“When Your Boss Gives You Bad Feedback, Badly,” by Kim Scott et al.

 Monday 19 June 2023

Responding to Poorly Delivered Feedback

Tough feedback can be hard to process, especially when it’s delivered poorly. Whether you receive feedback from your boss, peer, or employee that’s way too harsh, suspiciously nice, or somehow dishonest, how can you navigate your own emotions and respond productively?

(1)  Start by figuring out how you’re feeling—and don’t judge yourself. Then take a step back to reconsider the substance of the feedback. Identify something helpful or constructive, even if it wasn’t communicated well. 

(2) Then, reward the person’s candor. You might thank them for their honesty and, if you agree with their assessment, commit to an action plan that incorporates their perspective. 

(3) Or, if you disagree with their feedback, respectfully explain why. 

(4) Then, offer feedback on feedback: Communicate the impact of their delivery and how they might improve on it next time. 

(5) Finally, take a step back and assess your relationship with this person. If they are unwilling to change the way they communicate next time, the relationship might not be worth saving.

This tip is adapted from “When Your Boss Gives You Bad Feedback, Badly,” by Kim Scott et al.

Asking colleagues for help

 ue 20 June 2023

How to Get Better at Asking for Help

For many of us, asking for help is hard. Whether you’re afraid of feeling vulnerable, being rejected, or you just prefer to do things independently, you can take steps to overcome your reluctance to ask for help.

(1) Seek out resources.

 Investigate your blockages and recognize the importance of getting over them. (Reading this tip could be a great first step!) But if you find you need further encouragement, technology has made it easier than ever to find the right coach or therapist.

(2) Reframe your perception of help.

 Consider that asking someone for help isn’t burdening them, but giving them an opportunity to step up. Contributing to the success of the team is a win-win proposition.

(3) Craft your request carefully. 

Make sure the help you ask for is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This will increase the likelihood that your needs get met.

(4) Communicate openly and authentically. 

The more people understand the problems you’re facing, the more equipped they’ll be to help you solve them.

(5) Practice. 

Start small and see how it feels. Reach out to someone you’re super comfortable with, perhaps a family member or a trusted coworker, and ask for their help with something minor. You might be surprised by people’s willingness to lend a hand.

This tip is adapted from “Why It’s So Hard to Ask for Help,” by Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries

employing differently abled people

 Thu 22 June 2023

Hire People with Disabilities

Employing people with disabilities is usually seen as a social cause—one best suited to nonprofits or the public sector. That’s a mistake—and more important, a missed opportunity. Proactively including people with disabilities in your DEI efforts can lead to real competitive advantage in a few key areas.

(1) Talent.

 Disabilities often confer unique talents that make people better at particular jobs. Identify these opportunities and recruit people with disabilities accordingly. What’s more, hiring people with disabilities makes a company more likely to be seen as an attractive employer for people without disabilities.

(2) Culture. The presence of employees with disabilities elevates the culture of your entire organization, making it more collaborative and boosting productivity. Colleagues of people with disabilities don’t learn just to be more accepting of one another’s limitations—seeing coworkers with disabilities succeed can inspire other employees and make them realize that they, too, can elevate their performance.

(3) Customer relationships. A reputation for inclusiveness will enhance your company’s value proposition with customers, who will become more willing to build long-term relationships with your brand. Employing people with disabilities isn’t a substitute for good products or fine customer service—but it adds another dimension to your value proposition, which can help differentiate it in a crowded market.

This tip is adapted from “Disability as a Source of Competitive Advantage,” by Luisa Alemany and Freek Vermeulen

Difficult characters in meetings

 

Thu 15 June 2023

How to Handle 3 Types of Difficult Coworkers

Difficult people exist in every workplace. Here are three common types of problematic coworkers—and how to deal with them.

(1) The pessimist. 

This is the meeting-goer who can’t seem to find anything positive to say (ever) and even seems to enjoy coming up with all the different ways a project or initiative could fail. To handle this type of naysayer, acknowledge their complaints—then reframe them. You could present an alternative, more positive interpretation; ask them if they have any constructive ideas; or even formalize their role as “devil’s advocate” in team brainstorms.

(2) The passive-aggressive peer.

 This is the colleague who says one thing but does another, displays negative body language but insists everything is “fine,” and makes back-handed compliments that stick with you. To manage your working relationship, avoid calling them out. Instead, work to understand where they’re coming from. Focus on the underlying message and create a safe environment for the two of you to clear the air.

(3) The know-it-all (a.k.a., the person who thinks they’re the smartest one in the room). 

To handle the know-it-all, preemptively request that people refrain from interrupting in meetings, ask that people back up their opinions with facts, and model humility and open-mindedness on your team.

This tip is adapted from “3 Types of Difficult Coworkers and How to Work with Them,” by Amy Gallo

For first time leaders

 Tuesday 13 June 2023

Earn Your Legitimacy as a Leader ! 

No job title or level of expertise is enough to make you a legitimate leader in the eyes of your employees—you need to earn that distinction through your actions. Here’s how. 

(1) Communicate clearly.

 Tell a compelling story about where your team (or organization) is coming from, where it’s going, and why. Crucially, you need to be able to convey how your employees fit into that plan.

(2) Demonstrate fairness. 

“That’s not fair” are words that will swiftly undermine your legitimacy. As the person who sets the tone, you need to proactively communicate care and respect for the people you lead with transparency and consistency. Favoritism and opaque decision-making will demotivate your employees and lead to a culture of self-protective and political behavior.

(3) Behave with integrity. 

Do you act in accordance with your espoused values, especially when doing so is costly?

(4) Be authentic. 

Authentic leaders are as honest about their successes and strengths as they are about their failures and weaknesses—and they’re open about who they are beyond their professional lives.

(5 )Put others first. 

Acknowledge that leading is a privilege, generously give credit where it’s due, and make sacrifices before you ask others to do so.

(6) Lead with purpose.

 People don’t just expect you to boost performance and profits; they also expect you to infuse their work with a sense of mission and meaning. Show that your motivation is in service of a larger goal (e.g., serving society or creating real value for customers) rather than a more mundane goal (e.g., increasing shareholder wealth).

This tip is adapted from “How New CEOs Establish Legitimacy,” by Nitin Nohria

The 85% best effort ! For marathon goals

 

Monday 12 Jun 2021

Ask Your Employees to Put in 85% Effort ! 

To build a high-performing team, you don’t have to expect 100% effort from your employees all the time. In fact, asking them for less-than-maximum effort can actually lead to increased productivity over time. Here’s how to lead a high-performing team without burning people out.

(1)  First, create a “done for the day” time. This means setting a reasonable and realistic hard stop for the workday—a collective expectation that it’s time to leave work unless there’s an emergency. If you notice team members online or at the office after that time, you can say something like: “Why are you still here? We don’t stay late here unless there is an absolute emergency. We want you to be fresh tomorrow morning. Please go home.” 

(2) Next, emphasize that the most effort doesn’t always lead to the best results. To help coach employees to get to and stay in this sweet spot, ask, “What does it feel like to be at 100% intensity?” Then follow up with: “How can you keep this closer to the 85% level to avoid fatigue?” And be sure to lead by example. If your team sees that you abide by these norms, they’ll be more likely to do so themselves. 

(3) Finally, ask your employees, “How am I making your work more stressful than it needs to be?” Then take the necessary actions to improve upon the situation.

This tip is adapted from “To Build a Top Performing Team, Ask for 85% Effort,” by Greg McKeown

Be a DEI activist at offie

 Fri 02 June 2023

Move from Allyship to Activism

Allies support diversity and want to learn about communities and identities outside of their own. Activists, on the other hand, engage in the causes they support. Creating an equitable work environment requires both types of people. Here’s how to move from allyship to activism in the workplace.

(1) Identify where you can offer value.

 Think about your strengths. How can you support people in a way that leverages your expertise? Educate yourself on the specific community you want to help, and identify which of their projects or initiatives could benefit from your time and attention.

(2) Participate in employee resource groups. 

ERGs often organize activities to help connect and build community around shared identities or life experiences. Volunteer to help organize those events so that the participants can focus on the programming.

(3) Be a sponsor. 

You don’t need to be a tenured employee to help empower a colleague and boost their visibility. Help break down knowledge barriers by sharing advice that’s helped you in your career, providing feedback to help them navigate the organization, and being vocal about your support of them.

(4) Intervene when you see microaggressions.

 If you notice that one person on your team is often interrupted in meetings, for example, take the lead and call it out. Likewise, if you hear an offensive remark disguised as a joke, speak up.

This tip is adapted from “6 Ways to Move from Allyship to Activism,” by Nahia Orduña

Using AI responsibly

 Thu 01 June 2023

Prevent Bias from Creeping into Your AI

If your organization or team is experimenting with AI, you need to be asking yourself an essential question: How can we ensure that the dataset we use to train AI models is representative and doesn’t include harmful biases? 

(1) First, consider the size of your dataset and understand the tradeoffs. Big datasets can train AI to be more effective at certain tasks, such as keeping a human-seeming conversation going. But if a model is too large, it’s nearly impossible to rid it of potential biases.

(2)  Second, assemble diverse teams—including members of underrepresented groups—to collect and produce the data used to train your model. Your goal is to ensure that people with a variety of perspectives and identities are represented and that they have a chance to identify biases or oversights in the data. AI will only be trustworthy once it works equitably—and that will only happen if you prioritize diversifying the data and development teams that make the technology possible.

This tip is adapted from “8 Questions About Using AI Responsibly, Answered,” by Tsedal Neeley

Microvalidations , antidote to micro aggressions

 

Wed 31 May 2023

Use Microvalidations to Affirm Your Colleagues

Most of us are aware of microaggressions: subtle comments or acts of exclusion that can negatively impact the well-being of people who belong to historically marginalized groups. To go farther than simply recognizing and avoiding microaggressions, try using microvalidations: equally subtle but powerful actions or language that affirm and encourage your underrepresented colleagues.

(1) Acknowledge people’s presence.

 Give a nod, a warm smile, or a greeting when your colleague enters a room or a virtual meeting. In many cultures, simply addressing someone by name and making eye contact signals positive regard. And when someone is speaking, give them your full attention—put your phone away, close your laptop, and listen.

(2) Validate people’s identity. 

Refer to people in a way that’s in line with how they think of themselves. For example, call your colleagues by their preferred names. Don’t use unsolicited nicknames or anglicize names that are less common or difficult for you to pronounce. And respect people’s gender identities by being aware of—and using—their pronouns.

(3) Voice your appreciation for people’s contributions.

 Share directly with your colleagues how they’ve made important contributions, influenced decision-making, or helped build a strong team culture. Thank people for challenging the status quo.

(4) Hold people to high standards. 

Don’t shy away from assigning challenging work. Do provide the resources and developmental feedback people need to succeed.

This tip is adapted from “An Antidote to Microaggressions? Microvalidations.,” by Laura Morgan Roberts et al.