What if the most powerful thing a manager can do isn’t setting goals or tracking metrics, but simply caring about the people behind the work?

In this episode of Manager to Manager, host Kamaria Scott sits down with Zachary Wright, founder of Grapevine and longtime strategy and operations leader, to explore how human-centered leadership transforms performance and culture. Zachary shares his journey from being micromanaged early in his career to discovering his own leadership style—one that prioritizes treating people as people, not cogs in a system.

Through personal stories of helping underperformers become top contributors, navigating the challenges of being a first-time founder, and leading teams through uncertainty, Zachary demonstrates why relationships and results are inseparable in effective management.

This conversation explores how managers can:

Unlock performance by aligning employees’ personal goals with organizational objectives
Build trust and influence through genuine curiosity and consistent one-on-ones
Set the tone as a founder or leader, recognizing that every action ripples across the team
Distinguish between positional power and true leadership rooted in respect and care
Use technology, including AI, to support managers rather than replace them

Zachary reminds us that leadership is more than positional authority—it’s the daily choice to balance optimism with realism, influence with empathy, and results with relationships.

Whether you’re leading inside a startup, managing contractors across time zones, or working to redefine your own leadership style, this episode offers practical and inspiring insights to help you lead with greater clarity and care.

Show Notes:

Follow Zachary Wright on LinkedIn and explore Grapevine at grapevinesoftware.io
Follow Kamaria Scott on LinkedIn | managermomentum.com