The Leadership Compass

Tell them exactly what you know and what you don't know. Say: "Here's what I understand, here's what I'm not sure about." Ask what they honestly think about the change.

Explain how this policy supports the company's growth plans or priorities. Say: "Here's where we're going as a business, and this change helps us get there."

Give them the facts: what changed, when it starts, how it affects their PTO. Then focus on: "Here's what you need to do differently now."

Start by asking: "How are you feeling about this change?" Listen to their concerns. Then share what you know and say: "I'm here to help you navigate this."

Ask what worries them most about this change. If it's fairness, explain the policy logic. If it's personal plans, help them work around it. Match your response to their concern.

Walk them through why leadership made this choice. Explain the trade-offs they considered. Say: "Let me show you how these decisions get made so you understand the thinking."

Tell them everything: "We might launch X in 6 months. It's not confirmed yet. Here's what I know and what's still being decided." You don't hold back.

Share the news and immediately ask: "If this happens, what skills should we start building? What do you think we'll need to be ready?" Turn it into planning.

Figure out who's most affected. Meet with those people individually first with full details. Give everyone else the basic overview in the team meeting.

Say: "Here's what's potentially coming, here's the timeline, here's what it means for our quarterly goals. Let's stay focused on what we control right now."

Share what you know, then ask: "How do you feel about this? Anyone worried about what this means for your role?" Make sure no one's anxious.

Say: "This is exciting for your growth. If this product launches, you'll get to learn X, Y, and Z. Here's how this could expand your skills."

Say: "That's a great question. I don't have the complete answer yet. Let's discuss what we think as a team, and I'll get us the official answer afterward."

Say: "I don't have that information right now. I'll find out and follow up with you by end of day. Let me get you connected with the right person who knows."

Good question. I don't have those details yet. Let me get the answer and circle back by our next meeting so we can keep moving forward."

Say: "I appreciate you asking. I don't want to give you incomplete information. Is there something specific you're concerned about that I can help with right now?"

Say: "I don't have the full answer, but here's how I think this connects to our bigger goals. Let me confirm the details and share what I learn."

Assess how urgent this is. If it's critical to their work today, stop the meeting and find out immediately. If it's not urgent, add it to your next 1:1 with them.

Say: "I fought for more budget. We didn't get it. Here's exactly what happened and why. Now, how do you want to handle this as a team?"

Say: "This is frustrating, I know. Here's what we can't do now. But here's what we CAN still accomplish with what we have. Let's focus there."

Say: "I'm going to keep fighting for you in other ways. You need to know I'm on your side and I won't stop advocating for what you need."

Explain: "Here's why the company chose to allocate budget elsewhere. Our work still matters because it contributes to the mission in these ways."

Think about who's most impacted. Meet with those people first individually: "Here's what this means for your specific work." Then share with the full team.

Say: "Let me show you how to work with constraints strategically. Here's how we reprioritize, here's what we focus on, here's what we defer."

Book 30 minutes with them. Say: "Here's specifically what you did well. Let's talk about what skills you used and how you can build on this for your next project."

Tell the whole team: "Look at what [Name] accomplished and how it moved us closer to our Q4 goal. This is the impact we're going for."

Say: "This was excellent work. You delivered exactly what we needed. What do you want to tackle next that stretches you even further?"

Have a real conversation: "How did this project feel for you? What are you most proud of?" Celebrate them as a person, not just the output.

Tell them specifically: "Here's what was great about your work. I appreciated X, Y, and Z. Thank you." Keep it genuine and direct.

Think about what motivates them. If they like public recognition, praise them in the team meeting. If they prefer private, send them a personal message.

Sit with them and review their last 3 pieces of work. Point out: "Here's what you missed, here's what you missed, here's the pattern." Practice the quality check process together.

Ask: "What's going on? Are you overwhelmed with too much work? Unclear on what matters most? Let's fix the real issue causing this."

Say: "You've missed details in the last 3 projects. Here are examples. This needs to improve by next Friday. I'm here to help - what do you need from me?"

Start with: "How are you doing? Is something stressing you out?" Once you understand what's happening in their life, then address the work quality issue

Explain: "When you miss details, it delays the whole team and we can't deliver on our commitments. Your work matters to our mission. Let's fix this together."

Diagnose first: Is this a skill gap (they don't know how to check details) or a workload issue (they're rushing)? If skill, train them. If workload, reduce their tasks.

Say: "Thank you for telling me immediately. Walk me through what happened." Listen without judgment. Then: "Okay, here's how we fix this together."

Ask: "Are you okay? Mistakes happen - this doesn't change how I see you." Address their stress first, then solve the problem together.

Ask: "What happened and what did you learn?" Walk through the mistake step-by-step. Say: "Here's how we prevent this next time. Let's practice that."

Say: "Okay, this delays us by a week. Here's what we do: notify the stakeholders, adjust timeline, get back on track. Let's move quickly."

Say: "Let's put this in perspective. This sets us back, but here's what the team can learn from it so we're stronger for the next big project."

Assess severity: Is this a small mistake with big learning value? Worth it. Is this a careless, avoidable mistake? Address it directly. Respond based on the situation.

Plan to start with: "Before we talk about work, how are you really doing? How's your workload? Your stress level? Your energy?" Check on the person first.

Pull out their development plan from last quarter. Prepare specific examples: "You wanted to improve at X. Here's where I saw you do that well. Here's where you can grow more."

Review which projects they worked on and how each connected to team OKRs. Prepare to say: "Here's the impact you made. Here's where we're going next and your role in it."

Open their goal sheet. For each goal, note: Met it, exceeded it, or missed it. Prepare clear feedback on each. Come with next quarter's 3-5 goals already drafted.

Plan to ask them first: "What do you think went well? What do you think you want to improve?" Let them self-assess before you share your perspective.

Think about where they are right now. Do they need reassurance? Challenge? Direction? Celebrate wins? Prepare your approach based on what they need most.

Say: "Yes! Let's build you a learning plan. What resources do you need? Let's block 3 hours a week for practice. I'll check in every Friday on what you're learning."

Ask: "What made you interested in this skill? How do you see it helping our mission?" Then support them learning it by giving them a real project to apply it.

Say: "Absolutely. You manage your time, I trust you. Just keep me posted on what you're learning - I'm curious about it too."

Ask: "Does this align with your role and Q3 goals?" If yes: "Great, let's add it to your objectives. I'll give you time to develop this skill."

Say: "I love that you want to grow. Let's make sure learning this won't overwhelm you. How's your current workload? Can I take anything off your plate?"

Ask: "Why do you want this skill? Is it for career growth or personal interest?" Then: "How do you learn best - courses, hands-on, or mentorship?" Match your support to their motivation and style.

Ask: "What does 'stuck' mean to you specifically? What does growth look like?" Then create a 90-day plan together: "Month 1 you'll develop X skill, Month 2 you'll lead Y project, Month 3 we'll review."

Say: "Let's talk about where the team is going. In 6 months we're focusing on X. In a year, Y. Here's where I see you fitting into that future."

Be direct: "Here's the path to promotion: you need to demonstrate A, B, and C. You're strong at A, developing B, haven't shown C yet. Let's set targets for each."

Ask: "What do you think you need? New project? Different work? More visibility?" Brainstorm together. Then: "Pick what excites you most and let's make it happen."

Say: "I'm going to advocate for your growth. What opportunities do you want? Name them." Then go fight to get them those chances.

Dig deeper: "Is 'stuck' about learning? Challenge? Recognition? Unclear path?" Once you identify the real issue, solve that specific thing, not generic "growth."

Think: "Who would this project develop?" Pick someone ready to stretch. Say: "This will be challenging, but I'll support you closely. Here's how we'll work together."

Think: "Whose goals does this serve?" Assign it to whoever it benefits most. Frame it: "This project aligns perfectly with where you said you want to grow."

Bring it to the team: "Here's the project, here's what's involved, here's the challenge level. Who's interested and has capacity?" Discuss openly and decide together.

Think: "Who will deliver the best result?" Assign to that person. Set clear deliverables and timeline. Say: "I'm confident you can execute this. Here are the checkpoints."

Think: "Who needs a win? Who's been asking for more responsibility?" Consider who's stretched thin already. Say: "I think you're ready for this. I'll make sure you have support."

Assess each person: current workload, skill fit, development needs, confidence level. Match the project to whoever it fits best for across all these factors.

Ask: "What do you want to learn and why? How will you apply it?" If it develops them: "Yes. Let's set up a plan. You learn, then teach the team what you discover."

Ask: "How does this connect to our team goals or your career direction?" If it serves the mission or their growth: "Absolutely, go for it."

Check: "Are you on track with your current work?" If yes: "Yes, do it. Just honor your deadlines. I trust you to manage your time."

Say: "I trust you. Go ahead if you have the time. Just share interesting things you learn - I'm curious about what you find."

Ask: "I love this. But first, how are you feeling? Is your current workload okay?" Make sure learning time doesn't burn them out. Adjust their plate if needed.

Ask: "What's driving this? Career development? Personal passion? Need a mental break?" Match your support to the real reason: If burnout recovery, maybe reduce other work too.