Management Muse

Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin
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Management Muse is a leadership and management podcast for professionals who want to improve communication, increase employee engagement, and build high-performing teams. Hosts Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin draw from organizational science, management research, and decades of experience to deliver actionable insights that improve workplace performance. Topics include leadership development, team dynamics, performance management, workplace culture, change leadership, and strategic communication. Whether you’re leading a team or working within one, Management Muse helps you strengthen your skills and drive meaningful results.

  1. 2D AGO

    Ep 90 - The Founder Effect: How Leaders Leave a Cultural Mark

    What happens when the founder’s personality becomes the company’s culture?  In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin explore the phenomenon of founder imprint: the lasting, often invisible fingerprints that founders leave on an organization’s values, behaviors, and decisions. This episode complements our recent discussion on weak organizational cultures by diving into the special case of start-ups, which often have strong, founder-driven cultures. From Chick-fil-A’s Sundays off to Herb Kelleher’s wild-but-warm ethos at Southwest, Cindi and Geoff walk through iconic examples of founder imprint, and contrast them with stories from their own experience building a small business together. You’ll learn how early team choices, value signaling, and founder preferences can shape a company’s identity long after the original leader has left the building. Tune in to hear how founder-led cultures can be both a strength and a stumbling block as organizations scale. Episode Highlights: Why founder values “imprint” early and persist over time The surprising science behind why teams end up so similar When founder-led cultures work, and when they get in the way How cultural self-governance can be a gift or a trap What Cindi and Geoff learned from building their own firm Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xIcIyDg_rK0 *Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here *Get a Comprehensive Organizational Assessment with CulSure *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: Zook, Chris. “Founder-Led Companies Outperform the Rest – Here’s Why,” Harvard Business Review, 24 Mar. 2016. https://hbr.org/2016/03/founder-led-companies-outperform-the-rest-heres-why  Gutterman, Alan S. “Founders and Organizational Culture”, Oct. 2023, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374695659_Founders_and_Organizational_Culture  Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    34 min

  2. 12/30/2025

    Ep 89 - Three Mistakes That Stall Managers

    You might be doing everything right as a manager on paper and still holding yourself back. In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi sits down with management coach Mel Cidado to unpack three common mistakes that derail manager growth. Through client stories, they explore how great employees can falter in leadership roles when they try to do it all themselves, when they get stuck in expert mode, or when they assume results speak louder than actions. Each pattern looks like success from the outside but creates blind spots that limit advancement. This conversation is for new managers, seasoned leaders, and the organizations that support them. Cindi and Mel share what it takes to course-correct early and why the path to growth starts with clarity, connection, and communication. Episode Highlights: Three common mistakes in manager development and how to avoid them Why high-performing employees often struggle after promotion How over-rewarding expertise can limit leadership potential Why strong KPIs don’t always translate into advancement The three 3 C’s of effective management Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VG8GAchWIsE About Mel Cidado: Melissa (Mel) Cidado is an executive coach, leadership advisor, and former Fortune 100 Talent VP, who helps senior leaders grow into new, bigger, and more visible roles with clarity, confidence, and sustainability. With 25 years of experience advising and coaching hundreds of executives through disruptive change, Mel brings a unique blend of real-world executive insight and deeply human, no-fluff guidance. Today, she helps executive leaders design careers that fuel them, so success feels sustainable and aligned from the inside out. She’s the founder of Breakthrough Coaching and a contributor to Forbes Coaches Council, where she writes about energy leadership, performative resilience, and how to thrive through disruption. *Connect with Mel: Linkedin | Breakthrough Coaching _____________ *Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here *Want to understand your people better? Get a comprehensive organizational assessment at CULSURE *Sign up for our newsletter and let us know what topic you’d like to hear next! Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    35 min

  3. 12/23/2025

    Starting a Successful Side Hustle - From the Archives

    Thinking about starting a side hustle?  In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin unpack why now might be the best time to build something of your own. Whether you're dreaming of a creative outlet or a full-on escape hatch from your day job, side hustles offer more than just financial upside. Done right, they’re a smart way to test-drive new ideas, stay engaged, and future-proof your career (without blowing up your life in the process). Cindi and Geoff share the science and strategy behind side gigs that energize, not exhaust. They break down how to avoid common traps like overinvesting or partnering with the wrong person. Tune in to learn how your side hustle can be your lab, your launchpad, and your life raft, all at once. Episode Highlights: How side hustles can foster creativity and lead to entrepreneurial opportunities The hidden risks of side hustles and how to avoid burnout Key strategies to ensure your side hustle aligns with your long-term career goals How pursuing a side hustle can lead to unexpected career opportunities. Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Xuf9iSghVLs *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: Scott, Shane. The Illusions of Entrepreneurship, Yale University Press, 26 Jan. 2010. https://www.amazon.com/Illusions-Entrepreneurship-Costly-Entrepreneurs-Investors/dp/0300158564 Grant, Adam. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, Penguin Books, 7 Feb. 2017.https://www.amazon.com/Originals-How-Non-Conformists-Move-World/dp/014312885X  Harroch, Dominique, “The Ultimate Guide to Side Hustles,” Forbes, 12 Jun. 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2025/06/12/the-ultimate-guide-to-side-hustles/ Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    38 min

  4. 12/16/2025

    Ep 88 - Bet on Your People: The Power of Internal Promotions

    A single promotion can shift the energy of an entire organization. In this episode, Cindi and Geoff sit down with Leticia Rodriguez, CEO of Ward Memorial Hospital, to talk about why internal promotions build stronger organizations and how to take smart chances on people who are still growing. Leticia shares how someone once saw potential in her, and how she now pays that forward by developing talent from the inside. From intentional one-on-ones to strategic learning investments, she shows how internal hires create a culture where people stay, grow, and deliver. This episode offers a framework for betting on your people, without setting them up to fail. Tune in for a fresh take on increasing retention, performance, and shared purpose. Episode Highlights: The ripple effects of well-placed internal promotions How to spot potential before it announces itself The tradeoffs between hiring internal versus external How to course correct when a gamble doesn’t work Why investing in development changes team dynamics over time The leadership habit that keeps communication open and growth on track About Leticia Rodriguez: Leticia Rodriguez is the CEO for Ward Memorial Hospital, Monahans, TX and has held that role for the last 12 years. Professionally, Rodriguez serves on the board for The Texas Health Services Authority. Locally, she serves as the Vice President for the Monahans Economic Development and Board Member of the Chamber of Commerce. She is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce Women’s Division, Rotary and Ambassador’s Club. Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/b0Px8zLApjU *Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here *Want to understand your people better? Get a comprehensive organizational assessment at CULSURE *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: Minni, Virginia. “New Research on How the Best Managers Shape Employees’ Careers,” Harvard Business Review, 1 Oct. 2025. https://hbr.org/2025/10/new-research-on-how-the-best-managers-shape-employees-careers  Benson, A and Rissing, B. “Strength from Within: Internal Mobility and the Retention of High Performers,” Organizational Science, 7 Dec. 2019. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3503708 Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    37 min

  5. 12/09/2025

    Ep 87 - The Truth About Strong Workplace Culture: What Every Leader Needs to Know

    Most companies say they have a culture. Very few actually do. In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin break down what workplace culture really means and why most organizations fall short.  Cindi and Geoff explain how culture acts like choreography. When people know the steps, they move in sync. When they don’t, departments end up dancing to different music which breeds confusion, inefficiency, and sometimes outright conflict. Without shared values, leaders are stuck micromanaging because there is no built-in guidance for decision-making. This episode is for executives and team leads who want clarity on the framework of building a culture that drives performance. You’ll learn the two key drivers to unify your organization, and why culture, when done right, becomes your best tool for performance and coordination. Episode Highlights: What real culture is and how to tell if you have it The two things you need to build a successful culture What happens when every department has its own values How shared values guide decisions, behavior, and performance Why strong cultures reduce the need for micromanagement The role of peer accountability in culture enforcement Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ju7rgp9wVb0 *Take your executive team to the next level with On-Demand Leadership *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: Satell, G and Windschitl, C. “High-Performing Teams Start with a Culture of Shared Values,” Harvard Business Review, 11 May. 2021. https://hbr.org/2021/05/high-performing-teams-start-with-a-culture-of-shared-values  Collins, Jim. Good to Great: A Study of Management Strategies of Companies with Lasting Growth, Harper Business, 16 Oct. 2001, https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996  Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    21 min

  6. 12/02/2025

    Ep 86 - The Overlooked Power of Work Relationships

    We often treat work as a necessary evil, but it might be doing more for your happiness than you think.  In this episode, Cindi and Geoff dig into the power of workplace relationships, and how easily they’re overlooked. They challenge assumptions about loneliness, connection, and meaning, unpacking why the daily rhythms of work life can be so hard to lose. From first jobs to the so-called freedom of retirement, Cindi and Geoff reconsider what work actually gives us, and why it matters. If you're looking for ways to build stronger bonds and shared purpose on your team, this podcast is worth a listen. Episode Highlights: Why work relationships matter more than we think Surprising findings on loneliness The three ingredients of a good life How to foster genuine connection–without forced fun Avoid the pitfalls of retirement Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VFR9dGExIBU  *Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here *Ready to take your organization to the next level? Call On-Demand Leadership *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: Wright, SL and Silard, AG. “Loneliness in Young Adult Workers,” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 4 Nov. 2022; 19(21):14462. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114462 Knight, Rebecca. “The office friendship is dead. That’s bad for all of us – especially our employers,” Business Insider, 13 Apr 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/office-friendship-dead-remote-work-employers-turnover-great-resignation-2022-4  Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    33 min

  7. 11/25/2025

    Why Failure Might Be Your Best Strategy with Spencer Fraseur - From the Archives

    This Thanksgiving, we’re serving up a second helping of one of our favorite episodes featuring Cindi’s nephew, academic and author Spencer Fraseur. In a world chasing perfectionism, Spencer makes a provocative case: failure is actually a competitive advantage. Drawing from his research and book Failing Upward, he lays out how resilience, reflection, and smarter pivots fuel success.  Packed with practical tools for turning missteps into momentum, this episode will change how you think about failure–and why embracing it can put you ahead.  About Spencer: Spencer Fraseur is an academic and author of Failing Upward, a book that challenges the traditional views of failure and offers a new framework for embracing it as part of the journey toward success. Spencer recently received his Ph.D. in Strategic Management from the University of Texas at Arlington and currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Texas Woman’s University, where he continues to explore themes of resilience, learning, and personal development. His first book, The Irrational Mind, won the Royal Dragonfly Book Award in 2020. *Connect with Spencer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerfraseur/  Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tnmdVVgyCug  *Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here *Ready to take your organization to the next level? Call On-Demand Leadership *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: Heinrich, Ally. “Why Failing is Critical to Your Team’s Success,” Harvard Business School Online Business Insights, 17 Apr. 2025, https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/failing-well Wang, D, Wang, Y, and Jones, BF. “Early-career setback and future career impact,” Nature Communications, 1 Oct. 2019; 10, 4331, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12189-3 Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    51 min

  8. 11/18/2025

    Ep 85 - How AI Is Stretching Managers Too Thin—and What It’s Costing Organizations

    As AI and automation reshape the workplace, companies everywhere are trimming management layers in the name of efficiency. But how lean is too lean? In this episode of Management Muse, Cindi and Geoff examine what happens when managers take on too many direct reports, what AI can (and can’t) replace, and the long-term costs of organizational flattening. Discover the key dynamics that predict performance and retention, and the simple managerial practice that could safeguard them both. If you’re evaluating how to restructure around AI, this episode will help you strike the balance between efficiency, results, and the people who make both possible. Episode Highlights: How AI and automation are reshaping management What efficient companies overlook about long-term success The breaking point for leader bandwidth What happens when managers lose touch with their teams Key habits to prevent burnout and builds engagement Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5hkqOAMQdFA  *Purchase your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook here *Want to understand your people better? Call CULSURE *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: Cantrell, S, Kirby, L, et al. “Is there still value in the role of managers?,” Deloitte Insights, 24 Mar. 2025. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/talent/human-capital-trends/2025/future-of-the-middle-manager.html  Fischer, C, Amabile, T, and Pillemer, J. “How to Help (Without Micromanaging),” Harvard Business Review, Feb. 2021. https://hbr.org/2021/01/how-to-help-without-micromanaging?  Rogelberg, Steven. “Make the Most of Your One-on-One Meetings,” Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec. 2022. https://hbr.org/2022/11/make-the-most-of-your-one-on-one-meetings Join Our Community & Follow Us:  - Youtube Channel  - LinkedIn - Instagram -Facebook -TikTok - Website

    36 min
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About

Management Muse is a leadership and management podcast for professionals who want to improve communication, increase employee engagement, and build high-performing teams. Hosts Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin draw from organizational science, management research, and decades of experience to deliver actionable insights that improve workplace performance. Topics include leadership development, team dynamics, performance management, workplace culture, change leadership, and strategic communication. Whether you’re leading a team or working within one, Management Muse helps you strengthen your skills and drive meaningful results.

Information

  • Creator
    Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    92
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Rebecca Henley
  • Show Website
    Management Muse