Cheat Codes: Magic Phrases That Make Work Better

One year of Real Talk! Over the past 12 months, 40+ advisors around the globe have generously shared their insights with us here and in the comments. This newsletter is by and for you--let's help each other make things better. Thank you for being here.

We know you want to bridge the gaps between lessons learned the hard way and lessons learned the easy way. The cheat codes. Give me the magic phrase that makes everything work better. So this month we're bringing you some of those that are handy for a variety of situations you'll face every week.

All together, they add up to a whole lot of things we could say more often to make work better.?And, as always, we want to know what you'd add to this list so we can borrow your magic too.

?? Giving credit: You know who’s a pro at that? <name>.?

?? Suggesting: You’ve probably already thought of this, but…

?? Listening: Can you say more about that?

?? Learning: I’d love your advice on…or what would you recommend if you were in my shoes?

?? Delegating: Here’s what the win/success looks like for me…(followed by clear details)

?? Praising: I’m eager to hear how you made this so amazing!?

?? Clarifying: So here’s my understanding. Tell me if I’ve got this right…

?? Helping: How can I support you today??

?? Coaching: A couple of upgrades you might consider are…

?? Apologizing: What can I do to make this right??

??Collaborating: What's most important to you as we start working together on this?

?? Revisiting: Can we have a do over on that? I’m afraid I wasn’t my best self before.?

?? Encouraging balance: When are you planning to take some time off to recharge?

?? Checking in: How are your work load and stress levels?

??Reprioritizing: What can we take off your plate or stop doing?

?? Disagreeing: Let me offer a different perspective. I wonder about xyz when I think through our options…what do you think?

?? Trusting: You know this better than me or You will do better at this than I could.?

?? Redirecting: What if we try xyz?

??Fostering accountability: We’ve got to get this dialed, and you’re going to get a lot of mileage out of a few easy fixes. How can I support you getting there?

?? Being human: How is <child’s name, significant other’s name, pet’s name, x situation, etc>? You should know all of these!?

?? Being a star employee: be curious, coachable, collaborative, clear, and concise! If you’re making your boss’ life harder, how can they advocate for your comp and promotions?

And finally...

• If you’re an individual contributor, operate as if you’re building your brand for the next gig because you are.?
• If you’re in leadership, be in it for the people, not the title, not the ego, not the power. Make it better by being there.
• If you’re about ready to quit, ask yourself if you’re really ready to build your capital up again at a new gig and what the win looks like on the other side.?My rough and fuzzy math says starting a new job is at least a 30% uptick in effort on top of what you're doing now. Is the pay/change right to make that leap?
• Even if you’re really happy, have a Plan B anyway—keep your ears open and don’t get rusty on interviewing because you never know when your next great thing will knock on the door.?
• And let's get really real...if you're stressed and tired, know that we all are. It's hard to be human right now. We see you! We're in it together. Thank you for joining us on this journey.

As always, we're yours in making workplaces better for women. To learn more, check out these courses on LinkedIn Learning:

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