Welcome to Issue 17 of the Manager TLDR!
This week, we’re talking about crisis management, the science of remote meetings, and Google’s best practices for new leaders.
💪 Leading Through Crisis: 6 Lessons About Transparency, Optimism, and Contingency Planning
TLDR: There are going to be times in your journey as a leader when you’ll have to reinvent your strategy. This article explains how leaders at Gainsight, Gitlab, Top Hat and other top companies are supporting their teams during the COVID-19 crisis. Some key lessons include:
- Don’t hide or sugarcoat problems. Instead, ask your team for help.
- Stay calm and positive. Nobody wants to follow a pessimist.
- Practice active listening and empathy.
📈 Remote Work Statistics Leaders Should Know in 2020
TLDR: Remote work is here to stay. This article will provide you with some insights on how the WFH model promotes growth, productivity and contributes to the happiness of your employees. Some interesting stats include:
- 99% of people would choose to work remotely, at least part-time, for the rest of their careers. (Buffer)
- 77% of workers say they are more productive when working remotely. (CoSo Cloud)
- 35% of employees would change jobs for the opportunity to work remotely full-time. (Global Workplace Analytics)
👨🔬 The science of why remote meetings don’t feel the same
TLDR: A researcher at Google dug into the science behind remote communication. Here are a few of his tips for productive remote meetings:
- Carve out time at the start of the meeting to catch up and build rapport.
- Resist browser tabs competing for your attention.
- Encourage more balanced conversation and help others get their voice heard.
🤓 Google Spent Years Studying Effective Bosses. Now They Teach New Managers These 6 Things
TLDR: The transition from individual contributor to manager is not an easy one. Luckily, organizations like Google have spent years finding ways to improve it. Here are six things that all new managers should learn about, according to Google’s research:
- Growth mindset
- Emotional intelligence
- Vulnerability and honestly
- Coaching
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Decision making
🗞 In the news this week:
Twitter Will Allow Employees To Work At Home Forever
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed employees on Tuesday telling them that they’d be allowed to work from home permanently, even after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown passes. The company also increased its allowance for WFH supplies to $1,000 for all employees.
💬 Featured Quote
“One of the most important qualities of a good leader is optimism, a pragmatic enthusiasm for what can be achieved. Even in the face of difficult choices and less than ideal outcomes, an optimistic leader does not yield to pessimism. Simply put, people are not motivated or energized by pessimists.”
― Robert Iger, The Ride of a Lifetime
