Manager Tools

Part 1 of our guidance on how to choose a managerial successor.

You're going to get chewed out by your boss in public. It happens. Don't do anything publicly.

Part 2 of our guidance on what to do when your directs tell you they are too busy.

Part 1 of our guidance on what to do when your directs tell you they are too busy.

Our guidance on how to handle a sudden demotion.

Part 2 of our guidance on educating your directs on performance reviews early.

Part 1 or our guidance on educating your directs on performance reviews early.

Part 2 of our guidance on the salary discussions 2x2 matrix tool.

Just because a direct’s performance is exceptional doesn’t mean that they deserve a raise, believe it or not. Employee performance is only half of the equation.

You're going to get asked yes or no questions, and there are only three effective answers. Anything else is unprofessional, and what might be interpreted as weak. There's a difference between asked, "How's the project" - Inevitably, "fine;" and, "Are you 100% green this week?' Better questions get better answers. And when a professional gets a better question, a better answer is the best answer.

Our Hall of Fame guidance on how to think more creatively about annual planning goals.

Our Hall Of Fame guidance on how to start setting annual goals, and why we do not like "SMART" goals.

Part 2 of our guidance on rebranding feedback.

A WSJ article says the word “feedback” is too stressful for some, and recommends calling it something else. We disagree.

Part 3 of our guidance on working with an administrative assistant, updated for remote, hybrid, and shared assistants.

Part 2 of our guidance on working with an administrative assistant, updated for remote, hybrid, and shared assistants.

Part 1 of our guidance on working with an administrative assistant, updated for remote, hybrid, and shared assistants.

It's the end of the year. Most managers we know are thinking about the holidays... and annual reviews. After years of managing, training and consulting, we've concluded this is one of the most poorly managed and implemented processes we're aware of. It's not hard to do, but for plenty of (bad) reasons, managers just don't handle this responsibility well. For those few who do, it's an enormous competitive advantage.

It's the end of the year. Most managers we know are thinking about the holidays... and annual reviews. After years of managing, training and consulting, we've concluded this is one of the most poorly managed and implemented processes we're aware of. It's not hard to do, but for plenty of (bad) reasons, managers just don't handle this responsibility well. For those few who do, it's an enormous competitive advantage.

Part 10 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.