
This New Way
This New Way (formerly Supermanagers) is a show hosted by Aydin Mirzaee (CEO of Fellow–#1 AI Meeting Assistant) about how real companies are using AI at work. No theory, no fluff — just straight talk with leaders who are testing, implementing, and learning as they go.
What you’ll get:
How leaders are integrating AI into their teams and processes
Honest takes on what’s working, what’s not, and what’s changing
Live AI tool demos
👉 Want episode summaries, AI workflow templates, and quick tips from guests? Subscribe to the newsletter: https://thisnewway.com/
Latest episodes

16 snips
Aug 17, 2023 • 43min
Beyond the Bad News: Leading With a Plan of Action and Assurance (with Carol Leaman, CEO of Axonify)
CEO of Axonify, Carol Leaman, shares strategies for promoting transparency in leadership, motivating employees, and making work meaningful. She discusses the importance of effective communication, handling tough questions, and adapting to remote work environments. Tune in to learn from her experiences as a tech CEO and valuable leadership lessons.

Aug 10, 2023 • 48min
Are You Being the Bottleneck or Building the Bridge? Lessons on Cross-Functional Leadership (with Sabrina Leblanc, VP of Customer Success at SurveyMonkey)
👉 Check out the episode resources here: https://fellow.app/supermanagers/sabrina-leblanc-surveymonkey-are-you-being-the-bottleneck-or-building-the-bridge-lessons-on-cross-functional-leadership
How would you rate your organization's cross-functional communication?
Alignment at the leadership level and being aligned on the goals and incentives that you're driving towards is where it all begins.
Sabrina dives into how to approach friction between two cross-functional departments, why healthy conflict should be encouraged, and how to promote a growth mindset at work.
Sabrina is an expert in cross-functional communication and teamwork. She gives actionable strategies to improve cross-functional collaboration within an organization, utilizing a growth mindset to achieve organizational and team goals.
Sabrina Leblanc is the VP of Customer Success at SurveyMonkey where she’s been an employee in various roles since 2014. As VP of Customer Success, she successfully orchestrates cross-functional initiatives to accelerate customer adoption, drive renewals, and unlock expansion revenue within SurveyMonkey. She also has over a decade of experience spanning finance, business development, sales, and customer success.
In episode #161, Sabrina shares her experiences with mentors, leading DEI initiatives, how to listen to your team, and leading during rapidly changing times.
Tune in to hear all about Sabrina’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[06:00] Trying to solve it yourself backfires
[12:00] Improving communication between teams
[19:30] The value of mentorship
[26:10] How to find mentors
[32:30] Building a growth mindset culture
[38:48] How to lead in rapidly changing times
[45:50] Trusting your instincts
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Connect with Sabrina on LinkedIn
Listen to Michael Watkins on Supermanagers
Listen to Kim Scott on Supermanagers
Listen to Alexandra Sutherland on Supermanagers
Read The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker
Read The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
Read Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter

10 snips
Aug 3, 2023 • 44min
Is That 100% True? Managing the Small Stuff to Prevent the Big Stuff (with Joanna Lord, Executive in Residence at Reforge)
Check out the episode resources here 👉 https://fellow.app/supermanagers/joanna-lord-reforge-is-that-true-managing-the-small-stuff/
Are you only focusing on the fires affecting your team?
We often overlook the things that may not need our instant attention. We know it’s important not to distance ourselves too far from the work of our team, yet we can put too much focus on those urgent things, leaving little room for anything else.
In episode #160, Joanna Lord explains how important it is to focus on the small stuff as leaders to prevent it from turning into the big stuff.
We also chat with her about the impact of emotional intelligence on leadership, the “is that 100% true” exercise, the importance of focus, how to hire, and of course, the craft of marketing.
Joanna Lord is an Executive in Residence at Reforge and former CMO of Skyscanner, where she helped scale the company to over 100 million users per month. Prior to that, Joanna was CMO at ClassPass for four years, leading their marketing, brand, creative and product marketing. She's also a public board director, independent board member, advisor and consultant for consumer companies.
Tune in to hear all about Joanna’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
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Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and share the podcast with your colleagues.
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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[04:00] The benefits of an executive coach
[08:00] The impact of emotional intelligence
[11:11] Is that 100% true exercise
[18:35] Being a later life convert of focus
[25:15] The craft of marketing
[31:15] When you’re asked something you should know the answer to
[33:24] Things that make a difference in hiring
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Read The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
Connect with Joanna on LinkedIn
Follow Joanna on Twitter
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter

12 snips
Jul 27, 2023 • 44min
Step Into Your Story: Embracing Discomfort and the ‘Hell Yes’ Principle (with Erik Qualman, Author)
Author Erik Qualman discusses how to change your perspective as a leader, the difference between multitasking and switch tasking, the impact of AI on leadership, the art of saying no, and the unique life experiences that have shaped him. They also explore the importance of building relationships with team members, the benefits of walking meetings and staying focused, prioritizing your day, and the importance of regular check-ins with your team.

Jul 20, 2023 • 45min
Problems vs Side Quests: Navigating Challenges Head-on (with Cristina Cordova, COO at Linear)
👉 Check out the episode resources here: https://fellow.app/supermanagers/cristina-cordova-linear-problems-vs-side-quests-navigating-challenges-head-on/
Every company has unique needs when it comes to growth.
As a leader, it can be difficult to know what the next step is based on your company’s needs. Every company has its own context, problems and culture that uniquely affect what it needs to scale.
In episode #158, Cristina shares her experience working at Stripe and Linear, focusing on how she manages company growth, unique hiring practices, and what to do when your team presents you with problems (AKA side quests).
We also touch on work trials: what they are, how to go about executing them, and the benefits of implementing this practice within your company.
Cristina Cordova is the Chief Operating Officer at Linear. Prior to Linear, she worked at Stripe and spent 7 years growing their Partnerships organization and leading a business unit. After Stripe, she joined Notion as Head of Platform & Partnerships, where she led their growth team focused on the self-serve business.
Tune in to hear all about Cristina’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
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Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and share the podcast with your colleagues.
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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[04:11] Not being vulnerable is a mistake
[10:08] Hiring people straight out of school
[19:30] How to respond to problems
[24:22] Work trials and the hiring process
[30:00] Tips for starting teams from scratch
[35:40] Insight into growing a team
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Connect with Cristina on LinkedIn
Follow Cristina on Twitter
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter

7 snips
Jul 13, 2023 • 42min
Follow the Leader: How to Be the Example and Transform Engineering Teams (with Jossie Haines, Executive Coach)
👉 Check out the episode resources here: https://fellow.app/supermanagers/jossie-haines-follow-the-leader-how-to-be-the-example-and-transform-engineering-teams/
Preventing burnout in your team starts at the top.
As a leader, it’s important to model the behaviour you want to instill in your team. If you’re feeling burned out and not sure about taking the vacation you need to take it. That’s what you’d want any member of your team to do so they can perform at 100%.
In episode #157, Jossie explains how leaders can discourage burnout, improve their empathy and eliminate bias when working with different teams.
We also touch on how to earn the respect of your team and the things we come face to face with on the journey of becoming a more inclusive leader.
Jossie Haines has over 22 years of experience in the tech industry as an award-winning software engineering leader at the forefront of emerging consumer technology across Silicon Valley, including leadership roles at Apple, Tile, Zynga, and American Express.
Today, Jossie is the CEO and founder of Jossie Haines Consulting where she offers coaching and consulting services with the underlying goal of retaining more women in tech.
Tune in to hear all about Jossie’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
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Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and share the podcast with your colleagues.
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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[03:41] Early mistakes
[09:20] How to know you got enough buy-in
[18:04] Earning respect from the people you work with
[24:10] Improve empathy and reduce bias
[30:11] Manage burnout in your team better
[35:20] Setting the example for your team
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Read Drive by Daniel Pink
Listen to Michael Watkins, Author: The First 90 Days on Supermanagers
Take Harvard’s implicit bias test
Connect with Jossie on LinkedIn
Follow Jossie on Twitter
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter

Jul 6, 2023 • 36min
Driving Change Forward: How to Achieve Buy-in as a Marketing Leader (with Meagen Eisenberg, CMO at Lacework)
👉 Check out the episode resources here: https://fellow.app/supermanagers/meagen-eisenberg-lacework-driving-change-forward-how-to-achieve-buy-in-as-a-marketing-leader/
Getting buy-in from your team can be a difficult task.
Getting buy-in from those who aren’t your direct reports? Nearly impossible.
In episode #156, Meagen explains the importance of being able to influence those who you collaborate with outside of your team and how to collaborate across functions within your organization effectively.
Meagen Eisenberg is currently the Chief Marketing Officer of Lacework. She also has previous CMO experience from working in this role at both TripActions and MongoDB. She is also a board member for G2 and has acted as an advisor for companies like Loom and Productboard.
Tune in to hear all about Meagen’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
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Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and share the podcast with your colleagues.
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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[03:15] Early mistakes - give feedback in real time
[08:20] Roleplaying feedback
[12:12] Communicating during exits
[19:02] Technology overload
[23:06] Collaboration across functions
[26:50] Systematic culture of feedback
[34:00] Leveraging various aliases
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Connect with Meagen on LinkedIn
Follow Meagen on Twitter
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter

13 snips
Jun 29, 2023 • 41min
Be a Door Opener, Not a Gatekeeper: Inclusivity and Leadership (with Karen Catlin, Leadership Coach)
Check out the episode resources here 👉 https://fellow.app/supermanagers/karen-catlin-be-a-door-opener-not-a-gatekeeper-inclusivity-and-leadership/
Curiosity is a management quality.
Good managers are curious about their teams goals, what they are trying to achieve, and they do not make assumptions.
In episode #155, Karen outlines the difference between gatekeepers and door openers and underscores the importance of guiding rather than directing.
Karen Catlin is a leadership coach and an acclaimed author and speaker on inclusive workplaces. Her client roster includes Airbnb, DoorDash, Google, Intel, Intuit, LinkedIn, and many others.
Tune in to hear all about Karen’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
. . .
Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and share the podcast with your colleagues.
. . .
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[04:20] Constructive feedback is an art
[11:00] What is glue work?
[21:45] Saviour mentality within organizations
[28:45] Gatekeepers versus door openers
[31:00] Guiding people without bias
[34:45] Be curious, not furious
[37:00] Shaping an inclusive culture
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Read Better Allies by Karen Catlin
Subscribe to 5 Ally Actions newsletter
Connect with Karen on LinkedIn
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter

8 snips
Jun 22, 2023 • 41min
Developing Organizational Resiliency: The Key to Surviving the AI Revolution (with Tim Armandpour, CTO at PagerDuty)
Check out the episode resources here 👉 https://fellow.app/supermanagers/tim-armandpour-pagerduty-developing-organizational-resiliency/
Accountability is crucial regardless of the position you hold within an organization.
This accountability is one of the ways teams can embrace resiliency as changes inevitably happen, such as new technology like AI.
In episode #154, Tim explains how he fosters resiliency within his team, and discusses the challenges organizations face when implementing changes.
We also touch on how to handle employees who resist change and how to hire resilient employees so this resistance doesn’t become an issue in the first place.
Tim Armandpour has over 20 years of experience leading in the engineering world. Prior to his current role, he worked in leadership roles at Yodlee, Zong and PayPal.
Today, Tim is the CTO at PagerDuty, helping leaders throughout the company develop a resilient workplace that embraces change.
Tune in to hear all about Tim’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
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Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and share the podcast with your colleagues.
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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[04:22] Getting things wrong in leadership
[12:24] Accountability in different positions
[17:30] Benefits of matching resilient teams and systems
[26:45] What does AI mean in tech resiliency
[31:35] Handling resistance to change
[37:08] Hiring resilient employees
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
Register for Fellow + AI LIVE
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter

Jun 15, 2023 • 39min
Honor the Past, Present, and People: Creating and Managing Positive Change (with Esther Derby, Consultant)
👉Check out the resources mentioned here: https://fellow.app/supermanagers/esther-derby-honor-the-past-present-and-people/
Middle managers are often under-utilized and can play a very strategic role within organizations.
See the role of the middle manager as connecting the contextual knowledge from the top of the organization with the day-to-day operations at the bottom. They can be extremely valuable when they work across the organization.
We also touch on change and the resistance to it. Esther shares her ideas for implementing successful changes in businesses.
In episode #153, Esther tackles her rules for positive, productive change and discusses the challenges organizations face when changes need to be implemented.
Esther Derby has over 40 years of experience leading and observing organizational change within a wide variety of organizations, from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
Today, Esther is a consultant, advisor, speaker, and author, helping leaders develop a workplace where everyone contributes to positive change.
Tune in to hear all about Esther’s leadership journey and the lessons learned along the way!
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Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and share the podcast with your colleagues.
. . .
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[05:48] Status’s effect on relationships
[11:35] Change starts from where you are
[15:00] The people are not the problem
[19:28] The role of the middle managers
[24:30] What are white space roles
[30:45] Put your fingerprints on it
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
https://estherderby.com/
Read 7 Rules for Positive Productive Change
Read Humble Inquiry and Humble Consulting by Edgar Schein
Connect with Esther on LinkedIn
Subscribe to the Supermanagers TLDR newsletter