The sigh when you hand out a task. Sarcasm dressed up as humour. Agreement in the room and then nothing actually done. Written down on their own, none of it would get anyone in trouble, and that's exactly why it keeps going.

In this episode, Nicola looks at passive-aggressive behaviour at work and why good managers get stuck on it. Not because they lack nerve, but because they can't evidence it. You'll hear why people choose the sideways route, how to describe a pattern instead of reaching for a label, how to present impact in a way that can't be argued with, and what to say when you get "I was only joking."

Two steps from the COMPASS conversation model do all the heavy lifting here: observe and present impact. There's also one thing to do this week, and it takes a notebook and two weeks.

If you've got one of these sitting on your desk at the moment, have a look at the Workplace Conversation Kickstart: https://thepeoplementor.co.uk/the-workplace-conversation-kickstart/.

One session, one specific conversation, yours, with the words worked out before you walk in.

Mentioned in this episode:

Bitesize Brilliance: Managing People

Most managers were never actually taught how to manage. They were brilliant at their job, got promoted, and then found themselves responsible for a team with no real preparation for what that means. This podcast is for them. Bite Size Brilliance: Managing People is hosted by Nicola Richardson, founder of The People Mentor, with over 40 years of experience in leadership development and people management. Each episode is short, practical, and designed to give you something you can actually use - whether you're dealing with a difficult conversation you've been putting off, trying to get the best out of your team, or just feeling the weight of managing people and wondering if it's supposed to feel this hard. Episodes alternate between solo episodes where Nicola shares her expertise directly, and honest conversations with guests who know what it's like to lead people in the real world. No theory for theory's sake. No corporate fluff. Just real, useful insight for real managers.

BiteSize Brilliance: Managing People

Most managers were never actually taught how to manage. They were brilliant at their job, got promoted, and then found themselves responsible for a team with no real preparation for what that means. This podcast is for them. Bite Size Brilliance: Managing People is hosted by Nicola Richardson, founder of The People Mentor, with over 40 years of experience in leadership development and people management. Each episode is short, practical, and designed to give you something you can actually use - whether you're dealing with a difficult conversation you've been putting off, trying to get the best out of your team, or just feeling the weight of managing people and wondering if it's supposed to feel this hard. Episodes alternate between solo episodes where Nicola shares her expertise directly, and honest conversations with guests who know what it's like to lead people in the real world. No theory for theory's sake. No corporate fluff. Just real, useful insight for real managers.

What happens when your team is so small that no one else can pick up the pieces?

Simon Harniess leads the Essex Care Association with a two-person team, works part-time, and brings over 40 years of social care experience.

In this episode, he reveals the quiet management mistake that can cause problems for months, shares his unexpected response when someone in his team is running low, and explains how to build resilience when one absence could derail everything.

Plus, a career lesson he wishes he'd learned years earlier, and it has surprisingly little to do with doing your job well.

If you're managing a small team under pressure, this conversation is for you.

Mentioned in this episode:

BiteSize Brilliance: Managing People

Most managers were never actually taught how to manage. They were brilliant at their job, got promoted, and then found themselves responsible for a team with no real preparation for what that means. This podcast is for them. Bite Size Brilliance: Managing People is hosted by Nicola Richardson, founder of The People Mentor, with over 40 years of experience in leadership development and people management. Each episode is short, practical, and designed to give you something you can actually use - whether you're dealing with a difficult conversation you've been putting off, trying to get the best out of your team, or just feeling the weight of managing people and wondering if it's supposed to feel this hard. Episodes alternate between solo episodes where Nicola shares her expertise directly, and honest conversations with guests who know what it's like to lead people in the real world. No theory for theory's sake. No corporate fluff. Just real, useful insight for real managers.

Bitesize Brilliance: Managing People

Most managers were never actually taught how to manage. They were brilliant at their job, got promoted, and then found themselves responsible for a team with no real preparation for what that means. This podcast is for them. Bite Size Brilliance: Managing People is hosted by Nicola Richardson, founder of The People Mentor, with over 40 years of experience in leadership development and people management. Each episode is short, practical, and designed to give you something you can actually use - whether you're dealing with a difficult conversation you've been putting off, trying to get the best out of your team, or just feeling the weight of managing people and wondering if it's supposed to feel this hard. Episodes alternate between solo episodes where Nicola shares her expertise directly, and honest conversations with guests who know what it's like to lead people in the real world. No theory for theory's sake. No corporate fluff. Just real, useful insight for real managers.

Some people at work are genuinely difficult. And some haven't done a single thing wrong; you just can't stand them.

In this episode, I talk about the working relationship almost nobody admits to. The colleague who hasn't done anything you could write down, and yet your whole week shifts when you see their name in your diary.

I cover the question most managers skip before they open their mouth: what this quietly costs you and your credibility when you leave it alone, and how to have the conversation using my COMPASS model. You'll get the actual words to open with, including what to say when nothing is going wrong and it's simply a style clash.

If you've got a name in mind while you listen, this one's for you.

Find out more about the Workplace Conversation Kickstart here: https://thepeoplementor.co.uk/the-workplace-conversation-kickstart/

Mentioned in this episode:

Bitesize Brilliance: Managing People

Most managers were never actually taught how to manage. They were brilliant at their job, got promoted, and then found themselves responsible for a team with no real preparation for what that means. This podcast is for them. Bite Size Brilliance: Managing People is hosted by Nicola Richardson, founder of The People Mentor, with over 40 years of experience in leadership development and people management. Each episode is short, practical, and designed to give you something you can actually use - whether you're dealing with a difficult conversation you've been putting off, trying to get the best out of your team, or just feeling the weight of managing people and wondering if it's supposed to feel this hard. Episodes alternate between solo episodes where Nicola shares her expertise directly, and honest conversations with guests who know what it's like to lead people in the real world. No theory for theory's sake. No corporate fluff. Just real, useful insight for real managers.

BiteSize Brilliance: Managing People

Most managers were never actually taught how to manage. They were brilliant at their job, got promoted, and then found themselves responsible for a team with no real preparation for what that means. This podcast is for them. Bite Size Brilliance: Managing People is hosted by Nicola Richardson, founder of The People Mentor, with over 40 years of experience in leadership development and people management. Each episode is short, practical, and designed to give you something you can actually use - whether you're dealing with a difficult conversation you've been putting off, trying to get the best out of your team, or just feeling the weight of managing people and wondering if it's supposed to feel this hard. Episodes alternate between solo episodes where Nicola shares her expertise directly, and honest conversations with guests who know what it's like to lead people in the real world. No theory for theory's sake. No corporate fluff. Just real, useful insight for real managers.