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Modern Mentor

Modern Mentor

Written by: QuickAndDirtyTips.com
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Rachel Cooke is your guide to leadership and communication, helping you craft a workplace environment you can feel good about. She’ll share tips to help you balance your work and personal life, effectively invest your time, and be mindful about where you’re devoting your energy. Let Rachel help you navigate your path to success—however you define it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Macmillan Holdings, LLC
Careers Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Success
Episodes
  • Stop fighting fires: 5 ways to spot problems before they become crises
    Apr 21 2026

    893. Most workplace crises didn't have to be crises—they started small, stayed hidden, and grew. In this episode, Rachel Cooke explains why "firefighting" has become the corporate norm and how leaders can break the cycle. Learn how to build a monthly "slightly-off" conversation into your team's rhythm and why the "don’t bring me a problem without a solution" rule is actually sabotaging your results. Discover 5 practical ways to find problems while they’re still cheap and easy to fix.

    Modern Mentor is a Quick and Dirty Tips Podcast, hosted by Rachel Cooke!

    Have a question for Modern Mentor? Email: modernmentor@quickanddirtytips.com

    Discover more from Modern Mentor!

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    Transcripts available on your podcast app or QuickandDirtyTips.com.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    10 mins
  • Build a culture of accountability with Work Design
    Apr 14 2026

    892. Is your team missing targets, dropping the ball, or responding to missed deadlines with a shrug?

    Many leaders believe accountability is a personality trait—you either have it or you don’t. But in reality, accountability is a design problem. When ownership is lacking, it’s usually because the "work design" itself is getting in the way.

    In this episode, Rachel shares a case study of a pharmaceutical manufacturer where low accountability wasn't just a frustration, it was a safety risk. You’ll learn the results of a real-world "work design pulse check" and the five simple, high-impact tweaks that transformed a culture of "oh well" into a culture of "I’ve got this."

    Modern Mentor is a Quick and Dirty Tips Podcast, hosted by Rachel Cooke!

    Have a question for Modern Mentor? Email: modernmentor@quickanddirtytips.com

    Discover more from Modern Mentor!

    Facebook

    LinkedIn

    Newsletter

    Transcripts available on your podcast app or QuickandDirtyTips.com.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • Workplace cheat codes: 5 ways to up your odds of success
    Apr 7 2026

    891. At work we're constantly placing bets on uncertain outcomes, which projects to prioritize and which risks to take. But most of us never think about how to improve our odds. Today Rachel shares five “cheat codes,” simple, high-impact practices that give you a massive advantage before things go sideways. From running a "premortem" to flush out hidden risks to using a "stinky fish" exercise to surface team anxieties, learn how to anticipate problems before they become crises. Whether you're a team lead or a solo contributor, these tactics will help you work better by design and give your career a few "extra lives."

    Modern Mentor is a Quick and Dirty Tips Podcast, hosted by Rachel Cooke!

    Have a question for Modern Mentor? Email: modernmentor@quickanddirtytips.com

    Discover more from Modern Mentor!

    Facebook

    LinkedIn

    Newsletter

    Transcripts available on your podcast app or QuickandDirtyTips.com.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
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