S 2 Ep 38: Quit B*tchin' and start Pitchin' with Traci Austin

This one’s for the foremen, office heroes, and HR pros who are juggling flaming chainsaws (aka people). Traci Austin joins me to unpack transformative leadership in the trades—how to turn gripes into clear requests, shift HR from “policy police” to strategic partner, and use positive framing to calm the chaos. We also dig into managing difficult personalities, practical tools for new managers, and how to build training and continuous development that sticks on muddy job sites and in busy back offices.

Traci’s Mic-Drop Quote:
“A complaint is a wish in disguise. Say the wish out loud—and then we can do something about it.”

What You’ll Learn

• Trades-first leadership: Straightforward, field-tested ways to lead when time is short and stakes are high.
• Complaint → Request shift: Scripts to move conversations from venting to action.
• Mindset Upgrade for HR: From compliance-only to coach, connector, and capacity-builder.
• Positive framing that doesn’t feel fake: Reword tough messages without watering them down.
• Difficult personalities playbook: Boundaries, consequences, and coaching—without drama.
• New manager essentials: Day-one tools for clarity, accountability, and trust.
• Continuous development: Building a rhythm (not a one-and-done training day).

Steal-This Stuff (Practical Scripts & Tools)

1) Complaint → Request Script (use anywhere)

• Complaint: “Scheduling keeps changing last minute.”
• Translate to Request: “I need schedule changes by 3 PM the day prior so crews can prep. Can we commit to that?”

2) Positive Framing

• Instead of: “You’re always late with reports.”
• Try: “We need reports by 10 AM so payroll and billing don’t stall. What needs to change so you can hit that every day?”

3) Difficult Personalities—Traci’s 3C Method

• Clarify: The specific behavior, the impact, the standard.
• Coach: Ask what’s getting in the way; co-create one next step.
• Consequence: “If this repeats, here’s what happens next.” 

4) New Manager Starter Kit (day-one basics)

• 90-Day Scorecard: 3–5 outcomes with check-ins at days 30/60/90.
• Weekly One-on-One: 20 minutes, same day/time, agenda = wins, roadblocks, priorities.
• Daily Huddle: 10 minutes max—safety, schedule, blockers.
• RACI Lite: Who’s Responsible, who Approves, who’s Consulted, who’s Informed.

Connect with Tracy

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/traci-austin
• Email: traci@elevatedtalentconsulting.com
• Website: elevatedtalentconsulting.com

Call to Action

If you’re ready to retire the complaint cycle and start getting results, share this episode with a new manager who needs real-world tools, not corporate fluff. And drop your favorite “complaint → request” conversion in the comments—I might feature it next week.

#DearHRDiary #ManageWithHart #Leadership #Trades #NewManagers #PositiveFraming #HRMindset #ContinuousIm