The Guardrails Podcast™ Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-guardrails-podcast Good news: you got the job. Bad news: school left out half the syllabus. How do you handle a difficult conversation? Find a mentor? Own a mistake? Figure out what everyone else seems to know already? On The Guardrails Podcast™, Blaise Schroeder (the old guard), and Michael B. Stevens (the new guard), talk honestly about the messy, human side of professional life. They’ve made the mistakes and learned the hard lessons. Take what helps, challenge what doesn’t, and know you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go. On The Guardrails Podcast™, Blaise Schroeder (the old guard) and Michael B. Stevens (the new guard) will lead us through these workplace conversations. Once a month, they’ll bring different perspectives from career paths, share lessons learned the hard way, and welcome guests with stories of their own. © 2026 The Guardrails Podcast™ bb539283-29ad-567c-b556-c7afaaaab120 yes SNEAK PEEK: That Email Should Have Been A Phone Call en Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:35:02 -0400 Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:36:34 -0400 https://img.transistorcdn.com/d3mhY7rfX5_Qe-1v36YU3U18Dia9aEnUSvJ0tPTqqlU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9jN2I0/ZjU4ZTIxZmZjZTZm/YzU3NGI3MmI5MDI1/MDkzNC5wbmc.jpg The Guardrails Podcast™ episodic Blaise Schroeder and Michael B. Stevens Good news: you got the job. Bad news: school left out half the syllabus. How do you handle a difficult conversation? Find a mentor? Own a mistake? Figure out what everyone else seems to know already? On The Guardrails Podcast™, Blaise Schroeder (the old guard), and Michael B. Stevens (the new guard), talk honestly about the messy, human side of professional life. They’ve made the mistakes and learned the hard lessons. Take what helps, challenge what doesn’t, and know you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go. On The Guardrails Podcast™, Blaise Schroeder (the old guard) and Michael B. Stevens (the new guard) will lead us through these workplace conversations. Once a month, they’ll bring different perspectives from career paths, share lessons learned the hard way, and welcome guests with stories of their own. Good news: you got the job. careers, workplace, management, advice The Guardrails Podcast™ No No That Email Should Have Been A Phone Call 1 1 That Email Should Have Been A Phone Call full b4b6dfa7-a90d-4887-90e7-99a651db0de8 https://share.transistor.fm/s/c93bbfd7 EPISODE 1
In the first episode of the Guard Rails podcast, hosts Michael B. Stevens and Blaise Schroeder introduce the show’s purpose: sharing workplace and managerial lessons - especially soft skills they believe aren’t being taught - through a cross-generational lens. Blaise, a Vermont-based insurance manager with decades of experience, and Michael, a millennial lawyer and law firm leader, describe their backgrounds and how they met through a business outreach that led to a memorable Applebee’s lunch and a discussion about communication. The episode’s main topic is when “the email should have been a phone call,” emphasizing how written communication can lose tone, create misunderstandings, prolong conflict, and increase anxiety, while real-time calls can build rapport, speed clarity, resolve sensitive or nuanced issues, and build trust. They discuss coaching and onboarding practices to proactively teach these skills and invite feedback and topic ideas for future episodes.

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In the first episode of the Guard Rails podcast, hosts Michael B. Stevens and Blaise Schroeder introduce the show’s purpose: sharing workplace and managerial lessons - especially soft skills they believe aren’t being taught - through a cross-generational lens. Blaise, a Vermont-based insurance manager with decades of experience, and Michael, a millennial lawyer and law firm leader, describe their backgrounds and how they met through a business outreach that led to a memorable Applebee’s lunch and a discussion about communication. The episode’s main topic is when “the email should have been a phone call,” emphasizing how written communication can lose tone, create misunderstandings, prolong conflict, and increase anxiety, while real-time calls can build rapport, speed clarity, resolve sensitive or nuanced issues, and build trust. They discuss coaching and onboarding practices to proactively teach these skills and invite feedback and topic ideas for future episodes.

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In the first episode of the Guard Rails podcast, hosts Michael B. Stevens and Blaise Schroeder introduce the show’s purpose: sharing workplace and managerial lessons - especially soft skills they believe aren’t being taught - through a cross-generational lens. Blaise, a Vermont-based insurance manager with decades of experience, and Michael, a millennial lawyer and law firm leader, describe their backgrounds and how they met through a business outreach that led to a memorable Applebee’s lunch and a discussion about communication. The episode’s main topic is when “the email should have been a phone call,” emphasizing how written communication can lose tone, create misunderstandings, prolong conflict, and increase anxiety, while real-time calls can build rapport, speed clarity, resolve sensitive or nuanced issues, and build trust. They discuss coaching and onboarding practices to proactively teach these skills and invite feedback and topic ideas for future episodes.

]]> careers, workplace, management, advice No SNEAK PEEK: That Email Should Have Been A Phone Call 1 1 SNEAK PEEK: That Email Should Have Been A Phone Call trailer d88242c8-8d90-43ee-b13f-a5e3bee60165 https://share.transistor.fm/s/9bd39900 When the Email Should Have Been a Phone Call


Michael Stevens and Blaise Schroeder introduce a The Guardrails Podcast with the idea that many emails should instead be handled with a phone call. They argue that real speed in communication comes not from typing faster, but from choosing a medium that forces immediate clarity. Sending an email can feel like the easy option, but it may create ongoing anxiety and trigger long back-and-forth threads, additional discussions, and involvement from managers. Their recommendation is to pick up the phone so the other person can hear your voice and resolve the issue more directly.

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Michael Stevens and Blaise Schroeder introduce a The Guardrails Podcast with the idea that many emails should instead be handled with a phone call. They argue that real speed in communication comes not from typing faster, but from choosing a medium that forces immediate clarity. Sending an email can feel like the easy option, but it may create ongoing anxiety and trigger long back-and-forth threads, additional discussions, and involvement from managers. Their recommendation is to pick up the phone so the other person can hear your voice and resolve the issue more directly.

]]> Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:00:03 -0400 Blaise Schroeder and Michael B. Stevens Watch on YouTube Blaise Schroeder and Michael B. Stevens 96 When the Email Should Have Been a Phone Call


Michael Stevens and Blaise Schroeder introduce a The Guardrails Podcast with the idea that many emails should instead be handled with a phone call. They argue that real speed in communication comes not from typing faster, but from choosing a medium that forces immediate clarity. Sending an email can feel like the easy option, but it may create ongoing anxiety and trigger long back-and-forth threads, additional discussions, and involvement from managers. Their recommendation is to pick up the phone so the other person can hear your voice and resolve the issue more directly.

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