Dave's Library

Dave Stachowiak and Bonni share an update on our PKM systems on episode 445 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast

To get happier, be brave, not reckless.

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.

Millions of workers have switched jobs or gone remote—a big reason many employees say work friendships are harder to forge and less of a priority.

Effective mentoring is a valuable but often overlooked method.

“I don’t know who needs to hear this but Neil Diamond, who retired from performing five years ago because of Parkinsons, just had a Broadway show of him open and it at the opening night he did this”

Sure, you could just argue with them. But if you have to work together, here are more productive ways for everyone to win. 00:00 Let me guess: you argue with...

Companies such as Walmart and Delta Air Lines and Maryland’s state government have reduced requirements for some positions and shifted their focus to skills.

The exact language you need to politely escape from all sorts of irrelevant, time-wasting, or misdirected asks.

Learn the 5 steps to have have more productive, human conversations at work. Short video mino course. Free access to your team. Improve communcations.

Everyone from your dentist to your delivery guy is now popping up in your texts. New email-like tools, including Mark as Unread and filters, can help.

Can't stop thinking mean thoughts about yourself? Researchers and psychologists share how to break the cycle.

In the initial stages of your career, one of the most important things you can do is build relationships that will have a significant impact on your life over time. These five relationships can accelerate your path to a promotion, increase your visibility within an organization, and stretch you beyond your comfort zone into to the leader you aspire to be. Mentor: A mentor can help you broaden your functional expertise, grow your emotional intelligence, and learn your company’s unwritten rules. Sponsor: While mentors give you advice and perspective, sponsors advocate on your behalf and in some cases, directly present you with career advancement opportunities. Partner: A partner is an ally or peer who can serve as a sounding board to broaden your perspective. This relationship is fueled by trust, a shared drive to succeed, and the recognition that you can do better together. Competitor: Competition between peers is inevitable. And, when used correctly, it leads to improved performance, breakthrough ideas, and greater drive to get things done. Mentee: Becoming a mentor will teach you how to bring out the best in others, recognize their strength, give feedback, and coach. In turn, it will push you to be better and to strive for more.

Is decentralized social media the future?

As a manager, a central part of your job is to develop people. But when you delegate a task to someone — with no prior training — simply because you are unavailable to do it, their chances of succeeding are slim. Managers need to stop thinking of passing off responsibilities as delegating, and start taking on the mindset of a trainer. If you do, you will naturally look for ways to give a little more responsibility to the people who work for you. Start by gauging who on your team genuinely wants to move up in the organization, and identify their main areas of interest. Create a development plan for them and write down the skills they will need in order to reach their goals. Then, focus on giving them assignments that require those skills. Help them work their way up to a challenging task by starting with a series of practice sessions. The first time you introduce a task to someone, let them shadow you while you explain some of the key points. Then, give them a piece to do on their own with your supervision. Only let them carry the full load when you sense that they are ready. By doing this, you are helping your supervisees reach their career goals, and creating a team of trusted associates who can step in when you are overwhelmed or out of the office.

Emotional, sensitive, intuitive leaders will be vital to any organization that hopes to achieve success in the next decade.

Negotiation experts have long confirmed the intuition that that being warm and friendly pays off at the bargaining table. Recent research finds that people also tend to believe niceness will buy them better deals — but when put to the test, this prediction turns out to be wrong. It appears that being firm can sometimes lead to better deals, at least in a distributive or single-issue negotiation, than being warm.

“venture-backed CEOs after laying off half the company”

The ability to work remotely has become more valued than ever before, and that’s not going away, particularly among younger workers. Even in organizations that remain committed to offering employees significant remote or hybrid work, there is often a desire among leaders to foster togetherness with a return to in-person learning events. But as learning professionals, the authors hear many myths when it comes to what in-person learning — or in-person experiences more generally — can actually achieve. Here, they’ll dispel the ones they hear most often and show you how to maximize connection from in-person learning events.

We all have to deal with irrational people. How can we bring them back to sanity and have fewer arguments? Here's what experts advise...

A secure attachment style can help people initiate and maintain friendships.

Two years of remote work has brought more meetings, but no solutions to making them more effective. A new study reveals the eye-opening costs.

Collaborative bosses can use curiosity to escape the echo chamber of their own ideas

Recognizing employees for the good work they do is a critical leadership skill – and has an impact on morale, productivity, performance, retention, and even customer satisfaction. Yet, there are a frightening number of leaders who fail to do it frequently or skillfully. Based on an analysis of thousands of 360-degree leadership assessments, the authors show there is a strong connection between employee recognition and engagement. Managers who are rated in the top 10% for giving recognition are much more likely to have employees who report feeling engaged, confident they’ll be treated fairly, and willing to put in higher levels of discretionary effort. The authors also share tips on improving both the substance and delivery of the recognition.

Being seen at work still matters for your career, but there’s a smarter way to boost your profile than pretending you live at your desk

Our work is ever-changing. But the way we collect feedback is stuck in the past.

Renewals -- but no new sales -- of the passes have begun, with a few changes and price increases.