The Management Squeeze: Why Capable Managers Struggle, and What Actually Helps
Managers don’t get stuck because they lack effort or talent — they get stuck because they’re caught in the management squeeze. Pulled between team needs, leadership expectations, and business priorities, many managers are asked to navigate a role they were never trained for. This piece explores what’s really happening beneath the surface — and what actually helps managers move forward.
Scaling Without Losing Clarity: Lessons from High-Growth Brands
As companies scale, growth rarely breaks because people stop trying; it breaks when alignment starts to slip. In this conversation, Ashley Fina sits down with Joe Yakuel to explore how high-growth brands maintain clarity, why most challenges aren’t marketing problems, and how strong management systems turn strategy into execution.
Engineering at Scale: What NY Engineers Reveals About the Power of Great Management
A look inside NY Engineers’ approach to fast, efficient project delivery — and how strong management systems elevate complex engineering work.
8 Core Skills We Teach in Oxygen’s Management Essentials Program
Most managers are promoted because they’re great at the work—not because they’ve been taught how to manage. Oxygen’s Management Essentials program closes that gap. Through structure, feedback, and repeatable habits, managers learn the skills that turn individual success into team success.
This blog breaks down the eight core skills every manager needs to perform at their best: self-reflection, focusing on the vital few, purposeful communication, clear goals, energy management, managing up, solution-oriented thinking, and taking care of themselves first. These are practical, coachable skills that help managers gain confidence, improve performance, and build teams people love working for.
Building Better Leaders and Stronger Businesses: A Conversation with Matthew Kraus, CEO of Skyline Windows
An interview with Matthew Kraus, CEO of Skyline Windows, on how leadership has evolved across four generations—and why investing in manager development through Oxygen is key to building stronger teams, reducing risk, and sustaining long-term business success.
AI Won’t Replace Managers, But It Will Expose the Bad Ones
AI won’t replace managers, but it will reveal who’s leading effectively. Oxygen Co-Founder Ashley Fina shares how great managers can use AI to become more human, not less.
The ‘Always-On’ Manager: How Management Training Helps Prevent Burnout & Increase Company Performance
Manager burnout is rising. Discover how boundary-setting and management training prevent overload and boost performance.
Manager Spotlight: Why Cross-Company Cohorts Beat In-House Training
Strong managers aren’t just born—they’re built. In this Manager Spotlight, Natalie Mastroianni shares why Oxygen’s cross-company cohorts helped her grow more than traditional in-house training. With peers from diverse industries, she found the psychological safety to be candid, fresh perspectives that sparked new ideas, and the confidence to practice hard conversations. The result? Stronger management skills, higher engagement, and better outcomes for her team.
53% of Managers Are Burned Out. Here are 7 Boundaries to Prevent Manager Burnout and Protect Your Energy
Manager burnout is rising, with over 53% of managers reporting workplace burnout. Learn seven proven boundaries for managers that protect leadership energy, improve self care, and prevent burnout at work. Discover how Oxygen’s Management Essentials program equips managers with practical strategies to sustain performance and lead with clarity.
Burnout Is a Leadership Problem: Here’s How to Fix It
Burnout isn’t about weak employees or a lack of resilience — it’s a leadership problem. When managers aren’t equipped, expectations are unclear, and workloads are unsustainable, burnout spreads across organizations. The cost is staggering, but the solution is within reach: equip managers, create clarity, and model healthy leadership to reduce burnout and unlock performance.
From Good to Great: How Managers Grew in Confidence and Capability in Just 3 Months
Oxygen partnered with an organization to deliver a custom management training program using our Management Essentials curriculum and framework. In just 3 months, halfway through the program’s duration, managers reported dramatic improvements in delegation, feedback, and relationship-building. Many went from rating themselves as “average” to “excellent” in just a few months. These results demonstrate why structured manager development programs matter, and how they deliver measurable ROI for organizations.
Manager Spotlight: Real Voices From the Midpoint of Management Essentials
At Oxygen, we believe in checking in along the way—not just at the finish line. That’s why we ask every Management Essentials cohort to share feedback at the program’s midpoint. The results speak volumes: managers aren’t just learning, they’re already applying new skills like feedback frameworks, delegation strategies, and structured one-on-ones. With 97% of participants putting lessons into practice and 90% finding the content highly relevant, the midpoint snapshot shows real momentum—and real impact.
“I Became the Manager My Team Needed”: How Oxygen Helped One Nonprofit Leader Build Trust, Ownership, and Stronger Team Dynamics
When Michelle Gulino joined the Human Rights Foundation’s Management Essentials training with Oxygen, she was already an experienced manager — but she knew there was room to grow. Over six months, she built new habits, learned practical frameworks, and found a safe space to reflect and lead with more intention. The result? Stronger trust, better communication, and a team that feels more connected than ever.
“I finally had time to breathe”: How Oxygen Helped One Manager Reset and Refocus
Through WorkBetterNow’s investment in Oxygen’s Management Essentials program, Jose Barahona didn’t just learn new management skills; he found the space to reset, reflect, and completely reframe how he leads. From delegation to communication to managing up, Oxygen helped him create a more intentional, confident, and structured approach to his work.
From Task Manager to Team Leader: How Oxygen Helped Mark Boulger Rethink Management
When Senior Installation Manager Mark Boulger joined Oxygen’s Management Essentials program, he thought he was signing up for a simple training. Instead, he discovered a new approach to leadership—one rooted in trust, empathy, and shared growth. This story explores how cohort-based learning helped Mark go from reactive task manager to confident, people-first leader.
Culture-Led. Results-Focused.How Dov Braun Raises the Bar in Skilled Nursing and Leadership
At Oxygen, we highlight executives who do more than lead—they elevate. In this edition of our executive leadership spotlight, we sat down with Dov Braun, CEO of Independence Healthcare Management, to explore how a culture-first approach drives clinical innovation, leadership growth, and scalable excellence across his multi-state skilled nursing organization.
How to Know If Your Team Is Burned Out: 5 Signs Managers and Leaders Shouldn’t Ignore
Burnout doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it shows up quietly—a disengaged team, missed deadlines, or silence where there used to be energy. As a manager, knowing what to look for is your first line of defense. In this post, we explore five key signs your team might be burned out and offer a quick, research-backed quiz to help you assess the risk. If you want to support your team’s well-being and performance, this is where to start.
Cohort-Based Learning for Managers: What It Is and Why It Works
Cohort-based learning is changing the way companies develop managers, and for good reason. Unlike one-off workshops or static slide decks, this model builds confidence, connection, and long-term results. Learn why peer-based, real-world training is the missing piece in most manager development programs.
What’s the Difference Between Coaching, Mentoring, and Training for Managers?
Most companies confuse coaching, mentoring, and training. In this post, Oxygen Co-CEO Ashley Fina breaks down the difference and explains why structured manager training, paired with coaching and mentoring, creates lasting results.
Why Executive Coaches Choose to Teach with Oxygen
Executive coach Michael Knouse shares why he teaches with Oxygen and what makes our Management Essentials program stand out for fast-growing, mid-market companies.