In this episode of The Manager’s Mic, I speak with Francie Jain, CEO of Terrawatt and a Princeton University graduate, about how coaching transforms the workplace. Francie shares her journey building a B2B marketplace for coaching and unpacks the direct links between professional development and employee retention. From navigating remote work to fostering psychological safety, this conversation delivers powerful insights for leaders looking to drive performance through people.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why professional development is essential to retaining top talent

• How coaching reduces turnover and improves company culture

• Psychological safety in team performance

• Truths about remote work

• What makes a great coach and why it matters
  

Favorite quotes:

• “You have to be changing to grow.”

• “What got you here won’t get you there.”
  

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Francie Jain and Terrawatt

02:30 Francie's Journey and the Birth of Terrawatt

04:58 The Value of Professional Development

06:51 Understanding Employee Turnover

09:18 Expanding Beyond Healthcare

11:40 Common Challenges in Coaching

13:55 Psychological Safety in the Workplace

16:07 The Debate on Remote Work

18:28 Creativity in Employee Engagement

20:43 Addressing Criticism of Remote Work

24:10 Exploring Virtual Best Practices

26:17 The Impact of Virtual Work on Productivity

29:14 Cost Savings Through Employee Retention

31:19 Defining a Good Coach

35:59 Personal Growth Through Coaching

38:35 Building a Values-Driven Business

39:42 Connecting with Francie Jain

Follow Francie Jain, CEO of Terawatt.co

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Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Manager's Mic, I converse with my wife, who shares her experience while we discuss insights from a Korn Ferry article emphasizing the "No-Nos for New Managers." Our conversation also touches on the balance between being too nice and mean as a leader, and the necessity of clear communication and understanding individual team members' needs.

Reference:

Korn Ferry. (2025 Apr. 25th). 7 No-Nos New Bosses Should Avoid. Article. ⁠Link.⁠

Chapters:

00:00 Who is Tricia Leon, Ph.D?

02:25 Tricia's Professional Journey

05:01 The Importance of Management Training

09:51 Avoiding the Know-It-All Mentality

20:17 Making Thoughtful Decisions

28:15 Navigating Change Management

31:26 Navigating Change in Higher Education

34:26 The Importance of Authentic Leadership

36:34 Learning from Past Experiences

39:43 Fresh Perspectives in the Workplace

41:06 Valuing Your Team

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Welcome to The Manager’s Mic, hosted by Paul Leon, a sales enablement trainer, MBA candidate, and selling strategist. I was a former college dropout who has now trained over 2,000 professionals.

This podcast will help you develop management skills that foster rapport in the workplace. You will also gain real-world leadership insights, communication skill strategies, and lessons from the trenches.

Follow Paul Leon:

⁠Newsletter | ⁠YouTube⁠ | Discord | LinkedIn⁠ | Website