Question: What should I do if I’ve been PIPed? My manager recently informed me that I am going to be put on a performance improvement plan (PIP) for the next rating period. I am unsure what this means and how I should respond. I thought I was doing a good job, what are my next steps?

This week I want to talk about the peer feedback process. Every place I have worked has had a peer feedback process. While your organization may have a highly specific system, these tips should be applicable no matter where you work.

When considering how to write your feedback for others, the same rules apply to how you write your own- be specific, be concise, and focus on impact.

Question: How do I deal with being micromanaged? My manager is constantly showing up in meetings they don’t need to be in, and making operational decisions with our partners that I will have to make work. I believe I am competent and can do this work for myself, but I’m nervous about asking my manager to back off. What do I do?

Today’s post is a fun one. I’m going to talk about one of the most useful skills I learned as a diplomat- “rephrasing”. Now, I would never suggest that diplomats are the only ones with a unique linguistic professional culture, but it is a core part of life and a funny one.

One great thing about my experience in the Foreign Service is that I got to manage people very early in my career. This means that in my early 20s, I was managing people ranging from recent graduates to people who had 3 (or more) decades in the workforce. These are very different populations, with very different expectations for and needs from management. At the moment it is trendy to highlight (and parody) the differences between these groups at work. In my experience as a manager, the culture of the workplace determines the finer points of how best to manage a team composed of different generations. Here are a few tips for managing a generationally diverse team or organization that will keep you on the right path.

Has your manager ever asked you to do something that literally cannot be done?*

Let me give you some options…

Hello managers- I know that for many of you, performance reviews are your least favorite part of the job. It can be overwhelming to craft review statements for each of your employees, as well as yourself. I had 12 direct reports for a while, and that performance review process taught me a lot about managing time effectively. Here are some tips on getting through the process and making sure you are providing the best possible value to your people.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Are you managing your anxiety? Or are you an anxious manager?