Great Manager Newsletter - March 5, 2025
Bogus Job Postings
Did you know that flamingos stand on one leg not because it looks cool, but because it conserves energy? By staying balanced with minimal effort, they avoid unnecessary fatigue—something every middle manager can learn from.
Managing a team is a balancing act. Between meetings, deliverables, and handling team dynamics, it’s easy to overextend yourself. But the best managers know how to conserve energy—delegating effectively, setting clear priorities, and creating a team that thrives without constant micromanagement.
Before we get started, I want to promote a book that was released last Friday - The Customer Report Card: 12 Ways They’re Grading Your Service by Pamela Zembani. I’ve been connected to Pam for a few years on LinkedIn and she always has amazing advice. I highly recommend you check it out and if you order it, write a review.
Let’s get to this week’s content.
1 Big Thing
Bogus Job Postings
A recent article from Inc. highlights the growing issue of "ghost jobs"—job postings for positions that companies have no intention of filling. This practice can damage company reputations and mislead job seekers. According to a survey by Resume Builder, 40% of companies admitted to posting fake job listings in 2024, with 30% currently advertising roles that aren't real. Employers may do this to create a pool of potential candidates, enhance their company's image, or give current employees the impression that help is on the way. However, such practices can lead to frustration among job seekers and may harm the company's credibility.
Watch This
How to Build - and Rebuild - Trust
Trust is the foundation for everything we do. But what do we do when it's broken? In an eye-opening talk, Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei gives a crash course in trust: how to build it, maintain it and rebuild it -- something she worked on during a recent stint at Uber. "If we can learn to trust one another more, we can have unprecedented human progress," Frei says.
By the Numbers
10-Year Low
According to the latest Gallup poll, employee engagement is at 31%, a 10-year low. This is after peaking at 36% in 2020.
Words of Wisdom
Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them.
― Winston Churchill
Business Laughs
Discussion Topics
How do you foster open communication within your team?
Some amazing content this week - I hope you found it useful.
If you did, I hope you’ll let me know by leaving a comment. Also, share this with others and consider signing up for the Paid content (if you haven’t already).
Have a great week. Go be a Great Manager.