The Manager’s Playbook

The Hard Moments, Handled

The judgment calls no course prepares you for — the checked-out star, the feedback you’re dreading, the week you can’t stay on top of. Straight, practical playbooks for the moments that actually decide whether a team thrives.

People

How to Give Hard Feedback Without Crushing Them

Be direct about the behavior and kind to the person — here’s how to do both at once.

Read the playbook Performance

How to Motivate an Employee Who’s Plateaued

A plateau is usually a signal, not laziness. Get curious before you get corrective.

Read the playbook People

How to Get a Quiet Employee to Open Up in 1:1s

Silence usually means the format isn’t safe or useful yet — not that there’s nothing to say.

Read the playbook Performance

How to Re-Engage a Top Performer Who’s Checking Out

When your best person goes quiet, treat it as early warning — and move fast and privately.

Read the playbook Self

How to Keep Your Head Above Water as a Manager

Drowning isn’t a willpower problem — it’s a load problem. Protect your attention, not your hours.

Read the playbook Conflict

How to Resolve Conflict Between Two Team Members

Don’t referee the surface fight — get underneath it to what each person actually needs.

Read the playbook People

How to Let Someone Go With Compassion

Be clear, be kind, and be quick — dragging it out is crueler than the decision itself.

Read the playbook Self

How to Say No to Your Boss Without Burning Trust

Managing up is managing too. Say no to the plan, not the goal — and bring a trade-off, not a wall.

Read the playbook