Don’t Just Give Feedback. Engage in a Conversation.

 Mon 27 July 2020 

Don’t Just Give Feedback. Engage in a Conversation.

When giving feedback, you might assume your role is to tell your employee what you see, but it’s far more effective if you engage in a two-way conversation. Start by asking questions about their strengths. 

For example, you might say, “Tell me about a time this month that you felt energized,” or, “What have you learned about yourself from working on this project?” Asking employees to look back on these moments helps you better understand what it took to get there — and what it will take to get there again. 

When employees hint at a challenge, try to draw out their concern. You might ask questions like:

 “What outcome are you trying to achieve? What have you tried so far to get there? How have you handled similar challenges in the past?” 

Then, help them shape the path forward.

 Let the employee offer ideas about next steps, but steer the conversation and offer concrete feedback. Close with questions like, “How do you think you’ll act on this?” and “What would happen if you tried this?” The best feedback helps your employees understand and build upon their strengths — and perhaps even see themselves in a new way ! 

This tip is adapted from “Good Feedback Is a Two-Way Conversation,” by Joe Hirsch

Decision Making under Uncertainty

 Wed 09 Sept 2020 

Decision Making under Uncertainty 

Don’t Let Uncertainty Paralyze Your Decision-Making

When you’re living in a period of heightened uncertainty, your normal decision-making processes can break down. Some people become paralyzed and afraid to act, while others make quick decisions based on emotions or bias rather than facts. You can make careful, reasoned decisions by taking a strategic pause to stop and assess what information you have — and what you’re missing.

(1)  First, identify what kind of data you’re working with and biases that might accompany it. 

For example, some data captures our attention because it's surprising, but we might overweigh it because it’s new or noteworthy. 

(2) Next, identify which information matters most to your decision-making.

 There are an endless number of “known unknowns” out there, and exploring them all won’t help you !  Instead ask yourself: What do I really need to know to move forward? 

(3) Finally, formulate questions that will help you get the answers you need. 

(3-1) Organize your questions into four categories —

(a)  behavior,(b)  opinion, (c) feeling, and (d) knowledge — so that you bring both distance and a variety of perspectives to how you interpret the data !

  Following these practices will help you better address your emotional responses, name and confront them, and make more rational decisions in the face of uncertainty.

This tip is adapted from “How to Make Rational Decisions in the Face of Uncertainty,” by Cheryl Strauss Einhorn

Raison de tre for entrepreneurship

 Fri 14 Aug 2020 

Aspiring Entrepreneurs, Identify a Meaningful Problem to Solve

Starting a business isn’t easy — and scaling it is even harder — so you need to be committed. Before sending that “I quit!” email you’ve been fantasizing about, identify a problem that you have a personal connection to and that you’re driven to solve. It could be that you’ve identified shortcomings particular to your industry. Maybe you’re part of a consumer segment that’s underserved by the current offerings. Or perhaps you regularly encounter a very specific frustration that others are sure to share. Next, make sure you’re clear on the value you’ll bring to customers. How will you make their lives easier, more pleasant, or more meaningful? How will you go out of your way for them at every turn? However you come to your idea, you should feel like you have no choice but to start this particular business at this moment in time. It will make the mornings when you wake up and wish that it was someone else’s problem much easier to bear.

This tip is adapted from “So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur?,” by Emily Heyward

Become a More Efficient Mentor ( 3 tips )

 01 Sept 2020 Tue 

Become a More Efficient Mentor

While being a mentor brings purpose and satisfaction, it can also be draining. Fortunately, it's possible to do the role justice in a manner that benefits mentees — growing their confidence and their network — but also conserves your energy. 

Start by outlining your baseline expectations. For example, explain that the mentee should set the agenda, send the calendar invite, and arrive promptly to meetings. Be clear about how much time you have available for the relationship — you can even establish an annual number of hours up front. Also, think about how you structure your meetings. If you're mentoring multiple people, consider doing a group call or meeting. Not only will this be more efficient for you, it will also introduce your mentees to each other, opening the door for peer-to-peer mentorship and networking. Finally, think about how other professional obligations might double as mentoring opportunities. Could you invite your mentee to a webinar or a work event that you plan to attend? This will give you more time with your mentee and allow them to learn from your interests and networking skills.

This tip is adapted from “What Efficient Mentorship Looks Like,” by Adaira Landry and Resa E. Lewiss

Keep Your Perfectionist Tendencies in Check

 Wed 13 May 2020 

Keep Your Perfectionist Tendencies in Check

Perfectionism can hold you back from the excellence you’re striving for. 

(1) You might be paralyzed by decision-making, for example, because each choice feels monumental.

(2)  Or you might feel morally obligated to over-deliver.

(3)  Or you rigidly cling to habits that no longer serve you.

 To mitigate these self-destructive tendencies, start by developing self-awareness and systems to hold yourself accountable. 

(1) For instance, to stop yourself from ruminating over decisions, set a rule, such as, “Once I have thought about this three times, I will make a call and get on with it.” 

(2) To tone down your tendency to over-deliver, pick a few areas where you’re okay just meeting expectations. 

(3) And weed out the habits that no longer serve you by regularly reviewing the opportunity cost of your day-to-day commitments. You may find that some daily practices — such as your workout regimen, your meal schedule, or your morning routine — are actually draining your energy, not helping to restore it.

Establish a Culture of Learning for Your Remote Team

 Tue 21 April 2020

Establish a Culture of Learning for Your Remote Team

Working remotely in the midst of a crisis makes it more challenging than ever to focus on your team’s development. But learning doesn’t have to stop in this new environment; you just need to find ways to adapt. For example, it may be more practical to use microlearning techniques to help people more easily digest new information. Focus on sharing short lessons on a single topic in five- to 10-minute intervals. These might cover a specific tool, behavior, or skill. Make these lessons available to the whole team, and let people identify their own areas for training. Use a buddy system or assign peer coaches to check in with each other for support. You may even ask team members to lead short discussions about what they’ve learned. Reinforcing a culture of learning will keep your team engaged and growing while they’re working from home.

This tip is adapted from “8 Ways to Manage Your Team While Social Distancing,” by Timothy R. Clark