Manager Tools

Part 1 of our chapter two guidance on meetings for the proactive manager.

Part 2 of our chapter one guidance on reporting for the proactive manager.

Part 1 of our chapter one guidance on reporting for the proactive manager.

Part 2 of our guidance on how to choose a managerial successor.

Part 1 of our guidance on how to choose a managerial successor.

You're going to get chewed out by your boss in public. It happens. Don't do anything publicly.

Part 2 of our guidance on what to do when your directs tell you they are too busy.

Part 1 of our guidance on what to do when your directs tell you they are too busy.

Our guidance on how to handle a sudden demotion.

Part 2 of our guidance on educating your directs on performance reviews early.

Part 1 of our guidance on educating your directs on performance reviews early.

Part 2 of our guidance on the salary discussions 2x2 matrix tool.

Just because a direct’s performance is exceptional doesn’t mean that they deserve a raise, believe it or not. Employee performance is only half of the equation.

You're going to get asked yes or no questions, and there are only three effective answers. Anything else is unprofessional, and what might be interpreted as weak. There's a difference between asked, "How's the project" - Inevitably, "fine;" and, "Are you 100% green this week?' Better questions get better answers. And when a professional gets a better question, a better answer is the best answer.

Our Hall of Fame guidance on how to think more creatively about annual planning goals.

Our Hall Of Fame guidance on how to start setting annual goals, and why we do not like "SMART" goals.

Part 2 of our guidance on rebranding feedback.

A WSJ article says the word “feedback” is too stressful for some, and recommends calling it something else. We disagree.

Part 3 of our guidance on working with an administrative assistant, updated for remote, hybrid, and shared assistants.

Part 2 of our guidance on working with an administrative assistant, updated for remote, hybrid, and shared assistants.

Part 1 of our guidance on working with an administrative assistant, updated for remote, hybrid, and shared assistants.

It's the end of the year. Most managers we know are thinking about the holidays... and annual reviews. After years of managing, training and consulting, we've concluded this is one of the most poorly managed and implemented processes we're aware of. It's not hard to do, but for plenty of (bad) reasons, managers just don't handle this responsibility well. For those few who do, it's an enormous competitive advantage.

It's the end of the year. Most managers we know are thinking about the holidays... and annual reviews. After years of managing, training and consulting, we've concluded this is one of the most poorly managed and implemented processes we're aware of. It's not hard to do, but for plenty of (bad) reasons, managers just don't handle this responsibility well. For those few who do, it's an enormous competitive advantage.

Part 10 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 9 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 8 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 7 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 6 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 5 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 4 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 3 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 2 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Part 1 of our Manager Tools guidance on how to action Engagement Survey results question by question.

Many directs' common response to negative feedback is to say, "It's not my fault." It's understandable, it's self protective, but it also completely misses the mark of the purpose of feedback. Here's how to handle it.

Almost all managers are scared about giving feedback. But there's a reason to be positive about it: it's just like buying insurance.

Our guidance on having a great handshake.

Sometimes it's easier to mention to everyone on your team when one member of your team messes up. But this is what lazy, ineffective managers do.

Now that you've gotten your engagement survey results back, how do you respond? In this guidance, we take an actual engagement survey, question by question, and show you how to respond to a low score on that question.

Part 2 of our guidance on packing for a business trip.

Part 1 of our guidance on packing for a business trip.

Now that you've gotten your engagement survey results back, how do you respond? In this guidance, we take an actual engagement survey, question by question, and show you how to respond to a low score on that question.

Part 2 of our guidance on how to handle body odor.

Part 1 of our guidance on how to handle body odor.

Part 2 of our guidance on culture core behaviors.

Part 1 of our guidance on culture core behaviors.

Our guidance on thank you notes.

Part 5 our guidance on Engagement Surveys.

Part 4 our guidance on Engagement Surveys.

Part 3 our guidance on Engagement Surveys.

Part 2 our guidance on Engagement Surveys.

Part 1 our guidance on Engagement Surveys.

Part 2 of our MTDISC behavioral effectiveness example one.

Part 1 of our MTDISC behavioral effectiveness example one.

You Don't Deserve a Promotion

There are rules for how to conduct oneself professionally. It's part of a manager's job to teach them to our employees.

Part 4 of our guidance on how to prepare for and communicate a layoff effectively and compassionately.

Part 3 of our guidance on how to prepare for and communicate a layoff effectively and compassionately.

Part 2 of our guidance on how to prepare for and communicate a layoff effectively and compassionately.

Part 1 of our guidance on how to prepare for and communicate a layoff effectively and compassionately.

Culture is an often discussed topic in management and leadership circles. But culture is not what most managers and leaders think.

Part 3 of our guidance on the big 4 of performance communications.

Part 2 of our guidance on the big 4 of performance communications.

Part 1 of our guidance on the big 4 of performance communications.

You're going to get a lot of input as a manager. There are all kinds of reasons for this, but the answer is almost always the same: the first thing to do is nothing.

Part 3 of our chapter two guidance on hiring is not an HR process.

Part 2 of our chapter two guidance on hiring is not an HR process.

Part 1 of our chapter two guidance on hiring is not an HR process.

Our Hall of Fame guidance on how to think more creatively about annual planning goals.

Our Hall Of Fame guidance on how to start setting annual goals, and why we do not like "SMART" goals.

The Manager Tools Interview Creation Tool will make you a better interviewer, and teach your team how to interview.

Part 3 of our guidance on the manager playbook.

Our Hall of Fame guidance on delivering a performance review.

This week, we're re-releasing one of our Hall of Fame casts on how to prepare performance reviews.

Part 2 of our guidance on the manager playbook.

Part 1 of our guidance on the manager playbook.

Our chapter two guidance on improving your chances of being promoted by being a good lieutenant.

Part 2 of our chapter one guidance on improving your chances of being promoted by being a good lieutenant.

Part 1 of our chapter one guidance on improving your chances of being promoted by being a good lieutenant.

Part 2 of our chapter one guidance on project management reporting.

Part 1 of our chapter one guidance on project management reporting.

Too many managers give negative feedback by trying to win an argument about what happened. It never works.

Managers and Directs often have different agendas in our One On Ones. Here's what to do about it.

Everybody thinks content knowledge is what makes for a good presenter. They're wrong, and that's why most of them stink as presenters. Especially trainers: ugh.

Part 2 of our interview with Richard Rumelt, strategy professor at UCLA Anderson and author of Good Strategy/Bad Strategy.

Part 1 of our interview with Richard Rumelt, strategy professor at UCLA Anderson and author of Good Strategy/Bad Strategy.

This cast describes how and why behavior is the primary focus of an effective professional and/or manager.

Our overview of DISC.

Part 2 of our guidance for the 2022 employment market.

Part 1 of our guidance for the 2022 employment market.

In this cast, Mark and Mike talk about their plans for the future of Manager Tools.

Our Hall of Fame guidance on preparing for meetings or presentations where you need to persuade.

If you're trying to change things - and you should be - you're going to experience the Horstman Curve. So you ought to know what it is.

Our Hall of Fame guidance on our first ever management koan.

Part 3 of our guidance on giving feedback to remote directs.

Part 2 of our guidance on giving feedback to remote directs.

Part 1 of our guidance on giving feedback to remote directs.

Part 2 of our response to a recent WSJ article that said annual reviews are a terrible way to evaluate employees.

Part 1 of our response to a recent WSJ article that said annual reviews are a terrible way to evaluate employees.

Our interview with a member of the Manager Tools community to help you understand as a manager, or potentially as an executive, about the kind of relationship you need to have with some of the people who make a difference in your organization and your career.