Maegan Stephens and Nicole Lowenbraun

Yep, I interrupted her right then and there.

And she wasn't mad at me.

She was relieved.

Because instead of nodding and going, oh, man, I know, isn't this frustrating?

I read the room.

I helped her get unstuck.

And there are plenty of times at work where you are in high-energy, high-action meetings where everybody is ready to get to the finish line.

But there are also plenty of times at work where people don't need you to move forward with such urgency.

They don't need you to remember every single detail.

They don't need you to find all the risks.

Like, what if the team is celebrating a big win, or somebody has some bad news to share?

That's where the fourth goal comes in, and it comes with a twist.

So Nicole and I, as direct report manager, have multiple weekly one-on-ones.

She came to me in a one-on-one after she had finished her own client meeting, where she had pitched to an executive three different creative ways he could open up his presentation.

And Nicole, what was the feedback you got on that from the client?

Nicole, it's not that I don't like them.

It's that I hate them.

They're all tied for last place.

Yeah, so okay, I'm a department head.

I care a lot about keeping clients happy, but I also care about Nicole.