Wes Kao's Newsletter

How to get faster approval from your manager

Managing up 101: You can’t force your manager to approve your work. But you can embrace that it’s your responsibility to get better at securing their…

Oct 29 • 

Wes Kao

72

4

Observe, assert, and validate (OAV)

Don’t only ask, "How can I be helpful?" Try to develop a point of view and assert what to do.

Oct 15 • 

Wes Kao

109

9

Reverse impostor syndrome

Imposter syndrome is other people thinking you’re good, but you don’t believe it yourself. Reverse imposter syndrome is knowing you are good, but others…

Oct 1 • 

Wes Kao

149

14

September 2025

[Fundamentals] Start right before you get eaten by the bear

Fundamentals is a new series that highlights my core concepts in communication, leadership, and influence that I personally keep coming back to.

Sep 17 • 

Wes Kao

94

5

Why "'no' is a complete sentence" is dangerous advice

If your colleague asks you to do a reasonable request that’s part of your job, and you simply turn say “no”... You are the jerk.

Sep 3 • 

Wes Kao

82

8

August 2025

Stop trying to change your manager

Because you don’t have the leverage to turn your manager into a different person. Here's what to do instead.

Aug 20 • 

Wes Kao

145

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How to be an empathetic manager (without becoming a therapist)

You don't need to absorb everyone’s frustrations. Here’s how to listen to grievances without having folks dump their frustrations onto you.

Aug 6 • 

Wes Kao

136

8

July 2025

To sound more sincere, do this

If you aren’t careful, you may come across as less sincere because your writing doesn’t translate your intent. Here’s how to make sure that doesn’t…

Jul 23 • 

Wes Kao

124

6

How to delegate while maintaining high standards

This is for managers who want to delegate AND maintain a high bar for quality of work. Here are the 5 tactics I learned over time that made delegating…

Jul 9 • 

Wes Kao

155

8

June 2025

How to fix limbo writing

When writing is obviously bad, you delete it. When writing is obviously good, you ship it. But what if it’s not terrible, but it’s not good either? I…

Jun 25 • 

Wes Kao

102

3

Take 3 minutes to delete these words and improve your writing forever

Before you hit “send,” delete these words from your writing. Your message will be stronger for it.

Jun 18 • 

Wes Kao

209

13

Everything takes longer than you think

The problem isn’t that you’re not working fast enough. It’s that your expectations were never realistic to begin with.

Jun 11 • 

Wes Kao

156

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