GUIDES
Practical guides for managers
Longer, step-by-step guides for the conversations and decisions that catch managers out, with the words to use and free tools to go with them.
Guides for managers
GUIDE · RETENTION
Stay interview questions
15 stay interview questions that get honest answers, a simple 20-minute script, and what to do with what you hear. Free guide for managers.
Read · 6 minGUIDE · NEW MANAGERS
Managing former peers
Promoted over your colleagues? What to say in the first week, how to handle friendships, and the mistakes that make it harder. A practical guide.
Read · 6 minGUIDE · NEW MANAGERS
Your first team meeting
How to organize your first team meeting as a new manager: a 45-minute agenda, a word-for-word opening script, questions that get the team talking, and the follow-up note to send after.
Read · 7 minGUIDE · DELEGATION
How to delegate
A practical way to delegate: what to hand off, the five levels of delegation, what to say, and how to check in without micromanaging. Free guide.
Read · 7 minGUIDE · HARD CONVERSATIONS
Difficult conversations
How to have a difficult conversation with an employee: prepare in 10 minutes, open well, handle tears or anger, and agree next steps. With example scripts.
Read · 7 minGUIDE · MEETINGS
How to run a team meeting
How to organize a team meeting in 6 steps: set the purpose, build the agenda, invite, run it and follow up. With a 30-minute agenda template, two example agendas, sample notes and FAQs.
Read · 8 minGUIDE · TEAM CONFLICT
Conflict between employees
What to do when two people on your team don’t get on: when to step in, how to run a joint conversation, what to say, and when to involve HR. Free guide.
Read · 7 minGUIDE · PERFORMANCE
Missed deadlines
How to handle an employee who keeps missing deadlines: find the real cause, what to say, how to agree a plan, and what to do if it continues. Free guide.
Read · 6 minGUIDE · REMOTE TEAMS
Remote team check-ins
How often to check in with remote employees, the questions that surface problems early, and how to notice when someone has gone quiet. Free guide.
Read · 6 minGUIDE · RESIGNATIONS
When someone resigns
The first thing to say when someone resigns, whether to make a counter-offer, how to tell the team, and how to handle the handover well. Free guide.
Read · 6 minGUIDE · FEEDBACK
Constructive feedback examples
20 constructive feedback examples for common situations, a simple three-part formula, and the phrases that make people defensive. Free guide for managers.
Read · 7 minGUIDE · MANAGING UP
Saying no to your boss
How to push back on your manager when your team is overloaded: scripts that offer a trade-off instead of a flat no, and when to just say yes. Free guide.
Read · 6 minGUIDE · RECOGNITION
Recognition examples
Employee recognition examples for managers: specific words of thanks for different situations, private vs public praise, and recognition ideas that cost nothing.
Read · 5 minGUIDE · NEW MANAGERS
Your first 90 days
A practical 30-60-90 day plan for new managers: what to do in your first week, the conversations to have, quick wins, and the mistakes to avoid. Free guide.
Read · 8 minGUIDE · COMMUNICATION
Delivering bad news
How to tell your team bad news, from cancelled projects to restructures: what to say first, example wording, how to handle questions, and what not to promise.
Read · 6 minGUIDE · REVIEW SEASON
Year-end review checklist
A week-by-week plan for year-end performance reviews: gathering evidence, self-reviews, writing fair reviews, calibration, the conversation, and bonus and pay letters.
Read · 6 minFOR YOUR OWN CAREER
Managing up and growing your career
For anyone working towards a raise, a promotion or a first management role.
CAREER · REVIEWS
Self-evaluation examples
Self-evaluation examples you can adapt: achievements, strengths, areas to improve and goals, plus a simple structure and mistakes to avoid.
Read · 6 minCAREER · PAY
How to ask for a raise
How to ask your manager for a raise: when to ask, what evidence to bring, a word-for-word script, and what to do if the answer is no.
Read · 6 minCAREER · MANAGING UP
Prepare for a 1:1 with your boss
How to make your one-on-ones with your manager useful: what to bring, questions to ask your boss, and how to raise problems and career goals.
Read · 5 minCAREER · GROWTH
How to ask for a promotion
How to ask your manager for a promotion: find out what the next level requires, show the evidence, and agree a plan if the answer is not yet.
Read · 5 minCAREER · FEEDBACK
How to ask for feedback
Why "any feedback?" never works, the specific questions that get honest answers from your manager, and how to react so they keep telling you.
Read · 4 minCAREER · WORKLOAD
Tell your boss you are overwhelmed
How to tell your boss you have too much work without sounding like you are complaining: list the work, show the trade-off, and ask them to choose.
Read · 4 min