What No One Tells You About Performance Reviews

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No one likes performance reviews.At least, most people don’t. Not the people giving them, and not the people receiving them. There are people who say they enjoy performance reviews. They’re in the minority, and usually for specific reasons: they like structured feedback, clear expectations, or the sense of closure a formal conversation can bring. That doesn’t make them wrong. It … Read More

Managing Upwards: How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge

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We often hear about “managing people.” But rarely do we talk about what might be the trickiest management task of all: Managing your manager. It sounds counterintuitive. Isn’t it their job to manage you? Structurally, yes. But functionally, the best relationships work more like a partnership than a hierarchy. Because here’s the truth: even the best leaders have blind spots, … Read More

How to Make a Great First Impression (It’s Not What You Think)

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You don’t get a warm-up.First impressions hit fast — and they stick.In just a few seconds, people decide two things: Do I like you? Can I trust you? Not “Are you brilliant?”Not “Are you the most qualified?” Psychologists call this the warmth + competence model — and it explains almost every reaction people have to you in the first few … Read More