Explore the best female coaches in business, top choices for entrepreneurs seeking expert guidance and coaching to empower women in their ventures.

I was raised by a lawyer, which means I had “get it in writing” drilled into me.

Why should we document things at work? Well, there are two main reasons:

It can serve as a useful reference point in the future, and

It can promote future conflict resolution

But what exactly should we be putting in writing? I recommend starting with:

Imagine the scene: 

One of your team members comes to you and tells you about a situation that’s going on. 

They ask you what they should do about it - then immediately stop talking and stare at you.

You have no context for the decision, so you're not in the best position to make a call. 

What do you do?

“Okay, we’re gonna go around the group. Tell us your name and a fun fact about yourself!”

Do those sentences make you wince? Cringe? Shudder with fear?

If so, you’re not alone. Nobody enjoys icebreakers.

The way they are typically conducted in corporate settings… frankly, kinda sucks.

Fortunately, there is a better way! Here’s what I recommend:

Explore the benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan for new executives and how it can help you hit the ground running in your new leadership role.

Your company signed a new client yesterday. Today, you received an email from a coworker that says:

“We will need to compile a sales report for this client on a bimonthly basis.”

At first glance, this seems like a simple message. But what does it actually mean?

First of all, who is “we” in this situation? The company in general? You and your colleague? Your colleague and somebody else?

And what does “compile” mean here? Just get some raw data? Or are we doing some analysis?

Also, bimonthly? Like, twice a month? Or every two months? 

Looks like the message isn’t as simple as it first appeared. In fact, it’s pretty unclear.

When faced with a decision at work, there are generally two approaches you can take:

Ask for Permission: Wait. Wait to talk to your boss - see if they want you to do it or not. Discuss your options with your manager and use their input to formulate a plan.

Beg for Forgiveness: Be proactive. Use your best judgment to make a decision in the moment - and debrief your boss later. 

Which approach is better? Well, it depends on the situation. Ask yourself:

Achieving process efficiencies while reducing expenses is great. But when it comes to some things, it pays to invest in quality. Not everything of course. You’ll break the bank! But here are a couple of everyday examples: your shoes and your bed.