That Make or Break Team Performance
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
Too many managers walk into their year-end review hoping their work speaks for itself.
But it rarely does. The meeting moves fast, details get lost, and much is about the past, not the future.
When that happens, the conversation stays tactical instead of helping your manager understand the value you created this year and the direction you want to take next.
This week’s episode of The Manager Track podcast breaks down how to prepare in a way that gives you a stronger footing in that conversation.
A little structure can make the difference between a routine check-in and a discussion that actually moves your career forward.
You’ll learn how to:
- Present your impact with concrete examples
- Link your work to themes your manager cares about
- Ask for what you need to grow next year
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 136 - Becoming the Boss & How to Lead in a Multigenerational Workplace - With Lindsey Pollak
- Episode 121 - 5 Often Overlooked Steps When Onboarding a New Employee
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
This week on The Manager Track podcast, we're talking about one of the biggest role misunderstandings in management. Most managers think their job is to organize, divide, and execute the work. It feels productive and responsible, but it also keeps them stuck operating way below the level where real leadership value is created.
Because the true job of a manager is not just delivering output. It is deciding which work is worth doing, why it matters, and when to change direction entirely based on evolving context and capability.
This is the shift that separates managers who stay busy from managers who become strategic value creators.
In this episode, you'll learn how to:
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
If you've ever tiptoed around a leader's ego, reworded feedback ten different ways, or held back a good idea just to avoid a blow-up, this episode is for you.
We're pulling back the curtain on executive ego fragility: what causes it, how to spot it, and how to deal with it without losing your mind (or your voice).
Here's what you'll take away:
And if you're thinking, "Why do I have to adapt to their fragile ego? Why isn't it on them?"... yep, we cover that too.
If you've ever said, "I can't say that, they'll take it the wrong way," this one's for you.
And if you haven't and don't expect to ever run into ego-driven leaders, then just send it to a friend who has. They'll thank you.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
We all want to be seen as kind leaders. But too often, we confuse kindness with niceness.
In this week's episode of The Manager Track, I talk with leadership strategist and executive coach Andrea Wanerstrand, founder of A3 Culture Lab. Andrea spent more than 25 years inside Microsoft, Meta, and T-Mobile studying what helps leaders earn trust and build strong teams and what quietly erodes it.
We unpack why niceness often comes from our own need to be liked, how that habit shows up in feedback conversations, and what it takes to replace "people-pleasing" with courage, clarity, and care. Andrea also shares her A3 framework that helps teams grow without the manager becoming a bottleneck.
If you've ever softened feedback to keep the peace or avoided a hard conversation to protect a relationship, this one's worth your time.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
This week on the Manager Track podcast, we're tackling a moment nearly every leader will face: receiving hard-to-hear feedback. Not the kind you can brush off or fix with a quick tweak, but the kind that hits a nerve, stirs up emotion, and sticks in your head.
What you do next matters more than you think. In this episode, Ramona walks through what happens in your brain when criticism lands, and why your reaction in the moment-and afterward-can shape how others see you as a leader, sometimes more than the behavior that led to the feedback in the first place.
You'll hear practical tools, exact phrases to use, and a clear framework to help you:
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
Most of us enter leadership with a quiet script already playing in our heads.
Be calm. Be confident. Be likable. Never micromanage. Always have the answer. We carry those ideals with us until reality shows us that they don't always work.
And in some cases, they do more harm than good.
In episode 284 of The Manager Track, Ramona Shaw challenges the assumptions many first-time managers carry into leadership roles. The truth is, some of the most effective leaders don't match the textbook version of what a great manager should be.
This episode invites you to rethink your version of "good management" and replace it with something far more effective.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
Have you noticed the widening gap between how we expect leaders to behave in the public sphere versus in corporate organizations?
In episode 283, Ramona Shaw tackles two timely and important questions: What is happening to leadership and how do we keep our standards intact?
From headlines of public leaders dodging accountability to viral social media figures equating leadership with dominance, we’re seeing a shift in what some people perceive as “strong leadership.” But in our companies, those signals don’t fly. And they shouldn’t.
Inside this episode, we unpack:
When organizational standards get fuzzy, cracks form; slowly at first, then suddenly. Misalignment, disengagement, and broken trust are often symptoms of leaders failing to walk the talk.
This episode unpacks what’s at stake and why now is the time to reestablish what good leadership looks like before external norms start seeping in.
🎧 Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
You want to grow as a leader, but your team can’t function without you.
You’re stuck in the weeds because delegating feels risky.
You know you should make space for creativity, but the urgent stuff always comes first.
Sound familiar?
This week’s episode is all about deliberate leadership and why it’s the non-negotiable factor in company success.
Larry R. Armstrong, former CEO and Chairman of Ware Malcomb, shares what he learned leading an international firm for nearly three decades, and why he believes leadership should be built as intentionally as architecture.
Inside, we dig into:
Tune in and hear directly from a CEO who’s been in the trenches and shares what worked, what didn’t, and how he built leaders by design.
🎧 Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
You reschedule a meeting and feel the need to explain exactly what happened.
You set a boundary, then wrap it in 3 paragraphs of justification.
You say no to a project and immediately start listing all the reasons why.
Sound familiar?
This week’s episode is all about overexplaining, including why we do it, how it shows up in subtle ways, and how it chips away at our leadership presence over time.
Ramona breaks down a real story from an executive who thought she was communicating clearly… but left her team confused and uncertain.
Inside, we dive into:
- The real reason so many capable leaders feel the need to justify themselves
- How to know if you’re overexplaining or just communicating well → the red flags to watch out for
- The 4 steps to break the overexplaining habit
🎧 Tune in, reflect on your own habits and start rewriting your default responses, whether that's in your emails or meetings.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
When two equally capable managers get very different outcomes…
We’ve all seen it (maybe lived it, too). Two people with:
Yet one gets tapped for the big meeting, lands the promotion, and becomes the go-to voice in high-stakes moments while the other gets a pat on the back and stays in the same position.
This week's episode is about the invisibles that drive careers. More specifically, we're talking about Executive Presence. How you show up when it counts, how others experience you, and why that perception accelerates (or stalls) your career.
This isn't about office politics or putting on a show. It’s about specific, learnable signals you send in interviews, in rooms with decision-makers, and under pressure.
You’ll hear a tale of “Sarah vs. Mike” and a real interview debrief that reveals what leaders actually look for beyond your résumé. Then we break down the fixable gaps that can erode credibility.
If you’re smart, capable, and still not being fully seen and rewarded for the level you operate at, this one’s for you.
What we’ll talk about:
Check it out on our Webpage, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👉 Ready to level up? Learn more about our Executive Presence Intensive starting in October.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
When the “real meeting” happens after the meeting…
We've all been there (likely on all sides of this story):
People nod along in the team meeting.
No one pushes back.
A decision gets made.
Then, moments later, Slack lights up with doubts, hallway chats surface all the real concerns, and suddenly progress slows.
This week’s episode is about those team patterns we all know are hurting us and why still so many teams get stuck in them.
Spoiler: it’s not about bad people (yes, that co-worker is not actually the problem!). It’s about predictable dysfunctions most teams naturally fall into.
Ramona walks you through the 5 core dysfunctions that get in the way of a team's performance and shows you how to shift your team from artificial consensus and siloed execution to real trust, fierce conversations, shared accountability, and actual collective results.
If your team is smart, capable, but somehow still… not quite at its best, then this is the episode you’ve been looking for.
What we’ll talk about:
- Why “being nice” in meetings might be killing creativity and clarity
- The true cost of avoiding conflict (and how to mine it productively)
- How peer-to-peer accountability beats top-down micromanagement
- What high-performing teams actually do differently and how to get started
She also shares how the Five Behaviors® assessment and workshop help teams identify what’s holding them back and provides a structured, practical path toward higher performance.
Listen now on Webpage, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
- Learn more about our Five Behaviors Program: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ou9nrWEMwQc6Y7wX6p41ZwbmuZT2uPju/view?usp=sharing
- Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
- Executive Presence Intensive: archova.org/executive-presence-program
- Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable - meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
- Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona: https://calendly.com/ramonashaw/leadership-strategy-session
- Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 223 - Chess-Inspired Strategies for Better Strategic Thinking - With Shawn Stewart
- Episode 127 - How to Lead a Thriving Team with Kirstin Moorefield
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
We don't talk about it much, but most leaders eventually feel it:
That shift in team dynamics after your promotion.
The conversations that stop the second you walk into the room.
The heavy pressure from above that you can't share with your team.
It's not about needing more friends. It's the unique isolation that comes with leadership.
In this week's episode of The Manager Track, we cover:
- Why leadership creates distance, even with people who like and respect you
- How to recognize when loneliness is becoming unhealthy
- The mindset shift that turns isolation into a sign of growth
- Specific ways to connect with peers, mentors, and yourself
If you've ever felt like you're carrying the weight alone, this episode will help you see it differently and give you tools to manage it.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
- Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
- Executive Presence Intensive: archova.org/executive-presence-program
- Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
- Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona HERE.
- Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 267 - Horizontal Leadership: Creating Teams That Own Their Work
- Episode 160 - What if I don't like to lead?
- Episode 40 - Three Ways to Learn From Mistakes and Failure (and Not Get Knocked Down)
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
We don't like to admit it, but every leader has been there:
That Friday afternoon email from your boss.
The team member who “forgets” a deadline.
The rising heat in your chest right before you snap.
As much as we wish frustration and anger weren't part of leadership, they are.
The real question is: What do you do with it?
In this week’s episode of The Manager Track, we share:
- The “pressure cooker” effect that builds up frustration until leaders explode
- The difference between losing control and controlled intensity
- How anger can actually help you be a stronger leader (if you know how to use it)
- Practical steps to cool down in the moment and turn frustration into action
If you've ever worried about losing your cool (or bottling it up until you burn out), this episode is for you.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
- Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
- Executive Presence Intensive: archova.org/executive-presence-program
- Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
- Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona HERE.
- Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 226 - When Innovation Requires Disappointment: AI Strategies and Leadership - With Kate O'Neill
- Episode 73 - How Great Leaders Control Their Egos
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
Executive presence isn’t about faking confidence; it’s about sending the right signals.
And no, that doesn’t mean standing like a superhero before your big meeting.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Scott Hutcheson about how biology, not bravado, drives leadership impact. His argument? Leadership isn’t about personality or charisma. It’s about biology. And the good news is, biology can be influenced.
We’re talking:
- Small behavioral tweaks that signal warmth, competence, and gravitas
- What actually builds trust and credibility on Zoom
- How to be deliberate with your behavior without being robotic
If you’ve ever wondered why some people just own the room (even the virtual ones), this episode breaks down the signals they’re sending and how you can do it too, without pretending to be someone you’re not.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
- Dr. Scott Hutcheson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotthutcheson/
- Dr. Scott Hutcheson Website: https://scotthutcheson.com/
- Dr. Scott Hutcheson Book: Biohacking Leadership: Leveraging the Biology of Behavior to Maximize Your Impact
- Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
- Executive Presence Intensive: archova.org/executive-presence-program
- Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
- Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona HERE.
- Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 252 - Understanding Different Communication Styles
- Episode 198- Executive Communication
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
You were confident in your role as an engineer solving problems, writing code, and being the go-to person when things broke. Then the promotion came, and the work changed. More meetings. More people decisions. Less hands-on time with the code you know so well.
In this episode of The Manager Track, Ramona Shaw shares the four shifts that often make the move into management feel harder than expected: letting go of your old role, improving how you communicate, delegating without over-controlling, and working through imposter syndrome.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Why stepping back from hands-on work can feel like losing part of your identity
- How to make your message land with both your team and leadership
- Ways to delegate that build trust and capability
- What to do when you question if you should be leading
If you’re moving from technical work into leadership, this conversation will help you see the changes ahead and adjust with more clarity.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.
But when you’re the one staying late, fixing mistakes, and picking up the slack, that “helpfulness” becomes a leadership trap.
And if you don’t catch it early, it’ll quietly sabotage your team’s growth.
In this episode of The Manager Track podcast, Ramona dives into the sneaky habit of self-sacrificing managers who end up doing everyone’s work under the disguise of being “helpful” or “collaborative.”
It might feel like you’re being a servant leader, but really, you’re becoming an overused safety net for everyone else.
What we’ll unpack:
- Why doing your team’s work isn’t helping them (or you)
- The real reason you cave when people push back
- How to stop trading respect for temporary approval
- Why being seen as “nice” isn’t the same as being an effective leader
- The four habits to break the self-sacrificing cycle for good
If you’re tired of staying late, fixing things that shouldn’t be yours, and wondering why you’re the only one drowning, this episode will hit home. You’ll learn how to lead without over-functioning, set better boundaries, and actually develop your team.
Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
— RESOURCES MENTIONED —
- Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
- Executive Presence Intensive: archova.org/executive-presence-program
- Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
- Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona HERE.
- Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —
- Episode 250 - Why “Figure It Out” Doesn’t Work: The Cost of Untrained Managers
- Episode 225- Optimizing Work Dynamics - With Lotus Buckner
— WHAT’S NEXT? —
Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP
Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz
Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass
Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!
If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw
* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.