How to Ask Your Boss for an Extended Leave

 Wed 24 Sept 2021

How to Ask Your Boss for an Extended Leave
You may find yourself needing an extended leave from work at some point in your career, whether it’s to care for a sick family member, to go back to school, or for another personal reason. But asking your boss for the time off can be daunting. Here's how to approach the conversation. First, emphasize your commitment. Express your desire to remain with the organization, and be clear about the temporary nature of your ask. Give enough information regarding your situation so that they understand your needs, but don’t feel like you have to share anything that might make you uncomfortable. Come up with a communication plan with your manager. What are you going to tell your coworkers, and what are you going to keep between the two of you? And make sure to set clear expectations and boundaries with your boss and your team around your capacity to work during your leave. Everyone is subject to a major life event that could disrupt our ability to work for a while. Be equipped to handle that possibility should it arise.

This tip is adapted from “How to Ask for an Extended Leave from Work,” by Denise M. Rousseau

Regain Your Sense of Self After Losing a Job

 
Tue 23 Feb 2021

Regain Your Sense of Self After Losing a Job

Research shows that having a strong work identity can be tied to your well-being. But losing your job can feel particularly destabilizing when your identity is intertwined with your career. Here are several ways to start the process of regaining — and even redefining — your sense of self:

Reach out to family and friends. Conversations with people who know and love you can remind you of your identity outside of your professional life.

Test your perspective. If you're feeling stuck after losing a job you love, it may be because you're seeing your value through a singular and fixed lens. Ask two mentors or colleagues you respect what they value about you. Chances are, their answers won't have anything to do with work.

Envision your future self. Your situation isn't static — and neither is your identity. The more you plan and set goals for your future self, the more your behavior will shift from reactive toward proactive.

Get the support you need. A trained coach or therapist can help you examine, learn from, and move past this experience — and toward future success.
This tip is adapted from “When You Lose Your Job — and It’s Your Whole Identity,” by Rebecca Zucker

Avoid Serving a “Feedback Sandwich”

 Mon 22 Feb 2021

 Avoid Serving a “Feedback Sandwich”

As a manager, you’ve likely delivered a “feedback sandwich”: two pieces of positive reinforcement wrapped around a thick slice of criticism. While this approach may feel like you’re softening the blow, it rarely achieves the goal of helping someone improve. Instead, start by describing the behavior you want to correct. For example, rather than saying, "You were really rude in that meeting," you could say something like, “I noticed you interrupted the client twice in that meeting.” Then explain the impact of the behavior so the employee knows what’s at stake. Avoid self-serving statements like “You really made me look bad in there,” and focus instead on them: “You missed an opportunity to learn more about your client.” Finally lay out what you would like them to do instead. Be specific: “Next time, if a thought comes up while the client is speaking, jot it down and wait until they finish before jumping in.” This kind of feedback is respectful, clear, and actionable, and will boost your chances of actually pushing your employee to learn and grow.
This tip is adapted from “Stop Softening Tough Feedback,” by Dane Jensen and Peggy Baumgartner

Reinforce Your Boundaries — at Work and at Home

 Mon 18 Jan 2021

Reinforce Your Boundaries — at Work and at Home
We all have people in our lives who test our boundaries. It may be your boss, that one colleague, your direct report — or even your kids. Here's how to hold the line against frequent offenders. First, come to an agreement up front. For example, you might say, “I have to leave this meeting at 11:30, but I’ll check in this afternoon,” or, “Yes, you can take the car, but you have to be back by 10:30, so I can take your sister to practice.” When everyone agrees upon terms ahead of time, you'll have a clear line to reference if and when someone crosses it. You can also emphasize your authority to set whatever boundary you deem appropriate. Something as simple as, "Having worked on projects like this in the past, I know that I need X amount of time to complete my tasks," or, "As your parent, I am responsible for your safety, and I don't think this is a safe thing to do." Finally, ask lots of clarifying, open-ended questions before you make a commitment to a boundary-crosser. You want to gather as much information as possible without being perceived as negative. If your answer is no, say so diplomatically without over-explaining why, and offer alternative solutions. These strategies will help you manage your relationships, schedule, and emotional wellbeing — both at work and at home.
This tip is adapted from “Set Better Boundaries,” by Priscilla Claman

Talk to Yourself with Compassion

 Tue 19 Jan 2021

Talk to Yourself with Compassion
Are you your own worst critic? Welcome to the club. When we feel anxious or frustrated, so many of us talk to ourselves more harshly than we’d ever talk to our friends or colleagues. I blew that presentation. Everyone on my team has such strong technical skills, and I can’t follow the conversation. My kids are going to be so mad at me for working late again. When you beat yourself up like this, you’re only limiting your potential. Practice compassionate self-talk instead. Here are four key elements to keep in mind:

    Use a tone of kindness in your inner monologue. When you’re being mean to yourself, ask, “Would I speak to my best friend this way?”
    Recognize that pain and failure are universal human experiences. You’re not alone in feeling this way.
    Take a balanced approach to your negative emotions that neither suppresses or exaggerates them. Acknowledge them for what they are.
    Know that you’re making the best decisions you can, even if they’re not perfect.

Talking to yourself with compassion will give you the grace to manage the challenging situations that you’ll inevitably face in your personal and professional lives.
This tip is adapted from “Be Kinder to Yourself,” by Alice Boyes

The Art of Following Up Graciously

 Tue 02 Feb 2021

The Art of Following Up Graciously

We’ve all been there: You email someone asking for a conversation, information, input, or an introduction ... and you get no response. It’s frustrating, but you shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that you’re being ghosted. We’re all juggling a lot these days, so here’s how to reach out with a gentle nudge. Start with a compelling subject line. Avoid generic phrases like “Following up” or “Checking in” that are not only vague, they may also make the recipient feel bad for being slow to respond (even further delaying a reply). Instead, be more specific, for example, "Next steps on X project” or “Question on job application.” Next, be mindful of your tone. Research shows emails that are slightly to moderately positive in tone have a 10 to 15% higher response rate than more neutral messages. So aim to be friendly and polite. Finally, be succinct and specific about your ask — and offer your recipient an easy out. This will give them an opportunity to save face and preserve the relationship. If you do all this and you still don’t get a response, be judicious about following up again. You may need to cut your losses and move on.
This tip is adapted from “How to Follow Up With Someone Who’s Not Getting Back to You,” by Rebecca Zucker

Know When It’s Time to Pull the Plug on a Project !

 Tue 29 Sept 2020

Know When It’s Time to Pull the Plug on a Project !

We’ve all continued to work away on projects that we know are ultimately dead in the water !
If you’re a manager, how can you recognize SUNK-COST INITIATIVES  — and actually stop before wasting more resources?
(1)  Start by ensuring that even big decisions are reversible !
(2)  Recognize business plans for what they really are: EXPERIMENTS !
(3)  Break large, risky gambles into a series of smaller tests. Clarify your HYPOTHESIS , the best ways to test them, and the METRICS  that will signal whether to persist, pivot, or pause.
(4) Then, implement systems that make visible to yourself and other managers what work is being done and how it’s going. This will help you recognize which initiatives are actually adding value, and which aren’t.
(5) Finally, keep a list of other projects you want to do, and set a rule that you can’t launch anything until you’ve finished or stopped existing projects. The fear of missing out on something better might help you overpower that feeling of disappointment over something that didn’t pan out.
Conclusion : Pulling the plug is always hard, but knowing how and when to do it will help your team become more adaptable, innovative, and resilient in the long term.
This tip is adapted from “Start Stopping Faster,” by Darrell K. Rigby et al.

Be a Better Communicator — Even With a Mask On

 Tue 06 Oct 2020

Be a Better Communicator — Even With a Mask On

Because masks hide our facial expressions, they make communication more difficult !
 Think of all of the nonverbal ways we unconsciously convey sincerity, trustworthiness, good intentions, or confusion. And while they’re critical in combatting the pandemic, masks make it hard to pick up on those subtle cues. How can we build rapport with colleagues even when half of our face is covered?
(1) Start by using your “MASK VOICE .” Speak louder than normal, and convey emotion with your cadence and inflections. (2) Next, practice active listening by giving verbal cues, such as a simple “Mm hmm” or “I hear you,” to the person you’re speaking to.
(3)  Use other body language, such as nodding or gestures, when you otherwise would have used your face to communicate something subtle.
(4)  Finally, smiling is perhaps our most important nonverbal communication tool, so try your best to smile with your eyes. It may seem uncomfortable or unnatural, but be intentional about wrinkling the outer edges of your eyes. Masks will be part of our lives for the foreseeable future, but with a bit of effort you can overcome the communication challenges they present.
This tip is adapted from “How to Build Rapport … While Wearing a Mask,” by Dustin York

Develop a Plan to Protect Your Career

 Tue 26 Jan 2021

Develop a Plan to Protect Your Career
No matter what stage you are in your career, it’s important to plan for your future. And while it’s more fun to plan for your upcoming success, it's also important to identify potential risks that could threaten your vision. Start by writing down your assumptions about your professional life. Which factors do you take for granted? These could be as simple as the city in which you live or the industry in which you work. Then ask yourself what you would do if these factors suddenly changed. What if your company folded, your industry collapsed, or you had to relocate to a new city on short notice? Emotions run high when catastrophe strikes, so defend against your vulnerabilities by devising a plan for the worst-case scenarios in advance. Your career is a long-term investment; by proactively looking at the range of possible futures, you can avoid unnecessary risks, solve problems before they occur, and stay in control of your vision.
This tip is adapted from “Identify — and Mitigate — Risks to Your Career,” by Jonathan Brill and Dorie Clark

Build Resilience by Turning to Your Network

 Thu 11 Feb 2021

Build Resilience by Turning to Your Network

The ability to bounce back from setbacks is often described as the difference between successful and unsuccessful people. But how do you build that resilience? Research shows that it comes down to the people in your network: You need relationships that are broad and deep enough to support you when you hit setbacks. So think about what you need in tough times. Some people need laughter, others need empathy, and others need logical perspective. Then consider your network. Identify who you go to when you're in a rut — and ask yourself if they meet your needs. If they don’t, who else might be able to help? Look to your family, your colleagues, or your loose-tie friendships. The pandemic has caused a significant amount of uncertainty and challenges for us all; the importance of building and maintaining connections has never been clearer.
This tip is adapted from “The Secret to Building Resilience,” by Rob Cross et al.

Should You Rehire a Former Employee?

 Wed 10 Feb 2021

Should You Rehire a Former Employee?

An employee who left your company wants to come back. What should you do? It may seem like a good idea to rehire them: 

Because the former employee is a known quantity, you may consider them to be a safer bet than a new hire. But new research shows that the decision to rehire a so-called “boomerang employee” may not be so clear cut. On the one hand, rehires may require less on-boarding and may contribute more quickly than new hires. 

 

However, they also turn over at a higher rate than other employees (and more than twice as often as people who were internally promoted). And while the job performance of a boomerang employee is fairly predictable, both internal and external hires improve more on the job over time. 

So, if predictability, short-term impact, and lower training costs are your goals, a boomerang employee might be the right fit. But if you’re looking for someone who’s going to stick around, an internal promotion might be the way to go.
This tip is adapted from “Should You Rehire an Employee Who Left Your Company?,” by John D. Arnold et al.

Beware WFH Burnout

Thu 04 Feb 2021
Beware WFH Burnout
The pandemic has followed us into 2021, and so has WFH burnout. As a manager, you need to be aware of how your team is really doing. So check in on your employees regularly. The simple act of communicating can relieve anxiety, but not everyone will let you know how they’re doing or what they need. So it’s incumbent on you to start these conversations and to make fair and appropriate accommodations. Be ready to offer flexible work hours whenever possible, and consider which tasks can be done asynchronously. This will give people the flexibility to manage multiple responsibilities (as many currently are). And encourage your team to schedule regular “away time,” when they’re not expected to be responsive online. These little tweaks will make a big difference as many of us continue to live in the middle ground between work and home.
This tip is adapted from “Help Your Team Beat WFH Burnout,” by Bobbi Thomason

" The Secret to Unlocking Your Team’s Best Ideas "

 Wed 03 Feb 2021
Brain Storming Tip & Lateral Thinking Tip

" The Secret to Unlocking Your Team’s Best Ideas "

Contrary to popular belief, creativity doesn’t fall off a cliff during a lengthy brainstorm.
 Our first ideas tend to be the most obvious, and it’s only by digging more deeply that new ideas emerge.
(1)  So set aside more time for creative processes than you think might be necessary — whether that means (a) extending a meeting or (b) putting a follow-up on the calendar.
(2)  Also, ask your team to generate two or even three times as many ideas as you think you need. Setting aggressive quotas can help people push past those obvious, early-stage ideas.
(3) And finally, MEASURE  your results. For example, the next time you run a workshop, track when the best ideas were actually generated. Was it by the team that brainstormed for one hour, or the team that took three hours?
Did increasing your team’s idea quota result in more creative proposals? Testing out these different variables can help you calibrate your process and harness your team’s creative potential.

This tip is adapted from “Your Best Ideas Are Often Your Last Ideas,” by Loran Nordgren and Brian Lucas