This is a scary time to be entering the job market. So, what should you do if you’re a recent graduate hunting for your first job in the midst of this pandemic? 1 :: Hone the skills that will make you a more marketable candidate for the field you’re trying to break into. Do your […]
With organizations facing increased urgency and unpredictability, being able to ask smart questions has become a key leadership skill—especially when setting strategy. Here are five types of questions to ask that can boost strategic decision-making. Investigative: What’s Known? When facing a problem or opportunity, the best decision-makers start by clarifying their purpose, asking themselves what […]
No matter what industry you’re in or how long you’ve been in it, the ability to learn is an essential skill. But it’s not as simple as acquiring knowledge. It’s a regular practice of trying out new things and seeing the world in new ways. Have fun while also evolving yourself, and your team! Source […]
Many of us are realizing that simply running a team or company for our salary simply isn’t enough. It isn’t enough for our organizations. It isn’t enough for our employees. And it isn’t enough for us. We are looking for something more. Throughout the pandemic we were seeking stability, stillness and significance. But today as […]
Instilling purpose in your employees takes more than motivational talks, lofty speeches, or mission statements. In fact, if overblown or insincere, those methods can backfire, triggering cynicism rather than commitment. To engage, inspire and motivate your employees, keep these two things in mind. Think about ways to show people the impact of their jobs. Perhaps […]
If you don’t feel like you have a career purpose, that’s okay; focus on finding meaning instead. While purpose represents an overarching goal, meaning is the feeling of satisfaction you get from your work. Here’s how to discover the meaning in your work. Start by identifying what brings you joy in the course of your […]
Our real job is not to chart our own potential, but it’s finding it in others around us. This article is one of a series of stories about ordinary people who have overcome adversity to do great things. Reading or witnessing them do remarkable things can inspire us to bend our potential arc, and others. Today, we will explore the ultimate explorer, Irishman Ernest Shackleton and lessons from his epic voyage to Antartic. […]
When undergraduate students connect their life purpose with their career aspirations, they are more engaged in their academic studies. They are also less likely to undervalue their schoolwork, suffer imposter syndrome in their studies and dropout. […]
In hospitals, every study proves that patient care gets better as teamwork gets better. The same goes for the timely precision in an Irish dancing performance, as well as the impact of successful corporate teams. Teamwork isn’t a corporate platitude … it’s a under-valued and under-served necessity! Why is this? Because teams that know how […]
Many Gen Z employees are struggling to be engaged at work. As a manager, how can you earn their engagement? It’s all about creating a team dynamic of collaboration, commitment, and sustained motivation. Helping Gen Z Employees Find Their Place at Work Harvard Business Review […]
We often assume that if we’re successful at one company, we’ll easily succeed at another. But it can be jarring to join a new organization with a very different culture. One way to ease the transition is to find a cultural mentor :: someone who can help you interpret and navigate the implicit codes of […]
In this ‘great resignation” era we all need to work hard to engage and retain the top talent on our teams. One way to motivate employees is to remind them how their job helps others. Employees desperately want to feel engaged. Nine out of 10 people would take lower compensation to do more meaningful work. […]
Even before the pandemic burnout was a common workplace affliction, but today we all know someone who suffers from it … maybe we do ourselves? Burnout presents itself in several different flavours and shapes. Here’s how to identify the type of you may be experiencing … and what you can do about it. 1. Overload […]
For some of us logging back on after the holidays brings that nagging feeling and question: “do I really want to spend another year in this job?” More people are turning to career coaches to chart next steps – and get out of a “prison” of bad jobs. Here are five reasons you might consider hiring […]
Whether we spend our time dwelling on things we’re grateful for or noodling on things that upset us matters. The key lesson :: Shifting our attitudes to focus on giving thanks — not just during the holiday — has a direct link to our wellbeing. Proof :: Psychologists asked half of the participants in a […]
Unlocking your team’s creativity can sometimes be a challenge for managers. Here are three common fallacies that might be getting in the way — and how to avoid them. The productivity fallacy: There’s a misperception that equates innovation with decision-making speed. Sometimes, the best ideas require long incubation periods. Resisting the temptation to come to […]
To be a good leader, you must communicate well. Cambridge University lecturer Simon Lancaster says that the power of persuasion lies in our ability to manipulate listeners brains. He suggests that we can win support by tapping into peoples cravings for brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. When we do this we boost the feeling […]
2020 has been a burdensome year for us all. With elevated expectations and never ending to-do lists, it’s easy to feel guilty about what we haven’t completed. But guilt is only useful when it motivates us to do more — it shouldn’t make you feel failure or shame. To erase these emotions when they appear, […]
Shankar Vedantam recently hosted an informative discussion on why we work. In a dialogue on his NPR show Hidden Brain, he explored how we can shape our thinking about the daily grind and make work a more rewarding experience. His guest, Yale psychologist, Amy Wrzesniewski, informed us that people who see their work as a […]
There’s a popular phrase in HR circles doing the rounds, about “Letting employees bring their best selves to work”. Not only is it a nice idea, it makes economic sense. People’s best selves do far better work, than people’s crappy selves. Of course they do. For the same reason happy chickens lay more eggs than […]