Doing good work is important, but it is rarely enough to build the career you want.
How Work Really Works is a weekly management and career coaching podcast for professionals preparing to lead and new managers learning how to succeed. Drawing on his experience as a senior executive, adviser, and mentor, Steve explores the workplace challenges that often determine whether people move forward or get stuck.
Each episode tackles one practical issue, from communicating with senior leaders and handling difficult conversations to building credibility, influencing decisions, leading teams, and taking control of your career. Expect candid advice, real experiences, and specific actions you can put to work immediately.
Because career success is not just about working harder. It is about understanding how work really works.
I like this name because it feels approachable and creates curiosity. It also gives you room to discuss communication, leadership, workplace dynamics, organizational politics, goals, and career advancement without boxing the show into one narrow category.
When every decision, approval and answer has to pass through the manager, the team slows down and the manager becomes the bottleneck. In this Manager Minute, Steve explains how to delegate with clear guardrails, help employees develop better judgment and stop rescuing people before they have thought through the problem themselves. Because good management is not about making every decision. It is about building a team capable of making good decisions without you. Send us Fan Mail
19 Oct 2026
When Your Career Has Stalled
Your career can look successful on paper and still feel completely stuck. In this episode, Steve explores why capable people get passed over for promotions, including invisible ambition, the competence trap, limited opportunities and genuine readiness gaps. Drawing on his own experience of watching colleagues advance while he remained a senior director, Steve explains why being valued is not always the same as being advanced. You will learn how to have a more useful career conversation with y...
16 Oct 2026
When It Is Time to Leave Your Job
When is it really time to leave your job? A bad week, a difficult manager or one disappointing decision does not necessarily mean you should resign. But staying because change feels uncomfortable can quietly cost you years. In this episode, Steve explains how to tell the difference between a temporary problem, something that can be fixed and a situation that is unlikely to improve. He covers the warning signs that matter, how to explore your options before leaving and how to make your next mo...
15 Oct 2026
How to Recover From a Career Mistake
Everyone makes mistakes at work. What often matters most is what you do next. In this episode, Steve explains how to respond when something goes wrong, take responsibility without destroying your confidence, communicate effectively and rebuild trust through consistent action. He also looks at how good managers should handle employee mistakes, encourage honest reporting and distinguish a genuine error from a larger performance problem. A practical guide to recovering well, learning the right l...
14 Oct 2026
Manager Minute: The Employee Who Wants a Promotion Too Soon
What should you do when an employee wants a promotion before they are ready? In this Manager Minute, Steve explains how to encourage ambition without rewarding impatience. Learn how to communicate readiness gaps clearly, establish practical development goals and turn an uncomfortable promotion conversation into a useful career plan. Send us Fan Mail
12 Oct 2026
The Career Skills Nobody Teaches You
Technical knowledge may get you hired, but it is rarely the only thing that determines how far your career progresses. In this episode, Steve explores the important career skills that organisations depend on but seldom teach. You’ll learn why judgment, prioritisation, clear communication, reliability, business awareness and influence often matter as much as technical expertise. We also look at how to make stronger recommendations, focus on what genuinely matters, reduce unpleasant surprises a...
8 Oct 2026
How to Survive Office Politics Without Becoming Political
Office politics exists whether you choose to participate or not. The good news is that you can navigate it without becoming manipulative, fake or the person mysteriously copied on every email. In this episode, Steve explains how workplace influence really works, why strong performance alone is not always enough and how to build credibility without playing games. You’ll learn how to read the room, develop useful relationships, avoid gossip, handle difficult personalities and make sure your wor...
7 Oct 2026
Manager Minute: Stop Avoiding the Awkward Conversation
Avoiding a difficult conversation rarely makes the problem disappear. It usually gives it time to become a much bigger problem. In this Manager Minute, Steve explains how managers can address performance and behavior concerns early, keep the discussion focused on facts, and create a clear path forward without turning it into a confrontation. Send us Fan Mail
5 Oct 2026
Managing Up Without Sucking Up
Managing up is not about flattery, agreeing with everything your boss says or suddenly developing an enthusiastic interest in their weekend golf stories. In this episode, Steve explains what managing up actually means and how to build a productive relationship with your manager without becoming a professional suck up. You’ll learn how to understand your manager’s priorities, adapt to their communication style, raise concerns constructively and disagree without damaging trust. We also look at ...
1 Oct 2026
Your First 100 Days
Starting a new role can feel like being handed a map after the journey has already begun. Everyone else seems to know how things work, while you are still trying to find the right meeting room. In this episode of How Work Really Works with Steve, we explore how to make your first 100 days count. You will learn how to understand the organization, build trust, identify the people who really influence decisions, choose sensible priorities and deliver early results without attempting to reorganiz...
30 Sept 2026
Manager Minute: How to Handle Unrealistic Career Expectations
What do you say when an employee expects a promotion they are not ready for? Steve explains how managers can support ambition while being honest about readiness, identify development gaps and create a practical path towards career advancement without making promises they cannot keep. Send us Fan Mail
29 Sept 2026
Why Nobody Says What They Really Mean at Work
Why do people at work say “Let’s circle back” when they really mean no? In this episode, Steve explores why workplace communication becomes vague, indirect, and confusing, and how to say what you mean without sounding rude or reckless. Learn how to read between the lines, ask better questions, give clearer feedback, and replace corporate fog with useful conversations. Whether you are a manager, an employee, or working toward your next career move, this episode offers practical ways to communi...
23 Sept 2026
Manager Minute: How to Manage a Difficult Employee
What should you do when an employee becomes difficult to manage? In this Manager Minute, Steve explains how to address problematic behavior, have a direct conversation, set clear expectations and give someone a fair opportunity to improve without allowing the problem to continue indefinitely. Send us Fan Mail
22 Sept 2026
Doing Good Work Is Not Enough
Doing great work does not always lead to recognition or promotion. Steve explains how career advancement really works, why workplace visibility and professional relationships matter, and how to communicate your value without sounding like you are boasting. Learn practical ways to build credibility, demonstrate leadership and ensure your contribution is understood. Send us Fan Mail
22 Sept 2026
Start Here: Welcome to How Work Really Works
How Work Really Works with Steve is a weekly podcast offering practical career advice, management coaching and leadership lessons. Learn how to communicate better, handle difficult workplace situations, lead with confidence and advance your career through useful guidance, real executive experience and a little dry humor. Send us Fan Mail
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