Yiorgos Tzirtzilakis’ Post

About 10 years ago I had my worst experience as a new manager... It happened early in my new role. About 40 minutes into the job to be exact. It was my first day, and my manager told me I needed to pull a direct report aside and have a chat about his performance. The big sin? He showed up 3 minutes late. 😲 The poor guy was just stopping for coffee. But the company's policy was that every employee had to be "butt-in-seat" by 8am, unless they had a valid reason or had permission to be late. Rules were rules. Since it was such a small thing, I knew the employee would be thinking “This new manager is a jerk.” He was just trying to enjoy his morning coffee (as did I) before plopping himself into his chair for the next 8 hours. So I approached the situation with empathy and tried to be as real as possible. I pulled him aside into an empty conference room: “Listen, the company wants me to talk to you about you being late.” “Personally, I don’t care as long as you get the job done.” “I’m not telling you DON’T be 3 minutes late.” “Just don’t be 3 minutes and come strolling in with a fresh store-bought coffee. It doesn’t reflect well on you.” He got the point, started showing up on time. The trick? Keep the relationship human. As a new manager, it’s easy to be so worried about looking like a professional leader, we forget it’s real people we’re leading. Start with empathy, and everything else will fall into place. (epilogue: The policy was changed about 2 months later, due in part to the fallout from this situation)

Navigating Tough Manager Relationships I recently began working with Sara, a talented Director of Engineering struggling in her relationship with a new, overly critical VP. Despite strong technical skills and leadership, Sara dreaded their meetings. The VP often demanded last-minute weekend work, moved the goalposts, and shared minor complaints rather than constructive feedback. Understandably, Sara felt anxious and defeated despite otherwise loving her job. As we explored the situation in our coaching sessions, I shared a realization that finally resonated: "Just because she's your manager doesn't mean you can't set boundaries and teach her how to work with you." With this shift in mindset, Sara began advocating for herself. She set defined work hours based on her needs. In meetings, she asked for specific, actionable feedback to improve. When unrealistic demands surfaced, she politely challenged assumptions. Over time, the dynamic radically changed. The VP gained an appreciation for Sara's talents. Sara found her voice to convey her capabilities and limitations confidently. They now collaborate effectively as mutual partners, not as supervisors and subordinates.  The lesson? While we can't control others, even managers, we can control how we respond. Recognizing our power and rights to set the tone even within hierarchies allows for more authentic, productive relationships. If you have a management relationship you want to improve but don't know where to start, I can help. Let's have a free 30-minute consultation to discuss and strategize. I've coached numerous clients into more fulfilling roles by setting empowering boundaries. Don't settle for misery - you deserve better, no matter your manager's style. Reach out in a DM or schedule a call!

Manage Individuals To get the best work from people you need to match the work to their capability, desire, and motivation. This is a truism, isn’t it? The question is how. The first requirement is a sensible span of control. If you’re managing fifty people, you’re just an administrator. You’re not managing. A sensible span of control does depend on what the team is doing and how. You can always have team leaders managing teams to amplify your reach. If I had to suggest a workable team size, without intermediate team leaders, I’d say four to sixteen people. But to quote my Accountant – ‘It all depends’. I know people are in love with their mobiles and psychometric testing. It saves thought. It says to your team that I can’t be bothered to talk to you to find out what you value. So, don’t do that. Talk to them, have a conversation. Find out if there is a mutually beneficial work task that he or she would enjoy. Matching someone to a task is motivationally powerful on many levels. It shows you care. It develops a skill the person wants. They probably enjoy it. They probably want to become a high performing person in that task. You did all that by talking. Keep smiling!

I went from a having a job where I was consistently communicating and having meetings with top-level executives of Fortune 100 companies to a job where I was having my emails picked apart for the smallest error and needing approval before sending an email to anyone higher than me...EVEN IF that person reached out to me first.⁠ ⁠ I had landed myself a micro-manager and it made my job 1,000% times more difficult. 😳⁠ ⁠ Not only was I doing my job, but I was managing up and handling resistance at every turn.⁠ ⁠ It was EXHAUSTING and I was MISERABLE.⁠ ⁠ Another side effect that I didn’t even realize was happening…⁠ ⁠ My confidence was taking a hit. 🤕⁠ ⁠ Instead of being decisive and sure of my actions, I was questioning myself at every turn.⁠ ⁠ Does this sound familiar?⁠ ⁠ You DESERVE better than that. It’s not you, it’s THEM.⁠ ⁠ There are managers out there who are supportive, have your back, mentor you and help you grow. 🤩⁠ ⁠ And that confidence piece…⁠ ⁠ It comes back, I PROMISE!⁠ ⁠ But don’t let that be the reason you are staying with you sh*tty manager.⁠ ⁠ I can not only help you discover what’s next but boost your confidence higher than it’s ever been. 📈⁠ ⁠ If you’re ready to leave your toxic relationship, let’s talk and help you do it in a way that feels empowering!⁠ ⁠ 🔗Book a free discovery call at the link in the comments!

Are you a manager - new, middle or senior? You are likely to have multiple calls on your time, from multiple people - internal at all levels and, possibly, other departments, possibly suppliers, customers and other external contacts. You have the technical work of your role, the management aspects, self development and admin to deal with. As I've said over the last few weeks, you need to be clear on the big picture goals, the details and the degree of importance and urgency. Only then can you really tackle #timemanagement and for which ypu will need your #assertiveness skills. While many people say that some people are naturally good with people, or great at managing their time and so on, there ARE skills which can be developed to help with all aspects of time management, assertiveness and the associated communication skills you need. As a starting point, which of the following do you find most difficult? 1 saying No to / extending a deadline with, a senior manager 2 saying No to / extending a deadline with, a customer 3 accepting a No from a junior 4 saying "I'll be late" to those you have social arrangements with Let me know in the comments if any of these are particularly difficult or if you've found ways to deal with them. #coaching #wellbeing

"The best relationships are built on trust. Ask yourself: “Do I trust my manager to do their job well? Does my manager trust me to do my job well?” Of course, you can’t answer that without knowing what doing the job well means. This is the first thing you and your manager must align on. This seems obvious, but I cannot tell you how many people come to me frustrated because they think their manager’s job is to have their backs which means “wholeheartedly support my ideas”, while their manager thinks their job is to get quality output which means “critique my reports’ work and push them for better ideas.” This is a subtle misunderstanding, but it repeated minor tensions which erode trust like waves crashing against a cliff...." Whether your relationship with your manager is amazing or 💩, there are some great tips in here on how to handle it.

Do you know what your main concerns should be as a manager? As Julie Zhuo explains in her amazing book The Making of a Manager, you should focus on these three key areas: - Purpose: Why is your role so important? What kind of value do you bring to your team and the company? - People: Motivate and empower your team, find the right person for the right job, and build a relationship of trust. - Processes: Plan, provide clear direction, hold meaningful meetings, learn from mistakes, and prepare for the future. Your role as a manager is to shift your mindset from being an individual contributor. You're no longer the executor. Your job is to always take care of the purpose, people, and processes.

I've observed a situation where a senior manager, asserting his seniority, doesn't provide his team with the opportunity to share their ideas or pursue their individual goals. It appears that he perceives himself as the sole authority to voice opinions and set goals. Upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that he prefers a team of "yes sir" individuals, rather than those who challenge him and demonstrate unique perspectives that could potentially elevate productivity and overall work performance. follow Akash Mishra for more updates------

What’s the worst thing to do as a new manager? Fake it ‘till you make it. As a new manager, you’re drinking from the firehose and in full learning mode. That is the reality. I call it the Practice stage. If you try to pretend otherwise, your employees will see right through you. They won’t trust you, and you won’t be successful. During the Practice stage, you’re going to make a lot of mistakes, you’re going to be figuring things out, and you’ll need support from many sources. It works best if everyone acknowledges that reality, starting with you. As you start building relationships with your employees, lead with openness. Let them know you’re aware of how much you have to learn, and demonstrate that by asking them questions and listening to them. Your relationship with your employees is vital to your success and your team’s success. Start on the right foot by acknowledging the reality. It will reduce the pressure you feel and create opportunities for open conversations. If you fake it, you might never make it.

Hi, guys! Imagine you’re at the airport, waiting for your flight. The departure keeps getting delayed, and nobody updates you. Finally, when boarding is called, you find out that instead of a plane, you’ll be taking a bus to a different city. And now, imagine you have to drive this bus yourself. Understandably, you would feel deceived and upset. This scenario underscores the importance of managing expectations at work. Today, I want to share five rules of expectation management that I follow in my professional life: 1. Always keep the team informed. It’s like letting the team know when to attack and when to defend. When everyone is aware of the plan, we move together toward victory. 2. Your word must stand. If you promised to do something, consider it your commitment. Reliability is your reputation. 3. Don’t fear admitting mistakes. If something goes wrong, it’s better to speak up immediately. This allows for a quick solution. 4. Your example matters. When you manage expectations and meet your team halfway, they respond with the same respect. This improves the quality of our communication and helps everyone grow. 5. Leadership values this. By showing you can manage expectations, you earn the trust of upper management. It proves you can be relied on in critical situations, which is key to your professional growth. Managing expectations isn’t just about tasks and deadlines. It’s about teamwork, trust, and being honest with each other. This is the path to success, for both you and our team. Now, I’d love to hear from you! - How do you manage expectations in your team? - Do you have any secrets or success stories? Share in the comments — let’s learn from each other!