Instead, try inverting it:
- What's the least valuable thing we can kill?
- Is there something we can move?
- What's next to automate?
Part of cultivating a healthy culture is mastering the art of pruning.
5. Don't Distract
This meeting can't always be about asking them for more.
Yet that's what most managers use it to do—pile on just one additional ask.
And then wonder why their people fall over with burnout.
4. Don't Waffle
If you've invested in building trust, this is your most intimate meeting.
At times, you will need to give critical feedback.
This is your best venue.
Don't: Soften your critique with a compliment sandwich.
Do: Ask them if they met their own high expectations.
3. Don't Direct
The workweek is filled with tiny transactional moments.
This small block is your chance to slow down, ask questions, and learn what your people are really like.
Good Questions >> Great Answers
Be the Curious Coach, not Directing Dictator.
You need to know your people well to show up for them when they're not.
This will be your legacy as a leader.
So next time you ask how they're doing and get a tepid "Fine," ask again:
"No, really, how are you doing?"
Listen like your success depends on it. Because it does.
2. Don't Care
I made this mistake early and often in my career.
I wanted a clear separation of church and state. So I kept my team at arm's length. I shared very little about myself and inquired just as little about them.
Wrong. All wrong.