Bosses shouldn’t play favourites

It’s natural to like some colleagues more than others. But when you’re the boss, treating direct reports differently — and especially playing favourites — is unwise and unfair.

To make sure you don’t give anyone special treatment, divvy up choice assignments in an equitable way.

Keep a record of whom you brought to the last high-level presentation and who took the lead on the last big project.

Simple things, like rotating who leads the weekly team meeting, can help project fairness.

Be as inclusive as possible. As you’re picking a team to work on a new project, ask yourself, “Can I add one more position, even in a minor role?”

(Adapted from “How Managers Can Avoid Playing Favorites,” by Rebecca Knight.)

Don’t let pressure turn into stress

Pressure and stress are not the same thing.

The former is converted into the latter when you add one ingredient: rumination, the tendency to keep thinking about past or future events in a negative way.

When you start ruminating, redirect yourself toward areas in which you can take useful action. Try this exercise: Draw a circle on a page. Write down all of the things you can control or influence inside the circle and all of the things you cannot outside it.

Remind yourself that you can care about externalities (your work, your team, your family) without worrying about them. You can also put things in perspective by asking yourself “How much will this matter in three years’ time?” or “What’s the worst that could happen?”

(Adapted from “Pressure Doesn’t Have to Turn Into Stress,” by Nicholas Petrie.)

Go out of your way to establish trust

You can gauge the health of a virtual team by measuring the average lag time between when team members identify a problem and when they discuss it.

If you and your colleagues don’t trust one another, issues will go unaddressed for much longer than they should. That’s why it is critical for members of a virtual team to establish trust and a sense of safety upfront.

Even the smallest of gestures can help: Be generous with information. If someone is struggling with a project or task, be the first to offer help. And when someone on the team has even a minor success, send a congratulatory email.

(Adapted from “How to Raise Sensitive Issues During a Virtual Meeting,” by Joseph Grenny.)

For your next networking meeting, don’t default to ‘let’s meet for coffee’

‘Meeting for coffee’ has become our professional default when it comes to networking, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Next time you’re setting up time to get to know someone, consider one of these options instead: doing a 30-minute phone call, a 60-minute phone call, a small group gathering (like a lunch or dinner), a large group event (like a cocktail reception) or a meal with just the two of you.

The best option will depend on how much time and energy you want to put into the relationship. If you’re doing a favour for a friend, spending several hours dining one-on-one with your contact is going above and beyond — a phone call would likely suffice.

Alternatively, if you think the person could become a personal friend, you may want to invite them to a more relaxed event.

(Adapted from “When You Agree to a Networking Meeting But Don’t Know What You’re Going to Talk About,” by Dorie Clark.)

Start practicing self-reflection

Research has shown that reflection boosts productivity. Yet few of us make time to reflect. Why? For one, figuring out where to begin can be difficult.

Start by identifying a few important questions that you want to address. Here are some possibilities:

“What am I avoiding?” “How am I helping my colleagues achieve their goals?” “How am I not helping their progress?”

Then choose a reflection process that works for you. You can sit, walk, bike or stand (alone or with a partner) while writing, talking or thinking. Next, schedule time on your calendar to do it.

If an hour of reflection seems like too much, try 10 minutes. Just be still. Think. Consider multiple perspectives. Look at the opposite side of what you believe.

(Adapted from “Why You Should Make Time for Self-Reflection (Even if You Hate Doing It),” by Jennifer Porter.)

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, August 6th, 2018