One of my favourite questions to ask in one-on-ones is: “What’s one thing I could do differently to better support you?”. Or you can unpack it further by asking, “What’s one thing I could stop or start doing? Or change how I do it?”. The… A great question for one-on-ones
The book in a paragraph ReWork makes the case that many of the traditional approaches to work and entrepreneurship are wrong. In traditional workplaces it is common to see overplanning, excessive meetings, growth for growth’s sake, and entrenched bureaucracy. This can all be avoided through… Book summary: ReWork
Overload is something I’ve struggled with at work, particularly in management roles. Here’s a fairly typical situation for me. I’d find myself running 7+ projects at once. Some were just kicking off, and others were close to being finished. Some of them were ‘paid’ projects… Overloaded at work? Try working dumber, instead of smarter.
Dear Guide: My boss and I have different views on the best strategy to advance our objectives. I’m proposing a new approach that will add cost, but I believe it will deliver greater revenue. He sees it as a cash flow black hole. I believe… The Guide: My boss and I have differing views on the best strategy to advance our objectives
Do you have an everyday management or leadership dilemma that you’re grappling with? Our new advice column – The Guide – coaches readers through the ordinary difficulties of leadership life. in each edition, we will answer a reader’s question about a management problem, big or… Introducing The Guide
When we take on more responsibility, many of us respond by working more hours. This isn’t much fun. But it’s also dumb. Because adding more time isn’t a scalable solution. And it stunts our growth. First, it turns us into super individual contributors, not better… Working longer hours isn’t the solution
I used to love saying, “if you want a job done properly, do it yourself”. But what that really said was, “I’m a terrible delegator”. And I was. When we first move into management roles, we’re typically bad delegators. We’ve often been promoted because we’re… Say this instead of “If you want a job done properly, do it yourself”
You can’t be a kind person and criticise someone, right? And you definitely couldn’t sack them, right? Wrong. You can be a kind manager and still: Take criticising someone as a common example. Some managers criticise people and they are unkind. Some managers criticise people… You can still be a kind manager and…
ChatGPT has blown everyone’s mind with the many cool things it can do. And – more than just being impressive – it can save managers time and help them do a better job. So, here’s 10 simple ChatGPT prompts you can try today: Where to… 10 ChatGPT prompts to save managers time and help them do a better job
I make this error all the time (most of us do). You’ll probably recognise this scenario: you’re faced with a choice in (even slightly) unfamiliar territory. And getting it wrong feels like it will have some cost or pain (perhaps only minor). What do we… Chasing certainty instead of clarity is a classic mistake (and what to do instead)
Are problems on repeat in your organisation? Is it like a game of whack-a-mole, where you fix one problem, only for another to pop up? This happens when organisations are stuck in a firefighting death loop. Gaps between organisational capabilities (in systems of work, people,… The firefighting death loop
It’s been 15 years since I first managed people. And, when I look back at my past self, I cringe at the way I thought and went about some things. It’s uncomfortable. But I think that’s a good thing. Because it means I’m growing. If… If you don’t cringe at your past leadership approach, are you growing?
The book in a paragraph Algorithms to Live By explores human algorithm design – the use of algorithms for solutions to life’s everyday challenges. Algorithms are not just the domain of computer scientists – they are any sequence of steps used to solve a problem.… Book summary: Algorithms to Live By, by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths
The difference between management and leadership is confusing. They’re distinct, but related disciplines, which overlap with one another. There are no hard fast rules, but here’s five differences to help you distinguish the two. 1. Leadership leans to vision and purpose. Management is more goals… 5 differences between management and leadership
Here’s a controversial test of our leadership ability: we’re only as good as our worst performing team member. It feels horribly uncomfortable to consider. I hate the idea. But… I think it might be true. Here’s why… Because, if we have a chronically underperforming team… Is this the ultimate test of our leadership ability?
When I learn about better ways of managing, I often feel silly for not knowing earlier. And, instead of implementing immediately, I sometimes get shy and procrastinate on it. This makes no sense. If it’s a better way of doing things, I should just start… The second best time to improve your management approach is now
The engagement of your team is one of the most important things you must focus on as a leader. But paying attention to your own level of engagement is not only important, but crucial. How you’re feeling about work has a huge impact on your… Why leaders must engage themselves first
Many managers think employee engagement just is a touchy-feely, nice-to-have. That it’s not something to be confused with the real work of management. But they’re wrong. Here’s why…
As managers, we need to stop withholding improvement feedback from our team members. It’s a selfish thing to do. Read on to find out why.
Low employee engagement reflects bad management, not bad people. And – judging by Financial Times data on widespread quiet quitting (low engagement by a new name) – bad management is widespread. This presents a huge opportunity for organisations and leaders who can engage their people.… Quiet quitting is judgement day for poor managers