When was the last time you were angry? What happened? 

As a manager, the tough decisions I make involve layoffs. Before making those hard decisions, I always think particularly about what is best for my employees and the business. While I do not relish making those kinds of decisions, I do not shy away from this part of my job. Two years ago, I had to let some employees go due to the monetary climate. This was a tough decision that was ultimately necessary for the good of the organization and everyone working for the company.

When communicating complex ideas, you keep your message simple and straightforward – avoiding technical jargon and overusing statistics. You don’t expect people to have the same background knowledge as you and are careful to introduce your idea in clear, concise terms. You find that giving examples, using pictures and graphs helps clarify difficult concepts and can be useful as people have different learning styles. You always encourage questions and if somebody is having difficulty understanding, you are quick to adapt your style.