After 50 episodes with some of the top leaders in startups and tech, Annie Riley takes a moment to reflect and share her top five leadership takeaways that surfaced again and again throughout the latest season.

Annie also reflects on the current moment—from the rapid rise of AI to the growing need for authentic human connection—and why those realities have only strengthened her commitment to building a show that is honest, practical, and deeply human.

Plus, she shares what's next for Best Manager Ever as the team heads into a summer of experimentation, new formats, and fresh ways to support leaders navigating the messy middle of company building.

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Level up your leadership skills with Fort Light

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Nominate Your Best Manager Ever

Best Manager Ever is a Production of Fort Light and Now It’s Hear

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

The stereotype of the hard-charging executive is hurting performance. Scott Lamb moved to NYC to pursue journalism, but ended up joining Buzzfeed when it was just five people and has been on the startup path ever since. In this episode, Scott sits down with Annie Riley to explore a different model for leadership– one rooted in curiosity, steadiness, psychological safety, and real human connection. They discuss what’s really behind vague feedback about “executive presence”, how management is a learnable craft, and how to have hard conversations that don’t FEEL bad.

Time Stamps:

00:00 — Why management matters

02:07 — Scott’s leadership style

04:08 — Joining BuzzFeed at five people

06:13 — Management is a skill

08:47 — The problem with “executive presence”

10:02 — Visibility vs. impact

13:21 — Directness over aggression

17:20 — Tough conversations done well

19:42 — Leading through layoffs

22:19 — Avoiding emotional dumping

24:56 — How to fire someone clearly

29:29 — The power of “say more”

37:22 — Listening and accountability

43:04 — Why humor matters at work

48:06 — Reps over perfection

Join us on Substack

Level up your leadership skills with Fort Light

Connect with Annie Riley

Connect with Scott Lamb

Nominate Your Best Manager Ever

Best Manager Ever is a Production of Fort Light and Now It’s Hear

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

The voice pushing you forward is also holding you back, and your inner critic is costing you more than you think. Annie Riley talks with clinical psychologist and self-compassion teacher Dr. Michael Klein to explore the psychology behind ambition, achievement, and the never-ending pursuit of "more." They discuss why success doesn't automatically lead to happiness, how striving and self-criticism can narrow creativity and reduce judgment. And they explore practical self compassion tools to help high-achieving leaders become more resilient, focused, creative, and effective.

Time Stamps:

00:00 – Introduction

01:00 – Why self-compassion matters for leaders

06:30 – Understanding the threat system

11:15 – The antidote to constant stress

13:00 – The striver's trap

18:00 – Why kindness doesn't kill ambition

20:15 – The self-compassion break

29:00 – Mindfulness, resistance, and suffering

33:00 – Responding instead of reacting

37:00 – Working with your inner critic

41:00 – Bringing compassion into the workplace

43:00 – Building a sustainable practice

49:00 – A better edge than self-criticism

Join us on Substack

Level up your leadership skills with Fort Light

Connect with Annie Riley

Connect with Micheal Klein

Nominate Your Best Manager Ever

Best Manager Ever is a Production of Fort Light and Now It’s Hear

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