Stop setting so many goals for yourself

We tend to spread our energy too thin and try to accomplish too much. To mitigate the problem, allow yourself to set only two main goals for the next six months. These should be big goals, ones you’ve had in mind for a long time but never seem to accomplish. The smaller to-dos on your list should support these larger goals — but don’t let yourself get tunnel vision. Be willing to question your assumptions regularly and re-evaluate your goals as necessary. With only two goals, you’ll want to be sure you’re actually pursuing the right things.

(Adapted from Don’t Set Too Many Goals for Yourself, by Dorie Clark)

Ask your employees to run some of your meetings

There never seems to be enough time to properly plan for a meeting. But the solution isn’t to shortchange your meeting prep; it’s to let others lead your meetings. Delegating this responsibility will both free up your time and develop your staff. It’s especially helpful to give someone else the opportunity to practice managing conversations with you in the room. This will give them the extra performance edge that comes with being watched, and you’ll be able to observe and provide feedback. Before your next meeting, ask yourself, “Who would get the most benefit from an opportunity to lead the meeting?”

(Adapted from Just Because You’re in Charge Doesn’t Mean You Should Run Every Meeting, by Paul Axtell)

Set clear ground rules for your virtual team

All workplaces need ground rules, but they’re particularly important for remote work. When a team is spread out among branch offices, coffee shops and hotel lobbies, people may have different ideas about what’s expected of them. Make clear what kind of latitude and independence team members can expect, and what resources will be available to them. If people work in different time zones, it’s critical to set ground rules around working hours, too. Managers should think about these questions:

— What times of day are team members expected to be available?

— How will you schedule meetings to accommodate each person?

— What should people do if they find their responsibilities require them to work outside their scheduled hours? Giving the team this kind of guidance upfront will help them work more effectively.

(Adapted from Leading Virtual Teams from the 20-Minute Manager Series)

3 ways to connect with your socially awkward boss

Everyone wants to have a good relationship with his boss, but it can be challenging to form a bond if your manager doesn’t know how to chitchat. Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to build a connection.

— Get to know him. Identify your boss’s hobbies, interests and passions, and then make an effort to connect with him on those topics.

— Be helpful. Use your emotional intelligence to help your boss communicate with colleagues, translate his vision and smooth out his rough edges.

— Offer perspective. Using empathy, gently provide feedback to increase his self-awareness. For example, you might say, “That comment may not be taken in the way you intended.”

(Adapted from What to Do When Your Boss Is Socially Awkward, by Rebecca Knight)

Keep your cool when a colleague goes over your head

What can you say and do when someone tries to bypass you? Take a step back and assess what you know. Look at the facts, and avoid snap judgments. Could you be misreading the situation? If you don’t know exactly what happened, try to find out. You can ask your boss what transpired: “I heard you and Carlos were talking about his new idea. Is there anything I should know?” Be sure to maintain a casual, nonaccusatory tone so your boss doesn’t think you’re trying to start a feud. You can also approach your colleague in private to hear what he has to say about the situation. Once you have all the information, you can make a rational decision about what to do next.

(Adapted from What to Do When a Co-Worker Goes Over Your Head, by Amy Gallo)

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, March 27th, 2017