Middle Manager Mastery

Shruti Rustagi
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Management
  • Updated weekly

Middle Manager Mastery helps transform Middle Managers into High Impact Leaders. In each episode, Shruti Rustagi sits down with senior leaders, founders, and experts to unpack the tools to move the managers from Execution to Influence and Impact. Real conversations. Honest insights. No fluff. Tools & Techniques on how to: → Hone Executive Communication → Build Executive Presence → Lead through change and disruption → Manage Up , down and sideways → Supercharge Productivity → Address Imposter Syndrome → Deal with a Difficult boss, toxic workplace → Strengthen Emotional Intelligence

  1. 4 days ago

    Peak vs. Optimal Performance: The Secret to Sustainable High Performance | Rich Hua

    What does sustainable high performance actually look like? In this episode of Middle Manager Mastery, I sit down with Rich Hua, former Chief EQ Evangelist and Worldwide Head of the EPIC Leadership Program at Amazon, for a conversation about emotional intelligence, purpose, performance, recovery, and personal growth. Rich shares his journey from believing emotions were a weakness to helping build a large EQ community at Amazon - and the lessons he learned along the way. About Rich: Rich Hua is a global expert in emotional intelligence, leadership, and innovation. As Amazon’s former Chief EQ Evangelist and Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership, he built a 70,000+ member EQ community and developed the EPIC framework - Empathy, Purpose, Inspiration, and Connection. A sought-after keynote speaker, Rich helps leaders build emotionally intelligent, resilient, innovative, and high-performing cultures in an AI-powered world. Timestamps: 00:17 - From “Genius Robot” to discovering EQ02:46 - Why IQ alone isn’t enough05:03 - How one EQ talk sparked a movement at Amazon09:53 - Finding your Ikigai12:13 - Job crafting and creating more meaningful work14:14 - Making a living vs. making a life16:18 - Control what you can control18:32 - Why recovery matters as much as productivity22:04 - Knowing when to push and when to pause24:28 - The power of “loving critics”26:36 - The secret to long-term success: give yourself a break28:46 - When a strength becomes a weakness33:49 - Rich’s four-word life mantra: Learn. Love. Live. Give.

  2. 7 Sept

    Your Brain at Work: The Science Behind Motivation, Productivity & Procrastination with James

    Why do we procrastinate - even when we know exactly what needs to be done? And what is actually happening inside the brain when we struggle to start? In this conversation, James breaks down the neuroscience behind procrastination, motivation, dopamine, progress, and productivity - and explains how understanding the brain can change the way we work and manage people. From making tasks smaller to creating visible progress, you'll learn practical ways to work with your brain instead of constantly fighting against it. About James:James has a background in brain and behavioral science, with around 22 years of experience in the field. He began his career conducting basic science research in laboratories before moving into applied work, translating scientific research into practical tools and strategies that can make a difference in people's lives. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 01:35 - What Really Happens When We Procrastinate? 04:10 - Hedonic Adaptation 06:54 - Why Your Brain Hates Starting but Loves Continuing 08:38 - The 5-Minute Strategy to Beat Procrastination 10:08 - Starting With No Resistance 11:58 - Breaking Tasks Into Smaller Pieces 12:38 - The Power of Single-Tasking 15:46 - The Neuroscience of Dopamine 17:18 - How Motivation Works in the Brain 18:13 - The Role of Progress in Motivation 18:46 - Making Invisible Progress Visible 19:20 - The “All Through” List 20:05 - Why To-Do Lists Can Kill Motivation 21:38 - The Problem With Anti-Progress 22:34 - Building a Culture of Visible Progress 23:24 - KPI vs. KBI 24:25 - Creating Visual Representations of Progress 25:47 - Why Visual Progress Motivates Us 27:37 - Recap: Starting Small and Creating Progress 27:57 - Managing With the Brain in Mind 29:00 - Brain-Based Solutions to People Problems

  3. 1 Sept

    When Your Plan Fails: The Skill That Matters Most | Deepali Agarwal

    What does it really take to lead when everything around you is changing? In this episode of Middle Manager Mastery, I speak with Deepali Agarwal. We explore how middle managers can build resilience during disruption, lead teams through changing strategies, recover from wrong decisions, and adapt to the rapidly changing world of AI. Deepali also shares practical lessons on strategic thinking, consumer insights, managing overflowing calendars, building strong allies, and making the most of experience as you grow in your career. From knowing when to tear up a carefully made plan to learning how to “zoom in and zoom out,” this conversation offers practical insights on leading with clarity, adaptability and empathy.A conversation for anyone navigating middle management, leadership, strategy and career growth. About Deepali Agarwal Deepali Agarwal is a business and marketing leader with close to 20 years of experience across Unilever, J&J, Danone and Philips. She has built and scaled businesses across 10+ consumer categories and led teams across Asia-Pacific markets including Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. She has also founded and headed her own premium D2C skincare brand. Deepali has been recognized among India’s top 40 marketers under 40 and among the country’s most powerful marketing influencers, with her teams winning 50+ national and international awards. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Deepali Agarwal01:54 - What to do when your entire market flips overnight06:59 - Leading teams when strategy changes11:13 - Making wrong calls and learning to bounce back14:19 - Why vulnerability is a leadership strength17:07 - The mindset shift managers need in the age of AI21:59 - How to earn a seat at the strategy table26:43 - Managing overflowing calendars and competing priorities29:31 - Building allies to work more effectively33:25 - The ability to “zoom in and zoom out”35:27 - What strategic thinking actually means38:08 - Turning consumer insight into a winning strategy40:44 - Career growth, patience and enjoying the ride

  4. 25 Aug

    The Neuroscience of Focus: Why You Can’t Stay Focused | Ursula

    Why is it so hard to stay focused, even when you really want to? We live in a world of constant notifications, messages, emails and distractions. But losing focus isn't simply about having “bad concentration.” There is a lot more happening inside the brain. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience of focus and distraction, including the task-positive network that helps us stay present and focused, and the default mode network involved in mind-wandering, reflection, dreaming and unexpected insights. We also unpack why notifications are so difficult to resist, how dopamine reinforces our distraction habits, and why being focused for too long can actually leave us uninspired and burned out. Most importantly, this conversation challenges the idea that being productive always means being focused. Sometimes your brain needs deep focus.Sometimes it needs to wander.And sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is step away. Timestamps: 00:00 - Why staying focused is getting harder01:15 - The brain networks behind focus and distraction02:00 - The task-positive network vs. the default mode network03:00 - Why mind-wandering can actually be productive04:00 - When too much focus leads to burnout06:12 - When mind-wandering becomes rumination07:15 - The real key to productivity: balance07:41 - What happens when a Slack notification breaks your focus08:28 - Why your brain keeps switching tasks09:30 - How notifications train us to become distracted10:00 - Dopamine and the curiosity behind distraction12:15 - How your senses can bring you back to focus13:49 - What meditation does to your focus network15:12 - A simple sensory technique to regain attention15:50 - The dentist-chair trick for stopping rumination17:32 - How to deliberately shift your brain back into focus18:24 - When to focus and when to let your mind wander19:02 - Why productivity is really about knowing what your brain needs The takeaway:You don't need to force yourself to focus all the time. Understanding when to focus, when to pause, and when to let your mind wander may be the key to working better without burning yourself out.

  5. 17 Aug

    How to Influence Without Authority | Soumak Nasker on Building Trust, Credibility & Leadership

    What if you could get people to listen, collaborate and take action, even when you have no formal authority over them? In this episode of Middle Manager Mastery, Shruti Rustagi speaks with Soumak Nasker, Country Lead at Publicis Health India, about one of the most valuable and often overlooked leadership skills: influencing without authority. Drawing from nearly two decades of experience across healthcare, CPG, advertising and technology, Soumak shares practical lessons on building trust, creating alignment and getting people to move toward a shared objective without relying on hierarchy or designation. The conversation explores why influence starts long before you get a leadership title, and why the first few years of your career are the perfect time to start building this skill. About Soumak: Soumak Nasker is the Country Lead for Publicis Health India, with nearly two decades of experience across healthcare, CPG advertising and technology. He has worked with global pharma, healthcare and consumer brands across India and Southeast Asia, specialising in leadership, cross-functional collaboration and influencing without authority. Timestamps: 01:10 - Meet Shaumak Naskar01:51 - Why Authority Alone Doesn't Create Influence03:00 - A Leadership Lesson From Singapore05:22 - Put the Organisation at the Centre08:28 - Building Your Social Currency09:30 - Learning to See Problems Through Their Lens14:07 - When Influence Goes Wrong16:33 - From Mandate to Genuine Ownership18:00 - Stop Making It About You20:00 - Influencing Senior Leaders Without Authority22:04 - Bringing Alignment Into the Room23:26 - The Power of Pre-Binding24:38 - Why You Should Build This Skill Early25:00 - Practice Is What Turns Influence Into a Leadership Muscle If you're a middle manager navigating cross-functional teams, managing stakeholders or trying to make things happen without having formal authority, this episode offers practical ideas you can start applying immediately.

  6. 10 Aug

    What Great Middle Managers Do Differently | Anil Srinivas

    What does it take to become a better middle manager, not just someone who gets the work done, but someone who builds capable teams, manages priorities, and creates strong relationships across an organization? In this episode of Middle Manager Mastery, I speak with Anil Chilla, a corporate leader with 25 years of experience across digital businesses, transformations, and multi-market leadership. We discuss the realities of middle management through practical examples from Anil's career, covering delegation, coaching, prioritization, burnout, managing upwards, disagreement, and stakeholder relationships. About Anil: Anil Chilla is a bestselling author, leadership educator, and former senior executive at L’Oréal, Levi’s, and Dell with 25+ years of leadership experience across Asia. He combines practical business experience with insights from the Ramayana and Indian Knowledge Systems.Timestamps: 01:14 - Why delegation feels terrifying02:23 - When too much delegation goes wrong05:07 - When should a manager step in?07:12 - Relationships vs. deliverables09:04 - Three ways to get a project back on track13:08 - Delegating when your team is already overloaded13:35 - The “ball should never be in your court” principle15:44 - Preventing burnout through prioritization17:59 - The 70/30 rule for managing priorities19:19 - Coaching instead of firefighting23:02 - Why one-on-ones should start with the person24:51 - Managing agencies and external partners26:01 - How to disagree with leadership effectively28:16 - A real example of “disagree but commit”33:00 - The art of managing upwards35:00 - How to say no without being abrasive36:55 - Never bring a problem without a solution38:45 - Practical ways to push back41:24 - The biggest leadership lesson: invest in relationships43:29 - Final takeaway

  7. 3 Aug

    The Leadership Skills Every Manager Needs | Nitika Nagpal | Middle Manager Mastery

    What separates great leaders from overwhelmed managers? Often, it's not intelligence or experience—it's the ability to delegate effectively. In this episode of Middle Manager Mastery, I sit down with Nitika Nagpal to discuss why delegation feels so difficult, how to avoid becoming the bottleneck, and what it truly means to lead high-performing teams. From micromanagement and strategic thinking to navigating organizational change, AI disruption, and authentic leadership, Nitika shares practical lessons from nearly two decades of leading global teams across P&G, MediaCom, and the LEGO Group. Whether you're a first-time manager or an experienced leader, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can apply immediately. About Nitika:Nitika Nagpal is a marketing leader with 17+ years of global experience driving brand growth, innovation, and high-performing teams across leading companies including P&G, MediaCom, and the LEGO Group. Timestamp: 00:00 – Introduction: Meet Nitika Nagpal01:23 – Why delegation feels so difficult03:42 – The moment Nitika realized she was the bottleneck05:52 – Should you step in or let your team figure it out?08:01 – How her approach to delegation evolved over time11:12 – Leading through AI, uncertainty, and constant change15:16 – Communicating organizational transformation without creating panic19:10 – Handling career progression concerns during change21:23 – Coaching teams through AI anxiety and career uncertainty23:29 – Honest leadership vs. oversharing26:16 – Boosting team morale during difficult decisions33:30 – What strategic thinking actually means37:38 – When strategy fails: Lessons from a product launch43:30 – How to make time for strategic thinking47:51 – Advice for first-time managers50:46 – Final leadership lessons: Cause good trouble

  8. 28 Jul

    From Execution to Strategy: How Great Middle Managers Become Business Leaders | Featuring Yogesh Garde

    In this episode of Middle Manager Mastery, I sit down with Yogesh Garde, Vice President of Digital Strategy & Transformation at PepsiCo. With over 22 years of experience across PepsiCo, Deloitte, IBM, and consulting, Yogesh shares practical lessons on transitioning from being an exceptional executor to becoming a strategic business leader. The conversation explores what separates high-performing middle managers from executives, how to develop strategic thinking, influence without authority, navigate AI-driven disruption, and create psychologically safe teams that innovate and grow. About Yogesh Yogesh Garde is the Vice President of Digital Strategy & Transformation at PepsiCo. Over the past two decades, he has led large-scale digital transformations, built global capability centers, scaled product organizations, and helped organizations navigate complex change through strategy, innovation, and leadership. Timestamps:00:00 Intro & Welcome01:16 Why strategic thinking matters for middle managers02:15 The career shift from execution to strategy05:25 How to build strategic thinking as a daily habit11:15 Using OKRs to prioritize what truly matters15:39 Influence without authority & speaking your stakeholders' language17:51 The biggest mindset mistakes middle managers make24:18 AI, disruption & keeping teams motivated through change31:50 Is AI making us less creative?36:07 Does AI free up time- or just create more work?39:40 Building psychological safety in teams43:45 Final leadership advice for every middle manager45:18 Outro

See All (24)

About

Middle Manager Mastery helps transform Middle Managers into High Impact Leaders. In each episode, Shruti Rustagi sits down with senior leaders, founders, and experts to unpack the tools to move the managers from Execution to Influence and Impact. Real conversations. Honest insights. No fluff. Tools & Techniques on how to: → Hone Executive Communication → Build Executive Presence → Lead through change and disruption → Manage Up , down and sideways → Supercharge Productivity → Address Imposter Syndrome → Deal with a Difficult boss, toxic workplace → Strengthen Emotional Intelligence

Information

  • Creator
    Shruti Rustagi
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Shruti Rustagi
  • Show Website
    Middle Manager Mastery