Common fears that hold people back include the fear of failure, the fear of letting others down, the fear of looking bad or losing others’ respect, but also include more primal fears, such as that of being marginalized, rejected, or unable to support oneself. Often, these fears are not rational, but are visceral at their core. While they often operate below the surface, they are an active force in driving unproductive behavior. In this article, the authors offer strategies for how to unpack and challenging these fears and limiting beliefs so that you can dismantle your self-imposed barriers and achieve greater success.
Decisions formed from a diversity of opinions usually lead to better long-term outcomes. So, when you believe that your team or organization is missing something important, moving in the wrong direction, or taking too much risk, you need to speak up. Done effectively, dissent challenges groupthink, reminds those in the majority that there are alternatives paths, and prompts everyone to get creative about solutions. Six decades of scientific research point to strategies those without formal power can use to make sure their dissenting ideas are heard. First, pass the in-group test by showing how you fit in. Then pass the group threat test by showing how you have your team’s best interest at heart. Make sure your message is consistent but creative tailored for different people, lean on objective information, address obstacles and risks, and encourage collaboration. Finally, make sure to get support. Dissent isn’t easy but it can be extremely worthwhile.
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd on the value of rejection: 'I personally love being underestimated ... It’s a total superpower’
When trying to launch a female-driven dating app, Whitney Wolfe Herd faced continuous rejection. Now, the Bumble CEO says being underestimated is her superpower.
8 words you should never use to describe yourself in an interview (and what to say instead)
Stuffing your résumé and LinkedIn profile with generic buzzwords can be off-putting to potential employers, but it’s far worse when you recite them during an interview.
Why to validate someone—even when you don't agree — Commcoterie
Validation means that you recognize another person’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors as understandable. Communicating that recognition is one of the most important parts of active listening. It shows another person that we hear them and provides an invitation for them to elaborate if they choose. S
Dr. Sherry Walling on the mind of entrepreneurs — Above Board
Jack and Dr. Sherry Walling dive deep into our minds to discuss burnout, depression, the benefits of neurological diversification, the mental health fallout from Covid, psychedelic assisted therapy, and more for people who work for themselves. They also get into the mindset, values and traits of becoming and sustaining going out on your own as an entrepreneur. Dr. Walling is a clinical psychologist, speaker, podcaster, best-selling author, yoga teacher, and mental health advocate. Her company, ZenFounder, provides mental wellness resources to leaders and entrepreneurs as they navigate transition, loss, conflict, or any manner of complex human experience.
Office politics might seem unpleasant, but the ability to build relationships, access opportunities, and influence others is critical for anyone’s professional development. Unfortunately, research has shown that employees from underrepresented groups are often excluded from the informal mechanisms of office politics, hindering their ability to advance. In this piece, the authors describe how toxic organizational cultures can lead these employees to disengage from the political arena, ultimately harming their career prospects, while inclusive cultures can foster participation in healthy office politics. Based on both an analysis of in-depth interviews with ethnic minority employees in the UK and a broad array of prior research on politics, leadership, and inclusion, the authors offer five strategies to help organizations build healthy cultures, in which all employees are able to engage in and reap the benefits of office politics.
How Do You Find a Decent Mentor When You’re Stuck at Home?
Research has shown time and time again that employees who have mentors tend to succeed with job promotions, salary growth, and decreased burnout. But in a time of social distancing, it’s become harder to meet new people and form mentor-mentee relationships. Despite the challenges to socializing in person, there are still ways to connect with potential mentors.
Managers, Here’s How to Bond with New Hires Remotely
Worried about engaging interns and new employees in a hybrid world? Research by Iavor I. Bojinov and Prithwiraj Choudhury shows how "virtual watercooler" sessions can make all the difference.
The opportunity to ask questions at the end of a job interview is one you don’t want to waste. It’s both a chance to continue to prove yourself and to find out whether a position is the right fit for you. In this piece, the author lists sample questions recommended by two career experts and divides them up by category: from how to learn more about your potential boss to how to learn more about a company’s culture. Choose the ones that are more relevant to you, your interests, and the specific job ahead of time. Then write them down — either on a piece of paper or on your phone — and glance at them right before your interview so that they’re fresh in your mind. And, of course, be mindful of the interviewer’s time. If you were scheduled to talk for an hour and they turn to you with five minutes left, choose two or three questions that are most important to you. You will always have more time to ask questions once you have the job offer in hand.
Why not doing so is terrible advice Last week, in my weekly newsletter , I wrote about why checking your email first thing in the morning is essential if you are to have a productive day. I know this is contrary to almost all productivity advice. That advice is offered by professors, content crea
Employees Are Sick of Being Asked to Make Moral Compromises
Moral injury is experienced as a trauma response to witnessing or participating in workplace behaviors that contradict one’s moral beliefs in high-stakes situations and that have the potential of harming others physically, psychologically, socially, or economically, and it could prompt people to leave a company. It was first studied in veterans who’d witnessed atrocities of war. More recently, this research has been extended to health care, education, social work, and other high-pressure and often under-resourced occupations. The past two years have made it increasingly clear that moral injury can occur in many contexts and populations, including the workplace. As a new world of work unfolds before us and the pact between employee and employer gets rewritten, leaders have to learn and evolve to keep pace. The authors present six things leaders can do to ensure their actions aren’t unintentionally injuring the moral center of those they lead.
As unlikely as it sounds, breakfast cereal can be the ultimate team-builder and way to boost your team’s morale. The executive director of a prominent nonprofit called iMentor Chicago reached out to me the other week.