To be a better manager, start telling a better story.

In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi and Geoff dig into the science behind oscillating narratives and how honest, full-spectrum storytelling builds resilience and helps employees develop. Leaders who acknowledge both setbacks and successes don’t just help their teams handle adversity better, they actually appear more credible.

You’ll learn why always-upward or always-downward narratives distort reality, how to model reflection without losing authority, and why the stories you share shape identity and culture. If you want a smarter approach to leadership narratives that trades perfection for endurance and connection, start here.

Episode Highlights:

• Why full-spectrum narratives build resilience
• The danger of all-good or all-bad thinking
• How to lead without pretending to be perfect
• When to share mistakes (and when not to)
• The link between storytelling and trust
• Creating teams that can bounce back

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fon1hWUXYcA

*Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here

*Sign up for our newsletter and let us know what topic you’d like to hear next!

Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:

• Grant, Adam. “The Fine Line Between Helpful and Harmful Authenticity,” The New York Times, 10 Apr. 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/smarter-living/the-fine-line-between-helpful-and-harmful-authenticity.html
• Fivush, Robyn, Duke, Marshall, and Bohanek, Jennifer. “The Power of Family History in Adolescent Identity and Well-Being.” Journal of Family Life, Emory Center for Myth and Ritual in American Life (MARIAL), 23 Feb. 2010, https://ncph.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/The-power-of-family-history-in-adolescent-identity.pdf
• Kinkead, Eugene. In Every War but One. W. W. Norton & Company, 1959. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4032542-in-every-war-but-one

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What if the key to workplace wellness isn’t what you do, but how you respond?

In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi talks with management coach Belinda Block about embedding well-being into high-performing work. From collapse to clarity, Belinda shares how nervous system regulation, small behavioral shifts, and smarter boundaries can help managers lead with more presence and less pressure.

This episode spotlights the invisible skills that steady a team: emotional regulation, responsive leadership, and staying present under pressure. Whether you’re quietly burning out or guiding a team through a heavy lift, you'll get accessible tools you can apply right away; no sweeping initiative required.

Episode Highlights:

• Why wellness starts with what you can control
• How to respond instead of react
• The power of self‑regulation at work
• Tools that make wellness easier to integrate with your team
• How competition and tracking can boost wellness initiatives
• The link between presence, performance, and realistic expectations

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ITHGHw-ZgRs

About Belinda Block:

Belinda Block is a management coach with a Ph.D. in industrial psychology who helps high-performing leaders lead more effectively without burning out. Drawing on experience across industries like pharma, finance, and media, she focuses on executive presence, time management, and team leadership. Her coaching blends behavioral science with real-world strategy to help managers stay focused, grounded, and impactful.

*Learn more about Belinda here!

*Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here.

*Sign up for our newsletter and let us know what topic you’d like to hear next!

Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:

• Shiba, Koichiro, et al. “The Association between Meditation Practice and Job Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study,” PLoS One. May. 2015;10(5). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4449168/
• David, Susan, and Congleton, Christina. "Emotional Agility." Harvard Business Review, Nov. 2013, https://hbr.org/2013/11/emotional-agility

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Self-monitoring, when wielded well, is one of the most powerful personality traits in the workplace. In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin explore what it means to be a high or low self-monitor, and how that affects everything from career trajectory to team dynamics.

Are you a social chameleon who adapts easily to any room? Or someone who always says what they think, no matter the context? Both approaches have advantages—and pitfalls. The key is knowing how to work with both types.

Drawing on foundational research by psychologist Mark Snyder and insights from decades of leadership consulting, Cindi and Geoff break down how self-monitoring shapes management, influence, and even ethics. You’ll leave with a sharper lens for reading behavior, and a better playbook for managing your own.

Episode Highlights:

• What the self‑monitoring assessment actually measures
• High vs. low self-monitors: strengths and tradeoffs
• The importance of understanding your company’s social network
• Why high self-monitors are more likely to get promoted
• The compensating behaviors both sides must master
• How culture and context factor shape impact

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ob_2xRMH1IA

*Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here

*Sign up for our newsletter and let us know what topic you’d like to hear next!

Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:

• Kilduff, M., & Day, D. V. (1994). “Do Chameleons Get Ahead? The Effects of Self-Monitoring on Managerial Careers.” Academy of Management Journal, 37(4), 1047–1060. https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Self-presentation_Impression_Formation/Kilduff_Day_1994_Do_chameleons_get_ahead.pdf
• Snyder, Mark. (1974). “Self-Monitoring of Expressive Behavior.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 30(4), 526–537. DOI:10.1037/h0037039

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