While mobile browsers make the internet more accessible than ever, desktop browsers are far more practical for your ‘serious’ use cases. They have a larger screen and offer more features.  

I’ve researched and curated a list of Google Chrome shortcuts to elevate your browsing experience, and mine. When your workflow involves being online and having multiple tabs open (you know yourself), these shortcuts can save you invaluable time and attention, two priceless resources. 

Click here for the PC Edition of this Article

1. Open a new tab, and jump to it

⌘ + T

If you only take one thing away from here, let it be this. Use the Ctrl + T (for tab) combo to open a blank tab and jump to it. I always open new web pages in a separate tab to avoid losing sight of the tab I’m actively working on. 

2. Jump one tab to the right

Ctrl + Tab

There are several hotkeys to shuffle between your open tabs. The easiest one to remember (for me) is the Ctrl + Tab key. It moves to the tab on the immediate right. If there’s no tab to the immediate right (i.e. you’re on the rightmost tab) it’ll jump back to the leftmost tab. 

Related 

Jump one tab to the right | ⌘ + Option + Right arrow

Jump one tab to the left | ⌘ + Option + Left arrow

3. Close the current tab

⌘ + W

This shortcut is handy for closing the current tab when you’re done with it. 

4. Reopen previously closed tab

⌘ + Shift + T

It’s good to know there’s a quick way to reopen closed tabs, handy when you’ve just closed a tab and need one last peek. This helpful hotkey reopens tabs in order, starting from the most recently closed.

5. Open a link in a new background tab

⌘ + Click a link

You may want to open a link in a new tab while staying on the active tab. This is especially helpful when opening multiple links.

6. Open a link, and jump to it

⌘ + Shift + Click a link

You’ll often want to open a link in a separate tab, and then jump to it. This saves you from having to navigate to the new tab in a separate step. 

7. Save your current webpage as a bookmark

⌘ + D

True to its name the bookmark feature allows you to save a web location for later.

8. Show or hide the Bookmarks bar

⌘ + Shift + B

If you ever need some screen real estate, consider toggling the bookmark bar on and off.

9. Open the History page in a new tab

⌘ + Y

Open your browsing history for a list view of your recent activity. This view also features a handy search box where you can drill down to a specific page you want to revisit. 

10. Open the Downloads page in a new tab

⌘ + Shift + J

Open the downloads page for quick access to recently downloaded files. This saves you from having to access them through your regular file manager. 

11. Open the Find Bar to search the current page

⌘ + F

The search feature is an incredibly nifty tool. It highlights matches of your search terms on the page, making them easy to spot.

Related

Jump to the next match to your Find Bar search | ⌘ + G

Jump to the previous match to your Find Bar search | ⌘ + Shift + G

12. Jump to the address bar

⌘ + L

The address bar is crucial to the web browsing experience. It helps to have this shortcut that gets you to it quickly.

13. Search with your default search engine

Search term + Return

You can enter a search term in the browser’s address bar and hit return to search it. Your browser will search using the default search engine. Since Google is the default search engine in Chrome, there’s no need to go to Google.com for a search.

14. Open a new tab and perform a Google search

Search term + ⌘ + Return

If you ever need to run multiple Google searches, it can feel a bit arduous having to create a new tab for each search. This neat shortcut will save you that hassle. Use it to run a Google search directly from the address bar. The results will appear in a new tab. 

15. Open the Clear Browsing Data options

⌘ + Shift + Delete

As you browse the web, different sites will store little files (called cookies) that enable them to remember you and create a better experience. This takes up valuable memory and slows down your device. It helps to clear your browsing data once in a while. This nifty shortcut will help you get right to it. 

If you found any of that enticing, you may be wanting for more. Here’s a link to the official list of Chrome keyboard shortcuts on Google’s support page. 

While mobile browsers make the internet more accessible than ever, desktop browsers are far more practical for your ‘serious’ use cases. They have a larger screen and offer more features.  

I’ve researched and curated a list of Google Chrome shortcuts to elevate your browsing experience, and mine. When your workflow involves being online and having multiple tabs open (you know yourself), these shortcuts can save you invaluable time and attention, two priceless resources. 

Click here for the Mac Edition of this Article

1. Open a new tab, and jump to it

Ctrl + T

If you only take one thing away from here, let it be this. Use the Ctrl + T (for tab) combo to open a blank tab and jump to it. I always open new web pages in a separate tab to avoid losing sight of the tab I’m actively working on. 

2. Jump one tab to the right

Ctrl + Tab

There are several hotkeys to shuffle between your open tabs. The easiest one to remember (for me) is the Ctrl + Tab key. It moves to the tab on the immediate right. If there’s no tab to the immediate right (i.e. you’re on the rightmost tab) it’ll jump back to the leftmost tab. 

Related 

Jump one tab to the right | Ctrl + PgDn

Jump one tab to the left | Ctrl + PgUp

3. Close the current tab

Ctrl + W or Ctrl + F4

This shortcut is handy for closing the current tab when you’re done with it. 

4. Reopen previously closed tab

Ctrl + Shift + T

It’s good to know there’s a quick way to reopen closed tabs, handy when you’ve just closed a tab and need one last peek. This helpful hotkey reopens tabs in order, starting from the most recently closed.

5. Open a link in a new background tab

Ctrl + Click a link

You may want to open a link in a new tab while staying on the active tab. This is especially handy when opening multiple links.

6. Open a link, and jump to it

Ctrl + Shift + Click a link

You’ll often want to open a link in a separate tab, and then jump to it. This saves you from having to navigate to the new tab in a separate step. 

7. Save your current webpage as a bookmark

Ctrl + D

True to its name the bookmark feature allows you to save a web location for later.

8. Show or hide the Bookmarks bar

Ctrl + Shift + B

If you ever need some screen real estate, consider toggling the bookmark bar on and off.

9. Open the History page in a new tab

Ctrl + H

Open your browsing history for a list view of your recent activity. This view also features a handy search box where you can drill down to a specific page you want to revisit. 

10. Open the Downloads page in a new tab

Ctrl + J

Open the downloads page for quick access to recently downloaded files. This saves you from having to access them through your regular file manager. 

11. Open the Find Bar to search the current page

Ctrl + F or F3

The search feature is an incredibly nifty tool. It highlights matches of your search terms on the page, making them easy to spot.

Related

Jump to the next match to your Find Bar search | Ctrl + G

Jump to the previous match to your Find Bar search | Ctrl + Shift + G

12. Jump to the address bar

Ctrl + L or Alt + D or F6

The address bar is crucial to the web browsing experience. It helps to have this shortcut that gets you to it quickly.

13. Search with your default search engine

Search term + Enter

You can enter a search term in the browser’s address bar and hit enter to search it. Your browser will search using the default search engine. Since Google is the default search engine in Chrome, there’s no need to go to Google.com for a search.

14. Open a new tab and perform a Google search

Search term + Alt + Enter

If you ever need to run multiple Google searches, it can feel a bit arduous having to create a new tab for each search. This neat shortcut will save you that hassle. Use it to run a Google search directly from the address bar. The results will appear in a new tab. 

15. Open the Clear Browsing Data options

Ctrl + Shift + Delete

As you browse the web, different sites will store little files (called cookies) that enable them to remember you and create a better experience. This takes up valuable memory and slows down your device. It helps to clear your browsing data once in a while. This nifty shortcut will help you get right to it.

In this thought, I explore 4 notable sign-offs I’ve come across and learnt to appreciate. I look at why they’re impactful, and how they resonate with me. 

Good morning, Good afternoon, or Good evening

Signing out with a greeting is an elegant way of maintaining formality. It brings the same in-person essence you get from ending a face-to-face dialogue in this way.

To avoid confusion, I use this sign-off when communicating with people in the same time zone as myself. This way, I don’t risk saying “Good evening” to someone who is receiving my message in their Morning. 

It’s worth noting that this sign-off has a formal ring to it, especially in the English language. It carries a certain gravitas. I use it sparingly to underscore the seriousness of the message.

With Love

Although I haven’t used this one myself, I’ve been on the receiving end of it. It’s more common among brands that are looking to strike a personal connection with their audience. A rather bold display of affection on an otherwise dull communication channel.

And the results?

For better or worse this sign-off engenders a deeply personal connection. While brands may use it to signal their intended relationship with customers, I would recommend individuals only use it if it’s true to the nature of the existing relationship they share with the recipient/s. 

No Sign-off

Sometimes people skip the sign-off altogether. The idea here is to keep it simple and minimise fluff. This approach typically goes with a brief message that delivers one or two main points. 

If you’re not used to emails that skip the sign-off entirely and end with just a name, this ending can feel incomplete, and leave you wanting for more.

I tend to use this approach in one of two ways.

Firstly, when I receive a message in this style, I maintain it in my response to make the dialogue flow smoothly. Email is notorious for being open to interpretation, so I try to avoid introducing noise by changing the tone of the dialogue where possible. 

In the second use case, I apply this no sign-off approach when I have a brief message and I don’t have the option of sending a chat. It’s a quick way to share a message without the abiding formalities of email etiquette. 

Cheers

For a light-hearted conclusion, “Cheers” is a good way to end things on a friendly note. It’s not as affectionate as saying “With Love,” Nor is it as muted as the customary “Regards.” Many would consider it to be a healthy middle ground. 

I end with Cheers when communicating with colleagues and stakeholders with whom I already have some rapport. This makes it true to the nature of our relationship.

Honourable mentions and final thoughts

Here are a few more recognizable sign-offs for good measure. 

• Regards 
• Best regards
• Warmly
• Warm regards
• Thanks
• Many thanks (my favourite)

The insight for me lies in the variety of options we have for signing off emails. It speaks to how varied we are as individuals, a crucial hint at how accommodating we need to be to build connections across divides.

I’ve learnt that the best opportunities for efficiency gains are often so obvious that they’re the easiest to overlook. The keyboard presents one such opportunity – especially for the knowledge worker. It’s a tool we use to bring our work to life but never take the time to master. 

This article brings the keyboard back into focus with my favourite shortcuts to help you work more efficiently this new year. 

Do note that most of these shortcuts differ between PC and Mac devices. I’ve included separate shortcuts in the videos for Mac users.

Alt-Tab | Switch Between Open Applications

While holding the Alt key down, use the Tab key to switch between open applications. You get a handy app switcher displaying all the running apps. You can also use the Left and Right arrows or your mouse to select the app you’re after. 

Shift-Alt-Left/Right Arrows | Select Text, One Word At A Time

We often need to select text while typing. You may want to apply some formatting or create a link to the selection. One problem with the standard text selection process (Shift-Left/Right Arrow) is that it’s painstakingly slow. To speed things up, use the Shift-Alt-Left/Right combo. It skips characters and selects one word at a time. That’s much quicker. 

Pro tip – Use Shift, Alt and the Up/Down arrows to select paragraphs.

Ctrl-A | Select All

Still on making selections, Ctrl-A captures everything on the page. It is handy in rare situations where you need to move your work quickly from one app to another. One use case for me is selecting this entire article to copy and paste into Grammarly.com – my proofreader of choice. 

Ctrl-K | Insert Hyperlink

If you want to point to a link without taking too much screen space, inserting a hyperlink is perfect for this. That’s Ctrl-K. 

Pro tip – You can also use this shortcut to insert links to email addresses and other areas of the document. 

Ctrl-F | Find

Want to find something on a page? Reading through it can feel tedious. Use Ctrl-F to pull up the find dialogue box. This tool looks different depending on the app. It allows you to search text on the page. On websites and most modern word processors, it also highlights matching text in colour as you type so that they’re easy to spot.

Pro tip – Some apps allow you to search for specific phrases (and whole sentences). You can get quite granular with it.

Ctrl-C And Ctrl-V | Copy And Paste

Copy-Paste is the most obvious way to move data and files. Use Ctrl-C to copy a selection and Ctrl-V to paste it. This shortcut is easily the best-known (and most used) one here. 

Ctrl-Shift-V | Paste Without Formatting

When copying text, the standard paste shortcut (Ctrl-V) pastes formatting from the source. That means formatting details like bold, italics and even hyperlinks get pasted with the text. That is not always useful. To paste without formatting, use the Ctrl-Shift-V combo. 

Fair Warning – this shortcut may differ slightly depending on the keyboard and app settings. 

Ctrl-Z And Ctrl-Y | Undo And Redo

The undo and redo commands can help you retrace your steps when editing any document. Use Ctrl-Z to Undo and Ctrl-Y to redo. These commands will enable you to move back and forward, one action at a time.

Ctrl-P | Print

For better or worse, we still have to print documents. The Ctrl-P shortcut is reserved for this. It brings up the print dialogue box. Here you can select your printer and print settings.

Pro tip – In most cases, the print dialogue box enables you to print to pdf – handy if you want to save a read-only version of the file to share with someone else. 

Bonus Tip | Context Menu

Finally, one of my favourite productivity tools is the context menu. This intuitive menu presents options based on your selection. You can get to it by right-clicking. You can also use a mouse click while pressing the Alt key to bring it up.

Although this is not a shortcut in the strictest sense (as it requires the mouse), it’s invaluable to me and easily one of the tools on this list I use the most. 

Pro tip – You can often bring up the context menu with the Shift-F10 combo.

Other definitions (also Merriam Webster) better convey the effort involved.

In truth, listening is hard work. And there are several barriers to reaching the state of mind needed to pay real attention and listen.

But it is doable.

In this thought, we consider three of the more prominent barriers to effective listening and explore different strategies for approaching them. 

Availability

Renown American psychiatrist M Scott Peck famously said: 

You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time.

This barrier makes it hard to absorb information. We use the analogy of a multi-lane highway to make this point. Imagine that effective listening requires five lanes for messages to get through, but because the mind is preoccupied, only two are available. Hence the messages are forced to fit into two lanes instead of five. This limited throughput makes it hard to decipher what is said. Dialogue can feel laborious in such conditions.  

Effective listening requires attention. Specifically, exclusive attention on the dialogue. This type of attention ensures that the message and all the contextual cues that come with it are received. It requires a quiet state of mind. But alas, increasingly busy work and life schedules make attention a uniquely scarce resource. Ask any serious marketer. 

So how can we remove this barrier to effective listening and start paying attention?

If you ever sat through a meeting you did not plan or hope for, you’ll appreciate how being removed can affect your ability to participate in a dialogue. This phenomenon plays out in many settings, but is especially commonplace at work, where collaboration is both necessary and difficult. People are on different schedules, with different priorities and workloads. Getting on the same page, ideal as it sounds, is (for the most part) far-fetched. 

There is no silver bullet for scaling the availability barrier; it is part of work and life. But we can tame it by getting better at time management. Control over time makes it easier to accommodate the occasional, unplanned distraction. Distractions can and will occur. But being in control of your time means they won’t throw you off nearly as much. You can still afford to be present and pay attention, even while being distracted.

A Meeting Of Minds

Ever reached that moment in a dialogue where you realise that you are having two different conversations? Both parties are pulling the conversation in separate directions.

Listening when you are both speaking about different things requires mental fortitude. It also presents sub-par options. You can choose to set your interest aside and get behind the other topic of discussion at the expense of being heard. The alternative, self assertion, is more rewarding in the short term but can alienate the other person. It’s a zero-sum game. 

My ideal response to this situation is to acknowledge it. Call it what it is. I use certain phrases to signal that more than one conversation is being had, creating an opportunity to decide on a topic. These phrases include:

• We might be talking about different things here. Or
• I hadn’t thought of it that way.

What’s important in an acknowledgement is that it identifies both topics clearly enough to convey that they are indeed separate discussions. This will ideally lead to a civilised negotiation of priorities. If there’s a connection between the two topics (which there typically is), it helps to articulate it.

This intervention brings the different perspectives and interests at play, raising the dialogue to a level of clarity that can accommodate such differences. 

When Doubts Avail

This higher-level barrier to listening presents when the listener has some reservations, making it hard to receive a message. The proverbial pinch of salt comes into play.

A classic example of this is in politics, where candidates vying for office will say the needful to win votes, forgetting their promises soon afterwards. But reservations can (and often do) present in other, more nuanced settings.  

It’s a delicate barrier to acknowledge because it could be perceived as an indictment of sorts. If the real issue is trust, it’s best to address it separately, perhaps at a different time. If not addressed, trust issues will stifle effective communication by casting doubt on everything that is said. 

Sometimes, the reservation is of a different type. The message does not sound convincing. There are different reasons for this: logical inconsistencies, other information may contradict the communication, or the delivery may not inspire confidence. Whatever the reason, doubts over the truth of a message make it hard to hear. 

You want to approach this barrier with a healthy balance of diplomacy and boldness. I ask questions that allow the speaker to speak directly to my reservations. I also preface by noting that the goal is to seek clarity. Most people welcome an opportunity to speak directly to reservations. Honest (and audacious) questions create these opportunities. 

Final Thought

Listening is not the type of skill that shines brightly. Unlike eloquent speech and strategic leadership, great listening is hardly ever celebrated. But we all know and appreciate being listened to. It’s the virtue we want in our conversations – the very thing that makes people feel heard.

For its unassuming nature, listening boasts remarkable potency. It adds value at every turn, raising the quality of communication to new highs. It even adds to other virtues. A leader who happens to be an effective listener is likely to be regarded as a better leader for it. In like manner, an employee who is also a good listener is regarded as a team player. 

As we celebrate ideas of empathy, inclusion, and (broadly) humanity, the quality of dialogue between us becomes that more important. Effective listening can help get us there. It holds much promise for both the individual and the collective. 

Extending this thought, emojis are arguably at the heart of that richness. According to Wikipedia “the word comes from Japanese e (絵, ‘picture’) + moji (文字, ‘character’).” These little picture icons are now a stock-standard feature of messaging and collaboration tools. They enable gestures, ideas and thoughts to be conveyed visually in a message.

Although I had no idea of the Japanese origin of emojis until recently, I’ve had some practice using them at work lately. They’re fun, witty and convenient. In my use, they often do a better job than words, especially when the idea is to bring some lightness to the dialogue.

In this thought, I give my take on some common emojis that help me connect with my colleagues at work.

The smiley face is easily a mainstay among emojis. It expresses delight and charm. A subtle statement compared to others in its class, it still holds the fort when it comes to showing acknowledgement or appreciation. However, if you want to express anything approaching humour, there are more fitting emojis for this.

You’ll often find yourself wanting to acknowledge humour. This is natural. The laughing emoji combines the closed, teary eyes and a wide grin to good effect for this. Where the occasion especially calls for it, there’s an emoji to step things up. The rolling on the floor in laughter emoji will convey that you’re laughing uncontrollably.

To acknowledge humour in a somewhat restrained manner, you might consider the smiley face with the hand covering the mouth. It says, “I don’t mean to laugh!”

One emoji that shows emotion and vulnerability is the heart. Use it to say “this is heartfelt!” The heart eyes emoji combine this message with excitement to convey delightful eagerness. You can use this to say “I’m loving this!”

This versatile emoji suits when a moment calls for pause and ponder. It says “I’m thinking about it.” At a deeper level, it could also be used to say “This calls for a bit more thought.” It’s a polite way of conveying that you’re not yet convinced of something (or you still have some reservations) while showing openness to dialogue.

It’s commonplace that we will be celebrating things at work: an achievement here, a holiday there. And there’s no shortage of emojis to express a celebratory mood. The partying face will easily convey a keen sense of occasion. If you don’t want to seem overly expressive but still mean to show participation, you can use any of the other objects associated with partying, such as the party hat or the confetti ball.

Gratitude is a natural emotion you may want to express through chat once in a while. Of course, there’s an emoji for this. The folded hands (officially called the praying emoji) are widely used to convey gratitude and appreciation. They’re also used to say please.

Emojis can also express validation and affirmation. One emoji commonly used to give the nod of approval is a thumbs up. Like others, its meaning derives from the real world. If the goal is to praise an idea or initiative, the hand clap or raised hands would better suit as they are ideal for applause. Yet still, you may wish to acknowledge someone’s brilliance. There is an OK hand sign for this. In one word it says “Perfect!”

Some situations present the need to request permission to speak from the meeting host. This is understandable considering the number of online meetings we’re having lately. To show some etiquette, use the raised hand emoji. The gesture acknowledges the role of the meeting host, while promoting decorum.

Final Thoughts

It’s probably worth noting that the vast majority of emojis are not relevant (or suited) to most work settings. That said, those that are relevant offer more than enough options for adding some fun, lightness and poise to our messages. And that’s a good thing.

Don’t worry if your emoji game feels sub-par relative to your colleagues. If it’s any consolation, I think mine is pretty lacklustre. The key to getting comfortable with emojis is actually using the ones you know. As you get confident and build that muscle , you’ll grow your collection to a point where using emojis is an effortless dance .

I know this because I have not been staying hydrated and I’ve experienced the same.

As it happens, being on holiday disconnected me from my usual workflow. To make matters worse, I typically access several systems to perform very specific tasks – a common feature of work in organisations today. So upon return to work in the new year, tasks I previously did by muscle memory have become tedious. And I’ve had to find ways to jog my memory of how to perform them.

There’s a science to why this happens. 

An article by John Hopkins University explains how the brain connections that form our memory get stronger or weaker depending on how often we’re exposed to an event. Being away from work (Pina Colada in hand) reduces that exposure to routine work tasks, making them a (somewhat) distant memory. 

So how does one remember how to do one’s job? Beyond the occasional use of expletives reserved for especially extreme cases, there are some techniques I’ve found helpful for getting back into the flow of work, which I’ll share.

You’re welcome.

Slow Down. Breathe.

I find that the moments when I need to recall something critical can cause some anxiety. This is not helpful because anxiety and recall don’t go well together. According to healthline.com, anxiety generally affects working memory, making it hard to remember task instructions.

So I’ve developed a technique for resolving this: Slow down and breathe. This simple hack allows me to de-escalate things mentally, which in turn gives me a better chance of recall. And most of the time it’s all I need to nudge that memory back to the surface and carry on with BAU.  

But on the rare occasion that it’s not sufficient, that’s OK. It is still the perfect setup for the next intervention. 

Retracing Your Steps

Sometimes it takes a bit more than a sobering pause to bring a memory back. This is where I take a more reasoned approach. Of course, we can’t work with anything less than reason, but in this instance, I break down the task at hand into its logical steps and reason my way through it. 

The exercise helps me bring myself into the right context needed to facilitate recall. 

In an article on simplypsychology.com titled Context and State-Dependent Memory, Dr Saul McLeod explains that “Context-dependent memory refers to improved recall of specific episodes or information when contextual cues relating to the environment are the same during encoding and retrieval.”

So anytime I retrace my steps in this manner, I’m simply revisiting the context that will offer the best cues to jog my memory. 

Use Notes and Reference Guides

If you work in a place where a knowledge base is well organised and information is easily accessible, this is also a great resource to explore. 

But if you’re not as lucky, don’t worry. You can make your own in a few simple steps. 

One common technique I’ve successfully used to achieve this is email folders. When I need specific information, I ask a colleague to email it to me, and then I keep these in a dedicated resource folder. 

Pro-tip. If I spend a long time locating a resource, I email it to myself, then move it from my sent items into the resource folder. This way, I know where to find the information in future. 

Over time, I’ve built up a list of resources I can reference (or share) whenever the need arises. To locate what I need, I simply search the resource folder for any text string that appears in the title, or body of the file I’m after. 

Ask questions

When all else fails, I resort to the one thing that always yields results – ask a colleague. 

Out of respect for my colleagues’ time, I try my best to ensure my questions are clearly worded and specific to a need. This way, their time is not spent trying to figure out what the question is, so the dialogue moves quicker towards the desired outcome. 

Questions are a very malleable resource that can bend to a variety of needs. I often use them to seek ideas, validate judgments, and (of course) be reminded of what I’ve forgotten. They enable me to consult and confer internally and lean into the depth and breadth of other people’s experiences.

In Closing

There are a lot of moving parts in any job so if you experience a lapse in memory, don’t panic. Breathe easy and stay hydrated. Give yourself grace as you work through these options. The key to navigating such tricky situations is having clarity about work standards (and ethics) and ensuring these are not compromised.

As work evolves, the ability to manage knowledge gaps becomes increasingly important. To put it differently, how you respond to what you don’t know could be as important as how well you apply what you know. The need to recall something important is an opportunity to develop the right posture around knowledge gaps. With the right attitude, you’ll master the ability to procure information as needed.

And that’s a skill that can’t be taught.

But according to a 2019 Gallop study, the problem is fixable. The study found that:

Fifty-two percent of voluntarily exiting employees say their manager or organisation could have done something to prevent them from leaving their job.

Thankfully, retaining talent is perfectly doable. There is no secret sauce to it. But it does require managerial intent.

My experiences on both sides of management have taught me a few things. We explore why they’re still relevant today.

Change Management

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced working teams into a state of constant evolution. They’ve had to comply with ad-hoc regulations, realise new opportunities, and mitigate emerging threats. All require swift and impactful changes in both team structure and processes. The work from home phenomenon is still shaking things (and teams) up. Barely short of sweeping reform, the workforce as we know it continues to evolve immensely. This underscores a heightened need for managerial apt in managing change. That’s where an aptitude for communicating change is especially consequential.

Agreeably, communicating change is essential. However, a less common discussion is what to communicate. There’s a temptation to communicate only information that directs effort, where the message is, here’s how your work is changing and why. On its own, this is not a very inclusive place to speak from. It highlights status differences, creating distance. There’s yet another type of communication that enhances it. This type seeks to convey evolving priorities in advance and secure buy-in or (at least) give sufficient notice. 

The idea here is not to cater to every last suggestion or objection. It helps to note that creating an environment where people genuinely feel heard and included differs from trying to oblige everybody. 

At its core, this second type of communication is an acknowledgement. It says “your views matter.” Such small deeds can yield sizable dividends. This simple courtesy creates a sense of ownership in the change it seeks to communicate. If you’ve ever been given information someone felt might benefit you (unsolicited advice aside), then you’ll know first-hand that it feels good to be considered. Furthermore, sharing plans can help colleagues gauge where they fit in and chart their career trajectory in the organisation with more certainty. Importantly, being generous with this information gives managers a chance to source relevant (even critical) feedback on ideas ahead of execution.

Connection, Relationship and Community

The role of work in our lives has evolved in the recent past, creating another opportunity for managers to make the workplace more conducive.

The Covid-19 pandemic evolved the concept of work from a place where employees do their jobs, to a shared purpose that brings colleagues together. We’ve learned to place a fitting premium on connection, both at work and outside it. Since early 2020, themes for healthy colleagueship – like being kind, giving thanks, and being gentle – have peaked in popularity.

My conversations with other professionals affirm that connections at work indeed make a difference. They help people see themselves as a part of something larger – a community.

Managers who recognise these shifting priorities and respond appropriately to them are poised to retain more talent than their counterparts. They’re the ones who make the time to build relationships that matter, one interaction at a time. In doing so, they model values of colleagueship and set the standard for the rest of their team to follow.

Connection serves another crucially important purpose for any manager. It allows for honest and meaningful dialogue to flow. This enables managers to get a good read on both their teams and the individuals in them. And the informational benefits are sizable, not only when coordinating team efforts, but keeping individuals motivated and engaged.

Trust

The relationship with a manager is especially important for shaping the work experience. And trust is the fibre that holds healthy relationships in place, including this one.

One way to build trust in relationships is to proactively extend it. As I managed a finance team some years ago, I had an opportunity to entrust a colleague with a new task. With some support, the job was completed, but the story didn’t end there. Emboldened by the experience, this colleague took on the “just show me” mentality to every new and unfamiliar task that followed, with noteworthy success. I saw the effect of extending trust first-hand: a new level of confidence and participation, both essential to a meaningful work experience. 

Sometimes, extending trust may not be an option for valid reasons. There is yet another way to build trust which is always available: by earning it. I worked with a project manager whose work ethic stood out to me. Through expert judgement, clear communication and consistent follow-through, this manager built an air of credibility and professionalism that earned my trust. Indeed I always looked forward to being on their team. The experience taught me that a leader’s trustworthiness literally creates the work environment that I want to be a part of; A lesson for any leader. 

Advocacy

Here’s a function of effective management that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime for its value add. Advocacy – in the context of work – happens when managers speak up for their direct reports. This typically occurs in the decision room where managers are present, but their reports, likely not. Like any courtesy, it’s not a strict duty, but employees hope (and are certainly grateful) for it. I once heard someone suggest that advocacy is by far more consequential than talent on career issues. True or not, this statement underscores the importance of being a line manager that can speak for your people, when it matters. 

Simon Sinek says it best:

Leadership is not about being in charge, but rather, taking care of those in our charge. 

In the modern workplace, we’ve come to embrace different variations of advocates: allies, sponsors, and (to a degree) mentors. What makes a manager uniquely suited to this advocacy role is the opportunity to use one’s voice for good. Naturally, a manager is best placed to speak for their colleagues.

But let’s be wary of counterfeit advocacy. It bears the semblance of allyship and trust, yet consistently fails to deliver the sense of security that comes with these virtues. Counterfeit advocacy happens when a manager promotes themselves as an advocate, and may even speak highly of colleagues in their presence, but tells a different tale behind closed doors. 

This tendency has only negatives. Team members are forced to dedicate mental effort towards advocating for themselves, which depletes their energy at work. And those who don’t have the energy (or inclination) to do so might join the great resignation. Ultimately, the manager concerned loses credibility, influence and standing with the rest of the team. If the organisation promotes the right ideas, such a manager would struggle to land a promotion, at best. 

Taken Together

While these points are individually valid, they are (as the slogan goes) stronger together. They are all interconnected. Collectively, they create a management posture that’s optimised for talent retention. 

For instance, having meaningful connections creates the opportunity for trust-based relationships to flourish, which in turn makes advocacy possible. Having the trust of colleagues also helps dialogue, especially through change management. When a manager is trusted, they get the “benefit of the doubt,” making it easier to manage the communication gaps that are common in high change settings. All are connected.

Conclusion

These strategies may not reduce your retention rates down to zero. But if you’re losing talent, they will help plug the leak.

As noted, the great resignation is said to continue into the new year. Whether this is a threat or an opportunity largely depends on how managers play their cards this year.

To be sure, this is indeed a great opportunity for all of us. Creators have a new dimension to extend their creativity. Employees have a new format to experience work. And brands have an opportunity to add new realism to the consumer journey. Like every opportunity, this development, and social media more broadly, has its risks. 

Social Media vs Wellness

The means through which social media holds attention have been likened to addiction and substance abuse. The like button, for example, is an opportunity to validate each other’s ideas in principle, but easily morphs into a metric for social comparisons. I would liken the stress this causes to the type investors experience while hoping that the stock market goes up. On social comparisons, research shows that people who make them are more likely to experience envy, regret, guilt and loss of self-esteem. This is not helped by the fact that the individual is often comparing themself to images of peers and celebrities that are unrealistic and aspirational. 

This type of engagement is both deep and unhealthy. It begs the question, should we be more immersed in it? But not everyone can moderate their use of social media, and for the vulnerable, it’s a losing battle with the algorithm – an AI tool that optimises content for engagement, very often at the expense of well-being.

Speaking with Time Magazine former Facebook employee turned whistleblower Frances Haugan reveals how Facebook has consistently placed profits over public safety in the way it ranks content for display. 

“One of the most dangerous things about engagement-based ranking is that it is much easier to inspire someone to hate than it is to compassion or empathy. Given that you have a system that hyperamplifies the most extreme content, you’re going to see people who get exposed over and over again to the idea that [for example] it’s O.K. to be violent to Muslims. And that destabilizes societies.”  – Frances Haugen

Social media is not, however, the only source of health concerns. There’s yet another common area where a different type of extreme engagement is affecting wellbeing.

The Modern Work Culture

Amos Tversky, the late collaborator of Nobel-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman, once said “the secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours.”

Although he spoke of research, the same is true of work in general. But this audacious idea goes against the grain of convention that extols hard work through several platitudes: relentless focus, never give up and (of course) the sky’s the limit. The reality of many jobs though, is that there’s more work than time. So the reverse to Amos’ statement is true. One is more likely to be over-employed and underproductive, than the other way round. The phenomenon – albeit unremarkable – is so pervasive that we have an accepted analogy for it. The old hamster on a wheel is a recipe for stress and burnout. So for the average worker, it’s implausible for work to be fulfilling in itself.

It gets richer.

The work environment is the only place where humans are seen as resources. Humans are in fact resources while at work, but the obvious risk is in what’s not seen: humanity. Workplaces that miss this mark leave employees feeling underappreciated, and this can lead to a lack of fulfilment and frustration.

In recent years, we’ve seen a push for work settings that reflect and celebrate more of our humanity. Encouraging, but not commonplace just yet. 

The Opportunity

So the work proposition could use some work. And social media, the place we go for some respite, is not quite a safe haven.

Thankfully, there is something we can do to offset the torrent of stressors in these (rather sizable) domains of life. It’s a constant feature of doctor’s recommendations, and as it turns out, it is a much bigger word than its single syllable might suggest. We can rest. We should rest.

But how?

A good starting point is to understand that sleep and rest are not the same. According to Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith, sleep is only 1 type of rest. She makes a compelling case for rest in a Ted talk where she explains that “rest is the most underused, chemical-free, safe, and effective alternative therapy available to us.”

Dr Saundra speaks to the 7 types of rest, namely: physical; mental; sensory; creative; emotional; social; and spiritual rest. Her book titled Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity is available on Amazon Kindle, paperback and audio. As it happens, rest is an entire domain, complete with its own lexicon. 

With the Christmas holidays in our sights, you’ve probably already locked in your days off and (depending on your company policy) set up your out-of-office in anticipation. It’s a good time to rethink rest and rekindle your relationship with it. This is an untapped opportunity, not just during the break ahead, but beyond. Rest improves the quality of life in every other domain, but only if we allow it. 

Wishing you a safe, enriching and restful Christmas break.

For an accountant, Rina Lakhman presents the antithesis of this scripted career. She leads a team of data engineers tasked with generating automated reports that deliver finance insights to their stakeholders.

“I’m an accountant in a law firm doing data.”

She explains,

“It doesn’t get more bizarre than that!”

We caught up via zoom for a chat – a necessity, given that we’re almost 20 time zones apart. When I learned through a LinkedIn comment that she works with actual code on a daily basis, I got curious to know whether she would recommend it to other accountants – an idea I had toyed with in the recent past. 

Dean: Would you encourage accountants to delve into coding?

Rina: I definitely would say learn to code, even if you’re never going to be a coder, to understand how to communicate to a programmer who will build your systems. Hand on heart, I’m not the fastest coder, but I do communicate with the coders so they know what I’m talking about. So definitely learn coding just to be on that level. Because if you’re going to be leveraging technology you have to understand how that technology is configured. 

Dean: Where does one start learning, considering there are a plethora of technologies out there competing for attention?

Rina: The data sphere is a good next step and a natural segway [from accounting]. The whole point in me having a team of engineers is to make sure the data is clean and [well] amalgamated. You have to make sure there’s that data alchemy there and I think the accountant’s mind understands data alchemy better because they think in terms of business processes. 

Dean: How does one gain the computational thinking abilities required to be effective in coding?

Rina: I think of everything as a cog. I Consider myself a cog-turner. So if that keeps turning then that keeps turning. It does come from accounting. 

Audit forces you to detect errors and always have to investigate what aspect of a process has led to a different outcome.

That deep process understanding is transferable into IT because a programmer requires the same depth of understanding to write software that adds value. 

Dean: Just to clarify, do you mean financial statement audit or IT audit?

Rina: Ah, there’s a whole other area. Not so much financial statement audit because the financial audit is auditing numbers against regulation. This is [the] audit of internal processes. I needed to understand what the code was doing to make the data move in a certain way. 

Dean: What’s a typical syntax that you use in your job?

Rina: We have massive syntaxes. As a team, we generate 3000 reports, all with their own stored procedures. And by stored procedures, I mean a full programme of SQL coding that pulls the data together, translates it and spits it out into a report, which would be read by somebody in the business or somebody externally, to understand performance. So when you say syntax, that’s just lines of code. And it’s always different. But we use very, very commonly something in SQL called coalesc. So all it does is it’s a decision tree in its microstate. It says pick data from this field. If there’s no data there go to another field, if there’s no data there go to another field, if there’s nothing there, it’s a zero. And we have to use that coalesc decision model on literally every field we pick because we interrogate different systems to find one piece of data. That kind of gives me an answer. And it’s making sure I don’t have empty data and actually have something that somebody can analyse. 

Coalesc can be used universally. It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever used in the job I do because it kind of bridges legacy to new systems. 

In the last few moments, the light of dawn hits my room and a picturesque Melbourne city skyline is now visible. 

Dean: The light is catching up. I’m sure you can see now.

Rina: It’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s gone from dark to sunlight…

I’m trying to angle my PC to give Manchester a better view of the Melbourne skyline at sunrise. 

Rina: Oh, wow!

After some small talk about city/country living we delve into a discussion about Rina’s professional breadth, both in skills that span accounting and IT, and experience. I’m curious to learn how this range has impacted her approach as a professional.

Rina: If you want to summarise it, I’d say there’s one phrase that got banded about when I was doing a lot of projects with universities, and it’s joined-up thinking.

The breadth of what I have takes you from external economic environment to internal accounting, to internal operations, to programming, and IT operations. 

Markets are changing so fast, that internal operations and systems aren’t able to keep up. And I think the breadth of what I know, kind of breaks it down into actions, processes, procedures, policies, that can be effectively deployed in a company to deliver against market change and keep that pace going. And I think that’s probably why I say joined-up thinking. It’s the best way of summarising it. It’s kind of going up the tree and back down the tree. All right, you know what I mean?

Dean: I totally get that. And I feel like you’ve sort of hit the thesis of a book I’m reading. It’s called Range by David Epstein. The whole point of it is that when you sample more, you get a sense of what you’re into. And so when you make the decision to specialise later, you have the benefit of that clarity about where your value add is. And I think it’s a very compelling argument.

Rina: So to the point of being integrated, one thing I did realise throughout my career is I can’t do everything. And I don’t know everything. And that’s a really good grounding for me because I was able to use academics who had specialisms to focus on what they needed to focus on, and I filled the gaps around them to make sure everything else works smoothly.

Dean: Great point!

What’s a core skill to have for you?

Rina: For me it is agility. And the reason why I say agility is I’ve had to adapt to different industries.

Dean: Well, true to your role and true to your trajectory. I think that fits.

Rina: Every industry I’ve worked in I knew the least. And I listened to everybody and everyone’s perceptions. 

One moment while I put a sock in my son’s mouth!

She says, evidently responding to some ambient noise. I would later learn of rather spirited online gaming in her immediate vicinity.

Rina: Teenagers!

After a decent round of laughs and banter, we return to agility.

Rina: When I went into this law firm, I knew nothing of law. But what I did know is how systems and processes could be improved. Just taking an outside view in, is the nice bit. 

I do like researching. I hit a new industry and I research like crazy.

Dean: And your leadership philosophy?

Rina: My leadership philosophy is a servant leader. I mix the skills in the team. Connecting skills works really well for me. Each team member brings their own field of knowledge and expertise. They come together to design solutions. Within data, there are always different ways to mix and analyse the data so there is always cross mentoring, skills development and advancement to do. I may not know everything in detail – I have respect for the knowledge my team has – but I know how to mix knowledge and skills to create effective solutions.