Things Leaders Do

By Colby Morris

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Category: Management

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Episodes: 143

Description

Things Leaders Do is a leadership podcast for managers who want practical strategies that actually work, not leadership theory that sounds good in a boardroom. No fluff. No vague concepts. Just tactical frameworks you can implement Monday morning.


Whether you're a new manager figuring out how to lead your first team, a middle manager carrying the weight of the org, or a seasoned executive refining your approach, host Colby Morris breaks down people-first leadership with humor, insight, and straight talk.


Weekly episodes cover how to communicate and build trust, run one-on-ones that actually work, handle performance reviews that don't suck, balance accountability with empathy, manage conflict and tough conversations, lead through pressure and setbacks, plan for succession, develop your people, and build team cultures where people want to stay instead of just show up.


A lot of his content is for the leaders stuck in the middle. 


Gen X managers running teams while reporting to executives above them and leading Millennial and Gen Z employees below. If you've ever felt like most leadership advice was written for somebody else's generation, this show was built for you.


New episodes every Wednesday. Host Colby Morris is the founder of NXT Step Advisors, providing executive coaching, team training, and keynote speaking focused on people-first leadership that drives real business results.


Connect at NXTStepAdvisors.com or linkedin.com/in/colbymorris


Episode Date
How to Give a Performance Review When the System's Rigged
Sep 16, 2026
How to Manage Your Old Coworkers (Without Losing Their Respect)
Sep 09, 2026
Your Boss Isn't Ignoring You. They're Just Not Hearing You.
Aug 12, 2026
Stop Going to Your Boss About Your Coworker
Aug 05, 2026
GenX, You Figured It Out Alone. Stop Expecting Them To
Jul 29, 2026
Stop Running Your One-on-Ones
Jul 22, 2026
The Feedback Blackout
Jul 15, 2026
You're Not Thinking About It. You're Avoiding It.
Jul 07, 2026
What Actually Builds Psychological Safety on Gen X-Led Teams
May 27, 2026
Your A-Players Are Already Looking: The Signals Most Leaders Miss
May 20, 2026
The Gen X Guide to Managing Up to a Younger Boss
May 12, 2026
Stop Trying to Win Tough Conversations (Win the Trust Instead)
May 05, 2026
AI for Leaders: How to Get Your Time Back and Actually Lead People
Apr 22, 2026
AI Isn't Taking Your Job. Leaders Who Use AI Are
Apr 15, 2026
Your Middle Managers Are Drowning (And You Know It)
Apr 06, 2026
Leadership Burnout Isn't About You: The Four-Part Survival Framework
Apr 01, 2026
How to Communicate a Decision So It Actually Gets Implemented
Mar 24, 2026
Consensus vs. Buy-In (And Why You're Chasing the Wrong One)
Mar 17, 2026
A Framework for Making Wise Decisions as a Leader
Mar 10, 2026
You're Delegating Wrong
Feb 24, 2026
The 4 Questions to Stop Making Every Decision
Feb 17, 2026
Why Your Onboarding Sucks (And How to Fix It)
Feb 10, 2026
How to Hire Better (So You Don't Have to Fire Later)
Feb 03, 2026
Performance Issue or Hiring Mistake? Make the Call
Jan 27, 2026
When to Address Underperformance (Part 2 of 2)
Jan 20, 2026
When to Address Underperformance (Part 1 of 2)
Jan 13, 2026
When Your January Plans Fall Apart (Year-End Leadership Series)
Jan 06, 2026
Starting 2026 Strong - The First Week Reset (Year-End Leadership Series)
Dec 30, 2025
Setting 2026 Goals That Don't Suck (Year-End Leadership Series)
Dec 16, 2025
Performance Review Feedback That Actually Sticks (Year-End Leadership Series)
Dec 09, 2025
How to Show Your Team Gratitude (Without the Awkward Potluck)
Dec 02, 2025
How to Disagree With Your Boss (Without Getting Fired)
Nov 19, 2025
How to Hold Someone Accountable Without Micromanaging
Nov 12, 2025
Tough Conversations Part 2: When the First Conversation Didn't Work
Nov 04, 2025
How to Be a People-First Leader When Your Company Isn't
Oct 28, 2025
How Leaders Should Use AI: Practical Guide to People-First Leadership
Oct 21, 2025
Building Leaders From Within: How to Make Succession Planning Work Every Day, Not Once a Year
Oct 13, 2025
Leadership in the Age of Mental Health Awareness
Oct 07, 2025
The Hybrid Leadership Playbook: 3 Systems That Actually Work
Sep 29, 2025
The Hybrid Leadership Dilemma: Why Your Old Management Style Isn't Working
Sep 22, 2025
Leading Through National Tragedy – When Silence Isn't an Option
Sep 15, 2025
Conflict IQ Part 3: The Courage Conversation – How to Invite Conflict Instead of Avoiding It
Sep 09, 2025
Conflict IQ Part 2: Reading the Room Before Hidden Conflict Explodes Episode 100
Sep 02, 2025
Conflict IQ Part I: Why You Need It Yesterday
Aug 25, 2025
Your Gen X Boss Decoder Ring: A Field Guide for Millennials and Gen Z
Aug 18, 2025
What Gen X Gets Wrong About Leadership
Aug 11, 2025
The Gen X Leader's Guide to Managing Millennials and Gen Z
Aug 05, 2025
The AI Bridge: Why Gen X Leaders Are Perfectly Positioned for the Next Big Shift
Jul 29, 2025
What Gen X Gets Right About Leadership
Jul 22, 2025
Respond Like a Leader, Don't React Like a Boss
Jul 15, 2025
You Don’t Have a Succession Plan. So What Happens When Your Top Performer Leaves?
Jul 08, 2025
Delegating Isn’t Leading—Until You Let Go of Control
Jul 01, 2025
Drowning in Decisions? You’re Leading the Wrong Way
Jun 23, 2025
Being People-First Doesn’t Mean Being Passive—It Means Being Proactive
Jun 16, 2025
The One-on-One Series Part 2: The Four Quadrants Every Leader Needs to Cover
Jun 09, 2025
The One-on-One Series: Why Your One-on-Ones Aren't Working
Jun 04, 2025
The Conflict Series, Episode 3: Managing Up — How to Disagree with Your Boss Without Killing Your Career
May 28, 2025
The Conflict Series, Episode 2: How to Say Hard Things Without Burning Bridges
May 20, 2025
The Conflict Series: Your Team is Not a Family
May 13, 2025
How to Build Backup Systems That Scale — Without Creating Bottlenecks or Burnout
May 06, 2025
Eliminating Single Points of Failure
Apr 29, 2025
If AI Can Do Your Job, It’s Time to Lead Differently
Apr 22, 2025
Part 2: How to Deliver Employee Reviews That Don’t Suck (And Actually Grow Your People)
Apr 15, 2025
Employee Reviews That Don’t Suck (And Actually Grow Your People) Part 1
Apr 10, 2025
Mentoring and Coaching: Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
Apr 03, 2025
Leading Through Bad News: How to Lead with Clarity, Compassion, and Trust
Mar 27, 2025
The Leadership Cycle: Building Trust, Relationships, and Influence for Effective Leadership
Mar 20, 2025
Beat Burnout: Strong Teams in 2025
Mar 11, 2025
Stop Chaos Before It Starts: The Leader’s Playbook
Mar 05, 2025
Gen X Leaders vs. Millennials & Gen Z: The Workplace Showdown No One Talks About
Feb 27, 2025
Promoting High Performers: The Hidden Risks and Strategies for Success
Feb 19, 2025
Building a Resilient Team: Leadership Strategies for Tough Times
Feb 12, 2025
How Leaders Become Leaders: 4 Steps You Can Take Today
Feb 05, 2025
Communication Under Ambiguity: How Leaders Can Build Trust Without All the Answers
Jan 29, 2025
Beyond Listening: Unlocking the Power of Empathy in Leadership
Jan 22, 2025
Why Listening is the Cornerstone of People-First Leadership
Jan 16, 2025
People-First Leadership: Practical Habits for Daily Impact
Jan 08, 2025
New Year, New Leader: Building a People-First Leadership System, One Tool at a Time
Jan 01, 2025
Leadership Q&A: Balancing Authority, Leading Under Pressure, and Avoiding Common Leadership Mistakes
Dec 18, 2024
One-on-One Meetings That Work: Build Trust, Track Goals, and Transform Your Team
Dec 04, 2024
Leadership Conversations Simplified: The Power of Wearing the Right Hat
Nov 27, 2024
Mastering Leadership Communication: Be a Chief Reminding Officer
Nov 20, 2024
Humility in Leadership: How Adaptability Builds Trust and Innovation
Nov 13, 2024
Leading Under Pressure: 3 Strategies to Thrive in High-Stakes Environments
Nov 06, 2024
Leading with Empathy Without Losing Accountability
Oct 30, 2024
Debunking the Myths of Psychological Safety for GenX Leaders
Oct 23, 2024
Leading in High-Speed Chaos—Making Better Decisions in Fast-Paced Environments
Oct 16, 2024
Clear Communication Part 2: 3 Out-of-the-Box Strategies to Radically Improve Your Leadership
Oct 09, 2024
Leading in Chaos: 3 Actionable Tools for Startups and Reorganizations
Oct 04, 2024
Lead with Clarity: 3 Steps to Better Team Communication
Sep 25, 2024
Surviving and Excelling Under Ineffective Leaders
Sep 18, 2024
Conquering the New-to-Leadership Challenges
Sep 11, 2024
Elevate Your Leadership with Emotional Intelligence
Sep 04, 2024
People-First Leadership for New Leaders and Managers
Aug 28, 2024
Powerful Prompts: AI Prompts and Language for Leaders
Aug 20, 2024
AI Tools for Modern Leadership
Aug 13, 2024
How to Handle Conflict with Your Boss
Jul 25, 2024
Delegating Authority Instead of Tasks
Jul 04, 2024
AI-Driven Strategies for Effective Leadership
Jun 27, 2024
Leadership: Mastering One-on-One Meetings
Jun 13, 2024
The Rise of People-First Leadership
Jun 07, 2024
The Ripple Effect of Leadership: From Office to Home
May 30, 2024
Confronting Toxic Leadership: Strategies for Human-Centric Management
May 22, 2024
How Leaders Navigate Team Conflicts
May 09, 2024
How Today's Leadership Style Will Lead to Generational Change
May 01, 2024
Mastering the Art of Decision-Making in Leadership
Apr 24, 2024
Guiding Remote Teams to Excellence Through Advanced Leadership Techniques
Apr 17, 2024
3 Ways to Communicate Better as a Leader
Apr 11, 2024
When You Should be Vulnerable with Your Team
Apr 04, 2024
Ending the Cycle of Results-First Leaders
Mar 28, 2024
LinkedIn Question: What to Do When Taking Over a New Team
Mar 22, 2024
How to Have Tough Conversations with Employees
Mar 14, 2024
How to Make Your Team More Productive
Mar 08, 2024
Why Leaders Fail and What to Do When You Do
Feb 29, 2024
Putting People First: The Key to Operational Excellence
Feb 23, 2024
Shifting from Employee to Leadership Mindset
Feb 15, 2024
Difficult Conversations for New Leaders
Feb 07, 2024
Time Management for New Leaders
Jan 31, 2024
Your First 30 Days As a New Leader
Jan 23, 2024
The 3 Mistakes that New Leaders Make
Jan 16, 2024
Nothing Changes Unless You Do
Jan 09, 2024
New Year, New Word for 2024
Jan 02, 2024
How to Develop Leaders Intentionally
Dec 19, 2023
UNSCRIPTED: About the People
Dec 12, 2023
Succession Planning Will Save Your Company
Dec 05, 2023
Resolving Workplace Conflict
Nov 28, 2023
Cultivating a Culture of Trust
Nov 22, 2023
Management Development UNLOCKED: with Eric Girard
Nov 14, 2023
Disciplines of Creating Culture
Nov 07, 2023
Building a Healthy Workplace Culture
Oct 31, 2023
Leading with Vulnerability in a Crisis
Oct 24, 2023
Cultivating Problem Solvers: Unleashing Intrapreneurial Leadership
Oct 17, 2023
Advanced KPIs Strategies for Leaders
Oct 10, 2023
Introduction to Effective KPIs
Oct 03, 2023
Leading in a High-Stress Environment
Sep 26, 2023
Leading Through Corporate Restructuring & Layoffs
Sep 19, 2023
Setting Clear Performance Expectations
Sep 12, 2023
Effective Communication for Leaders
Sep 05, 2023
Time Management for Leaders, Part II
Aug 29, 2023
Time Management for Leaders, Part I
Aug 22, 2023
The One-on-One Meeting
Aug 15, 2023
Leadership is About People
Aug 08, 2023
TRAILER: Introduction to Things Leaders Do
Aug 02, 2023