7/25/2023 0 Comments But thats none of my businessThe good news is that there are ways to gracefully navigate it, and you should learn them. If you choose to be a manager, this is a challenge you will face time and again - whether it’s a layoff, a reorganization, or a shift in your company’s business initiatives. Still, she wondered: Would senior leadership notice that she was having trouble staying focused? If she shared hints about what was coming, would it create uncertainty for her team and compromise her job? Should she question senior leadership, and if she did, would they think she didn’t understand “the big picture”? Would her team lose trust and respect for her? Would people adapt with an open mindset? None of what she expressed was an indication of weakness or incompetence. She was upset about talented people being let go, worried about the morale and workload of the employees left behind, stressed about having a new boss, and in general, anxious about communicating a decision that was out of her control.Īll of her emotions were valid. When we spoke, she told me how emotional it was. She learned that she had to lay off 30% of her direct reports and that her boss would be replaced one week before she had to share the news with her team. How do you balance your values with your words and actions as a leader?Ī client of mine recently faced this. This is a dilemma many new managers face: You know something that could impact your team, but you can’t share it. However, there is one significant skill that is often less talked about and even more difficult to learn: managing your emotions as someone in a position of power who has access to more information than others. Things like listening and communication, time management, and conducting effective one-on-ones are just a handful of competencies that great leaders have. There are many books and classes that describe leadership as a set of skills anyone can pick up over time. A better approach in these tricky situations is to be as honest and transparent as you can without leaking information. In the end, you may end up breaking trust and causing confusion. Sharing confidential information before you’re permitted to can have consequences for you, your team, and the business - especially if you don’t have all the details yet.
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