Mercer's Reads - Issue #16

Issue #17

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So...it's been a month. How are y'all doing? I hope your summer is going off without any hitches, and you're taking all the opportunities you can to get that good, good self-care in. Hiking, pools, corn on the cob; aw yiss. Summer time is my favorite.

I started back at work this past month after almost 6 months of parental leave. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get back into the swing of things so quickly, especially given that we were acquired right at the beginning of my maternity leave, but I was able to get right back to it. It feels so good to be working again!

I'm thinking a lot about how to be a better manager, and how to best support the people on my team. We recently hired a person who will be working out of Atlassian's offices in Sydney, and thinking about how to handle the different time zones has been a fun and challenging endeavor. Lots of learnings, there. Maybe I'll write a blog post about it.

Anyhow! Hope you like the goodies this week, but let me know if there's anything that you are specifically keen to read about and I'll make my best efforts to oblige. <3

Leadership

How to Keep Your Team Focused and Productive During Uncertain Times

When things are unsteady within your company or team, dynamics can be off, people can feel listless, and you can lose the commitment and drive you've worked so hard to build together. Here are some steps to help circumnavigate.

5 Habits to Rethink When You Become a Support Manager

Everyone has habits, for better or for worse. Even if you've been a support pro for ages, here's a list of some traits you may want to rethink when you become a support manager.

Burnout at Work Isn’t Just About Exhaustion. It’s Also About Loneliness

It's not just remote employees that can feel isolated and lonely, and it's not just people's personal lives that are affected when they feel lonely. Read about how better to combat burnout by paying attention to your employee's emotions.

Product, Support, Marketing

The Art of the OKR

I just finished writing up a retrospective on our first year using OKRs on the Trello support team. It's bonkers how much we got done. This guide was IMMENSELY helpful, and I can't recommend it enough.

9 Customer Service Phrases for Every Support Interaction

I'm a huge fan of anything that makes our lives quicker or more efficient. Here are 9 phrases that you can add to your TextExpander right now to make answering support tickets a little bit faster.

System Downtime: Act with Ownership to Regain Customer Trust.

System downtime can hit any online business at any time. And the way you find out about disruptions – a barrage of tweets, emails or chats – can be an unpleasant experience. Here's how to overcome that feeling and do right by your customers as soon as possible.

Feel Good

How to Ask for Feedback That Will Actually Help You

Feedback is the best. But sometimes your requests for it can be overlooked, or not taken seriously. Even worse: sometimes you'll get feedback that you can't act on. Here's the best way to ask for feedback you'll be able to put into effect immediately.

The importance of self-care

Too busy to take care of yourself? This playlist of TED talks offers simple ways to stay healthy -- both emotionally and physically. Let it play in the background of your office!

The Busier You Are, the More You Need Quiet Time

It’s essential for strategic thinking. Meditation, walks, anything that allows you to quiet your mind and the space around you can help. Here's how to get more of it.

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Mercer · Linden St · Allston Massachusetts 02134 · USA

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