Have you initiated a PIP on one of your reports? Did they improve and maintain their enhanced performance? So far, in close to 20 years of working in tech, I have not witnessed the first individual that survives a PIP. Imagine a world where most PIP sections are there, but we remove the “if you […]
Use your team’s expertise. Recently I stopped the micromanager in me and rephrased my ask in the form of questions to be answered. Let me tell you what happened. I needed, in my mind, particular reports. Reports that I hoped would give me some much-needed answers around specific projects. I was in the middle of […]
Today I paid someone to clean my house. Since I am on my own with the kids this week, I just went outside for a while and returned once the cleaning person told me they were ready. I paid them, they left, and I began checking their work. To my surprise, the laundry room and […]
I had a car accident a few years ago. I was in New Jersey, and I went to get tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich at my favorite Italian restaurant. After enjoying my meal, I got into my rental vehicle and drove towards McGuire Air Force Base. On my way there, I was driving […]
Start by understanding that you are your most prominent advocate. Take notes What this means in practice is that you need to keep detailed notes of everything you do, consider themes such as significant projects, initiatives, recruiting, coaching, mentoring, and thinking strategically. Furthermore, your company probably uses a growth plan or matrix. Make sure you […]
We’re currently trying to seed a new team to work on a high profile high-value initiative. In this post, I will walk you through the different options we came up with, as well as the DACI format we’re using to get to a decision. Existing team The fastest option but also the one that carries […]
Providing feedback is one of the essential functions of a manager. Put it simply, if you care about your team, you must provide guidance and direction. Yet, we often struggle to provide feedback that is useful, actionable, and timely. I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be hard. You no longer […]
Imagine yourself as the sparkling new manager of a team, like any good manager, you listen attentively, trying to learn anything and everything there is to know about your team. You set up one on one meetings, embed yourself in your team’s processes, and get to know all stakeholders personally. All great initial steps for […]
When I first started as a manager, I didn’t have a role model, classes, or even a good list of books to read and learn about management. I made a lot of mistakes (sorry everyone that worked for me then) but I also learned a ton in the process. Next, I’ll introduce a very simple […]