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Managing And Leading Episodes

Sept. 30, 2025

Ask Christa! How Can I Ask My Co-Worker to Quit the Chit Chat? (S4E45)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's question about managing social interactions in the workplace, particularly when a coworkers chatty style disrupts focus, flow, and productivity. She discusses the importance of establishing boundaries, effective communica…

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Sept. 22, 2025

Ask Christa! How Can I Ask a Co-Worker to Tone it Down? (S4E44)

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's question about managing team dynamics, particularly focusing on the listener’s co-worker, whose exuberance and enthusiasm are overwhelming for others. Christa emphasizes the importance of understanding self-awareness, and the need for ad…

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Sept. 18, 2025

Ask Christa! I Hate Office Politics - Help! (S4E43)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's concerns about office politics, emphasizing the importance of understanding influence in the workplace. Christa defines office politics, differentiating between toxic and constructive politics, and provides actionable stra…

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Sept. 8, 2025

Ask Christa! What Are Some Tips to be More Focused at Work? (S4E40)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo answers the listener question about tips to stay more focused at work. Christa explores what “focus” really means, then emphasizes the importance of making it personal, understanding how our own definition of focus can transform the way we appr…

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Sept. 4, 2025

Ask Christa! Why do I hate deadlines so much? (S4E39)

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo addresses the listener question asking, “why do I hate deadlines so much?” She explores the psychological and environmental factors that contribute to stress and aversion to deadlines, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual perceptions and real…

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Sept. 2, 2025

Ask Christa! How Can I Better Manage Anxiety at Work? (S4E38)

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's concerns about managing anxiety in the workplace, particularly in the context of an upcoming reorganization. She emphasizes the importance of understanding anxiety as a natural response to uncertainty and offers practical strategies for …

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Aug. 28, 2025

Ask Christa! How Can I Improve Collaboration in My Team? (S4E37)

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's question about improving team collaboration amidst growing organizational challenges. She distinguishes between collaboration and cooperation, emphasizing the importance of shared goals and effective communication. Christa provides insig…

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Aug. 18, 2025

Ask Christa! What Do Executives Do? (S3E34)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's question about the role of executives in any size organization. She explores the fundamental responsibilities of executives, emphasizing the importance of accountability, communication, decision-making, performance, and ef…

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July 28, 2025

Ask Christa! Business Basics Series (4/6) - Why Do So Many Startups F…

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses the common question of why so many startups fail. She explores the assumptions about founders, the importance of vision and mission, market fit, business management, and effective leadership in startup success. She discusses how found…

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July 10, 2025

Ask Christa! When Should I Leave? (S2E24)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, host Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's question about the decision to leave a job to pursue career growth. She explores the dynamics of personal engagement and fulfillment in the workplace, the difference between jobs that are merely transactional and tho…

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July 7, 2025

Ask Christa! What Are the Top Skills of Effective Managers? (S2E23)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo explores the essential skills of effective managers, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and the ability to apply learned skills in real-world scenarios. She discusses the challenges of management, particularly in matrix organizations,…

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July 3, 2025

Ask Christa! How Do I Do More with Less?? (S2E22)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses the common workplace challenge of being asked to do more with less. She critiques the phrase 'doing more with less' as a misguided approach for austerity that often leads to employee burnout and a scarcity mindset. Christa discusses t…

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June 30, 2025

Ask Christa! How Can We Manage Time If We Have No Control of Time? (S…

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo explores the complexities of time management, emphasizing that time is a human construct and that managing time is not the same as controlling it. She discusses the importance of understanding personal perceptions of time without the pressure of control, encou…

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June 26, 2025

Ask Christa! What Does a Healthy Work Culture Look Like?? (S2E20)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo explores the complexities of workplace culture, emphasizing the importance of employee engagement over mere satisfaction. She discusses how a healthy work culture is characterized by trust and respect, with a mindset that organizational perform…

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June 23, 2025

Ask Christa! Why Organizational Structure Matters!! (S2E19)

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo discusses the strategic role of organizational structures in business success. She explores various organizational structures, explains how they directly impact employee and organizational performance, and how org structures impact decision-making and employee…

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June 19, 2025

Ask Christa! Does Management Training Matter? (S2E18)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo discusses the critical importance of management training in today's workplace. She emphasizes that effective management is essential for organizational performance, team success, and employee retention, especially in matrix organizational struc…

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June 16, 2025

Ask Christa! How Do I Stop Putting Up with Bad Behavior (Put-Downs) a…

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's concern about dealing with a disrespectful coworker whose style is to put others down. She emphasizes the importance of respect and dignity, and the impact respect and dignity has on organizational performance. She discus…

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June 12, 2025

Ask Christa! Managing an Interrupting Boss (S2E16)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa, Christa Dhimo addresses the challenge of being interrupted by a manager during your team meetings—in front of your team. She explores the concept of an interrupting culture, the reasons behind interruptions, including excitement, poor listening skills, and po…

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June 9, 2025

Ask Christa! How to Give Feedback to a Defensive Team Member?? (S2E15)

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo addresses the challenges of giving feedback to defensive coworkers. She explores the reasons behind defensive behavior (including low self-esteem and past criticism), the importance of understanding it, and offers strategies for effectively providing feedback.…

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June 5, 2025

Ask Christa! How to Introduce a New Idea within a RIGID TEAM? (S2E14)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's question about introducing new ideas in a resistant team environment. She explores the underlying reasons for resistance, particularly focusing on learned helplessness, and offers strategies for effectively pitching new i…

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May 26, 2025

Ask Christa! Ugh, I Yelled at Work, and I'm Ashamed-- What Do I Do?? …

Summary In this episode, Christa Dhimo addresses a listener's concern about yelling at work due to stress. She discusses the impact of workplace stress on performance, behavior, and emotional responses, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing stress levels by diffusing stress to ge…

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May 22, 2025

Ask Christa! Strategy Series (3/3): How Do I Create Goals If There's …

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses the common challenge of creating goals aligned with a company's strategy, particularly when that strategy is, or corporate goals are, unclear. She discusses the importance of understanding corporate goals, the process of crafting and …

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May 19, 2025

Ask Christa! Strategy Series (2/3): HELP!! I Don't Know My Company's …

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo addresses the common concern of employees feeling that there is no clear strategy within their organizations. She discusses the importance of understanding what constitutes a strategy, how to identify existing strategies, and the steps employee…

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May 15, 2025

Ask Christa! Strategy Series (1/3): What is STRATEGY?? (S1E8)

Summary In this episode of Ask Christa!, Christa Dhimo explores the concept of strategy in organizations, emphasizing its importance in achieving goals and navigating uncertainties. She discusses the common misconceptions of strategy as well as how many small and mid-sized companies lack clear stra…

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