Manager needs feedback! (Coaching Stories)

Recently, I had a chat with a dynamic young professional who needed some advice on prepping for her appraisal chat. She was feeling pretty frustrated with her manager’s behavior and wasn’t sure how to handle it – she felt she needed to get her manager to be aware of his actions.

Her manager’s tendency of not being available to other departments, indecisiveness, and constant questioning of her decisions regarding supporting other departments had really been weighing on her. But as we discussed what she truly hoped to achieve from the conversation, she realized she simply wanted clarity on her manager’s expectations and a bit more autonomy in managing certain projects she’s passionate about.

As we delved deeper into her perspective, she came to the realization that many of her frustrations were based more on assumptions than on concrete facts. We explored the possibility of empathizing with her manager’s perspective – perhaps they were feeling overwhelmed in their new role and lacking a reliable team to support them. This shift in mindset encouraged her to rethink her approach to the conversation.

In the end, she decided to candidly express her feelings and expectations (and picking only one or two of the initial long list of concerns) while also seeking common ground with her manager.

And you know what? In just that brief chat, I witnessed a remarkable transformation in her mindset – from feeling stuck to feeling empowered and ready to take action.