Enterprising Investor

Great management isn't a "soft skill" — it's a measurable performance lever. Ashley Herd, founder and CEO of Manager Method and author of The Manager Method: Practical Strategies to Lead with Purpose and Confidence, joins host Mike Wallberg, CFA, to unpack why communication sits at the heart of effective leadership and how small managerial choices ripple through engagement, retention, and profitability. Drawing on her experience as a lawyer, in-house leader, and advisor who has trained more than 250,000 managers, Herd explains why promoting top performers into management roles so often backfires, how leaders can avoid micromanagement without disappearing, and why her "pause, consider, act" framework helps managers handle everything from delegation to performance conversations. The discussion also explores what investors and analysts can learn about management quality by listening closely to leadership behavior — not just the numbers — and why culture and innovation are inseparable from long-term returns.

Listen to the full episode of Enterprising Investor to hear practical insights on building better managers, stronger teams, and more resilient businesses.

What is Enterprising Investor?

Enterprising Investor is the flagship podcast of CFA Institute and the definitive program for the investment management industry. As stewards of the investment industry, Enterprising Investor will feature intimate conversations with some of the most influential people from the world of finance about the topics that matter most to investment professionals.