Episodes

  • How New Managers Can Fire Someone in Their First Year

    How New Managers Can Fire Someone in Their First Year
    Jun 16 2026
    Episode 56 tackles the hardest conversation a new manager can face: terminating an employee. Lucas and Luna walk through a real case from a mid-size SaaS company where a first-time manager had to let go of a peer-turned-direct-report. They discuss the signals that indicate termination is the right call, how to prepare legally and emotionally, and the script for delivering the news with respect. The episode also covers what to avoid — including the common mistake of waiting too long or trying to outsource the conversation to HR. Specific numbers: the 30-day written improvement plan, the one-third rule for documentation, and why most terminations should happen before the 90-day probation window closes. Listeners come away with a concrete framework they can adapt to their own company's policies. #Termination #NewManager #FirstYear #DifficultConversations #PerformanceImprovementPlan #Documentation #EmploymentLaw #HRBasics #Management #Leadership #Careers #Firing #ProbationPeriod #ManagerTraining #Workplace #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #NewManagerConversations Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    10 mins
  • How New Managers Can Ask Their Boss for Resources

    How New Managers Can Ask Their Boss for Resources
    Jun 16 2026
    In episode 55 of New Manager Conversations, Lucas and Luna tackle one of the hardest but most essential skills for first-time leaders: asking your own boss for resources—whether that's headcount, budget, time, or tools. They break down the specific case of a new product manager at a mid-size SaaS company who needed a second developer but was terrified of seeming incapable. Lucas shares a three-part framework—anchoring in business impact, providing a concrete ask, and anticipating objections—that turns the request from a plea into a strategic proposal. Luna pushes back on the common advice to 'just be confident,' and they discuss how to handle a 'no' gracefully. They also touch on the difference between asking for resources and complaining about constraints. This episode gives new managers a repeatable structure for having the resource conversation with their boss, including specific language to use and what to do when the answer is no. #NewManager #CareerAdvice #Leadership #ResourceAllocation #AskingForHelp #FirstTimeManager #ManagementSkills #WorkplaceCommunication #CareerGrowth #BusinessStrategy #ManagerTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #SaaS #ProductManagement #BudgetNegotiation #BusinessCommunication #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 mins
  • How New Managers Can Break the Cycle of Heroic Problem-Solving

    How New Managers Can Break the Cycle of Heroic Problem-Solving
    Jun 15 2026
    In Episode 54 of New Manager Conversations, Lucas and Luna dive into one of the most common traps new managers fall into: the urge to personally solve every team problem, especially during their first 90 days. Lucas opens with a specific example from a tech company where a first-time engineering manager spent 30 hours debugging a production issue that three senior engineers could have fixed in half the time — and how that eroded trust with his team. They discuss why 'heroic problem-solving' is often a coping mechanism for impostor syndrome, and share a three-step framework for breaking the cycle: (1) naming the pattern, (2) building a triage habit, and (3) celebrating team-led solutions. Luna contrasts this with research from Google's Project Aristotle, which found that psychological safety — not individual heroics — was the top predictor of team effectiveness. The episode closes with a practical challenge for listeners to identify one problem this week they can deflect to a direct report, and how to frame it as a development opportunity rather than a task dump. #NewManager #First90Days #Leadership #Delegation #ImpostorSyndrome #ProblemSolving #TeamTrust #PsychologicalSafety #ProjectAristotle #CareerAdvice #ManagementTips #HeroicProblemSolving #Triage #Coaching #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Careers #LeadershipBasics Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    10 mins
  • How New Managers Can Push Back Without Burning Bridges

    How New Managers Can Push Back Without Burning Bridges
    Jun 15 2026
    Episode 53 of New Manager Conversations tackles one of the hardest transitions: learning to say no to your own boss. Lucas and Luna break down a real scenario from a first-time manager at a midsize SaaS company who had to push back on an unrealistic deadline from her VP without damaging the relationship. They walk through the exact three-part framework she used: acknowledge the objective, share the constraint, offer an alternative. Plus they discuss why most new managers swing between compliance and defiance, and how to find the productive middle. Lucas cites research from a 2023 Harvard Business Review study on managerial assertiveness, and Luna shares a personal story about a manufacturing plant manager who learned to push back diplomatically. This episode is packed with specific language you can adapt for your next one-on-one with your boss. No fluff, no theory—just a practical playbook for new leaders who want to protect their team's capacity while still being seen as a team player. #NewManager #First90Days #Leadership #CareerAdvice #ManagingUp #PushBack #Assertiveness #Boundaries #SaaS #HBR #Communication #SayNo #TeamManagement #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #NewManagerConversations #LucasAndLuna Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • How New Managers Can Recover From a Mistake

    How New Managers Can Recover From a Mistake
    Jun 14 2026
    Lucas and Luna walk through what a new manager should do after making a public mistake in their first 90 days. They use a specific case: a new team lead at a mid-size SaaS company who sent an email with incorrect budget figures to the VP of Sales. The episode breaks down the three-step recovery playbook—own, fix, learn—and highlights why silence is the worst response. Lucas shares data from a CCL study on managerial credibility repair, and Luna pushes back on over-apologizing. They also discuss how the same framework applies to smaller slip-ups like forgetting a 1-on-1 or misstating a deadline. Practical, non-obvious advice for leaders early in their tenure. #NewManager #Leadership #MistakeRecovery #First90Days #Credibility #CareerAdvice #Management #ProfessionalGrowth #Apology #Trust #Feedback #Coaching #EmotionalIntelligence #SaaS #CCL #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Careers Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 mins
  • How New Managers Can Use Their First 30 Days to Build Credibility

    How New Managers Can Use Their First 30 Days to Build Credibility
    Jun 14 2026
    In this episode of New Manager Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore a specific strategy for new managers: conducting deep listening tours in their first 30 days. They break down how to structure one-on-one conversations with each direct report, what questions to ask, and how to avoid the common trap of solving problems too quickly. Using the real-world example of a first-time manager at a mid-sized tech company who turned around a disengaged team in three months, they illustrate how listening builds trust and credibility faster than any action you could take. The hosts also discuss how to balance listening with the pressure to deliver quick wins, and how to transition from listener to leader without losing momentum. #NewManager #First90Days #LeadershipBasics #ListeningTour #Management #TeamBuilding #Credibility #CareerAdvice #Careers #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #TrustBuilding #DirectReports #Coaching #ManagerTips #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #NewManagerConversations Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    6 mins
  • How New Managers Can Handle Conflict Between Direct Reports

    How New Managers Can Handle Conflict Between Direct Reports
    Jun 13 2026
    In this milestone 50th episode, Lucas and Luna tackle one of the toughest challenges for new managers: mediating conflict between two direct reports. Using a real-world example from a mid-size SaaS company where a senior engineer and a product manager clashed over sprint priorities, they break down a practical four-step framework called the 'Trust Triangle' — separate the people from the problem, listen for underlying interests, reframe the shared goal, and co-create a commitment. Lucas shares why most new managers jump to solutions too fast, and Luna offers a counterintuitive tip about validating emotions before facts. They also discuss when to step in vs. when to let the conflict play out. If you're a new manager dreading that first he-said-she-said, this episode gives you a repeatable playbook. #NewManager #ConflictResolution #Leadership #Careers #PeopleManagement #TeamDynamics #TrustTriangle #Mediation #SprintPlanning #ProductManagement #Engineering #SaaS #FirstTimeManager #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ManagementSkills #EmotionalIntelligence #WorkplaceConflict Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 mins
  • How New Managers Can Navigate Their First Performance Review Cycle

    How New Managers Can Navigate Their First Performance Review Cycle
    Jun 13 2026
    In Episode 49 of New Manager Conversations, Lucas and Luna tackle one of the most stressful moments in a new manager's first year: the performance review cycle. They walk through the story of a first-time manager at a mid-sized SaaS company who had to evaluate a former peer while also advocating for a strong performer on her team. Lucas breaks down the three key moves she made—pre-writing calibration cards, running a pre-meeting with HR, and using a 'growth narrative' frame—and explains why new managers who treat reviews as the end of a conversation, not the start, get better results. Luna pushes back on the common advice to 'just be honest' and offers a more nuanced approach: separating evaluation from development in the same meeting. The episode is anchored in the June 2026 cycle timing, when many companies are finalizing mid-year reviews. If you're a new manager facing your first round of performance conversations, this episode gives you a concrete playbook for keeping it fair, strategic, and less awkward. #NewManager #PerformanceReview #First90Days #Management #Career #Leadership #HR #Feedback #Calibration #ManagerTips #PeerToBoss #MidYearReview #GrowthMindset #SaaS #CareerDevelopment #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #NewManagerConversations Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    10 mins