I'm glad you like it. Thank so much for letting me know 🙏

Jan Thank you for your question. Here are some examples that might help. The steps are - say what it is the purpose of the conversation - Ask questions to understand the persons view on that topic - Then share your point of view referencing any specific relevant points they made. Sounds like: - Project update with a key senior stakeholder I wanted to update you on Project Z, just before I leap in what are your thoughts on the project? Do you have any concerns? Use questions to explore what they think, then update. - You want to share an idea with your boss I’ve been thinking about the challenges we are facing with XYZ customer, and I’ve had an idea about how we could handle it. From your perspective what would be a successful outcome? Then explore what they think about xyz Then summarise e.g As you said a successful outcome will be keeping the customer happy and maintaining an environment so we can grow, but that is hard right now as there are so many issues, So I was thinking we could….share your idea making sure you emphasise the benefits of your idea so that they customer is happy, and environment for growth is maintained and the issues are addressed. Thea key is that the more you know about what they think about a given topic, in particular what success is for them, what issues they see, what opportunities they see, and how the feel about it in general, the easier it is to adapt what you are saying so that it is more persuasive. I hope that helps, H

Thank you, Helen, for taking the time to answer my question. I really appreciate the effort you put into your videos; they offer great advice that I can take with me as I navigate daily career challenges.

Thank you for the feedback, I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know ☺

Excellent Jacob. Use those micro practice moments!! 🙌 Thank you so much for the feedback, I’m pleased you find it helpful.

Thanks very much Cameron 😊

So glad you have found it useful. It has given me an idea for a new video in managing contractors. 🙏😊

Thank you for your question. You have a friction point I’ve been told about many times. The key issue is that your cross functional colleagues want your team to do tasks and you are balancing the challenge of making sure your team stay focused on the highest priority work. These do not always balance. My advice would be As in the video identify your the key stakeholders. When the objectives are unclear ask questions to identify what the outcome is they want. Often people can be prescriptive in how they want something done, for example I want a PowerPoint presentation with this, that and the other, can you create a graph etc without thinking it through to define the specific objective/outcome or understanding how much work is involved in doing this. Ask questions to understand the scope of the request why do they need it, how Will it be used, for who, when etc. what you can often find is that there is a simpler and more efficient way of doing this for you rather than the prescriptive way they describe. You should also be able to spot repeats where a simpler tool/template could do the job for them. You will also be able to ask questions about priorities - which project/task is the most important. This gives you the scope to say no or offer a simpler solution that will not take as much time for the lower priority work, and deliver the high priority work well and on time. Create a shared spreadsheet or doc that shows the current workload so that it is transparent what is coming through, this transparency reduces surprises. From experience sitting and chatting this issue through, coming up with a plan that addresses your stakeholder requirements and then reviewing regularly means that you have the conversation at the right time. Make sure your team are aware of and aligned so that no work creeps in under the radar. I hope this helps. Let me know how you get on, H

​@@helenbryant Thank you so much

I’m so pleased you found it useful. 😊 Good luck experimenting with it - I find it is a great time saver.

Thank you for letting me know. I have a 306090 plan, I will adapt it and make it shareable. I will let you know when I've done it! Thanks for the feedback. 🙏

Glad it helped! Thank you for letting me know 🙏

Thank you for letting me know 🙏 I am glad you found it of value.

I agree with you, Vlad; there are systemic issues in the world of work, which means I can understand why people may be actively looking for a new job and frustrated by the status quo. This video is to help managers control what they can control in this "new reality". Good managers can lead teams better, even if people only stay for a while. They can motivate, train, and engage their teams more effectively, advocate for the challenges their teams face, and then, when they get into a position of true power, they can lead with a greater sense of fairness and vision for what can be. The starting point for me is better leadership from all managers; many have never been trained in the skills of leadership, and I am trying to help with that. Thank you for taking the time to comment; I appreciate it.

@@helenbryant Sorry to bother you. I understand your point. I just see how company where I work handles quiet quitting. Completely different approach. We have twice more people than we need to do the job. It is accepted that half of them will go. It is accepted that they don't care. And this model works really good, at least bottom line is good. New reality.

@@vlado3304@vlado3304 I can see your concern; this approach does not seem very sustainable and seems to devalue people as mere resources. I suppose the question is, was this a deliberate plan, or is it the law of unintended consequences? If this is the model that the organisation wanted and it works as you say for the bottom line, it's challenging to change, all be it sad that people are seen as so expendable. If they have arrived there due to other decisions and a failure to address the underlying reasons it happens, that is different. Mass hiring, training people to get up to speed, and then low retention has a cost, and it has a knock-on effect on the culture of the organisation and how valued people feel. You care so much that you are chatting with me about it! Is there someone in the organisation you could talk to about it? Share your observations?

@@helenbryant Thank you for reply. Big bosses don't share their thoughts with me, what a surprise, but I do believe that this is a new approach. Again, this is my opinion. My partner at work can't even rent a room, he is sharing a room with someone. It is mission impossible to motivate him, he simply doesn't see himself with the company. People are not stupid not to notice, they are not going to double his salary, but they can hire his replacement, the same money. World is changing, what we see is a direct result of these changes.

@@vlado3304 Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Quite sad. Not all organisations are like this, remember that.

I agree with you Rob, I think reward is an important element and believe all employees should be rewarded fairly and feel engaged with their organisation. However, most managers are not "corporate overlords" these reward decisions and indeed business models are beyond their decision making scope. They too normally want to be noticed and rewarded fairly for their commitment by the "corporate overlords". What I was hoping to do here, and indeed with my channel, is help managers create better workplaces with what they can control, better, higher quality, authentic and fair leadership. Better managers and leaders can create brilliant workplaces that people value working in. I am also hoping some "corporate overlords" take note and make sure they too create workplaces that can be the true reflection of what is often written on their website! Thank you for reaching out. Helen

You're welcome! 🙏

Thank you Geri 🙏

Thank you for letting me know 🙏 I'm so pleased you found it useful.

Oops forgot. Don’t dangle a promotion or raise as a reason for personal development and training unless you intend to give that promotion or raise. Nothing sours an employee more than working their tail off for no benefit.

Thank you for reaching out, Tamara. I agree with much of what you say. Managers should definitely respect work/personal boundaries and avoid insisting that the team is like a family. Micromanaging and focusing on useless/busy work is counterproductive, and dangling a promotion or training without delivering on it is unfair. Regarding pay, it's not a simple answer. Many managers lack the decision-making authority to make significant changes, especially in large businesses with annual pay review systems. Even if they want to pay more, they may face organisational constraints. One of the key challenges many managers face is the lack of formal training in effective leadership. It's alarming that a recent survey found that 82% of managers received no formal training, leading to ineffective methods of directing, motivating, and engaging their teams, as you mentioned. Most managers genuinely strive to do their best for their people while juggling the demands placed on them by the organisation. This is often not an easy task. The purpose of this video is to provide practical tips to help managers better engage with their teams, prioritise work, set clear expectations, identify and remove blockages (such as busy work), and support their teams in achieving their personal development goals. I was hoping in sharing it that I would help managers create an environment where their teams would not need to "quiet quit", and instead, they would feel valued, with clear boundaries and feel listened to. Thank you again for taking the time to reply; I appreciate your comment and the insights you shared.

Thanks for your reply. I do appreciate the things you said and they certainly can’t hurt. But I think poor management leads to actual quitting. Quiet quitting is for those who go above and beyond and are only rewarded with more or more difficult work with no reward except an “atta boy” from their manager. When managers are seen has having no actual power (to give or influence raises or promotions or to make substantive changes to the workplace) they will have a very hard time garnering respect no matter how they try. God bless you for trying.

@@user-kq1nk2zu1q Sounds like we want the same thing👍🙏

Thank you for letting me know. I'm so pleased you found it helpful.

Thanks for letting me know. Good luck with the coaching.

Welcome aboard!

I’m so glad you found it useful. Re the practice…it’s where the magic happens 😊 Reach out if you have any questions. Good luck with the coaching.

Hi, Thank you for reaching out. It can be challenging to coach and give feedback to a reluctant employee, especially when you're unsure where to start. Here are some actions you might want to consider: 1. Before getting onto the feedback/coaching, explain why you want to share it. To help them do their job better. Explain part of your role as a manager is to help them and that you are on their side. 2. Ask questions about what they want to get from their role personally. What are their career goals? 3. Ask them about where they think they are now in achieving that. What are they already doing well? 4. Then ask what challenges they face? Emphasise that you can help them address these challenges. If this has gone well you would be up to the options stage of GROW and you could continue the conversation to find out more and set a plan together. If they have not answered much, it is time to move to feedback rather than questions and coaching. Tell them that you have noticed that they seem reluctant to answer questions that you pose. When they do that they make it difficult for you to know what they think, and where they need your help to succeed. Emphasise that they are not in trouble you are just trying to help them. Encourage them to be more open. Then see what their response is. You might be able to find out why. Building trust take time, so make sure you are consistent in your One-on-Ones with them, and do what you say. I hope this helps. Let me know how you get on 👍

Thanks @AaronRasheed 🙏

Thank you for your comment and for reaching out. That is a challenging situation to deal with, especially when you are new to management. It is essential to address it to maintain a productive work and team environment. Coaching might not be the best approach to use first, depending on the reasons for the behaviour. Here are some steps you can consider: 1. Have a Private 1:1 Conversation to discuss your observations. Use "I" statements to express your concerns and avoid sounding accusatory. For example, say, "I have noticed that there have been instances where your breaks seem to be longer than usual, and I'm concerned about the impact on our team's productivity." 2. Ask questions to understand what is going on. They may be facing challenges that you are unaware of. This conversation can provide valuable insights. What do they want to achieve personally from their work? Can you harness this personal motivation? 3. Set Expectations. Clearly communicate your expectations regarding breaks and work hours and that sleeping at work is unacceptable behaviour. Reinforce the importance of maintaining a professional and productive work environment. If there are specific policies in place regarding breaks, remind them of these policies. 4. By constructively confronting the behaviour and refocusing the person, they should stop, and you will draw a line under their behaviour. If they continue, record specific instances when you've observed extended breaks or caught the employee sleeping. Note the dates, times, and any relevant details. This documentation will be helpful if you need to discuss the issue further. I hope you find this helpful, Helen

@@helenbryant will do that you are a saverr !!! ❤️

Brilliant! So glad you found it useful. Reach out if you have any questions afterward. You might find my latest video, where I use the GROW structure to coach. It is a good end-of-year reflection and planning exercise. The video is here kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fp58lt18zLOchGw.htmlsi=Sa97a1ix9LizuWXe

Glad it is helpful. 👍

Thank you! I am glad you found it useful. 🙏

You're so welcome! I’m pleased you found it valuable. Good luck with your new leadership role.

Jacob, thank you so much for this comment. It has made my day.😊 If I could make a video that would help you the most, what topic would you like it on? All the best on your leadership journey. H

Well, I don’t know what I don’t know, so I’m open to anything really! But there’s definitely lots I’m struggling with. Balancing personal and professional relationship with my team members for example. A trusted team member has had disappointing performance recently, making mistakes he knows better and not being conscientious. I want to say it’s unacceptable, but at the same time I understand it’s been an incredibly busy few months for all, stress levels are high, we’re stretched thin. Everyone is tired and overworked, me included, so I haven’t done a good job as a leader, setting expectations, supervising, mentoring... Personally I empathize and don’t want to hold this against him, but professionally we have to hold ourselves to a better standard… The other one is politics! E.g. People who say what others want to hear at the detriment of the business. I call them out as a matter of principle (nicely, e.g. “Do you think it would maybe be better to do things this way to avoid this future problem?”) but it feels so lose-lose because doing things the “right way” is often not the “easy way” and people like quick solutions, but often these shortcuts have long term consequences that will hurt the business or at least limit its future growth. I cause frictions by saying “we should do better here, this will bite us back later” but I don’t mean it to make people’s lives more difficult, but because I really believe it’s in the best interest of the company. An easy example is outsourcing versus building the team and know-how in house, but basically all kinds of procedural things like formal employee evaluation, interview and onboarding procedures, data management and security; things you really shouldn’t take lightly but are easy to brush off! Another politics move is by-passing communication channels and going to your team members directly. I don’t want to micromanage and it’s ok in my book to ask for info directly, but when others start to ask my team members to do lengthy tasks it makes resource management hard. I often feel like other teams will try to offload tasks to my team members but if I intervene it’s again lose-lose: If I refuse I’m not a team player, and if I say yes then it becomes harder to meet our team’s objectives… I’ll leave it at that. Sorry for the long comment, all the best Helen!

@@jacoblambert4066 Thank you for taking the time to share this. 🙏 First off I feel your pain! It is difficult navigating the space between ‘leading’ the team and ‘being a member’ of the team, and balancing the personal relationships therein. You have also given me food for thought on the video front, and I will definitely make a video on managing the politics of cross functional workflow/tasks and relationships and how it can make it harder to achieve your own objectives and what to do about it. It will appear in the New Year. As for your colleague who seems to have lost their mojo, my advice is talk the them about it, and by that I mean ask them to find out why. Use a One-on-One or go get a coffee together and ask how they are. Say that you have noticed recently they have not been performing at the same levels as before (use specific examples) and you are wondering about what is going on as it doesn't seem like them. Reinforce how much you value and trust them. Finding out why should help you understand and together find more options on how to address it. This video on influence is all about structuring a conversation and asking questions to find out what others think. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r9eAlsiTrMmXlHU.htmlsi=aEs3NRiceq6VTMjB These are really good conversations to practice as a manager as you will have lots of them over your career! At this stage its not about managing poor performance it is about understanding why. If you haven’t subscribed already, I have a newsletter you might find useful, weekly lessons and extras. Plus I am planning several live free masterclasses for the New Year, and you will able to find out about them via the Newsletter. Find out about it here. www.growthinc.co/newsletter-signup All the best, Helen

Thank you, Paul. 🙏 You've described one of the best ways to learn. I don't think we necessarily intend to go into pitch mode, but maybe it's nerves, time pressures, or a keenness to show we are on top of our work, but nevertheless it is so easily done. Good for you for going back and unlocking and re-aligning. Keep practising! If I made a video that would help you the most, what topic would you like it on?

Thank you for letting me know ☺

Thank you for letting me know @johnbobbypringle. I'm so pleased you found it useful, that was exactly what I was going for, accessible how-to tips for managers, as I find many do not know where to start. You are right, I get much better responses from ChatGPT with detailed and precise instructions. What kind of tasks do you mainly use it for?

Thank you Vee! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. If I could make a leadership video for you what would it be on? ☺

Hi Bahar. These are 2 very good takeaways. 1. Have a plan for managing your stakeholders so that you think ahead about who you need to talk with, what about and how you could engage with them. It will also give you confidence. 2. Exactly as you say, set clear expectations and make sure you clarify who has decision-making authority. Once you have done that, ask them what support they will need from you so that you can discuss and make sure you are both on the same page. Good Luck with it all! 😀

Thank you for letting me know, Lisa 🙏

Awww thank you so much for letting me know. I’m glad you are finding the channel valuable. If I could make a video to help you what would you want it about? 🤔

@@helenbryant Videos regarding delegation, decision making and hiring process would be great 🌟 Thanks again for your inspiring videos, asking questions for influcencing was an eye opener for me. 💐😊

@@baharazizoglu1128 Start with this one for delegating kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rbJph7heqMvSZYk.htmlsi=hYhxEXdkn_v8Ae2m, and I will do one on decision-making tips soon. Thanks for letting me know. Have a good week!

Here you go. 👉 Check out this week's video on decision making tips! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ldB8m9yXlsDJhHk.htmlsi=QdWrUnDSTldzMb78 Let me know in the video comments what you think! H

Thank you for letting me know. I'm glad you found it of value. 🙏

Thank you for taking the time to let me know you found it of value. 🙏

Thanks Paul - Good to be back 👍

Thank you for responding. I think it is important too, especially if you want a healthy work-life balance.

I'm so glad to hear this.🙏 One-on-Ones I think, are the most important meeting between any manager and their team members. The more you have these meetings, the more clarity there is on the work that is being done, and the better the relationship you build between you. They would be the first thing I would have in my management operating system, so definitely implement them. Reach out if you need any help.

Glad it was helpful!

Thank you for letting me know 😊

So pleased to hear that @hivesteel. Thank you for letting me know. 😀

Great question @mattemond777. Thanks for reaching out. 🙏 These questions were designed to open up the 1:1 conversation and add variety, and I would definitely encourage questions on career and development to be part of the performance review process. However, based on my experience, I've noticed that not all managers broach this topic with their team members, and if they do, it does not always connect with the day-to-day. It doesn’t need to be asked every time, but keeping this conversation fresh, I think, helps maintain relevance and keeps it front of mind. If they say they are not sure, it presents a great opportunity to help the person find out. Helping them explore what truly excites them, what drives their motivation, what they might not enjoy, and what personal achievements they aspire to. This is where the manager can step in as both a mentor and a coach. They can share insights into the role's potential opportunities and provide guidance to help the team member make the most of their position. Ultimately, I think these conversations are a way for leaders to enhance engagement at work, leading to better results and happier employees - something that, unfortunately, is lacking for many.

Thank you!

Thank you for letting me know 🙏