As a manager, you need to be equipped to handle emotional conversations with your employees — especially these days. Here’s how to be supportive when someone shares that they’re going through a tough situation or challenge. First, validate their experience. This can be as simple as acknowledgement — for example, “I can see why this is exhausting.” You’re not only saying “I see you,” you’re also saying “I believe you,” which can make someone feel less alone. Give your colleague the chance to elaborate if they want to. Try coming from a place of curiosity; for example, you can say “Tell me more about that.” And you might then ask, “How can I best support you right now?” or “What would be helpful right now?” This will give them the opportunity to name what they need. If they are unable to do so — or if they’re afraid to — you can give them some options. For example, you can ask “Would X be helpful?” Offering a specific way to support them can make it easier for someone to say yes to accepting help. Finally, thank the person for coming to you. You might say, “I can see this has been hard. Thank you for trusting me with this information.” This signals to both you and them that conversations like this are important and reinforces a sense of safety for future conversations. It’s no longer enough for managers to provide the tools and resources for your team to function — you also need to create psychological safety for them to thrive.
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Starting out in a new job can feel awkward. Even if you have effective onboarding, you might not be sure what to say, who to talk to, or how to figure out what you need to know. And you’re not alone; most people feel uncomfortable the first few days, weeks, or even months at a new gig. Here are some ways to ease into the transition. Make an effort to get to know your new colleagues — even if you’re anxious about making a first impression. Chances are you’re overthinking how they’re perceiving you in the early days (in other words, they’re not judging you as harshly as you think). Be proactive about getting together with colleagues for coffee or one-on-one meetings to find common ground. A few solid relationships can make your new workplace start to feel like home. Also, focus on learning the organization’s language. See if a colleague can put together a cheat sheet for you of commonly used acronyms and phrases used around the company, and ask permission to reach out when a new phrase comes up that you don’t know. And crucially, remember that it takes time to get adjusted to a new environment and that everyone else was new at one point too. The more you put yourself out there and invest early in relationships, even if it’s awkward, the sooner you’ll feel like you’ve been there forever.
| Deciding your next career move can feel overwhelming. There are so many potential choices with a variety of possible outcomes, that it can be hard to fairly assess your options. Try using a simple exercise to identify what you love about work and what you’re looking for. Start by creating a blank Bingo card, essentially a table with five squares across and five squares down — a total of 25. Then, write 10 to 15 skills that you possess, enjoy, and think employers may consider valuable in various boxes. It doesn’t matter what squares they go in, but try to be as specific as possible. Next, come up with a list of five to 10 traits you’d like to have in a future manager and five to 10 values, benefits, or qualities you’d like in a future workplace. Write those down too, until all 25 boxes are full. Now, use this Bingo card to evaluate roles you’re interested in. When you come across job descriptions that pique your interest, check off the boxes on your card that you believe will be fulfilled by that specific job. Which of your skills will you be able to apply? Likewise, note any boxes that remain unchecked and consider whether they’re dealbreakers. For example, if you wrote down on your card that one of the qualities you want in a workplace is “a fast-paced, startup culture” but you see a role that seems perfect for you that sits within a large corporation, would you be willing to compromise or is that a dealbreaker? While this may seem like just a game, it’s a great way for you to identify what you really want and consider options that are often hard to compare. |
When multiple employees leave your organization, it can have a ripple effect across your team. How can you prevent further attrition? What can you do to keep people motivated and engaged? Start by giving your team certainty. For example, if you yourself have no plans to leave the company, make that clear. You might say, “Just so you know, I’m not going anywhere — I will be here for you.” This will create a sense of stability for your team members. Next, figure out workloads so no one is overburdened by the departures. Assess people’s individual and collective capacity and rebalance work as necessary. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust your expectations about what can realistically be accomplished. Give them autonomy. Align on the team’s collective goals, and then allow people to decide how, when, and where they complete their work. For example, could your team members choose some of the projects they work on, or with whom they work? Wherever you can provide people with choices, do so. Finally, let everyone know it’s OK to push back. They can say “no” and question deadlines. Invite them to tell you how much work something that “seems simple” will actually take to accomplish. It’s hard when people around you are quitting. But use this opportunity to recalibrate and solidify the team’s foundation so those who remain are more likely to stay.
Managers are worried about losing their best employees right now — and they probably should be. The marketplace for talent has shifted. You need to think of your employees like customers and put thoughtful attention into retaining them. Here are four steps to try:
- Be aware of your impact. Pause and consider how you’re showing up as a leader — in both your words and actions. It’s likely that your people are worried and stressed. Are you unintentionally adding to their fears and anxieties? Noting your impact will allow you to steer it in the right direction.
- Give your employees respect and attention. Identify any growth opportunities you can offer. Recognize the positive impact people are having and ask them about their aspirations. Then create a plan to help them achieve their goals.
- Focus on potential and possibility. Ask your team: What do you envision as the best possible outcome in the next year? What excites you about the future? How can we get there as a team?
- Make it okay to leave. When someone resigns, respond with gratitude for the time they’ve spent at your company. Far too often, when an employee gives notice, the reaction is akin to an emotional breakup — you’ve been left and you feel rejected. There’s a penchant to dismiss their presence and devalue their contribution. Think deeply about what this type of behavior signals to the departing employee. And remember, those that remain are watching.
Interruptions are a fact of work life. Sometimes it’s necessary to disrupt someone’s flow to ask a question or to communicate key information that’s just come up. When this happens, do what you can to ensure your “sorry to bother you” moment isn’t annoying. Before interrupting, look out for signs that they might be busy or focusing. Are they listed as “away” or “available” online? Do they have the hour blocked off on their calendar? These cues can give you a sense of how intrusive an interruption might be at that moment. If you determine that the person might be available, think about how you can reduce the ask ahead of time. How can you keep the interruption succinct? Are there steps you could complete on your own before bringing them in? It’s all about how you’re perceived — even if these details don’t feel like a big deal to you, presenting the interruption in a manner that highlights your respect for the other person’s time can have a major impact on how they react.
One of the best ways to thrive as a freelancer is to build loyalty in your clients. Repeat work is considered a goldmine because it can lead to both consistency and referrals. To keep your clients returning, take the following steps.
- Interact with your clients in a personable way. Don’t just focus on the results; build your relationships. Get to know your clients, their challenges, and what their goals are. The better the rapport you develop, and the more interest you show in them as a human, the more they’ll remember you — and keep using your services.
- Find out what other projects they might need help with and offer support. If you don’t hear of any follow-up opportunities during your initial stint, take initiative and tell your employer that you’re open to working on more projects in the future.
- Never over-promise and then under-deliver. Delivering great work on time is paramount to building trust. Don’t get yourself into a situation where you can’t follow through on your promises. Build in extra time where you can
- Always get testimonials. Ask for feedback on your work. Not only can you use their compliments to attract new clients but having them articulate what’s made the relationship work will increase the chances they turn to you the next time they need a freelancer.
Sometimes, when you’re a manager, your team gets upset with you. They may be unhappy with a decision you’ve made or a new policy or an increase in workload. Of course, you aren’t in charge of keeping everyone happy all of the time, but you do want to respond to negative emotions so they don’t erode trust or hold your team back. Here are some strategies for managing anger and resentment when they creep up.
- Balance your emotions before reacting to your team’s.Don’t take the anger or resentment personally. See these expressions as data, not a threat, and resist the urge to get defensive or to dismiss your team’s feedback.
- Be curious. Ask for more information. Offer your team members a safe space to vent to you without shame or worry of retribution, and focus on what you can learn from their feedback.
- Enlist their help. Invite them to partner with you to explore solutions that address their concerns and benefit everyone. That way you can channel their frustration into a positive and productive outcome.
- Build deeper trust by owning your part. Even if you weren’t the direct cause of your team’s frustration, own up to any blind spots you may have and commit to continuing to learn and grow.
There are so many benefits to speaking up at work: You gain visibility, increase your influence, and enhance your credibility. But when you’re new to an organization, it can be hard to know when and how to make your voice heard. To get more comfortable with speaking up, do some pre-work. Think about who needs to hear your idea or opinion and why. Run your thoughts by other team members, peers, or mentors who have been around longer to get their perspective before bringing up your idea in a meeting or to your boss. Next, carefully consider the best time and place to raise your idea. Should you speak up during a meeting, or set up a one-on-one instead? Should it be an email? When you do speak up, strategically frame your suggestions. Are you pointing out everything that’s wrong or suggesting ways to improve upon a process or system? And most importantly, be humble. Not every idea you have is going to be a good one, especially when you’re just starting out at a new company. Be ready and willing to hear “no.”
When you’re aware of the biases you hold as a leader, you’ll be better positioned to correct (or avoid perpetuating) discriminatory behavior on your team. Start by slowing down and questioning your assumptions. Here are a few questions you can reflect on: How would my team describe my leadership style if they were sharing their experience of working with me to others? Do my words and actions actually reflect my intentions? What core beliefs do I hold? How might these beliefs limit or enable me and my colleagues at work? Look for patterns of thinking in your answers. It’s also important to seek out feedback from your colleagues to understand how they perceive you and what you can do better. People whose perspectives and opinions differ from yours are more likely to provide you with insightful feedback. You could say, “I value your opinion and am curious about the impact of my leadership style. Would you be willing to have a conversation about this? Is there something I can improve upon that will have a positive impact on the team?” Taking these steps will help you be a leader who’s self-aware, learning, and constantly challenging their biases.