Manager Method

HR: “I’ve heard it all.”

Five minutes later… “Maybe not.”

How managers get promoted…

This is what happens too often - but what can HR do about it?

Join me on Thursday 9/24 for our Manager Method 2026 State of Management Report webinar.

Make sure you sign up in my bio. Even if you can’t join live, you’ll get the replay and report.

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“Why is my team member out for a holiday?”

Today is Yom Kippur for your Jewish team members. Like many religious holidays, your team members might vary in how the approach it. Some might tell you exactly why they’re taking off, some might just say they’ll be out and some might not take it off because they don’t feel like they can.

As a manager, having a high-level knowledge of religious and local holidays - even those aside from your own - can mean a world of difference to your team members.

See how I approach it with Kim, and follow Ashley Herd | Manager Method for practical tips that can help you not only impact business results, but also the careers and lives of your team members.

Day made by David TheMan OfSteel - all the passengers on our flight smiled getting on the plane because of him.

This is how one team member can have a ripple effect for your whole business. His singing and kind greetings are one of the highlights of flying Delta Air Lines from LGA.

It’s a lesson in how giving your team members the work environment where they feel comfortable making choices that improve the overall experience is one of the best things you can do.

How do you make decisions at work?

Instead of winging it each time, learn an approach you can take in 90 seconds: Pause-Consider-Act.

And yes, it sounds like common sense - but sometimes, especially when you’re busy, you realize common sense isn’t as common as it should be at work.

Would your managers know what to do in the moment if they got a complaint?

If you’re not sure, my Manager Method Minute email and blog this week have a guide that can help.

Because too often, training is either non-existent or focused on definitions of laws - rather than what to do and say, and why it matters so much.

Get it this week, and practical leadership tips every week, at ManagerMethod.com/newsletter

“Why would I get involved in a complaint from someone who doesn’t report to me?”

As a manager, you need to know the answer to this - and in this week’s weekly Manager Method Minute email, I’ll break it down, including a real court case where a complaint went very wrong.

You can sign up for this, and free weekly tips at ManagerMethod.com/newsletter

“I want to tell you something - but don’t tell anyone else.”

This can be hard enough to know what to do if a friend or family member says this.

But what if it happens at work? Especially if you’re that person’s manager - or a manager of a completely different department?

This week’s series is in exactly this - and what managers and HR can do.

“If we get sued, we have employment insurance.”

Especially in HR, you may hear this from senior leaders when it comes to employment decisions - with Employment Practices Liability Insurance, it can give caps to legal fees and damages if those decisions lead to lawsuits.

But there can be limits - especially for punitive damages.

Treating people like humans at work is important for many reasons - including the impact on careers and lives. And when that doesn’t happen - some leaders greatly underestimate the cost.

When your best employee quits…

You’re probably not going to immediately be happy - and that’s human. But focusing on their career - and what they accomplished on your team - is like water in the desert for that team member who was likely in knots about telling you.

Taking a pause before you react can help you keep this in mind - and for more tips, get the Manager Method Minute email, where this week’s blog gives tips on what to do when team members resign… and the one question NOT to ask.

You can sign up in my bio, and follow Ashley Herd | Manager Method for practical tips for leaders.