Things Leaders Do

Colby Morris
  • 5.0 (19)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Whether you're a new manager figuring out how to lead your first team or a seasoned executive refining your approach, host Colby Morris delivers actionable tools and real-world frameworks you can use today to lead with confidence, clarity, and impact. Things Leaders Do is the straight-talk podcast for leaders who want practical strategies that actually work—not just leadership theory that sounds good in a boardroom.  Each week, Colby breaks down people-first leadership with humor, insight, and straight talk—covering how to communicate effectively and build trust, create high-performance team cultures, handle pressure and setbacks, balance accountability with empathy, and master the intersection of strategy, execution, and influence. Perfect for new leaders stepping into management, seasoned executives leveling up their skills, and anyone tired of leadership advice that doesn't translate to the real world. Weekly episodes tackle succession planning, conflict resolution, one-on-ones that actually work, performance reviews that don't suck, employee development, and how to create workplaces where people want to stay—not just show up.No fluff. No vague concepts.  Just tactical frameworks and processes you can implement Monday morning. New episodes drop every Monday. Subscribe now and join thousands of leaders building stronger teams and better workplace cultures. Host Colby Morris is the founder of NXT Step Advisors, providing executive coaching, team training, and keynote speaking focused on people-first leadership that drives real business results. Connect at nxtstepadvisors.com or linkedin.com/in/colbymorris

  1. 2D AGO

    The Gen X Guide to Managing Up to a Younger Boss

    How does a Gen X leader manage up to a younger boss? Not by fighting the dynamic — by offering your experience as a gift instead of asserting it as a flag. CareerBuilder found that 53% of workers age 45 and up are reporting to a younger boss right now; 69% if you're over 55. This isn't a coming trend — it's the normal arrangement in the American workplace today. And most Gen X leaders are handling it in a way that's quietly costing them their next role. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your hard-earned experience is currently working against you in meetings with your younger bossThe counter-intuitive research finding that flips everything you assume about generational friction at workWhat your younger boss actually needs from you (and won't ever say out loud)The Four Language Shifts that turn your experience from a liability into an assetWhat you get back when you stop fighting the dynamic and start working itYour experience is the most valuable thing in the room — but only when you offer it, not assert it. Stop holding it back as quiet resistance. That's the shift this episode is built on. The Four Language Shifts for Managing Up (Colby Morris) Four shifts that change how your experience lands with a younger boss: Replace "Last time we did this..." with "I noticed this..."When you disagree, ask "What's your read on this?" instead of issuing a counter-takeReplace "You should..." with "Here's something to consider..."Even when you're sure you're right, ask "What am I missing?" before correcting anythingThe Risk Reframe (Colby Morris) When you disagree with your boss, never frame it as "I've seen this before." Always frame it as "Here's a risk I want to make sure we're seeing." The first puts them on defense. The second puts them on your team. When to apply this guidance: You're a Gen X leader currently reporting to someone younger than youYou feel your experience is being underutilized or actively ignored by your managerYou've noticed your boss has stopped asking for your input on things they used to consult you onYou're at a career stage where the next role matters more than the next argumentYou want to be in the room when the big decisions get made, not just blamed when they go wrongResearch referenced in this episode: CareerBuilder/Harris Poll: 53% of US workers age 45+ report to a younger boss; 69% of workers age 55+ report to a younger bossHarris/CareerBuilder survey of workers with younger bosses: 55% say their boss thinks they know more than they do despite the experience gapCareerBuilder finding: Workers age 25-34 actually report more difficulty working for younger bosses (16%) than workers age 55+ do (5%) — suggesting the friction isn't about age, but about how experienced workers deploy their experienceChip Conley — Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder (Currency, 2018): The "Modern Elder" framing — being as curious as you are wise — based on Conley's experience as Mentor-in-Chief at Airbnb among leaders 20+ years his juniorRelated episodes: The Gen X Leader's Guide to Managing Millennials and Gen ZHow to Disagree With Your Boss (Without Getting Fired)Your Gen X Boss Decoder Ring: A Field Guide for Millennials and Gen ZThe Conflict Series, Episode 3: Managing Up — How to Disagree with Your Boss Without Killing Your CareerConnect with Colby Morris: LinkedIn: Colby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    26 min

  2. MAY 5

    Stop Trying to Win Tough Conversations (Win the Trust Instead)

    Research from Notre Dame says more than 80% of workers are holding back at least one tough conversation at work. So when leaders DO finally have those conversations, they're walking in with the wrong goal — trying to win them. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "winning" the tough conversation is the move that actually loses you the teamThe 30-year-old Harvard research that gets the goal of these conversations rightThe Three Pre-Conversation Questions that change what happens when you walk inThe two language shifts that signal you're there to learn, not to deliverThe right way to know — one week later — whether you actually handled itWalk into your next tough conversation trying to learn, not trying to win. The trust you build is the only scoreboard that matters. The Three Pre-Conversation Questions (Colby Morris) Before any tough conversation, ask yourself: What am I missing?What do they need me to understand?How do I want them to feel when they walk out?The One-Week Trust Test (Colby Morris) Evaluate a tough conversation one week later, not in the moment, by asking: Are they still bringing me things, or did they go quiet?Has the team-wide energy shifted?Would they take the same conversation from me again?When to apply this guidance: You're a middle manager or senior leader with at least one tough conversation in your queue right nowYou've handled difficult conversations before but are seeing the same issues come back six months laterYou manage a team where people seem to agree in the moment but don't change behavior afterwardYou suspect your team isn't telling you the full truth about projects, peers, or the work itselfResearch referenced in this episode: University of Notre Dame, NDDCEL: 80%+ of workers are holding back at least one challenging workplace conversationVitalSmarts (Crucial Learning): Each unheld or failed workplace conversation costs roughly $7,500 and seven workdaysBrené Brown — Dare to Lead: Seven-year research on the consequences of avoiding tough conversations, including the "dirty yes"Stone, Patton & Heen — Difficult Conversations (Harvard Negotiation Project): The shift from "message delivery stance" to "learning stance"Chartered Management Institute: 43% of senior managers have lost their temper, 40% have panicked and lied, and 80% have had no formal training on tough conversationsRelated episodes: Tough Conversations Part 2: When the First Conversation Didn't WorkHow to Have Tough Conversations with EmployeesThe Conflict Series, Episode 2: How to Say Hard Things Without Burning BridgesDifficult Conversations for New LeadersConnect with Colby Morris: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colbymorris  Website: nxtstepadvisors.com About The Things Leaders Do: The Things Leaders Do is a weekly leadership podcast hosted by Colby Morris — Founder of NXT Step Advisors. The show delivers practical, immediately actionable leadership tools for middle managers and senior leaders navigating real workplace challenges. No corporate jargon, no theory you can't use — just real guidance you can implement before your next one-on-one. New episodes every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Colby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    30 min

  3. APR 22

    AI for Leaders: How to Get Your Time Back and Actually Lead People

    You don't have time for the people you're leading because you're spending hours on tasks that AI could handle in minutes. Leaders using AI save 40-60 minutes daily, yet only 26% of employees use AI weekly despite 91% of businesses adopting it. The AI Efficiency Framework (Colby Morris) recovers lost time through: Interactive Prompting (asking AI to ask clarifying questions before analysis), Context Building (using Projects/Spaces to build deep understanding over time), Workflow Automation (applying AI to sales analysis, overtime patterns, presentations, and daily tasks), and Compounding Returns (small time savings across email, scheduling, and meeting management that accumulate to 3-4 hours weekly). Workers using AI report saving 5.4% of work hours—approximately 2.2 hours per week—time leaders can redirect to coaching, relationship building, and strategic thinking. Episode Description You don't have an AI problem. You have a time allocation problem. Enterprise workers using AI save 40 to 60 minutes every day. But only 26% of employees actually use AI weekly—leaving hours on the table that could be spent leading people instead of drowning in tasks. In this episode, you'll discover: → Step-by-step AI workflows for sales analysis, overtime pattern detection, and presentation creation → The Interactive Prompting technique: how to get AI to ask YOU clarifying questions for better analysis → How to use Projects (Claude) or Spaces (Perplexity) to build deep contextual understanding over time → Simple daily AI applications for email, scheduling, and meeting management that compound to 3-4 hours saved weekly The best leaders aren't doing everything themselves. They're automating tasks to be present with people. The AI Efficiency Framework (Colby Morris) Component 1: Interactive Prompting Ask AI to ask YOU clarifying questions before analyzing data for more sophisticated, context-aware insights. Component 2: Context Building Through Projects Use Projects (Claude), Spaces (Perplexity), or ChatGPT Projects to build deep institutional knowledge over time by storing files and conversations in one dedicated workspace. Component 3: Workflow Automation Step-by-step AI applications for sales analysis, overtime pattern detection, presentation creation with Gamma.app, and daily task management. Component 4: Compounding Returns Small time savings across email, scheduling, and meetings accumulate to 3-4 hours weekly—redirected to coaching and relationship building. When to Apply This Framework Use the AI Efficiency Framework when: You're spending more time on tasks (data analysis, presentations, email) than on people (coaching, one-on-ones, relationship building)One-on-ones keep getting rescheduled due to lack of timeYou need to analyze data regularly (sales performance, overtime patterns, budget variances)You're creating presentations or reports from existing contentYou're drowning in email, scheduling conflicts, and meeting prepYou want to recover 3-4 hours weekly for leadership activitiesThis framework is designed for leaders at all levels who need to shift time allocation from administrative tasks to people-focused leadership. Diagnostic Questions What percentage of your week is spent on tasks versus people?If you could get back 3-4 hours per week, how would you spend that time with your team?Are you manually analyzing data when AI could do it in minutes?How much time do you spend creating presentations from existing content?DoColby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    34 min

  4. APR 15

    AI Isn't Taking Your Job. Leaders Who Use AI Are

    AI anxiety, particularly FOBO (Fear of Becoming Obsolete), affects 75% of employees concerned AI will make jobs obsolete. Nearly 55,000 U.S. job cuts were directly attributed to AI in 2025. The Five Irreplaceable Skills Framework (Colby Morris) addresses this through: doubling down on human capabilities AI cannot replicate, becoming the translator who interprets AI output for specific contexts, owning your point of view, actually learning basic AI competency (one tool, one task, one week), and building relationships that create value beyond tasks. Workers who feel employers invest in skills are 5.3 times more likely to feel jobs secure. Episode Description Stop worrying about AI taking your job. Start worrying about leaders who know how to use AI taking your job. Nearly 55,000 U.S. job cuts were attributed to AI in 2025. Seventy-five percent of employees are concerned AI will make their jobs obsolete. In this episode, you'll discover: → What AI actually can and can't do in leadership → The Five Irreplaceable Skills Framework for staying valuable when AI handles tasks → Why avoiding AI makes anxiety worse, not better → The one-task, one-week method to start learning AI The future isn't about competing with AI. It's about becoming the kind of leader AI can't replace. The Five Irreplaceable Skills Framework (Colby Morris) Skill 1: Double Down on Human Capabilities Focus on what AI cannot replicate: relationship building, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, reading subtext, and navigating office politics. Skill 2: Become the Translator Take AI's output and translate it into actionable decisions based on your specific context, culture, and political realities. Skill 3: Own Your Point of View AI provides options; leaders make calls and stake their credibility on decisions. Skill 4: Actually Learn to Use AI Pick one AI tool, one regular task, spend one week learning it. Build competency one task at a time. Skill 5: Build Relationships That Matter When AI handles tasks, relationships become the differentiator. Invest in trust and connection. When to Apply This Guidance Use this framework when: Experiencing anxiety about AI's impact on your job securityYour organization is implementing AI tools and you're unsure how to adaptYou're spending most time on tasks rather than peopleYou're avoiding AI rather than learning itYou need to differentiate your value beyond what AI can automate Diagnostic Questions What percentage of your day is tasks versus people?If AI handled 80% of your tasks, what would make you irreplaceable?Are you learning AI tools, or waiting for someone else to figure it out?Have you picked one AI tool and one task to start learning this week? Resources Mentioned Research Cited: Ernst & Young (EY) AI Anxiety in Business Survey - 75% believe AI will make jobs obsolete, 65% anxious about AI replacing their jobsChallenger, Gray & Christmas - Nearly 55,000 U.S. job cuts attributed to AI in 2025ADP Research Today at Work 2026 - Workers who feel employers invest in skills are 5.3x more likely to feel jobs secureResume Now surveys - 63% say AI will make workplace feel less human, 43% know someone who lost job to AIKey Concepts: FOBO (Fear of Becoming Obsolete) - Anxiety about skills degrading and becoming irrelevant About The Things Leaders Do The Things Leaders Do is a leadership p Colby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    37 min

  5. APR 6

    Your Middle Managers Are Drowning (And You Know It)

    Seventy-seven percent of CHROs lack confidence in their leadership bench strength. Meanwhile, 40% of middle managers are planning their exit. Your leadership pipeline isn't empty because of a talent problem—it's empty because you're burning out your current leaders before they can develop. In this episode, you'll discover: → Why the gig economy changed everything about middle manager retention (28% of knowledge workers are already freelancing) → The Five Executive Actions Framework that reduces burnout without requiring board approval → How to have the hard conversation with your board about "doing more with less" → The career-risk decision every executive faces: hit targets by destroying your team, or build something sustainable If you're an executive watching your middle managers struggle while your board demands more with less, this is your wake-up call. The Five Executive Actions Framework (Colby Morris) Action 1: Audit Actual Workload Compare each middle manager's actual responsibilities—direct reports, meeting commitments, deliverables—against research-based effective spans of control (5-7 direct reports for complex work, 8-10 for straightforward work). Action 2: Kill One Initiative Identify and eliminate one running initiative delivering minimal value, freeing capacity and demonstrating willingness to make trade-offs. Action 3: Create a Stop-Doing List Work with middle managers to identify and actually stop producing unused reports, attending unnecessary meetings, and maintaining obsolete processes. Action 4: Fix One Structural Problem Address the system, process, or tool creating the most friction in middle managers' daily work. Action 5: Have the Board Conversation Directly address sustainability with board members: current middle managers are doing the work of 2-3 people, requiring either added resources or reduced expectations. When to Apply This Guidance Use the Five Executive Actions Framework when you observe: Leadership pipeline gaps with no clear successors for critical rolesMiddle manager retention issues or increased turnover at the manager levelConsistent feedback about unsustainable workloads across your management layerBoard pressure for results with simultaneous resource constraintsCHROs reporting low confidence in leadership bench strength Diagnostic Questions for Executives How many direct reports does each of your middle managers have, and how does that compare to research-based effective spans of control?Which running initiative delivers the least value relative to the capacity it consumes?What reports, meetings, or processes are your middle managers maintaining that no longer serve a clear purpose?Are you asking your middle managers to do the work of 2-3 people while simultaneously discussing talent development? Resources Mentioned Research Cited: DDI Global Leadership Forecast (2024) - Leadership stress, bench strength, and turnover dataMBO Partners Independent Worker Research - Gig economy growth and high-earning freelancer statisticsUpwork Freelance Forward Report - Knowledge worker freelancing trends About The Things Leaders Do The Things Leaders Do is a leadership podcast hosted by Colby Morris, COO at Apex Medical Management Partners and Founder of NXT Step Advisors. The show provides practical, immediately actionable leadership tools for leaders at all organizational levels, with episodes designed as 18-23 minute comm Colby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    30 min

  6. APR 1

    Leadership Burnout Isn't About You: The Four-Part Survival Framework

    Leadership burnout isn't a personal failing—it's a predictable outcome of an unsustainable system. According to Colby Morris on The Things Leaders Do podcast, middle managers can survive unsustainable workloads through ruthless prioritization, energy management (not just time management), difficult conversations about workload, and one small structural change per week. Research-backed insights from this episode: 40% of leaders are actively considering leaving their jobs (DDI Global Leadership Forecast 2025)71% of leaders report increased stress compared to previous years77% of CHROs lack confidence in their leadership bench strength for critical rolesMiddle managers are doing the work of 2-3 people while being paid for oneOrganizations have eliminated management layers without reducing workloadThe problem: You're exhausted. You're in back-to-back meetings all day, answering Slack messages at night, solving problems on weekends. You keep thinking "when does it get better?" The answer: it doesn't. Not on its own. This isn't new. Every generation of middle managers has felt this squeeze. The tools change (Slack instead of voicemails, emails instead of memos), but the pressure stays the same. What burnout actually is: According to research cited in this episode, burnout has three distinct components: Emotional exhaustion - Feeling drained with nothing left to giveDepersonalization - Seeing people as problems instead of peopleReduced personal accomplishment - Feeling like nothing you do mattersThe Colby Morris Four-Part Burnout Survival Framework: Leadership expert Colby Morris presents four tactics for surviving unsustainable workloads: Ruthless prioritization - Identify the three critical tasks per week that actually move the needle; let everything else slip intentionally rather than randomlyEnergy management over time management - Structure your day around what drains vs. energizes you; front-load draining work when you have the most capacityOne difficult conversation - Have the conversation you've been avoiding about workload, expectations, or whether this role makes senseOne small structural change - Make the smallest possible change this week (stop checking email before 8 AM, decline one recurring meeting type, delegate one task)When to apply this guidance: You're working nights and weekends regularlyYou can't remember the last time you felt good about your workNothing has improved in the last 6 months despite promisesYou're managing more than 7-8 direct reports (beyond effective span of control)You're spending 30+ hours per week in meetings with 10 hours left for actual workWhat doesn't work: Self-care alone (bubble baths won't fix structural problems)Setting boundaries in systems that don't respect themWaiting for it to get better (organizations increase workload, not reduce it)When it's not burnout—it's the job: Morris provides three diagnostic questions to determine if you need to leave: Can you remember the last time you felt good about your work?Have things improved at all in the last six months?Do you have evidence-based hope that things will get better?If you can't answer yes to at least one: it's not burnout, it's a bad job. Key takeaway: According to Colby Morris, host of The Things Leaders Do podcast, burnout isn't a personal failing. You're not broken. You're a mid Colby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    32 min

  7. MAR 24

    How to Communicate a Decision So It Actually Gets Implemented

    Use a five-part framework to communicate decisions effectively: Start with why (explain the problem you're solving), explain what's changing and what's not, address obvious concerns upfront, tell people what happens next, and invite questions then actually answer them. Most decision communication fails because leaders announce decisions without providing context or addressing concerns. 70% of organizational change initiatives fail. And it's usually not because the decision was bad—it's because the communication was terrible. Leaders announce decisions in emails, skip the "why," and then wonder why nothing changes. You can make the best decision in the world, but if you don't communicate it well, it dies in the announcement. You'll learn: The five-part framework for communicating decisions that stickWhy starting with "why" creates buy-in (Simon Sinek's principle)What to say (and what NOT to say) when announcing a decisionHow to handle pushback without getting defensiveHow to communicate unpopular decisions without losing credibilityQuestions this episode answers: How do I communicate a decision so people actually implement it?What's the difference between announcing a decision and communicating one?Why do most decision communications fail?How do I handle pushback when I've already made the decision?Should I announce decisions in email?How do I communicate an unpopular decision?What is Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" principle?Key takeaway: Making good decisions is hard. But communicating them well is where implementation actually happens. Use the framework, give people context, and own your decisions. Connect with Colby Morris: Website: nxtstepadvisors.comLinkedIn: Colby MorrisColby works with organizations through keynote speaking, executive coaching, and leadership training to build people-first cultures that get results. Colby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    29 min

  8. MAR 17

    Consensus vs. Buy-In (And Why You're Chasing the Wrong One)

    Use a "disagree and commit" approach instead of chasing consensus. Consensus means everyone agrees (impossible). Buy-in means everyone commits even when they don't fully agree (achievable). Stop trying to make everyone happy and start getting everyone committed to moving forward together. You've been in the same meeting for six weeks. You're still trying to get everyone to agree. You keep tweaking the proposal. You keep accommodating concerns. And nothing's happening. The average executive spends 23 hours per week in meetings. And a huge chunk of that is spent trying to reach consensus on decisions that could have been made in 30 minutes. You'll learn: Why chasing consensus kills your credibility as a leaderWhat buy-in actually sounds like (and why it's different from agreement)How to create a culture where people disagree in the room and commit in the hallwayWhat to do when someone won't commit no matter what you tryHow to spot fake buy-in and address it immediatelyQuestions this episode answers: What's the difference between consensus and buy-in?How do I get my team to commit to decisions they don't agree with?Why does chasing consensus create terrible decisions?What is Amazon's "Disagree and Commit" principle?How do I handle someone who won't commit to team decisions?Key takeaway: You can't make everyone agree. But you can get everyone to commit. Consensus is impossible. Buy-in is achievable. Connect with Colby Morris: Website: nxtstepadvisors.comLinkedIn: Colby MorrisColby works with organizations through keynote speaking, executive coaching, and leadership training to build people-first cultures that get results. Colby's LinkedIn ProfileNXTStepAdvisors.com

    23 min
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5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Whether you're a new manager figuring out how to lead your first team or a seasoned executive refining your approach, host Colby Morris delivers actionable tools and real-world frameworks you can use today to lead with confidence, clarity, and impact. Things Leaders Do is the straight-talk podcast for leaders who want practical strategies that actually work—not just leadership theory that sounds good in a boardroom.  Each week, Colby breaks down people-first leadership with humor, insight, and straight talk—covering how to communicate effectively and build trust, create high-performance team cultures, handle pressure and setbacks, balance accountability with empathy, and master the intersection of strategy, execution, and influence. Perfect for new leaders stepping into management, seasoned executives leveling up their skills, and anyone tired of leadership advice that doesn't translate to the real world. Weekly episodes tackle succession planning, conflict resolution, one-on-ones that actually work, performance reviews that don't suck, employee development, and how to create workplaces where people want to stay—not just show up.No fluff. No vague concepts.  Just tactical frameworks and processes you can implement Monday morning. New episodes drop every Monday. Subscribe now and join thousands of leaders building stronger teams and better workplace cultures. Host Colby Morris is the founder of NXT Step Advisors, providing executive coaching, team training, and keynote speaking focused on people-first leadership that drives real business results. Connect at nxtstepadvisors.com or linkedin.com/in/colbymorris

Information

  • Creator
    Colby Morris
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    133
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Things Leaders Do
  • Show Website
    Things Leaders Do

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