Let Me Speak To A Manager

It’s the Jimmies and Joes, Not the X’s and O’sWhat matters more to a successful organization: having the right strategy and systems... or having the right people?Ian and Frank tackle one of their favorite football sayings, “It’s the Jimmies and Joes, not the X’s and O’s,” and apply it to business, leadership, hiring, and team development.The conversation starts with Ice Cube, Guns N’ Roses, and the unexpected leadership lesson Frank took away from seeing them perform at the Rose Bowl. From there, the guys get into the bigger question: when an organization succeeds, how much of that success comes from the system, and how much comes from the talent executing it?They discuss why managers can fall into the trap of overengineering processes instead of figuring out what they already have in front of them. Frank shares how he thinks about matching people to opportunities, while Ian introduces the idea of “floors and ceilings”, making sure your highest-potential people are positioned where they have the opportunity to create the greatest impact.The guys also talk about the difference between using great talent and actually developing it, why your best employee shouldn't necessarily be dropped into your worst opportunity, and how managers can use the collective strengths of a team instead of expecting one person to solve everything.Football provides plenty of examples, from Jimmy Johnson and Nick Saban to the Run and Shoot offense, the Dallas Cowboys, Drew Brees, and Barry Sanders. But the lessons extend well beyond sports: simplify the bottleneck, leverage the assets you already have, hire for potential when you can't afford established stars, and give talented people the scaffolding they need to grow.Ian and Frank also dig into their own experiences, including GE's approach to hiring, why Purdue needed both a strong system and an elite quarterback, and why the most important part of a company's “playbook” might actually be how it finds and develops talent.At its core, this episode is about a simple leadership question: Do you have the right people doing the right things in the right places?Because sometimes the problem isn't your strategy.Sometimes you just need to get the right Jimmies and Joes on the field.Got suggestions for future episodes or advice for the hosts of this podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with Ian and Frank. Interested in group or individual management and executing training with Ian Mathews?  Check out 5on4 Group’s Leadership Essentials: 12-Week Course. Interested in investing in one of Frank’s upcoming projects?  Check out Cava’s upcoming projects and investment opportunities and contact us here. Let Me Speak To A Manager is the definitive podcast for management training, career navigation, and high-stakes negotiation. Hosted by Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, this show pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build wealth, lead elite teams, and master the psychology of business. Frank (CEO of Cava Companies) and Ian (CEO of 5on4 Group) bypass the fluff of "business school theory" to give you raw, actionable strategies from their 50 years of combined experience in Fortune 500 executive leadership and entrepreneurship. Each week, we dive into: Career Advancement: How to ask for a raise, land a promotion, and stand out in any company.Leadership & Culture: Building high-performing teams and scalable business cultures.Sales & Persuasion: Mastering the art of the deal and the psychology of marketing.The Success Mindset: Overcoming procrastination and glass ceilings to achieve your goals. Whether you are a first-time manager, an aspiring executive, or a founder building from scratch, Frank and Ian offer a unique, blunt, and often humorous "riff" on the triumphs and failures of the corporate world. Join us to get the inside track on how to make yourself the most valuable person in the room.

Stop Chasing the Next GoalWhy is it so hard to actually enjoy a win?In this episode, Ian and Frank tackle a listener question from a young sales professional who finds himself struggling to celebrate his accomplishments. The closer he gets to a goal, the more he starts thinking about what's next, and instead of enjoying the achievement, he starts worrying about the next target.Ian and Frank dig into why high achievers can fall into this cycle, exploring concepts like the hedonic treadmill, the arrival fallacy, and our tendency to constantly move the goalposts. They talk about why success can create its own kind of anxiety and why learning to recognize and celebrate smaller wins matters.The guys also dive into Michael Phelps and the difference between outcome-based goals and process-based goals. Phelps had enormous goals, but he also focused on the small, daily actions that kept him moving forward. Ian and Frank discuss how that same approach can apply to sales, careers, fitness, and everyday life.Along the way, they explore the importance of having goals outside of your career, the positive spillover that can come from achieving something in an entirely different area of life, and why sometimes the best way to keep yourself motivated is to give yourself something new to work toward.They also talk about what athletes like Michael Phelps and Buzz Aldrin can teach us about what happens after achieving something extraordinary and why having support, purpose, recovery, and other parts of life to fall into can make all the difference.And, naturally, the conversation takes a few detours, including office bathroom disasters, Frank's diet break, Ian's increasingly questionable shirtless behavior, and the ongoing debate over whether Frank should ever record an episode without a shirt.Because achieving the goal matters.But so does actually enjoying the life you built getting there._________________________________________________________________________Got suggestions for future episodes or advice for the hosts of this podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with Ian and Frank. Interested in group or individual management and executing training with Ian Mathews?  Check out 5on4 Group’s Leadership Essentials: 12-Week Course. Interested in investing in one of Frank’s upcoming projects?  Check out Cava’s upcoming projects and investment opportunities and contact us here. Let Me Speak To A Manager is the definitive podcast for management training, career navigation, and high-stakes negotiation. Hosted by Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, this show pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build wealth, lead elite teams, and master the psychology of business. Frank (CEO of Cava Companies) and Ian (CEO of 5on4 Group) bypass the fluff of "business school theory" to give you raw, actionable strategies from their 50 years of combined experience in Fortune 500 executive leadership and entrepreneurship. Each week, we dive into: Career Advancement: How to ask for a raise, land a promotion, and stand out in any company.Leadership & Culture: Building high-performing teams and scalable business cultures.Sales & Persuasion: Mastering the art of the deal and the psychology of marketing.The Success Mindset: Overcoming procrastination and glass ceilings to achieve your goals. Whether you are a first-time manager, an aspiring executive, or a founder building from scratch, Frank and Ian offer a unique, blunt, and often humorous "riff" on the triumphs and failures of the corporate world. Join us to get the inside track on how to make yourself the most valuable person in the room. If you listen to any of the following shows, we are sure that you will like ours too! Diary Of A CEO with Steven BartlettThe $100 MBA Show with Omar ZenhomThink Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques with Matt AbrahamsMy First Million with Sam Parr and Shaan PuriThe Learning Leader Show with Ryan HawkCraig Groeschel Leadership Podcast

The 200th Episode Special continues! In Part 2 of this special two-part episode, Ian and Frank answer listener questions about management, leadership, career decisions, investing in yourself, sales, company culture, and what it really takes to build a successful career.They challenge some of the conventional wisdom around management, especially the idea that struggling employees simply need more pressure, more meetings, and more follow-up. Instead, they talk about the importance of listening, understanding what someone actually needs, and sometimes knowing when the best thing a manager can do is simply get out of the way.The guys also get candid about the moments in their careers when they stopped caring about the consequences of challenging the status quo, how they knew it was time for a change, and how to recognize when you're no longer operating in the right role.From there, they tackle the best investments you can make in yourself, the importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses, the compounding value of reading, and being intentional about the information you're consuming.And yes, they get back to The Godfather. Ian and Frank break down the biggest business lessons they take from the movies, including the importance of staying calm under pressure, keeping emotions in check, having a clear North Star, and knowing when it's time to “go to the mattresses.”They also dive into creating a coaching culture, building collaboration within a team, finding and leveraging people's superpowers, and the entrepreneurial mindset that can make even a corporate environment more fun and more successful.And finally, with 200 episodes officially behind them, they answer the question everyone wants to know: What would it take to get to 400?This is Part 2 of the conversation, and if you haven't watched Part 1 yet, go back and catch up before diving in.Got suggestions for future episodes or advice for the hosts of this podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with Ian and Frank. Interested in group or individual management and executing training with Ian Mathews?  Check out 5on4 Group’s Leadership Essentials: 12-Week Course. Interested in investing in one of Frank’s upcoming projects?  Check out Cava’s upcoming projects and investment opportunities and contact us here. Let Me Speak To A Manager is the definitive podcast for management training, career navigation, and high-stakes negotiation. Hosted by Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, this show pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build wealth, lead elite teams, and master the psychology of business. Frank (CEO of Cava Companies) and Ian (CEO of 5on4 Group) bypass the fluff of "business school theory" to give you raw, actionable strategies from their 50 years of combined experience in Fortune 500 executive leadership and entrepreneurship. Each week, we dive into: Career Advancement: How to ask for a raise, land a promotion, and stand out in any company.Leadership & Culture: Building high-performing teams and scalable business cultures.Sales & Persuasion: Mastering the art of the deal and the psychology of marketing.The Success Mindset: Overcoming procrastination and glass ceilings to achieve your goals. Whether you are a first-time manager, an aspiring executive, or a founder building from scratch, Frank and Ian offer a unique, blunt, and often humorous "riff" on the triumphs and failures of the corporate world. Join us to get the inside track on how to make yourself the most valuable person in the room. If you listen to any of the following shows, we are sure that you will like ours too! Diary Of A CEO with Steven BartlettThe $100 MBA Show with Omar ZenhomThink Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques with Matt AbrahamsMy First Million with Sam Parr and Shaan PuriThe Learning Leader Show with Ryan HawkCraig Groeschel Leadership Podcast • The Jefferson Fisher Podcast

200 episodes! To celebrate this milestone, Ian and Frank are doing something a little different: handing the conversation over to the listeners.For this special episode, the guys answer questions submitted by listeners about careers, leadership, business, growth, loyalty, adaptability, and knowing when it’s time to make a change. Along the way, they share stories and lessons from their own careers, including some of the moments that shaped how they lead, manage people, navigate change, and think about success.From knowing when loyalty to a company has become a liability, to recognizing when the market around you has changed, to developing the skills that make you valuable wherever you go, Ian and Frank tackle the questions that come up when you're trying to build a career that actually grows with you.And because it's episode 200, there’s plenty of reflection on the journey, the lessons they've learned along the way, and the people who have been listening and asking questions for the past 200 episodes.Thank you for being part of the journey. Here’s to the next 200.Got suggestions for future episodes or advice for the hosts of this podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with Ian and Frank. Interested in group or individual management and executing training with Ian Mathews?  Check out 5on4 Group’s Leadership Essentials: 12-Week Course. Interested in investing in one of Frank’s upcoming projects?  Check out Cava’s upcoming projects and investment opportunities and contact us here. Let Me Speak To A Manager is the definitive podcast for management training, career navigation, and high-stakes negotiation. Hosted by Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, this show pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build wealth, lead elite teams, and master the psychology of business. Frank (CEO of Cava Companies) and Ian (CEO of 5on4 Group) bypass the fluff of "business school theory" to give you raw, actionable strategies from their 50 years of combined experience in Fortune 500 executive leadership and entrepreneurship. Each week, we dive into: Career Advancement: How to ask for a raise, land a promotion, and stand out in any company.Leadership & Culture: Building high-performing teams and scalable business cultures.Sales & Persuasion: Mastering the art of the deal and the psychology of marketing.The Success Mindset: Overcoming procrastination and glass ceilings to achieve your goals. Whether you are a first-time manager, an aspiring executive, or a founder building from scratch, Frank and Ian offer a unique, blunt, and often humorous "riff" on the triumphs and failures of the corporate world. Join us to get the inside track on how to make yourself the most valuable person in the room. If you listen to any of the following shows, we are sure that you will like ours too! Diary Of A CEO with Steven BartlettThe $100 MBA Show with Omar ZenhomThink Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques with Matt AbrahamsMy First Million with Sam Parr and Shaan PuriThe Learning Leader Show with Ryan HawkCraig Groeschel Leadership Podcast • The Jefferson Fisher Podcast

This episode explores one of the most important and often overlooked skills in leadership and career growth: adaptability.Ian and Frank discuss why the people who succeed aren't necessarily the most talented or experienced, but often the ones who can recognize when the environment around them has changed and adjust accordingly. They share stories from their own careers about market downturns, regulatory changes, difficult leadership transitions, giving and receiving hard feedback, and learning to operate outside their natural strengths.The conversation also explores the difference between realignment and turnaround situations, why reading the business climate matters, and why asking for more compensation or recognition at the wrong moment can reveal a lack of awareness. Ultimately, the message is simple: when the wind changes, you have to change with it. The people who listen to feedback, develop new skills, embrace discomfort, and adapt are the ones who continue to grow, while those who resist change can find themselves falling behind or even losing their jobs.Got suggestions for future episodes or advice for the hosts of this podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with Ian and Frank. Interested in group or individual management and executing training with Ian Mathews?  Check out 5on4 Group’s Leadership Essentials: 12-Week Course. Interested in investing in one of Frank’s upcoming projects?  Check out Cava’s upcoming projects and investment opportunities and contact us here. Let Me Speak To A Manager is the definitive podcast for management training, career navigation, and high-stakes negotiation. Hosted by Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, this show pulls back the curtain on what it takes to build wealth, lead elite teams, and master the psychology of business. Frank (CEO of Cava Companies) and Ian (CEO of 5on4 Group) bypass the fluff of "business school theory" to give you raw, actionable strategies from their 50 years of combined experience in Fortune 500 executive leadership and entrepreneurship. Each week, we dive into: Career Advancement: How to ask for a raise, land a promotion, and stand out in any company.Leadership & Culture: Building high-performing teams and scalable business cultures.Sales & Persuasion: Mastering the art of the deal and the psychology of marketing.The Success Mindset: Overcoming procrastination and glass ceilings to achieve your goals. Whether you are a first-time manager, an aspiring executive, or a founder building from scratch, Frank and Ian offer a unique, blunt, and often humorous "riff" on the triumphs and failures of the corporate world. Join us to get the inside track on how to make yourself the most valuable person in the room. If you listen to any of the following shows, we are sure that you will like ours too! Diary Of A CEO with Steven BartlettThe $100 MBA Show with Omar ZenhomThink Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques with Matt AbrahamsMy First Million with Sam Parr and Shaan PuriThe Learning Leader Show with Ryan HawkCraig Groeschel Leadership Podcast • The Jefferson Fisher Podcast