How to Manage the Sandwich

🔄 Changing Perspectives When Leading Your Boss

Consider what’s on their agenda and how you can support their goals. This empathy can guide your actions and communications to be more impactful.

📋 Executive Summaries for Your Boss

Crafting concise executive summaries helps in making your communication more efficient and decision-friendly. It demonstrates your ability to distill complex information, making you a valuable asset for strategic insights and quick decision-making.

📅 The Friday Strategist

Blocking time every Friday for strategic planning ensures you remain proactive rather than reactive. This habit allows leaders to continuously align their actions with the broader objectives, enhancing overall effectiveness and foresight.

• Block 1 hour every Friday-Afternoon for “Weekly strategic planning".
• Prepare my game plan for the coming week.
• Run though your OKRs and main projects.
• Write the executive summary for your boss.

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❓ Four Questions for Stuck Meetings

Armed with the right questions, leaders can unlock new perspectives and solutions, turning stagnant meetings into springboards for innovation. This approach not only accelerates problem-solving but also cultivates a culture of open dialogue and collaborative thinking and combats silo thinking.

1. What is the problem from your (departments) perspective?
2. What is our common goal (of both departments)?
3. What do you think is our possible room for solutions?
4. What – from your (departments) point of view - can I or my team do to support?

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🔊 Upward and Sideways Feedback

You have already learned a lot about feedback in the previous sessions. There are no magic new tools for upward and sideways feedback - just more of the same and knowing when it is appropriate to provide that feedback.

Utilize the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) framework for structured feedback.

Practice the "Positive No / Yes, No, Yes" technique to maintain assertiveness while being constructive.

Keeping the right mindset is crucial when giving feedback, ensuring it's received as intended.

Recapping the content is step 1. Putting the small steps into practice is taking the next steps towards becoming an even better leader.

When will be your next 1:1 with your boss? Will you communicate differently?

It's never fun to eat alone. Why not schedule a lunch & learn with your buddy to discuss how you are putting the sandwich into practice.

• How did your 1:1 with your boss go? Were you able to communicate effectively
• Share what action you took to combat silo thinking within your team.
• Discuss any feedback you provided upwards or sideways. How was it received?