PDF Summary:The Making of a Manager, by Julie Zhuo

If you’re new to management or looking to be promoted, The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo is the resource you need to get on the fast track to success. Drawing on her experience managing hundreds of employees as a design executive at Facebook, Zhuo says great managers all focus on achieving the ultimate goal of all managers: facilitating desirable outcomes by inspiring and coordinating the efforts of others. Through Zhuo’s expert tips, you’ll learn how to build a team and motivate them to work together by hiring the right people, building trusting relationships, and running productive meetings.

In this guide, we’ll review Zhuo’s principles for effective management and consider other business leaders’ ideas that support and sometimes contradict her assertions—for instance, ideas from Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Workweek and Paul Marciano in Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work. We’ll also link Zhuo’s principles to additional tools and techniques you can use to amplify your effectiveness as a manager, such as how to resolve conflicts among your team.

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Step #2: Decide where you’ll look for candidates. Zhuo recommends asking colleagues for recommendations before looking anywhere else. If none of their suggestions work out, you now have an idea of what kind of person to look for elsewhere.

(Shortform note: While Zhuo asserts that recommendations from peers should be your go-to hiring strategy, others claim that seeking hires via a recruitment agency is the best approach in certain circumstances. For example, agencies are especially useful for finding candidates to fill leadership or highly technical positions. They often have staff members with expertise in particular industries, which enables them to spot employees with specific skills that you might overlook. Using a recruitment agency can also free you to focus your efforts elsewhere, thereby saving you—and your company—time and resources.)

Step #3: Prepare a template of interview questions. Be clear about what you want to learn, and use the same questions for each candidate interviewing for a single role. As Zhuo says, this helps you compare candidates based on the quality of their answers rather than subjective impressions.

(Shortform note: To prepare for interviews more efficiently, consider conducting software-assisted interviews. Software tools generate interview questions for you based on your specific job requirements and help you evaluate candidates. These tools can also decrease bias in your hiring decisions by scoring candidates in a way that’s potentially more objective than in-person judgments.)

Step #4: Invite colleagues to help you conduct interviews. According to Zhuo, this can diminish bias that often interferes when only one person is involved and can help you catch warning signs you might overlook if you’re on your own—for example, a candidate who won’t make eye contact with female interviewers.

(Shortform note: What’s the ideal number of interviewers to include? Zhuo doesn’t say, but others recommend a maximum of three people. More than three may intimidate and confuse candidates, making them feel like they must remember many names and the role each person has in the organization. Also, including more interviewers than necessary tends to make decisions about candidates more challenging, as it’s rare for multiple people to be perfectly aligned in their opinions of candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and fit with the company culture.)

Step #5: Conduct memorable interviews. Avoid distractions and devote your attention to candidates so they know you consider them a priority. Also (if you think they’re likely to be a good hire), describe the difference you see they’ll make when they’re on your team, and tell them how excited you are to welcome them to the company. As Zhuo says, you need to make sure candidates see your company as an attractive place to work.

(Shortform note: One way to entice candidates during interviews that Zhuo doesn’t mention is to build transparent career trajectories—let potential hires know what advancement opportunities and financial incentives they can expect if they perform well. This can help overcome candidates’ fear of entering an unfamiliar work environment and may give your company an edge if candidates end up entertaining multiple offers.)

How to Evaluate and Select Candidates

After you’ve interviewed candidates, how do you decide who to hire? Zhuo suggests you take these steps to evaluate and select candidates:

Step #1: Review work they’ve done in the past. Evaluate a few projects they’ve completed that are similar to the work they’ll be expected to do at your company. According to Zhuo, this will give you a clear sense of their skills and ability to problem solve. It’ll also help you forecast how they’ll perform in the future.

(Shortform note: Reviewing job candidates’ past work is a common screening technique among employers. What should you look for as you review those projects? In addition to ensuring the projects are relevant to the position they’re applying for, as Zhuo recommends, business leaders advise that you consider whether the candidates’ work reflects the style of your business. For example, if their projects are mostly formal, corporate content and your business is more lighthearted and fun, candidates might have a hard time adapting. Also, make sure the projects are varied, which suggests candidates are versatile.)

Step #2: Ask trusted peers for input. Zhuo says you likely won’t get useful input from references a candidate furnishes. Instead, seek input from colleagues and peers in your professional network who’ll give you an honest assessment of candidates.

(Shortform note: Although Zhuo doesn’t suggest specific questions to use when getting input from colleagues, be sure you’re clear about what information you need. In Execution, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan recommend asking not only about what someone has accomplished but also about how they did it and the skills they used. Pose questions such as “How would you describe their communication style?”, “How did they support or undermine teamwork and collaboration?”, and “Do they adapt well to shifting priorities, or do they tend to resist change?” The answers to such questions will inform you about a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as how well they’re likely to fit your company’s culture.)

Step #3: Go with candidates who excite you. Even if a candidate has the needed skills and qualities, don’t choose them just because they could fit. Zhuo says to always give preference to candidates who spark enthusiasm in at least one interviewer. Candidates are more likely to add high value to your team when they stand out as unique.

(Shortform note: Rather than passively waiting to see if candidates make a notable impression on you or your fellow interviewers, as Zhuo suggests, you can design your interviews to give candidates opportunities to excite you. For example, ask candidates questions such as “What part of your work makes you excited to get up in the morning?” “How would you describe the difference your work makes?” Candidates who deliver personalized, impassioned responses will quickly stand out from those who deliver “canned” answers.)

Step #4: Prioritize diverse candidates. Hire candidates who have varied work and life experiences and who represent diverse races, genders, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations. Zhuo says diverse teams generate more creative ideas, solve problems more effectively, and produce superior outcomes.

(Shortform note: To secure the advantages of a diverse workforce, as Zhuo recommends, you must clearly communicate the value you place on diversity to attract a more diverse talent pool. For example, vocalize your commitment to diversity during job interviews, or require candidates to write a one-page solution to a problem that involves a diversity challenge at work. Requiring them to solve a problem like this highlights the importance you place on resolving diversity challenges and creating a safe environment for all employees. It also allows you to gauge whether candidates are likely to respond to diversity challenges in a way that meshes with your company culture.)

Step #5: Choose people who have the potential to contribute beyond their designated role. Prepare for future growth by hiring candidates who are equipped to deliver more than you need immediately. For example, even if a frontline sales role doesn’t include supervisory responsibilities now, Zhuo says it’s wise to give an edge to candidates who have relevant sales experience and supervising experience. They’ll be able to step into bigger roles as your team grows.

Pros and Cons of Hiring Overqualified Candidates

Although Zhuo highlights one significant benefit to hiring a candidate whose qualifications exceed job requirements, she doesn’t elaborate on the many other advantages—or, the many drawbacks—of this approach. Here are some key pros and cons based on experts’ insights:

Pros:

• Increased productivity—When people have extensive experience above and beyond their current role, their advanced skill set can help increase your company’s performance levels.

• Reduced training time and costs—Overqualified candidates are usually equipped with the knowledge required for performing their basic job duties, which requires you to expend fewer resources training them.

• Valuable input and ideas—Candidates who have worked in more advanced roles are often able to identify ways to improve efficiency.

Cons:

• Risk of underperformance—When someone feels overqualified for a position, they may become complacent and bored if you don’t challenge them or nurture their ongoing development.

• Alienating other employees—Other team members may perceive this hire as reducing their opportunities for advancement.

• Higher risk of turnover—If an overqualified candidate takes a position out of desperation or mere curiosity, they may leave as soon as another opportunity comes along that better fits their skill level.

Hiring an overqualified candidate may indeed be the best option for your company, as Zhuo suggests—but, be sure to weigh your company’s needs against the associated risks.

Coaching and Developing Your Team

Once you’ve hired the right people, you must continually coach and develop your team to keep performance high. For coaching to be effective, Zhuo says, it’s crucial that you earn your team members’ trust and create a safe, supportive environment for them.

Why is trust so important? As Zhuo explains, when employees don’t feel safe, they’ll hesitate—or avoid—coming to you with problems, fearing negative repercussions. If employees struggle without your help and knowledge, they may eventually become so frustrated that they leave. Also, small problems often develop into bigger problems in the future if they’re not addressed.

Conversely, if employees do feel safe coming to you with problems, you can help them find solutions and prevent problems from escalating.

The Biological Foundation of Workplace Trust

In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek explains that the workplace trust Zhuo describes is valuable because it causes team members’ brains to release oxytocin, the neurochemical that promotes bonding and happiness. This oxytocin compounds over time, making teammates more empathetic, more collaborative, and ultimately, more productive.

In contrast, Sinek explains that when employees don’t feel safe in the workplace, it triggers their brains to produce cortisol, the stress hormone. The reason they won’t approach you with their problems (as Zhuo describes) is that this cortisol triggers the same fight or flight response as if they were in physical danger.

So, how do you build a foundation of trust with your team? Zhuo makes three key recommendations: demonstrate that you care, have weekly one-on-one meetings, and give and request feedback. Let’s explore each in detail.

Demonstrate That You Care

First, demonstrate that you care about your team by relating to them on a personal level. Show them that you see them as individuals, not just faceless workers, and empathize with their struggles. Also, Zhuo says to clearly communicate your support whether employees are performing well or struggling to meet your expectations. If they know you support them even when they’re not performing their best, they’re more likely to be honest with you.

(Shortform note: In The Dichotomy of Leadership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin echo Zhuo’s advice to genuinely empathize with your subordinates and support them even if they’re struggling, but they also acknowledge a potential pitfall of this approach—if someone on your team is dragging down the others with poor performance, continuing to support them unconditionally will hurt the other team members you care about by making their jobs harder. At times, effectively supporting your team means firing one of them, which may feel like a denial of support to that worker. However, Willink and Babin argue that firing someone can be a form of personal support, as they’d likely be happier in a position they’re better equipped for.)

Give and Request Feedback Often

Great managers give feedback to direct reports often. As positive feedback is often more motivating than negative, Zhuo recommends aiming to deliver at least 50% positive feedback.

(Shortform note: In Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work, Paul Marciano agrees with Zhuo that you should deliver specific feedback often. However, he argues that 80% of feedback should be positive, while only 20% should be about improving performance. Also, he recommends giving positive feedback in areas where employees have the most interest or pride—if you don’t know what areas are important to them, ask.)

Whenever you give feedback, Zhuo says to follow these two rules:

1. Clarify that your intention is to help them succeed. This helps your reports feel supported and fosters trust.

(Shortform note: In The Charisma Myth, Olivia Fox Cabane suggests that you can’t just tell your team members that your intention is for them to succeed, as Zhuo recommends—you have to truly feel it. People are really good at detecting insincerity via body language, and if they think your words contradict your feelings, they’ll doubt your goodwill.)

2. Be as detailed as you can and give examples that validate your feedback. This helps your reports connect your assessment to specific actions they’ve taken and understand what you’re looking for in the future.

(Shortform note: Objective evidence is important when giving feedback because we all have self-serving biases, according to Annie Duke in Thinking in Bets. We tend to avoid blaming ourselves for our mistakes and see negative outcomes as beyond our control. When you present employees with specific examples of past missteps, they’re more likely to overcome their self-serving biases and take your feedback seriously.)

Two Types of Feedback

Zhuo identifies two main types of feedback. First, micro-level feedback (what Zhuo calls “task-specific feedback”) relates to a specific task someone completed such as leading a meeting or conducting a financial analysis. Give this feedback as soon as possible, either via email or in person.

For example: “The team-building exercise you led in yesterday’s meeting was fantastic. You gave clear directions and got everyone engaged. Many people said the exercise helped them connect with their colleagues at a new level, and I have no doubt collaboration on projects will be even better going forward.”

(Shortform note: In The New One-Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson describe techniques for delivering micro-level feedback efficiently. Use one-minute praising sessions to deliver specific, positive feedback in real time when you see an employee doing something valuable that contributes to company goals. Use one-minute redirects to provide immediate feedback when you see an employee make a mistake, thereby helping them to learn from errors.)

Second, macro-level feedback (what Zhuo calls “behavioral feedback”) relates to patterns in someone’s behavior and performance that emerge over time. Give this feedback less frequently, but don’t wait for official performance reviews, so that people can make adjustments sooner than later. Zhuo says it’s better to deliver macro-level feedback in person so your report can ask questions and contribute their views.

Here’s an example of macro-level feedback: “When other people are talking, you consistently interrupt them. For example, when LaTisha was sharing her financial report, you cut her off before she could finish her projections for next quarter. This disregarded the value of her contributions and made you appear disinterested.”

(Shortform note: What can you do to make people receptive to critical feedback on their behavior patterns? Kim Scott (Radical Candor) recommends framing your feedback around three things: the situation, the person’s behavior, and the outcome. As Scott says, this approach helps you avoid judgmental generalizations about the person, in both criticism and praise. For example, instead of “You’re disrespectful of people’s time,” opt for “I already emphasized to you how important it is for you to show up on time (situation). Yesterday you showed up late again to our staff meeting (behavior). We lost valuable time waiting for you (outcome).”)

After you share feedback, make sure you clarify what behavior adjustments you’re expecting going forward. For example, you might say, “When you deliver your financial report next Tuesday, I’d like you to focus on speaking more slowly and projecting your voice.” Zhuo says you can also ask your report what adjustments they think are needed, which helps empower them to think creatively and take ownership of their development. For example, you could say, “What do you plan to focus on to improve your next presentation?”

(Shortform note: As Zhou says, closing a feedback conversation with next steps helps ensure alignment between you and your employee. However, she omits one simple action you can take to close a feedback conversation on a positive note: Thank your employee for their time and willingness to engage in the discussion. Your gratitude can go a long way in helping your staff feel appreciated and valued.)

Additionally, Zhuo emphasizes that great managers don’t just give feedback, they request feedback from their peers and direct reports. Getting feedback, Zhuo says, is the best way to constantly improve your skills as a manager, ensuring you’re doing everything you can to help your team succeed. Be sure to request both micro- and macro-level feedback, and ask people to be specific. For example, you might say: “I’m working on highlighting strengths and opportunities in our team rather than weaknesses. How did I do with that in today’s meeting? How can I improve?” No matter what people say—even if you disagree—thank them for sharing their thoughts so they’ll be more likely to give you feedback in the future.

Is Requesting Feedback a Bad Idea?

Zhuo doesn’t acknowledge the effect power dynamics can have on employees’ willingness to give you honest feedback. Your team members may hesitate to share critical feedback, concerned it may negatively impact your view of them and their standing in the company.

So, how can you put employees at ease so they feel empowered to freely share their insights? One option, proposed by Marshall Goldsmith in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, is to request feedback confidentially through a third party. According to Goldsmith, people are likely to share only positive input if you ask them for feedback directly. However, if you request feedback indirectly through a third party, they’ll be more inclined to share their honest opinions because their input will be anonymous.

Others recommend that you stop requesting feedback altogether and instead ask for advice. Why? Apart from in the early stages of our careers when it’s beneficial to know where we went wrong or what’s lacking in our performance, research shows that feedback has little impact on our performance. Over one-third of the time, feedback actually negatively impacts performance, often because it’s backward-looking (based on our past actions). This makes it hard for us to focus on the future: Our minds latch onto how we “screwed up,” so the feedback tends to be less actionable.

However, when people give advice, they’re likely to share thoughtful reflections about how we can strategically improve, which helps us think about future actions we can take. Therefore, consider asking for advice as a way to help you think in new ways and move forward instead of lingering in the past.

Alternatively, implement Zhao’s advice above and insist on clarifying next steps following feedback about past performance—this will help to keep your next move future-oriented.

Running Productive Meetings

By now, you know how to build and develop your team to support seamless collaboration and high-level performance and productivity. Now, it’s time to look at another core function great managers must perform to facilitate great outcomes: running productive meetings. As Zhuo says, meetings inevitably take up a large portion of company time, so it’s essential to extract maximum value when people come together.

(Shortform note: Research confirms Zhuo’s emphasis on the importance of running productive, efficient meetings, as poorly executed meetings waste valuable resources. Studies show that 70% of all meetings are a waste of time, yet meeting frequency has increased 69.7% since February 2020. Meetings take away valuable working hours from the team and often decrease productivity while contributing to stress and burnout. Also, unproductive meetings take a huge financial toll on your company, wasting $37 billion annually in the United States.)

According to Zhuo, good meetings provide clarity on important issues and have a specific purpose. To ensure meetings are productive, follow these steps:

Step #1: Specify the objective you want to achieve. Zhuo says there are five possible objectives: make a decision, share information, provide feedback, generate ideas, and strengthen relationships. Making the objective of the meeting clear to all attendees will help you avoid wasting time.

Step #2: Invite the people necessary to fulfill your intended outcome. For example, if you call a meeting to announce that you’re ramping up production of a product with the intention to boost sales, representatives from operations, sales, and marketing should attend so they can coordinate their efforts to accommodate the higher volume of product and achieve sales goals.

Step #3: Help attendees prepare in advance. Send out the agenda, and have presenters share any documents, charts, or spreadsheets the day before the meeting so everyone can familiarize themselves with the material. As Zhuo says, this allows people to share more thoughtful input and stay focused during the meeting.

Step #4: Get the entire group engaged and invite critical input. To avoid one or two voices dominating the discussion, explicitly say that you want everyone to participate, share their views, and ask hard questions. You can also encourage participation by going around the room and asking everyone to weigh in on a particular topic, or you can have people write down their thoughts on paper, then openly discuss similarities and differences in an open forum. Zhuo asserts that you’ll get better outcomes from meetings if everyone is engaged.

Step #5: Clarify next steps. Before you conclude the meeting, make sure everyone is clear about what decisions were made and what action steps are expected. Later, send out an email summary that highlights relevant points of the discussion and what decisions were made, as well as when you’ll be following up for progress reports. Zhuo says this helps keep everyone aligned and accountable.

Become Masterful at Organizing and Running Meetings

Zhuo provides a solid framework for organizing your team to get the most out of meetings, which will help you keep people aligned on expectations and working together on things that matter. However, she omits some detailed guidance that can help you get even higher returns from your meetings. Follow these tips from other business experts:

Design every aspect of the meeting around your objective. Don’t merely identify the meeting’s objective, as Zhuo suggests; completely tailor every aspect of the meeting to the objective to increase efficiency and ensure productive outcomes. For example, choose when meetings happen based on your goal. Research shows that brainstorming and strategic thinking are best in the mornings when people have the most mental energy. Creative problem solving is better later in the day when people are less distracted and more relaxed. Also, define the meeting length based on how many people are involved and how in-depth the project is. Don’t schedule an hour when you only need 20 minutes.

Make sure everyone knows what role they’re expected to play. When you invite the people necessary to fulfill your meeting’s purpose, as Zhuo says, save time by also appointing roles ahead of time, including presenters, a notetaker, and a timekeeper.

Allot a specific amount of time for each agenda item. To help people prepare in advance, as Zhuo recommends, give them a heads-up about their time constraints for discussions or presentations so they can prepare accordingly. Then, during the meeting, be sure to stick to the agenda. This demonstrates that you’re an effective and organized leader—another way to build trust from your team.

Don’t force introverts to speak. Giving everyone in a meeting the opportunity to speak, as Zhuo recommends, may run the risk of alienating more introverted employees by putting them on the spot. Be patient when introverts don’t participate in meetings as much as others. Often, their silence is a sign that they want to think critically before they speak, which makes their input more valuable.

Thank everyone for their time and contributions. Don't just send out next steps and summaries once meetings are complete. Always end on a positive note by expressing gratitude for your team’s hard work.