Manage Smarter is the podcast for managers, senior leadership, entrepreneurs and emerging leaders. Each 20-minute interview is a frank, fast-paced and sometimes humorous discussion of the challenges facing managers from the front lines to the C‑Suite.
We address the strategic and psychological aspects of improving team performance, sales, marketing, customer experience, company culture, AI, and overall productivity. And we do it through entertaining interviews with company leaders, innovative founders, best-selling authors and leading business consultants.
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New interviews drop every other Sunday. Plus, the Manage Smarter Extra Point delivers bonus content every Wednesday.
Latest Interviews and Show Notes
Kevin Hubschmann, comedian, entrepreneur, and founder of Laugh.Events, reveals how improv and comedy skills like active listening, vulnerability, and adaptability can boost sales, leadership, and workplace culture. Get practical tips for creating psychological safety, human connection, and team engagement. Kevin’s insights into humor at work are perfect for modern managers, leaders, and sales professionals.
Dan Tocchini, author of "The Change Imperative," shares proven strategies for conflict resolution, courageous leadership, and managing difficult conversations in business. Learn how Dan’s no-nonsense approach to leadership, team accountability, and executive coaching can help transform your workplace and drive business results.
Discover the secrets of effective relationship selling and sales credibility with Theresa Bassett, CEO of The Diamond Group and author of 'Up Levels'. In this episode, Theresa discusses how digital marketing, authentic human connection, and a systematized sales process can attract high-value clients and drive business growth. Learn how credibility, trust, and transparent face-to-face meetings outperform email automation in today’s digital environment.
Matt Granados, CEO of Life Pulse Incorporated and author of "Motivate the Unmotivated," unpacks the myths of hustle culture and shares proven strategies for workplace motivation, productivity, and work-life harmony. Learn how to build efficient, high-performing teams without burnout, create sustainable workplace systems, and drive fulfillment—all with actionable advice for managers and leaders.
Sue Heilbronner, author of 'Never Ask for the Sale: Supercharge Your Business with the Power of Passionate Ambivalence,' shares unconventional sales strategies for attracting professional services clients, earning more referrals, and maintaining premium pricing. Learn the importance of mutuality and value in the sales process—plus how passionate ambivalence can help sales professionals and entrepreneurs drive more consistent, high-quality business.
Salvatore Manzi, author of 'Clear and Compelling: Communication Strategies for Big Thinkers and Bold Ideas,' explores organizational culture change, cultural realignment, and communication strategies for leadership. With insights on team performance and HR’s role, Salvatore delivers actionable steps for driving lasting change and enhancing company culture to boost employee engagement and results.
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Must-Hear Episodes
Brian Tracy has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and is the top selling author of more than 80 books on business and personal success. As a popular keynote speaker and seminar leader, he has addressed more than five million people in 5,000 talks and seminars throughout the U.S., Canada and 82 other countries worldwide. In episode 05, we discuss: the most important quality that a manager should have, the three most common mistakes leaders make, how to set better goals and the importance of the work culture.
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The New York Times best seller The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude — which has just been published a new edition with many new tips to help you find, build and keep a winning attitude. In episode 13, we discuss: why attitude is critical to management and leadership; countering negative attitudes and how to change your attitude by changing what you think about.
Jeffrey Hayzlett is a primetime television host of C‑Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett and Executive Perspectives on C‑Suite TV, and business podcast host of All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett on C‑Suite Radio. Hayzlett is the author of three best-selling business books: Think Big, Act Bigger: The Rewards of Being Relentless, Running the Gauntlet and The Mirror Test. In episode 15, we discuss how the C‑Suite thinks, how to talk to them and how to become one of them.
Jennifer Gluckow is an author and founder of Sales in a New York Minute as well as host of a YouTube Channel of the same name. In episode 16, Jennifer discusses how age plays a role in the workplace and uses her professional experience to share her advice for young managers and first-time managers.
Tom Peters is a best-selling author and world renowned expert on business management practices. Peters is co-author of In Search of Excellence—the book that changed the way the world does business, and often tagged as the best business book ever. In episode 19, we discuss: Tom's new book — The Excellence Dividend, how to avoid being replaced by technology, the characteristics of a successful team and the critical need for soft skills mastery by managers at all levels.
Dr. Christine Porath is an Associate Professor and Researcher at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and an expert in workplace incivility, its costs and remedies. She is author of Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace and co-author of The Cost of Bad Behavior. In episode 28, we discuss her research on the decline of civility, how it affects productivity and what managers can do about it.
Cy Wakeman is a drama researcher, global thought-leader, and New York Times best-selling author who is recognized for cultivating a counter-intuitive, reality-based approach to leadership. In episode 32, we discuss: Cy's definition of drama, and the effects on the workplace, acceptable ways to react to drama that has been created and how to hire low drama employees.
Michael Houlihan is the co-founder of Barefoot Wine, now, the world’s largest wine brand. He, along with Bonnie Harvey, are consultants, international keynote speakers and New York Times Bestselling authors. In episode 50, we discuss: the definition of The Money Map and why every manager should show this to their employees; how to get employees to understand where their salaries come from; how to identify and hire a “hustle” mentality; and the unique concept of a Two-Division Company (Sales and Sales Support).
Neil Sahota is an IBM Master Inventor, United Nations (UN) artificial intelligence (AI) Advisor, author of the book Own the A.I. Revolution, and Professor at UC Irvine. In this episode, we discuss: what artificial intelligence actually is, and what it isn\'t; ways you can use AI and your resources for social good; why promoting incompetent people is a common leadership mistake; how to tell when a product is legitimately AI or just an inflated marketing claim; and organizations that facilitate you getting involved in using AI for social good.
About the Hosts
Audrey Strong is a veteran public relations and communications expert. She is currently Senior Vice President of Communications for SalesFuel. She previously ran her own PR firm for 10 years and was PR Director for The Ritz-Carlton in Denver. Prior to that, Audrey had a successful career as an award-winning anchor/reporter/producer in TV news, including Chicago and Denver.
C. Lee Smith has been leading and developing people for most of his adult life in sales departments, nonprofits and as CEO of SalesFuel. Lee is a nationally recognized consultant and speaker. He is also a Certified Behavioral Analyst specializing in workforce management. Lee is the international bestselling author of two books: SalesCred and Hire Smarter, Sell More!