Posts in Management
Feedback is a Superpower

Imagine a world without feedback. I know we all have moments when we wish for less feedback. But a world with no feedback would leave me rudderless. It would be like leaving the harbor in a boat, moving forward, but not knowing if the forward movement was getting me closer to or further from my destination.

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Managing is Nuanced

A client came to our session with an inquiry about what he’s learning. The lesson he just completed focused on how involving employees in decision making can be empowering and lead to deeper engagement in the work. Had this manager continued with his thought process of empowering his staff to discuss deadlines that were already fixed, he’d be soon dealing with confusion, chaos, and even worse, a lack of trust.

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Management, LeadershipBeth Wonson
What Reward Do You Desire?

​When you are preparing to have a challenging dialogue, it is critical that you are crystal clear on what outcome you desire. Not just for yourself but for the other party as well. When you take the time to identify the reward or desired outcome for each party, you are able to express that at the onset. Expressing this in a clear, clean, and nonemotional way helps to keep the conversation focused and less personal.

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What Managing-Up Looks Like

Successful managing-up relationships are nuanced and look different in every situation. There isn’t one specific formula or process that works. As I told my client, there is only one way to know if you’ve gone too far and that is based on feedback that you receive, both verbal and nonverbal.

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Blindsided by Anonymous Feedback

One client told me, “At the end of every one-to-one check in, I ask my staff what feedback they have for me and everyone always says that they don’t have any. They all say things are great. Yet when the employee surveys came back, a percentage of the team ranked me low in terms of leadership”.

This is not an uncommon issue that I hear from directors and managers, but I have four steps that will help you.

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6 Strategies for Creating A Culture of Communication

Giving employees an opportunity to have their voice heard, especially when the dialogue is challenging, is critically important for retention. When employees feel heard, building a culture of trust is easier.

When employees feel they have no voice, they are more likely to say nothing, then resign or miss work. Both of these consequences have significant costs in terms of dollars, time and success.

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5 Qualities of a Successful Generalist

There’s a popular theory that success requires individuals to become experts in a specific niche. The truth is that with the complexity of the challenges facing organizations and the advancement of artificial intelligence and automation, the way to stay relevant and valuable is to be a curious learner and develop knowledge in a range of topics.

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