145. The Real Problem Isn't the Employee—It's the Handoff

145. The Real Problem Isn't the Employee—It's the Handoff

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/fan_mail/new] A manager was struggling with a promotion decision because one of his employees became emotional and frustrated when work went wrong. At first, it looked like a performance issue. But after asking a few more questions, the real problem emerged. The employee wasn't creating the frustration—she was reacting to poor-quality work being handed off from another team. The issue wasn't emotional maturity. It was a broken process and a lack of communication between managers. In this episode, I explain why great leaders resist the urge to solve the obvious problem first. Instead, they dig deeper to uncover the root cause before making important decisions about promotions, performance, or accountability. If you've ever dealt with cross-functional conflict, poor handoffs, or teams blaming one another, this episode will help you have better conversations that solve the right problem—not just the visible one. In this episode you'll learn: *  Why managers often misdiagnose performance problems.  *  How to identify the root cause before making promotion decisions.  *  A practical approach for improving communication between teams and managers.  *  How better cross-functional leadership prevents recurring performance issues.  If you want stronger collaboration, fewer recurring problems, and better leadership decisions, this episode is for you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/support] For more information on how to love Monday just like Friday, got to: LoveMondayLikeFriday.com [https://www.lovemondaylikefriday.com/]. Find more information from Ryan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/] Get the book! "A Passion for Monday" [https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Monday-Friday-Different-Reason/dp/1518688195]

144. HR vs Leadership: Why They See Different Problems

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/fan_mail/new] Employee engagement, company culture, manager effectiveness, employee experience, leadership development, HR strategy—who actually owns these outcomes? In this Real-Life Sitch episode, Ryan shares a coaching conversation with an HR leader frustrated that her CEO didn't seem concerned about culture, compliance, organizational risk, or employee relations. The deeper they explored the issue, the more important the question became: Are HR and leaders solving different problems, or are they approaching the same problem from different angles? Ryan examines the growing tension between HR and leadership, the role managers play in shaping the employee experience, and why many organizations struggle to align culture, performance, and accountability. Drawing on Gallup research, the Service-Profit Chain, and years of leadership consulting experience, Ryan explores whether employee engagement is primarily driven by HR initiatives or by manager effectiveness—and why that distinction matters for organizational performance. If you're an HR professional, manager, executive, business owner, or leadership coach, this episode will challenge the way you think about employee engagement, workplace culture, leadership responsibility, and the future role of HR. This episode is for HR leaders, managers, executives, business owners, and leadership coaches who want to improve employee engagement, strengthen workplace culture, develop better managers, and create a more effective employee experience. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/support] For more information on how to love Monday just like Friday, got to: LoveMondayLikeFriday.com [https://www.lovemondaylikefriday.com/]. Find more information from Ryan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/] Get the book! "A Passion for Monday" [https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Monday-Friday-Different-Reason/dp/1518688195]

143. The Problem Isn't Communication. It's Courage

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/fan_mail/new] Most managers think they have a communication problem. They don't. In this episode, Ryan shares a coaching conversation with a manager who believed poor communication was at the root of a difficult workplace issue. But as the conversation unfolded, a deeper truth emerged: the challenge wasn't communication at all—it was courage. Why do managers avoid feedback? Why do leaders delay difficult conversations? Why do organizations hide behind emails, processes, and meetings instead of talking directly to people? If you've ever struggled to deliver bad news, give corrective feedback, address performance issues, or have a conversation you knew needed to happen, this episode is for you. You'll learn: *  Why communication is often blamed for leadership problems  *  The difference between communication and courage  *  How fear disguises itself as professionalism  *  Why delayed feedback damages trust  *  The conversation you're probably avoiding right now  Leadership isn't about avoiding difficult conversations. It's about having the courage to step into them. #leadership #management #managertraining #employeeengagement #leadershipdevelopment #feedback #communication #courageousleadership Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/support] For more information on how to love Monday just like Friday, got to: LoveMondayLikeFriday.com [https://www.lovemondaylikefriday.com/]. Find more information from Ryan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/] Get the book! "A Passion for Monday" [https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Monday-Friday-Different-Reason/dp/1518688195]

142. The One Question That Reveals Real Leadership

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/fan_mail/new] What makes someone a true leader? Is it a title, authority, experience, or results? In this episode of the Love Monday Podcast, Ryan Houmand explores the simplest test of leadership: Would people willingly follow you if your title disappeared tomorrow? Learn the difference between compliance and commitment, why employee engagement is really a followership issue, and what great managers do differently to earn trust, loyalty, and discretionary effort. If you're a manager, executive, HR professional, or aspiring leader, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership, employee engagement, workplace culture, trust, coaching, and influence. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/support] For more information on how to love Monday just like Friday, got to: LoveMondayLikeFriday.com [https://www.lovemondaylikefriday.com/]. Find more information from Ryan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/] Get the book! "A Passion for Monday" [https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Monday-Friday-Different-Reason/dp/1518688195]

141. The 3 Manager Blind Spots That Quietly Kill Engagement

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/fan_mail/new] Why do good employees disengage, burn out, or quietly quit even under “good” managers? In this episode of the Love Monday Podcast, Ryan Houmand breaks down the three biggest leadership blind spots he sees in management today: emotional disconnect, coaching avoidance, and lack of employee advocacy. Learn how these management behaviors impact employee engagement, retention, culture, and performance — often without leaders realizing it. If you’re interested in leadership development, employee engagement, manager coaching, Gallup research, or workplace culture, this episode gives practical insight into the hidden patterns that quietly damage teams. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071908/support] For more information on how to love Monday just like Friday, got to: LoveMondayLikeFriday.com [https://www.lovemondaylikefriday.com/]. Find more information from Ryan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-houmand/] Get the book! "A Passion for Monday" [https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Monday-Friday-Different-Reason/dp/1518688195]