Episodes
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In this episode, Ethan Nash introduces the Challenge-Competency Continuum, a framework for understanding how stress impacts employee productivity. Picture an upside-down “U” with productivity on the y-axis and stress on the x-axis. Too little stress leaves employees unmotivated; too much stress overwhelms them. Peak productivity? It’s right in the middle.
The key to finding that balance, Nash says, ask your employees. Ethan dives into how understanding where someone lands on the continuum—how “challenged” and “competent” they feel—can help managers make smarter decisions. With the right insights, leaders can fine-tune workloads, reduce unnecessary stress, and unlock their team’s full potential.
To get our Effective and Enjoyable Meetings Guidebook, send a note to [email protected].
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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“You might have terrific goals set for your team, expectations that are solid, strategies that are great, tactics that are awesome, but when communication sucks, none of this is going to matter.”
In this episode of the Managing with Mind and Heart, host Ethan Nash discusses the best channels for optimal team communication.
Tons of information is constantly thrown at managers, and it’s their job to act as a funnel and get the appropriate information to their team. Mentioning pertinent information to an employee in the lunch room might feel easiest in the moment, but strategies like these lead to confusion, crossed wires, and in turn, a decrease in workplace morale.
To avoid all that, there are best practices for information distribution at work (remember last week’s episode on the Magic Email?). Listen now to hear Ethan’s deep dive on the top five channels for sharing info with your team.
To get our Effective and Enjoyable Meetings Guidebook, send a note to [email protected].
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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Missing episodes?
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In this quick episode, Mike Nash discusses the magic of “The Friday Email.”
A strategy of consolidated communication, this end-of-week email is a suggestion for managers and employees who struggle with email overload. It narrows down communication channels and provides managers and employees a single place where all pertinent information will be stored.
To adopt this tactic, managers commit to creating and sending out a really well written and organized email at the end of each week. Employees, in turn, commit to reading and internalizing the contents of the email.
More than just an email, the Friday Email is a simplification of communication channels and a critical connector between employee and manager.
To get our Effective and Enjoyable Meetings Guidebook, send a note to [email protected].
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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“If you are thinking about work as you’re getting ready for your work day, what you're probably thinking about are tasks, phone calls and meetings. In addition to that, maybe even instead of that, if you just quickly review these 6 concepts, it would change everything.”
In this solo episode, Mike Nash dives into the essential elements of effective management every manager should be thinking about before the workday:
Personal growth as a foundation for leadership (for more on the growth mindset, see Episode #97 with Hana Butler) Morale matters and it’s mostly a manager’s job Building trust by showing you have your team's best interests at heart Keep the 15 critical management skills and deliverables in mind Developing adaptive skills tied to emotional intelligence. Fostering psychological safety—creating a space where your team feels secure and valued (for more on psychological safety, see Episodes #57 and #58)Tune in for actionable insights helpful to reset your managerial compass and lead with impact.
To get our Effective and Enjoyable Meetings Guidebook, send a note to [email protected].
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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We’re 100!!
To celebrate the centennial, we’re taking a break from our usual programming as Ethan and Mike get personal, tackling questions like "What makes a good parent?" and "How do you define success?" This special episode pulls back the curtain on the minds and hearts behind Nash Consulting. Here's to the next 100 episodes!
Check out the Mind & Heart University app!
To get our Effective and Enjoyable Meetings Guidebook, send a note to [email protected].
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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Just a couple quick things for you!
Subscribe on Spotify here and Apple Podcasts here. Subscribe to our newsletter here or text the word "Leading" to the number 66866.
Cheers!
https://www.nashconsulting.com/
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"People spend way too much time in crappy meetings. They suck your soul and they discourage you."
In this episode of Managing with Mind and Heart, Ethan and Mike Nash discuss the importance of a less glamorous yet essential part of the workplace: meeting agendas.
As a follow-up to the recent episode on how to wrap up meetings with clarity and closure, this episode focuses on what happens before the meeting ends. From starting with a check-in and icebreaker to giving participants space to raise their own concerns, they walk through each step of building a thoughtful and effective meeting agenda.
Whether you're leading the meeting or simply participating, understanding the flow and purpose of an agenda can make a big difference. Tune in to learn how to make your meetings more organized, efficient, and engaging.
Check out the Mind & Heart University app!
To get our Effective and Enjoyable Meetings Guidebook, send a note to [email protected].
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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In this episode of the Managing With Mind and Heart, hosts Ethan and Mike Nash discuss how one simple tool can bring clarity and focus to your meetings. ABCD stands for Action items, By whens/by whom, Communication, and Decisions, and it's designed to ensure every meeting ends with clear, actionable takeaways. We’ll walk you through how these steps help teams clarify decisions, assign responsibilities, and communicate effectively. Tune in to learn how the ABCD method can transform your meetings and boost team productivity. Don't forget to visit our website and join our mailing list for more insights.
Check out the Mind & Heart University app!
To get our Effective and Enjoyable Meetings Guidebook, send a note to [email protected].
We mentioned the following episodes:
#54 – Committment, Accountability & Results: Building a Cohesive Leadership Team #13 – How to Have One-on-One Meetings That Don't Suck #21 – How to Run Meetings That Don't Suck Your Soul (Part 1) #22 – Tools & Tactics for Meeting Facilitation (Part 2) #23 – Remote Meetings: How to Make Them Worthwhile #64 – You Should Create a Meeting Code of ConductText the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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"Mindsets really, really matter because they set us up for learning. I don't know any leader or organization that doesn't want their employees to be engaged, to have high morale, to be learning and innovating."
In this episode of The Managing With Mind and Heart, Nash Consulting's own Hana Butler joins host Ethan Nash to explore the transformative power of a growth mindset. Coined by Carol Dweck in the 1980s, the term "growth mindset" highlights how our beliefs about learning and failure shape our personal and professional lives. Hana breaks down the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, showing how each influences our ability to innovate and grow at work. She explains that in a fixed mindset, mistakes are seen as a reflection of who we are, while in a growth mindset, they’re opportunities for improvement.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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In this episode of the Managing with Mind and Heart podcast, host Ethan Nash explores an alternative approach to feedback that goes beyond the traditional “BIR” method (which we talked about back in episode #8 and wrote about here). This framework—where managers identify problematic Behavior, highlight its Impact, and suggest a Replacement—works well when specific behaviors need addressing. But what happens when feedback is based more on intuition or a general feeling about an employee?
Drawing inspiration from the book Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building by Claire Hughes Johnson, Ethan introduces the hypothesis-based coaching approach, which turns potential criticism into open dialogue. By framing intuition-based feedback as a hypothesis rather than a judgment, managers can foster more productive conversations, even when feedback is less clear-cut. Tune in to discover how to navigate these tricky conversations with confidence.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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“In so many ways, we can’t be more of one thing without being less of another. The ability to recognize that I can't be everything -- and that there are tradeoffs for the best things that I bring to the table -- is really what the strengths based perspective is all about.”
In this episode, Ethan sits down with leadership coach, consultant, and all-around cool dude Andy Thompson. Andy provides insights on identifying and leveraging strengths, and starts by explaining what a strength really is: a combination of talent, skills, and knowledge, which all exist in unison within a certain context. The duo discusses the importance and how-tos of helping teams discover and harness their strengths collectively. Individual "weaknesses" are inevitable, and the strongest teams tap into one another’s complementary strengths.
Tune in to learn how to realistically balance strengths and weaknesses for personal and team growth.
Links and notes:
Andy's podcast episode on strengths Clifton Strengths FinderText the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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In this episode, Ethan Nash is joined by MIT Sloan’s Deborah Ancona, founder of the MIT Leadership Center, author of the new book xTeams, and contributor at the Harvard Business Review.
They explore the concept of “family ghosts” — a term coined to describe the way familial dynamics influence an individual’s workplace behavior and leadership. Deborah also shares insights from her pioneering research on high-performing teams and innovative leadership.
Resources:
Family Ghosts in the Executive Suite Herminia Ibarra’s idea of provisional selves Immunity to Change model Lindy Greer's Hippo Theory of Leadership Course: Unlocking Your Leadership Signature via Executive Education at MIT "Discovering and Developing" picture cards at xlead.coWe're on YouTube! Watch this episode live on our channel.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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We are excited to invite you to our online workshop series focused on developing leadership skills. You can register for the workshop here or email us at [email protected].
In this episode, Ethan explains the principles behind Nash Consulting's cornerstone leadership development program, Managing with Mind & Heart, and then provides a preview of the Top 15 Management Skills and what they look like in practice.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 (or go here) to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tools.
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We're revisiting one of our most popular discussions—navigating the choppy waters of employee reactions after tough feedback. For those looking to dive deeper, consider enrolling in our leadership development program, Managing with Mind & Heart. This course is packed with essential tools not only for this topic but for a wide array of practical and actionable management skills. Learn more and register at www.nashconsulting.com
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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“When people step foot into the training, they need to already understand the big picture around this training.”
A training shouldn’t just be a box to check—it should be the impetus for long-term organizational change. In this solo episode, Ethan unpacks strategies for sustaining the momentum after a workshop or training so that the lessons don’t just become the “flavor of the month.”
He shares strategies to ensure long-term impact by getting buy-in from your team, helping them see the big picture, and integrating new knowledge into your existing systems. He also discusses the importance of ongoing education and reinforcement, as adult learning requires repetition, and the necessity of creating accountability to ensure consistent practice. Finally, Ethan suggests how to foster deep involvement, engaging your team in driving the change.
Check out the blog post we did about this topic.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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In this episode, Mike and Ethan Nash explore the power of self-awareness in leadership. Inspired by "The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership" by Chapman, Dethmer and Klemp, they break down the "line" metaphor: being "below the line" means you're closed and defensive, while being "above the line" means you're open and curious. They discuss why self-awareness is the most critical leadership skill, how our brains react to perceived threats, and why it's okay to be "below the line" — as long as you recognize it. Tune in to learn how to check in with yourself and lead more consciously.
We're on YouTube! Watch this episode live on our channel.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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“The bottom line is: in the workplace, I am treating you no differently than anybody else. I’m going to spend the same amount of time with you at lunch. At work, we’re not going to talk about our social time outside of work.”
In this episode, Ethan and Mike Nash discuss the complex dynamics of friendship in the workplace. What is the best approach to being a good friend and a great manager?
The duo interrogates the commonly held belief that friendships with employees are inherently at odds with healthy management and suggests strategies for setting boundaries with friends that you also manage.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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“Having uncontrollable circumstances actually generates a threat response in the brain. When I’m in that fight, flight, or freeze mode at work, I can’t be creative. I can’t be empathetic. I’m in survival mode."
Unlock the secrets of autonomy in the workplace in this episode of The Managing with Mind and Heart Podcast. Discover how self-direction boosts morale, engagement, and productivity. Learn why unnecessary rules kill motivation and how involving others in decision-making empowers teams. We'll break down the four levels: 1) Just do it, 2) Do then tell, 3) Consult then do, and 4) Just don’t do it. Plus, see why shifting from a surveillance to an outcome-based mindset makes all the difference.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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"Managing is a higher calling. It's not just air traffic controlling work, or being a chess master and making sure all the people are doing the right things. Management is - at its core - about equipping and empowering others."
In this episode, Mike Nash dives into a solo conversation on what prevents managers from thriving in their roles. Too often, he explains, managers assume the role of air traffic controlling their people or treating employees as chess pieces in a game that can be won.
Mike explains that a manager can only succeed in their goal of helping their people learn, grow and thrive by looking inward and examining their life, habits and history. He introduces the RAIN framework (Recognize, Accept, Investigate, Nurture) as a way to guide managers in understanding and overcoming the obstacles that hinder their effectiveness.
Listen as Mike shares actionable strategies for navigating the complexities of management and cultivating a culture of trust, collaboration, and growth.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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"The higher up you go on the org chart, the more important it is that leaders are leading from a mindset of 'I work for you' not 'you work for me.'"
In this episode, Mike is joined by Andy Thompson for a fun and enlightening discussion centered on the most important behaviors for executive teams in creating and maintaining healthy organizations. They discuss fizzy water and extra hot coffee, the challenge of pronouncing “anonymity,” why self-care for execs is vital, the importance of asking employees for feedback, hiring execs for high EQ instead of for subject matter expertise, humility, why “walking the talk” (leading by example) is so important for credibility, and more.
Text the word “LEADING” to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting’s monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.
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