The Project Success Podcast
The Conversation With Clint Padgett
A Leading Communication Podcast for Business and Team Success
Team Execution
Team Empowerment
Team Accountability
The key to business and team success finds its roots deep in conversation.
Clint Padgett serves as the President and CEO of Project Success. With more than 30 years in project management, he has developed his expertise by assisting Fortune 100 companies in improving their operations. To learn how to manage projects, teams, and results effectively, listen to Clint Padgett on the Conversation podcast, where he engages with business leaders, best-selling authors, and academics conducting innovative research that encourages professional and business growth.
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Did you realize the key to business and team success finds its roots deep in conversation? Join Clint Padgett, who’s built his career helping Fortune 100 companies optimize their businesses, as he interviews leaders who encourage employees to learn, challenge, and grow. If you want to effectively manage people and optimize results, this is the podcast for you. The Conversation with Clinton M. Padgett from Forbes Books.
In this episode, Clint sits down with Scott Mautz, former Procter & Gamble senior executive and bestselling author of “Leading from the Middle,” to talk about why middle managers are some of the most influential (and most overlooked!) leaders in any organization.
Scott shares the research behind why leading from the middle is uniquely challenging, why it often feels “messy,” and how managers can successfully influence up, down, and across without relying on formal authority.
This is the first part of a two-part conversation.
Topics Covered:
Why the middle of an organization is often the most stressful place to lead
The surprising research on why great middle managers drive better business results
The “messy middle” and the unique challenges of leading in every direction
How successful leaders reframe the role of middle management
Why influence matters more than authority
Managing constant role changes and competing priorities
Lessons from LEGO on navigating leadership contradictions
Why middle managers are often the best drivers of organizational change
The Karasek model and balancing responsibility with decision-making authority
What it means to be an “intrapreneur” inside your organization
Others-oriented leadership vs. servant leadership
Why affirmation is one of the most powerful tools a leader can use
Links:
Scott’s website – https://scottmautz.com/
Scott’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmautz/
Scott’s book, “Leading from the Middle” – https://amzn.to/4vDWZaj
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