The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast Why Great Employees Don't Always Make Great Managers
Dec 3, 2025
In this insightful discussion, Ashley Herd, founder of Manager Method and former head of HR at McKinsey, reveals why top performers often falter when stepping into management roles. She explains the pitfalls of promoting individual contributors without proper training and emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations. Ashley introduces her 'career quilt' concept, advocating for varied experiences in leadership. She also shares practical feedback frameworks and one-on-one techniques to transform team dynamics from mere status updates to meaningful development conversations.
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Top Performers Aren't Always Good Managers
- Promoting top performers into management often fails because the skills that made them great individual contributors don't translate to people work.
- Ashley Herd says organizations must rethink career paths and develop people, not assume performance equals management potential.
Turn Goals Into Concrete Conversations
- Break vague expectations into a clear conversation about role impact, measurable goals, and weekly actions.
- Ask specific questions (e.g., what will you do Tuesday/Wednesday?) and identify obstacles and supports.
Author's Career Quilt
- Ashley Herd describes her 'career quilt' built from sales, legal, and HR roles.
- These varied experiences taught resilience, communication, and practical people skills she uses today.
