You checked the facts. You checked the timeline. You even checked your own reasoning. Here’s what you didn’t check: whether you were looking from more than one place. Most people, when they slow down to be careful, do it by re-examining the same angle more...
One thing that continues to surprise me, even after thirty years: A leader does something with a clear intention. The people around them experience something completely different. And the leader has no idea. People don’t respond to what you intended. They...
One of the most difficult conversations I have isn’t with the manager. It’s with the employee. Because sometimes the employee says: “I know my manager cares about me. I just don’t think they really understand what’s happening.” That...
The manager left the meeting feeling good. Clear expectations. Honest feedback. Productive conversation. The employee left the meeting unsure what had just happened. Were they in trouble? Was this a warning? What exactly was expected now? Neither person is describing...
I’ve met very few managers who wake up hoping to frustrate their employees. In fact, most of the leaders I work with genuinely care about their people. They check in. They advocate. They invest time they don’t always have. Which is what makes what happens...
An employee misses a deadline.A team member pushes back.A candidate interviews poorly.A colleague reacts unexpectedly.Your brain will create an explanation before you’ve finished processing what happened.Sometimes that explanation is right.Often it’s the first one...
