Managing up is about being thoughtful and strategic in how you work with your supervisor, so that you can get the support you need, share your ideas effectively, and move important work forward. It’s not about managing your manager, it’s about making the relationship work better for both of you.
“They’re great in some areas… it’s just this one thing.” Sound familiar? Many managers struggle to hold people accountable when performance is strong but inconsistent. Whether it’s an employee who drags their feet on less interesting tasks or someone who sticks too closely to what’s comfortable, it’s tempting to let things slide. But over time, this can quietly undermine your team’s success. This article explores why managers hesitate to coach around performance and how to shift from avoidance to effective accountability. Learn how to have the conversations you’ve been putting off, without damaging trust, morale, or your own confidence.
Some employees actively seek out feedback, reflect on it, and grow. Others resist it—either because they lack confidence or because they believe they don’t need to improve. So what's the key to coachability? Getting confidence at the right level. In this article, we explore how confidence and coachability interact, why some employees are in the "I Can’t" (lacking confidence) or the "I Don’t Care" zone (overconfident), and offer practical strategies to guide them into the "Learning" zone, where real growth happens.
Higher education’s relentless pace isn’t slowing down—demands on faculty and staff continue to grow, making it harder to focus and easier to feel drained. When your time and energy are pulled in every direction, how do you regain control and stay engaged? The key isn’t a complete overhaul of your routine but small, intentional shifts that help you prioritize what truly matters.
This month, we present a two-fold approach: first, a mindset shift that refocuses your energy on what you can control, and second, a practical strategy for structuring your week to boost clarity and productivity. By identifying meaningful work and tackling tasks you've been avoiding, these five simple yet powerful actions can help you regain focus, reduce stress, and reignite your motivation.
January offers a fresh start, bringing that fresh-start energy—perfect for revisiting your goals and rethinking your growth plans. But let’s be honest: "learning and development" often get pushed down the to-do list as the year goes on. So, how do you make the commitment stick?
Inspired by a recent Supervisory Conversations session, this month’s article explores how setting aside time for intentional reflection, overcoming challenges, and making learning a part of your daily routine can help keep your growth on track—even when life gets hectic.
Is your team productive, or burned out? Do they feel empowered or left to flounder? Effective team management isn't about relying on one approach; it's about making adjustments as needed. Effective supervisors successfully navigate productivity vs. wellbeing, autonomy vs. guidance, and stability vs. flexibility. The key is recognizing when things are out of balance and adjusting accordingly.
In a world of constant change, balancing leadership responsibilities with personal well-being can be challenging. Our latest article shares actionable insights from university leaders who have successfully integrated self-care into their work.
Managing emotions at work is a crucial skill for leaders. University supervisors provide feedback, lead teams, and resolve conflicts, making how you show up emotionally each day critically important.
A well-planned onboarding process helps new hires adjust to their roles and responsibilities more easily. It also sets the stage for long-term success and job satisfaction.
