When To Share Bad News

As a leader, how and when do you share bad news? 

When you're privy as a leader to information that your staff isn't, should you share the news or protect them? When deciding whether to divulge bad news, do these things first:

• Know your tendency. We all have a preferred approach when it comes to privacy. Some keep things quiet, while others are more open. Understand your tendency and find a middle ground.
• Question your motives. Whether you're eager to share news or resisting a conversation, question your motives. Are you feeling guilty about harboring information? Are you afraid of people getting angry?  What value will be gained by sharing the information? 
• Tend toward transparency. Lean toward transparency if possible. As long as you're not violating school/organizational policy, give your team the bad news — especially if it's going to impact their work.

Adapted from "When to Share Sensitive Information with Your Team" by Amy Gallo.

Managing a Difficult Colleague

As a leader, how do you handle working with a difficult colleague? 

Working with a difficult person can be distracting and draining. Next time a colleague irritates you to no end, try these three things:

• Manage your reaction. If someone annoys you, don't focus on the behavior. Focus on how you react, which is usually the only thing you can control.
• Keep it to yourself. Emotions are contagious, so complaining about a co-worker can bring everyone down. And it can reflect negatively on you. If you must vent, do it outside the office.
• Work together. It's counterintuitive, but by spending more time together you may develop empathy for your colleague. You might discover reasons for the behavior: stress at home, pressure from someone else, or some other cause.  

Adapted from "How to Work with Someone You Hate" by Amy Gallo.

Engaging with Social Media - Do It...but Wisely

As a leader, are you wisely engaged with social media? 

Social media is not just for socializing. When handled correctly, you can use it to enhance yourself personally, establish your expertise, engage in learning, or demonstrate your digital fluency. Commit to using social media for professional reasons but be proactive about managing your activity and image. Consider what potential employers or colleagues will see—you don't want them to discover only pictures of you and your dog, or worse. Make sure at a minimum you have a LinkedIn - or similar - account with a completed profile. Try tweeting or blogging about your area of expertise, thereby creating content that others can forward, retweet, or repost. This can help you establish yourself as an expert and a leader who is truly passionate about your work.  As well, be sure to access the knowledge of others who are also engaged!


Adapted from "Boost Your Career with Social Media: Tips for the Uninitiated" by Amy Gallo.

Procrastination

As a leader, do you sometimes find yourself procrastinating?

To procrastinate may be human but it's not very rewarding. If putting off tasks is hindering your performance, making you unhappy, or preventing you from doing what needs to be done, try these three things:

• Identify what you put off. When you find yourself ignoring or delaying a task, ask yourself why. Knowing what you tend to put off can help break the cycle and prevent future procrastination.
• Set deadlines. Break up tasks into smaller chunks - when possible - and then create a schedule with clear due dates for each part.
• Increase the rewards. Tasks with rewards far in the future are easy to put off. To make a task feel more immediate, focus on the short-term rewards. If there aren't any, insert your own. Treat yourself to a coffee break or a quick chat with a co-worker once you've finished a task.

Adapted from "Stop Procrastinating...Now" by Amy Gallo.