Being the "new guy" is hard. Being the new leader is harder.

In this episode, Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley sit down with special guest, Matt Quinn, to talk about what it really takes to earn trust when you walk into a new job with zero social capital; especially when the people around you have been doing the work longer than you’ve been alive.

They cover what to do (and more importantly, what NOT to do) in your first stretch, how to listen without getting played, why “past practice” can be a trap, and the surprisingly powerful leadership habit Matt tells every new manager: clean the bathroom.

In this episode:

• Why leaders should listen first before changing anything
• How to avoid walking into a job and “moving pieces” you don’t understand
• The difference between proving yourself and performing for approval
• Why the best trust-builder is often: “I don’t know, can you teach me?”
• “Past practice” vs best practice (and why that distinction matters)
• The leadership lesson that sticks: clean the bathroom (AKA: do the job nobody wants)

"Leading ain’t easy, but you don’t have to do it alone."

This episode does contain some explicit language

Leading Ain’t Easy is hosted by Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley.

• Ryan is the founder of Reframe & Rise, a career and leadership coaching practice helping veterans and other professionals realign their work and lead with purpose.
• Erny runs Bus Pro Network, supporting school transportation leaders across California with training and development.

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