You’re right. You deserve high-quality, carefully considered feedback in your performance review. Your manager should take this seriously and do it right.

But often they don’t. It’s statistically likely that you (or a friend) will be blindsided by the performance feedback you receive. Let’s get ahead of it this year with some Powerful Phrases to ask for, and engage In a more meaningful conversation.

Powerful Phrases to Deal with Lazy, Vague, Frustrating Feedback

A few years ago, I wrote “Avoid These Infuriating Phrases in End-of-Year Feedback” to encourage managers to stop making stupid comments when giving a performance review.

This heartfelt post came from years of listening to high-performing employees vent their frustrations about frustrating phrases their managers said. If you’re a manager who struggles with performance reviews, please start there.

How to Respond to the Most Infuriating Kind of Performance Review

For the rest of you (or your friends), let’s prepare for that frustrating feedback this year and prepare you with some Powerful Phrases for when the conversation goes sideways.

1. “I don’t have much end-of-year feedback for you. You know you’re doing great.”

I hate this one as much as you do. If you’re hearing this, you probably are doing great, but it doesn’t give you much to build on or improve.

Some options to start your empowered response:

• “Wow, thanks so much! I appreciate your support. This year, I feel particularly proud about __________ (insert that accomplishment you expected them to bring up). I’m curious about your perspective on that _______(project, strategy, accomplishment). Why did that work from your perspective? What made that work so well, and how might I bring more of that into my work?”
• “Thank you! You know, one area I’m really working to improve on is _________. What is one suggestion you have for how I can be more effective in that arena?”
• “Thank you! I’m curious about what specifically you appreciate about what I’m doing here. I’m very focused on ensuring next year is even better, and I’d love your help in knowing what I should continue doing and ideas to help me really differentiate my performance next year.”

2. “I rated you as meets expectations for your end-of-year feedback. Your performance really was an “exceeds” but I had to make the math work out.” Or, even worse, “I could only have one person in that category.”

Okay, you have a serious right to be ticked off here. I’ve been there, on both sides of this awkward conversation.

And it’s probably too late to change the math or the rating. I know this because as a Verizon executive I’ve fought this battle many times for the high-performers on my team, and the answer was “pick one.”

Your manager may be as (or even more) frustrated than you.

In my article on infuriating phrases, my advice to your manager is to stay focused on results and behaviors, rather than the rating. And, to be clear about the criteria that they used to calibrate performance and where you met and exceeded those criteria and opportunities to improve in the future. To stay away from comparisons to other employees, or blaming other people for the rating they received.

And now, some options to start your empowered response: 

• “Oh, wow. That must have put you in a difficult situation. And, I’ve got to tell you, that makes me feel really ___________(insert emotion here, but try not to scream or cry).”
• “I’ve worked incredibly hard this year and I really don’t want to be having a similar conversation this time next year. Can we outline what I need to do for next year to make ‘exceeds’ (or whatever your rating equivalent is) the obvious rating? I’d love to build a plan to ensure I have the success I’m looking for.”
• “I really appreciate your support. And I’ve got to tell you I’m pretty frustrated. This affects my compensation too (if that’s true). I’d really like to talk to HR to express my concerns about this.”

3. “I know we haven’t talked about this before, but _____”

This one’s tricky because your manager certainly shouldn’t blindside you this way in your performance review. There are a few angles you might choose to take. If they’ve put something in writing that’s coming out of the blue, you might request to have that removed, requesting a fair chance to address it before it turns up in the documentation.

And, here are some empowering phrases that might be useful.

• “I appreciate your feedback and your desire to help me improve. I’m wondering what we could do to set up a more regular cadence of feedback throughout the year, so there are no surprises next time.”
• “I’m a bit surprised by this feedback and would like to take some time to digest it. Let’s set up a follow-up in a week to talk a bit more.”
• “Since this is the first time I’ve heard this feedback, can you please give me some time to address this before you put it in the formal review? Here’s my approach to improving in this area.”

4.”I don’t really have any specific examples, but it’s become a real issue.”

If you hear this in your performance review, and you can’t think of any examples either, I’d recommend you push for some examples.

• “I’m deeply committed to improving my performance in this arena. And, it’s really hard to understand what needs to change without some concrete examples.”
• “I really would like to understand this more. I’m struggling to come up with examples too.”
• “Can you please tell me more? I’d really like to get a better understanding of your concern here.”

5. “I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from other people about your performance in this arena. Who? I’m not at liberty to say.

As with most of these awkward performance review phrases, I would start with a gut check. If your manager is raising an issue and it feels true to you, then your best bet is to own it and work on it.

However, if this third-party performance review feedback feels unfair, then I would press for more information.

• “Hmmm. That’s tricky. I don’t see it that way. It would be really helpful for me to talk directly with those concerned. Can you please ask them to come to me with their concerns so I have a chance to talk with them directly about it?”
• “Have you noticed this issue yourself? Does this seem like something that’s consistent with what you’ve observed?”
• “I’d like a chance to better understand this issue. Who do you suggest I talk with to learn more?”

6. “Just write up your accomplishments and I’ll sign it.”

It’s a great idea to submit your accomplishments. After all, you’re closer to the work you’ve done and the impact you’ve made.

Say yes, and then…

• “I’d be delighted to write up my accomplishments (see How to help your boss give you a better performance review for tips on how to do that well).”
• “I would also really appreciate your feedback and perspective on my performance this year. When would be a good time for us to talk through my performance review?”
• “Here you go (hand them your accomplishments). I’m also really interested in your feedback on how I can make next year my best year ever. I got this great development discussion planner from Let’s Grow Leaders. I’d love to schedule some time to go through that.”

While lazy, vague, and frustrating feedback can feel super irritating, it also gives you a chance to take responsibility for your career development. Ask for what you need and giveyour manager the opportunity to rise to the occasion. Sometimes their insights will surprise, and help you make that next step.

Related Articles

12 Powerful Phrases For Navigating Challenging Workplace Conflict

How to Help Your Team’s Performance Stand Out for Better Recognition

The post Performance Review: How to respond to frustrating or lazy performance feedback appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Even the best leaders face communication challenges in today’s fast-moving work environment. This episode offers a practical solution to help you ensure your messages are clear, reduce frustration, and boost your team’s performance.

Here’s what you’ll gain from listening:

• Learn why asking “Do you understand?” is ineffective and what to ask instead.
• Find out how to eliminate communication gaps that slow down progress and create stress.
• Gain advanced techniques to strengthen your leadership communication at all levels.

Now, discover the communication skills that will transform your leadership and improve team cohesion!

Mastering An Essential Communication Skill

[00:00] Introduction to Communication Skills
You’re about to learn one of the most powerful communication skills that can save you time, reduce frustration, and elevate your leadership. The episode introduces a simple but transformative tool that will change how you lead conversations.

[01:52] The Problem with Asking “Do You Understand?”
Asking, “Do you understand?” seems simple, but it’s one of the least effective ways to ensure clarity. You’ll discover why this common question leads to misunderstandings and what to do instead.

[02:51] The Importance of Checking for Understanding
Mastering checking for understanding will help you identify gaps in your team’s knowledge before issues arise. Learn how to ask the right open-ended questions that foster real clarity.

Practical Applications of Communication Skills

[04:06] Applying the Check for Understanding
Here, you’ll dive into practical ways to apply the check for understanding technique. You’ll hear examples of how to phrase your questions to guarantee your team’s full comprehension.

[06:45] Ensuring Team Alignment
Miscommunication can lead to wasted time and missed opportunities. This section teaches you how to use communication skills to confirm that everyone is on the same page, whether you’re delegating tasks or reviewing project details.

[09:31] Organizational-Level Communication: Ensuring Cascading Clarity
Leaders often struggle to ensure that their messages reach everyone in the organization. You’ll learn the importance of checking for understanding at different levels to make sure your communication cascades effectively.

Overcoming Common Communication Barriers

[12:10] Overcoming Time Constraints with Effective Communication
Are you concerned that using this communication skill takes too much time? You’ll discover why investing a few extra minutes in clarifying conversations will save you hours of frustration and rework later.

[14:22] Addressing Intentional Misunderstandings
Some team members may intentionally avoid understanding to escape accountability. This summary explains how to use communication skills to address and coach through these scenarios, ensuring accountability across the board.

[15:23] Managing Negative Emotions in Communication
Dealing with negative emotions is tough, but avoiding them makes communication worse. You’ll learn how to use empathy and communication skills to navigate difficult conversations while keeping your team engaged.

[17:41] Recap: The Power of Mastering Communication Skills
In closing, the episode emphasizes that the “check for understanding” is one of the most critical communication skills. You’ll walk away with a stronger ability to lead, inspire, and ensure your team’s success by communicating clearly.

The post One Critical Communication Skill Every Busy Leader Needs appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

In a world with a constantly growing AI presence, where data is cheap, and you can easily outsource routine tasks to large language models, your decision making ability plays a more vital role than ever. Your ability to help your organization and teams make effective decisions is a competitive advantage and rare leadership skill. Three questions will help energize and clarify your decision making process.

When Decision Making Meetings Go Wrong

You’ve been there before. One of those awful meetings that turns into a painful slog through a swamp of half-hearted participation and conversations that go in circles.

Pretty soon someone says, “Sorry, I have to get to another call,” and everyone else looks at them with a mix of jealousy and frustration. The meeting ends with no decision made, an hour or more wasted, and the team’s morale drained from their inability to act.

When decision making meetings go wrong, one or more of these factors is usually in play:

• You don’t have the right people
• You don’t know who owns the decision
• You haven’t defined the success criteria

Invest in Clarity for Energetic Decision Making that Builds Morale

Missing clarity is at the heart of all three decision making morale busters. You can solve them by answering three key questions:

1. Who does this decision affect?
2. Who owns this decision?
3. What would a successful outcome do for each affected party?

Let’s look at each of these questions.

1) Who does this decision affect?

To make the best decision, make sure to include people who the decision affects in the process. You don’t need everyone. What’s the smallest group of people to get the needed input?

2) Who owns this decision?

Before discussion begins, clarify the person or people who will actually make the call. There are only three options:

• A single person decides (maybe you, maybe another subject matter expert)
• A group votes
• A group reaches consensus (where everyone can live with one outcome)

(To learn more about clarifying who attends decision making meetings and who owns the decision check out the Advanced Guide to Lead Meetings That Get Results and People Want to Attend)

3) What would a successful outcome do for you?

This final clarity question is critical to a successful decision, and yet we regularly see leaders skip it or assume that everyone has the same success criteria in mind.

But of course, they don’t, and so people talk past one another and frustration reigns.

You can’t reliably choose effective solutions if you don’t know what success looks like.

Let’s say your team is discussing a marketing opportunity with some newly available funds. If you jump into the discussion before establishing success criteria, how will you choose between different options?

Lela and Vinesh jump in, “Let’s hire actors and do a flash mob of the thriller dance. Then the zombies will transform at the end by shedding their overshirts and revealing our product tee shirt. It will be great for social!”

Mark and Sheila suggest, “We should really do one more booth at the new conference expo they just added at the end of the year. Those leads are usually solid.”

Osa and Vik listen for a moment and then add, “Let’s not limit ourselves here. There’s an opportunity for a partnership with the magic soda corp—they’re looking for someone to package with for a winter campaign.”

The conversation likely turns into a tug of war between two or three different positions who each argue for solutions that make sense to them.

The antidote to this confusion and frustration is to establish clear success criteria. If you’ve already got clear success criteria, don’t keep them a secret. Share them before anyone presents any ideas.

A Powerful Question

But if the criteria aren’t clear or haven’t been established for you, it’s up to you to ensure a shared understanding of what success looks like.

When you first ask key stakeholders what a successful outcome will do for them, you can build a set of success criteria that will both filter the ideas people bring to the table and then give the decision maker(s) a way to evaluate choices.

“What would a successful outcome do for you?” is one of our favorite of the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict because it gets underneath what people really need. Instead of arguing for their position (zombies, booth, partnership), you learn what outcomes matter most.

Use Your Criteria to Evaluate Options

Suppose you ask the relevant stakeholders this question and get a resounding answer like, “We need to boost overall sales and leads for next year. A secondary, but important outcome is that need to improve perceived value for our existing channel partners.”

Now you’ve got some general criteria to work with. You might drive for more detail or numeric goals. But even if you get directional criteria like these, you are in a better place to evaluate options. You can ask each group to make their case relative to the success criteria in play.

Team flash mob might take zombies off the table (it would help with perceived partner value, but probably not have much effect on sales or leads.) The expo and partner-packaging folks can make their cases for both outcomes.

Before You Stop with the Options You Have…

You can also ask your team to reframe the opportunity and look for alternative ways to achieve the same or better outcomes.

This can be a fun exercise: “We’ve been talking about increasing our pipeline by 3%. What if we needed to increase it by 10% with the same resources? What might we do?”

Your Turn

It might feel obvious to clarify what success looks before you get into a decision making conversation. But it happens all the time and teams waste too much valuable time and energy talking past one another. Energize your decision making conversations by clarifying who should be there, who owns the decision, and critically, what will a successful outcome achieve.

We’d love to hear from you: how do you ensure decision making criteria are clear before you get into discussions about ideas?

You Might Like:

• Why Your Team Can’t Innovate When You Want Ideas and Try to Help
• Workplace Innovation: The Secret to Getting Better, Remarkable, Usable Ideas
• How to Train a Struggling Team Member to Make Better Decisions

The post The Roadmap to Clarity: Three Must-Have Steps in Your Decision Making Process appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Often, people have unspoken values or expectations, and there isn’t one “right” way to do things. Maybe your manager never clarified an important process. Or the team hasn’t agreed on norms, so you’ve found yourself in a conflict cocktail of vague and unclear expectations and strong points of view.

Here’s an example that many remote and hybrid teams experience: should you have your cameras on during a meeting?

Your coworker, Rachel, may feel like it’s completely unnecessary. It drains her energy. Most of the time, no one asks her opinion anyway, and her surroundings aren’t chic, so why turn on the camera? For her, a camera-off policy is as comfortable as wearing pajamas during a work call – no one knows, but it feels just right.

For Zach, however, the lack of face time is disrespectful and frustrating as he presents his project and seeks feedback. “Cameras should always be on,” he insists, “unless you’ve got to step away or sneeze or something.” He views a camera-on policy like a firm handshake – a sign of respect and engagement.

“No,” interjects your colleague, Pat, “that’s wasteful and unnecessary. We only need to be on camera for clients or for a real discussion.” Pat prefers a pragmatic approach, seeing camera use as a tool, not a rule, like using an umbrella only when it rains.

This is a classic case of unclear expectations creating ‘camera drama,’ where a lack of established norms creates conflict. None of these people is “right” as there is no objectively “right or wrong” answer for cameras. It’s more about preference than policy, like choosing between coffee or tea for your morning boost.

Finding Clarity When Rules Are Fuzzy

In every organization, there will be activity that isn’t covered by a corporate policy. As norms shift, technology changes, and social standards develop, you and your team can resolve these ambiguous norms and unclear expectations with a conversation. If there’s no company policy, it can either become a conflict—or an opportunity to use some Powerful Phrases and build a team agreement, much like deciding on the office’s unofficial dress code.

This is one of those workplace conflicts that takes some investigation and intentional conversation to understand what’s happening. It’s so easy to get caught up in an argument without realizing that it’s really a lack of clarity, like arguing over who finished the milk without checking the fridge first. As you see a conflict building, start with Powerful Phrases that “put the fish on the table,” and help people understand what’s happening.

Note: This article contains 12 vital “clarity habits” for better collaboration.

Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Unclear Norms and Expectations

“It is very simple, but hard to do. Set expectations and follow through.”
-Male, 65, Israel, The World Workplace Conflict and Collaboration Survey

“It seems that we see this differently…”

Summarize the situation and call attention to the fact that people have different perspectives. This might feel like stating the obvious, but it helps everyone rise above their position to see the situation more objectively, like taking a step back to see the whole elephant, not just its trunk.

“Here’s the challenge we face…”

Now you describe the consequences if the lack of clarity continues. For example: “There’s no rule about this, so it’s up to us to figure out. The challenge we face if we don’t agree on how we use cameras is that we’ll all feel resentful, disrespected, and exhausted.”

“I know that’s not what we want… I’m confident we can…”

As you describe the negative consequences, you can then call everyone to their best intentions with this Powerful Phrase. It assumes good intent. For example:

“I know we don’t want to exhaust each other. And I know we all want to feel supported, seen, respected, and valued as we do our work. I’m confident we can come up with an agreement that will work for all of us.”

“Let’s decide how to decide.”

At this point in your conversation, the team might realize that it’s someone’s job to make a call. If so, invite them to the discussion or make an appointment to talk with them. Use the same Powerful Phrases from Chapter 12—Navigating Competing Goals to have a conversation with the decision-maker and get clarity.

But, when there’s no assigned decision-maker, it’s helpful to agree first on how the group will decide. Usually, this is going to be a vote or consensus. In a vote, the majority rules. In consensus, everyone can live with a choice, even if it wasn’t their first option. For example:

“Okay, this one’s our call. Is everyone comfortable with a vote? Or do we want to go for consensus?”

(And yes, that’s an example of a quick consensus decision about whether to use a vote or consensus. So meta, right?)

In conclusion, navigating the murky waters of workplace norms and unclear expectations can be like trying to assemble furniture without instructions – frustrating, but not impossible. By using Powerful Phrases, teams can not only build bridges over these gaps of misunderstanding but also strengthen their collaborative spirit. Remember, the goal isn’t to win the argument but to find a solution that works for everyone, like choosing a movie everyone can enjoy on movie night. So next time you’re in a camera-on or camera-off debate, remember, it’s not just about seeing faces; it’s about seeing eye to eye.

Your turn. What’s one powerful phrase you like to use to clarify unclear expectations?

Interested in more Powerful Phrases for Dealing With Workplace Conflict? Click on the image below to download FREE sample chapters.

Click here for FREE Sample Chapters

The post How to Navigate Unclear Expectations and Fuzzy Norms at Work appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Commitment is vital to effective teamwork, collaboration, and results.

One of the most frustrating aspects of teamwork is the feeling of futility – of spinning your wheels. You connect with one another, establish clear success criteria, get curious, and build on one another’s suggestions, but nothing happens. Your conversation needs to produce action, or nothing changes. And if nothing changes, it’s worse than if you never had a conversation. Now you’ve wasted time, trust drips away, and people lose hope. The answer is to build shared agreements – commitments – that move you from words to action. In this final installment of our “Great Teamwork Series,” we share 12 collaboration habits to create commitment and build momentum with follow-through and results.

More in this excerpt from our interview on Brainwaves Anthology with Bob Greenberg.

Click here for more insights on creating commitment.

12 Habits Great Teams Consistently Do to Create Commitment and Build Collaboration

1. Ignite Action: Turn intentions into activities

Habit: I get things going—moving the conversation to create specific plans

When your team has tight conversations that lead to meaningful results, trust and morale improve along with the team’s capacity to make even more meaningful decisions. You can help your team avoid endless discussions, analysis paralysis, and chokepoints by moving conversations to intentions to specific actions.

Related Article: Help Your Team Do More-Stop (over) Talking and Start Doing

2. Say “No” for a Better Yes: Explain tradeoffs and gracefully decline opportunities that derail critical effort

Habit: I keep us focused on what matters most and empower a strategic “no.”

Related Article: How to Say No at Work: Powerful Phrases to Stand your Ground

It’s never easy to say no at work. After all, you want to be helpful, responsive, and a team player. And yet, every time you say “yes” to something or someone, you’re saying “no” to something or someone else. One way to help one another create commitment and say no effectively is to start with a “yes.” Do this is by affirming the request and the value the request might represent—that’s the “yes.” Then bridge to the context, consequences, and decisions—that’s the “no.”

3. Keep Things Organized: Provide structure the team needs to work efficiently

Habit: I make it easy to collaborate and integrate our work.

Can everyone find the information, tools, and data they need to do their work? If not, you’re wasting time interrupting each other asking for what you need or in frustrating fruitless searches. A little organization will help everyone work more efficiently. (Just avoid the temptation to over-organize. You’ll know this happens when you spend more time on the organization system than you do on your actual work.)

4. Create Ownership: Verify that every task has a specific person responsible for its completion

Habit: I ensure we conclude our meetings or conversations by clarifying responsibility.

When everyone’s responsible, no one is. Guarantee that any conversation requiring action ends with a specific person taking responsibility to follow through on an assignment. The project may require a team. But one person has ownership and responsibility to follow through.

5. Respect Confidentiality: Build trust with appropriate discretion and privacy

Habit: I protect sensitive information.

Related Article: Confidential Information – What to Say When You Can’t Say Anything

It can be tempting to share private information. It feels like a shortcut to building intimacy and connection. But every time you violate confidentiality, you tell the person you’re talking to that they can’t trust you with critical information. When you can’t share information, be honest about it. For example, “That’s not something I can talk about. It’s important that to me you can trust  that if we’re ever in a similar situation, I won’t talk about it then either.”

6. Schedule the Finish: Create shared appointments to meet, discuss, and conclude tasks

Habit: I confirm specific deliverables and timeframes for when we will follow up on our commitments.

You’ve got more to do than time to do it. Your plan is going to get interrupted, and your interruptions are going to get interrupted. If you don’t have an intentional, focused way to finish what you start, it won’t happen. Effective teams consistently achieve meaningful results and build a healthy culture–but they don’t leave it to chance or a heroic act of willpower. They create commitment by scheduling the finish with specific, shared appointments to follow through. These conversations consider competing priorities and adjust accordingly.

Related Article: High ROI Leadership: Schedule the Finish

7. Hold Others Accountable: Practice peer-to-peer check-ins and closure

Habit: When people don’t follow through, I follow up with them.

Look at the research about high-performing teams and one universal characteristic jumps out. In high-performing teams, accountability isn’t just the manager’s job—the team holds one another accountable (and their manager too). When you talk to high-performing teams, it’s easy to see that this team accountability doesn’t just happen. They work at it. Help your team succeed by following up and creating closure for commitments.

Related Article: Great Teams Hold One Another Accountable (You Can Too).

8. Honor Deadlines: Get work done on time and watch out for barriers

Habit: I take our commitments seriously, and proactively talk about obstacles that might derail our deliverables.

The distractions that creep up and disrupt our follow through feel like a surprise. But are they really? When you lift your gaze, look outward and ask “is there anything that could prevent us from making this commitment?” you can help your team anticipate and deal with these disruptions before they interfere with your focus.

9. Keep My Team on Track: Help your colleagues maintain focus and avoid distractions

Habit: I ensure our team meets our obligations together.

One of the most tempting distractions that can take you and your team off track is other meaningful work. That new shiny assignment may be great for your career – and so is delivering the results you’ve promised. You can help your team maintain focus and a manageable workload by suggesting “Let’s get this done before we take on that new project.”

Related Article: Get Your Team Back on Track: Leading Through Distractions

10. Do What I Say: Keep your commitments

Habit: I follow through and keep my word.

Can your team rely on you? Your reliability directly affects your team’s trust in you. Can they rely on one another? Often, when reliability breaks down, it’s not because people lack integrity, it’s because they said “yes” to something without fully thinking through what it would take to keep that commitment. You can increase your reliability by consistently scheduling the finish and discussing tradeoffs. (See #2 and #6 above.)

11. Speak with Candor: Give the gift of truth, spoken gracefully

Habit: I address difficult issues directly and in a timely manner.

Direct, honest communication helps everyone know where they stand and minimizes drama within your team. The earlier you address challenging situations, the easier they are to resolve.

12. Celebrate Success: Acknowledge wins in all their forms

Habit: I acknowledge wins, progress and learning.

You get more of what you encourage and celebrate, so take time to recognize all that you and your team have achieved together. You can do this in the middle of projects to energize one another for the road ahead. Pay attention to the different forms of “wins” – it’s not just successful completion. You can celebrate learning, progress, and improved capacity.

Related Articles: True Gratitude: More Than Pleasantries or Recognition and Leading Through Rapidly Changing Priorities

13. Your Turn: What habit would you add to create commitment and build shared agreements?

Note: This article is part four of our 4-part Better Teamwork Series. Find the other parts here:

1. Better Teamwork: 12 Practical Habits to Build Deeper Connection
2. Great Teams: 12 Practical Collaboration Habits to Create Clarity
3. Creative Teams: 12 Habits that Foster Curiosity and Collaboration

The post Create Commitment: 12 Habits to Build Agreement and Accountability appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

In our Courageous Cultures research, 67% said their manager operates around the notion of “this is the way we’ve always done it.” That’s not just a lack of imagination. It’s hard to solve a problem differently when you’re holding on to outdated assumptions. If you want your team to get better at strategic thinking, start by helping them challenge assumptions.

Here are seven of our favorite questions to help your team reframe problems and consider alternative perspectives

7 Questions For More Strategic Thinking

1. How would our competitors approach this problem?

This assumption-buster nudges your team to consider overlooked opportunities. Understanding a competitor’s angle can be incredibly insightful, sparking creativity and perhaps, a bit of that winning spirit.

This is one of our favorite questions to ignite strategic thinking because it’s not only an “I wonder” question. Because guess what? Your competitors probably ARE faced with a similar problem. And these days, it’s not that hard to poke around and see what they’re doing.

This question also promotes strategic thinking, as you consider why your competitors might approach problems differently.

In Courageous Cultures terminology, this is a great question to ask as part of the Y- in Own the U.G.L.Y. Where are we missing the Yes?

2. How would we handle this issue if our budget was cut in half?

This provocative question is a call for efficiency and prioritization. This question encourages your team to think lean and imagine scrappy, cost-effective solutions. Sometimes, a little budgetary pressure can hatch the most brilliant ideas.

3. If we had unlimited resources, how would we solve this problem?

This strategic thinking question is the flip side of the one above. When constraints are lifted, the sky’s the limit for creativity. It allows the team to think without barriers and then work backward, scaling grand visions to match our resource constraints.

4. What would happen if we did the opposite of our initial plan?

This question invites the team to view the problem from an entirely different angle, potentially revealing unexpected solutions. It’s about challenging the norm and the beauty of 180-degree thinking.

Encourage your team to think past the sunk costs and consider a do-over. This kind of strategic thinking is remarkably liberating. A related question is “What if we DIDN’T do it this way?”

5. What would future generations criticize about our current approach?

This assumption buster instills a sense of legacy and responsibility. It encourages your team to think beyond the immediate and into the long-term impact of their decisions. It’s about making decisions that our successors will thank us for.

This is a great way to expand your team’s thinking to more sustainable, inclusive solutions.

6. If we could only choose one aspect of our project to succeed, what should it be and why?

This is a great way to get your team thinking about the MITs (most important things). Identifying the core element that defines the success of the entire project can help the team focus on what truly matters. It’s like finding the keystone in an arch; without it, everything else crumbles.

A related question, “Which elements of this project should we say “no” to? Note: We have an entire chapter in our upcoming book, Powerful Phrases for Dealing With Workplace Conflict about how to say no, for a more strategic yes.

7. What would we do differently if we were to start over with the knowledge we have now?

This is a look down the mountain question. Help your team reflect on the journey. This strategic thinking question is a recognition that wisdom today results from yesterday’s lessons.

When you’re working hard and moving fast, it’s not always easy to take a step back and challenge assumptions. When you’re feeling stuck in a rut, or results are suffering, invite your team to show up more curious and with these strategic questions.

What would you add for #8? What’s your favorite question to foster strategic thinking?

See Also: Year in Review: 7 Questions to Help Your Team Reflect on Success and Key Learnings

The post Assumption Busters: 7 Questions to Propel Your Team’s Strategic Thinking appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Clarity is key to better collaboration and more productive workplace conflict.

Click here for more insights on clarity and collaboration.

Think about any significant conflict you have now, or had in the past. We’re willing to bet that the source of the conflict includes an expectation violation of some kind. You thought they’d clean up their coffee cups after the meeting. They thought the magic coffee mug fairy would take care of it.

Everyone carries around expectations of one another. And sometimes, you don’t even know what you expect until someone doesn’t live up to it.  The second dimension of constructive workplace conflict from our new book, Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict, involves getting everyone on the same page: creating clarity about outcomes and expectations.

One of the common mistakes we see people make in workplace conflict is that they don’t clearly understand what success looks like. So you get conversations like this.

Jack: “I don’t like this.”

Jill: “Okay, what would you like to see happen.”

Jack: “I don’t know. I’m not sure what I want.

Can you feel the frustration? That’s a conversation that can’t go anywhere (And before you feel bad when you show up like Jack… listen, we do it too.)

When you get clear for yourself and help other people find their clarity, now you can have a more productive conversation.

12 Habits Great Teams Consistently Do to Create Better Clarity and Collaboration

Here are 12 foundational habits to create greater clarity. Note that this is part two of our better teamwork series (links to the other three articles are at the bottom of this page).

1. Define Success: Visualize and articulate your vision for a desired future

Habit: I establish clear outcomes and expectations.

Engage others on your team by asking, “What does winning truly look like?” Great teams don’t assume everyone’s on the same page. They take time to describe the desired future with specific goals, expectations, and measurements of success.

Related Article: How to Build a Great Team Culture

2. Know What Matters Most: Understand how your work connects to the bigger picture

Habit: I seek out the bigger why behind any task.

Before you can make meaning (see Habit 3 below), understand the bigger why.

3. Make Meaning: Establish a bridge between daily tasks and overarching objectives

Habit: I help connect the work we do to the bigger picture

Great teams don’t just perform tasks; they delve into the “why” behind their work. They seek a deeper understanding and purpose. Be sure you and your teammates can finish this sentence. “This (work, project, process, procedure) is so important because…”

4. Set Clear Expectations: Articulate a clear definition of success

Habit: I communicate clear and specific expectations.

One good conversation about expectations prevents fourteen “why didn’t you” conversations. One secret to better collaboration is clear expectations.

Related Article: Creating Clarity: Strategic Activities for Human-Centered Leaders

5. Communicate Consistently: Vary communication to break through distractions

Habit: I build a proactive communication plan to get everyone on the same page. 

People make memories based on recency, recall, repetition, and emotion. If you want an important message to cut through distractions, communicate multiple times through different channels. Great teams prioritize communication.

Related Article:  Remote Team Communication: How to Send Memorable Messages

6. Check For Understanding: Ensure the message you intend to send is the message received

Habit: I ensure the message sent is the message received.

You always make sense to you, but how do you know your team understood what you meant? How do you know you’ve understood what someone says to you? Good communication involves a feedback loop: a send and a receive.

Related Article: Check for Understanding: A Leadership Communication Best Practice

7. Schedule the Finish: Close the loop with a clear commitment

Habit: I confirm specific deliverables and timeframes for when we will follow up on commitments.

You’ve got more to do than time to do it. Your plan is going to get interrupted. Your interruptions are going to get interrupted. If you don’t have an intentional, focused way to finish what you start, it won’t happen. Great teams don’t leave accountability to chance or a heroic act of willpower. They set clear expectations about deliverables and timeframes.

Related Article: High ROI Leadership: Schedule the Finish 

8. Prioritize What Matters Most: Spend time on activities that will have the biggest impact

Habit: I spend my time working on our most important things. 

Great teams understand that there’s always an infinite need and finite me, so mind the MIT (most important thing). Want a great team? Prioritize activities and habits on what will have the biggest impact.

Related Article: Productivity at Work—How to Lead Highly Productive Teams

9. Clarify Others’ Interests: Understand what a successful outcome looks like for others

Habit: I seek to understand what matters most to others.

One easy way to foster collaboration is to ask, “What would a successful outcome look like for you?”

10. Look for Common Ground: Seek opportunities for alignment

Habit: I help people realize our shared objectives. 

Great teams have a knack for finding common ground and using that as a starting point for collaboration.

11. Share Information and Best Practices: Proactively communicate helpful insights

Habit: I freely contribute what I know to make work easier for others.

Great teams build a habit of sharing what’s working. They look for ways to be helpful and to make one another’s work a bit lighter.

Related Article: How to Share Best Practices That Improve Results

12. Share Concerns: Initiate important conversations

Habit: You can count on me to tell you what’s on my heart and mind.

Collaborative teammates say what needs to be said and have the hard conversations sooner.

Related Article: How to Start the Conversation Everyone Wants to Avoid

See Also the other 3 Articles in our 4-Part Collaboration Habits Series

Better Teamwork: 12 Practical Team Habits to Build Deeper Connection

Creative Teams: 12 Habits That Foster Curiosity and Collaboration

Create Commitment: 12 Habits to Build Agreement and Accountability

The post Great Teams: 12 Practical Collaboration Habits to Create Clarity appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Today’s Asking for a Friend addresses this common concern.

“Hey, Karin, I’ll admit it. My team’s results are not where they need to be. It’s been a rocky couple of months. We are struggling. But my manager now wants to bring in all kinds of help: people from HR, training, and even my peers.

I’m worried because if we turn this thing around, I think everybody’s going to say, “Well, of course, the results got better, but it wasn’t HIM who did it. It was all these other people.” What should I do?” #askingforafriend

Embracing Assistance: How to Accept Help and Lead Successfully

Let’s talk about a situation many leaders face, but few openly discuss. Imagine you’re at the helm of a team that’s hit a rough patch. The results aren’t up to par, and it’s been a challenging few months. Then, your manager decides it’s time to bring in external help. Now, that’s a situation that can stir up a mix of emotions.

The Dilemma: Accept Help

You might find yourself wrestling with thoughts like, “If we turn this around, will they say it wasn’t me but the new help that made the difference?” It’s a valid concern, but let’s flip the script.

The Perils of Not Accepting Help

Refusing to accept help can backfire. Worst case scenario? You say, “No thanks, I’ve got this,” but the results don’t improve. Now, you’re dealing with two issues:

1. Your results are still lagging.
2. You’re perceived as someone who isn’t a team player, more concerned about credit than actual results.

Accept Help, Lead with Confidence

Now, imagine a different scenario. You accept help, and the results improve. What people notice first are the positive outcomes, not who did what. But here’s the kicker: how do you accept help and still shine as a leader?

Six Steps to Successfully Accept Help

1. Invite People In: Embrace assistance with confident humility.
2. Align on a Vision: Ensure everyone understands the end goal.
3. Be Involved in the Strategy: Use the resources wisely without losing your leadership role.
4. Make Careful Choices: Prevent overwhelm by delegating effectively.
5. Monitor Results: Keep an eye on what’s working to replicate success.
6. Thank the Helpers: Acknowledge the contribution of others and celebrate the success together.

When you accept help and use it wisely, you’re not just fixing immediate issues; you’re building a stronger, more adaptable team.

Your Turn

So, that’s my take on why it’s important to accept help and how to do it while leading confidently. What are your thoughts? Ever been in a similar situation? How did you handle it?

Related Articles:

How to Help Your Change Resistant Employees Contribute More

Managerial Courage: 7 Practical Ways to be a Bit More Daring

7 Fundamentals For Building Real Trust With Your Team

The post How Do I Accept Help and Support for My Struggling Team (Without Looking Weak)? appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

I don’t know about you, but we love a good “year-in-review” list. There’s something about looking back over the entire year and seeing what stands out. More than the list itself, it’s the conversation that it provokes that each of us finds compelling: “Really, that was your favorite…. interesting.” “Oh, I almost forgot about that one. That WAS a big deal.”

What are your year-in-review highlights? How would your highlight reel compare to the year-in-review highlights from your team?

A “what stands out” conversation can be a great team builder for your end-of-year meeting, or to enhance your December one-on-ones.

7 Questions to Help Your Team Reflect on the Year

Here are a few questions to help you facilitate a year-in-review conversation.

1. What are your personal bests?

One fun way to do personal bests is to give your team a list of potential “best ofs” to choose from, and have each team member pick one or two personal bests to share.

Best…

• Day (this one can be a lot of fun, and great for storytelling).
• Accomplishment (it’s always interesting to see which people choose– it’s a great indicator of what matters most to them).
• Contribution to the Team (also interesting to see what people see as their “best of,” and, of course, this can set the table for additional gratitude).
• Customer Win (it’s easy for “going the extra mile” for customer stories to go unnoticed. Here’s a chance to share.
• Idea (Celebrate the I.D.E.A.s (the remarkable ones), and even the great ones you were not able to use.
• Comeback (Filling the room with great come-back stories is always energizing).
• Collaboration (This is a chance to talk about when teamwork was at its very best)

Of course, a good follow-up question is… what made these best-ofs so great? And how do we get more of that next year?

2. Which of our projects/efforts/contributions was most impactful to the organization?

This is a great way to help your team consider how their work aligns with your organization’s strategic priorities.

This works well, even for frontline employees who may not be involved in projects with a capital “P.” Invited them to talk about ways they have contributed to improving results.

The natural follow-up conversation is to talk about how your team can continue to contribute in meaningful ways.

3. How have you grown this year personally and professionally?

Probes: In what areas have you developed? What development and training were the most impactful? What new skills did you learn? Which areas of your performance have most improved?

4. Who helped you most this year? How? What difference did it make?

Even if you’ve already thanked someone, you can’t go wrong with including gratitude in your year-in-review. A quick lightning round of this question is a great meeting starter.

5. What’s your biggest lesson learned?

What did you learn and how? How will you apply that learning in the future?

6. What would you do differently if you were to live this same year again?

Closely related to the lesson learned, this question is a good one to set the stage for strategic changes, priorities, and new habits for next year.

7. What important question should we add to our year-in-review discussion?

This question empowers your team to identify specific areas they would like to talk about as part of the end-of-year review.

We would love to hear from you. What questions would you include in an end-of-year review?  What would you include in your best of highlight reel?

The post Year-in-Review: 7 Questions to Help Your Team Reflect on Success and Key Learnings appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

“Hi Karin, we’ve just received word that after much debate and deliberation, there is a company-wide mandate that EVERYONE must return to office at the beginning of the year.

I know my team is not a fan (and quite frankly, neither am I). I get the rationale, AND it’s going to make all of our lives a bit harder.

We’re past the point of making a case; I’ve been told that this is no longer up for discussion. It’s time to communicate this to my team. The timing is terrible. It’s so close to the holidays I feel like the Grinch who delivered bad news.”

What’s the best way to communicate this to my team #AskingforaFriend

4 Approaches to Get Your Team Past the Disapointment and Moving Forward Productively

As a leader, not every decision you make will be popular. Sometimes you’ll be tasked with delivering news that you know won’t be popular. So, how do you communicate these tough decisions effectively? In the video above, I share four strategies that can help. Here’s a bit more.

1. Create Clarity

Communicate the ‘Why’ Behind the Decision

• Explain the Rationale: Your team will be more receptive when they understand the “why” behind the decision. It’s easy to assume they know. But keep in mind, they’ve not been in the same meetings as you. They haven’t heard the case from both sides of the argument. What seems obvious to you, might not be clear to them. Be transparent about the factors that led to the decision to return to office.
• Anticipate Questions: Prepare yourself for the questions your team might have and address these proactively in your communication.

Communicating the Decision Clearly

• Be Transparent: When you’re worried about how people will respond, it can be easy to throw the bad news in the”diaper genie” and disguise it with spin and ambiguous language. Better to speak the truth.
• Be Direct but Empathetic: Acknowledge that the news might not be what the team wants to hear, but it’s necessary.

2. Cultivate Connection

Creating a Supportive Environment

• Open Dialogue: Encourage your team to share their feelings and concerns.
• Reflect to Connect: Show that you’ve heard them by reflecting on what you’ve heard them say. “It sounds like you’re really frustrated.” “What I’m hearing you say is that the commute is going to create childcare issues for you.” The Powerful Phrases Connection G.O.A.T.s work well here.

Maintaining Team Morale

• Focus on the Positive: Highlight any potential benefits or opportunities from this change.
• Provide Support: Offer resources or additional support to help your team adapt to the change that comes with the return to office initiative.

3. Cultivate Curiosity

Encouraging Team Involvement

• Brainstorm Together: Invite your team to share ideas to make the transition smoother. A great question to start is by asking “How can we…” make the most of this situation?
• Respond with Regard: Respond to their ideas with gratitude (thanking them for their contribution), information (what will happen next– even if it’s not something you can do), and an invitation to continue contributing.

Focusing on Innovation

• Think Forward: Discuss how this decision might lead to new opportunities for growth, innovation, and collaboration.
• Encourage Creativity: Challenge your team to think creatively about how they can turn this situation to their advantage.

4. Create Commitment

Ensuring Understanding and Agreement

• Recap the Plan: Summarize the key points of the decision and the plan moving forward.
• Check for Understanding: Make sure everyone is on the same page and understands their role in the implementation.

Setting the Course for Action

• Schedule the Finish: Lay out clear, actionable steps for how to proceed.
• Regular Check-Ins: Schedule follow-ups to assess progress, address any issues, and provide ongoing support.

Communicating unpopular decisions like return to office is undoubtedly challenging, but it’s a part of the leadership journey. By creating clarity, cultivating connection and curiosity, and creating commitment, you can navigate these tough conversations with more confidence and empathy. Remember, the way you communicate can significantly impact how your team receives and reacts to the decision.

Have you had to deliver difficult news to your team? What strategies worked for you? Please share your experiences, and let’s learn from each other.

Related Articles:

How to Stay Productive as You Return to the Office

Leadership Communication: How Do I Get Everyone On the Same Page?

Human-Centered Communication with Lizabeth Wesely-Casella

The post 4 Powerful Communication Strategies for an Unpopular Return to Office Decision appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.