On Brand: A Podcast About Branding For Brand Builders, By Brand Builders

Ashley Herd, founder of Manager Method and former Head of HR at McKinsey, explains why most managers aren't actually failing—they're just guessing. She breaks down her simple yet powerful three-step framework—pause, consider, and act—to help leaders move past the "speed of the inbox" and start leading with real intention. From handling employee mistakes with empathy to navigating the "octopus and wizard" traps of burnout, Ashley provides practical "real talk" for anyone responsible for the careers and lives of others. What You’ll Learn in This Episode The critical difference between day-to-day management and long-term leadership How to implement the three-step Manager Method of pause, consider, and act Why the “speed of the inbox” is causing manager burnout and how to slow down Practical ways to handle employee mistakes using the “Gigi” perspective How to use human-centric storytelling to build psychological safety on your team Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro (01:51) Management vs Leadership (03:18) The Gap