當你的老闆責備你的屬下員工時，不要保護他們

你也許會試圖保護你的員工不受來自你的上司的負面責備。也許你容許他們的行為或工作風格困擾你自己，因為你知道他們並沒有阻礙你的表現。

但是如果你的老闆向你抱你的怨下屬的事情，不要讓情况惡化。持續的緊張會影響你與老闆的關係，阻礙下屬的職業前景。

為了解决這種情況，確保你確切地理解你的老闆不喜歡什麼。問焦點問題來確定問題。然後與員工分享老闆的回饋。不要塗糖衣。你可能需要給出一些具體的建議，比如什麼時候來開會或者如何寫一封電子郵件。讓你的員工明白你的意圖是幫助他們提高你上司的形象，這樣做才是他們最大的利益。

When Your Boss Criticizes Your Direct Report, Don’t Protect Them

It might be tempting to try to protect your employee from negative feedback that comes from above. Maybe you allow behaviors or work styles that bother a senior executive because you know they’re not standing in the way of performance.

But if your boss has complained to you about something your subordinate does, don’t let the situation fester. The ongoing tension could affect your relationship with the boss and hinder your subordinate’s career prospects.

To address the situation, make sure you understand precisely what your boss doesn’t like. Ask focused questions to identify the issue. Then share that feedback with the employee — in detail. Don’t sugarcoat it. You might need to give specific recommendations, like when to arrive for a meeting or how to write a certain kind of email. Make it clear to your employee that your intention is to help them improve their image in your superior’s eyes — and that it’s in their best interests to do so.

用同理心計劃一個更好的會議

沒人想開一個大家都怕去參加的會議。如果你的會議屬於這一類，試著用同情心來更好地計畫它。

先把你的議程放在一邊，問兩個問題：(1)誰會在房間裡，他們需要什麼？(2)誰不會在房間裡，但會受到會議的影響，他們的需要是什麼？

然後找出這兩個群體的人。問問他們希望從會議中得到什麼，理想的結果會是什麼？即使你和同一群人定期開會，這樣的查核也能建立信任，暴露隱藏的問題，並確保參與者感到投入。

在每次會議上都這樣做可能看起來很麻煩，但通過練習，你可以學會在更短的時間內做到這一點。而且，從長遠來看，這種小規模的前期投資將節省大量時間。

Use Empathy to Plan a Better Meeting

No one wants to hold a meeting that everyone dreads going to. If your meeting falls into that category, try using empathy to plan it better.

Start by putting your agenda aside and asking two questions: (1) Who is going to be in the room, and what are their needs? (2) Who won’t be in the room but will be affected by the meeting, and what are their needs?

Then seek out people from both of those groups. Ask them what they hope to get out of the meeting and what an ideal outcome would be. Even if you run regular meetings with the same group of people, checking in like this can build trust, surface hidden issues, and ensure that participants feel invested.

Doing this for every meeting may seem onerous, but with practice you can learn to do it in less time. And this small investment up front will save significant time in the long run.

得到會影響你的職業發展的誠實回饋

許多領導人有一個致命的缺陷：有很明顯到妨礙他們事業發展的缺點。但是這種類型的缺陷是很難看到的，因為它通常因為與妳的不作為有關的。例如，你沒有傾聽的時間，或者你從未想到過的戰畧願景。

找出你的致命缺陷，找一個能告訴你真相的人。無論是親密的朋友，教練，還是治療師，告訴他們，你真的想要誠實的關於你的主要缺點的資訊，。

如果他們開始以謹慎、試探的作法傳達真相，鼓勵他們敞開心扉，不要退縮。問一些你好奇而不是防禦性的問題。

你的反應將决定他們是否分享完整的故事。並且一定要詢問你的缺陷對組織的影響。如果你瞭解情况的嚴重性，你會更有動力去解决它。

Get Honest Feedback About the Traits That Will Hurt Your Career

Many leaders have a fatal flaw: a weakness so pronounced that it can hamper their career progress. But this type of flaw is hard to see because it’s usually connected to what you don’t do — it’s the listening you didn’t make time for, or the strategic vision it never occurred to you to describe.

To figure out your fatal flaw, find someone who will tell you the unvarnished truth. Whether it’s a close friend, a coach, or a therapist, tell them that you genuinely want honest information about your major shortcomings.

If they begin to convey the truth in a cautious, tentative way, encourage them to open up and not hold back. Ask questions that show you’re curious rather than defensive.

Your reaction will determine whether they share the complete story. And be sure to ask about the effect your flaw has on the organization. If you understand the severity of the situation, you’ll be more motivated to fix it.

你真的需要開定期會議嗎？

無論是按周、月、季（甚至每天）發生，經常出現的會議往往是浪費時間。要知道你的價值是否值得，考慮一些因素。

首先，確保會議有明確明確的理由存在。問問自己，“如果我們取消這次會議，除了我誰會在乎？”

第二，確定正確的節奏。這似乎是顯而易見的，但是會議的頻率和長度必須與它的目的一致。例如，管理短期優先權的團隊和工作組將需要更頻繁地會面，以滿足較短的目標，而那些著眼於長期優先事項的人可以較少見面，規劃滿足更長的目標。

最後，找出參加者的正確組成。不要以官僚層級來讓决定誰該出席會議，只有那些有特定貢獻的人應該被包括進來。記住，即使是最好的做法，也不能解决根本不應該發生的事情。

Do You Actually Need That Recurring Meeting?

Whether they happen weekly, monthly, or quarterly (or even daily), recurring meetings are often a waste of time. To know whether yours are worth keeping, consider a few factors.

First, make sure the meeting has a clearly articulated reason to exist. Ask yourself, “If we canceled this meeting, who besides me would care?”

Second, determine the right cadence. It may seem obvious, but a meeting’s frequency and length must align with its purpose. For example, teams and task forces governing near-term priorities will need to meet more frequently for shorter amounts of time, while those focused on longer-term priorities should meet less often for longer amounts of time.

Finally, figure out the right composition of attendees. Don’t let hierarchy decide who shows up; only those who have something specific to contribute should be included. And remember, even best practices won’t fix a meeting that shouldn’t be happening at all. 

領導者，保持讓遠端員工可以接觸到你

遠端工作中最具挑戰性的部分之一是感覺被回避和被忽略。領導者可以通過主動地確保遠端員工的感受到你，來應對這個問題。

怎樣做？首先，經常檢查並始終如一。只是因為有人遠端工作並不意味著你可以離開他們。經常與他們保持聯系，並清楚地表達你對項目、角色和期限的期望。其次，最重要的是，無論他們在哪個時區，都可以讓遠端員工接觸到你。

這並不意味著你必須在所有的時間晚上回復郵件，但可以在指定的時間和多種方式（Facebook，Skype，電子郵件，電話，文字）。無論你在哪裡工作，遠端員工都應該能够指望你對緊迫的問題做出反應。

Managers, Make Yourself Available to Your Remote Employees

One of the most challenging parts of working remotely is feeling shunned and left out. Managers can counter this problem by proactively making sure distant workers feel included.

How? First, check in frequently and consistently. Just because someone works remotely doesn’t mean you can leave them alone. Stay in touch with them often, and clearly communicate your expectations for projects, roles, and deadlines. Second, and most important, be available to remote employees no matter what time zone they’re in.

This doesn’t mean you have to respond to emails at all hours of the night, but be reachable at designated times and in multiple ways (Facebook, Skype, email, phone, text). Remote employees should always be able to count on you to respond to pressing concerns, no matter where they work. 

為團隊協作建立規範

你們的團隊正在努力協作嗎？也許有少數人會主宰會議，或者團隊成員不斷地回顧過去的决定。如果是這樣的話，那就創建一個關於你將如何協作的準則。

從過去的團隊經驗開始，找出使團隊更有效率和有效性的準則，然後將規範分解為特定的行為。

例如，一個規範是平等參與會議，行為是允許在房間裏走來走去，在關鍵問題上徵求每個人的意見，從說話最少的人開始。討論團隊成員中如果有人違反了規範，將如何互相負責。

以這種作法建立團隊規範，並予以堅持，將可以增進信任，節省時間，並提高效能。

Establish Norms for How Your Team Will Work Together

Is your team struggling to work well together? Perhaps a few people dominate your meetings, or team members constantly revisit past decisions. If so, create norms about how you’ll work with one another.

Start by looking at past team experiences to identify norms that have made the team more productive and effective, and then break down the norms into specific behaviors.

For example, a norm might be equal participation in meetings, and the behavior might be going around the room and soliciting input from everyone on key issues, starting with the person who’s spoken the least. Discuss how team members will hold one another accountable if someone violates the norm.

Establishing team norms in this way, and sticking to them, will increase trust, save time, and improve performance. 

做更好決策的兩條規則

有很多方法可以改善你的決策，但是兩個簡單的規則會特別有用。

1. 對你的決策過程的每一部分都不那麼確定。思考選擇A會導致結果B？這可能比你想像的要少。認為結果B優於結果C？你可能對此也太自信了。重新審視你的决定的邏輯。如果你不確定原因B，或者B比C更好，你還會想到什麼？
2. 經常問自己：“這種情況通常發生嗎？”例如，如果你正在考慮為一家創業公司提供資金，你可能會問：創業公司的比例有多大？（或者，成功的百分比是多少？）接受你知道的比你認為的少是開始做出更好决定的最好方法之一。

Two Rules for Making Better Decisions

There are many ways to improve your decision making, but two simple rules can be particularly helpful.

1. Be less certain — about every part of your decision-making process. Think choice A will lead to outcome B? It’s probably less likely than you believe. Think outcome B is preferable to outcome C? You’re probably too confident about that as well. Revisit the logic of your decisions. What else would you think about if you were less sure that A causes B, or that B is preferable to C?
2. Always ask yourself, “How often does that typically happen?” For example, if you were considering funding a startup, you might ask: What percentage of startups fail? (Or, what percentage succeed?) Accepting that you know less than you think you do is one of the best ways to start making better decisions. 

要瞭解人們對你在工作中的看法，可以問問你的同事

很難理解別人是怎麼看待我們的。很多時候，我們假設我們的動機和意圖是明確的，而實際上並非如此。

要瞭解在工作中別人如何看待自己，請遵循以下步驟。選擇五位在重要工作場合定期觀察你的人-老闆、高管、直接下屬、同事，甚至前同事-並要求與他們單獨會面。

告訴他們你想學什麼，然後問兩個問題：對我的一般看法是什麼？我能做些什麼不同的事情對我的成功可以產生最大的影響呢？

要清楚，無論他們說什麼，你都會保密，而且你會從很多同事那裡收集回饋意見。尋找多個人都認同的主題和觀點。如果你的感知與你的意願一致，那就太好了。否則，是時候改變你的行為，開始改變人們對你的看法了。

To Understand How You’re Perceived at Work, Ask Your Colleagues

It’s not easy to understand how other people perceive us. Too often, we assume that our motivations and intentions are clear, when they’re really not.

To learn how you’re perceived at work, follow this process. Select five people who observe you regularly in important work situations — bosses, executives, direct reports, peers, or even former colleagues — and ask to meet with them individually.

Tell them what you’re hoping to learn, and ask two questions: What is the general perception of me? What could I do differently that would have the greatest impact on my success?

Be clear that you’ll keep confidential whatever they say and that you’re collecting feedback from a number of colleagues. Look for themes and points that multiple people agree on. If the perceptions of you are in line with what you intend, great. If not, it’s time to change your behaviors and begin to shift people’s perceptions of you. 

幫助員工擁抱新的辦公空間

許多組織正在採取開放的辦公室空間計畫，希望鼓勵合作、創新和創新。有時候它是有效的，但通常不是這樣的——你的開放式辦公計畫是否成功與人們如何看待空間以及空間本身是一樣的。

領導者可以通過做幾件事來幫助員工建立一個新的辦公室。在移動之前，傳達新空間的願景和目的，並解釋它如何與公司目標一致。清楚地（真實地）描述新的空間將如何為組織的使命做出貢獻。

搬遷後，樹立了積極、熱情的新空間態度。你的支持和興奮將為球隊的其他成員設定基調。鼓勵員工適應空間，滿足他們的需要，給他們個性化的愛好和工作風格的餘地。這將有助於人們聲稱空間是他們自己的。

Help Your Employees Embrace a New Office Space

Many organizations are moving to open office plans in the hopes of encouraging collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Sometimes it works, but often it doesn’t — and whether your open office plan is successful has as much to do with how people feel about the space as with the space itself.

Leaders can help employees embrace a new office by doing several things. Before the move, convey the vision and purpose for the new space and explain how it aligns with company goals. Clearly (and truthfully) describe how the new space will contribute to the organization’s mission.

After the move, model a positive and enthusiastic attitude about the new space. Your support and excitement will set the tone for the rest of the team. And encourage workers to adapt the space to their needs — give them the leeway to personalize it to their tastes and work styles. This will help people claim the space as their own.

不要讓政治討論分散你的團隊的注意力

隨著一周24小時的新聞週期，辦公室裏不可避免地會出現政治話題。作為一名管理者，你如何確保這些談話不會干擾你的團隊？

想想什麼樣的情况和話題可能引發員工之間的激烈交流？

盡你所能避免任何可能引起黨派爭論的事情，但是如果發生衝突，你有一個解决衝突的計畫。當緊張關係爆發時，單獨與相關人士交談，傾聽他們的觀點。然後要求他們撇開分歧，把重點放在幫助團隊成功的共同目標上。

當然，如果一個政治討論可以解决一個商業問題，那麼就去做，但要謹慎行事，監控討論的情緒，並在需要時恢復平衡。最重要的是，通過尊重不同的政治觀點來為你的團隊樹立榜樣。

Don’t Let Political Discussions Distract Your Team from Their Work

With our 24/7 news cycle, it’s inevitable that political topics will come up at the office. As a manager, how can you make sure these conversations don’t distract your team?

Think about what kinds of situations and topics might trigger a sharp exchange among employees.

Do your best to avoid anything that might ignite a partisan debate, but have a plan to handle conflict if it happens. When tensions do flare up, talk individually to the people involved, and listen to their points of view. Then ask them to put aside their disagreements and focus on the shared goal of helping the team succeed.

Of course, if a political discussion is relevant to solving a business question, go for it — but proceed cautiously, monitor the discussion’s mood, and restore balance when needed. Above all, be an example for your team by respecting diverse political views.