If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong in your leadership role — or that you’re just “faking it” — you’re not alone.
This episode will show you how to stop letting imposter syndrome run the show and start leading with presence and authority.

Matt, an executive communication and storytelling coach, shares how he went from hiding behind self-doubt to helping CEOs and founders find their voice — and how you can do the same.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll discover:

• How to identify the stories holding you back and rewrite them
• What confidence actually is and how to access it before any meeting
• A simple storytelling framework to build trust fast with your team

Key Takeaways

• Confidence isn’t a feeling — it’s a choice you practice daily.
• Your story shapes how you lead. Rewrite it to reflect the leader you’re becoming.
• Storytelling builds trust faster than authority alone ever could.

Connect with Matt on Linkedin

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Part two of our energy mini-series! Learn five glucose hacks to help first-time managers stay focused, avoid the afternoon crash, and lead their teams with steady energy all day long.

Listen to Part 1: New Manager Tips for Better Sleep to Make You a More Confident and In-Control Manager

Last week we talked about how sleep impacts your energy as a leader.
This week, we’re tackling the other half of the equation—what’s actually happening in your body all day that makes you tired, irritable, and unfocused.

If you’ve ever hit that 2 p.m. crash, snapped at a teammate, or reached for another cup of coffee to power through, this episode is for you.

We will talk about five practical glucose-stabilizing hacks that help you sustain your energy, sharpen your focus, and lead your team with more patience and presence. You’ll learn how blood sugar impacts your mood, motivation, and ability to manage effectively, and what you can do about it starting today.

By the end, you’ll see how managing your energy isn’t just a wellness trend, it’s leadership development in action. Because when your energy dips, so does your influence.

Key Takeaways

• How glucose spikes drain your patience, focus, and confidence at work
• Five sustainable habits to prevent the afternoon crash: savory breakfast, food order, post-meal movement, pairing carbs with protein, and the apple cider vinegar trick
• Why steady energy makes you a calmer, more consistent leader who builds trust and holds employees accountable

Links As Promised!

Glucose Goddess on Instagram

Glucose Revolution Book

Glucose Goddes

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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New managers don’t need another hack, they need sleep that supports leadership. Sleep coach Morgan Adams shares simple circadian rhythm habits so you show up clear-minded, calm, and confident at work.

Last week we talked about building trust and holding employees accountable with effective one-on-ones. This week, we’re zooming out: your energy and focus start long before the meeting, while you sleep.

Struggling to lead with confidence because you’re exhausted, foggy, or short-tempered? New managers often try more coffee, later nights, and weekend catch-up. That’s not Coaching for Managers, it’s burnout on repeat.

Here’s the fix: strengthen your circadian rhythm. In this Leadership Podcast for New Managers, sleep coach Morgan Adams breaks down manager-friendly habits that reduce 3 a.m. wakeups, stabilize energy, and help you run better team meetings, hold employees accountable, and handle conflict without snapping.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:
• Why “bright days, dark nights” is the simplest way to reset your sleep and leadership focus
• The MEQ chronotype quiz and how to schedule team meetings for better Team Dynamics
• Seven daily habits that improve sleep quality and office performance: morning light, dim evenings, consistent wake time (even on weekends), smart napping rules, cool-dark-quiet bedroom setup, five-minute “mindfulness snacks,” and a high-protein breakfast to stabilize glucose
• How social jet lag wrecks Monday mornings (and what to do instead)
• When blue-light glasses help, when they don’t, and what to buy to avoid cheap knockoffs
• How steady glucose curbs afternoon crashes so you can lead effective team meetings and coach Difficult Employees without losing your patience

Key Takeaways
• Consistency beats hacks: a regular sleep-wake window improves decision-making, patience, and How to Be a Better Manager.
• Align work with people: know your team’s chronotypes to reduce burnout, improve Team Dynamics, and How to Lead Effective Team Meetings.
• Stabilize energy: protein-forward mornings and fewer spikes help you hold employees accountable and handle conflict at work as a manager.

Up next: I read Glucose Revolution so you don’t have to—how steady glucose gives new managers more all-day energy

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Last week we talked about accountability and why trust is the foundation for holding employees accountable. This week, let’s get practical.

The problem? One-on-ones often feel awkward, get canceled, or turn into quick status updates. Managers end up doing all the talking, rushing through them, or skipping them entirely until annual reviews roll around. The result? Frustration, missed opportunities, and a team that doesn’t feel supported.

The solution? Structure your one-on-ones so they build trust, create connection, and drive accountability. In this episode, I walk you through what managers get wrong — and 5 simple steps you can use to make your meetings actually matter.

Key Takeaways

• One-on-ones are for coaching and trust, not status updates
• A repeatable 5-step structure turns awkward meetings into growth conversations
• Written commitments at the end create accountability without micromanaging

Subscribe and Follow for new manager tips, coaching for managers, and strategies on how to lead effective team meetings. If you found this episode helpful, leave a quick review so other new managers can find this leadership podcast.

Episode Links

• The Trust About Employee Engagement - 3 Tools to Engage Your Team
• I Read "Death By Meeting" So You Don't Have To

Coaching for Managers, Desiree Petrich, First-Time Manager Podcast, Leadership Podcast for New Managers, Team Dynamics, How to Build Trust as a Manager, How to Hold Employees Accountable, How to Be a Better Manager, How to Lead Effective Team Meetings, New Manager Tips.

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Ever feel like managing a team means carrying everyone’s mistakes, conflicts, and missed deadlines on your shoulders? You’re not alone. Many first-time managers fall into people-pleasing, micromanaging, or doing the work themselves instead of coaching their team. That weight leads to burnout, toxic culture, and imposter syndrome in leadership.

But managing isn’t about fixing, it’s about building. In this episode, Desiree Petrich unpacks how to build a team that feels like a community: one built on trust, productive conflict, real commitment, and shared accountability. You’ll learn how to apply Patrick Lencioni’s 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, why the Platinum Rule matters for team dynamics, and how to overcome the fears that keep managers from holding employees accountable.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:

• Why new managers avoid accountability conversations—and the exact scripts to use instead
• How to apply trust, conflict, and commitment to build accountability that sticks
• Ways to use the Platinum Rule to adapt your leadership style to different team members

Additional Links:
• Self-Awareness Assessments to use in Team Development

• Listen to the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Recap episode

• Listen to the 5 Love Languages Episode

Connect With Desiree on Linkedin
Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Do you ever feel like posting on LinkedIn is only for job seekers or entrepreneurs?

That belief is holding you back. The truth is, your presence online is your modern-day resume, and the confidence it builds spills into every corner of your leadership.

In this conversation with Liam Darmody, founder of Liam’s Brandstand, we dig into why building your personal brand is less about “playing the algorithm” and more about learning who you are as a leader. You’ll hear how Liam went from reluctant poster to confident thought leader—and how that same shift can happen for you.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll discover:

• Why building a personal brand matters even if you’re not looking for a new job
• How posting regularly helps you grow self-confidence and visibility at work
• What happens when you stop following “the rules” and start showing up authentically

This episode is a reminder that leadership isn’t just what you do in the office, it’s also how you show up in the world.

Connect with Liam
liamsbrandstand.com

Liam Darmody's LinkedIn

Sign up for Liam's Newsletter

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Do you ever feel like a theme or lesson keeps showing up in your life on repeat—almost like déjà vu? That’s been me lately with words like honesty, integrity, and self-trust.

In this episode, I’m diving into Ryan Leak’s book Leveling Up. I thought it would be just personal development, but halfway through I realized: personal development and leadership development are the same conversation. This book held up a mirror and forced me to ask some hard questions I think every new manager needs.

We’ll cover:

• The Self-Awareness Question – “What is it like to be on the other side of me?”
• The Vision Question – “What is my definition of success?”
• The Humility and Integrity Questions – “What mistakes can I own?” and “Am I being honest with myself?”
• The Fun Question – “Am I enjoying it?”

I get really vulnerable in this one. From realizing I wasn’t being as honest with myself about small things (like tracking food) to admitting I wasn’t showing up as the mom or leader I wanted to be, this episode is all about how self-integrity connects directly to the way you lead your team.

Because leadership isn’t built on perfection. It’s built on honesty, humility, and the courage to ask better questions.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll discover:

• Why feedback is more powerful than grace when it comes to growth
• How to define your own version of success so you don’t climb the wrong ladder
• Why admitting mistakes builds more trust than pretending to be perfect
• How joy and enjoyment fuel culture more than toxic positivity ever could

Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• How to Set Boundaries, Unplug After Work, and Move Your Body Even When You're Exhausted
  • Diving Into the Question around Rest

Connect With Desiree on Linkedin
Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Coachin...

Take the 5 Love Languages Assessment (for free!)

Do you ever feel like your appreciation isn’t landing with your team?

New managers often rely on the “golden rule”, treat others how you want to be treated. But that approach leaves gaps, frustrates employees, and creates disengagement. The better approach? Learn how your team wants to be appreciated, and match your recognition style to theirs.

In this episode, Desiree breaks down the five love languages at work, show you how to adapt them to your leadership style, and share the three biggest mistakes that ruin even the best intentions.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:

• Why mismatched appreciation creates disengagement, burnout, and toxic culture
• The three most common mistakes managers make when showing appreciation
• How to use love languages to build trust, handle conflict, and lead more effectively

The 5 Love Languages (translated into the language of Work!)

Words of affirmation → Verbal praise and specific recognition

Quality time → One-on-one attention and active listening

Acts of service → Helping remove obstacles or pitching in

Gifts → Small, thoughtful tokens of appreciation

Physical touch → Professional gestures like handshakes or high fives

Connect With Desiree on Linkedin
Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Coachin...