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When Your Heroes Let You Down
When someone we admire disappoints us, it’s tempting to reach for an extreme reaction. Either defend them at all costs or condemn them entirely. But growing older (and wiser) usually asks something harder of us than either response. It asks for discernment. This is not an argument against heroes or role models. Human beings need…
Coworker Approved? How to Respond When You Sense a Coworker Doesn’t Like You
Our unconscious mind works much faster than our conscious mind, and according to Dr. Nick Morgan, we are all unconscious experts in reading the intentions of others toward us. Dr. Morgan even suggests that our minds can tell, right away, and with pretty good reliability, if someone is a “friend or foe.”
To me, this sounds like proof behind the phrase “trust your gut.” Perhaps the phrase should be “trust your unconscious mind,” though. One key approach to bring unconscious awareness to conscious thoughts is to observe body language and subtle cues. However, in this virtual world that we’re in, where body language signs are even harder to read via a screen, it’s even more important to be able to pick up on verbal, nonverbal, and communicative cues.
Why Leaders Need a Strong Head and Heart
Though we don’t often find “resilience” included in the competency section of a position description, you’ll find it’s critical of any manager or leader and is oftentimes masked as “does well under pressure.” While this phrase can describe resilience, I believe there’s more to being a resilient leader than the ability to recover from setbacks, adapt well to change, or continue forging ahead at times of adversity. Leaders showcase resilience by remaining confident, optimistic, and innovative, even in the toughest of situations.
Here’s Why You Should Shed the Guilt about Using PTO while Working Remotely
People are craving connection these days, even if it comes through a phone or computer screen. Zoom, Teams, FaceTime and other video calls have undoubtedly become the norm since March and for good reason. I’ve even found that what used to be a simple phone or conference calls have turned into video conferences.
We’re starved for human interaction, and while these new virtual platforms have had positive effects, it’s also had some less-than-ideal repercussions.
Most would have taken paid time off (PTO) for a spring and/or summer vacation by now with the glimmer of the holiday season providing some downtime as well. After all, time off to detach from work and connect with loved ones is crucial to sustaining performance and productivity, and most importantly, preventing burnout.
With people cooped up at home, though, PTO is going largely unused and some employees are secretly burning themselves out.
Is There A Secret to Productivity? 6 Habits of Productive People and 2 Ways to Increase Your Own
We’ve all heard it — the most successful people have at least one thing in common. They wake up before 6 am. “Want to be successful, wake up early,” has been at the top of search results in my quest for the most effective productivity practices. But, if you’re a night owl, don’t give up just yet. While early risers get a lot of credit for success, it’s not the only factor that is essential for productivity. The key, as I see it, lies in finding your ideal routine, not just recreating that of others, or waking up at a certain time.
Being Anti-Racist is Not Optional
Dealing with a pandemic like COVID-19 presents a set of challenges. Add on to that — the American Psychological Association says we are living through another pandemic as well — a racism pandemic — and its epicenter might just be the United States.
As with the novel Coronavirus, we have to intentionally work to end up on the other side.
Radical Candor: The Art of Giving Feedback
A bad leader is hard to ignore. Perhaps you can think of an entire list of ways they made you feel uncomfortable, undervalued, unwelcomed, or underappreciated. And if you interact with them daily, it becomes even more difficult to put aside visceral, negative reactions.
In order to become a great leader — something I strive for each day — author and psychologist Kim Scott believes in practicing what she refers to as “radical candor.” The idea of radical candor does not grant permission to be brutally honest. Instead, it entails the process of sharing your humble opinions directly, rather than talking badly about people behind their backs. This, from my perspective, is a recipe for becoming a formidable and respected leader.