We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Daniel Doerksen for a practical and thought-provoking conversation about management, leadership, and the critical role managers play in creating healthy workplaces.

Daniel is the co-author of You Can Manage: A Practical Guide to Becoming the Manager Everyone Wants and a leadership consultant with a deep passion for helping organizations become places where people can thrive. In this episode, we explore why work so often falls short of its potential - and what managers can do to close the gap.

Together, we dig into;

👉 Why so many people feel disengaged at work (and why that matters for individuals, teams, and organizations)

👉 The surprising influence managers have on employee wellbeing, engagement, and performance

👉 Why most managers are promoted without training, and the challenges that creates

👉 The five essential practices of effective management: Start with You, Invest in People, Build the Team, Advance the Work, and Strengthen the Organization

👉 How managers can move beyond individual leadership and unlock the power of teams

👉 Why clarity, alignment, and accountability are foundational to healthy team culture

👉 Practical approaches to improving decision-making and reducing organizational bottlenecks

👉 How silos form, and what leaders can do to build stronger cross-functional relationships

👉 The difference between managing performance and enabling performance

👉 Why self-care isn't optional for leaders, and how your wellbeing directly impacts the people around you

This conversation is an honest exploration of what it takes to be an effective manager in today's workplaces. Daniel brings together research, real-world experience, and practical tools that managers can immediately apply to build stronger teams, healthier organizations, and more meaningful work experiences.

If you're a manager, aspiring leader, or someone responsible for helping teams perform at their best, this episode offers actionable insights, fresh perspectives, and a compelling reminder that great management is a skill that can be learned.

Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development community for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.