Cindi Leive is the Editor-in-Chief of Glamour Magazine. While being the boss lady can have its fair share of perks, being in a position of leadership is also has a learning curve.
“The big challenge for me was learning how to be firm and clear. It’s very reassuring for employees to understand what is expected of them. Otherwise, how will they know that they’re doing a good job? Finding a way to do that while also creating an office that is warm and friendly and engaging is a balancing act that it took me a while to master,” said Leive in an interview with the New York Times.
It took Leive some time to adjust to her manager role as someone who now has primary say on all company and employee-related decisions. But Leive did learn one valuable lesson in her early years of management.
“Years ago, an executive editor of mine said, ‘You should count the number of times you praise somebody and then double that.’ Even the toughest, steeliest writer or editor often really wants to be told, ‘Hey, that was a great piece.’ Early in my career as manager, it probably took me a while to realize that everybody wants that. It’s just a human need.” said Leive in the same interview.
We all strive to advance in our careers, and maybe even have a full team to lead one day. When this happens, it’s important to remember all the subtle things you needed from your manager when you were an employee. Something as simple as praise or words of encouragement can really bring confidence and enhance performance.
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Image Credit: The New York Post