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Kindle Notes & Highlights
by
Julie Zhuo
Read between
August 15 - October 4, 2019
If she asks her report how things are going and the answer for multiple weeks is “Everything is fine,” she takes it as a sign to prod further.
My report and I regularly give each other critical feedback and it isn’t taken personally.
strive for all your one-on-one meetings to feel a little awkward.
It isn’t easy to discuss mistakes, confront tensions, or talk about deep fears or secret hopes, but no strong relationship can be built on superficial pleasantries alone.
It takes repeated good experiences to build up to a level of trust where you can be vulnerable and compassionately critical with each other.
My reports would gladly work for me again
“What are the qualities of a perfect manager for you?
STRIVE TO BE HUMAN, NOT A BOSS
walking the line between giving actionable feedback and micromanaging the details.
Respect and Care about Your Report
managing is caring
If you don’t believe in your heart of hearts that someone can succeed, it will be impossible for you to convey your strong belief in them.
supporting and caring for someone doesn’t mean always agreeing with them or making excuses for their mistakes.
What caring does mean, however, is doing your best to help your report be successful and fulfilled in her work.
nuance of respect is that it must be unconditional because it’s about the person as a whole rather than what she does for you.
If your report feels that your support and respect are based on her performance, then it will be hard for her to be honest with you when things are rocky.
If, on the other hand, she feels that you care about her no matter what, and nothing can change that—not even failure—then you will get honesty in return.
I recommend no less than a weekly 1:1 with every report for thirty minutes, and more time if needed.
One-on-ones should be focused on your report and what would help him be more successful, not on you and what you need.
If you’re looking for a status update, use another channel.
The ideal 1:1 leaves your report feeling that it was useful for her.
Discuss top priorities: What are the one, two, or three most critical outcomes for your report and how can you help her tackle these challenges?
Calibrate what “great” looks like: Do you have a shared vision of what you’re working toward? Are you in sync about goals or expectations?
Share feedback: What feedback can you give that will help your report, and what can your report tell you that will mak...
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Reflect on how things are going: Once in a while, it’s useful to zoom out and talk about your report’s general state of m...
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compiling a list of questions for each person I’m meeting with.
coach’s best tool for understanding what’s going on is to ask
Your job as a manager isn’t to dole out advice or “save the day”—it’s to empower your report to find the answer herself.
Let her lead the 1:1 while you listen and probe.
What’s top of mind for you right now?
What priorities are you thinking about this week? What’s the best use of our time today?
How can I help you? What can I do to make you more successful? What was the most useful part of our conversation today?
your perspective on how your report is doing carries far more weight than his perspective on how you are doing.
responsibility falls to you to be honest and transparent when it comes to how you are evaluating performance.
Admit Your Own Mistakes and Growth Areas
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel, goes the popular saying.
When we are going through tough times, the thing that’s often the most helpful isn’t advice or answers but empathy.
there is enormous power in expressing vulnerability: “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage.4
“I don’t know the answer. What do you think?
“One of my personal growth areas this half is …
“I’m afraid I don’t know enough to help you with that problem. Here’s someone you should talk to instead.
HELP PEOPLE PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS
you have good values
focus primarily on the “areas for improvement.
the teams that have hiring needs.
Recognition for hard work, valuable skills, helpful advice, or good values can be hugely motivating if it feels genuine and specific.
giving someone an opportunity to grow in a way that speaks to their interests and strengths.
“There is one quality that sets truly great managers apart from the rest: they discover what is unique about each person and then capitalize on it,
“The job of a manager … is to turn one person’s particular talent into performance.
Don’t let the worst performers dominate your time—try to diagnose, address, and resolve their issues as swiftly as you can.
