Hi Reader,
This month I've pulled together tools for you to support building a feedback culture, bring a little surprise joy into your team, facilitate a meeting towards success even if you're not the one leading the meeting, and show up for your team in the midst of this busy season of year. Let’s get to your Monthly Management Memo - as always with something bold, something new, something borrowed, and something to pursue.
🔥Something Bold - Feedback Culture
A while back, I was helping a client plan a session on giving great feedback for some new managers on his team (hi Joe!). I shared this quote with him, which has helped motivate me to give feedback (even when it feels hard) to people I work with and care about. I also shared this "hot wash" template from The Ready that can be helpful for teams building a more intentional feedback culture.
🆕 Something New - Ice Breakers as Intel-Gathering
Y'all already know I love a good meeting ice breaker (15 pages of them here from me for free). One of my favorite management moves in the past has been to ask strategically (and take notes) as a way to gather information to help me later on supply a little joy. Here are some examples:
- Ask everyone to share their favorite childhood cereal (and then buy them each a box of theirs as an unexpected surprise)
- Invite everyone to share their "celebration food". Keep notes about what these are, and when there's a celebratory occasion at work or in their lives, get them that food or a gift card to a related restaurant.
- Share around your favorite coffee shop drink, and then show up with surprise sips for everyone at some date in the future.
- Have folks share their favorite Halloween candy and then leave a full-size version of it on their desk.
🤝🏼 Something Borrowed - Guerilla Facilitation
Michael Wilkinson shared this brilliant graphic about "guerilla facilitation" that gives some specific language to help move a conversation or meeting forward even when you're not the one fully responsible for holding the space.
🏃🏾♀️Something to Pursue - Don't Make These Back to School Mistakes
Back-to-school season hits working parents hard - between mountains of paperwork, new apps to download, and supply shopping, it's a hectic time. Smart leaders anticipate this. Consider these supportive moves:
- Ask employees what would help most during this transition
- Move or cancel meetings during the first week when schools often have shorter days
- Let staff come in late on that first day (there are classrooms to find and cute photos to take!)
- Send pizza gift cards for the first Friday - everyone's exhausted and easy dinner is gold (and not just for the parents, for everyone!)
Direct conversations work best, but even small gestures show you see your people as whole humans with full lives outside work. If you need, simply send a quick team email: "We're thinking about everyone with children heading back to school - please connect with your manager if you need flexibility during this extra-busy time."
P.S. Here are my Fall 2025 workshop offerings + pricing. If any of these topics look like they might help your team, please let me know. I'd love to chat. You can hit reply or grab time on my calendar.
Bring your team; I’ll bring my A-game. I love helping teams with workshops on productivity, team culture, and effectiveness at work. Find out more and book a free chat to see if I can be helpful to your organization.