Manager on a Mission

Featuring an episode of SheThrives - Influencing women to rise above fear, build self esteem and THRIVE in all areas of their lives. With Lori Murphy.

Join Tosca and Lori as they talk about Tosca’s mission of creating a safe and healthy work environment.

Tosca is a former Fortune 100 executive on a mission to rework the workplace by putting people first. After snagging her first management role at age 25, she knew that creating a vis...

Is emotional abuse just part of the deal when you work in corporate America? In this episode, we’re talking about the unspoken contract that many of us have accepted at work: that we have to tolerate being treated badly in exchange for a paycheck. 

And yes, the title of this episode references Don Draper's infamous line from Mad Men. As a former ad agency copywriter when the legendary show was on the air, I certainly didn’t enj...

Are you an overachiever who struggles to find joy in your work? Or maybe you feel like quitting your job but you really can’t afford to make that move. Either way, you need to hear this conversation with Tracy LaLonde.

Tracy brings over 30 years of experience in training and development across high-tech consulting and legal industries. And in this conversation, she shares her journey from burnout (traveling 40 weeks a year to three ...

Are CEOs actually using data when making return-to-office decisions? Come on, you know the answer. (No, they aren't.) In today’s episode I'm taking on the worst corner-office offenders in the corporate world who are mandating returns to office with flawed logic, hypocrisy, and tone-deaf policies.

This episode was inspired by Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase, who declared at a town hall early in 2025 that remote work "simply doesn't wo...

This whole episode is full of a-ha moments, those things that make you stop your usual routine and question if you’re doing everything you were meant to do with your life. It’s full of thought-provoking questions, like: did your 6-year old self already have the answer to who you really are? Or are you a closet changemaker? And how do you make a PIVOT?

Dr. Taryn Fletcher is coach, author, and educator who's on a mission to empower o...

Can your career be completely layoff-proof? Probably not. But can you do more than just worry about a layoff happening to you? Heck, yeah, and in this episode my guest shares some of her best strategies for protecting and advancing your career with you. Nicole Miles is a Certified Career Coach, founder of HerCareerStrategist and former Global Recruiting Leader at Tesla, and she brings over 20 years of corporate experience from all ...

Wait, what’s wrong with vulnerability? And are we really talking about cosmology and poetry on this podcast? Yes, today’s episode is a bit different from our usual fare here at Manager on a Mission. My guest is Conner Kees - author, acupuncturist, and interfaith minister. In this convo, we explore why traditional notions of vulnerability in leadership might be missing the mark, and how radical authenticity offers a more powerful pa...

Recent data from Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report reveals that 76% of workers experience burnout at least sometimes, with 28% reporting they feel burned out "very often" or "always." The financial impact is staggering - employee burnout costs companies over $320 billion globally in turnover and lost productivity.

In this episode, we explore how toxic management behaviors have become normalized in workplace culture and t...

The evidence is clear: rigid RTO policies and stack ranking systems are failing modern teams. But there are some innovative companies embracing flexibility and trust. And they are thriving. In this episode, we contrast outdated "Factory Floor Management" and more innovative, modern approaches, including my own “Lead Like a Landscape Architect” approach.

We take a look at recent studies that provide the proof that flexible work suppo...

(This episode features three special guests: my birds Nacho, Goochie, and Smokey who were in the hotel room with me when I recorded this due to Southern California wildfire evacuations.) 

Get my book, Not Safe for Work

A 1:1 meeting may sound basic, but it can absolutely transform how you and your team work together.

If your 1:1s are supportive, consistent, and positive, your team has a much better chance of being healthy and hap...

Did you know that almost 80% of people have experienced imposter syndrome at some point? According to the American Psychological Association, people with imposter syndrome live with the ongoing fear that they’re going to be unmasked as being incompetent and unable to perform according to expectations. When you boil it down, imposter syndrome is a combination of constant inner judgment and the underlying belief that we are just not ...

I know you listen to this podcast at least in part because you believe everyone should have dignity in their work. But do you also like chocolate? If you’re wondering what those two things have to do with each other you’re going to have to check out this conversation with Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton!

Aurora is Founder and Chief Change Agent of Astrapto LLC, which exists to advance positive impact in the workplace. Her passion is to make ...

In this episode, I read a section from my book on leading with vision. Many leaders think “having a vision” is a luxury, or even just a waste of time. But every team needs one - especially when you feel like you don’t have time for one. Yes, even your team.

A vision is more than just goals and objectives. It’s a way for you and your team to identify the “why” behind what you do and map out a path for the future. Is your work too bor...

What's the connection between why HR is getting a bad rap and why some employees don't want to be managers? Listen as Megan Wheeler and I try to unravel this tough question and talk about leading with curiosity and questions instead of making assumptions.

Megan is a former coworker of mine from my design agency days in Brooklyn. She is the founder of Spoken,  a consultancy dedicated to helping leaders and teams achieve meaning...

For a change of pace, I'm excited to read to you from my book, NSFW (Not Safe for Work) - A good manager's guide to better-feeling work in a toxic culture. In this episode I'm going to share little bit of Chapter 5: Lead and Inspire or Get Out of the Way - the section called “Sticks and Stones.”

Spoiler: It’s about words. Well, it’s about phrases - some of my least favorite phrases, because I think they point fingers at and shame e...

Forbes reports that the tech industry has laid off more than 124,000 workers in 2024 alone. Layoffs are a massive problem and source of strife and low morale - not just for those laid off, but for those who remain. But this episode isn’t about layoffs. Well, it’s not JUST about layoffs. 

Layoffs are a symptom. Lower salaries and less frequent raises are a symptom. Having less power and leverage in job offer negotiation - also a...

A lot of us have dreamed of - or even dabbled in - entrepreneurship at some point. But you probably have so many questions, like: How do you make the transition? What if your initial business strategy needs to change?  How do you handle all the technology and platforms?  

Well you found the right episode of Manager on a Mission, because our guest has the answers. Diane Lam comes from the corporate world, more spe...

I’m not an economist, a historian, or a philosopher. But when I started putting out podcasts and writing my book, I had to go outside of my comfort zone in order to develop a sense of context, as well as a more informed opinion, on what is happening for employees and why in so many cases it feels so wrong. 

In this episode, I interview some real experts - Paul Knowlton and Aaron Hedges, authors of the book, "Better Capitalism -...

I recorded my first podcast as a guest on Friday. I was so excited, but afterward I didn't celebrate or rest. No, instead I worried. I worried about everything I said that might have been offensive. I was terrified and ashamed that when the episode came out, I would come across as too angry, too negative, too opinionated.

Why?

That's exactly what we'll explore in this short little episode: how in order to survive and even have a cha...