The Management Tip of the Day

  Working with a condescending colleague is irritating at best and detrimental to your career at worst. How can you deal with an overconfident coworker who always talks down to you?     First, take a moment to (internally) roll your eyes. Try to be ligh the arted about it. Remember:   The ir attitude has more to do with   the m than it does with you.   The n decide whe the r it’s really worth it to speak up. Is this a recurring pattern, or just a one-time occurrence? Distinguish between interactions that are mildly irritating and those that affect your well-being or prevent you from doing your work.   Next, try to separate what   the y said from how   the y said it. If you choose not to address   the ir condescension, respond to   the   information or feedback   the y’re communicating, and disregard   the ir tone.   Finally, schedule a conversation about how   the ir communication style affects you. Plan wha...

  Overthinking can take three forms: rumination, overanalyzing, and future tripping. Here’s how to spot and handle each one—before they cause you to spiral, stress, and ultimately burn out.   Rumination.   This is a mental loop where you dwell on past events, particularly negative or distressing ones. If you tend to fixate on negative feedback, bring up past failures in conversation with others, or you’re overly cautious about work, you might be a ruminator. To diffuse your rumination, set aside 15 to 30 minutes to grapple with these negative thoughts. This will help you compartmentalize and stop yourself from ruminating constantly throughout the day.   Overanalyzing.   Procrastinating, over-relying on others’ approval, and experiencing difficulty prioritizing are all tendencies of overanalyzers. To break the cycle, shift your aim from “perfect” to “good enough.”   Future tripping.   If you spend excessive energy planning for every possible scenario, o...

  When employees speak out about political and social issues, when and how should you respond as a senior leader? Take a pause with your leadership team and consider five factors before making a public statement.   Authority:   How much authority, power, or status do we have in   the wider organizational system compared to o the r stakeholders (employees, customers, suppliers, and investors)? And how do we want to use that authority?   Concern:   Is this issue   of   concern to us, or to stakeholders? Do we really know how much stakeholders care about this issue?   The ory   of   change:   Do we feel we can make a difference? Do we feel we can resist change in   the   “outside” world, or do we see how we participate and are influenced by it? What role do we believe we can play in influencing change?   Identity:   Do we consider ourselves to be activists? What do we stand for—and what don’t we?   Field: ...

  It’s normal to wrestle with feelings   of   unmet expectations, missed opportunities, and paths not taken as you reach   the   midpoint   of   your career. But arriving at middle age is also a pr of ound opportunity to reflect and blaze a new path. Start by asking yourself   the se questions.   What could I regret in 10 years?   Imagine   the   disappointment you might feel in   the   future if you don’t take certain actions to day , and use that as a motivating force.   How do I define and tap into my purpose?   Shift from a career shaped by external forces and o the rs’ agendas to one driven by what you find meaningful.   What are my values and priorities to day ?   You may find that   the y’ve changed over time. Carefully consider which compromises you’re willing to make—and which ones you aren’t.   What mastery have I developed?   Reflect on   the   skills and knowled...

  Big changes at work (layoffs, reorgs, or the departure of an important colleague, for example) can stir up big feelings. How can you stay grounded amid organizational chaos?   Give yourself grace.   Let yourself feel your feelings. Change can be disorienting, so be gentle with yourself.   Build resilience.   Take a purposeful pause and allow yourself to imagine the worst-case scenarios. What could make me and what could break me? This type of reflection will help you shift from a defensive mindset to a growth mindset that embraces new possibilities.   Seek support...strategically.   Decompressing with colleagues can feel cathartic, and some venting may be unavoidable. But try not to lean too heavily on your colleagues. It’s safer to confide in trusted personal relationships outside of work.   Be positive and opportunistic—but stay objective.   You can choose to look at the chaos as an obstacle to overcome, or as a chance to grow. But rememb...

  You won’t always agree with every decision senior leadership makes. But as a manager, you still have a responsibility to communicate those decisions to your team. Here’s how to prepare for   the se difficult conversations.   Start by regulating your own emotions. You need to bring a measured approach to   the   conversation with your team. Process your own feelings before you talk to   the m.   The n ga the r all   the   available information. Ask for clarity on how   management   reached   the   decision. What criteria were used? What alternatives were considered? What broader factors were in play that perhaps are outside your visibility?   When you do talk to your team, don’t throw senior   management   under   the   bus. You can acknowledge your disappointment and empathize compassionately with   the irs—but stop short   of   showing anger or resentment.   Remember, your jo...

  Transitioning from being an individual contributor to a people manager is hard. You’re no longer only responsible for your own work and career; your decisions now have a direct impact on somebody else’s pr of essional life. This can feel like a lot   of   responsibility—and it is! But   the re are habits you can build to develop your managerial judgment. Listen.   You may feel pressure to come up with an answer to every question or a solution to every problem. But remember that asking   the right questions and listening—to your team, superiors, and key stakeholders—is an equally important leadership skill.   Consider a range   of   options.   Poor judgment   of ten comes from an inability (or unwillingness) to consider all   the   possible solutions to a given problem. To expand your point   of   view, ask trusted colleagues for input: “I've identified options A and B, and here are   the   trade- of f...

  Are your meetings chronically disengaging—or worse, easily derailed? It may be time to introduce curiosity into   the   agenda to keep people focused and things on track.   First, direct   the   team’s attention to identifying   the   problem you’re   the re to solve. Ra the r than doing this for   the m, ask everyone in   the room to define   the   goal   of   the   meeting in one sentence. Clarifying a collective mission at   the   outset will help align team members and reduce confusion or irrelevant sidebars.   The n let your employees do   the   talking. Just because you’re leading   the   meeting doesn’t mean you have to dominate it. Show curiosity, ask o the rs for   the ir opinions before sharing your own, and actively listen. This is a powerful way to engage and empower people.   Finally,   of fer feedback—but avoid judgmental language. Judgment is...

  Is your team aligned around what success looks like in   the   coming year? Early in   the   year is a prime opportunity to rally your team around a shared vision. Here’s how to lead that conversation.   First, ask each team member how   the y envision team success, ei the r through interviews or a survey.   The n group   the ir individual responses into broad   the mes, such as revenue growth, pr of itability, audience expansion, innovation, and culture.   The n meet as a group. When you come toge the r, start by level setting, ensuring that everyone is up to date on key data. It’s important that   the   team is clear on   the   baseline metrics you’ll use to collectively measure success.   Next, review   the   team’s individual responses toge the r. Where do people’s answers overlap? Where do   the ir priorities diverge? This will inevitably lead to an engaging, inclusive discussion. ...

  It’s totally normal to ruminate on stressful situations, whe the r it’s a nagging problem at work or a personal conflict that’s making you anxious.   The   good news? Improving your ability to stay present can help you set aside stressors that you can’t immediately resolve. Here are some strategies to break   the   cycle   of   rumination.   First, anchor yourself. Take a moment to feel   the   weight   of   your feet on   the   floor,   the n consider: “What am I thinking? What am I feeling in my body right now? What am I doing right now?”   The n ask yourself: “Are my thoughts helping me in this moment?”   The n try to take your thoughts less seriously. Ra the r than allowing negative ideas to feel like dictators in your life, gain some perspective by observing   the m from a distance and reminding yourself that   the y’re just thoughts.   Next, don’t fight uncertainty. While acceptin...

  When you work in a toxic workplace,   the   signs can be easy to recognize. Yelling and bullying, lots   of   gossip, and unsustainable workloads are a few common hallmarks. But identifying toxicity in an organization you don’t yet work for can prove to be tricky. Here are three red flags to watch out for when you’re applying and interviewing for a new job.   A bad interview process.   Poor communication from recruiters, ghosting, and endless interviews are a few signals that   the re may be something broken in   the   company you’re applying to. O the r signs include being inflexible on interview dates and times and pressuring candidates to accept   of fers   the   day   of . What current employees say (and don’t).   Listen carefully to   the responses current employees give when you ask questions about   the role,   the   specific team you’d be joining, and   the   overall organi...