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Managing up: professional skill or survival strategy?
Early in my career, in my very first role as in-house recruiter, my manager (HRD) gave me a piece of advice I did not question for a long time: always overstate your #hiring timelines when you open a new role. Give yourself more room than you think you need. She was right, in a sense, and it worked because hiring managers stopped chasing me so aggressively (and I saved myself from a #burnout). The problem I did not see at the time: I had just learned to negotiate, not collabo

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Apr 92 min read


What is really behind the need to micromanage (and what to do about it)
The word "micromanager" has almost lost its meaning from overuse. Before it became the ultimate workplace insult, it described a hands-on management style, and in the right context, that style is not wrong. Situational Leadership by Hersey and Blanchard makes exactly this point: effective leadership adapts to who is in front of you. For instance, a junior employee often benefits from close guidance. The problem is when it becomes the default, regardless of experience or what

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Mar 312 min read


Your team survived the layoffs. Now comes the harder part.
Over 45,000 tech roles have been cut globally this year. ASML and Ericsson alone account for nearly 3,600 in the #Netherlands and Sweden. Manager engagement has dropped sharply, particularly among leaders under 35. 55% of managers expect further reductions before the year is out. But what about the people that stay after the layoffs? Survivor syndrome Survivor syndrome is a well-documented phenomenon in organizational psychology, first framed by David Noer in the 1990s. When

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Mar 272 min read


Feedback is not a universal language. Are you fluent in your team's version of it?
A manager used the sandwich method. His direct report walked out of the review visibly upset. They were both operating from completely different assumptions about what feedback looks like. Here is how to make sure yours actually translates in international teams.

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Mar 192 min read


Every new hire is a risk but strong leaders know how to manage it.
When leaders say “we need to hire fast,” what they usually mean is: we are under pressure, the team is stretched thin and we need to deliver asap. In those situations, it's easy to see #hiring as the go-to solution but, the truth is, it comes with considerable risk that needs to be managed carefully. Here's the Break Down of Hiring Risk Budget risk: staying competitive without breaking internal equity Legal risk: visas, probation terms, non-compete clauses, compliance gaps Pe

Christina - Spark Back Coaching
Mar 52 min read
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