The Management Tip of the Day

Giving employees autonomy to make decisions and solve problems is critical for your team’s innovation, performance, and motivation. But for many managers, trusting your team’s ability to self-manage is easier said than done. Here’s how you can mentally prepare to delegate. Reflect on what’s held you back from empowering people to make decisions in the past. Is a specific failure haunting you? Are you a controlling person by nature? What were your feelings when you delegated in the past, and what can you learn from them? Next, plan for a gradual transition of responsibilities. Start by giving low-risk decisions to capable people. This approach will help you build up confidence in yourself as a delegator—and in your employees as decision-makers—before you distribute responsibility more widely. Think of this as an opportunity to grow. As you develop as a leader, it’s natural to shift your focus from small, in-the-weeds decisions to bigger-picture ones that inform strategy, innovation, and...

  If you’ve lost your job, it can be hard to stay positive and remember your past successes. But in order to sell yourself to prospective employers and land the next job, you need to believe in your abilities. Here’s how to hold onto your confidence during a lengthy job hunt. Write down 10 reasons why you’re successful—and read them every morning.  What led to your past accomplishments? What skills do you possess? What relationships do you value? Remind yourself of these facts every day. Set daily and weekly goals.  Determine the specific period of time you’ll spend updating your resume, practicing interviewing, researching opportunities, and applying to jobs. And don’t just look at your career—consider personal goals you haven’t had time to reach. Network.  Reach out to former colleagues, managers, and classmates. You don’t have to do this alone. Take care of yourself.  Job hunting can be exhausting. Take time to do things you’re good at or love, such as playin...

  Burnout is a management and organizational issue—not an individual one. Most of the time, it’s triggered by a disconnect between what an employee needs and what their employer is providing. The first step in addressing the problem is figuring out what’s causing it. If you’re feeling burned out, consider which of the following mismatches might be at the core of the issue. A workload mismatch  often involves high demands and insufficient resources to meet them successfully—for example, not enough time, staff, information, or equipment. A control mismatch  happens when you don’t have adequate autonomy to do your job well. A reward mismatch  means that good work is not leading to the appropriate recognition, compensation, or opportunities. A community mismatch  is most extreme in a socially toxic workplace, where there’s rampant incivility, bullying, or harassment—rather than mutual trust, respect, and support. A fairness mismatch  involves discrimination and...

  If you rely on a decisive, command-and-control leadership style, you may find yourself not only at odds with your colleagues, but also viewed as a liability to the organization. There are several mindset shifts you can make to build trust with your peers and become a more collaborative leader. Start by turning inward and cultivating some humility. Ask yourself why you have such a hard time collaborating around decisions. Do you struggle to trust other people? Could you be undervaluing your colleagues’ contributions? Are you afraid of slowing processes down? Whatever the source of your hesitation, identify it, and remember that success is about accomplishing business objectives—not getting your way. Asking for input and seeking different perspectives is not a weakness—it’s an advantage that will only make your leadership more effective. Be honest about what you don't know and pursue that information or data with an open curiosity alongside your colleagues. Finally, position your o...

  Think about your most annoying colleague—the one who does  that thing  that just irks you. Now consider the possibility that they might never change. How can you make peace with their flaws and not build resentment?  Clarify your principles.  Write down what you believe about forgiveness. Are there conditions that can warrant it, and if so, what are they? Do you have limits on how frequently you forgive (e.g., three strikes and you’re out)? What things have you deemed unforgivable? Separate your emotions from your actions.  Write down all the emotions you’ve felt toward your colleague—resentment, vindictiveness, fear, etc. Next, consider how these emotions have shaped your behavior. Have you vented about the person to colleagues, or given them the cold shoulder? Be honest about which reactions are counterproductive.  Reflect on the whole story.  Take a step back and reconsider. Are there factors you’ve ignored? How might you be contributing to t...

  Saying “no” when your boss asks you to take on an extra task is undoubtedly challenging, but sometimes, it’s necessary. Here’s how to decide whether to say no—and how to do it tactfully. First, take a day to think about whether the task will help or hurt you. Ask yourself a few questions: Will I learn something new or gain experience by saying yes? Does this task align with my future career goals? What experiences will I miss out on if I say yes to this task? Am I already feeling overwhelmed? The answers to these questions will inform whether you’re able to take on the extra work. Next, don’t just say no—explain why you’re saying it. If you’ve determined that you just can’t say yes to your boss’s request, be transparent about why. Perhaps you can’t finish the task or project within the required timeframe, you don’t feel you have the resources to do the work successfully, or you’ll have to neglect other key responsibilities to get it done. Whatever your reasoning, explain it. If y...

  As a manager, you won’t always have confidence in your team’s engagement, effort, and performance. How should you respond when doubt or frustration starts to creep in? Start by asking yourself these six questions. Have I been clear about expectations?  Without this cue, your team won’t feel a sense of purpose—or be able to strategically organize their time, energy, and resources. Are those expectations reasonable?  If the current goals are unrealistic, you may need to seek out more resources, or recalibrate your expectations. You may also need to provide more guidance to help your team achieve its goals. Could something else be going on?  If you notice a dip in someone’s performance, have a direct and kind conversation to find out the cause. Be patient: There may be personal events at play, such as an ailing family member, a breakup, or additional caregiving responsibilities. Am I in the way?  Grant your team the autonomy to realize your vision. Don’t microman...

  Being a leader doesn’t make you immune to feedback. In fact, the quality of your leadership depends on your ability to receive and implement feedback—especially when circumstances are challenging or uncertain. To get an accurate pulse on your leadership performance, first, actively seek out negative feedback. If what you’re hearing from your colleagues is all feel-good praise and no hard-to-hear criticism, you need to work harder to get them to criticize you. To do this, come up with go-to questions you can ask your manager, your peers, and your direct reports. Avoid yes-or-no questions (“Do you have any feedback for me?”) and instead invite specific suggestions (“What’s one thing you need me to do differently?”). No matter how good your go-to question is, the other person is likely to feel uncomfortable; embrace that discomfort. Try asking your question and then remaining silent. Count to six, slowly, in your head. Very few people can endure six full seconds of silence—they’ll t...

  Being laid off is a painful experience. But even through the difficult emotions, you have the autonomy to shape a positive experience and outlook. Before you can redirect your career and focus on the future, you need to first prioritize self-care in the present. This means creating a predictable routine, which will give your weeks much-needed structure and focus. Make sure that routine isn’t built entirely around finding a new job; you also need to invest in your physical and mental well-being—perhaps by setting aside some daily time for exercise and meditation. If you find yourself feeling down or overwhelmed, take a break and shift your focus to others. See if you can help someone else, even if it’s simply by reaching out to ask how someone is doing. Finally, focus on building community and relationships. It’s easy to forget that you’re not alone. Over the years, you’ve built countless meaningful connections and you’ve been there for people. Lean on those relationships—and make...

  When a superstar employee leaves your organization, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be gone forever. You may be able to entice them back by continuing to cultivate your relationship—even after they’ve moved on. One way to do this is by creating an alumni network for your team or organization. A platform like this demonstrates to former employees that they could be welcomed back if they eventually want to return and ensures that your organization remains top-of-mind as they progress through their careers. A second, simpler way to stay connected is to just check in with them from time to time. Get a sense of how things are going in their new role and express to them that they're missed. This is especially impactful around the one-year anniversary of their departure. Research shows that the one-year mark is when people are most likely to want to boomerang back to their former employer. Reconnecting at this critical moment can be a great way to encourage an employee who may be co...

  In unfamiliar, high-stakes situations, you’re hard-wired to default to the solutions you’ve relied on in the past. But challenging times are when you need to learn, change, and adapt the most. Overcoming this “adaptability paradox” is all about acting with intention, creativity, and objectivity. Start by practicing learning agility: learning from experience, experimenting with new tactics, approaching new situations with a growth mindset, seeking feedback, and applying these lessons to new situations in real time. Next, practice emotional regulation: the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions—and to channel them into productive behaviors. To develop this emotional intelligence, you might keep a diary of moments when you feel emotionally triggered and describe the thoughts and bodily sensations you experienced and actions you took in those situations. Finally, practice dual awareness: consider both the internal circumstances (experiences, thoughts, emotions, an...

  Working parents building their families by adopting a child face many challenges, including financial (adoptions in the U.S. can cost up to $58,000), logistical (the paperwork can feel endless), and emotional. Here are a few ways to offer support: Provide financial reimbursement.  Providing financial reimbursement will not only help with the financial burden of adopting, reducing stress for those employees, but it could also motivate more employees to adopt. Give employees the flexibility to work outside of normal hours or remotely.  This will help them better balance their work and family demands throughout the adoption process.  Offer paid leave.  Many adoption-friendly organizations will offer the same leave benefits to adoptive parents as they offer for maternity and/or paternity leave. Connect employees with adoption networks or support groups.  They’ll benefit from the community outside of the office—and feel even more supported inside it. Celebrate...

  As a leader, it’s often beneficial to put your feelings on display. But there are certain situations when unleashing your raw, unfiltered emotions can backfire. How do you decide when to put on a poker face at work? Ask yourself these questions: How will expressing my emotions help or hinder my goals?  If you’re trying to build relationships and rapport, using a poker face may come across as insincere or uninterested, whereas if you’re negotiating, it may be advantageous to protect your position. What’s my role in the interaction?  For example, if you’re leading a meeting, you may want to display more confidence and assertiveness, whereas if you’re a participant, you may want to display more openness and receptivity. How appropriate is it for me to show vulnerability in this context?  Consider whether the situation calls for a more guarded approach or whether it’s appropriate to be more open, along with your personal style and what feels more authentic to you. What...

  One of your core responsibilities as a manager is to develop the next generation of leaders. How can you help your superstar employees fulfill their potential? Here are three strategies. Measure their progress against key leadership competencies.  These include team management, relationship building, and communication. Identify where your high potentials are already strong and where they can continue to grow. Help them boost their emotional intelligence. Specifically, focus on their self-awareness and empathy. Self-awareness can be learned through feedback and assessments, and empathy can be developed by focusing on inquiry, practicing active listening, and acknowledging different perspectives. Encourage a learning mindset.  Becoming a leader requires growth beyond technical expertise. Encourage development of contextual intelligence: the ability to understand and operate in multiple contexts and adapt one’s style and approach accordingly. This means nudging high potent...

  Making a career transition is never easy, and it may feel downright impossible when financial responsibilities get in the way. Here are some ways to initiate a big pivot that might entail a pay cut. Validate your interests.  Do you really want what you think you want? Do some research and reach out to folks in the industry to make sure the career you’re daydreaming about is actually worthy of your fantasy. Talk to the people you’re closest to.  Have an upfront, transparent dialogue with your partner, family, or anyone who will be affected by your potential loss in earnings. Being proactive about this conversation will help you avoid drama and plan your finances responsibly. Stretch your time horizon.  You don’t necessarily need to take a big leap; small steps can help you get started on your transition. Make use of the free time you already have to start developing skills, networking, and experimenting in the new industry you’re interested in. Transfer internally o...

  Being a compassionate leader isn’t just a nice thing to do—it’s a powerful lever of employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention, especially in challenging times. Here are some ways to practice and develop this essential, evidence-based leadership skill. First, start small. Demonstrating compassion doesn’t always require huge gestures. A simple encouraging comment, a brief check-in, or an expression of gratitude can go a long way. Next,be intentional about offering help. When an employee is struggling on a personal level, Instead of asking yes or no questions like, “Do you need help?” or “Is there anything I can do?” (which often sound like invitations to say “no”), try asking, “What can I do to be helpful to you today?” Then, go beyond your inner circle. Don’t limit your compassion to direct reports, close friends, or even your immediate team. Be generous with your attention and expand your influence. Finally, celebrate compassion in others. When an ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­...

  If you’re reporting to a new manager, it’s in your best interest to help them succeed. Here’s how to offer your support. Start by determining what information is most important for them to learn quickly, whether that’s technical (understanding customers, products, technologies, and systems), cultural (understanding “how we do things here”), or political (understanding how decisions are made and who the key stakeholders are). Then identify how you can communicate this information and get them up to speed. To assist with technical learning, ask yourself: What reports or product information would be helpful? What data would give them a strong understanding of the history and current state of the business? What should they know about internal technologies and systems? Or, if cultural learning is the priority, ask yourself: What are the unwritten rules of our team? What acronyms or jargon are commonly used in our company that they might not know? Finally, to be helpful with political ...

  Even if you’re working in a job that feels temporary, dead-end, or just isn’t the one, you’re not wasting your time. You can use this opportunity to develop some invaluable soft skills that will serve you in any career you might pursue down the road. Effective communication.  Being able to translate complex ideas for any audience (customers, clients, coworkers) is a critical capability in every field. Think of your job as an opportunity to practice adjusting your communication to each person you interact with. Teamwork.  Every job, on some level, requires some degree of collaboration. Practice new ways to resolve conflicts, align stakeholders, and partner with colleagues to advance your team’s goals. Leading and influencing (even without authority).  You’re more than just a cog in a machine. Look for opportunities to voice your opinions and ideas, mentor others, and contribute to your workplace culture. Problem solving.  Every job has challenges, some more com...

  Being a great manager isn’t only about solving problems for your team—it’s also about equipping them to solve problems without you. Here’s how to support your team, delegate more effectively, and let go of feeling personally responsible for every decision. The first step is understanding what beliefs underpin your current behavior. Do you worry your team will crumble under pressure and make you look bad? Do you believe your value depends on your ability to represent everything your team produces? Next, build trust in your team’s ability to problem solve—and explicitly express that trust to them. This means getting more comfortable with mistakes; allowing your team to fail (and learn) independently is a faster path to growth and long-term success than ensuring the short-term outcomes are well controlled. To do this, create an optimistic and experimental team culture, embrace a collective growth mindset, and reduce guesswork by communicating your expectations and needs. Along the w...

  Taking a sabbatical—an extended break from your normal work life—is a powerful way to combat burnout. If this option is available to you and you’re considering it, start by asking yourself a few key questions.  What kind of sabbatical are you looking for?  It’s important to set specific goals. Do you want a chance to dig into a passion project? Or to go on an adventure? Or to recover from your current unsustainable lifestyle? Whatever your reason for taking an extended break, be honest with yourself and name it. Should you work?  Not all sabbaticals involve zero work. Finding some non-routine work might be a necessary way to fund your sabbatical—and it may even instill a new sense of pride or ambition along the way. Will you go alone, or with a buddy?  Weigh the pros and cons of going solo against those of pairing up with someone. Your goals will inform this decision. Are you interested in self-discovery and delving into your passions? Or strengthening a relat...

  Being a great manager isn’t just about helping individuals reach their full potential—it’s also about leading your team as a unit. Here are three coaching approaches that can help your team develop together and achieve collective goals.  Problem-based coaching.  Treat problems and challenges as opportunities for team development. Rather than stepping in and taking over when a problem arises, encourage your team to work together to solve it—with your availability and support. This approach will lead to accelerated learning, boosted confidence, and a collective investment in the work. Discussion-based coaching.  Take a Socratic approach to team discussions, asking great questions and giving your team the space to problem-solve and brainstorm in their own way. With this approach, you’ll gain insight into how well team members understand the work and where additional support may be required. No-blame coaching.  Treating both success and failure as opportunities to...

  While you may have limited influence over your company’s reorganization, you do have control over how you respond to it. Here’s how to navigate the uncertainty of your future when your organization is in flux. First, talk to your manager and emphasize how you bring value. Clarify how your role aligns with the company’s needs, and identify a few ways you could meaningfully contribute to the company’s success in the future. By laying out your contributions and commitment, you’ll make it easier for them to advocate on your behalf. Next, nurture your internal network. Make a list of people to connect with, including allies, former managers, and mentors or sponsors. The more supporters you have at your company, the safer you are. Then, plan for how the reorg could affect you. Scan the current reality of the business, considering both internal and external factors. Think about the worst- and best-case scenarios (and several outcomes between those extremes), and determine how you would ...