2 aspects of working with managers that will reduce your anxiety as a team member 🧘🏼‍♂️

If you had enough of talking with managers, empty promises or bad decisions influencing your team and the endless game of cat and mouse, this is for you. Below I share two points that can help you get unstuck.

1. Stop idealizing 🤩

People look up to leaders as knowledgeable and able to solve all their problems (especially the C-suite or directors). They come with pains and, often, expect ready solutions.

Treat the C-suite or managers as specialists in their fields — not wizards. They make mistakes as you do and can be wrong. It’s a job like any other.

Examples:

• A CEO is not an expert in UX, so when they come to you asking to change a button or how a user profile should look. You can respond with the following:

“I hear you. Tell us why you think this is a better solution. We will test this hypothesis and get back to you with data so we can make an informed decision.”

• Being high in the hierarchy does not mean they know everything that people below them know. They hire you as an expert, and although they don’t always show it, they need your advice to make good decisions. The way you share it matters. See point 2.
• Expectations go both ways. Share yours and talk through them when things are not happening.
• Take opportunities to talk with people higher…