The Modern Manager

When it comes to leadership, emotional intelligence often gets overlooked. For years, the American work culture has emphasized suppressing emotions in the workplace. But times are changing.Today, emotional intelligence is as crucial as any leadership skill–if not the most essential. Our guest is here to show us why it matters and how to manage our emotions effectively.Meet Roberta Fernandez. Roberta is a professional development consultant specializing in emotional intelligence and organizational cultural change. She holds a Master Practitioner certification in NLP and is a Board-certified Hypnotherapist, making her uniquely skilled in understanding human behavior. Roberta’s past clients form a diverse portfolio, including Kemps, Sam’s Club, Target, Optum, Pentair, governments, academic institutions, and private small businesses.In this episode, Roberta and I explore the transformative power of emotional intelligence in the workplace. Roberta shares how emotions influence behavior and introduces practical tools for managing team dynamics effectively.With practical tips on staying calm in heated situations, navigating tough conversations, and recognizing workplace emotions, this episode is packed with insights to improve your leadership and collaboration skills.Join the conversation now!Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics(00:00) Introduction(01:56) What is emotional intelligence?(04:06) Understanding and addressing your emotions(07:28) Why emotional awareness is critical for managers(11:32) The FARE framework (Focus, Associate, Repeat, and Expect) explained(16:45) Tips for navigating the emotions that come with change(19:21) How to manage emotions during heated conversations(25:19) Why do people act based on their beliefs(30:19) A great manager Roberta has worked for(31:16) Keep up with Roberta(31:22) [Extended Episode Only] How to proactively prevent a conversation from getting emotional(34:28) [Extended Episode Only] Using the Frame Tool for taking emotions out of team problem-solvingAdditional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more here- Upskill your team here- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel hereKeep up with Roberta Fernandez- Follow Roberta on LinkedIn and Instagram- Visit her website for more information hereFREE Emotional Intelligence Assessment and the Frame ToolRoberta is providing members of Podcast+ with access to her emotional intelligence assessment as well as “the frame” tool, which she explains in the extended episode.To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!

Imagine a workplace where every decision begins with a single, powerful question, “How will this affect our people?”. This is the cornerstone of a people-first culture–a philosophy that integrates employee well-being into every facet of a company’s operations.But what does this look like in action? Thankfully, this week’s guest is here to share what he’s learned along the way of building people-first organizations.Today’s guest is Michel Falcon. With 15 years of experience building his own companies, consulting for some of the largest, and writing a bestselling book, Michel has the real-world experience to share what exactly makes high-performing teams, how to design and deliver never-seen-before customer experiences and build thriving companies in any market. As a speaker, Michel has been on stages around the world from Toronto and New York to Riyadh and Melbourne leaving audiences with ideas they can apply within their organizations and teams instantly.Michel reveals how a focus on employees, customers, and stakeholders can drive lasting success. With strategies like 3P framework–Purpose, Process, and Profit–Michel explains why treating everyone as your “best customer” changes everything.In the extended episode available to Podcast+ members, Michel shares his unusual hiring process, including group interviews, detailed career descriptions, and special onboarding gift–all designed to set employees up for success.Join the conversation now!Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics(00:00) Introduction(02:04) What is a people-first culture?(05:43) The 3P Strategy explained(09:10) Helping employees align their purpose with the company(11:57) The one thing organizations miss during the onboarding process(13:30) The $20 interview question that changes everything(17:48) Fostering a culture of learning, growing, and developing your people(19:08) Transitioning from a traditional workplace to a people-first culture(21:24) Managing performance in a people-first culture(23:16) How mid-level managers can initiate the shift(26:20) A great manager Michel has worked for(28:13) Keep up with Michel(29:03) [Extended Episode Only] Michel’s unusual hiring process(33:44) [Extended Episode Only] How to assess people during the interview process(36:27) [Extended Episode Only] Interviews are not interrogationsAdditional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more here- Upskill your team here- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel hereKeep up with Michel Falcon- Follow Michel on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn- Visit Teams by Michel Falcon for more information here- Grab a copy of Michel’s book People-First Culture hereFREE Consultation with Michel FalconMichel is offering a free consultation to one member of Podcast+. You can use this time to get advice or pick Michel’s brain on how to help you, your team, or your organization, foster a people-first culture. To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!

Great workshops deliver clarity, improved collaboration, and actionable outcomes.Now, imagine if you and your team could approach every workday with the same high energy and focus as you feel during a great workshop. That’s exactly what today’s guest is here to help us achieve–building a workshop culture in the workplace.Meet Alison Coward. Alison is the founder of Bracket, a consultancy that partners with ambitious, forward-thinking companies to help them build high-performing team cultures. She is a team culture coach, workshop facilitator, trainer, keynote speaker, and author of “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams That Thrive” and “A Pocket Guide to Effective Workshops”. Her clients include Google, Meta, Wellcome, and the V&A. With 20 years of experience working in, leading, and facilitating creative teams, Alison is passionate about finding the balance between creativity, productivity, and collaboration so that teams can thrive and do their best work together.In this episode, Alison and I discuss what a workshop culture is, how it differs from traditional workplace models, and how managers can become effective facilitators.She also shares insights into what it looks like for a team to adopt a workshop culture, the behavioral changes that come with this shift, tips for translating workshop principles–like creativity, collaboration, and inclusion—into everyday team practices, and more.Join the conversation now!Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics(00:00) Introduction(02:06) What is a workshop culture?(03:39) Workshop culture vs. traditional work culture(06:12) How managers can become effective facilitators(09:30) Real-world example of a team transitioning to a workshop culture(12:55) Translating big picture ideas into action(14:37) Why every team member is a co-creator of a team culture(17:41) The behavioral changes that come with this cultural shift(21:41) First step in adopting a workshop culture(24:20) How to hold yourself and others accountable for the changes(26:30) A great manager Alison has worked for(27:44) Keep up with Alison(28:14) [Extended Episode Only] The five pillars of a workshop culture(33:26) [Extended Episode Only] What it looks like for teams embracing a workshop cultureAdditional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more here- Upskill your team here- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel hereKeep up with Alison Coward- Grab a copy of Alison’s book: “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams that Thrive” here- Follow Alison on LinkedIn here- Visit Bracket for more information hereBook Discount: 30% off “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams That Thrive”Alison is providing members of Podcast+ 30% off her book “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams That Thrive”. This book will show you how to create a happy and engaged team through small actions which lead to big results. It features a practical and accessible toolkit to help improve your team’s performance and productivity.To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!

For many years, organizations have leaned on traditional performance management to improve team performance and drive results. However, in today’s fast-changing business world, regular performance feedback–though still important–isn’t enough. That’s where Silver Lining’s Silver Belt Action Plan (SBAP) comes in. Meet Carissa Reiniger. Carissa is the Founder & CEO of Silver Lining, a company with a mission to change the global economy, one small business at a time. Silver Lining is an advocate for economic justice and believes that small businesses are a fundamental element in creating a more just global economy. They work with Small Business Owners from all backgrounds and have the data to prove that when you give anyone, regardless of their demographic details, equal access and opportunity, they can succeed.In this episode, Carissa offers actionable strategies to empower your team, optimize performance, and make professional growth a shared priority.We talk in detail about SBAP, how they allocate human and financial resources for this process, how it influences promotions and raises at Silver Lining, and more.Listen in to discover how you can start implementing this system today.Join the conversation now!Get FREE mini-episode guides with the big idea from the week’s episode delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to my weekly email.Conversation Topics(00:00) Introduction(02:26) What is Silver Lining’s SBAP process?(06:15) The timeline within the SBAP process(11:24) How the SBAP influences promotions at Silver Lining(15:47) Preparing for the “tough conversation” the Silver Lining way(20:01) Investing financial resources into SBAPs(24:32) Why setting expectations upfront matters(26:24) Should CEOs skip 360 performance feedback?(27:01) The reality of workplace promotions and raises(28:58) Keep up with Carissa(29:55) [Extended Episode Only] How to incorporate performance and growth into your team(35:11) [Extended Episode Only] Why you need a third party during performance feedback sessions(37:00) [Extended Episode Only] A powerful lesson Carissa learned from SBAPAdditional Resources:- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month- Read the full transcript here- Follow me on Instagram here - Visit my website for more here- Upskill your team here- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel hereKeep up with Carissa Reiniger- Follow Carissa on LinkedIn here- Check out SLAP’s Small Business Growth Program here- Visit Silver Lining for more information hereFREE Silver Lining SBAP templatesCarissa is providing members of Podcast+ with the actual questions and template that Silver Lining uses for their process.To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.---------------------The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.Follow The Modern Manager on your favorite podcast platform so you won’t miss an episode!