Tough Convos and Managing Up with Rosie Hoggmascall (former growth at Peanut, what3words)
Rosie Hoggmascall was only two weeks into her new gig as Growth Manager, and felt like everything was already falling apart.
She was suffering from massive imposter syndrome — which was made worse by everyone around her using startup acronyms she didn’t fully understand — and her manager had presented some of her early work as their own. She confronted them and was told she’d better change her attitude if she wanted to keep her job.
Not a great start. Especially given the context.
“My old job had felt like family. But I’d left that behind for what was turning out to be a toxic workplace. I felt insecure, psychologically unsafe, and like an idiot,” Rosie says.
Two weeks in... Brutal.
Rosie shared a masterclass in the soft skills and coping mechanisms that are crucial for anyone taking on new cross-functional roles at early-stage companies.
Here are a few of the other topics we covered:
The art of assessing feedback instead of blindly accepting all comments
How writing your thoughts can increase your confidence before a tough convo
Phrases that help her escape “freeze” mode and manage up more effectively
How to effectively prepare for difficult (and intimidating) conversations
Keeping perspective instead of assuming you’re stuck in a role w/ no way out
👇 Watch it below, or catch the show on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube 📺
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Writing your thoughts on paper before a hard conversation at work can help you show up with confidence and clarity
Communication and managing up are two soft skills you need to hone to be an effective head of growth
You don’t have to accept all the feedback you receive but pay attention if you’re hearing the same things over and over
Things to Listen for:
[11:35] Why you should always be applying for jobs
[12:51] Dealing with disrespectful managers
[15:51] Preparing for difficult conversations
[19:16] Breaking your self-deprecating internal monologue
[22:29] Speaking with your boss after a big mistake
[26:55] Phrases to use to avoid freezing
[30:15] Sifting through contrasting feedback
[32:46] Honing your soft skills
Resources:
A huge thanks to the sponsors below👇
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