How do you become a great manager? Solving problems, facilitating meetings, delivering presentations, and issuing directives are all useful skills to have, but they won’t make you great. According to Julie Zhuo, great managers focus on achieving the ultimate goal of all managers: facilitating desirable outcomes by inspiring and coordinating the efforts of others.
In The Making of a Manager, Zhuo explains that great managers motivate people to work toward a shared goal by upholding an inspiring vision, establishing trust, and communicating clear expectations. Drawing on her experience as a design executive—going from working at a small tech startup to managing hundreds of employees at Facebook—Zhuo gives clear guidance for how to build extraordinary teams that produce great outcomes. In this guide, we’ll cover four main elements of Zhuo’s advice:
Throughout the guide, we’ll consider other business leaders’ ideas that support and sometimes contradict Zhuo’s assertions—for instance, ideas from Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Workweek and Paul Marciano in Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work. We’ll also link Zhuo’s principles to additional tools and techniques you can use to amplify your effectiveness as a manager, such as how to resolve conflicts among your team.
Contrary to what many people think, being an effective manager entails more than completing a daily checklist of tasks and telling people what to do. In this section, we’ll first explore what management is, according to Zhuo. Then, we’ll discuss the qualities of a great manager.
Zhuo says that management is about facilitating desirable outcomes by inspiring and coordinating the efforts of others. Great managers build relationships, nurture collaboration, support an efficient workflow, and ultimately advance company goals.
In practice, a manager’s role is similar to that of an orchestra conductor. Just as an orchestra conductor inspires and leads musicians to deliver creative performances, a manager guides team members to combine their talents and deliver great outcomes.
Drawbacks to Zhuo’s Definition of Management
Although Zhuo’s definition has the advantage of focusing on the critical role of management to transform inputs into outputs of greater value, some say her definition is too broad because it doesn’t clarify what outcomes are desirable. One alternative definition specifies that management is responsible for achieving the best financial outcomes and satisfaction for both employees and the company as efficiently as possible.
According to Zhuo, anyone can learn to become a great manager. Although great managers can have radically different ways of approaching problems and relating to people, they have some commonalities. Let’s look at qualities that distinguish great managers. Then, we’ll cover practices great managers use to perform well consistently.
Zhuo says to be a great manager you must display these traits:
Motivated to see a team succeed—You must prioritize your team’s performance, always focusing on how you can empower others to get things done well.
(Shortform note: One way to enhance the performance of your team that Zhuo doesn’t mention is to help them create professional development plans (PDPs). A PDP is an evolving document that lists an individual’s skills and their short- and long-term career goals along with clear deadlines. Collaborate with your employees to create strategies to achieve the goals that matter to them. When they’re clear about where they’re going and how they’re going to get there, they’ll be equipped and motivated to produce results efficiently.)
Adaptable—You must be able to switch easily between tasks, according to Zhuo. For a manager, every workday is different, and unexpected demands often surface as priorities shift, processes change, and people come and go.
(Shortform note: Although Zhuo highlights the value of adaptability, she doesn’t offer tips for how to develop this quality. One tip is to focus on possible solutions when you face challenges: Instead of wasting mental energy on the mistakes or events that created your problems, think about what decisions you can make that will help resolve them. Also, write down your thoughts and concerns when challenges arise, as journaling can help you recognize and break old habits that prevent you from experimenting with creative solutions.)
Enjoy interacting with people—As management is primarily a job of “conducting” the efforts of your team, you’ll spend most of your time coaching, motivating, collaborating, and directing people with different personalities. If you find building and nurturing relationships draining rather than fulfilling, Zhuo says management is probably not your ideal career path.
(Shortform note: Although Zhuo states that you must be adept at engaging with others to be a good manager, you don’t need to be an extrovert. In fact, Susan Cain in Quiet says that introverted leaders sometimes have an edge over extroverted leaders, as introverts are more inclined to listen to other team members, solicit feedback, and implement suggestions, thereby empowering and motivating employees to work harder and proactively seek out solutions to problems.)
Able to resolve conflicts—You must be able to calmly guide people through challenging situations, Zhuo says, which includes having hard conversations when people are underperforming or disrupting the team dynamic.
(Shortform note: To resolve conflicts among your team, be sure to frame discussions objectively. This approach directs discussions toward possible solutions and away from personal feelings. Focus on objective points such as the goal of a particular project, expectations for workplace conduct, and the ways measurable results are being affected.)
Willing to own up to missteps and lapses of judgment—According to Zhuo, you must acknowledge when you make mistakes, repair any damage you’ve done, and clarify how you’re going to prevent similar failures going forward. By doing so, you’ll model the behavior you want to see in your team, and you’ll make it easier for your direct reports to trust you.
(Shortform note: Admitting your mistakes, as Zhuo suggests, sets a great example for your employees. It also helps you earn their support and saves your company money. In one study, 81% of 3,100 employees across 13 countries said having a leader who will admit to being wrong is important or very important. In another study, 53% of businesspeople said “ego” (when people don’t admit mistakes, are afraid of making mistakes, and put their interests before the company’s interests) costs between 6% and 15% of annual revenue.)
Zhuo says great managers adopt practices that help them maximize their productivity and eliminate distractions. These practices will be different for every manager, as everyone has different preferences and needs. If you’re not sure what practices help you perform your best, Zhuo recommends reflecting on the circumstances in which you’ve done your best (and worst) work in the past, and devising practices based on these circumstances.
For example, perhaps you prefer to have some time to yourself early in the morning rather than going right to work. In that case, consider taking 10 minutes each morning to meditate and set an intention for the day. When you make your productivity practices routine, Zhuo says, you’ll be more present and attentive, enhancing your ability to support others.
Tips to Supercharge Your Productivity
While Zhuo asserts that it’s up to managers to find the unique productivity practices that work best for them, arguably some practices are more effective than others. Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Workweek says the most crucial practice you can adopt to increase productivity is to focus only on the minority of your efforts that generate the greatest return. This popular approach is known as the Pareto Principle, which states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. Therefore, you can work more efficiently and continue to produce high-quality outcomes by devoting your time to the few things that really matter. For example, if 80% of sales come from 20% of your customers, focusing on the top 20% of customers is the best investment of your time.
When creating a routine that incorporates your productivity practices, consider following Stephen Covey’s more detailed advice. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey says to create a weekly plan that is narrow enough to ensure important things get done and broad enough to accommodate unexpected interruptions. First, pinpoint one or two goals you want to accomplish in the next week. Then, designate a day to complete each goal. When things come up unexpectedly—and you can’t simply dismiss them—assess how you can fit them into your schedule without sacrificing your goals.
You’ve learned what management is and what qualities make a manager great. Now, let’s look at one critical function managers must perform: sharing and reinforcing a powerful vision. In this section, we’ll first examine the features of a good vision statement. Then, we’ll discuss why a good vision statement matters, according to Zhuo.
As Zhuo explains, a vision statement clearly states the end goal of your team’s coordinated efforts. Ultimately, a good vision statement tells team members what they’re working toward, not how they’ll do it. The vision should be ambitious, inspiring, and easy to remember. When people hear your vision, they should be able to picture a new and better future. Here’s an example:
Bad vision statement: To create the best pillows on the market.
Good vision statement: Create a pillow that earns 100,000 five-star user reviews.
When a Vision Statement Doesn’t Make Sense
Most business leaders agree that a good vision statement can be a powerful motivator. However, not everyone agrees with Zhuo that a vision statement is always appropriate. For example, Michael Watkins says to avoid sharing a vision when your company is in the midst of painful restructuring or when you’re planning major changes in your team. A lofty vision statement is meaningless and anti-inspirational when employees fear for their livelihoods.
Watkins also advises against creating a separate vision statement for your business unit when you’re part of a larger organization that already has a vision statement. Layers of vision statements create confusion and rarely add up to something inspiring.
Zhuo asserts that when people don’t feel connected to an inspiring vision, their performance will likely suffer. Why? Because they don’t clearly see that what they do makes a difference, and they’re likely to prioritize their personal ambitions over collaboration. Conversely, when team members understand and support a big vision, they’ll be motivated to do their part in moving it forward.
Also, a powerful vision helps define priorities to facilitate sound decision making. Zhou says every assignment and short-term objective should clearly connect with the company’s higher purpose, and you should actively avoid pursuing plans that work against the vision statement.
(Shortform note: In Start With Why, Simon Sinek refers to the process of making decisions based on your vision (your “why”) as the Celery Test. Essentially, the Celery Test helps you pinpoint “healthy” options that advance your company’s vision, and at the same time, eliminate “unhealthy” options that don’t advance the vision. When you and your team consistently use the Celery Test when making decisions, others can observe your commitment to your vision. This will attract the kinds of customers and business connections that are key to your success and your company’s growth.)
This approach will help you set goals that ensure steady progress toward your vision. Therefore, Zhuo says managers should reinforce the company’s vision by sharing it consistently—in emails, during one-on-one meetings, and at company-wide get-togethers—so it continues to function as the main reference point for everyone’s actions.
(Shortform note: To more effectively reinforce the company’s vision while sharing it with your team, communicate it through images and creative typography so it’s visually appealing and memorable. You can also post the vision on your company’s website, display it on office signage, and print it on company swag.)
Why Employees Might Not “Get” Your Company’s Vision
Research supports Zhuo’s assertion that having a clear, compelling vision is important to attract and keep employees motivated, especially for younger workers. A report found that a “sense of purpose” in work is the second most important criterion for millennials considering a job, after salary. Thus, if job candidates and employees don’t believe in or support your company’s vision, you’ll likely lose out on good talent.
However, there’s often a disconnect between employees and a company’s vision. In one study, 52% of employees said they don’t know their organization’s vision. What accounts for this gap? Here are three possible reasons:
The vision is too “high level.” Although a vision might sound good, it leaves too much to the imagination for employees operating at ground level. To resolve this, be sure you clearly connect employees’ day-to-day tasks to the company’s purpose.
Decisions and individual actions are not aligned with the vision. People end up performing trivial work that’s not aligned with stated priorities. As Zhuo says, use your vision to focus people’s efforts on big-picture priorities rather than non-essential tasks.
People fear embracing the vision may mean more work. Consequently, employees may feign ignorance of the vision, placing the burden of further clarification on you. Look for ways to incentivize adoption of the vision by rewarding actions that line up with the company’s strategic direction.
We’ve looked at the importance of reinforcing a powerful vision to motivate your team to consistently perform at a high level. Now, we’ll examine another core function managers must perform: building and nurturing a team that works well together. In this section, we’ll review the two critical elements of team building that Zhuo identifies: hiring the right people and coaching and developing team members.
Zhuo says great managers consistently hire people with the skills and commitment the team needs to advance company objectives. As the manager, it’s ultimately up to you to build a winning team, even if you have other staff members helping you. Therefore, it’s important to have a reliable process in place. Let’s first look at the steps for identifying and interviewing candidates. Then, we’ll cover the steps for evaluating and selecting candidates.
(Shortform note: The financial impact bad hires can have for a business underscores Zhuo’s emphasis on the importance of hiring well. According to research, a bad hire can cost a company up to 30% of the employee’s annual wages in added expenses (extra training, additional supervision time, and so on). Therefore, if an employee earns $80,000 per year, your company’s added expense might be $24,000: Research shows that managers have to spend 17% of their time supervising poorly-performing employees, which equates to nearly a full wasted day per week that could be spent on more productive tasks.)
Zhuo recommends making a hiring plan: a list of roles you need to fill over the next year based on your company’s goals and vision as well as deficiencies among your current team. A one-year hiring plan will help you clarify the skills and experiences you’ll need future team members to have and when you’ll need to have those positions filled.
(Shortform note: Experts concur with Zhuo that a yearly hiring plan provides a foundation for successful recruitment. In addition to helping you coordinate the timing of hiring needs and identify skills gaps, a plan that anticipates your company’s hiring needs has another major benefit that Zhuo doesn’t mention: When you find and onboard new employees proactively, you prevent lapses in production and employee burnout due to understaffing.)
Once you start your hiring efforts, Zhuo recommends these steps to find and interview candidates:
Step #1: Create a clear job description. Clarify core job duties, and be specific about the skills, experiences, and qualities you need. For example, if you need a project manager who’s detail-oriented and great at calmly navigating difficult conversations with strong personalities, be sure you note that preference.
(Shortform note: As Zhuo notes, a clear job description is key to attracting qualified candidates. One important part of a good job description that Zhuo doesn’t mention is a clear job title that matches your job requirements. Candidates look for job titles that fit their qualifications, so be sure you choose job titles that are easy to understand. For example, “receptionist” is a better choice than “director of first impressions.” Also, avoid superfluous language that’s overly complicated so candidates can easily understand what’s expected. For example, instead of “interfacing cross-functionally and troubleshooting interdepartmentally,” simply say “collaborating with team members from different departments.”)
Step #2: Decide where you’ll look for candidates. Zhuo recommends asking colleagues for recommendations before looking anywhere else. If none of their suggestions work out, you now have an idea of what kind of person to look for elsewhere.
(Shortform note: While Zhuo asserts that recommendations from peers should be your go-to hiring strategy, others claim that seeking hires via a recruitment agency is the best approach in certain circumstances. For example, agencies are especially useful for finding candidates to fill leadership or highly technical positions. They often have staff members with expertise in particular industries, which enables them to spot employees with specific skills that you might overlook. Using a recruitment agency can also free you to focus your efforts elsewhere, thereby saving you—and your company—time and resources.)
Step #3: Prepare a template of interview questions. Be clear about what you want to learn, and use the same questions for each candidate interviewing for a single role. As Zhuo says, this helps you compare candidates based on the quality of their answers rather than subjective impressions.
(Shortform note: To prepare for interviews more efficiently, consider conducting software-assisted interviews. Software tools generate interview questions for you based on your specific job requirements and help you evaluate candidates. These tools can also decrease bias in your hiring decisions by scoring candidates in a way that’s potentially more objective than in-person judgments.)
Step #4: Invite colleagues to help you conduct interviews. According to Zhuo, this can diminish bias that often interferes when only one person is involved and can help you catch warning signs you might overlook if you’re on your own—for example, a candidate who won’t make eye contact with female interviewers.
(Shortform note: What’s the ideal number of interviewers to include? Zhuo doesn’t say, but others recommend a maximum of three people. More than three may intimidate and confuse candidates, making them feel like they must remember many names and the role each person has in the organization. Also, including more interviewers than necessary tends to make decisions about candidates more challenging, as it’s rare for multiple people to be perfectly aligned in their opinions of candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and fit with the company culture.)
Step #5: Conduct memorable interviews. Avoid distractions and devote your attention to candidates so they know you consider them a priority. Also (if you think they’re likely to be a good hire), describe the difference you see they’ll make when they’re on your team, and tell them how excited you are to welcome them to the company. As Zhuo says, you need to make sure candidates see your company as an attractive place to work.
(Shortform note: One way to entice candidates during interviews that Zhuo doesn’t mention is to build transparent career trajectories—let potential hires know what advancement opportunities and financial incentives they can expect if they perform well. This can help overcome candidates’ fear of entering an unfamiliar work environment and may give your company an edge if candidates end up entertaining multiple offers.)
After you’ve interviewed candidates, how do you decide who to hire? Zhuo suggests you take these steps to evaluate and select candidates:
Step #1: Review work they’ve done in the past. Evaluate a few projects they’ve completed that are similar to the work they’ll be expected to do at your company. According to Zhuo, this will give you a clear sense of their skills and ability to problem solve. It’ll also help you forecast how they’ll perform in the future.
(Shortform note: Reviewing job candidates’ past work is a common screening technique among employers. What should you look for as you review those projects? In addition to ensuring the projects are relevant to the position they’re applying for, as Zhuo recommends, business leaders advise that you consider whether the candidates’ work reflects the style of your business. For example, if their projects are mostly formal, corporate content and your business is more lighthearted and fun, candidates might have a hard time adapting. Also, make sure the projects are varied, which suggests candidates are versatile.)
Step #2: Ask trusted peers for input. Zhuo says you likely won’t get useful input from references a candidate furnishes. Instead, seek input from colleagues and peers in your professional network who’ll give you an honest assessment of candidates.
(Shortform note: Although Zhuo doesn’t suggest specific questions to use when getting input from colleagues, be sure you’re clear about what information you need. In Execution, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan recommend asking not only about what someone has accomplished but also about how they did it and the skills they used. Pose questions such as “How would you describe their communication style?”, “How did they support or undermine teamwork and collaboration?”, and “Do they adapt well to shifting priorities, or do they tend to resist change?” The answers to such questions will inform you about a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as how well they’re likely to fit your company’s culture.)
Step #3: Go with candidates who excite you. Even if a candidate has the needed skills and qualities, don’t choose them just because they could fit. Zhuo says to always give preference to candidates who spark enthusiasm in at least one interviewer. Candidates are more likely to add high value to your team when they stand out as unique.
(Shortform note: Rather than passively waiting to see if candidates make a notable impression on you or your fellow interviewers, as Zhuo suggests, you can design your interviews to give candidates opportunities to excite you. For example, ask candidates questions such as “What part of your work makes you excited to get up in the morning?” “How would you describe the difference your work makes?” Candidates who deliver personalized, impassioned responses will quickly stand out from those who deliver “canned” answers.)
Step #4: Prioritize diverse candidates. Hire candidates who have varied work and life experiences and who represent diverse races, genders, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations. Zhuo says diverse teams generate more creative ideas, solve problems more effectively, and produce superior outcomes.
(Shortform note: To secure the advantages of a diverse workforce, as Zhuo recommends, you must clearly communicate the value you place on diversity to attract a more diverse talent pool. For example, vocalize your commitment to diversity during job interviews, or require candidates to write a one-page solution to a problem that involves a diversity challenge at work. Requiring them to solve a problem like this highlights the importance you place on resolving diversity challenges and creating a safe environment for all employees. It also allows you to gauge whether candidates are likely to respond to diversity challenges in a way that meshes with your company culture.)
Step #5: Choose people who have the potential to contribute beyond their designated role. Prepare for future growth by hiring candidates who are equipped to deliver more than you need immediately. For example, even if a frontline sales role doesn’t include supervisory responsibilities now, Zhuo says it’s wise to give an edge to candidates who have relevant sales experience and supervising experience. They’ll be able to step into bigger roles as your team grows.
Pros and Cons of Hiring Overqualified Candidates
Although Zhuo highlights one significant benefit to hiring a candidate whose qualifications exceed job requirements, she doesn’t elaborate on the many other advantages—or, the many drawbacks—of this approach. Here are some key pros and cons based on experts’ insights:
Pros:
Increased productivity—When people have extensive experience above and beyond their current role, their advanced skill set can help increase your company’s performance levels.
Reduced training time and costs—Overqualified candidates are usually equipped with the knowledge required for performing their basic job duties, which requires you to expend fewer resources training them.
Valuable input and ideas—Candidates who have worked in more advanced roles are often able to identify ways to improve efficiency.
Cons:
Risk of underperformance—When someone feels overqualified for a position, they may become complacent and bored if you don’t challenge them or nurture their ongoing development.
Alienating other employees—Other team members may perceive this hire as reducing their opportunities for advancement.
Higher risk of turnover—If an overqualified candidate takes a position out of desperation or mere curiosity, they may leave as soon as another opportunity comes along that better fits their skill level.
Hiring an overqualified candidate may indeed be the best option for your company, as Zhuo suggests—but, be sure to weigh your company’s needs against the associated risks.
Once you’ve hired the right people, you must continually coach and develop your team to keep performance high. For coaching to be effective, Zhuo says, it’s crucial that you earn your team members’ trust and create a safe, supportive environment for them.
Why is trust so important? As Zhuo explains, when employees don’t feel safe, they’ll hesitate—or avoid—coming to you with problems, fearing negative repercussions. If employees struggle without your help and knowledge, they may eventually become so frustrated that they leave. Also, small problems often develop into bigger problems in the future if they’re not addressed.
Conversely, if employees do feel safe coming to you with problems, you can help them find solutions and prevent problems from escalating.
The Biological Foundation of Workplace Trust
In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek explains that the workplace trust Zhuo describes is valuable because it causes team members’ brains to release oxytocin, the neurochemical that promotes bonding and happiness. This oxytocin compounds over time, making teammates more empathetic, more collaborative, and ultimately, more productive.
In contrast, Sinek explains that when employees don’t feel safe in the workplace, it triggers their brains to produce cortisol, the stress hormone. The reason they won’t approach you with their problems (as Zhuo describes) is that this cortisol triggers the same fight or flight response as if they were in physical danger.
So, how do you build a foundation of trust with your team? Zhuo makes three key recommendations: demonstrate that you care, have weekly one-on-one meetings, and give and request feedback. Let’s explore each in detail.
First, demonstrate that you care about your team by relating to them on a personal level. Show them that you see them as individuals, not just faceless workers, and empathize with their struggles. Also, Zhuo says to clearly communicate your support whether employees are performing well or struggling to meet your expectations. If they know you support them even when they’re not performing their best, they’re more likely to be honest with you.
(Shortform note: In The Dichotomy of Leadership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin echo Zhuo’s advice to genuinely empathize with your subordinates and support them even if they’re struggling, but they also acknowledge a potential pitfall of this approach—if someone on your team is dragging down the others with poor performance, continuing to support them unconditionally will hurt the other team members you care about by making their jobs harder. At times, effectively supporting your team means firing one of them, which may feel like a denial of support to that worker. However, Willink and Babin argue that firing someone can be a form of personal support, as they’d likely be happier in a position they’re better equipped for.)
Great managers give feedback to direct reports often. As positive feedback is often more motivating than negative, Zhuo recommends aiming to deliver at least 50% positive feedback.
(Shortform note: In Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work, Paul Marciano agrees with Zhuo that you should deliver specific feedback often. However, he argues that 80% of feedback should be positive, while only 20% should be about improving performance. Also, he recommends giving positive feedback in areas where employees have the most interest or pride—if you don’t know what areas are important to them, ask.)
Whenever you give feedback, Zhuo says to follow these two rules:
1. Clarify that your intention is to help them succeed. This helps your reports feel supported and fosters trust.
(Shortform note: In The Charisma Myth, Olivia Fox Cabane suggests that you can’t just tell your team members that your intention is for them to succeed, as Zhuo recommends—you have to truly feel it. People are really good at detecting insincerity via body language, and if they think your words contradict your feelings, they’ll doubt your goodwill.)
2. Be as detailed as you can and give examples that validate your feedback. This helps your reports connect your assessment to specific actions they’ve taken and understand what you’re looking for in the future.
(Shortform note: Objective evidence is important when giving feedback because we all have self-serving biases, according to Annie Duke in Thinking in Bets. We tend to avoid blaming ourselves for our mistakes and see negative outcomes as beyond our control. When you present employees with specific examples of past missteps, they’re more likely to overcome their self-serving biases and take your feedback seriously.)
Zhuo identifies two main types of feedback. First, micro-level feedback (what Zhuo calls “task-specific feedback”) relates to a specific task someone completed such as leading a meeting or conducting a financial analysis. Give this feedback as soon as possible, either via email or in person.
For example: “The team-building exercise you led in yesterday’s meeting was fantastic. You gave clear directions and got everyone engaged. Many people said the exercise helped them connect with their colleagues at a new level, and I have no doubt collaboration on projects will be even better going forward.”
(Shortform note: In The New One-Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson describe techniques for delivering micro-level feedback efficiently. Use one-minute praising sessions to deliver specific, positive feedback in real time when you see an employee doing something valuable that contributes to company goals. Use one-minute redirects to provide immediate feedback when you see an employee make a mistake, thereby helping them to learn from errors.)
Second, macro-level feedback (what Zhuo calls “behavioral feedback”) relates to patterns in someone’s behavior and performance that emerge over time. Give this feedback less frequently, but don’t wait for official performance reviews, so that people can make adjustments sooner than later. Zhuo says it’s better to deliver macro-level feedback in person so your report can ask questions and contribute their views.
Here’s an example of macro-level feedback: “When other people are talking, you consistently interrupt them. For example, when LaTisha was sharing her financial report, you cut her off before she could finish her projections for next quarter. This disregarded the value of her contributions and made you appear disinterested.”
(Shortform note: What can you do to make people receptive to critical feedback on their behavior patterns? Kim Scott (Radical Candor) recommends framing your feedback around three things: the situation, the person’s behavior, and the outcome. As Scott says, this approach helps you avoid judgmental generalizations about the person, in both criticism and praise. For example, instead of “You’re disrespectful of people’s time,” opt for “I already emphasized to you how important it is for you to show up on time (situation). Yesterday you showed up late again to our staff meeting (behavior). We lost valuable time waiting for you (outcome).”)
After you share feedback, make sure you clarify what behavior adjustments you’re expecting going forward. For example, you might say, “When you deliver your financial report next Tuesday, I’d like you to focus on speaking more slowly and projecting your voice.” Zhuo says you can also ask your report what adjustments they think are needed, which helps empower them to think creatively and take ownership of their development. For example, you could say, “What do you plan to focus on to improve your next presentation?”
(Shortform note: As Zhou says, closing a feedback conversation with next steps helps ensure alignment between you and your employee. However, she omits one simple action you can take to close a feedback conversation on a positive note: Thank your employee for their time and willingness to engage in the discussion. Your gratitude can go a long way in helping your staff feel appreciated and valued.)
Additionally, Zhuo emphasizes that great managers don’t just give feedback, they request feedback from their peers and direct reports. Getting feedback, Zhuo says, is the best way to constantly improve your skills as a manager, ensuring you’re doing everything you can to help your team succeed. Be sure to request both micro- and macro-level feedback, and ask people to be specific. For example, you might say: “I’m working on highlighting strengths and opportunities in our team rather than weaknesses. How did I do with that in today’s meeting? How can I improve?” No matter what people say—even if you disagree—thank them for sharing their thoughts so they’ll be more likely to give you feedback in the future.
Is Requesting Feedback a Bad Idea?
Zhuo doesn’t acknowledge the effect power dynamics can have on employees’ willingness to give you honest feedback. Your team members may hesitate to share critical feedback, concerned it may negatively impact your view of them and their standing in the company.
So, how can you put employees at ease so they feel empowered to freely share their insights? One option, proposed by Marshall Goldsmith in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, is to request feedback confidentially through a third party. According to Goldsmith, people are likely to share only positive input if you ask them for feedback directly. However, if you request feedback indirectly through a third party, they’ll be more inclined to share their honest opinions because their input will be anonymous.
Others recommend that you stop requesting feedback altogether and instead ask for advice. Why? Apart from in the early stages of our careers when it’s beneficial to know where we went wrong or what’s lacking in our performance, research shows that feedback has little impact on our performance. Over one-third of the time, feedback actually negatively impacts performance, often because it’s backward-looking (based on our past actions). This makes it hard for us to focus on the future: Our minds latch onto how we “screwed up,” so the feedback tends to be less actionable.
However, when people give advice, they’re likely to share thoughtful reflections about how we can strategically improve, which helps us think about future actions we can take. Therefore, consider asking for advice as a way to help you think in new ways and move forward instead of lingering in the past.
Alternatively, implement Zhao’s advice above and insist on clarifying next steps following feedback about past performance—this will help to keep your next move future-oriented.
By now, you know how to build and develop your team to support seamless collaboration and high-level performance and productivity. Now, it’s time to look at another core function great managers must perform to facilitate great outcomes: running productive meetings. As Zhuo says, meetings inevitably take up a large portion of company time, so it’s essential to extract maximum value when people come together.
(Shortform note: Research confirms Zhuo’s emphasis on the importance of running productive, efficient meetings, as poorly executed meetings waste valuable resources. Studies show that 70% of all meetings are a waste of time, yet meeting frequency has increased 69.7% since February 2020. Meetings take away valuable working hours from the team and often decrease productivity while contributing to stress and burnout. Also, unproductive meetings take a huge financial toll on your company, wasting $37 billion annually in the United States.)
According to Zhuo, good meetings provide clarity on important issues and have a specific purpose. To ensure meetings are productive, follow these steps:
Step #1: Specify the objective you want to achieve. Zhuo says there are five possible objectives: make a decision, share information, provide feedback, generate ideas, and strengthen relationships. Making the objective of the meeting clear to all attendees will help you avoid wasting time.
Step #2: Invite the people necessary to fulfill your intended outcome. For example, if you call a meeting to announce that you’re ramping up production of a product with the intention to boost sales, representatives from operations, sales, and marketing should attend so they can coordinate their efforts to accommodate the higher volume of product and achieve sales goals.
Step #3: Help attendees prepare in advance. Send out the agenda, and have presenters share any documents, charts, or spreadsheets the day before the meeting so everyone can familiarize themselves with the material. As Zhuo says, this allows people to share more thoughtful input and stay focused during the meeting.
Step #4: Get the entire group engaged and invite critical input. To avoid one or two voices dominating the discussion, explicitly say that you want everyone to participate, share their views, and ask hard questions. You can also encourage participation by going around the room and asking everyone to weigh in on a particular topic, or you can have people write down their thoughts on paper, then openly discuss similarities and differences in an open forum. Zhuo asserts that you’ll get better outcomes from meetings if everyone is engaged.
Step #5: Clarify next steps. Before you conclude the meeting, make sure everyone is clear about what decisions were made and what action steps are expected. Later, send out an email summary that highlights relevant points of the discussion and what decisions were made, as well as when you’ll be following up for progress reports. Zhuo says this helps keep everyone aligned and accountable.
Become Masterful at Organizing and Running Meetings
Zhuo provides a solid framework for organizing your team to get the most out of meetings, which will help you keep people aligned on expectations and working together on things that matter. However, she omits some detailed guidance that can help you get even higher returns from your meetings. Follow these tips from other business experts:
Design every aspect of the meeting around your objective. Don’t merely identify the meeting’s objective, as Zhuo suggests; completely tailor every aspect of the meeting to the objective to increase efficiency and ensure productive outcomes. For example, choose when meetings happen based on your goal. Research shows that brainstorming and strategic thinking are best in the mornings when people have the most mental energy. Creative problem solving is better later in the day when people are less distracted and more relaxed. Also, define the meeting length based on how many people are involved and how in-depth the project is. Don’t schedule an hour when you only need 20 minutes.
Make sure everyone knows what role they’re expected to play. When you invite the people necessary to fulfill your meeting’s purpose, as Zhuo says, save time by also appointing roles ahead of time, including presenters, a notetaker, and a timekeeper.
Allot a specific amount of time for each agenda item. To help people prepare in advance, as Zhuo recommends, give them a heads-up about their time constraints for discussions or presentations so they can prepare accordingly. Then, during the meeting, be sure to stick to the agenda. This demonstrates that you’re an effective and organized leader—another way to build trust from your team.
Don’t force introverts to speak. Giving everyone in a meeting the opportunity to speak, as Zhuo recommends, may run the risk of alienating more introverted employees by putting them on the spot. Be patient when introverts don’t participate in meetings as much as others. Often, their silence is a sign that they want to think critically before they speak, which makes their input more valuable.
Thank everyone for their time and contributions. Don't just send out next steps and summaries once meetings are complete. Always end on a positive note by expressing gratitude for your team’s hard work.
Zhuo says building trust is crucial for your team to work together, resolve problems, and achieve stellar results.
Rank the level of trust between you and your team as a whole, and each member individually (1 = Excellent, but room for minor improvement, 2 = Pretty good, but a lot of room for improvement, 3 = Bad, desperately needs improvement). Why did you choose each ranking?
Compare the people at work you trust the most with those you trust the least. What insights do you have to explain those differences (for example, your lack of knowledge about team members’ goals, unresolved conflicts you have with team members, or team members’ poor performance)?
What actions can you take to increase trust between you and your team (for example, schedule one-on-one meetings, acknowledge your mistakes, or deliver constructive feedback)? Write down at least two ideas that you could execute this week, and plan when you’ll execute each.
What barriers do you see that could interfere with the actions you identified (for example, lack of time, feeling awkward, or a toxic company culture)?
What steps can you take to overcome those barriers (for example, designate time on your calendar, role play conversations with a colleague, or announce your commitment to building trust at your next team meeting)? Really stretch yourself to overcome any barriers. Remember, Zhuo says without trust, team members become frustrated, performance suffers, and you stay blind to problems.