Identity Before Skill: What Most Leadership Programs Get Wrong About First-Time Managers

Tania de Jong AM has garnered an international reputation as an award-winning social entrepreneur, acclaimed soprano, inspirational speaker and storyteller, creative alchemist, philanthropist and spiritual journey woman. She is a passionate leader for social change and one of Australia's most successful female entrepreneurs and innovators, having developed 6 businesses and 4 charities. When she was just 14 years old her best friend told her not to bother having singing lessons. So, it's not surprising that her mission is to change the world, one voice at a time. Her TED Talk 'How singing together changes the brain' has sparked international interest. Tania is a global authority on creativity, innovation, leadership and collaboration. With a grandmother who invented the foldable umbrella, innovation is in her blood. As the daughter of Holocaust survivors, she has learnt about resilience and re-invention and developed a passion for mental health and social inclusion. Tania is an agent for change — an inspirational and moving storyteller and presenter. Her keynotes, combined with the power of song, are transformational. She is known for her ability to unleash creative energy, expand mindsets, build 'can-do' teams and develop cultures of innovation, diversity and inclusion. She has spoken and performed in over 40 countries. For 10 years Tania produced the ground-breaking Creative Innovation Asia Pacific forum. Creative Innovation Global received international awards including Corporate Event of the Year (Eventex Awards) and was ranked among the top 20 event organizers in the world. For more information: [email protected]://www.taniadejong.com/ For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler go to https://drrellynadler.com

Alicia Rius is an ICF PCC-certified leadership coach, former co-founder and COO, and author of Lead With Clarity: How New Managers Turn Confusion into Confident Leadership. She lived the doer-to-leader leap firsthand, scaling distributed teams across Europe and the US in fast-moving startup environments.  Today, through Hive Leadership & Team Coaching, she helps engineering organizations strengthen their leadership pipeline by equipping first-time managers with the clarity, structure, and confidence to lead well. She is the creator of the 4Ps Leadership Framework™ and writes about the invisible shift from doer to leader. For more information: [email protected] For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler go to https://drrellynadler.com

Have you ever wanted to be known as the "best boss ever"? Now you can learn exactly how to do that. Ashley Herd (250K on Tiktok), a former Chief People Officer and General Counsel with experience supporting leaders across organizations including McKinsey and Yum! Brands has trained over 250,000 managers throughout her career. Now, she's unveiled a practical, real-world guide called The Manager Method: A Practical Framework to Lead, Support, and Get Results (February 10, 2026 // Hay House) that helps managers lead with confidence using a proven 3-step framework—Pause, Consider, Act—to navigate challenges, build strong teams, and avoid burnout. The Manager Method helps readers to lead effectively, build trust, and grow their careers without sacrificing their well-being. Most managers are promoted because they excel at their jobs—but the moment they step into a new leadership role, they're expected to know how to motivate teams, navigate tough conversations, and drive results with little to no guidance. The Manager Method fills this gap, and provides managers at any level with practical, real-world strategies to help them lead with clarity, confidence, and impact—without burning out. This book simplifies leadership into an actionable process that helps managers make better decisions, set expectations, and build high-performing teams. Unlike theory-heavy leadership books, The Manager Method is designed for busy professionals who need answers now and delivers the step-by-step techniques to make that happen now. Ashley Herd is a former Chief People Officer and General Counsel, leadership speaker, and podcast host who has trained over 250,000 managers through LinkedIn Learning and live corporate trainings. Ashley has spent her career helping professionals navigate leadership challenges with clarity and confidence. Ashley built Manager Method after leading HR and Legal teams at McKinsey, Yum! Brands and Modern Luxury. She's a top LinkedIn Learning instructor and co-host of the HR Besties podcast, where she is a Top 10 Business Podcast Host. As the CEO of Manager Method, Ashley works with organizations of all sizes to equip their managers with practical, proven tools that drive clarity, accountability and stronger teams - because better managers build better workplaces. For more information: https://www.managermethod.com/about-ashley For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler go to https://drrellynadler.com  

In today's show, Drs. Relly Nadler and Cathy Greenberg will share some of the cutting-edge tools they have been using with their coaching and training clients during these turbulent times. They have helped thousands of leaders to perform in the top 10% over the last 3 decades, utilizing emotional intelligence, positive psychology, neuroscience, and peak performance technologies. For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler and to download one of our free eBooks, go to https://drrellynadler.com

Tony Martignetti is a trusted advisor, coach, experience creator, author, podcast host, and speaker. He brings together over 25 years of business and management experience, formal training, and extreme curiosity to elevate leaders and equip them with the tools to navigate through change and unlock their true potential. He loves guiding people to find clarity in their lives so they are energized, fully present, and unstoppable. When leaders unlock their potential and lead from a place of inspired purpose, they impact and inspire everyone around them. Before becoming the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspired Purpose Coaching, he was a finance and strategy executive with experience working with some of the world's leading life sciences companies.  Tony is the host of The Virtual Campfire podcast and the author of Climbing the Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life. For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler go to https://drrellynadler.com

As a beekeeper, Philip Atkinson lives in Alsace, France and loves spending summers tending to and observing the precious bees and spending the winter learning, reading and writing about them.  Throughout the whole year, Phillip supports leadership teams and leaders to grow and develop. He is the founder of Hive-Logic.com Coaching & Communications. The company runs like a collaborative beehive, supporting senior leaders and teams at multinational organizations to perform at their best through coaching, training and facilitation. He is the author of Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Bee Hive. All proceeds from the book go directly to the charity, BeesForDevelopment.org For more information: [email protected]://hive-logic.com/ For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler go to https://drrellynadler.com

Garrett Sutton is an attorney and best-selling author of eleven entrepreneurial books, including Start Your Own Corporation and Loopholes of Real Estate, which have sold over one million copies as part of Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Advisor series. He is the co-author with ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen and ESPN Historian Mike Soltys of Sports Heaven: The Birth of ESPN, and is also the Executive Producer of the documentary film by the same name. Garrett graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and UC Law San Francisco. His firm, www.CorporateDirect.com, provides corporate formation and maintenance services throughout the USA.

Dr. Cornelia C. Walther is a humanitarian leader with 20+ years at the UN driving social change. Now a Wharton/University of Pennsylvania Fellow, she pioneers research on hybrid intelligence and prosocial AI through the global POZE alliance to build Agency amid AI for All. Her focus Is on harnessing AI to bring out the best in and for people and planet.  Contact info: [email protected] For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler go to: https://drrellynadler.com

Are you doing everything "right" but still feel stuck or unfulfilled? Today's guest is Grace Najean, a transformational leadership strategist, keynote speaker, and former Master Coach for Tony Robbins. With over 5,000 hours of coaching, she has helped high achievers including executives, entrepreneurs, and changemakers shift from burnout into aligned, intuitive leadership. Her method, The Soulfluence Awakening, blends mental clarity, energy mastery, and embodied presence to create success that feels authentic and fulfilling. Fluent in English, French, and Korean, Grace brings a rich multicultural perspective to her global work. She bridges high-performance strategy with soulful insight, meeting ambitious minds while awakening the heart. Whether coaching C-suite leaders or delivering transformative keynotes, she empowers her audience to lead with clarity, purpose, and magnetic presence. She also leads The Soulfluence Retreat in Lombok, Indonesia, a 7-day immersive experience for high performers who are ready to lead from soul instead of stress and create impact from a place of alignment. For more information: [email protected]://www.gracenajean.com

Joseph O'Connor is an author, International Executive Coach, Coach Trainer, Founder of the Neuroscience Coaching Centre. His Key Focus is Helping coaches, executives, managers, and other professionals to be more successful in work and happier in life. Joseph is also the co-founder of the International Coaching Community (ICC), and one of the best known and respected coaches and coach trainers in the world. Joseph was a professional musician where it is clear that success is much more than just being good at what you do. You had to give your best at the right moment. Author of nineteen books in thirty languages on coaching, training, and neuroscience that have sold half a million copies worldwide. He follows his two great interests, giving coaching training and courses on creative nonfiction writing. Beyond his writing and coaching work, Joseph enjoys enlightening audiences with fascinating insights about how our brains actually work as opposed to how we hope they do. More info at: https://www.coachingthebrain.com For more information about Dr. Relly Nadler go to https://drrellynadler.com