Here’s the thing about mistakes: Everyone makes them. But making a big mistake at work doesn’t have to be a career killer. As awful as it might feel in the moment, you can take steps to regain trust, minimize damage, and mend the situation. It’s important to be proactive. As soon as you become aware of the gaffe, try to get in front of the situation before it spirals. Address whatever took place so people know you’re aware of the problem, and they don’t feel the pressure to bring it to your attention. Reach out to anyone impacted by your actions, hear them out (or ask for their feedback), and share a plan for improvement moving forward. Offer an apology, if warranted. Make it genuine. Don’t be defensive or make it about you. Instead, acknowledge your error and the harm you caused to the other person, team, or the business. And don’t forget to show yourself compassion. Setbacks at work can be embarrassing, but being excessively self-critical isn’t helpful. Berating yourself for something in the past won’t make the mistake go away. So own up, and move on.
Month: June 2024
As a manager, you’re in a unique position to support your pregnant employees and to make sure pregnancy discrimination doesn’t happen in your workplace. Start by familiarizing yourself with your company’s parental benefits. That way, you’re always prepared to lay out the resources available when an employee tells you they’re pregnant. Be sure to maintain an open dialogue about what types of support your employee needs throughout their pregnancy. And never make assumptions about what they want. For example, don’t presume your pregnant employee wants a reduced workload; this might not be the case. If they request flexible work arrangements — such as remote work and flextime to accommodate visits to the doctor or other needs — normalize the mindset that these arrangements are rights, not privileges. And finally, following the employee’s lead and respecting their preferences, do your best to facilitate supportive interactions between your employee and their coworkers. It’s important that you aren’t the only one creating a positive environment for the employee.
The task of being a leader over the last two years has required a great deal of empathy. Leaders are helping teams recover from the grief and loss of the pandemic, buoying the declining mental health of their employees, and being sensitive to people’s anxieties. And while being empathetic — having a close, visceral understanding of the other person’s experience — is important, acting on that feeling and exhibiting compassion will allow you to better support your people. To move from empathy to compassion, start by taking a mental and emotional step away to get a clearer perspective of the situation and the person. Creating distance may feel counterintuitive but it’s hard to see solutions when you are too emotionally involved in the problem. Of course, you also want to ask the person what they need. If it’s something you can feasibly offer, offer it. But remember that you won’t always be able to meet their requests, and in many instances, that’s ok. Taking compassionate action is sometimes a matter of listening and being a caring presence.
When you’re a leader, leaving your job isn’t always straightforward. How you manage your departure will influence how your coworkers and organization remember you and either enhance or damage your reputation. Here’s how to set your team up for success before you move on to your next opportunity. Start by identifying your priorities. Be realistic about what you can accomplish and concentrate on issues where you really are the only person for the job. Then share these priorities with everyone — your boss, peers, and direct reports. At the same time, establish boundaries so you don’t get sucked into new crises and projects. Next, create a detailed transition plan for your boss that outlines what will need attention after you leave, and your recommendations for how to best get the work done. Finally, prepare your team — especially your successor if you know who they are — for your departure. Talk to your employees about what they hope to accomplish in the future and ask them to identify the stakeholders that are critical for their success. What can you do to reinforce these relationships and set them up to achieve their goals before you say goodbye?
Careers evolve and unfold over many years — even decades. So how can you be sure that you’re on the right path and you’ll achieve your definition of success? To take control of your future, step back and reflect on your present. Ask yourself the following five questions:
- How fulfilled do I feel? This is often about whether you’re able to express your values at work. Identify what’s most important to you and then consider, “On a scale of 1-10, where 10 is the ideal, how well am I able to express this value in my job?”
- How am I learning and growing? To what extent are you building competence or expertise in your sector or function? What competencies do you want to develop further in the year ahead?
- Am I headed toward a long-term goal? While everyone hates the question “Where do you want to be in 10 years?” stepping back to figure out a broad vision can help you pursue opportunities more proactively, versus reactively. You might ask yourself “What do I want in my (work) life in three to five years?” which is a more manageable chunk of time.
- What seeds can I plant today that will benefit me tomorrow? Career success is often the result of the cumulative effects of small, regular actions.
- What relationships do I need to build to help me realize my vision? You can’t do it alone, no matter what the “it” is. Given your goals, who are the people who can help you get there?
If you cry in front of your colleagues, for whatever reason, there’s no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed. Treat yourself with compassion: One moment doesn’t define you, and difficulties are a normal part of life. Next time, give yourself space. If you feel the waterworks coming on, ask to pause the conversation. Take a few minutes to compose yourself by stepping out of the room or turning your camera off. A quick change of scenery and a few deep breaths can often help diffuse your reaction. When you return, your instinct might be to apologize for being “overly emotional” or pretend it didn’t happen. Instead, acknowledge your reaction, and if you feel comfortable, explain where it’s coming from. We often cry when we’re caught off guard or feel overwhelmed. If you want to hold back your tears next time, try focusing on your breathing, stepping away for a moment, or taking a sip of ice-cold water. It’s human to have emotions, but what makes you a great leader is how you choose to respond and communicate when emotional reactions do arise.
Have you ever gotten inconsistent feedback about your leadership style? For example, one person says that you’re a micromanager, while someone else feels they don’t get enough of your attention. Don’t dismiss these mixed messages. Approach them with curiosity to interpret what’s going on. First, identify your intentions as a leader and ask whether they’re clear to your team. A gap between your intentions and impact may be what’s triggering people’s responses. Second, figure out who brings out your best and worst qualities — and why. Are you unknowingly favoring one set of colleagues at the expense of others? Finally, be intentional about your decision-making, rather than reflexively acting on old assumptions. To become a more consistent, self-aware leader, you need to be mindful of what’s actually happening in front of you.
Everyone appreciates a meeting that’s run efficiently. To stick to a schedule and make the best use of everyone’s time, start by planning your talking points. Ask yourself questions like: What ideas do I want to raise in this meeting? What problems do we need to solve? What questions do I most want this group to discuss and consider? At the start of the meeting, lay out what exactly needs to be decided, reviewed, or accomplished. Avoid vague verbs like “exploring” or “addressing” that promise talk, not action. Give the team a preview of what will be covered so they know what to expect and can follow along. Throughout the meeting, keep detours brief. When a tangential idea arises, even if it’s a good one, consider whether it’s the right meeting to discuss it. If not, steer the meeting back toward your agenda, and follow up later about the unrelated idea. Finally, end on an actionable note. Decide who’s doing what next and when.
When you’re lucky enough to have a mentor, don’t just take what you need from the relationship. You want to give back as well. Your age, experience, and expertise have little to do with the value you bring to the table. To practice this “reverse mentorship,” start by figuring out exactly what it is you have to offer. Ask yourself: What challenges is your organization facing that you might have insights, information, or expertise on? Figure out what you’re great at, why it’s important to your organization, and how your mentor could use that knowledge to grow as a professional and contribute to the team. Next, voice your desire to help out in this way. You can do this in a formal check-in, or informally the next time you and your mentor are sharing a meal or having a coffee. Assuming they’re game, set clear expectations together. Should this reverse mentoring be a one-time deal, last a few weeks, or be a long-term commitment? How will you measure your success? Is there a goal they’re aiming to reach? Once you answer these questions, you and your mentor will be ready to begin.