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Episode SummaryWhat does freedom really mean for an entrepreneur? In this episode of Back to Basics, Mark Rampolla—founder of ZICO Coconut Water and Co-Managing Partner at GroundForce Capital—shares hard-earned insights from building mission-driven companies and investing in brands like Beyond Meat, Liquid Death, and Thrive Market. We dive into his journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship, the mindset behind meaningful success, and how loss reshaped his priorities. Mark also opens up about his newest book, An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Freedom, a bold invitation to redefine success on your own terms—mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. This is a raw, inspiring conversation about alignment, impact, and the pursuit of real freedom.

Episode NotesLearn more about Mark at:

https://markrampolla.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksrampolla/

Show Notes with Adjusted Timestamps(0:00) Childhood lessons: empathy and resilience from family experiences.
(3:15) Early career in fragrance at Elizabeth Arden & Tiffany.
(6:45) Fragrance as memory, identity, and storytelling.
(9:30) Embracing uniqueness: the myth of the signature scent.
(12:05) Facing challenges and the hard things about hard things.
(15:20) Journaling, reflection, curiosity, and messy action as tools for growth.
(20:30) Leadership strategies and why initiatives fail.
(23:15) The Six Ps of success: Passion, Perseverance, Patience, Personality, Presentation, Payoff.
(26:40) Entrepreneurship: building Zico, evaluating ideas, aligning personal & business values.
(30:15) Mindset & manifestation: neuroscience, belief + action, and non-attachment.
(34:10) Coping with loss: rebuilding life after the Pacific Palisades fires.
(38:00) Intentional living: freedom, resilience, and defining personal success.

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Adversity, the great unknown, lies hidden behind the innumerable layers of the future that man is yet to control, never mind the tremendous progress made on almost every imaginable frontier that humanity has come face to face with, since times immemorial. It could strike us personally in the shape of an accident, job loss, serious illness, or untimely loss of a loved one. At a wider level, it could bring a negative impact on our business, loss of a territory, political upheaval or vendetta, an earthquake, tsunami, war or even a pandemic like the COVID-19 we just survived. We may call it fate, or blame an oversight for plans going sideways; we may choose to draw others’ attention to an unintentional neglect that led to some major disaster, like a leaking valve on the Space Shuttle that put a complete stop to manned space exploration initiatives for a prolonged period of time.

No matter how you identify them, the stumbling blocks that keep appearing in our lives at unpredictable intervals, bring us to crossroads where we must decide whether to accept defeat or to give it another try, with renewed vigor. Of course, accepting defeat is easy, because you wash your hands off of the project, call it quits, and then find something less challenging to pursue. But, a man’s character is known by how he behaves in the midst of hardships.

Yes, it is true not all losses can be recovered, especially the non-monetary ones, like the loss of a loved one. And yet, we gradually overcome the feeling with the help of cherished memories, with a firm belief that time is the best healer. It is these memories that guide us in all things we do hereafter. On the other hand, monetary losses call for a more concerted effort, and a tight grip on every transaction. Either way, we end up sharpening our thought-process, and learn some crucial management tricks for the future.

I am often reminded of the following words of wisdom from an unknown source: “All ships look beautiful in the harbor, but their true strength lies in how they weather the worst storms.” It brings me straight to the painful sinking of the Titanic. The designers failed to account for a possible disaster due to a direct hit with an iceberg. Yes, they called it “UNSINKABLE,” and yet the ship sank on its maiden voyage.

Keeping the above example in mind, we can safely deduce that a lot more work has been done in the field of seafaring, the cruise industry as a whole, as well as goods transportation through merchant navy. Let us not forget the tremendous power of the naval forces that proudly display, and also use when needed, the aircraft carriers, the nuclear submarines and so much more. Not only the ships are designed to withstand such eventualities to quite a great extent. Even instrumentation, weather charting as also communication systems have undergone a massive change as well. And this is where one adverse incident brought about a total reinvention to our lifeline.

“Adversity introduces a man to himself” Albert Einstein

Taking a closer look at our daily lives, we can easily identify a number of incidents, both trivial as well as the ones not so easy to forget, that did not work out the way we had expected. Did we just shove them under the rug OR did we revisit the same in an attempt to understand and identify what went wrong? In most cases, we end up correcting course by arming ourselves with better understanding, finer tools, more appropriate resources, and also trustworthy and capable help when and where needed.

Admitting our mistakes is considered one of the major attributes of a decent human being. When the same individual, after admitting the mistake, takes a corrective course of action, we appreciate the gesture, and in most cases encourage him/her in that effort. Either way, the subject individual just learnt a valuable lesson with regard to his/her capabilities, blind spots, oversight, and most important of all, the need to always revisit the supposedly completed project to ensure there are no loose ends. What would you call it, if not a reintroduction to his or her own self towards betterment?

Adversity, in the shape the never-ending onslaught of obstacles at various intervals in our lives, acts as the rock that gives the stream its music.

The challenges we overcome in an effort to handle such upheavals, act as the fire that imparts shine to gold. Yes, it is true, gold MUST go through fire to get the unique luster and its malleability to turn into any shape we desire.

I am sure we are well aware of all the efforts a baby makes before he/she can walk. But, have you ever seen any parents giving up on their baby because he/she did not succeed in the first effort, I don’t think so. Why do they keep trying? Because they know that persistence is the name of the game. Repeated efforts make us more adapt to unravel the mystery behind our failure. It is these repeat efforts that help us succeed whereas others with a lack of patience, the will to be persistent end up with utter failure.

History is replete with examples of individuals that suffered unimaginable hardships in their early lives, but their resolute nature brought them to the cusp of such high success that their names shall live for ever. A case in point, Leonardo da Vinci, a polymath. Not only this 15th Century genius is renowned for his artistic creations like Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, but he was also a draughtsman, an engineer, a scientist, a sculptor and an architect. From all available accounts off his birth and upbringing it becomes evident that he was an illegitimate child, and both his birth parents married separately within one year of his birth.

I could go on endlessly, with a plethora of very touching examples of such distinguished personalities that overcame all sorts of adversity, but suffice it to say, the onus is on us, ourselves, to chose which way to go, either embrace adversity and surrender to the situation, or we fight it out, stretch ourselves to the limits that we were never even aware of, and attain success that we never imagined possible.

The current climate arising out of an ultrafast tech boom is bound to create huge waves in routine life of innumerable individuals, families, towns, cities, countries, as well as businesses, both small and large. The advent of the Internet already brought about unforeseen changes, both good and bad. The raging onslaught of Artificial Intelligence, or AI as is widely known, has become a very powerful tool in the hands of criminals that act with impunity by scamming the gullible at an alarming rate.

Yes, the society as a whole is moving ahead by leaps and bounds, and yet in its wake, this change has created adverse conditions for a much larger section that lacks the means, the resources, as also the right guidance to keep themselves abreast with the change.

Considering human resilience, we can safely deduce that over time we shall overcome the negative impact of AI by exploring its productive capabilities, and helping the young, the old, and the gullible identify the pitfalls through every possible channel as it becomes available.

Thank you!

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While a seemingly forgone conclusion– promotions are generally a reward for competence, contribution, and readiness. However, there are times when professionals have witnessed a baffling pattern: someone who seems underqualified is elevated to a position for which they are clearly inexperienced for. It’s a structural, psychological, and cultural phenomenon. And understanding it can help people navigate careers with more clarity, strategy, and self-compassion.

Sad to say, but the truth is, promotions rarely go to the hardest-working individuals. They go to themost visible one. In many organizations, effort remains hidden unless someone deliberately brings it into view. Hard work tends to live in the background: late nights, quiet diligence, meticulous follow-through. Visibility, however, happens in the open. It’s the part leaders can observe, interpret, and assign meaning to. In most cases, it makes all the difference.

And in the psychology of workplace advancement, perception often outweighs performance.

That said, it’s easy to see why leaders promote people they notice. These are people who speak up, who are perceived as more confident and capable. Considered self-advocates, they are often seen as “leadership material” rather than others who fail to speak up or speak for themselves. Organizations mistaking confidence for competence. Meanwhile, quiet high-performers often assume their work will speak for itself. Unfortunately it rarely does.

The uncomfortable truth:

People who talk about their achievements often get rewarded faster than others who quietly deliver them. And, bottom line, relationships trump résumés. Leaders tend to promote people they trust; those who mirror their communication style. And who make their lives easier. Meaning someone with average skills, but strong rapport and support from leaders and others they work with, can often leap over others with exceptional skills but weaker relational capital.

It’s not fair, but it is human. Organizations reward potential; even when it’s unproven. One might consider promotions as bets, not rewards. Leaders believing an individual can grow into the role – even if they haven’t demonstrated the skills yet.

Leaders want to shape talent, not just reward it. They see promotability as a mindset, not a résumé, valuing adaptability over mastery; assuming skills can be taught, but attitude cannot. And how “unqualified” people end up in stretch roles.

It’s important to remember every organization has an invisible political ecosystem – promotions reflecting alliances, favors, strategic positioning, success planning. Organizations also consider internal narratives such as ‘who fits’ – not necessarily because they’re the best choice, but because they’re the most convenient choice for someone else’s agenda.

Not to be overlooked: Leaders often overestimate their ability to “fix” someone.

A surprising number of promotions are based on optimism. Leaders think: “I can coach them.” Or, “They’ll rise to the occasion.” Perhaps even say “They just need a chance.”

Competence is difficult to measure, while charisma isn’t. Many roles, especially those in leadership, are ambiguous. It’s easier to promote someone who: appears confident, speaks well, has presence, and appears decisive. These traits are often mistaken for capability.

Plus, remember – an individual may ‘ask’ for the role, express interest early, negotiate aggressively, position themselves as ‘ready’ for the job. Meanwhile, highly qualified people often wait to be tapped on the shoulder.

The Hard Truth for High-Performers

If you’re the hardest worker in the room but not the most visible, you may be:

• respected
• relied on
• appreciated
• even indispensable

…but still overlooked. Not because you’re unworthy. Because you’re unseen.

Yet visibility is what shapes the story. When someone: speaks up in meetings, volunteers for cross-functional projects, shares progress updates, builds relationships with decision-makers, or simply occupies space with confidence, they create a narrative of leadership, readiness, and momentum.

• Self-advocacy is a skill. And it’s often the deciding factor.
• Sometimes it works.
  Often it doesn’t.
  But the belief persists.
• Bias—Conscious or Not—Shapes Opportunity
• Bias isn’t always malicious. Sometimes it’s subtle and unconscious.
• Bias can favor:
• People who look like past leaders
• People who communicate in familiar ways
• People who fit the cultural mold
• People who seem “easy” to manage
• This can create a pipeline of underqualified but familiar candidates.
• The Deeper Truth: Promotions Are Not Meritocracies
• Promotions are not purely about skill. They are about:
• Perception
• Politics
• Timing
• Relationships
• Visibility
• Narrative
• Risk tolerance
• Organizational culture

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So I’m a little left of center, I’m a little out of tune,
some say I’m paranormal, so I just bend their spoon,
who wants to be ordinary, in a crazy mixed up world …

– Michelle Branch, American singer/songwriter. You Get Me

Michelle Branch’s catchy 2001 song has it right: nobody wants to be ordinary. Yet society, our employers, peers, and even loved ones seem to beckon us toward average. Eventually, most of us conceal or lose track of our authentic selves behind a cloak of ordinary and conform to what we think others want from us. However, the actual truth is we are certainly not ordinary, not in any way, and not any one of us. Instead of squelching our uniqueness and authentic selves, individuals, organizations, and society should be celebrating and encouraging it. We should be actively searching for the ways in which we are different; the world needs our uniqueness.

Last time I published here, we talked about creating a more balanced you, and the last part of that equation is being your authentic self, providing the best you can muster for your organizations, yourself, your family, and humanity. Why? Because ambidextrous organizations (AOs), those that can both exploit and explore their environments with equal success, are at their core (their culture) authentic, and at the core of your company’s culture is you. Most importantly, a genuine you gives an entire organization permission to also be authentic.

A few years ago, I saw a movie that had a powerful message; the movie was Glass by M. Night Shyamalan. In it, a secret society monitored and controlled people who believed they had “super powers”, a super-hero, or super villain delusion. This delusional grandeur, however, was not delusional. In the movie, there were individuals who possessed superhuman abilities, and the secret society worked to keep these people suppressed for the good of humanity. In past writing, I told the story of Icarus and also discussed the governors we put on ourselves and the ones others impose upon us. I discussed the nature of reality, and we redefined consciousness. As Buckminster Fuller said, we’re all born geniuses, but the act of living “de-genius’s” us.

Being your authentic self means finding and reconnecting with your genius, your superpowers, unique qualities, and abilities you possess and sharing them with the world.

Though there may not be true superheroes among us like in the movie, then again, there may be. The world has and continues to see remarkable individuals who achieve remarkable feats. Think of athletes like Jim Thorpe or recent Olympic medal winner Michael Phelps, Daniel Tammet, who recited pi from memory to 22,514 digits, and Buddhist monks who alter their body temperature with their minds. People with unique abilities are all around us, and one of them is you.

Finding your authentic Self

Whenever I’m in the city, I love to run; it’s always an energizing, visceral, and rewarding experience. One morning, last year, I was fortunate enough to go on a run through the city with my cousin, son, and brother-in-law. I was in my element and able to be my authentic self; it was a real experience with people I care about who also care about me. I’ll never forget it! What is authenticity like in the workplace? It’s a little like my run on that spring day.

Authenticity

Author Mike Robbins says it’s not about honesty, it’s about realness, it’s an “in the moment” phenomenon, and includes things like vulnerability, humility, courage, individuality, knowing yourself and personality, and it’s contagious; practicing it permits others to also be real. Robbins warns,s however, authenticity is not an excuse to be rude, outrageous, or detrimental; far from getting you praised, such behavior might damage your career. Researcher Caroline McHugh, in a lecture entitled “The Art of Being Yourself”, says about authenticity, “individuality is everything it’s cracked up to be.” She says authentic people are larger than life and shine as if they swallowed the moon. We all know people like this, and their personalities draw us in like a moth to a flame. Mchugh says society “archetypes” us around the age of 6 or 7, and this reinforces our developing consciousness, it also introduces self-consciousness. As a result, you become less good at being yourself. Authentic people, however, have figured out their one true gift, and she says your job is to be good at being you; you can’t be anyone else. Interestingly, Mchugh discusses two classic complexes that are signs of a fragile ego and offers a third of her own design as a healthier alternative.

Interiority

Mchugh says an inferiority complex comes when you suffer from an over-modest self-regard, while superiority is when you think you’re the most important person in the room. One is about delusions of insignificance, while the other is about delusions of grandeur, and both require the cooperative participation of others. In one, you need people to find you out (for the imposter you really are), while in the other, people around you need to be smaller to feel superior. An Interiority complex, by comparison, is a third way of being in the world and offers a perceptual vantage point and a sensibility. It’s an orientation unrelated to others and the only place in your life, Mchugh says, where you have no competition, as it’s not possible to find an exact comparison to yourself. While it’s impossible to be perception-less, such an orientation allows you to be perception-free. Without it, there are as many opinions of yourself as there are people, and you could spend a lifetime searching for yourself in the conjecture of others, never finding you. Operating from interiority is a liberating, untragic way to live authentically, says Mchugh.

Ego

A big part of authenticity is about managing ego. We all need an ego, and Mchugh says your whole life has been about building a more stable relationship with it. Superiority, inferiority, our ego takes us to extremes, disrupting our lives and endeavors by cueing us up to an outside world vs. an inside compass.

Authenticity is about taking your ego from its dominant position and putting it in the service of you.

Develop a position that’s impervious to both good and bad, to anything! What if organizations could have the same effect as authentic people do? Drawing us in with their magnetic allure, would we run to work there? Would it profoundly change us?

Authentic Organizations

Is authenticity important for organizations to have? Rohit Bhargava, author of Personality Not Included, says yes, companies need personality, yet many organizations, including most of them in the field I’m in, still think companies should be faceless, or at the very least “personality-less.” This kind of thinking is outdated, however, and the picture is changing even more against this mindset as we move further into the digital and AI economies. Customers no longer want to interface with companies and people pretending to be automatons, especially since they’re interfacing with real automatons with increasing frequency. Additionally, employees no longer want to feel like they’re a voiceless part of a machine as they realize working without authenticity is, well, inauthentic, and reduces them to the status of a commodity.

Spokespeople

Organizations have traditionally feared personality and authenticity because they thought it would destroy any air of success or trustworthiness they have, says Bhargava. However, to create a true bond with customers, you must give your company a voice, and employees should be empowered to be spokespeople, feeling confident in expressing their company’s vision. When openly able to talk about your passion, you energize yourself and inspire others through your actions via mirror neurons, building on the credibility of your company. The accidental spokesperson, who catches the “authenticity bug”, will enthusiastically herald your organization’s message, for free! This is probably the most vivid and real voice your brand could hope for; you’ll never have this opportunity without first allowing authenticity.

Lateral thinkers

Bhargava says most companies are also afraid of lateral thinkers who come up with ideas that challenge or change current practices across an organization. So, instead of encouraging their employees to think outside the box, they urge them to follow instructions and fall in line. It’s essential to avoid this kind of thinking because the image of your company relies not just on how your employees do their jobs but also on how they feel about their jobs. If your company discourages authenticity or lateral thinking and employees become automatons, it will be reflected in your company’s image, culture, and identity, and you won’t have believable spokespeople. Only a few carefully vetted appointees with a high gloss, watered-down, or disingenuous infomercial message.

Engagement

Here’s the bottom line: your organization can’t have it both ways; you can’t have engaged, authentic people and then dictate the terms of their engagement and authenticity. Author Price Pritchett in his book New Work Habits, cites a Gallup poll that says only 15 percent of employees worldwide are engaged in their jobs. Price says the best employee engagement program is one that is driven by your employees’ own self-interest. What does this mean? It means employees may have signed on with you to do a specific job, but they want to do it their way, provided they give you the desired results. And they want to develop their careers in their own way too, developing their authentic selves. What can support do for you? For one thing, it represents future investment; you’re likely to have engaged and happy employees.

Commodity Proof

Once you learn who you are and get comfortable with your authentic self, the first thing you will notice is relief because you will realize you are no longer replaceable. Sure, you could be physically replaced, but they won’t get another you, and your co-workers and employer will know this. What’s a commodity? It’s an article of trade or commerce, a product. Commodities are valuable things we need and depend on, but they should never be people. Commodities are replaceable, consumable, unremarkable from one another, and plentiful. Think about McDonald’s restaurants and their products; they’re the same the world over, and you don’t have any preference as to which one you might visit for a cheeseburger. When people allow themselves to become cheeseburgers, either by volition or because their organization treats them like commodities, just like the paper cups at McDonalds, they become replaceable. Don’t be a cheeseburger.

The Why and How

Why do organizations do this? They most likely fear losing something (market share, control, customer trust) or, perhaps, they think that if they standardize their workforce the way they have their products, they will have a more efficient business. How do they do it? By choking individual personality and authenticity, and promoting arbitrary one-size-fits-all policies. When you take humanity out of business, what kind of business are you left with? Zappos, an online shoe and clothing retailer, promotes what it calls “work/life integration” in an effort to integrate its employees’ professional and personal lives. Additionally, the company encourages individuality, the pursuit of pleasure at work, and even “weirdness” in their workforce, i.e., authenticity.

The Reunion of Humanity and Business

When organizations inadvertently or intentionally turn people away from authenticity, they begin down a slippery slope, and companies find themselves with all manner of undiagnosed maladies that erode organizational culture, identity, and performance. Friend and researcher Rob Bogosian knows these ills all too well. An expert on cultures of voice and cultures of silence. Rob says when organizations go silent, it’s a bad sign and can be an indicator of problems ranging from issues of psychological safety to apathy. I haven’t discussed a correlation between authenticity and organizational voice with Rob; however, I am willing to bet there’s a connection.

So, make yourself useful, dependable, and valuable like a commodity, but also bring your authentic self, and if you feel you can’t, it might be a sign your company is not an ambidextrous organization (AO) or even capable of becoming one. It might be a sign to move on to a more courageous, productive, and authentic place. Remember this advice: your biggest responsibility in life is to bring your authentic self to all you do, make sure it’s happy, and invited to the party. As the saying goes, “go where you’re celebrated, not tolerated”!

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The wise have rightly proclaimed that the road to excellence is paved with hardships, challenges, upheaval, torment, dejection and umpteen numbers of challenges that we may never even dream of, while leading a mundane life. But, those with a quest to improve their lives MUST prepare to chart their path while redistributing the above ‘gifts’ in a balanced, judicious, analytical, as well as competent fashion.

Of course, we all know ‘life is not a bed of roses.’ At the same time, I may also dare assert that life is not a mountain of thorns either, that we must climb to succeed. Every day offers us new hope, new vigor, new ideas, new wave of energy, a new vision to improve ourselves, to be more efficient at whatever do, to gain proficiency in our choice of career, to keep forging ahead in spite of all hardships. Well, some do while most others don’t; and then they make mostly frivolous claims of an uneven playing field.

Having been left out of promotion to the next higher grade is itself an embarrassment, but claiming discrimination at every turn is also not an appropriate gesture. I DO NOT SAY it does not happen. At the same time, we cannot also generalize it to the extent that it becomes a common ground of complaint to hide our own in-efficiency.

Losing a large business deal to the competition OR facing challenges on the home front, lack of education and/or riches that lead to embarrassment in family and friends circles could well be situations that lead us to undue stress more often than not.

• What, in your opinion, would be the most appropriate anti-dote to cure this malady?
• What would you recommend to someone facing failure at every turn in his/her life?
• What would YOU DO, in YOUR OWN LIFE, to avert such a crisis from ever happening?

Let us analyze the basics in order to identify individual traits that will undoubtedly prove an efficient remedy to not only avert negative results, but will also put us on the fast track to all-round growth:

1. RESILIENCE: We are all born equal, though with different economic, social, cultural influences dictating our childhood. However, history is replete with examples of individuals that encountered every imaginable hardship and still left an indelible print on our society, for all times to come. One fine example that comes to my mind immediately is that of Elon Musk, yes, the founder of Tesla, and Space-X, the richest man on earth. A closer look at his early childhood will unravel how a young boy, barely five, resisted the torment his mother faced at the hands of his father. He took great care to stay close to his other siblings, a brother and a sister, and developed the resilience to beat all odds to come out a winner. The net result is in front of the entire world. Detailed info is easy to find online.
2. Skillset Upgrade: Thanks to the daily advancement in the field of technology, the opportunity to upgrade our skills is within the palms of our hands. Yes, the smart phone gives us unlimited access to a never-ending resource of FREE education in practically every field. Indeed, there are specialized fields requiring hands-on training, but majority of the courses available online do offer us the basic understanding of the most challenging segments of education to help us assess feasibility.
3. Set a Lofty Goal, with Achievable Targets: In my numerous write-ups, including my Best Selling book “you are YOU-nique, Recognize Your True Worth” on Kindle, I have stressed on the significance of this subject. Once you have learnt the reason behind such assertion, life will become much more interesting as well as full of opportunities at the same time. While the ‘lofty goal’ signifies the paramount reason behind all your efforts at making progress in life, the ‘achievable targets’ act as your road map, to help you keep constant track of your progress at all times. In the event distractions take you away from your preset goal, the short-term targets will help you turn around, in order to keep moving forward in the desired direction. It is this consistency that carries you through, from gaining efficiency at what you do, to becoming proficient towards meeting your ‘lofty goal,’ bar none.
4. Focus on the Goal: Failures are an integral part of growing up, and sooner we accept this hard fact, the better will be our preparation to take on challenges that life throws our way in abundance. We only need to sharpen our intellectual instinct to identify our mistakes that led to failure. In turn, we work diligently to overcome the given handicap for the next attempt. Perhaps, we’ll need to make multiple attempts, but remember, with each attempt you are sharpening your mind and absorbing more and more of the intricacies of the chosen field, hence getting closer to your desired goal.
5. Your keen sense of attention to detail, combined with an unflinching desire to complete tasks at hand without distraction makes you efficient, your primary focus on a specific task, where repetition with perfection is the key demand, the very same ‘attention to detail’ makes you proficient. In other words, efficiency can generally be referred to as a personal trait, proficiency reflects on your acquired mastery of a specific task.

Given the above outline, we need to weigh our options, in conjunction with resources available at our disposal, whether we can rest content with efficiency alone OR the opportunity to acquire proficiency would be a better-suited addition to our resume, in our quest for continued growth.

Thank You!

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Resilience isn’t a trait reserved for a few; it’s a skill leaders can nurture in themselves and others. While some people appear naturally steady in the face of adversity, resilience is rarely accidental. More often, it is shaped through experience, reflection, and the environments leaders create around them.

Nature, Nurture, and the Myth of “Natural” Resilience

Early in my career, I believed resilience was something you either had or didn’t. I watched colleagues navigate pressure with apparent ease while others struggled quietly under the same demands. It was tempting to label resilience as an innate quality, an internal toughness some possessed and others lacked.

Over time, that belief began to shift. I noticed that those who handled adversity well often had access to support, perspective, or prior experiences that had strengthened their capacity to adapt. What looked like natural resilience was often practiced resilience.

How Experience Shapes Resilience

Resilience grows when people are exposed to challenge and given the tools to process it. Leaders who have weathered setbacks and taken time to reflect on them often develop a deeper sense of perspective. They recover more quickly, make clearer decisions under pressure, and extend greater empathy to others.

But experience alone isn’t enough. Without reflection or support, challenge can erode confidence rather than build it. Resilience is strengthened not just by what happens, but by how people are guided through what happens.

The Leader’s Role in Cultivating Resilience

Leaders play a critical role in shaping resilient teams. While they can’t shield people from difficulty, they can influence how challenges are experienced and understood.

Resilient cultures are marked by:

• Psychological safety, where setbacks are treated as learning opportunities
• Supportive mentorship that offers perspective during difficulty
• Clear communication that reduces unnecessary uncertainty

When leaders normalize growth through challenge, resilience becomes shared rather than solitary.

Practices That Build Resilience

Resilience can be intentionally cultivated through consistent practices:

1. Reflection
   Encouraging individuals and teams to reflect on what they’ve learned from adversity builds insight and confidence.
2. Mentorship
   Access to mentors provides reassurance that challenges are survivable and often meaningful in hindsight.
3. Exposure to Challenge with Support
   Stretch assignments, when paired with guidance, help individuals expand their capacity without becoming overwhelmed.

These practices don’t eliminate hardship. They transform how hardship is experienced.

Learned, Not Just Lived

Resilience is both innate and learned. Some may begin with a higher tolerance for stress, but everyone can strengthen their ability to adapt. Leaders who understand this stop asking who is resilient and start asking how resilience can be built.

Your Key Insight

Resilience isn’t about enduring more; it’s about recovering better. It’s about learning, adapting, and moving forward with greater wisdom each time.

When leaders treat resilience as a skill rather than a fixed trait, they empower teams to grow stronger, not despite adversity, but through it.

Suggested Contextual Links:

• Harvard Business Review – Resilience in the Workplace In Tough Times, Psychological Safety Is a Requirement, Not a Luxury
• Psychology Today – Building Resilience Skills Unlocking the Power of Resilience | Psychology Today
• TEDx Talks – Resilience Mastering the Art of Personal Resilience | Heather Dyer | TEDxClaremontGraduateUniversity

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The landscape of leadership keeps evolving like never before, driven by technological advancements, shifting societal expectations, and global challenges. The leaders of tomorrow must possess a dynamic set of skills to navigate complex environments, inspire teams, and drive meaningful change.

In this article, we shall explore a few critically important skills that will define effective leadership in the next few years, ensuring adaptability and impact in an ever-changing world.

1. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)EQ remains a cornerstone of effective leadership. Leaders with high EQ can understand and manage their emotions while empathising with others, fostering trust and collaboration. In a world increasingly shaped by diverse teams and remote work, the ability to read emotional cues, resolve conflicts, and motivate individuals is critical.

EQ enables leaders to build inclusive cultures, ensuring team members feel valued and heard. By prioritising active listening and empathy, future leaders can create environments where innovation thrives, and morale remains high despite external pressures.

1. Adaptability and ResilienceThe pace of change — whether technological, economic, or environmental — demands leaders who can pivot quickly and remain resilient under pressure. Adaptability involves embracing uncertainty, learning from setbacks, and adjusting strategies to meet new challenges.

Resilient leaders maintain composure during crises, inspiring confidence in their teams. This skill is particularly vital as organisations face disruptions like climate change, geo-political shifts, or rapid digital transformation. Leaders who model flexibility and a growth mindset will empower their teams to innovate and persevere through adversity.

1. Digital Literacy and Technological SavvinessAs artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and data analytics reshape industries, leaders must be digitally literate. This doesn’t mean coding expertise but rather a deep understanding of how technology impacts business models, customer experiences, and operational efficiency.

Leaders should be comfortable leveraging tools like AI-driven analytics to make data-informed decisions while staying mindful of ethical implications. Familiarity with emerging technologies, such as blockchain or quantum computing, will also help leaders anticipate trends and position their organisations for success in a tech-driven future.

1. Inclusive and Collaborative LeadershipDiversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are no longer buzzwords but imperatives for future success. Leaders must foster environments where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but actively sought. This requires cultural competence, the ability to bridge differences, and a commitment to dismantling systemic biases.

Collaborative leadership also extends to partnerships beyond the organisation, such as cross-industry alliances or community engagement. Leaders who prioritise inclusivity and collaboration will unlock creativity, drive innovation, and build stronger, more cohesive teams.

Summing It UpAs the world continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, tomorrow’s leaders must cultivate a dynamic skill set that blends adaptability, emotional intelligence, and technological fluency. The ability to navigate ambiguity and drive innovation will be paramount, requiring leaders to master creative problem-solving to address complex global challenges. Equally important is emotional intelligence, which fosters inclusive collaboration and builds resilient teams capable of thriving in diverse, fast-changing environments.

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Robert Frost wrote, “The best way out is through.” For many people, that line is poetic. For those of us who have lived through prolonged pressure, trauma, or responsibility — it’s operational truth.

My own proof came over the past several years as I navigated the long, complex process of healing from childhood sexual abuse while still working inside high stress systems. The turning point didn’t arrive in a quiet moment. It arrived in December 2019 — my favorite season, Christmas — when I began a deliberate, structured journey through forgiveness, not as a sentiment but as a path out of darkness.

Healing wasn’t linear. It wasn’t graceful. It wasn’t clean.
There were days marked by doubt, shame, guilt, and fear.
There were days marked by clarity, strength, and forward movement.

And through all of it, one truth became non negotiable:

Worthiness isn’t a feeling — it’s a decision to keep moving toward the life you intend to build.

That decision reshaped everything.

High Stress Professionals Don’t Break — They Adapt Until the System Fails!

My story didn’t unfold in isolation.
It unfolded alongside a twenty year emergency medicine career, two children, a traveling husband, chronic pain, migraines, IBS, and a body that was losing its ability to compensate.

I was the nurse who kept going.
Until the day a physician looked at me and said:

“If you don’t leave your job, you will die.”

That sentence could have ended my career. Instead, it became the moment I refused inconclusive answers and refused to abandon the work I loved. It became the moment I took healing into my own hands — not through guesswork, but through pattern recognition.

Because whether the stress comes from trauma, responsibility, or both, the body responds the same way:

It adapts until it can’t.

And when it can’t, symptoms appear — not as isolated issues, but as predictable patterns.

My parallel journeys merged into one as I began to see how trauma healing and high‑stress physiology are deeply intertwined, each shaping the other in ways that reveal the true roots of chronic overwhelm and the path back to restoration.

As I moved through my own healing, I saw the same truth in my patients, colleagues, and students:

Pressure rewires systems.
Duration determines impact.
And the body keeps score whether you acknowledge it or not.

My personal healing journey ran parallel to the professional patterns I now teach:

– Overdrive
– Shutdown
– Gut & Hormone Dysregulation

Different origins.
Same physiology.
Same need for correction at the system level.

The path wasn’t theoretical. It was built through action — consistent, uncomfortable, necessary action. These were the turning points that moved me from darkness toward light:

1. Publishing a novel under an alias to speak the truth I couldn’t yet say out loud.
2. Launching a podcast and closing the year with De Stress the Holy Days to help others navigate seasonal pressure.
3. Sharing my forgiveness story publicly as I re established my identity.
4. Facing judgment and criticism after speaking vulnerably — and continuing anyway.
5. Beginning EMDR to confront the full truth and heal at a deeper level.
6. Pursuing my vision of teaching nursing students the importance of self respect and internal capacity.
7. Training students to recognize that every symptom has both physical and emotional roots — and that leadership requires modeling the practices you teach.
8. Becoming a clinical professor at the university where I once dreamed of earning my PhD.
9. Advocating for five years to bring a puppy home as part of my PTSD support plan.
10. Returning to school to obtain my Post-Masters Nurse Practitioner certification.
11. Relaunching my podcast with a co-host.

These weren’t inspirational moments. They were operational steps — each one a move toward reclaiming capacity.

Why This Matters for High Stress Professionals

Your story may not mirror mine, but the patterns are familiar:

– You carry responsibility that doesn’t end.
– You adapt until your body stops cooperating.
– You push through symptoms because the environment demands it.
– You normalize pressure that would break most people.

And eventually, the system fails — not because you’re weak, but because you’ve exceeded human capacity for too long.

The way out isn’t avoidance.
It isn’t denial.
It isn’t waiting for things to improve.

The way out is through — with structure, clarity, and deliberate action.

These are the strategies I used consistently — not as inspiration, but as structure:

1. 555 Breathing — a reliable way to interrupt stress load and reset perspective.
2. Guided Meditations — ideal for high activity minds that resist stillness.
3. Forgiveness Work (Ho’oponopono) — a direct method for releasing internal tension.
4. Dragonfly Pose + 555 Breath — a physical reset for morning clarity or nighttime decompression.
5. Self Love Stretch Routine — a structured way to reconnect with your body.
6. Live Alternative Healing Sessions on Insight Timer — practical tools for real time regulation.
7. A Five Song Playlist — movement and music as a pressure release valve.
8. Tree Reboot — grounding through sensory awareness and environmental stability.
9. Daily Visualization — orienting your system toward the day you intend to create.
10. Gratitude & Blessings Before Bed — a structured close to the day.
11. Mindful Self Love Practice — intentional, sensory based connection with yourself.
12. Surrender Pose – reset for the nervous system, helping the body release tension, soften stress responses, and shift into a state of deep rest and emotional ease.
13. Vagus Nerve Stimulator – easily reset your nervous system and pain with direct pulsations that shift stress quickly.
14. Yoni healing with crystals – support gentle emotional release, deepen self‑connection, and encourage a sense of grounding and inner balance.

These aren’t indulgences. They’re recalibration tools — essential for anyone operating under prolonged demand.

My journey began in darkness. It moved through pressure, truth, responsibility, and recalibration. And it brought me back to the holiday season — the same season where it all began — with clarity about who I am and who I became along the way.

For high stress professionals, the message is simple:

Your body has limits.
Your system has patterns.
And the only way out is through — with structure, not struggle. Take a leap and trust your intuition as you heal and evolve, you got this!

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Launching and growing a psychology-based business is an exhilarating experience—full of possibility, creativity, and impact. But alongside the opportunities, there’s a challenge many entrepreneurs quietly navigate: Imposter Syndrome.

That quiet whisper of “I don’t belong here” or “I’m not good enough” can shadow even the most capable professionals. And for psychologists, therapists, and mental-health practitioners stepping into entrepreneurship, these doubts can feel especially personal and intense.

The reassuring truth? You’re not alone. And these feelings are not a sign of inadequacy they’re a sign of growth.

Understanding Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome first described by Clance and Imes (1978) is not a clinical diagnosis. Instead, it captures the persistent belief that one’s success is due to luck, timing, or external factors rather than genuine competence.

People experiencing imposter feelings often fear being “exposed” as a fraud, despite clear evidence of their abilities (Sakulku & Alexander, 2011). This can lead to overworking, perfectionism, hesitancy, or reduced visibility patterns that directly affect business growth.

For psychology professionals, the experience is often amplified. We work in fields where the expectation to “know everything” can feel heavy, and where stepping into entrepreneurship requires navigating uncertainty, visibility, and leadership.

Why Psychologists and Entrepreneurs Feel It Strongly

Entrepreneurship brings with it both opportunity and scrutiny. Psychologists, who often develop deep expertise in human behaviour, can feel additional pressure to model confidence and competence at all times.

Common internal narratives include:

• “Who am I to run a business?”
• “Other people have more qualifications than me.”
• “What if I get it wrong?”
• “What if people realise I don’t know enough?”

These thoughts are so common that Bravata et al. (2020) found imposter feelings across industries, genders, and levels of achievement. High achievers, perfectionists, and caregivers are particularly vulnerable.

In other words: If you feel imposter syndrome, it’s likely because you’re ambitious, capable, and pushing beyond your comfort zone.

A Personal Reflection

I’ve felt imposter syndrome many times throughout my career. I’ve walked into professional rooms and instantly believed I was less qualified than everyone else. I’d hold back, convinced my viewpoint wasn’t important enough.

But the moment I began speaking openly about these feelings, something powerful happened.

Nearly everyone I spoke to colleagues, mentors, business owners admitted they had experienced the same thing. People I saw as confident and accomplished revealed they too had moments of self-doubt.

This taught me something essential: Imposter syndrome isn’t a sign of ineptitude. It’s a shared human experience. And talking about it makes us stronger.

How Imposter Syndrome Shows Up in Business

Imposter syndrome rarely arrives as a dramatic crisis. Instead, it creeps into your business through subtle, “professional-looking” behaviours that appear productive but are actually grounded in fear and self-doubt.

Here are some of the most common ways it shows up, backed by decades of research:

1. Perfectionism: The Productivity Trap in Disguise

Perfectionism is one of the strongest behavioural markers of imposter syndrome. When people doubt their abilities, they often compensate by over-preparing, over-delivering, or endlessly refining work (Flett & Hewitt, 2022). Research links perfectionism to burnout and reduced innovation (Hill & Curran, 2016).

1. Downplaying Success

Many entrepreneurs attribute their achievements to external factors—luck, timing, kindness from others (Clance, 1985). This pattern weakens confidence and visibility, even when evidence of competence is strong.

1. Avoiding Opportunities

Self-doubt leads to self-limiting behaviour, reducing willingness to pursue growth (Neureiter & Traut-Mattausch, 2016). This includes turning down collaborations, delaying launches, or avoiding leadership roles.

1. Constant Comparison

Festinger’s (1954) social comparison theory explains why individuals evaluate themselves through others. For those with imposter tendencies, comparison becomes amplified and self-critical. Thompson et al. (1998) found that this intensifies feelings of fraudulence, even among high performers.

Strategies for Moving Through Imposter Syndrome

While imposter feelings may never fully disappear, they become far more manageable when understood and addressed with intentional, evidence-based strategies. Research across psychology, leadership, and entrepreneurship consistently shows that the following practices can reduce self-doubt and strengthen confidence.

1. Name What’s Happening

Labelling the experience “This is imposter syndrome” creates emotional distance and interrupts automatic negative thinking. Research shows that naming internal experiences reduces reactivity and helps regulate the threat response (Neff, 2023; Creswell, 2017).

Why it matters for business:
It stops fear-driven, decision-making and allows you to choose action over avoidance.

1. Reframe Self-Critical Thoughts

Cognitive reframing is one of the most effective ways to challenge imposter tendencies. It involves replacing rigid, self-critical beliefs with more balanced interpretations (Beck, 2011).

For example:

• “I’m not ready” → “Everyone starts somewhere growth happens through doing.”
• “I don’t know enough” → “Expertise is built over time.”

Why it matters for business:
Entrepreneurs live in uncertainty. Reframing helps you stay grounded rather than paralysed.

1. Track Your Wins

Because imposter syndrome distorts self-perception, you need objective evidence to counter negative beliefs. Keeping a record of positive feedback, achievements, and milestones creates a factual narrative of competence (Clance, 1985; Thompson et al., 1998).

Why it matters for business:
Entrepreneurship is full of invisible labour, tracking wins protects against minimising your progress.

1. Lean Into Your Network

Connection is one of the strongest antidotes to imposter feelings. Sharing experiences normalises them and reduces shame (Brown, 2012). For psychologists and entrepreneurs, roles that are often isolating; community is essential.

Why it matters for business:
Supportive networks increase resilience, visibility, and confidence.

1. Act Before You Feel Ready

Behavioural activation research shows that action precedes confidence—not the other way around (Martell et al., 2010). Taking small steps despite doubt builds mastery and rewires internal beliefs (Bandura, 1997).

Why it matters for business:
Momentum is a strategy. Waiting for confidence creates stagnation; acting creates growth.

A Final Reminder: You Belong Here

If you’re building a psychology-based business, leading people, or stepping into new spaces, you’re already demonstrating capability, courage, and vision.

Imposter syndrome can feel isolating, but it is often a sign that you are growing.

So the next time that inner critic speaks up, remind yourself:

You are more qualified than you think.
You belong here.!

References

• Bravata, D. M., Watts, S. A., Keefer, A. L., Madhusudhan, D. K., Taylor, K. T., Clark, D. M., Nelson, R. S., & Cokley, K. O. (2020). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of impostor syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35, 1252–1275.
• Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman.
• Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond. Guilford Press.
• Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead. Penguin.
• Clance, P. R. (1985). The impostor phenomenon: Overcoming the fear that haunts your success. Peachtree Publishers.
• Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247.
• Cokley, K., McClain, S., Enciso, A., & Martinez, M. (2018). Minority status stress and impostor feelings in diverse student populations. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 44(3), 136–153.
• Creswell, J. D. (2017). Mindfulness interventions. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 491–516.
• Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140.
• Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2022). Perfectionism: A relational approach to conceptualization, assessment, and treatment. Guilford Press.
• Harvey, J. C., & Katz, C. (1985). If I’m so successful, why do I feel like a fake? Simon & Schuster.
• Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2016). Multidimensional perfectionism and burnout: A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 20(3), 269–288.
• Kolligian, J., & Sternberg, R. J. (1991). Perceived fraudulence in young adults. Journal of Personality Assessment, 56(2), 308–326.
• Martell, C. R., Dimidjian, S., & Herman-Dunn, R. (2010). Behavioral activation for depression. Guilford Press.
• Neff, K. D. (2023). Self-compassion. Annual Review of Psychology, 74, 193–218.
• Neureiter, M., & Traut-Mattausch, E. (2016). An inner barrier to career development: Conditions and consequences of the impostor phenomenon. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 48.
• Sakulku, J., & Alexander, J. (2011). The impostor phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 6(1), 73–92.
• Thompson, T., Davis, H., & Davidson, J. (1998). Attributional analysis of the impostor phenomenon. Sex Roles, 38(9), 863–871.

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Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction.

– Al Bernstein

Not many of us are born with the proverbial ‘silver spoon’ in our mouths. Going as far back as we possibly can, we may recollect thoughts of our future career, the one that we fancied for ourselves, and the other that our parents/guardians thought would be the best choice for us. No matter how we cut it, the cake of our career choices is dealt the way fate decides for us.

If I may take my own life’s direction, I can only see multiple twists and turns, from always attaining the first position, right through elementary school, through to the University. Add to that a huge serving of annual overseas travel, and you can see multiple vistas that attract and entice a young mind. Despite a middle-class background, my family was blessed to have the cost-free benefit of annual overseas travel (thanks to my father’s job in an airline that gave free passes to travel anywhere in the world). Cost-free, you may wonder, how? Well, my uncle worked in the Indian Foreign Service and used to get posted to different countries as an ambassador. Naturally, visiting him afforded us luxury travels, as well as meetings with high-ranking officials, ministers, Prime Ministers, and, at times, Presidents of various countries. Being the youngest in the gathering, I often had the distinct privilege to let my inquisitive nature flow free. I would ask questions to learn more about different countries and their culture.

The above phase of my life prompted me to choose journalism so I could continue to travel without time-bound restrictions and to freely communicate with the elite. Indeed, I spoke with many leaders, both political as well as business from around the world. It helped me a great deal in shedding inhibition and becoming an extrovert in the process.

So, where was the misstep, you must be wondering. The university prepared me for an armed forces career, while I opted otherwise. One thing led to another, mostly beyond my control, and I ended up in real estate, and then took a quantum jump into the field of construction, as an investor/speculator. The ensuing success puts shame on my dreams of becoming a journalist, due to the fact that I gained the liberty to travel as I pleased and enjoyed such luxuries I had never even dreamt about.

A man’s greatest glory doesn’t consist in never falling, but in rising every time he falls.

– Unknown

Before I forget, this journey took me through many a twist and turn. Did I ever fall, you bet, but did I rise every time, I sure did. By the time I could master the intricacies of the C-Suite, life had taken me through a change of hats more times than I can remember. This adventure afforded me Freedom 55, on a silver platter, so I could continue to enjoy life with my wife, on our own terms. However, let us not forget the unending inflow of anxiety and trepidations trying to engulf me from all sides. What kept me going was the unwavering support of my wife and my only child, Jas. Both acted as pillars supporting me through thick and thin, and I’m proud to mention herein the amazing success Dear Jas has achieved in both his career as well as philanthropic pursuits.

I guess Pablo Picasso was right when he gave us the eternal wisdom surrounding action:

Action is the foundational key to all success.

– Pablo Picasso

The foundation of my career, as well as its multiple twists and turns, used ‘action’ as the cementing glue to consolidate gains through life. Each disappointment, hardship, loss, and unexpected shock strengthened my resolve to find alternatives, to create solutions where none existed, and then to use my hard-earned leverage towards my next, bigger goal.

Anytime you see someone more successful than you are, they are doing something you’re not.

– Malcolm X

Believe it or not, success in its minutest form owes its origin to the deepest recess in the human mind that carries an untiring resolve to attain its goals. Consistency in our honest and sincere efforts prepares us to take on challenges in life. Once you have compromised with circumstances, monotony is bound to set in, and the result will be less than desirable. This is where the above quote gives us a factual analysis of our not-so-appreciable state.

Looking back in time, we may find many disappointing moments where we felt tired in our pursuit of something, and let it go for want of an additional push. Finding similar examples around us is not so difficult either. But what matters most is our dedication to the cause, a laser-sharp focus, as well as an untiring commitment to the goal. When you combine the just-listed traits with your best efforts, success must well be within your reach.

We need to analyze the current situation vis-à-vis our course of action regarding any improvement and/or gain. Taking a long, hard look at the cause & action equation will amply highlight for us the reason behind our failure in any given situation. This is the stage where we need to implement a corrective approach with an enlightened mindset.

Once you have gathered the courage to identify your weaknesses and embarked on the path to analytically approach challenges, the resulting gains at each step will propel you to more lofty goals and stand out as an ACHIEVER!

Thank you!

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The sales profession can teach us excellent life lessons when we allow it. We only earn a fraction of the business that we attempt. Our best foot forward is to remain calm and professional and remind ourselves that closed doors often lead us to better opportunities for growth.

Experience

Losing a client early in a sales career or business endeavor can be nerve-wracking and lead to the idea of quitting. But as similar events repeat, we begin to review it as routine. Moreover, it can bring a smile as we realize that the more ‘No’s’ we receive, the closer we can get to the ‘Yes!’ that we desire. How?

The most direct path to progress is to politely ask the person that for learning purposes, you would like to know their reasoning. And if there is anything you can improve upon to please let you know. It’s remarkable what we can learn when we open the door to critique for learning purposes.

One critical door that has been shutting for many as of late is that of employment. It takes a ‘sales mindset’ to accept the need to seek work elsewhere and apply the skills that we have already learned for effective interviews.

Increase Interest in You

One marketing technique can assist the job hunt in the opposite way that most perceive, and that is to attract attention to your professional style by posting insights from previous experiences online. The caution is to never mention the names of individuals or companies to avoid legal issues.

Utilize platforms such as LinkedIn that attract professionals of all types. By sharing your best, you will attract attention and encourage communication with the right people for collaborative possibilities helping you to become known, and occasionally job offers will appear.

Positive Thinking

When one door shuts, new and potentially better opportunities usually arise. While one may face temporary hardships or just frustration, it’s best to concentrate on new connections for better outcomes. Efficiency with positive thinking is vital to avoid quitting entirely.

Socialize

Whether you attend official business events or find yourself among peers and friends, take the opportunity to explain your dilemma and request suggestions if anyone has any. The relaxed atmosphere often brings surprise suggestions and even introductions.

Exercise and Free the Mind

Career ups and downs can quickly create frustration, followed by stress. We must tone down the stress for health reasons as we seek a career solution. While this advice sounds more annoying, a good diet, exercise, or a hike outdoors can relax the mind and increase the flow of ideas and actual possibilities.

Summarizing

By realizing lessons from past experiences, we can strive to put ourselves on a better path to move forward. Our past can point us to what we most desire, and with an extra effort of learning what that may take, we launch ourselves into a far better direction. Surprisingly, needing to find a new job or begin entrepreneurship can often be our ‘gift in disguise!’

For more Insights,* visit Elinor’s Amazon Author Page***

Sales Tips: Embrace Closed Doors As They Lead to Better Opportunities

1. Commit to your long-term vision for accomplishment(s) to stay on track and enjoy business success.
2. Always keep the greater good of staff, team players, and your community in mind.
3. If you are dissatisfied with progress, consider what will increase overall happiness.
4. Keep an eye on the valuable insights of thought leaders for new ideas of how you might proceed moving forward.
5. Never underestimate the novel ideas of anyone.
6. Listen carefully to advice to realize what may work best for you.
7. Walk away from those who insult you and collaborate with those who show appreciation.
8. At the end of all communications, ask the other party or people if they have questions to ensure clarification.
9. ‘Don’t give up – find a better way!’
10. Celebrate Success!

Today’s insights are provided to help you achieve the* Smooth Sale!***

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We live in a world that rarely gives us the gift of quiet. Our days are filled with interruptions, distractions, and competing voices. In a culture of polarisation, it is all too easy to be ridiculed for not fitting in with the dominant view. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence, we face a new challenge. The temptation to hand over our capacity to think is greater than ever.

And yet, it is precisely in such times that independent thinking matters most. Nancy Kline has written that the quality of everything we do depends on the quality of the independent thinking we do first. Every meaningful decision, every act of integrity, and every breakthrough begins with someone willing to think for themselves.

Independent thinking is not about stubbornly holding a view. It is about cultivating the courage to look freshly, the rigour to examine assumptions and the imagination to ask, what else is possible? When we give others the space to think for themselves, we honour their dignity. To listen without interruption or judgement is one of the most respectful acts we can offer. In that moment, we are not telling someone what to think; we are enabling them to discover the best in their own thinking.

In a polarised world, this is more than a skill. It is a way of building bridges where others build barriers. Independent thinking helps us to see beyond echo chambers and slogans. It allows us to reclaim our minds from noise, pressure, and the lure of conformity.

As you reflect on your own context, ask yourself: where am I outsourcing my thinking? To group pressure? To the constant hum of distraction? Or even to technology? To think for ourselves is not a luxury. It is a necessity for freedom, innovation, and flourishing.

The Barriers and the Courage to Overcome ThemIf independent thinking is so vital, why do we resist it? The truth is that thinking for ourselves can be hard. It takes effort and, often, courage.

Many of us fear ridicule or rejection if our views differ from those around us. As human beings, we crave belonging, and standing apart can feel uncomfortable. Sometimes we choose harmony over honesty. In groups, this shows up as a consensus that is more about fitting in than about finding the best answer. We have all seen what happens when no one speaks the unspoken thought. Groupthink takes hold, and opportunities for better outcomes are lost.

Information overload adds another layer of challenge. Social media feeds and news cycles are designed to reinforce what we already believe. Surrounded by voices that echo our own, it can feel easier to go along than to pause and question. In education, in organisations, and in wider society, we are often rewarded for repeating what is expected rather than for exploring what is possible.

And yet, every democracy, every business breakthrough, and every social advance has depended on those who were willing to think differently. Independent thinkers are the ones who ask the questions that others avoid. They are the ones who hold leaders accountable, who spark innovation, and who keep communities alive to new possibilities.

To help others think for themselves, we need to create the conditions where it feels safe to do so. That means listening without interruption, encouraging curiosity, and allowing dissent to be expressed respectfully. It also means noticing our own instincts to fill the silence or to provide the solution, and holding back.

For leaders, teachers, and coaches, the challenge is to model the courage we ask of others. Independent thinking may not always be comfortable, but it is always necessary. The alternative is conformity, stagnation and, ultimately, the loss of our ability to choose wisely.

Practices to Strengthen and Inspire Independent ThinkingIndependent thinking is like a muscle. It grows stronger when we exercise it, both for ourselves and for those we lead or teach.

For ourselves, it begins with creating space. In a world of constant noise, we need moments of quiet to reflect, to ask questions, and to examine our assumptions. Seeking out perspectives that differ from our own stretches our thinking. Being willing to change our minds in the light of new evidence is not weakness but integrity. And as we learn to live alongside artificial intelligence, it becomes ever more important to stay in charge of our own minds. AI can be a helpful partner, freeing us from repetition and surfacing ideas we may not have seen. But it must not become the author of our choices. The key question is always, what do I think?

For others, the practice is equally clear. We help people think for themselves when we listen with full attention and without interruption. We create dignity when we ask open, genuine questions that invite exploration rather than direct it. We inspire confidence when we encourage individuals to own their thinking and their decisions. We model humility when we share our own thinking process and show that we, too, are learners.

To help someone think for themselves is to offer a profound act of respect. It says, Your mind matters. Your ideas are worth hearing. Your contribution is needed. This is how classrooms move beyond rote learning to curiosity, how organisations move beyond compliance to innovation, and how coaching conversations move beyond advice to transformation.

Independent thinking keeps democracy alive, fuels innovation, and enables each of us to flourish as human beings.

In a polarised and tech-driven world, it is our anchor. Our task, then, is twofold: to have the courage to think for ourselves and the commitment to create the conditions where others can do the same.

If this blog resonates with you and think others would benefit, please share it. Equally if you’d like to explore more ways in how to develop your independent thinking and for others, simply connect with me on LinkedIn or email me to explore how we can generate personal and business growth in harmony.

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Educational inequity remains a persistent challenge across industries. Traditional four-year college pathways often present financial, geographic, and social barriers that limit access for many individuals. As businesses face growing labor shortages, alternative education models have gained renewed attention. Career-focused training programs offer a practical way to expand opportunity while aligning education with workforce needs.

Barriers in Traditional Education Pathways

Higher education has long been positioned as the primary route to economic mobility. Yet rising tuition costs, extended time commitments, and limited local access exclude large segments of the population. Students from rural areas, working families, or under-resourced communities may struggle to pursue degrees that require relocation or full-time enrollment.

These barriers contribute to uneven outcomes in employment and earnings. Businesses feel the impact through unfilled roles and widening skills gaps, especially in technical and hands-on fields.

Practical Learning and Faster Entry to Work

Career-focused programs emphasize applied learning and shorter timelines. Students gain hands-on experience tied directly to job requirements, allowing them to enter the workforce more quickly. This structure reduces the financial burden of prolonged education while offering clear pathways to stable employment.

For employers, this model delivers candidates who are job-ready and familiar with industry tools. Practical training supports productivity from day one, reducing onboarding time and training costs.

Expanding Access Across Communities

One of the strengths of trade schools is their geographic reach. Many operate locally, making education accessible without requiring relocation. This local presence supports community development and allows students to remain connected to family and work responsibilities.

Flexible scheduling also broadens access. Evening and weekend programs help working adults reskill without sacrificing income. These options are especially important for individuals balancing education with caregiving or multiple jobs.

Aligning Education With Workforce Demand

Career-focused education responds directly to labor market needs. Programs are often developed in partnership with employers, ensuring curricula reflect current industry standards. This alignment helps close the gap between education and employment outcomes.

As industries evolve, these programs can adapt more quickly than traditional degree tracks. Updates to equipment, certifications, and training methods occur in response to real workforce demand rather than academic cycles.

Education inequity affects both individuals and organizations. Career-focused training offers a path that balances access, affordability, and workforce relevance. Businesses contribute to a more equitable education landscape while building the skilled workforce needed for sustainable growth. To learn more about the advantages of trade schools, feel free to look over the resource below.

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Burnout is more than fatigue. It’s a signal that something fundamental has shifted. It’s the body and soul’s way of saying that the pace, the expectations, or the meaning behind the work no longer align with who we are becoming. For leaders especially, burnout often arrives silently, disguised as dedication, endurance, or responsibility, until one day, it can no longer be ignored.

When Success No Longer Feels Sustainable

I once worked with a leader who appeared to be thriving by every external measure. Her calendar was full, her reputation impeccable, her results undeniable. Yet privately, she admitted she felt hollow and disconnected from the work she once loved and depleted by the constant pressure to perform. She wasn’t failing. She was exhausted from succeeding in a way that no longer fit.

Eventually, burnout forced her to stop. What felt like a breaking point became a turning point. She stepped back, not because she lacked capability, but because she needed clarity.

Burnout as a Signal, Not a Sentence

Burnout is often treated as a personal weakness or a productivity problem to be fixed quickly. But in truth, it is information. It signals misalignment between values and demands, purpose and performance, identity and expectation.

Leaders who recognize burnout as a message rather than a failure gain a powerful advantage. Instead of forcing recovery just to return to the same conditions, they use the moment to reassess, realign, and reimagine what leadership can look like moving forward.

The Work of Reinvention

Rebuilding after burnout requires courage, not the kind that pushes through, but the kind that pauses long enough to listen.

Three shifts are essential:

1. Realign with Values
   Burnout often emerges when leaders live out of alignment with their core values. Revisiting what matters, integrity, impact, balance, and creativity, becomes the foundation for sustainable leadership.
2. Explore New Paths
   Reinvention doesn’t always mean leaving a career; sometimes it means redefining how you show up within it. New roles, different responsibilities, or alternative ways of contributing can restore meaning and energy.
3. Set Boundaries Without Guilt
   Healthy boundaries are not a luxury; they are leadership tools. Saying no, delegating intentionally, and protecting recovery time create space for clarity and long-term effectiveness.

These shifts don’t happen overnight. They unfold through reflection, experimentation, and self-compassion.

Why Resilience Accelerates Reinvention

Resilience is often misunderstood as endurance. In reality, it’s adaptability. Leaders who rebuild after burnout develop resilience by learning to listen to themselves, honor limits, and respond intentionally rather than reactively.

That resilience accelerates reinvention. It allows leaders to step forward with wisdom instead of urgency, and purpose instead of pressure. Teams sense this shift immediately. Leadership becomes steadier. Decisions become clearer. Culture becomes healthier.

The Takeaway

Burnout is not the end of leadership; it is an invitation to evolve it. Leaders who heed the signal and allow themselves to rebuild don’t just recover; they return with greater clarity, deeper empathy, and a renewed sense of purpose.

The most powerful reinventions don’t come from starting over.
They came from starting aligned.

Suggested Contextual Links:

• Mayo Clinic – Recognizing Burnout in Leader

Stopping the slow fizzle of burnout – Mayo Clinic Press

• Harvard Business Review – Career Reinvention

What’s Stopping You from Reinventing Your Career?

• TED Talk – Rebuilding After Professional Setbacks

Amy Shoenthal: How to turn setbacks into success | TED Talk

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As businesses move into the year 2026 and beyond, they’re bound to experience a fierce competitive landscape faster than ever. Economic volatility, rapid technological advancements, keeping pace with heightened customer demands, and employee quality and matching their expectations are redefining what it takes to stay relevant in the foreseeable future.

For organisations aiming not only to survive but to lead, the next few years will require a sharper focus on a few must-win battles — areas where success is non-negotiable and where failure has direct strategic consequences.

Below are the five battles organisations must prepare to win to thrive in the post-2026 marketplace.

1. Winning the Talent BattleThe war for talent will intensify drastically. Skills cycles are shortening, demand for specialised capabilities is rising, and employees are expecting workplaces that offer growth, flexibility, and purpose. Organisations must:

2. Re-skill and upskill continuously

3. Offer flexible, hybrid work models
4. Foster cultures of psychological safety

Without a deliberate investment in people and capabilities, organisations will struggle to execute any of their strategic ambitions.

1. Mastering AI IntegrationIn the next few years, AI will no longer be a differentiator — it will be the baseline. The real battle will be in how well organizations integrate AI into their business models.

Winning means:

1. Embedding AI across workflows
2. Ensuring ethical, transparent, and responsible AI use
3. Augmenting human performance

The organisations that succeed will use AI to make better decisions faster, personalise customer experiences, and fundamentally reshape how work gets done.

1. Delivering Human-Centric Customer ExperiencesConsumers in 2026 and beyond will expect seamless, personalised, emotionally resonant interactions. Digital convenience is now the default; what differentiates is the human experience.

To win this battle, organisations must:

1. Map and redesign customer journeys to remove friction and elevate satisfaction.
2. Leverage data responsibly to personalise engagements without crossing privacy boundaries.
3. Create omnichannel ecosystems where customers can switch between digital and human touchpoints effortlessly.

Customer loyalty is increasingly fragile. Only organisations that combine technology with empathy will sustain it.

1. Building Organisational AgilityMarket conditions will continue to change more rapidly than traditional planning cycles can accommodate. Agility is no longer a cultural ideal — it is a structural imperative.

Winning here requires:

1. Simplifying decision-making layers so teams can move faster.
2. Embracing modular, cross-functional structures rather than rigid hierarchies.
3. Running continuous experimentation, learning quickly, and scaling what works.

Agility gives organisations the power to respond to uncertainty — not with anxiety, but with capability.

1. Strengthening Sustainability & CSRStakeholders — employees, customers, investors, regulators — are demanding meaningful action, not symbolic commitments. Sustainability will become a central competitive differentiator.

To win, organisations must:

1. Embed Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) into strategy, rather than treating it as a reporting requirement.
2. Invest in circular systems, energy efficiency, and reduced resource footprint.
3. Demonstrate social impact, especially through fair labour practices and community engagement.

Organisations that ignore sustainability risk face reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and talent loss.

The Path ForwardWe all must remember and clearly understand that the next era belongs to those who prepare for it now. As organisations step into 2026 and beyond, the landscape will reward only those that confront their must-win battles with clarity, courage, and consistency.

Companies that invest in their people, reinvent their operating models, and embed agility at the core of their culture will not only withstand disruption but turn it into a strategic advantage. Success in the coming years will belong to organisations that treat talent as their strongest currency, leadership as their defining differentiator, and innovation as a shared responsibility.

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I grew up in a world where mistakes weren’t just discouraged—they were simply not allowed. If something went wrong, the message was clear: you should’ve prevented it. You should’ve known better. You should’ve been perfect.

That kind of environment shapes you. It teaches you to double-check everything, remove every variable, and avoid any path where things might go sideways. Precision becomes a survival skill. And for a long time, I carried that mentality right into my career.

Early on, as an engineer, I played everything safe. I stayed where I was comfortable. I didn’t raise my hand for stretch roles. I didn’t switch companies. I didn’t take on challenges that weren’t already in my wheelhouse. In my mind, “safe” meant “smart.” If you never risk anything, you never fail—simple.

Except that’s not how growth works. And it’s definitely not how careers work.

Over time, I started noticing something: while I was staying safe, other people were moving. They were stepping into new positions, taking on unfamiliar challenges, making leaps that looked downright terrifying to me. And instead of feeling smug for avoiding risk, I felt stuck. It hit me that I wasn’t maintaining a steady course—I was holding myself in place.

That realization was uncomfortable, but it was honest.

Avoiding risk isn’t neutral.
Avoiding risk is choosing fear over possibility.
And I had been choosing fear for years.

The shift didn’t happen overnight. It started with small steps—saying yes to something I normally would’ve dodged, taking on responsibilities I didn’t feel fully ready for, trusting that I could learn as I went instead of needing everything to be perfect before I began.

Along the way, I discovered something liberating:
Mistakes aren’t disasters. They’re data.
They show you what to adjust, where to grow, and how to get better next time. They aren’t verdicts—they’re feedback.

Once that clicked, everything opened up. I started taking risks I once avoided. Some worked out beautifully. Some humbled me. But all of them expanded the edges of what I believed I could do.

And that’s the message I want to send.

Your career isn’t built on avoiding mistakes. Your career is built on what you learn when you stretch, stumble a little, and keep going.

If you wait until everything is perfect, you’ll wait forever. If you avoid uncertainty because it feels safer, you’ll look up one day and realize the real danger was staying exactly where you were.

So this month, challenge yourself:
Apply for the opportunity.
Ask for the leadership role.
Say yes to the project you think might be “a bit too much.”

You don’t grow by playing small—you grow by leaning into the unknown.

Mistakes may happen. But so will momentum.
And in the long run, it’s the momentum that changes your life.

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We need to rethink every little thing about work. This conversation isn’t new — those of us who care deeply about the future of work and about making work more human have been raising these questions for decades.

But why? Why now? Why does it feel like the entire system is cracking under our feet?

To understand what’s happening today, we have to understand what changed. For most of human history, people didn’t “have jobs.” They had livelihoods. They survived — and often thrived — through small trades, land, craft, community networks, and the ability to create or sell something of their own. Most people were craftspeople, artisans, or independent service providers, working for themselves or in tiny family businesses.

Think of:

• blacksmiths
• tailors
• bakers
• weavers
• carpenters
• shoemakers
• potters
• candle makers
• herbalists
• midwives
• smiths of all kinds (silver, metal, weapons)

They sold directly to their community. They controlled their own schedule. They weren’t “employees” in the modern sense — they were producers.

Entrepreneurial spirit was the norm.

Before factories, corporations, and the 9–5 system reshaped our world, people made a living in far more entrepreneurial, decentralized, relationship-driven ways than we often realize. In many ways, what we now call “modern entrepreneurship” is actually a return to how humans have earned money for thousands of years.

Then the factory age began.

And collectively, we made a deal: We traded our time, our skills, and our talent for money — and in return, companies promised stability, security, and a predictable path forward. For a while, it worked. There was a sense of belonging, even if the work wasn’t always aligned with who we really were. There was stability. Savings. A clear ladder to climb.

But slowly, the foundation cracked.

Companies made us believe we had to stay with them no matter what they did. They even made selling — the very thing humans have done for millennia — look risky or shameful, so fewer people would consider creating something of their own. They offered golden handcuffs: just enough salary and benefits to keep people from leaving, but not enough meaning or autonomy to thrive. They asked for more and more from workers while offering less in return. The gap between CEOs and employees stretched to extremes—short-term shareholder value suffocated long-term vision. The education system became a pipeline for compliant workers, not creative citizens.

We were squeezed into boxes we didn’t fit.

And then the 1990s hit — with the first major wave of layoffs among well-educated, high-performing professionals. It only got worse over the last decades: Layoffs became the first response to any downturn. People were treated like expenses, not humans.

Is it any wonder we’re talking so much about leadership, work culture, burnout, toxicity, belonging, psychological safety, or meaningful work?

Business has been doing well with numbers — but not with people. After more than 20 years of helping individuals find meaningful work, I’ve watched these trends worsen, not improve. The loyalty demanded from workers was never reciprocated. Candidates were asked to complete unpaid assignments and then ghosted. Workplaces became more harmful, less human.

And then came the layoffs in the middle of the night. The email at 4 am. The access was cut instantly. The message — spoken or unspoken — that people don’t matter. No wonder the ground is shaking. No wonder millions are rethinking everything about their careers. We’re not broken. The system is. And we are remembering something important — something ancient:

We were not designed to live only for Fridays. We were not designed to shrink ourselves to fit into someone else’s box. We were not designed to hand over our agency to institutions that cannot care for our well-being the way we can care for our own.

So, where does all of this leave us?

It leaves us with a simple, brave truth: We need to reclaim a bit more control over our lives — not out of fear, but out of intention. One of the most accessible ways to do that today is by becoming a solopreneur in the smallest, most doable sense of the word. I don’t mean quitting your job tomorrow. I don’t mean risking everything. I don’t mean “going big.” I mean starting something that is yours — a solopreneur path, a side gig, a tiny offering rooted in what you already know, what you’ve lived, and what you care about. Something simple. Something you can test. Something that gives you agency.

Five or ten years ago, I rarely recommended this except to clients who were already dreaming of entrepreneurship. Back then, staying in a corporate job was genuinely less risky. But today? The ground has shifted. Losing your job overnight is just as risky — sometimes more — than trying something small on your own.

So try this on.

Start building a Plan B while keeping your Plan A. Explore it slowly and safely. Give your future self more options, more freedom, more resilience.

One amazing company making this shift possible is Stan Store, a platform built with a mission I deeply believe in: empowering people to create something of their own quickly, simply, and without overwhelm.

If you want to see how it works, take a look at my own Stan Store, CareerYouLove . You can also use my affiliate link to try it for free for 14 days. This is for you, not for me. I would not have recommended them if I had not studied them and worked with them. They agree with what I say here and want to give everyone more power to be themselves.

If you need help to brainstorm ideas, if you need support and a little push to start this off, choose my most affordable coaching session at my stan store, designed specifically to help you explore what a side gig might look like for you and how to start without burning your life down.

This is not about walking away from your career. It’s about walking toward your autonomy. It’s about remembering that humans have always created, contributed, and built lives beyond job titles.

Work is changing fast. Let’s choose to change with it — with intention, courage, and a deep belief that work should make us feel more like ourselves, not less.

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Most people don’t think about “protecting themselves” at work until something already feels off. And even then, the instinct is usually to ignore it for a while. Maybe it’s just a bad week. Maybe you’re being sensitive. Maybe it’ll blow over if you keep your head down.

Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn’t.

The problem is that when things unravel slowly, people tend to realize too late that they’ve lost leverage. Memories get fuzzy. Details blur. Suddenly you’re trying to explain a situation that unfolded over months using nothing but your gut feeling and a vague sense that something wasn’t right.

That’s usually when people wish they’d paid attention sooner.

Pay Attention Earlier Than You Think You Need ToThis doesn’t mean documenting every awkward conversation or assuming your employer is acting in bad faith. It means noticing patterns. Small changes that repeat. Expectations that shift without explanation. Feedback that used to be clear but now feels strangely vague.

If your role changes, write it down. If pay, hours, or responsibilities drift from what you agreed to, save the emails. If a conversation feels important, follow up with a short message summarizing what was said. Not dramatic. Not accusatory. Just factual.

People often underestimate how quickly memory gets contested once tension enters the picture. What felt obvious at the time suddenly becomes “misunderstood.” Having your own record gives you something solid to stand on.

And if you ever find yourself unsure whether something crosses a legal or ethical line, getting a sense check from employment law specialists early can be clarifying. Not to escalate. Just to understand.

Use Internal Processes, But Don’t Romanticize ThemMost companies have formal ways to raise concerns. HR. Managers. Policies that promise fairness and transparency. Sometimes those systems work exactly as intended. Other times, they exist mostly on paper.

Before raising an issue, read the handbook. Seriously. Know how complaints are supposed to be handled and who is involved. When you do speak up, stick to what happened and how it affected your work. Dates. Decisions. Outcomes. Avoid guessing motives. That rarely helps.

It’s also useful to remember that some issues live in a broader legal context whether your employer acknowledges that or not. Discrimination complaints, for example, don’t exist solely inside company walls. Organizations like the EEOC exist precisely because internal systems are not always enough.

You don’t need to threaten outside action to benefit from knowing it exists.

Know When Information Matters More Than ActionThere’s a moment in many workplace conflicts where nothing new is being said. Meetings repeat themselves. Promises stall. You’re left waiting and wondering.

That’s often the point where learning, not acting, becomes the smartest move.

For wage or hour issues, understanding the basics of filing a complaint can quickly tell you whether something is worth pursuing or whether it’s simply unfair but legal. That distinction matters more than people like to admit.

It can also help to read how these situations look from the other side of the table. Insights from legal professionals often reveal how cases actually unfold, not how people assume they do.

Protecting yourself at work isn’t about preparing for a fight. It’s about refusing to be confused for too long. When you understand your rights and your options, you’re no longer stuck guessing. And that alone changes how you carry yourself, whether anything ever escalates or not.

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The modern society, going through a major upheaval from what we knew before the advent of the Internet as a whole, and more specifically, the Social Media in principle, leaves us perplexed, astounded, and at times left out of the race. All this happens because those around us, especially those of a younger age, find our convictions, our ideas, and our advice to be so outdated that they want to experiment with everything on their own.

If I remember correctly, there was an old adage that went like this: “Learn from other people’s mistakes, because you won’t live long enough to commit them all yourself.” I duly apologize for my utter failure to acknowledge the source of this important advice.

Taking a cue from the above (unaccredited) quote. I would safely deduce that our communication with those whom we truly care about falls short of their individual expectations more than we could safely understand and adjust to. More often than not, we find ourselves in unacceptable situations because the so-called ‘age gap’ blocks our brain cells from correctly deciphering the intent of the younger generation.

If we went one step further, we shall find those of our own ilk, from the same age group as us, behaving in a manner that becomes hard to appreciate. Yes, this could be true in relation to our colleagues, acquaintances, and at times, friends who do not take kindly to our presence. So, the culprit turns out to be none other than an ever-widening communication gap.

Now, I would like to draw your kind attention to an AI-inspired experiment that I undertook, in order to reduce the ‘gap’, and here are some of the results:

1. “Most communication gaps are not made of silence, but of assumptions.”
2. “A communication gap is the distance between what is said, what is meant, and what is heard.”
3. “When there is a gap in communication, misunderstandings rush in to fill the space.”

Of course, the ‘Perplexity’ AI-powered search engine gave a multitude of such quotes, and their curative options as well, I would trust personal judgement in handling my own side to address the widening gap. However, the reasoning behind these three results is very much true. Assumptions, as we all know, can cause irreparable harm in relationships, unless one is bold enough to address the same in a practical fashion.

So many times we hear people explaining themselves with (mostly unjustifiable) excuses that their statement about another person and/or event was not precisely how they expressed themselves: oh, I didn’t mean it. Basically, this person is defending himself or herself while putting the blame squarely on the other person, supposedly the target of the statement. Naturally, the rift caused by such an ugly situation will perhaps cause quite a friction.

Addressing the third scenario above, it is safe to believe, and not just to believe, but also to remember from so many of our past experiences, how a small gap in communication ends up breaking thick, long-term relations like they were always so fragile. And what caused the situation to go out of hand was, misunderstanding, of course.

NOW, the BIG QUESTION IS, why do we not, and more importantly, should not, even try to fit into the specific circle that the fast-growing technology field has brought to our doorstep?

Since I am not a “Sage on the Stage,” rather a “Guide by Your Side,” I would be happy to share my two pennies’ worth, hoping I do not ruffle too many feathers:

1. First and foremost, accept the fact that times are changing. You only need to look into your own life, going back 20, 30, even 40 years, depending on your age, and take in the slowly changing environment, e.g, family bonds, society, social circle, monetary conditions, available conveniences, as well as a plethora of millions of things around us that may never have drawn our attention.
2. Now, let us look closely at what we have already acquired thus far: family and its associated necessities like a house, and/or a car; a job or a business; certain level of social circle of like-minded individuals and families, although slow by today’s standards; vast amounts of experiences; certain level of comfort zone, and above all else, the unmistakable power of resilience through numerous ups and downs that form an essential part of growth. The group that we do not fit into is perhaps still waiting in the wings to get this far.
3. Let us delve a little deeper into the most formidable reason why we may not fit. Yes, I’m referring to the unique individual traits that give us a distinct personality. Just like a farmer will never fit into the role of a brain surgeon, the same might be true if the tables were turned. A Civil Engineer can never fit into the role of an Aeronautical Engineer, though they are both engineers. We could go on and on, but suffice it to say, we need to find comfort, and not just comfort, but also pride in the fact that we are unique in our own way, having certain distinct capabilities that rest beyond the reach of millions of other groups of professionals and/or individuals.

Given the above points in broad perspective, we need to hone our skills to stand out by outperforming all others and creating a niche that others may only hope to achieve. Of course, there exist multiple ways we can do that and leave the competition behind. For one, we can make sincere efforts to learn their ‘lingo,’ and try to adapt to the tech-tide coming our way, step-by-step, and not be left behind, or swept away.

Until then, Warm Regards & Happy Reading

BM

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Many think trauma weakens a person. Yet for some leaders, their past struggles become their greatest strengths. I’ve learned this not in a boardroom or leadership seminar but in the quiet moments after failure, disappointment, or personal loss. Trauma, when processed thoughtfully, doesn’t just leave scars; it can leave tools: empathy, intuition, and the courage to act with humanity in high-stress roles.

A Personal Story of Transformation

Early in my career, I faced a crisis that felt utterly insurmountable. The American multinational firm where I had poured my heart and ambition was forced into bankruptcy, undone by its involvement in illegal activities. Overnight, the world I had so carefully built within my department, the systems, the vision, the long hours fueled by purpose, collapsed beneath my feet. It wasn’t just a professional loss; it was a personal unraveling. I had been deeply passionate about my work, and suddenly, the ground that once felt secure no longer existed.

As if the professional devastation were not enough, long-buried wounds from my childhood began to surface. The instability echoed familiar feelings, abandonment, uncertainty, and the quiet fear that trust was dangerous. I struggled to be vulnerable, to admit how shaken I truly was, even as the weight of uncertainty pressed heavily on my chest. In those moments, I believed these experiences were breaking me.

But with time and reflection, I began to see something different emerging. What I once considered damage was shaping a new kind of resilience within me. My pain sharpened my awareness. My losses softened my heart. The empathy I had cultivated through years of silent struggle allowed me to connect with my team on a deeper level; to listen without judgment, to sense unspoken concerns, and to recognize emotional undercurrents others overlooked.

In observing other leaders, I noticed the same pattern unfolding. Those who had weathered deep adversity moved through high-pressure environments with a rare blend of humility, caution, creativity, and inner strength. They led not from ego, but from understanding. Trauma, in this light, revealed itself not as a life sentence but as an unexpected teacher, shaping leaders who carry both wisdom and compassion into the spaces where it matters most.

Why Vulnerability Strengthens Leadership

Research supports what many of us witness in practice. Leaders who embrace vulnerability create psychological safety, a foundation for high-performing teams. When team members sense a leader is willing to acknowledge mistakes or uncertainty, they are more likely to take risks, innovate, and voice concerns without fear. Vulnerability is not a weakness; it’s a strategic tool that builds trust and connection.

Strategies to Leverage Trauma for Leadership Growth

1. Reflective Journaling – Take time each day or week to write about challenges, successes, and emotional responses. Over time, patterns emerge that reveal both blind spots and strengths.
2. Mentorship and Peer Support – Seek guidance from others who have faced similar pressures. Honest conversations about past struggles can normalize challenges and provide new perspectives.
3. Self-Awareness Practices – Mindfulness, therapy, or guided reflection helps leaders recognize emotional triggers and respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively under stress.

These strategies are not abstract; they create a bond-driven leadership style. Leaders who have processed and integrated their experiences can inspire loyalty, empathy, and commitment in their teams, even during the most stressful moments.

The Takeaway

Trauma does not define weakness; it can define wisdom. Leaders who harness their past experiences thoughtfully become anchors in high-pressure environments. They listen deeply, act decisively, and connect authentically with those they lead.

For leaders willing to step into their vulnerability, the message is clear: your past can be your secret advantage. The scars you carry are not just reminders of pain, they are the foundation for leadership that is resilient, human, and transformative.

Suggested Contextual Links:

• TED Talk on Trauma-Informed Leadership: Dawn Emerick: Developing 1 Million Trauma-Informed Leaders to Lead Today’s Exhausted and Traumatized Workforce. | TED Talk
• Harvard Business Review: Resilient Leadership: 4 Ways to Build Resilience
• Psychology Today: How Life Adversity Can Make for Success in the Workplace | Psychology Today

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A serious debate about workplace culture and employee welfare in corporate environments has erupted with the death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a chartered accountant at Ernst & Young (EY) India, who tragically passed away in July, just four months after joining the firm. Her parents have attributed her death to the excessive workload and pressure she faced at her new job.

EY’s India chief, Rajiv Memani, has since said the firm attaches the “highest importance” to the wellbeing of its employees. “I would like to affirm that the well-being of our people is my top-most priority and I will personally champion this objective,” he stated in a LinkedIn post.

While every company wants their teams to work hard, and produce, it’s important to remember more hours don’t always equal better results. Overwork can lead to the creation of a toxic work environment which – along with low productivity and stressed-out employees – often creates burnout and eventual quitting.

According to recent research:

• 33% of workers feel constantly exhausted due to work pressure
• 44% of U.S. employees report feeling overworked
• 50% of full-time employees work more than 40 hours a week.

A toxic workplace (also considered a hostile work environment) is characterized by a negative and harmful workplace that can have a significant impact on employees’ mental and physical health, as well as job performance.

For example – many companies, that underwent layoffs earlier this year, are now burdened with employees stressed out and overwhelmed by increased workloads, having to pick up the pace as well as handle the workload created with the loss of the laid-off workers. These employees, often not compensated adequately for their additional responsibilities, are quitting or considering leaving their jobs.

Clinical Health Psychologist Amy Sullivan PsyD says “A toxic work environment is a feeling and not necessarily a checklist. People know when they’re in a toxic work environment because you pay attention to what your gut is sharing with you as well as any physical responses. Your gut reaction is intuitive, but it’s also that feeling of, ‘something feels off for me right now. Either the way I’m being talked to or the way I’m not being included,’” says Dr. Sullivan.

And, by the way:

An employer can force employees to work mandatory overtime plus terminate an employee – either salaried or hourly – for refusal to work the required overtime. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), as formed by the US Department of Labor, is responsible for establishing the 40-hour work week for employees. However, the law does not place a maximum limit on the number of hours employers can require their employees to work. 

Workers, psychologists tell us:

Employees have changed their attitude towards work since COVID – prioritizing work-life balance, and seeking less stressful jobs. Plus unwilling to return to what they now realize has been a toxic work environment in favor of continued remote work.

People are becoming more aware of the importance of mental health and are willing to sacrifice higher salaries or job titles for a less stressful work environment. Bottom line – prioritizing work-life balance is essential for overall well-being and job satisfaction.

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The journey from ordinary to extraordinary is a thrilling yet treacherous climb. As you ascend, the landscape of your relationships shifts. The camaraderie that once defined your interactions must now accommodate new responsibilities and expectations. It’s a delicate dance, requiring you to redraw boundaries without severing the bonds of trust and respect.

As a mass communication specialist and ACC-certified life coach, I’ve witnessed countless individuals grapple with this midlife crisis. Drawing from the principles of NLP, I believe that authentic leadership lies not in asserting authority but in mastering the art of “relationship recalibration”. In my career spanning over 30 years, I have followed a conscious and compassionate approach to navigating change while staying true to myself.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan.

Whatever stage of your career you may be always remember: It’s not about building walls but about creating healthy, empowering spaces where trust and respect flourish. It’s about recalibrating, not rupturing, the connections that fuel your team’s success.

Shifting Landscape: Navigating the Changes in Relationships

Step up, refocus, and take charge!

The moment you accept a leadership role, the ground beneath your relationships subtly shifts. The casual banter and shared confidences that once characterized your interactions may now feel tinged with a newfound awareness of your authority. This isn’t a betrayal of your past connections but a natural evolution as you step into a position of greater responsibility.

New Role, New Rules

As a leader, you’re no longer just a member of the team; you’re its guide. This brings along its own distinct set of challenges:

• Decision-Making: Your decisions now carry weight and impact the entire team. This can create a sense of distance as you grapple with choices that may not please everyone.
• Accountability: You’re ultimately responsible for the team’s performance, which can lead to difficult conversations and the need to hold others accountable.
• Confidentiality: You may be privy to sensitive information that you can’t share with your former peers, creating a sense of separation.

Balancing Act: Preserving Camaraderie Amidst Change

Balancing existing relationships while stepping into your new role demands careful navigation and finesse.

• Acknowledge the Shift: Openly acknowledge that your role has changed, but reassure your team that your commitment to their success and well-being remains unwavering.
• Set Clear Expectations: Communicate your new expectations and boundaries clearly, ensuring everyone understands the shift in dynamics.
• Be Approachable: Foster an environment where your team feels comfortable approaching you with questions, concerns, or even just casual conversation.

The Power of Transparency

Transparency is the cornerstone of trust during this transition.

• Open Communication: Keep the lines of communication open, sharing information whenever possible and addressing any concerns directly.
• Explain Your Decisions: When making decisions that impact the team, take the time to explain your reasoning, demonstrating that you value their understanding.
• Be Vulnerable: Share your own challenges and uncertainties as a new leader. This humanizes you and encourages open dialogue.

Remember, this transition is a journey, not a destination. By embracing transparency, setting clear expectations, and acknowledging the changing dynamics, you can navigate this shift with grace and authenticity, preserving the trust and respect that underpin your relationships.

The Cornerstones of Connection: Trust and Respect

Trust and respect are not bestowed upon leaders simply because of their title; they must be earned through consistent actions and genuine connection.

Open and Honest Communication

Clear communication forms the foundation upon which trust is established. As a leader, be transparent about your decisions, motivations, and even your vulnerabilities. Invite your team to share their thoughts and concerns openly, fostering an environment free from judgment. Create an environment where dialogue flows freely, fostering a sense of shared ownership and mutual respect.

Active Listening: Beyond Hearing

True listening goes beyond merely hearing words; it involves seeking to understand the underlying emotions and perspectives. When your team feels heard and understood, it strengthens their trust in your leadership. Maintain eye contact, ask follow-up questions, and restate their concerns to confirm mutual understanding.

Leading by Example: Actions Speak Louder

Your actions shape the team’s culture. Model the qualities you expect from them—integrity, accountability, and respect. Be dependable, honor your commitments, and own up to your mistakes.

When you lead by example, you inspire trust and cultivate a culture of respect.

Remember, fostering trust and respect is an ongoing process. By prioritizing open communication, active listening, and leading by example, you can build strong, resilient relationships that empower your team and elevate your leadership.

Feedback: The Catalyst for Growth

Feedback, when given and received effectively, is a powerful tool for individual and collective development. As a leader, mastering the art of feedback is essential for fostering a high-performing and engaged team.

Constructive Criticism

Constructive feedback targets specific behaviors and their effects, providing actionable suggestions for improvement.

• Be Specific and Actionable: Focus on observable behaviours, avoid generalizations and provide straightforward suggestions for improvement.
• Focus on the Impact: Explain how the behaviour affects the individual, the team, or the project.
• Offer Support: Frame your feedback as an opportunity for growth and development, and offer your support in achieving those goals.

Receiving Feedback with Grace

Accepting feedback gracefully demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn.

• Listen Actively: Resist the urge to defend or justify yourself. Listen carefully to understand the feedback.
• Ask Clarifying Questions: If something is unclear, seek clarification to ensure you fully grasp the feedback.
• Express Gratitude: Thank the person for their feedback, even if it’s difficult to hear. It reflects maturity and a dedication to personal growth.

Cultivating a Culture of Feedback

Foster a culture where feedback is appreciated and welcomed.

• Lead by Example: Regularly seek feedback from your team and demonstrate how you use it to improve.
• Normalize Feedback: Encourage regular feedback exchanges between team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• Celebrate Growth: Acknowledge and celebrate individuals who actively seek and implement feedback, reinforcing its value.

Remember, feedback is a gift. When given and received with the right intentions, it can unlock potential, strengthen relationships, and drive collective success.

Stepping into Your Power: Embracing Leadership

Transitioning into a leadership role isn’t just about managing tasks; it’s about inspiring and empowering others. Embrace your leadership with confidence, clarity, and a vision for the future.

Confidence and Clarity: The Compass for Decision-Making

Leaders make decisions, both big and small, every day. Project confidence in your choices, even when faced with uncertainty.

• Do your homework: Gather information, weigh the pros and cons, and consult with relevant stakeholders before making decisions.
• Communicate clearly: Explain your decisions to your team, outlining the rationale and the expected outcomes.
• Be decisive: Avoid waffling or second-guessing yourself. Once you’ve made a decision, own it and move forward.

Ask yourself: Am I making decisions based on fear or informed confidence? How can I communicate my decisions more effectively to my team?

Delegation and Empowerment

Delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks; it’s about empowering your team to grow and contribute.

• Identify strengths: Acknowledge the unique skills and talents of each team member.
• Assign tasks strategically: Delegate tasks that align with individual strengths and provide opportunities for growth.
• Provide support and guidance: Offer clear instructions, set expectations, and provide ongoing support as needed.

Practical step: Start by delegating a small, manageable task to a team member. Observe their progress, offer feedback, and celebrate their success.

Vision and Inspiration: Charting the Course

A leader without a vision is like a ship adrift without a rudder. Paint a compelling picture of the future and inspire your team to join you on the journey.

• Share your vision: Clearly articulate your goals and aspirations for the team and the organization.
• Connect to individual goals: Help team members see how their contributions fit into the larger vision.
• Celebrate milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate progress towards the vision, keeping the team motivated and engaged.

Practical step: Organize a team meeting to share your vision. Encourage discussion and brainstorm ways to achieve collective goals.

Remember, true leadership is about more than just authority. It’s about inspiring trust, empowering others, and guiding your team towards a shared vision.

Embrace your role with confidence, clarity, and a genuine desire to help others succeed.

Conclusion

Lead with Heart, Guide with Grace. As you step into leadership, remember that your relationships are not obstacles to overcome but bridges to build upon. Recalibrate, don’t rupture. Lead with authenticity, communicate openly, and foster a culture of trust and respect. Embrace your new role with confidence, knowing that genuine leadership lies not in wielding power but in empowering others. As you navigate this transition, may your journey be marked by grace, growth, and the unwavering support of those you lead.

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Join Sejal Thakkar and a panel of ten distinguished industry experts for a groundbreaking virtual event dedicated to scaling your business Hosted by Angela Priest. This diverse group of thought leaders, with expertise spanning Finance, Leadership, HR, IT, Development, Revenue Operations, and Operations, delve into the essential elements of business growth.

Sejal shares her innovative C.A.P.S framework, a comprehensive civility action plan designed to guide founders in creating respectful and inclusive work environments. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain practical, actionable insights that can propel your business forward.

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Whenever I reflect on the way I make sense of the word success, I notice this springs to mind.

Throughout much of my life, success has always been defined by what others believe I needed to have that would be good for me. Good grades throughout my education. A good job. Career prospects built on delivering key performance indicators. A growing bank balance and net worth etc.

Others’ expectations are well-intentioned, of course, and, useful once met, both for me and them. On reflection, however, they speak more of achievements – what we have as a result of our endeavours, which earns us the right to be described as successful. What they don’t do is speak to how we need to be to become successful in the first place.

When I’d consider future success in terms of what I will have, I would often find myself being anxious. These unhelpful questions, which I took very seriously, would show up in my consciousness.

• What will people think of you if you fail?
• What kind of homeless future awaits you if you don’t succeed?
• What if I fall short, don’t make the grade, get found out, or otherwise get it wrong, etc.?

In other words, unknowingly at the time, and in all innocence, I looked at success through the lens of failure. That’s why I was anxious. Self-doubting. Suffering Imposter Syndrome – call it what you will. Depressed too.

Since then, and after looking at the why-do-I-experience-life-as-I-do question in more depth, I now pay closer attention to the meaning I attach to words that I once never questioned, and just took for granted. I do so because I know my experience… of whatever I’m focussing on … be it a critical, calm or compassionate one, is connected to this sense-making.

Having success and being successfulTake the way we each judge someone else as successful by what they have. The cut of their clothes, the car they drive, their address, status, social media profile, qualifications, etc. On what basis do we make these?

I don’t know about you but it seems to me that one way of answering this question is with reference to win-lose gaming theory. It goes something like this…

…we assume there are finite resources in the world and that individuals will be rational actors when it comes to decision-making and conflict resolution. Their likely choices and outcomes can be modelled and predicted. If you can understand the model, therefore, you can game what they’ll do to win and ensure what you do is better so that you win and they lose.

This win-lose idea is ubiquitous in (western) societies. We pass or fail exams, win or lose in sport, get jobs or be rejected for them, watch heroes defeat villains in films, come out best in negotiations or come off second best, and so on. It was front of mind for my parents, teachers etc. They wanted me to stand a good chance of winning, or succeeding, in this game they called life.

I once heard someone say “Children don’t always hear what you say, but totally get how you are. They pick up on your mood or way of being while you’re conveying a message to them”. If true, what I picked up on, as a young boy, in the way my parents and teachers encouraged me, was their fear of what would happen should I fail. This is what entered my brain. Unknowingly. It created a neural pathway, which shaped my sense-making of success thereafter.

You might say my hidden fear of failure, like many others I’ve since discovered, meant I’d got the wrong end of the stick. True. Perhaps. I just hadn’t noticed this. My system simply did what it does subconsciously – note the fears that sat behind encouragements to succeed and internalised them without telling me!

Having what success gives us, I learnt, depends on our way of being with ourselves first and foremost and others secondarily. If we interpret failure, for instance, in less fearful terms, more as an opportunity to learn, it can’t grip us so tightly and helps us be more curious and experimental. Free of self-limiting self-talk about failure, we find listening to what others need and want easier. We get to enjoy the puzzle that is helping them get what they value. They feel we understand them and are rooting for them. In turn, they reward us, financially, emotionally, in kind, etc., which brings us back to the start – the success we have.

Virtuous cycles like these can be created in teams, families, and networks. First, though, we need to surface the fear-based mindsets that key influencers in these groups operate from, unknowingly most often.

I have a way of helping you do that, which I call the…

..The feeling testIt’s premised on the idea that when a thinking habit you’ve had for some time, but didn’t realise you had, is no longer helpful, your body’s pretty good at letting you know. You’ll feel an unease. Whether it’s because the context in which you’re working changes or colleagues around you have ways of doing things that aren’t optimal, or whatever else, my encouragement is to tune into what you’re body’s trying to tell you, rather than brush it off.

The opposite is true too, of course. When the thinking you’re living in resonates with those around you and the context you’re working in, you’ll feel great on the whole.

This is how the test works. Below are representations of two mindsets that reflect similar, but subtly different understandings of what success and failure mean in an established team. As you read or listen to each, I invite you to notice which resonates most with you. See what bubbles up in you with respect to Mindset A and B and what you feel about each.

Mindset A

Success in this team is measured by the money people earn. It reflects the rewards people get from taking risks in a competitive environment. It’s rooted in the idea of survival of the fittest. The most talented of our members will always rise to the top. They are good at predicting what clients want and controlling employees and suppliers to deliver in ways others can’t. Failure occurs when clients’ expectations are not met and rewards dip below plan. Extrinsic motivators like promotion, commission, and bonuses mitigate the risk of failure. They’re awarded when a job is well done and so bring a sense of well-being to those who contributed to it.

Mindset B

Success in this team is measured by wellbeing: the extent to which our employees and partners are free to think. It’s rooted in the idea of survival of the friendliest. Talents and potential are abundant. When free to think, we are innately collaborative creatures. We sense what’s needed and organise to respond to what clients really value. Failure is useful, it signals freedom to think is absent, teams are stuck in ruts and learning needs to be stimulated. Intrinsic motivators such as care for one another and pride in a job well done mitigate the risk of catastrophic failure. That’s how we attract clients, investors, and employees to us and why we’re financially successful.

What showed up? Did one resonate more than the other?

Much of the work I do is with project directors and their multi-disciplinary teams in the Construction Sector. The Sector has an unhealthy reputation for delivering overspent projects late, time after time. It operates from a fragmented, litigious culture that isn’t always conducive to collaborative working. Many of my clients want help to turn that around.

Before we begin working with each other in detail I ask them to do this simple feeling test. Most conclude their daily lived experience resonates more with Mindset A – but – they intuitively feel much better when tuning into and contemplating Mindset B.

By looking at each one in more detail we uncover a number of unspoken, hidden assumptions that we can all carry around with us, which unknowingly drive our behaviour. For instance, both mindsets contain assumptions we all hold about…

• Success – a financial must-have or what flows when a team is in a being well state?
• Failure – cause for punishment or a chance to learn?
• The nature of human nature – based on survival of the fittest (competitive) or friendliest (collaborative)?
• Talent – is it scarce or abundant?
• The future and present – predictable and controllable or emergent via sensing and responding to changes?
• Motivation – carrot and stick extrinsic motivators or intrinsic ones based on care and pride?
• Wellbeing – the by-product of a job well done or integral to it?

I’m not suggesting some assumptions are better than others because context is all important. More that by bringing those that are often buried to the surface, teams realise they needn’t behave in a one-dimensional way. They see they have more options than they might otherwise have imagined. And, more importantly, can now wonder which assumptions, if changed, might be a game changer. For instance, depending on what a team is trying to achieve, questions such as these arise…

..do the benefits of doing the following outweigh the costs and risks…

• Creating the conditions in which sense-making, choice making and action taking is decentralised?
• Making collaborative, not transactional relationships central to how we compete?
• Working from principles rather than setting targets?
• Building on strengths rather than focusing on weaknesses?
• Focussing more on prevention than fire-fighting cures?
• Changing our own perceptions first, before demanding others change theirs?

See you next time, where I’ll look at the different ways of thinking about the culture in groups, and which you find most helpful.

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Featuring Andy Bird who shares stories of how he began his career in radio before climbing the entertainment ladder to become the Chairman of Walt Disney International. The curiosity and belief that he had in the early days of his own career carried forward into recruiting others who had their own story to tell. Lessons learned from Rock and Roll!

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In a comment on a recent post of mine titled, “The Ice Cream of Success” Gladstone Leslie Samuel wrote, “Climbing the summit is success. To remain at the top is a perpetual challenge”.

This comment brought up the question of positional change, and if what positions we hold dictate how fast we need to change?

Leaders are on top and have maximum exposure to outside challenges and obstacles. The heat of challenges may melt them and start flowing their effect on employees and dishearten them.

Those leaders may cause their organizations to shrink. They need to self-inspect their mindsets and view challenges and obstacles as the salt that lowers their freezing temperature to remain “solid” in facing challenges.

The world we live in is witnessing rapid change. Change brings opportunities and challenges. Leaders may need to adapt faster than change to meet the challenges of change and grasp its opportunities.

This means leaders must foster their self-belief to make their employees feel the same. The big challenge is to keep self-belief in times of rapid change and not melt because of their heat. And if they do then only to become more fluid leaders to go around challenges and obstacles and even melt them.

Leaders may melt under the heat of challenges to enhance the speed of their leadership. Those leaders melt to enable them to execute fast and execute right.

Fluid leaders are not slow leaders who only act if they go wrong and not as planned or hoped for. They are accountable and have the agility to spring back fast.

Those leaders know well the challenges ahead but also know what opportunities are hidden in those obstacles.

Those leaders work to foster collaboration and innovation as Dennis Pitocco mentioned in his recent post on “Community Matters: Because “Everything Belongs Together”.

To do so, those leaders have the ability to keep their empathy and open communication, conflict resolution, powerful persuasion, high agility, and trust.

Those leaders adapt their leadership style to be in alignment with the challenges lying ahead. The five leadership styles are authoritarian, democratic, participative, delegating, and do as I want style.

Not all leaders are in the same position and so no leadership style shall fit all situations of the position in which leaders are.

Maybe this is a “Customized Leadership” style.

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When have you heard that someone went into risk, or danger for another because they were “psychologically safe”? You haven’t. You don’t, and, you won’t. Because we don’t go towards danger because we’re psychologically safe. We go into the unknown, the risky places, and the danger, and then innovate, for those who matter to us. For those with whom we belong.

Simply, they matter more to us than the danger. So, when it comes to that line in the sand, where on the one side we’re psychologically safe, and then on the other, we’re not, we ignore it. Our line of inhibition to take action diminishes as our belonging gets stronger.

No amount of psychological safety motivates you to have somebody’s back. You know, stick your neck out for them. That’s a function of belonging in our neurobiology. And that’s why I say, this big push to enable DEI through psychological safety misses the mark.

Companies have been spending some $8 billion a year on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) (in the US)—and see remarkably few results (Fortune, citing McKinsey & Company Dec. 7, 2021). I know the statistics show that DEI is better for business. I agree 100%!!! It’s just that the evidence and arguments don’t pan out very well across the work world. If they did, we’d have progressed way farther. I mean, really, the data proves it’s not working.

And, don’t get me wrong, a psychologically unsafe environment can definitely inhibit DEI efforts. But more importantly, a psychologically safe environment can’t pave the way for DEI. Harder still, DEI efforts threaten the status quo. And here again, I believe the status quo really needs to change. It’s a disgrace. In 2021, companies founded solely by women garnered 2.4% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups in the US. Here’s a quick unscientific study. Just did a LinkedIn search: CTO in People. Out of the first 100 people, only seven are women. No one steps into the discomfort to disrupt the status quo because they’re psychologically safe. Other reasons, yes, just not that.

I’m a former VP of people & culture, and now, an executive/orgdev coach. I’ve observed these four things about DEI efforts in both, psychologically safe and unsafe environments. And, the answers are the same.

When DEI comes before B(elonging) DEI, outside of belonging is fraught with resistance. * Diversity, without belonging, it’s a quota that gets fought * Equity, outside of belonging, gets seen as an unjust handout * Inclusion*, less belonging’s embrace, makes for a stranger in an unfriendly land

This is why, regardless of the arguments, all the data-driven evidence, the anti-bias training, training on how to make a psychologically safe workplace, etc… at 8 billion dollars a year hasn’t done much to change things. The arguments and the mandates keep failing. Because, the moment DEI efforts, even with all their honorable objectives, threaten our belonging, DEI becomes the adversary. It’s neurobiology. We’re wired to belong, as in, to really belong, before anything else.

Outside of belonging and regardless of how psychologically safe, each area and DEI easily triggers fight/flight responses.

We don’t think about DEI efforts as threatening our belonging. They’re supposed to expand belonging! But if we’re willing to be honest, yes, DEI can and does threaten. As a VP of people and culture, I found myself in an inequitable situation. It was time for raises and I was reviewing salaries. I found out that a couple of my women co-VPs were making less than me. So, I made the case for our salaries to be on par. And as much as I love the infinite game thinking, the reality is, company financial resources are finite. Their getting moved into a salary range on par meant my slated raise wouldn’t happen. What does that have to do with belonging? Lots!

My choice for equity for them came into conflict with my primary circle of belonging, providing for my family. It was my belonging with my women co-VPs that opened the door for me to choose also them, and, my family. No “Belonging” and the “E” in DEI didn’t stand a chance. And that’s regardless of how psychologically safe the environment was.

Know this. If you put your DEI efforts in the way of your people’s belonging, expect those efforts to go nowhere in the face of passive-aggressive resistance.

But when you start with belonging, real Feel, Own, Care Belonging, not a Sense of Belonging, we can open the hearts and minds to embrace DEI

We are not thinking beings that feel. We are not feeling beings that think. We are belonging beings that feel and think.

It’s from the story where we belong, that we’re willing to give, even go without, for another, to bring them into our company tribes. Moreover, each we bring in each person with their full uniqueness. We bet on their potential. From the heart in belonging, we feel, own, and care for each other. DEI gets a red carpet treatment when the filtering bias for who’s in and who’s out, gets measured by living the ways we belong* in the company and accomplishing the belief in her shared purpose. DEI becomes the means for a better Us Story. Here, filtering by how one sounds and looks, seems kind of dumb.

*(The Ways We Belong = how the lived core values guide all company deecisions.)

I love Susan LaMotte‘s definition of culture.

When asked what culture is, I use the word tribe. A functioning tribe has rules to join, rules to leave, and rules that keep the tribe running smoothly. Take modern American Indian tribes. They still run by tribal councils, and have rules to enroll and dis-enroll in the tribe. They have traditions, symbols and ways of being that are different and may even seem strange or odd to non-members. But members of the tribe relish in them. They belong.

The codified ways we belong prevent the vacuum that would otherwise get occupied by the fight/flight that comes with fitting in. Fitting in is the natural outcome in the absence of clearly defined ways of belonging. People who fight for DEI outcomes from their belonging, on the other hand, fight for each other’s diverse uniqueness. Belonging provides the inviting embrace as well as the clear and agreed-upon boundary. And, no, not everybody belongs. Only those who adhere to the ways the company tribe belongs in pursuit if it’s shared belief in purpose. (Yeah, I know I sound a little Brené Brown-ish.)

With respect to a “Sense of Belonging,” I’ll just ask you. Will you work for a sense of a paycheck?

Pause… would you work for a “sense” of a paycheck?

And though belonging is the answer, the current often-cited institutional models for understanding belonging also add even more resistance to DEI. The problem: they are one-way, receiving transactional models of understanding. An affirmation model. One-way-emotional streets. I get, therefore I belong. You’re left asking, “When the money runs out, will you still have my back?” “If they get, and I don’t, do I belong?”

Here’s Cornell University’s understanding of a Sense of Belonging for reference:

Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group. It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to work.

Here’s the APA definition:

n. The feeling of being accepted and approved by a group or by society as a whole. Also called belongingness.

Both of these popular definitions get cited regularly. And they’re both one-directional and in receive mode. They’re both affirmation/acceptance models. Nothing in them says, “we belong… I got your back.”

A New Model for Belonging, Feel, Own, CareBelonging, it’s a state of being, in relationship with others:

When you feel, own, and care for them, in their successes, dreams, and failures. And, they feel, own, and care for you in yours. It’s a two-way street.

DEI efforts need the “we’re in this together” bidirectional space so it’s not working against the neurological tide. Belonging fills the emotional space with a unite-and-fight neurochemistry, leaving less room for fight/flight. It’s a two-way street of feeling for yourself and them, owning your life and theirs, and, caring for yourself and them. And they do the same with you. If you prefer today’s typical business emotional intelligence language, it’s mutual- empathy (feeling), accountability (owning), and compassion (caring for).

I prefer to use the simpler regular language of, feel, own, and care for. It’s how we would actually talk to each other, and think, and feel towards each other if we were sitting in a coffee shop, or bar, or now, across the Zoom. We say, “I feel for you, my sister (or xi, or brother), what can I do to lighten your load?” We don’t say, “I empathize with you, person I am accountable towards, what act of compassion do you need?” The more academic and intellectual the language, the farther from the heart we seem to get.

Belonging requires all three – Feel, Own, and Care forThere’s a hollowness that we know, that comes when any of the three: feel, own, or care for, aren’t genuine, or, are missing.

• Without the Feel, (empathy) we question whether or not we’re really theirs, when they say, “You’re my friend… or my employee…” We question the “why” of their care for us.
• Without Own, (accountability) we’re stuck with the nagging doubt of whether their expressed feelings for us are true. We doubt if their care for us is actually for us.
• Without Care for, (compassion) we disbelieve in the genuineness of their expressed feelings and their claim that we are theirs.e Feel Own Care Belonging

But when you have all three, look out, you get a company of people that will find a way for each other.

You know you belong because first, YOU feel, own, and care for them, AND, second, THEY also feel, own, and care for you. If it’s just them, you’re getting affirmation, and yeah, that feels good. If it’s just you, you’re probably just fitting in, or in codependency.

It really comes down to this, we’ll fight for those that we feel, own, and care for. It’s how we get to this type of scenario.

Maori Woman With Face Tattoo Is 1st to Anchor Primetime News

You love and belong at your company so much you want to include someone from another circle of your belonging, into it. So you invite her to join. Her values align. She’s excited about joining in purpose. She didn’t come from a fancy college, but you don’t care. Hard knocks couldn’t stop her. She meets with the team, and they see she’d need some added mentoring and training, well, in the comparison of the skills to the other candidates. She’s been out of the workforce for 20 years. You could invest in her, and give some equity on her behalf, for a better company in the future. And, she even looks different, diverse, in her bright-colored clothes, and what looks to be she-warrior tattoos on her chin and up her right arm to her bicep. She sees things differently than you, but comes from the same heart, with similar enough core values.

When she told her back story, you could hear the company’s core values echoed in it. Your people could tell she’d already chosen them, and she was bold and vulnerable about it. She wanted in on the tribe. And they chose her too. Belonging’s a 2-way-street.

That’s what you get through feeling, owning, and caring for each other – real F.O.C.’n belonging.

Win the DEI long game in FOCn’belonging! Think BIED, not DEI+B1. Create a place where the ways you belong (feel, own, care for) come from your no-compromise lived core values for each other, as you work towards your shared belief in purpose. This is your primary bias/filter. 2. Include, or invite someone in, based on whether they’d embrace the ways your company tribe belongs and in their shared belief in purpose. 3. Look more towards their potential, what they can and would agree to do, vs just what they’ve done before and where they’re from. You’re willing to use equity to get them and bring them into the company belonging. 4. Seek those, in their complete and individual diversity, from a biased filter of, they’d embrace the company’s ways of belonging, and pursue its shared belief, promised land.s We take action sooner in belonging.

When your people belong, their efforts pertaining to DEI play a natural part in deepening the company tribe. In the search for adding another person to the company Us Story, they’ll unite and fight for each other’s diverse uniqueness, because the ways your people belong are clear in their invitation and boundary. They’ll act for it sooner!

Psychological safety can’t provide that. You can’t just play it safe.

You play to belong, and then you win with DEI.

I’ll leave you with a wonderful description of belonging by Owen Eastwood, the author of, Belonging, The Ancient Code of Togetherness.

Whakapapa (Maori for, “you belong here”) points a finger at us and tells us, You will not be judged by your money or celebrity or sense of self pride . . . you will be judged by what you did for our tribe. When the sun is shining on us, we must be guardians of our tribe and of each other.

Belonging, The Ancient Code of Togetherness. (pp. 18-19).

Thanks for taking the time to read this, really. If you’re curious, or, you’d like to couch your DEI in belonging for real success, give me a holler. Catch ya, Paul

This piece was originally published on LinkedIn, , November 2022.

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Hello, lovely souls!

As we begin another week, I want to share a simple yet powerful practice that can transform the quality of your day. Imagine starting each morning with a sense of purpose, calm, and joy—this is the magic that mindful intention can bring into your life.

Every morning, I wake up with the anticipation of enjoying a delicious cup of coffee in the quiet stillness before the world stirs awake. It’s this small yet delightful experience that motivates me to get out of bed. I’m fortunate to have a coffee pot that brews my coffee automatically, so I’m greeted with the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee as soon as I come downstairs. It’s my personal morning ritual, and I even sing the Folger’s jingle, “The best part of waking up…,” as I head to the kitchen.

However, I understand that not everyone wakes up with the same excitement. Many of us, due to our natural human tendency to focus on fears or dislikes, might feel a sense of trepidation as we start our day. This can unintentionally send a message of unease into our future, affecting the quality of our day.

But here’s the beautiful truth: despite the busyness and challenges of our lives, there is an abundance of joy and experiences worth savoring. By starting each day with a positive intention, we can attract more of this natural bliss into our lives. It doesn’t have to be anything grandiose celebrating the warmth of your morning coffee or the stillness of the dawn can be enough. Remember, we get stronger and better at the things we practice the most, so be patient with yourself as you develop this habit. If you find it difficult, I’m here to share tips and tricks that have helped my clients, call me.

When you send positive intentions ahead of your day, you create a momentum that manifests in your personal and professional relationships, your work, and your overall interaction with the world. Anxiety softens, and a sense of peace and purpose takes its place.

So, I encourage you, each morning, when you first awaken, take several deep, grounding breaths and reaffirm a positive intention to set the tone for your day. Quietly bless your day with words like, “May my day be filled with purpose, passion, productivity, and peace of mind.” Feel these words, think them deeply, and if you’re a visual person, imagine yourself as a light-filled being illuminating everything and everyone you encounter. If you commute to work, visualize your car and journey being paved with golden light, ensuring a safe and smooth commute. Extend this light to your workplace, infusing it with your positive intention.

Then, watch how your day unfolds. Enjoy the miracle moments that arise from this practice.

I would love to hear how this simple exercise changes your experience. Share your miracle moments with me—it truly feeds my soul to hear from you.

Remember, I am always here to support you. It is my passion and purpose to help you experience days filled with positivity, regardless of the challenges you face. If you need assistance with releasing pesky habits and rewiring your brain for more peace of mind and productivity, please reach out. I genuinely want to help.

Send positive intentions out into your day ahead and live mindfully aware of the miracle moments. Acknowledge and notice them, as this attention brings more appreciation into your experience. It’s a fact: the more attention we give to something, the more it expands.

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I always observe people around me to see if they love what they do. It is my natural curiosity, I just notice it. It shows immediately if they do (and even more obvious, when they don’t). I also worked with probably more than 1,000 people in the past 20 years who were looking for new work – mostly a more meaningful one.

I am sure once in a while you all meet those people who love what they are doing and bring their best selves to work.

What is their secret?They either really enjoy what they do or they know how to bring their strengths, and passion to their work no matter what they do. Mostly the prior.

Think about a waitress you admired. What caught your attention?

She enjoyed her work, served people with a smile, and was prompt and attentive. If this is not her favorite thing to do, she still brought her personality and her goals to the job. Maybe her willingness to be around people, maybe the fact that she decided to enjoy the journey until she makes it to the job she really wants, maybe to save the money to buy what she wants, maybe to gain the experience in customer service to start her dream business. We don’t know, yet we can tell as clients when someone is doing great work.

Over the years I noticed, that for those who really love what they do, there is always a back story.

My husband loves what he does. He loves to eliminate big risks in people’s lives. He makes sure their hard-earned money for retirement is invested in the right financial tools. He finds the best insurance plans for them. He is a true risk manager in his heart. He has no plans to retire since he loves his work.

He has a story behind all this. His parents did everything possible to send him to the best schools yet there was not too much money to replace things if they got broken or lost. He learned to take good care of his stuff at a young age. He would not take risks as some of his friends did, knowing this might be the only radio, ball or jacket he may have. It made him proud to keep his things in good shape. He embraced it so much it became part of who he is and what he does for a living. It is no coincidence.

I have a story too behind what I chose to do with my life. I help people find work they love and help companies create cultures that will attract and retain the right talent. I do not want people to go to work with a knot in their stomach chasing weekends.

That is what I observed all around me when I first started working though. It did not make any sense to me. I started questioning the status quo: Why do we work like this? Why don’t we get excited about work? Why do so many people hate what they do? Why do most people feel horrible on Mondays? Why do we accept a life like this? Can we do better than this? Can we have a meaningful job and still make money?

It was my first work experience, observing people around me that led me to be a career coach and an organizational culture consultant rooted in meaning and purpose. I dedicated my life to this purpose no matter what. My work is not separate from my life. I do this in one form or shape every day. It is the best fulfilling feeling and I want others to live it too.

I have heard so many other stories when I dug deep over the years:

I met people in my practice who studied medicine because their parents were sick. They wanted to find a cure. One client studied psychology and became a therapist because she had very tough years as a teenager going through lots of mental illness. She wanted to cure and help others.

I read a lot of stories after 9/11 where some people chose to leave their jobs to become firefighters watching their bravery after the horrible attack.

I met a mom who dedicated her life to saving children from school shootings because she lost a very young son in one.

So what we experience in life can really open the path to what we want to do with our lives. It does not even need to be paid work. Many people find meaning in their lives by doing what they care about usually stemming from their personal experience.

If you already love what you do but haven’t connected the dots yet, take a moment to reflect on the experiences and dreams that led you here.

Tracing your journey can be enjoyable and insightful. The connections may not be immediately obvious, but once you see them, it can be a grounding and enriching experience.

If you have not found your path yet or feel like you are at a crossroads to change it, watch and observe as you go through life:

• what you care about,
• experiences that move you,
• things you want to change even if you never get to see the results of your actions in your lifetime. They all carry great stories waiting to create a fulfilling path for you.

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Online education is an ever-popular choice for working professionals who need to stay abreast of daily commitments while still seeking to advance their careers. Programs such as online MBA courses offer a flexible, affordable, and effective way to acquire advanced business education and enhance professional skills.

Flexibility and Convenience of Work-Life BalanceOne of the most significant advantages of online MBA programs is their flexibility. By not having to be physically present, students can balance their studies and workplace commitments. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for working professionals who may have limited time or need to accommodate irregular work hours.

Online programs also offer self-paced learning, enabling students to progress through the coursework at their own pace. This can be advantageous for individuals who need to review material multiple times or who prefer to work on assignments during off-peak hours. Additionally, the ability to access course materials and participate in discussions from anywhere with an internet connection provides a high degree of convenience.

Online MBA Programs Can Save Money On EducationOnline MBA programs can be a more cost-effective option compared to traditional on-campus programs. These programs are less costly than traditional campus settings, as educational institutions do not incur costs relating to lecture halls, instead passing these savings on to students. Online programs are accessible to a wider range of students due to flexible payment plans and the various financial aid options. Students will also save on their own expenses as there is no need for additional accommodation or transport.

Networking Opportunities Around the WorldWhile online MBA programs may not offer the same in-person networking opportunities as traditional programs, they still provide ample opportunities to connect with peers and professionals from around the world. Virtual classrooms and group projects allow for interaction with peers from all over the world. These connections can be invaluable for career advancement, job searching, and accessing industry insights.

Technology Advances the Learning ExperienceOnline MBA programs offer an enhanced learning experience through the use of technology. By making use of technological tools, students from all over the world will be able to collaborate on projects and to share their ideas in a seamless manner. By incorporating technology throughout the teaching experience, students will have a higher engagement rate as when they are sitting in a class.

Achieving Your Professional Goals Through Career AdvancementsSkills and knowledge gained through online MBA programs will allow individuals to stay competitive in the job market. Many employers value the ability to learn independently, adapt to new technologies, and effectively communicate with diverse teams, all of which are skills developed through online MBA programs.

By making use of online MBA programs, the working class can advance their careers while maintaining flexibility and affordability. Technology makes it possible to build networks and acquire additional business knowledge in order to stay competitive in a competitive job market.

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Author’s Note: It was 48 hours after I’d died. I’d insisted to Alizah that she go home and get some good sleep and that I would see her tomorrow. Laying in the (hospital) bed alone in the room, one massive feeling and awareness landed on me. Consumed me. Not fearfully, but more like in a heavy state of complete and inescapable awe. I could’ve never seen her (Alizah) again on this earth. I could’ve never been with those I loved on this earth, again. I don’t know how many hours I sat in that space, but then, I blurted out these words, “That would’ve f##king sucked!” Sometime thereafter, I finally slept. Death wasn’t the terrible thing. It was not being amongst people you love, who love you. That’s what death meant. On the other side, was joyous laughter and play, a place that triggered no fear whatsoever. But there, I would be apart from those I love on this earth. I came back. Belonging will do that. That was twenty years ago.
____________________

We ran through the woods, over the whoopti-do’s on the trails with joyous screams of laughter… the kind that makes you smile from the edges of your mouth, clear up to your eyes. We’re all around 10-12 years old… zooming around the trees and bushes. I’d run down a whoopti-do, catching speed, and then run up another and I’d launch through the air to the next one. It was a little weird though, I couldn’t make out the faces of the other kids I was playing with, but it didn’t seem to bother me. Don’t even know how many of us were there, but we were having so much fun.

The next thing I know, the doctors are asking me, “Does this hurt? Now, does this hurt? What day is it? Do you know where you are? Do you know your name?

Me: No, No, Friday, I’m in a hospital, Paul. – “Uh, hey doc, how’d it go- is my shoulder all fixed up?”

Doc: “Well, not sure, we had a complication…”

[PAUSE]

You see, I was forty years old and went in for routine shoulder surgery to remove an impingement in my AC joint (shoulder) so I could make this particular rock-climbing move with an inverted hand jam.

Turns out, I’d flatlined five minutes into the surgery, and for the next five and a half minutes of CPR on the operating table, thirteen people worked feverishly to try to bring me back. They were about to give up and call my TOD (time of death).

And I came back, … from playing in the woods with my friends, though I didn’t know who they were. One thing’s for sure, we were happy. And I wasn’t afraid. And ever since then, I’m still not afraid, of death. It was weird. I died. I kind of felt like I should freak out, you know, at least a little. I mean, I did just die. But I couldn’t. I didn’t.

The rest of that day, Friday, was rest and tests, tests, and more tests for me. By all observations, my doctors said I was perfectly fine. Barely a trace of heart trauma enzymes registered. And, I felt fine, emotionally and physically. I should’ve had damage to my sternum, ribs, and heart. Alizah, my better half, came back to the hospital after getting the good news/bad news call from the doctors –your husband is alive, but he died. We’re hanging out in the recovery room together. She’s in a bit of shock. We’re kinda just taking it all in when the anesthesiologist comes to check on me. Everything’s fine in the convo, and then he just bursts into tears, sobbing replaces his ability to talk. I say, “I’m okay. I’m still here and I feel fine.” He gathers himself, gives us the deepest I’m sorry (and relieved) look and then leaves us to be together. It was pretty surreal.

I felt really bad for Alizah. She got all the emotional trauma out of this. Me, as far as I know, I’m just still happy to be on this earth, especially, that I’m still with her. That night, she slept in the terribly uncomfortable reclining chair next to my hospital bed. My only discomfort, well other than terrible heart-wise hospital food, my low back was super sore. Apparently, they’re not very gentle with you when they move you around during CPR. Go figure. The part of me that should have hurt, felt perfectly fine, my chest, my heart.

It’s Saturday now, and the second chair of Swedish heart surgery comes to check on me. She’s completely baffled and says it’s more like nothing happened to me. But she also says I can’t be released until Sunday for some regulatory reason for people with a heart issue. My day included testing… testing and testing again, a repeat of yesterday, well, until I went to fall asleep that night.

I’d insisted to Alizah that she go home and get some good sleep and that I would see her tomorrow. Laying in the (hospital) bed alone in the room, one massive feeling and awareness landed on me. Consumed me. Not fearfully, but more like in a heavy state of complete and inescapable awe. I could’ve never seen her (Alizah) again on this earth. I could’ve never been with those I loved on this earth, again.

I don’t know how many hours I sat in that space, but then, I blurted out these words, “That would’ve f##king sucked!” Sometime thereafter, I finally slept.

Death wasn’t the terrible thing. It was not being amongst people you love, who love you. That’s what death meant. On the other side, was joyous laughter and play, a place that triggered no fear whatsoever. But there, I would be apart from those I love on this earth.

The faceless angel that Crystal, from our favorite Sushi place, gave us after our yellow lab George died. I’d never talked with anyone except a select few about the faceless children I’d played with.

Monday comes and I’m back to work. People walked into my office, “Why are you here at work today, shouldn’t you be taking time off?” I responded that I was fine and that this was a far better alternative than the alternative. And I only told a couple of my close-circle peeps about the woods. I made my follow-up doctor’s appointments. Wednesday came, and I was seen by the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Swedish Hospital. After the full battery of tests and stuff again, I apparently had the healthy heart of a 30-year-old in a 40-year-old body. At the end of our appointment he said, “if you wanted to have another surgery tomorrow to finish it up, I’d say go ahead. But, I’m guessing you’ll pass on that (with a smile).”

A few days later, I had my follow-up with my shoulder surgeon. I wanted to thank him for bringing me back. Dr. Charles Petersen, back then he looked kinda like how Clint-Eastwood-looks-today. And he sounded like him too. Here’s what he said to me after I said thanks for bringing me back Doc.…

“Oh hell (or well), we didn’t bring you back… you came back on your own. We were trying to figure out how we were going to tell your wife.” I’m sure I gave him a rather puzzled look because, he said it again, “You came back on your own.” And, all in a Clint Eastwood-like voice and cadence!

After a pause of, oh shit, surprise, I said, “Anybody ever tells you that you sound like Clint Eastwood?” He responded with a sideways wry smile. And I followed up with, “Well thanks anyway.” Then he said, “You can thank me for not letting the EMTs put you into a coma.” Again, my face must’ve had that WTF look. He continued, “It got pretty tense and heated when they barged in and wanted to put you into an induced coma. You were awake, and I was prepared to get into a fight. That EMT was a big musclebound numbskull. That had me a little nervous. But having you possibly die twice was not going to happen.” We laughed a little together and I thanked him for that.

Between my death and that appointment, I’d simply considered things as they brought me back. They’d done just enough to get me back from a bad reaction to an anesthetic cocktail. Heck, we all sign the release forms. But that wasn’t the case.

“I came back on my own.”

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Starting your own business is enjoyable and can lead to many rewarding moments. However, you will likely also face many challenges and decisions along the way. When starting, you must decide on the correct business insurance—Tivly can help with this, ensure you have a good website, and keep your finances under control.

Our essential tip is to prepare your best and give yourself the necessary time before launching your company. The more time you give yourself, the less anxiety you will face in situations as they arise. Know that you can never eliminate all the stresses of starting up. Our collaborative blog shares three topics that embrace the many considerations when beginning your own business.

Business Insurance

Different business insurance products will always be available to you regardless of your business. Some insurance options will be optional, whereas some will be non-negotiable. For example, every business will require public liability insurance, but not all companies will want cyber insurance – although this can be beneficial if something unfortunate happens.

When looking into business insurance, there are several sites you can view, all of which will give you quotes from multiple providers, helping you find the best price. Some will allow you to pay monthly, while others will charge you a year up-front. Paying upfront typically includes a discount to save you money on the total cost of the insurance product.

Website

A website is your online shop front for what you offer! Like business insurance, you will need a website, no matter the company you run. A well-designed website catches visitors’ attention and seriously views all your offerings. It allows you to keep your customers up-to-date with the latest news. It contributes to the sales concept of creating a returning and referring clientele, known as the smooth sale!

Websites can be done very affordably now, with many online website builders offering templates that you can use to get yourself up and running. Ensure you pick one that aligns with your business theme. You will do well to hire a seasoned professional to serve your desired clientele professionally.

Accounts Package

We deliberately and briefly describe an accounts package if you need to become more familiar with it. An accounts package is an online system that helps you keep track of your business finances. A good accounts package will allow you to invoice from it, keep track of your expenses, pay employees, run monthly financial reports, and more. They vary in price and are often monthly subscriptions, so before signing up, it’s worth researching to find the best one for you. If you decide to use an accountant, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Please Advise Us

From your experience, what considerations would you suggest when starting up your own business? Which of the above three points did you find most useful? Is there anything you would like to share that will help our readers? Let us know in the comment box below; we would love to hear from you.

In Conclusion: Starting Your Business and Enjoying Growth

Reality tells us that we cannot fully comprehend everything a new business will require of us. It’s a slow start, with frustrations included. However, careful planning with help from professionals can ease some of the burden. Next, be patient with yourself to realize the better path for ultimately enjoying personal and professional growth. You will be glad you did!

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The Context:

We all hear about people chasing their dreams, the harder they try, the less likely they succeed.

• A student trying hard to be the first but could never make it…
• A guy trying hard to impress a girl but loses her eventually…
• A salesman trying hard to make a million but did not meet the target…
• A manager trying hard to control a team but finds them leaving their jobs…

There are several moments in life, where trying too hard becomes counterproductive. we spend our lives in relentless pursuit of happiness yet the more fervently we chase the more elusive it gets.

The Phenomenon:

“The more we try to catch hold of the something, the more elusive it becomes. It is like trying to clutch water in one’s hands. The harder we grip, the more it slips through our fingers. “(Alan Watts)

This profound paradox encapsulates a truth that challenges the relentless pursuit of our dreams. This paradoxical phenomenon is known as “The backwards law” (aka. The Law of Reversed Effort) suggests becoming aware, developing a balance, and letting things unfold naturally by taking a step back.

The Backwards law encourages us to get beyond the world’s materialistic achievements and enables us to seek purpose, deeper meaning, and fulfillment in aligning our actions, directing our energy, and efforts and further enabling us to live in the present moment with heightened awareness.

The Hypothesis:

Let us consider the analogy of a dog tirelessly chasing smaller animals throughout its life, only to one day decide to chase its own tail. To the dog this pursuit seems logical given his history of successful chases, however, the dog fails to grasp a simple truth; it is inherently part of what it chases. It’s a chase where the pursuer and the pursuit are intrinsically one, yet our minds fail to see this connection.

Pursuing something not only separates the pursuer from the pursuit but reinforces the fact that you lack it in the first place. So, one tends to focus on the outcome, and in that relentless pursuit, the more one becomes conscious of the outcome, one is separating self from the journey (where the essence is), with an obsession with the outcome alone. So, this does not resonate with the intended outcome. Why?

The Universe doesn’t respond to what you WANT but responds to who you are as a state of being. Your mindset. Your vibration. Your inspired actions. It’s not about the money, it’s about being a more abundant prosperous you (which brings the money or the guided path to it). It’s not about the lover, it’s about being a more in-love-with-yourself-and-life-worthy magnetic you (which calls in so many loving relationships, none of which you are attached to for your happiness because you are already so).

“When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of stress & anxiety; if I sit in my own place of patience, what I need flows to me, without pain. From this I understand that what I want also wants me, is looking for me, attracting me. There is a great secret here for anyone who can grasp it. “ (Rumi)

It’s stupidity to disintegrate self and expect the outcome. Your personality (your state of being) creates your personal reality, you become the creator of your own outcome.

The Way Forward:

“There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune”. (Shakespeare)

“The knowledge of the Tide” is what matters. It’s the Art of Sailing, rather than the art of rowing. This is called Wu-Wei, a concept that can be literally translated as “inaction”. It’s ‘The Art of Effortless Action’.

Wu-Wei emphasizes the synergy, oneness between humans & nature (universe). As our intelligence, there is a higher intelligence in nature. Wu-Wei is about aligning our actions in accordance with that higher intelligence for which one needs to develop that awareness. This requires one to slow down, be mindful, and just simply ‘act’, and not ‘try’. In Karma Yoga (“yoga of action”), there is only action (effort), an action without the sense of doership. Both doer, results become immaterial. It’s called a ‘Flow-state‘.

In Neuroscience, ‘Flow state’ is where one experiences “Selflessness; Timelessness; Effortlessness; Richness” in one’s actions. A Wu-Wei mindset promotes effortless action through non-striving ‘Flow state’. The ‘Flow state’ is a kind of Out-of-body experience that athletes experience “in the zone.” This state facilitates our optimal functioning and opens the door to our peak performance.

In a ‘Flow-state’, one becomes the act, like a dancer who becomes the dance, or the poet who becomes the poem. The ‘doer’ and the ‘act’ are intertwined into ‘action’.

Reference from Indian ancient Natyashastra:

“Yatho Hasta thatho Drishti, Yatho Drishti thatho Manah

Yatho Manah thatho Bhaava, Yatho Bhaava thatho Rasa”

“Where the hands (hasta) are, go the eyes (drishti); where the eyes are, goes the mind (manah); where the mind goes, there the emotion (bhaava) and where there is bhaava, essence (rasa) is evoked.”

This applies to anything in life, where our focus is, there goes our attention, there goes our energy; where the energy goes, there evokes our inner expression (emotion); where there is synergy (doer and the action), there the essence is. The ‘action’ with complete involvement (Flow state) results in the ‘essence’, which further synergizes with the abundance in the universe (one’s own dreams).

Final Words:

One needs to build self-awareness, practice gratitude, express one’s authentic self, focus in the ‘Here & Now’, and act purposefully where one finds joy, fulfillment, and one’s own meaning of life; by which one allows the life’s abundance to unfold and manifest naturally in its own destined time and pace.

“You don’t force. You flow. You don’t control. You create. You don’t chase. You attract. You don’t hustle. You take aligned action. What belongs to you will find you.”

“He who stands on tiptoe, doesn’t stand firm.

He who rushes ahead, doesn’t go far.

He who tries to shine, dims his own light.

He who defines himself, can’t know who he really is.

He who has power over others, can’t empower himself.

He who clings to his work, will create nothing that endures.

If you want to accord with the Tao, just do your job, then let go.” ― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Wise References:

• “Focusing on the result deprives us from the pleasure of enjoying the journey and learning from it.” (Ali Anani, PhD)
• “What goes up must come down, what comes down must go up, until both fall and come together as love.” (Mark Mckeon)
• “This drive can sometimes overshadow the value of the journey itself, leading us to overlook the importance of the lessons learned and the personal growth achieved along the way. The pursuit of excellence should be guided by values and integrity, rather than by the need to outshine others” (Sanobar A)
• “Perfection and aiming to be the best is an asymptote of which you will be continuously striving and will never ever achieve. The essence of life and the purpose of your being is to be virtuous, not vicious.” (Ramasarma Adivarahasarma)
• “I just do my best and let everything evolve as it will now.” (Zen Benefiel)
• “By wanting to be first, he loses himself, but by accepting his limitations, he finally finds himself. True victory lies in authenticity, not ranking. It’s a subtle reflection on self-acceptance.” (Rached ALIMI)
• “Our lives are made up of our own journey & the most important thing is to create our own success & enjoy the process of self-discovery – to learn to believe in our abilities & worthiness.” (Jean L. Serio)
• It’s never too late to re-evaluate and adjust our attitudes, embrace our true selves, and finding happiness in our own skin. (Milka Zadok Adiga)

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When that voice gets real, the one that tells you “There is no good job for you in the corporate space” and wants you to get out of the system, it gets exciting to think about being on your own.

Been there, done that. I know how the roller coaster ride feels like in this transition.

Your values, your passion, your purpose or how you want to work never feels aligned. You tried; you really did. You looked at different positions, you secretly looked at job ads at Linkedin every day as you continued working and even had a few interviews; yet there seems to be no good job for you out there.

You finally made the leap of faith; you are going to start your own business and make your money, in your own terms. It is wildly exciting: To be your own boss. To make your own decisions. To work on your time. To never ask for permission. To be flexible. It is really wonderful as long as we know what to expect. As in everything we long for, it is never a linear smooth ride.

So here are five facts to embrace during this transition from corporate to your own business a success:

#1 You will work more, at least initially.

Hence:

That is why it is so vital that you love and get excited about what you are about to launch. When it comes down to those extra hours you spend on your business, the energy needs to arise from deep within. You will be able to tap into a dormant energy source that you did not even know existed when you love what you are creating in the world with your own business.

#2 You will not be good at every facet of your business.

Hence:

You recognize what you are good at as early as possible. Is it the financial aspect? The business development? Product development? Innovation? Ideation? Marketing? Technology? Find the help you need in the areas you will not excel. If you are especially not good in sales/biz dev/marketing find someone as soon as possible. It does not matter how wonderful your service or your product is. If no one knows about it, you cannot get clients. Hence no profit.

#3 Your business ’s success will feel like a direct reflection of you.

Hence:

Do not identify your essence and success with your business.. If your business fails for one reason or not, it does not mean YOU failed. When you work professionally, it is easy to detach yourself from the business results yet when it is YOUR company it is not easy to do that. Our business becomes a reflection of our success. So make the distinction between your business and you. It should not define you and how successful you are. Think about founders who made it only on the 4th or 5th business they started.

#4 Every business, even the one with no inventory needs capital.

Hence:

Save some money or borrow from relatives if you can. Even if you start a service business with no inventory, no products, no shipping cost there is always a cost to build a business. Even if the items do not look expensive at first, it adds up: your website, the hosting, emails, your marketing (if you do not get the word out there, there is no business, remember?), your taxes, your accounting software, etc. None of them cost too much yet if you cannot make money right away, those costs start to look bigger and bigger.

#5 Your money story will play a huge part.

Hence:

Write down the stories you inherited. What did your parents say about money? What did you learn about money? Do you have an abundance or scarcity mindset? What comes to your mind when and if you make a lot of money from your business? All of these will come up when you have your business. It is good to be prepared, If you have a bad money story, get a coach before it influences your business results.

No matter what, building a business is super exciting. It is like giving birth. It is worth it yet it is not easy.

The more we know and set our expectations right, the more realistic we are as we chase our dreams!

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According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, there are 31 million entrepreneurs in the USA, which is 16% of our workforce. These small businesses employ 61.7 million people. In May of this year, 423,945 new business applications were filed. Keep in mind that only 65% of small businesses in the USA are profitable.

4% of entrepreneurs have a doctorate degree, 27% have master’s degrees, 44% have a bachelor’s degree, 11% have an associate’s degree and 15% have a high school diploma/GED. The top 5 industries for entrepreneurs are retail-storefront and e-commerce, food and restaurant, health beauty and fitness services, residential and commercial services, and construction and contracting.

20% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 45% fail during the first five years and 65% fail during the first 10 years according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only 25% of new businesses make it to 15 years or more. These statistics have been consistent since the 1990s. Why do so many entrepreneurs fail?

1. Your idea does not actually satisfy a need. You think you have the greatest idea since sliced bread, but you did not research what your market actually needs. You must find an opening or unmet need within a market and then fill it rather than trying to push your product or service into this market. It is much easier to satisfy a need rather than create one and convince people they should spend money with you.
2. You don’t have enough capital to last six months. In planning a new business, you must assume you won’t get your first sale for six months. So, you need to have enough funding set aside to make it to your first sales cycle.
3. Your ego gets in the way. Most entrepreneurs believe they are the smartest person in the room. But the smart entrepreneurs must admit they are not experts in every business discipline. So, if you don’t like accounting, find a CFO who is passionate about numbers. If you can’t program and design a website, find an engaged programmer and marketer. Entrepreneurs must be able to communicate with others and build a team as enthusiastic as they are. 23% of businesses fail because of poor communication between employees and poor teamwork.
4. Poor location and lack of a meaningful Internet presence will sink your business. If you rely on foot traffic, a bad location is self-explanatory. But as dangerous in today’s electronic world, is a poor Internet presence and a lack of social media impact. You need to make sure you’re marketing not only reaches people, but it reaches the right audience for your product or service.

Knowing that only 25% of businesses survive, what is driving the American entrepreneur to keep trying? Some are visionaries who dream big, and can see far into the future and can imagine how things could be different. Some are problem solvers who not only want to create a product, but they are filling a gap, a pain point or an inefficiency. Some want to be the social change agent who has a positive impact on society. Others just want to be their own bosses seeking freedom and autonomy. While some want to create a legacy with a lasting impact that stands the test of time, whether it is a brand, a family business or just leaving a mark on their industry; with the desire to be remembered and create something bigger than themselves.

It does look like the entrepreneurial torch is finally being passed down from the Baby Boomer generation according to Guidant. Baby Boomers, who have long been considered the backbone of entrepreneurship, experienced a 7% drop in representation since last year. Millennials experienced a 27% increase since 2023 showing their growing influence creating businesses through the Internet which now makes this generation 16% of entrepreneurs. Generation X now has the most entrepreneurs with 47% and Boomers fall to 37%.

Passion is the entrepreneur’s fuel. It sustains them through tough times and is rooted in a deep-seated desire to solve problems and make a difference. This emotional investment is why entrepreneurs repeatedly face risks and failures without giving up. Entrepreneurship inherently involves risk. Successful entrepreneurs are those who not only understand and manage this risk but also learn to embrace failure as a step toward success. Their risk tolerance allows them to see beyond temporary setbacks. America has been an entrepreneurial country since its inception. With the advent of the Internet, electronic communications, and the ability to reach the world from your home office, the newest generation of entrepreneurs may be on the cusp of being the most successful group in our history. I truly do hope this will happen.

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In this episode of The Sanity Project Podcast, host Joanne Victoria talks with self-mastery mentor and manifestation expert, Andrea Lowell. Andrea shares her personal journey of overcoming alcohol addiction and low self-esteem, and how she used these experiences to develop her self-mastery method. She discusses the importance of courage, accountability, and spiritual principles in personal growth. Andrea also shares a success story of a client who overcame debt and physical pain through her program. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of gratitude and the potential for a retreat called “Beyond the Cake.”

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Whenever I reflect on the way I make sense of the word success, I notice this springs to mind. Throughout much of my life success has always been defined by what others believe I needed to have that would be good for me. Good grades throughout my education. A good job. Career prospects built on delivering key performance indicators. A growing bank balance and net worth etc.

Others’ expectations are well intentioned, of course, and, useful once met, both for me and them. On reflection, however, they speak more of achievements – what we have as a result of our endeavours, which earns us the right to be described as successful. What they don’t do is speak to how we need to be to become successful in the first place.

When I’d consider future success in terms of what I will have, I would often find myself being anxious. These unhelpful questions, which I took very seriously, would show up in my consciousness.

• What will people think of you if you fail?
• What kind of homeless future awaits you if you don’t succeed?
• What if I fall short, don’t make the grade, get found out, or otherwise get it wrong etc.?
  In other words, unknowingly at the time, and in all innocence, I looked at success through the lens of failure. That’s why I was anxious. Self-doubting. Suffering Imposter Syndrome – call it what you will. Depressed too.

Since then, and after looking at the why-do-I-experience-life-as-I-do question in more depth, I now pay closer attention to the meaning I attach to words that I once never questioned, and just took for granted. I do so because I know my experience… of whatever I’m focussing on … be it a critical, calm or compassionate one, is connected to this sense making.

Having success and being successfulTake the way we each judge someone else as successful by what they have. The cut of their clothes, the car they drive, their address, status, social media profile, qualifications etc. On what basis do we make these? I don’t know about you but it seems to me that one way of answering this question is with reference to win-lose gaming theory. It goes something like this…

…we assume there are finite resources in the world and that individuals will be rational actors when it comes to decision making and conflict resolution. Their likely choices and outcomes can be modelled and predicted. If you can understand the model, therefore, you can game what they’ll do to win and ensure what you do is better so that you win and they lose.

This win-lose idea is ubiquitous in (western) societies. We pass or fail exams, win or lose in sport, get jobs or be rejected for them, watch heroes defeat villains in films, come out best in negotiations or come off second best, and so on. It was front of mind for my parents, teachers etc. They wanted me to stand a good chance of winning, or succeeding, in this game they called life.

I once heard someone say “Children don’t always hear what you say, but totally get how you are. They pick up on your mood or way of being while you’re conveying a message to them”. If true, what I picked up on, as a young boy, in the way my parents and teachers encouraged me, was their fear of what would happen should I fail. This is what entered my brain. Unknowingly. It created a neural pathway, which shaped my sense making of success thereafter.

You might say my hidden fear of failure, like many others’ I’ve since discovered, meant I’d got the wrong end of the stick. True. Perhaps. I just hadn’t noticed this. My system simply did what it does sub consciously – note the fears that sat behind encouragements to succeed and internalised them without telling me!

Having what success gives us, I learnt, depends on our way of being with ourselves first and foremost and others secondarily. If we interpret failure, for instance, in less fearful terms, more as an opportunity to learn, it can’t grip us so tightly and helps us be more curious and experimental. Free of self-limiting self-talk about failure, we find listening to what others need and want easier. We get to enjoy the puzzle that is helping them get what they value. They feel we understand them and are rooting for them. In turn they reward us, financially, emotionally, in kind etc., which brings us back to the start – the success we have.

Virtuous cycles like these can be created in teams, families and networks. First though, we need to surface the fear-based mindsets that key influencers in these groups operate from, unknowingly most often.

I have a way of helping you do that, which I call the…

..The feeling test

It’s premised on the idea that when a thinking habit you’ve had for some time, but didn’t realise you had, is no longer helpful, your body’s pretty good at letting you know. You’ll feel an unease. Whether it’s because the context in which you’re working changes, or colleagues around you have ways of doing things that aren’t optimal, or whatever else, my encouragement is to tune into what you’re body’s trying to tell you, rather than brush it off.

The opposite is true too, of course. When the thinking you’re living in resonates with those around you and the context you’re working in, you’ll feel great on the whole.

Below are representations of two mindsets that reflect similar, but subtly different understandings of what success and failure mean in an established team. As you read or listen to each, I invite you to notice which resonates most with you. See what bubbles up in you with respect to Mindset A and B and what you feel about each.

Mindset A

Success in this team is measured by the money people earn. It reflects the rewards people get from taking risks in a competitive environment. It’s rooted in the idea of survival of the fittest. The most talented of our members will always rise to the top. They are good at predicting what clients want and controlling employees and suppliers to deliver in ways others can’t. Failure occurs when clients’ expectations are not met and rewards dip below plan. Extrinsic motivators like promotion, commission and bonuses mitigate the risk of failure. They’re awarded when a job is well done and so bring a sense of wellbeing to those who contributed to it.

Mindset B

Success in this team is measured by wellbeing: the extent to which our employees and partners are free to think. It’s rooted in the idea of survival of the friendliest. Talents and potential are abundant. When free to think, we are innately collaborative creatures. We sense what’s needed and organise to respond to what clients really value. Failure is useful, it signals freedom to think is absent, teams are stuck in ruts and learning needs to be stimulated. Intrinsic motivators such as care for one another and pride in a job well done mitigate the risk of catastrophic failure. That’s how we attract clients, investors, and employees to us and why we’re financially successful.

What showed up? Did one resonate more than the other?

Much of the work I do is with project directors and their multi disciplinary teams in the Construction Sector. The Sector has an unhealthy reputation for delivering overspent projects late, time after time. It operates from a fragmented, litigious culture that isn’t always conducive to collaborative working. Many of my clients want help to turn that around.

Before we begin working with each other in detail I ask them to do this simple feeling test. Most conclude their daily lived experience resonates more with Mindset A – but – they intuitively feel much better when tuning into and contemplating Mindset B. By looking at each one in more detail we uncover a number of unspoken, hidden assumptions that we can all carry around with us, which unknowingly drive our behaviour. For instance, both mindsets contain assumptions we all hold about…

• Success – a financial must have or what flows when a team is in a being well state?
• Failure – cause for punishment or a chance to learn?
• The nature of human nature – based on survival of the fittest (competitive) or friendliest (collaborative)?
• Talent – is it scarce or abundant?
• The future and present – predictable and controllable or emergent via sensing and responding to changes?
• Motivation – carrot and stick extrinsic motivators or intrinsic ones based on care and pride?
• Wellbeing – the by product of a job well done or integral to it?

I’m not suggesting some assumptions are better than others, because context is all important. More that by bringing those that are often buried to the surface, teams realise they needn’t behave in a one-dimensional way. They see they have more options than they might otherwise have imagined. And, more importantly, can now wonder which assumptions, if changed, might be a game changer.

For instance, depending on what a team is trying to achieve, questions such as these arise …do the benefits of doing the following outweigh the costs and risks…

• Creating the conditions in which sense making, choice making and action taking is decentralised?
• Making collaborative, not transactional relationships central to how we compete?
• Working from principles rather than setting targets?
• Building on strengths rather than focusing on weaknesses?
• Focussing more on prevention than fire-fighting cures?
• Changing our own perceptions first, before demanding others change theirs?

See you next time, where I’ll look at the different ways of thinking about the culture in groups, and which you find most helpful.

Kindest,

Roger

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To answer this question we should start from the consideration that work cannot only be the means through which we earn a living but also the opportunity to make the most of our talents, to feel useful to others, to contribute together with others an efficient community. Work should always have meaning for those who carry it out, and generate self-esteem and deep satisfaction.

Unfortunately, these opportunities cannot always be seized, jobs are not always full of meaning and opportunities for growth. There are, in fact, workers who feel humiliated by the work they do, jobs that make them suffer, which produce “existential expropriation” in those who find themselves trapped in them.

The dignity of a job, and its profound meaning, derives from two connected but distinct dimensions:

The first is the very nature of work, its usefulness, its ability to mobilize creativity, skills, ingenuity, and relationships: the doctor who saves lives, the engineer who builds bridges made to last, the cleaner who makes liveable the environments in which they work and operate, the baker and the hairdresser who feed us and make us presentable.

Then there are jobs, such as, for example, those who design bombs that also seem like toys and, instead, are explosive devices that maim and kill. Or like those where chemistry is used in an extreme or careless manner causing damage to the health of consumers; or even those who produce slot machines that create dependencies.

And what about that public official who uses his discretion, even within the scope of legality, to grant favors rather than to protect rights?

These jobs certainly cannot be considered worthy in the same way as many others, by their very nature. Legal, yes, perhaps, but certainly not worthy.

The second aspect is that relating to the conditions in which each job is carried out. In general, in short, there are activities that are made more or less worthy in relation to the environment and the conditions in which they are carried out. Worthy work, made unworthy by external conditions.

A simple example: that of the teacher, which is perhaps the most beautiful profession in the world, but when the pact of trust with families is broken, and society questions the importance of culture and competence, then also the profession of The teacher loses meaning and dignity.

Admitting that not all jobs are equally worthy simply means asking that all jobs, especially the most humble ones, can at least be carried out in conditions that are respectful of the rights and intrinsic value of every human being.

No one should be forced to do a job they don’t want to do, to accept a job that is socially useless or even harmful to others.

The risk that can be glimpsed is that the narrative of “all jobs are worthy”, disguised as egalitarian humanitarianism and magnanimous liberality, does nothing but block social change, silence the just demands for basic rights, the requests for more humane conditions and delegitimize any possible attempt at reform.

Instead, stating forcefully that not all jobs are worthy provokes us and also forces us to ask ourselves through which mechanisms we end up doing one job rather than another.

We can ask ourselves whether certain jobs are devoid of meaning and dignity because they are generally carried out by marginalized individuals, with a lower social status, with little education and self-esteem; or, these jobs are carried out by certain people because it is the jobs that are intrinsically devoid of meaning and dignity.

And this question recalls another, that of the “rhetoric of meritocracy”, according to which those who “made it” are because they deserved it and those who, however, did not make it are because he hasn’t worked hard enough and must therefore be satisfied with unworthy jobs.

In this way, however, all we do is reproduce inequality, legitimize injustices, even giving them a moral justification.

Decent work for all means dignity in all areas of human activity, for those who have a formalized employment relationship. It means dignity at home and safety on the way to and from work; it means dignity in the countries of origin, transit, and destination. It also means freedom and liberation for people forced to work against their will and for children subjected to the harshest working conditions.

We could therefore agree on the fact that not all jobs are equal in their ability to promote well-being for oneself and others, to generate self-esteem and respect, and that this fact cannot be hidden by stating, instrumentally, that every job is equally worthy only because it allows you to make a living.

We cannot talk about dignity if working is only to survive, without perceiving a minimum purpose, an objective.

We can talk about dignity if humanity is a priority in the workplace if work is a real continuous encounter between rights and duties, a relationship of respect between those who work and those who offer work.

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You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.

― Steve Jobs

I know now this is true. The conviction on something that will work is what makes you a founder. The belief that what we dream and design will work outlasts all the other excuses that would make us give up.

To be driven by the idea or the problem, we have to believe in our fellow believers, not be consumed by those, not in play. Coaches and critics never win matches, but the players and the founders do. So when my partner says ‘trust me’ — I do — and I have known this for almost a decade as part of a team of entrepreneurs. I have been a solopreneur for three years, and a successful one too — paid top dollar for my hours — but to become an entrepreneur, I had to defy and defend my beliefs from those who watch and whistle from the sidelines.

I have built and managed teams successfully, yet there are times when criticisms have stopped me in my tracks. The criticisms by those who cannot do, or have never done things must be ignored by those who have set out to do things.

But what happens when the ones I am in the trenches and fighting with, become skeptics?

Some of the projects that we start are born with a spark — just a snippet of an idea that seems to make sense and slowly grows with time. But it is easy to realize that while it is an extension of what we already do, it has to have a distinct identity. Gosh, we got it wrong the first time. That is why, we lean on people who seem to know the environment and the stakeholders better than us, which becomes the foundation of the partnership. set out to make a plan, led by the experts.

What I bring to the table is organization building, strategy, my two cents of common sense, and my deep faith in the person and therefore, the plan. So we make the plan including the financial model covering revenues and costs. Looks good? I think so because it seems to exude common sense.

What I also bring to the table is hard-nosed execution skills, the ability to figure out what to do when, problem-solving, and most importantly, persistence. So, with a plan in hand, we set out on this wonderful journey, feeding on each other’s enthusiasm. I open doors and hold them with pride, soaking in the seeming clarity of our solutions.

Then … we hit a wall. Just imagine this — we are out in the trenches in the frontline, almost rolling in mud, and then I find guns trained on me. The guns turned out in the form of skeptical questions fired as sharp darts.

I will skip to the last. What I went through is something I won’t explain. But what do we do when our comrades turn into skeptics, right in the middle of the battle? I am designed to sit and plan in a far-off tent, but here I am, fighting the battle because my side decided to cut down their roles.

Men are never convinced of your reasons, of your sincerity, of the seriousness of your sufferings, except by your death. So long as you are alive, your case is doubtful; you have a right only to their skepticism.

― Albert Camus, The Fall

Do we fight the skepticism or do we fight the battle that has already started? Gosh, we prepared for a 3-to-5 year war, and even called it the blue ocean strategy. For a founder to turn a skeptic against their own plan is something I have yet to stomach. Yet, I recognize their right to do so.

In this chaotic chasm that has emerged, silence is my ally. Rather than turning my eyes to the side, I look ahead. Oh, I can tell you this, I have got my share of I-told-you-so’s from those who believe in me (that is another type of skepticism). Still, I am silent.

I don’t know if the skeptics are just doing their bit, which I respect, or do they trust the plan that they so enthusiastically built. People who don’t fight the war never count anyway. It is the one who is in the trenches that matters.

I believe the person beside me, I hope that their skepticism is momentary. I know my plan is not the best one, but sometimes, a silent, stoic response to skepticism is the only way to proceed further in this battle of dreams, hope, and enthusiasm.

So, I have decided to find my answers in silence. Speak when I must, and when it is inevitable. My hope lies that somewhere the candle that illuminates the corner of my heart will help me sail through these moments.

In Silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves.

― Rumi

The wisdom is out there. In moments like this, we have to just be.

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Seagull managers fly in, make a lot of noise, dump on everyone, and then fly away.

– Ken Blanchard

Living in coastal South Carolina and thoroughly enjoying time at the beach, I have come to get acquainted with seagulls. I have had a love-hate relationship with seagulls over the years. I have been fascinated by watching them at the beach whether in flight or walking along in the sand in search of food. I have been annoyed by their dive-bombing in attempts to partake in my snacks at the beach or interrupting my outdoor dining at local seafood restaurants. It just comes with the territory when you live along the coast.

Seagulls are interesting birds. In my research, I have learned that they can detect food from as far as three miles away, can fly as fast as 28 mph, and can fly long distances and glide over open ocean for hours in search of food.

In the quote above, Ken Blanchard humorously sums up what it is like to be around seagulls. Seagulls tend to fly in, make a lot of noise, dump on things, and then fly away. From experience, I can tell you that this is not too far-fetched.

Marshall Goldsmith observed, “One of the most important actions, things a leader can do, is to lead by example. If you want everyone else to be passionate, committed, dedicated, and motivated, you go first!”. As a leader, you have to be out front leading the way in the things that matter most to you and those you lead.

I would like to share my leadership takeaways from Blanchard’s quote and the actual approach you should take as a leader.

Fly-in vs. being present and approachableAs a leader, you can fly in and fly out and be all over the place. Or, you can take a more deliberative approach and be a leader who is present among his/her people and is recognized as a stabilizing influence. This is not to be confused with micromanaging. Instead, you are a steady and reliable leader who leads with passion and influence.

Leadership Tip: Don’t flit and fly. Be present.

Make a lot of noise vs. being humble and listeningIf you have ever worked with a leader who flies in and flies out and makes a lot of noise, you know how unsettling that can be at times. In your leadership, strive to lead with humility, and be in touch with your people. Take time to listen and be engaged with them and build relationships.

Leadership Tip: Don’t be a loudmouth and bark orders. Be approachable and a good listener.

Dump on everyone vs. adding value to everyoneWhen your presence is a disruption because of your words and actions, you need to rethink your leadership. If all you are doing is dumping on people, barking orders, and flying away, you are only making things unbearable for your people. That style of leadership sinks morale along with the ship. Consequently, your best and brightest will soon be leading an exodus. If instead, your presence adds value, meaning, and purpose to your people, you will see your leadership style transform from that of a seagull to that of an eagle – soaring to new heights.

Final Thoughts

Your leadership development is a work in progress. Leading and lifting others begins when you develop the right leadership mindset and attitude that is attractive and uplifting, not disruptive and ugly.

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In this new episode of The Mind Takeaway Podcast, we sit down with the dynamic Stephanie von Behr, Managing Director and Co-founder of Founderland, to explore the multifaceted challenges faced by women of colour founders in the tech ecosystem.

Stephanie takes us behind the scenes of Founderland, a community dedicated to empowering underrepresented founders by providing them with resources, education, and networking opportunities. With less than 0.5% of VC funding going to women of colour, Stephanie and her team are on a mission to level the playing field through innovative initiatives like their pitch AI mentor, Pam, which uses cutting-edge technology to help founders refine their pitches and gain investor confidence.

Our conversation delves into the power dynamics of pitching, the pervasive effects of imposter syndrome, and the importance of setting professional boundaries. Stephanie shares her journey as a founder, including the tough decision to leave her first company, highlighting the importance of aligning with the right co-founders and the transformative power of coaching for startup teams.

We also discuss the significance of bringing one’s whole self to work and how creating a culture of authenticity and collaboration can lead to more effective teams and stronger organisations. Stephanie’s insights on leadership, the role of culture in fostering diversity, and the impact of personal growth on professional success are a testament to the resilience and creativity of founders who dare to challenge the status quo.

Join us for a heartfelt and enlightening discussion that offers hope, practical strategies, and a reminder that small, intentional changes can have a profound ripple effect on our communities and the world.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Stephanie von Behr and Founderland

(01:25) The birth of Pam, the pitch AI mentor for founders

(01:36) Founderland is the fastest-growing community for women of colour founders

(04:38) The emotional journey of pitching to investors

(07:50) Stephanie’s story of becoming a founder and the importance of co-founder relationships

(08:19) Let’s talk about your experience being a founder

(12:15) The role of coaching in strengthening startup teams

(16:30) Setting fluid boundaries and the power of vulnerability

(17:27) Stephanie: I can give myself praise; I don’t need others

(18:33) You’ve set some professional and personal boundaries with your team

(20:45) The impact of culture and leadership on diversity and inclusion

(23:08) Setting boundaries can also be a collaborative effort, Brene Brown says

(25:32) Stephanie’s commitment to personal growth and community engagement

(29:02) I committed myself this year to getting more into my art background

(34:50) Only 2% of venture capital funding goes to women, according to Forbes

(39:10) It’s about working on yourself first. And going back to earlier in our conversation

(43:53) Well, this has been a great conversation. Thank you so much, Peter

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We work hard to advance our careers, but suddenly, feeling like we are back where we started can be very frustrating. The situation raises our blog question: Are you caught in the circle of life?

No doubt, many people experience the situation, but how we handle it is the differentiator for success ahead. Sadly, most have the urge to quit, telling themselves, ‘It’s of no use.’ But that doesn’t have to be the case when we embrace the determination to learn and improve to move forward.

My Story

From my perspective, all areas are affected by the circle of life—for example, global and local news, the stock market, and our endeavors. At times, it seems as if we are returning to the era of almost cave dwellers, and today, with AI on the rise, the thought of space aliens visiting Earth is possible, and our living on the moon almost sounds like a good idea.

During our challenging times, it’s good to focus inward to discuss with our alter-ego what we wish to achieve in our lifetime and how our legacy may appear. A long-term vision for how we each desire our success and achievements is vital as it motivates us to continue.

Ideas to Remain In The Game

• Dedicate oneself to a list of challenging goals by taking the extra steps to achieve them.
• Admission to oneself when a strategy needs revision and the fortitude to fix it.
• Upon feeling confident, attempt something new and challenging.

The sales profession taught me to build genuine relationships with clientele plus stand my ground with bullies in the sales arena: education, good and almost evil, empowered my approach to entrepreneurship. Moving several times sent my effort spiraling downward until I caught each issue to dismantle it to move forward.

The magic occurs when we attempt something new beyond what we initially envision. Excitement returns for us to put a renewed effort into the new idea. Surprisingly, our previous experiences assist with turning our new thoughts into a robust outcome for the better. And sharing the good and bad experiences and how we dealt with them empowers others and increases audience awareness for the better.

Your Story: Caught In the Circle of Life?

No matter the size of the company for whom you may work, a retail store, or entrepreneurship, sooner or later, you may realize that you are caught in the circle of life to ponder what comes next. It becomes the time to focus on what you enjoy doing outside of work, or are there lessons realized that you want to share to empower others?

The possibilities are limitless for ending the circle of life to reach outward. No one but you knows the answer that will direct you to feel enjoyment and the utmost satisfaction.

Until you realize your better route, say ‘no’ to being caught in a loop to contemplate how to advance beyond.

In Conclusion: Caught In the Circle of Life

Upon embracing your ideas to remain in the game, bonuses arrive. Initially, receiving offers from others we previously viewed as out of our realm may seem like a shock. It happened for me and a friend, and the same may occur for you – but only if you give your vision an all-out effort to make it a reality.

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Let us talk about the past for a while.Corporate: Today’s so-called Directorships and Head of minor verticals, I had seen a decade ago with direct access to the Chairman’s office and the Chairman himself. In relative context, I have climbed the peaks that others have claimed to have achieved today. That’s at least a decade’s headstart.

Consultant: A short 3-year stint, all right, but with 100% success, in terms of monetary outcomes for clients (more quantified than human outcomes).

Solopreneur: I ran a content business successfully making money more than any coaching business gives; I ran and successfully exited a digital magazine business.

Entrepreneur: I could find and stay in a decade-long partnership and then add another three partners of four-plus years. All of us are honest, simple people who have seen enough success in our lives collectively and built successful businesses.

Why did I start with all this? In a three-decade journey, I have been a bakery employee, and baker, have run a bakery, taught others to bake, and finally, owned a bakery. Of course, there are many more successful people than me. So what makes me — us?

PS: I respect bakers and baker owners alike.

Humility:

I don’t brag about my past. I only count what I have — in terms of contextual exposure. I don’t need to prove myself to win a business. I have told stories about how our partnerships have endured and how we learned from our failures; and numbers that may be relevant to a context. The idea is to give ‘reasonable confidence’ and then go about getting things done.

Bragging has one issue. It always precipitates things, when it is not necessary. The creation of high stakes is more about showboating, and it is not the definition of a ‘value system’. What makes a value system is that when you say ‘It is our first outing’, it is enough for all stakeholders to understand that there is ambiguity and not all outcomes are guaranteed. The only value system that works there is to trust the other stakeholders to put their hundred percent, execute, and learn from the outcomes.

The only value system that has stood with me in this is ‘humility’. I have been critiqued for being silent in situations where I could prove or counter a point, but most people forget that it is that silence that has enabled me to understand the person who rides on the high horses. It is easy to the quiet grass that is trampled upon, but it can survive the stomping and the storms.

If we are sticking it together for a decade, then my contribution to that is humility. No partner has ever worked beyond six months, without that crucial attribute. For a solo rider, thumping chests and talking big may work, but in a partnership, it is about being humble that works.

Gratitude:

Humility and gratitude are the two sides of the same coin. I may be the genius in my team, but I don’t make the 100%. I can’t be successful — we can’t be successful if we are trying to prove a point all the time. To think that we know-it-all and others are lesser (read humility or the lack of it) does not make a team.

I am not faultless here; but by and large, it has worked for me. I am grateful for the bouquets and brickbats, but in a partnership, we never question the basics — the integrity, the intention, and the ingredients. There are shortcomings and challenges, but which partner is ideal? But when push comes to shove, and on my bad days, there is always some partner who holds the fort.

The depth that partnerships bring can never be replaced by individual brilliance. A decade of being a partner has taught me this. Gratitude follows humility.

Ambiguity:

Partners are as various as they come. Some are silent backers and contributors, others are vociferous vanguards. But only one or two of us deal with ambiguity. Ambiguity is about thinking in the clouds, and acting ahead of the actual plan in progress.

Ambiguity is a challenge that most partners can’t figure out. Most want a black-and-white answer, but they know there are no answers, so they often get the answer ‘Let us figure this out.’ Most of our partners, who have survived together have understood what that means.

Here is where the trust comes in — I have not got answers to many questions that need answers, but if a partner does not answer or says ‘Let’s figure’, it means that there is no answer yet. Now, if you add the humility and gratitude attributes to this question, it is easy to handle the ambiguity. We never hang a partner out in the open, and leave them high and dry — even if we follow up. We question the delay, but never the intent.

Showboating is neither about humility nor gratitude, so it ends in precipitation, nor that is when partnerships crack.

Loyalty:

Loyalty is about having one’s back. It involves a refined understanding of the above — individual traits of humility and gratitude, and the collective understanding of ambiguity.

After building teams and not merely advising them, I have personal experience with peers and people above and below me. As an employee and a leader, the one thing I cringe about is the lack of loyalty.

When a person separates themselves from the team, loyalty is tested. This comes from the lack of the first three.

What about integrity?

As an avid student of history, I have realized that humans err. Humans err in their moral decisions — not because they are corrupt, but because of their context. Value systems are relative, and as long as the above four are intact, integrity becomes a common understanding unless somebody is a malicious outlier.

Example: A soldier, a spy, a counterterrorist, a diplomat, a salesperson, Lord Krishna — all of these have a role that makes them play in the grey, for the greater good. But note that all of them will have the above four attributes covered so that the context of their actions are understandable. (I know people who will whitewash the Gods.)

So, when a client asks ‘Can you guarantee a result?’ the honest answer should be — no one can, ever. If somebody says they can, that is a lie. Past performance cannot guarantee future results — even the stock market cries out the caveats, so forget the human performances.

When operating in an ‘uncertain’ business, it is obvious that the outcome is a ‘best effort basis’. The results will create a track record over some time, creating increased confidence among the team. So precipitate guarantees as absolute are like the buried heads of ostriches. Add a first-time effort to that, and then the context is understood.

So what about the promises to customers? Setting expectations is important. The results come after the effort, and it is about winning the client’s faith in collaborating for the effort. After all, the client pays on success — so where is the ‘integrity’ issue here?

Of Bakers and Bakeries:

A baker — an individual player can succeed because of their talent or discipline. Baking cakes is an art, a much-respected talent. But a great cake does not make a great bakery.

Running a bakery is teamwork. A bakery team member should be humble, grateful, loyal, and of course, understand ambiguity. The complexity comes when the cake is not about cake only — it is about other condiments, side eats, main eats, juices, and a whole menu, that the baker cannot understand.

Sometimes, we start a bakery by selling coffee. The cakes will sell.

Without the bakery, there is no bakery. The baker will get to bake. But for that, the baker has to understand that the others who do their part in running the show complete the bakery.

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Trucking stands as an industry pillar that transports goods across vast distances to meet our needs and meet shelves stocked with goods. If you have ever looked down an empty highway and thought “That could be me behind the wheel,” becoming a truck driver offers both financial security as well as freedom on an open road, not to mention adventure.

Getting Started: Requirements and TrainingMeet the Basic QualificationsBefore embarking on your driving career, it’s important that you satisfy a few basic qualifications for becoming a truck driver. In general, at least 21 years old and holding a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Furthermore, applicants will require an excellent driving record with no major violations, plus additional endorsements such as hazardous material transport or passenger transportation endorsements as necessary.

Enroll in a Training ProgramAttending a truck driving school can equip you with all of the skills and knowledge necessary for success on the road. Here you will learn vehicle operation, safety regulations, basic repairs, trip planning and logistics. Furthermore, many schools have affiliated trucking companies which may hire graduates right after training has ended, making it easier to begin driving right after graduating.

Navigating the Road Ahead: Types of Truck Driving JobsLong-Haul vs. Local DrivingAs a new truck driver, it can be challenging deciding between long-haul or local trucking as your career path. Long-haul drivers transport goods across the country often spending days or weeks away from home, but this work comes with higher pay and adventure. Local trucking offers more regular home time with deliveries within an area. Each option offers unique benefits so think carefully about which best meets your work-life balance needs.

Specialized Freight OpportunitiesTrucking’s world of loads is wide-ranging. To expand on this diversity, consider exploring specialized freight opportunities, which could range from transporting refrigerated goods, oversized loads or livestock, to taking advantage of niche markets that require extra training or endorsements but often offer higher pay rates. Specialization could be a rewarding avenue of exploration.

Thriving on the Road: Tips for SuccessMaintain Your VehicleYour truck is your most precious possession, treat it accordingly. Routine inspection and repairs can prevent costly breakdowns on the road and ensure safety at all times. Establish an inspection routine and invest in any needed repairs as soon as possible.

Stay Health-ConsciousTruck driving often entails long hours spent sitting, which can contribute to an inactive lifestyle. Make a commitment to staying active on the road by finding ways during breaks and eating nutritious meals. Many truck stops also provide healthy dining options.

Be Aware Of Your HoursKnowing and abiding by regulations pertaining to driving hours is crucial to both safety and compliance. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has created hours of service (HOS) regulations which outline when you can drive and how much rest time must be taken between sessions. Familiarize yourself with these rules to avoid penalties while staying well rested on the road. Click on this link for the dot 70 hour rule explained to you.

ConclusionBecoming a truck driver involves more than simply steering an enormous vehicle, it involves living an exciting, adventurous and rewarding lifestyle full of challenges and possibilities, both on and off the roads. Your options for success in truck driving may seem limitless when exploring job opportunities and earning your CDL license. Remember that the journey itself should not be underestimated when planning out your career path.

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Success is a term that elicits different visions for different people. To some, it evokes images of luxury cars, sprawling estates, and a bank account brimming with zeros. For others, it encompasses accolades, titles, and the relentless pursuit of professional milestones. However, as society evolves, it’s becoming increasingly clear that these traditional markers of success might be missing the mark. Instead, I believe that quality of life should be the primary measure of success in the future in dealing with the many changes that will come to society. Can you and your family handle the monetary changes that are about to occur?

The Traditional Paradigm: Material WealthFor decades, society has equated success with material wealth. This paradigm is deeply ingrained in our collective psyche, perpetuated by media, cultural norms, and even our educational systems. From a young age, we’re taught to strive for high-paying jobs, luxurious lifestyles, and the accumulation of tangible assets. This traditional view centers on wealth, providing security, status, and happiness.

Yet, how often do we hear stories of individuals who feel unfulfilled, stressed, or perpetually unhappy despite achieving immense financial success? The increasing rates of burnout, mental health issues, and the global phenomenon of the “Great Resignation” suggest that the old model of success might be failing us. While undeniably crucial in providing comfort and opportunities, wealth seems insufficient as the sole metric for a successful life.

With the new ‘Great Recession’ approaching, many feel, once again, and some for the first time, that they will experience burnout, mental issues, and monetary losses that can’t be remade.

The New Measure: Quality of LifeQuality of life, on the other hand, encompasses a broader, more holistic view of success. It includes physical and mental well-being, meaningful relationships, personal growth, and overall life satisfaction. This approach recognizes that success is about living a balanced, fulfilling life rather than solely amassing wealth.

Physical and Mental Well-BeingHealth is often taken for granted until it becomes compromised. A successful life should prioritize physical and mental well-being. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are foundational elements that contribute to long-term health. Equally important is mental health, which necessitates mindfulness, meditation, and seeking professional help when needed. Without good health, the enjoyment of any other success metric significantly diminishes.

Meaningful RelationshipsHuman beings are inherently social creatures. Our family, friends, and community connections are crucial for happiness and fulfillment. Investing time and energy into nurturing these relationships often yields greater satisfaction than any material possession. Celebrating achievements, sharing burdens, and building memories with loved ones enriches our lives in ways money cannot.

Work-Life BalanceMany people recognize the importance of balancing professional responsibilities with personal time. Prioritizing work-life balance can increase productivity, creativity, and job satisfaction while allowing time for leisure, hobbies, and family. Companies that promote flexible working conditions and respect for employees’ time often see happier, more engaged, and loyal employees.

A Call to Redefine SuccessAs we move forward, redefining what it means to be successful is crucial. This redefinition doesn’t negate the importance of financial stability but rather integrates it into a broader spectrum of what constitutes a fulfilling life.

By prioritizing quality of life, we can create a society that values well-being, happiness, and personal fulfillment over mere wealth accumulation.

To truly redefine success:

Educate Early: Schools should teach the importance of mental health, physical well-being, personal development, and academic and career success.

Corporate Responsibility: Employers must recognize the benefits of a healthy work-life balance and create environments that promote employee well-being.

Personal Reflection: Individuals should reflect on their definitions of success and prioritize what brings them joy and fulfillment beyond societal expectations.

In conclusion, pursuing material wealth has long overshadowed the more profound aspects of living a successful life. It’s time we shift our focus to quality of life as the primary measure of success. By doing so, we can create a world where people are prosperous, happy, healthy, and fulfilled. Create your own space to rediscover a successful life.

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Employee turnover is an issue most organizations are grappling with. Organizations with high turnover rates have low morale, reduced productivity, and poor finances. Understanding the root causes and applying appropriate strategies helps reduce turnovers and build a stable workforce that can enhance production.

The detailed breakdown of employee turnover rates gives information on states, thus showing the broader trends characteristic of various industries.

The real challenge of high employee turnover lies at the core of any long-term successful organization. High turnover disrupts teams and automatically leads to the inevitable loss of critical skills and knowledge. Looking deeper into such contributory factors, a company can find many practical solutions to carve toward a more committed and engaged workforce.

Factors Influencing Employee TurnoverThe factors contributing to high employee turnover are quite varied. These range from inadequate compensation and benefits to poor workplace culture. According to a SHRM toolkit, other important ones are the lack of opportunities for career advancement, inadequate training, and work overload. Understanding these causes is the first step toward effective retention strategies. Organizations have to consider the problems that prevail in the internal environment and also external factors that make their employees leave.

These are often multifaceted solutions to targeted problems. For example, while raising salaries would solve the compensation issue, it may not necessarily help in solving deeper problems such as poor job satisfaction or limited opportunities for personal growth. Organizational policies and practices should therefore be considered from an integrated viewpoint to ensure new attempts at employee retention are comprehensive and multi-dimensional.

Strategies to Improve RetentionOnce the significant causes of turnover are known, strategies to overcome these causes must be worked out. Some of the standard methods include:

• Competitive remuneration: Make sure the pay and benefits package will be competitive for your industry. You would want to benchmark against the industry standard to ensure a competitive, not only attractive but also fair, package.
• Career Development: Provide clear pathways for career advancement and professional growth. Employees are more likely to stay with a company that offers them opportunities to learn new skills and advance their careers.
• Work-Life Balance: Offer flexible working hours and the possibility of telework to strike a proper balance between work and life demands. This may reduce burnout and affect one’s ability to address personal responsibilities.
• Positive Work Environment: Foster an organizational culture focused on well-being and employee engagement. Recognition of accomplishments, inclusiveness, and speed in handling conflicts can develop a supportive atmosphere that respects employees.

Using Data to Inform Retention PoliciesData-driven decisions can make huge differences in making employee retention efforts infinitely more efficient. Sorting through turnover rates and employee feedback could give companies the informatics needed to know where to improve. Among tools and platforms that could be effective for data gathering are employee engagement surveys and exit interviews. Additionally, specific studies point out the newest HR trends—some of which are germane to creating an airtight retention strategy.

This data will help a business if regularly reviewed and interpreted to stay ahead of any potential turnover issues. Knowing the trends behind employee exits and their root cause allows companies to take pre-emptive actions that will guarantee sustainability and growth in the long term.

Real-Life Examples of Successful Retention StrategiesMany firms have been able to reduce cases of turnovers by developing an all-out retention strategy. For instance, a technology firm retained the best employees by giving them stock options and the type of organizational culture under which they could work collaboratively. Another example is that of a healthcare institute that invested heavily in employee training and provided packages for career development programs; it succeeded in minimizing its turnover rate. These examples show that though the methods may differ, the crux of the matter remains the same: cater to the needs and problems faced by your employees.

Other successful cases include those companies that have now adopted flexible working hours and policies on telecommuting, thereby showing trust in their employees’ ability to manage their time effectively.

Involvement of Leadership in Reducing TurnoverAnother major factor impacting employee retention is leadership. Good leaders communicate clearly and honestly, showing appreciation for good employee work and creating an inclusive atmosphere. Moreover, leadership development programs will enable managers to acquire skills to support their subordinates, reducing employee turnover.

The role of a leader in inspiring and motivating his subordinates can quickly determine the satisfaction level and loyalty of employees. In that respect, leaders manage to steer an environment wherein their subordinates feel heard with the establishment of trust and open communication. Continuous training programs on leadership have the potential to increase their potential for management and talent retention.

ConclusionIt won’t be one size fits all in reducing employee turnover. It’s nuanced and involves an understanding of turnover reasons and dedication to combating these with surgical strategies. Offering a positive work environment, competitive pay, and employee development enables an organization to build a dedicated and loyal workforce.

Building on continuous learning, adaptation, and genuine caring about employee well-being, an organization will be able to create workplace environments where every single employee is valued, motivated, and engaged in his or her work, with reduced attrition rates and long-term success.

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Theory U is a change management method and a framework for transforming business, society, and self. Developed by Otto Scharmer, it emphasizes the importance of connecting to the deepest sources of self to bring about profound changes in individuals, organizations, and society.

The process of Theory U is shaped like a “U” and involves five key stages:

1. Co-Initiating: This stage involves building common intent and suspending past habits of judgment. It’s about coming together as a group and starting to open up to new possibilities.
2. Co-Sensing: In this stage, participants are encouraged to see from the edges of the system. It involves going to places of most potential and observing with fresh eyes, empathizing deeply to understand how others experience the situation.
3. Presencing: This is a pivotal point in the U where participants connect to the deepest source of self and will. It is a moment of profound reflection, where one lets go of old identities and intentions and allows a new sense of self and purpose to emerge.
4. Co-Creating: Emerging from the bottom of the U, this stage is about prototyping the new in living examples to explore the future by doing. It involves rapid cycles of thinking, doing, and reflecting to learn by doing and develop practical solutions.
5. Co-Evolving: The final stage focuses on institutionalizing the new practices, structures, and policies that have emerged. It’s about continually updating practices based on the feedback and learning gained through the earlier stages.

Theory U is particularly relevant to servant leadership because it emphasizes deep listening, empathy, and co-creation, aligning with the core principles of servant leadership. It encourages leaders to lead from the future as it emerges, rather than just based on past experiences

In the dynamic landscape of contemporary leadership, the philosophy of servant leadership has emerged as a transformative catalyst for holistic organizational development.

As we venture deeper into the exploration of this philosophy, we uncover its profound impact on fostering an environment of collaboration, empathy, and empowerment—an environment where the growth of individuals, the alignment of purpose, and the well-being of the collective take precedence over traditional notions of leadership.

This chapter delves into the core principles and practices of servant leadership and unveils its harmonious alignment with the ideals of holistic growth.

The Essence of Servant Leadership: Leading through Service

At its heart, servant leadership redefines leadership as a service to others. This paradigm shift challenges the conventional notion of leaders as authoritative figures who dictate directives. Instead, servant leaders view their role as that of facilitators, mentors, and enablers of growth.

They prioritize the needs of their teams, acknowledging that their own success is intrinsically tied to the success of those they lead. This fundamental shift in perspective sets the stage for the creation of an environment where collaboration and empowerment flourish.

Nurturing a Culture of Collaboration: Open Communication and Shared Purpose

Central to the philosophy of servant leadership is the emphasis on open communication. Servant leaders create spaces where individuals feel safe to voice their opinions, share ideas, and engage in dialogue.

By actively listening and valuing diverse perspectives, servant leaders cultivate an atmosphere of inclusivity and mutual respect. This culture of collaboration not only fuels innovation but also ensures that the organization benefits from the collective wisdom of its members.

Shared purpose is another cornerstone of servant leadership. Servant leaders work to align individual and organizational goals with a broader sense of purpose—one that transcends financial success and encompasses a positive impact on society.

By imbuing every action and decision with purpose, servant leaders inspire a collective commitment that goes beyond personal gain and elevates the well-being of all stakeholders.

Empathy and Empowerment: Fostering Individual Growth

Empathy lies at the heart of servant leadership. Servant leaders possess a keen understanding of the emotions, concerns, and aspirations of their team members. This empathetic approach not only nurtures a culture of trust but also creates a sense of belonging within the organization.

By acknowledging the holistic well-being of individuals, servant leaders create an environment where employees are valued not just as resources, but as human beings with unique talents and needs.

Empowerment is the natural outcome of this empathetic approach. Servant leaders provide their teams with the autonomy, resources, and support needed to excel. They encourage individuals to take ownership of their roles, make decisions, and contribute to the organization’s growth. This empowerment unleashes untapped potential, driving innovation and fostering a sense of pride and ownership among employees.

Leading by Example: Humility and Integrity

Servant leaders lead by example, embodying qualities of humility and integrity. They are not afraid to admit their mistakes or acknowledge their limitations. This transparency creates an atmosphere where individuals feel comfortable taking calculated risks and learning from failures.

By upholding a high standard of ethical conduct and moral integrity, servant leaders set a precedent for the organization’s values and contribute to a culture of accountability.

Servant Leadership and Holistic Organizational Development: A Seamless Integration

Servant leadership seamlessly aligns with the principles of holistic organizational development. Its emphasis on collaboration, shared purpose, empathy, and empowerment resonates deeply with the holistic perspective that considers the well-being of employees, communities, and the environment. In organizations guided by servant leadership, growth is not confined to financial metrics but extends to the growth of individuals, relationships, and societal impact.

As we journey further, we will explore how servant leadership forms the bedrock for navigating change, embracing diversity, nurturing employee well-being, fostering purpose-driven performance management, and envisioning a future where organizations thrive through authentic connections and sustainable impact.

The subsequent chapters will unveil the practical strategies, real-world examples, and actionable insights that illuminate the path towards holistic growth through servant leadership, creating a blueprint for leaders who seek to shape organizations that transcend conventional boundaries and embrace holistic excellence.

Reflections:

1. Understanding Change: Reflect on a significant change you have experienced in your professional life. How did servant leadership principles, or a lack thereof, influence the outcome of this change?
2. Theory U and Servant Leadership: Consider the concepts of Theory U as they relate to servant leadership. How do these concepts complement each other in managing change within an organization?
3. Personal Reactions to Change: Think about your personal reaction to change. How do you typically respond, and how could a servant leadership approach alter your perspective or response to change?
4. Empathy in Times of Change: Empathy is a key component of servant leadership. How can empathy be effectively employed during organizational changes to support team members?
5. Openness to New Perspectives: Servant leadership encourages openness to new ideas and perspectives. Can you recall a situation where being open to new perspectives during a change process led to a positive outcome? If not, how could this approach have made a difference?
6. Leadership and Vulnerability: Servant leadership often involves showing vulnerability, especially during times of change. How does being vulnerable as a leader impact the process of navigating change?
7. Implementing Theory U: Think about a scenario where implementing Theory U’s principles could aid in a change process. How would you apply these principles to facilitate effective change?

These questions are designed to prompt reflection on the application of servant leadership and Theory U in managing change, encouraging readers to think critically about their own experiences and leadership approaches.

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Are you also one of those who want to follow in the footsteps of successful people? This eternal debate has continued from time immemorial. In fact, both talent and hard work are major contributing factors to the success of a person. Talent is the natural endowment of a person, whereas hard work means constantly, regularly, or habitually engaged in earnest and energetic work. Even if highly talented people have a head start, hard work is more important than talent. Why? Hardworking people would likely surpass naturally gifted individuals when it comes down to perseverance.

In this article, we’ll highlight some fundamental facts regarding talent and hard work so you can better understand what it takes to achieve greatness.

1. The REAL ArgumentHard work is essentially the preparation and training that allows us to intensify and fine-tune our natural abilities. Talent is the enigmatic factor that can be used to our advantage, but, on its own, is not sufficient to succeed. Let’s recall the story of the tortoise and the hare. The hare has the natural ability to win the race effortlessly, but its lack of perseverance causes it to lose. Simple as this example may be, instances of this story’s message can be seen in virtually every area of life today, from the business world to the sports industry and so on and so forth.

According to a study by Clemens Tesch-Romer, Ralf Th. Krampe and K. Anderson Ericsson,the efficiency of deliberate practice is indispensable. This study definitively proved that meticulous work and deliberation are crucial to being successful in any undertaking.

Simply put, although talent increases the likelihood of succeeding, it is not worth much without a steadfast approach and perpetual hard work.

1. Innate TalentNatural talents are innate gifts that can help a person achieve success in particular activities. For example, consider a person who wants to become a singer. In this instance, having a certain vocal quality, an aptitude for singing and continuous practice would further their chances of realizing their dream. In reality, however, many individuals with natural-born talents fail to execute them optimally.

In these cases, hardworking people, who don’t have the natural ability to execute an activity to the same extent, might be better able to deliver. In other words, hardworking individuals have a good chance at beating talented individuals at their own game simply through their endless efforts. This highlights the ongoing debate of talent or hard work.

1. Hard Work is Acquired TalentGenerally, people believe talent is more important than hard work for achieving success, but nobody becomes successful overnight. Hard work may be an underrated endeavor, but it is ultimately what gets a person across the finish line. And having the determination to work hard in the face of difficulty is a form of natural talent. One has to have passion and determination that keeps one going.

In other words, working hard is not easy when one obstacle after another presents itself dancing in front of us inviting us to surpass them with our own hard work, but having the ability to persevere in spite of these can give us a significant advantage.

1. Hard Work Can Develop Natural TalentIf we are naturally talented, but we don’t have the ability to sustain hard work, our talent may prove to be completely useless because it will not be used to its full potential. In other words, hard work in conjunction with natural abilities will yield much better results than innate talent on its own.

Thus, it can be argued that hard work is necessary for developing an individual’s talent, highlighting why hardwork is more important than talent. It can even be argued that, even if the individual has no innate talent to begin with, hard work is ultimately the factor that leads to success.

1. Hard Work = OpportunitiesIt can be said that talent is a matchstick while hard work fuels the fire. Put simply, our natural skills are vital for getting any project or activity off the ground and in the right direction, but hard work makes usmuch more likely to see things through and succeed.

In many cases, someone may not be considered naturally gifted in what they do. Yet, they achieve success to a greater extent than many talented individuals simply because they have the fuel to keep the fire burning. We see variety of people in our surroundings who were dumped in a particular role and they outshined after sometime.

ConclusionIn short, the debate between hard work and talent is not a binary one but rather a nuanced interplay between innate ability and relentless determination. While talent may provide a temporary advantage, it is the hard work that ultimately separates the mediocre from the meritocratic. Whether in the realms of business, sports, academia, or the arts, success is the culmination of countless hours of dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance. As individuals navigate their own paths towards greatness, it is this unwavering commitment to excellence that will ultimately determine their fate.

Talent may open doors, but it is hard work that propels them forward on the journey to success. In other words, it cannot be said that hard work is more important than talent or vice versa. No person should solely rely on their talents to get them where they aspire to be. Instead, continuous hard work and endurance is the key to pursuing any goal, be it personal, business, or sports-related.

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Jason Walker, Adler University

Having meaningful connections in the workplace is essential for personal and organizational success. Most of us form these bonds naturally, as we spend a significant amount of our lifetimes at work.

After leaving college, many people in their 20s move to new cities for career opportunities, where they face the task of creating a brand new social circle from scratch. The workplace becomes an ideal place for people to connect. Activities like grabbing drinks after work, playing team sports or just sharing meals serve as opportunities to form connections with co-workers. These interactions not only help combat feelings of isolation, but also add a sense of camaraderie and support to the daily work routine.

However, as individuals reach milestones like getting married or starting a family, their priorities in life naturally shift. The enjoyed after work hangouts and casual meetups start taking a backseat to family commitments and home responsibilities.

Consequently, you might find that keeping up with work friendships becomes more challenging over time. Balancing professional growth and one’s personal life often leads to a decrease in the frequency and depth of these relationships while still preserving any already-established connections.

Making friends at workThere is a difference between typical co-worker relationships and true friendships. Generally speaking, people we work with are not necessarily friends. In our personal lives, it often takes years of building trust to bring someone into our circle of friends. Yet many of us do develop friendships with colleagues we have worked alongside — often for years. For instance, I’ve made friends at work whom I respect and trust immensely — one of my best friends is someone I met on the job. Our friendship continued to thrive long after I left that workplace.

That said, do I share my deepest, darkest secrets with work friends? Nope. So then, is a work friend worth it? In short, yes — even relationships with weaker ties can be beneficial. But it depends on the depth and nature of the relationship.

The benefits of friendships at workFriendships can result in substantial benefits. A 2021 survey on workplace friendships and happiness found that 57 per cent of workers said having a friend at work significantly boosted job satisfaction. Additionally, 22 per cent of survey participants believed friendships in the workplace enhanced their efficiency. Another 21 per cent thought these connections stimulated innovation.

When employees are happy, engaged and productive, and the organization is meeting their individual needs, they are more likely to meet their full potential.

When employees are happy, engaged and productive, and the organization is meeting their individual needs, they are more likely to meet their full potential.Strong relationships can facilitate communication and advice-sharing among co-workers.

However, it’s important to note workplace friendships can have a downside. Friendships at work can be problematic due to rumours of relationships, nepotism and favouritism, to name a few. The concept of “work” and “play” can often conflict when career goals intersect or worse when there is a conflict. That said, many of these issues can be mitigated with clear boundaries and communication.

Preventing burnoutEmployees are not the only ones who benefit from workplace friends — there are also significant benefits for employers. Promoting employee engagement through a respectful and inclusive work culture, for example, decreases employee turnover rates.

Employees with friends at work are twice as likely to feel passionate about their roles. These individuals also tend to interact with clients, deliver high-quality work and express overall greater degrees of well-being than those without work friends.

Apart from creating a supportive atmosphere, workplace friendships lead to people being less inclined to look for other job opportunities.

This element of workplace culture has become increasingly important as companies deal with the aftermath of the Great Resignation, where 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August 2021 alone.

Inter-generational friendshipsInter-generational friendships are important to cultivate at work. You should consider expanding your networks to get the most out of these meaningful relationships.

However, forming friendships with supervisors can be challenging. Such relationships carry the risk of cronyism and nepotism and can undermine the integrity and effectiveness of a workplace.

A study in the health-care sector found that health-care professionals who felt unfairly treated were more likely to feel unmotivated, which impacted work performance.

This illustrates the struggle for organizations to combat perceptions of nepotism while fostering trust and camaraderie among employees. Friendships with a superior can work against personal relationships and the organization as a whole.

Instead, organizations should prioritize mentorship programs. Pairing younger employees with seasoned employees provides guidance, feedback and support, bridging the gap between individuals and the organization. Mentoring is also a great way to bridge any generational gaps.

Whether a traditional peer-on-peer program or someone taking you under their wing, the rewards are significant. About 70 per cent of Fortune 500 companies have some mentorship program, which speaks to their value.

Dos and don’tsTo ensure that workplace friendships are positive and don’t result in consequences, there are some essential guidelines and boundaries employees should consider following.

1. Go out of your way to greet your co-workers, celebrate their accomplishments and invite them out to lunch or happy hour after work.
2. Maintain your professionalism at work, even when spending time with friends. Remember that your supervisor could be watching.
3. Be kind to those around you: Avoid behaviours that may exclude others and steer clear of gossip. While not everyone may naturally form friendships, maintaining a respectful attitude is key.
4. Handle conflict maturely: If you and your work friend run into difficulty in your relationship, don’t place all the blame on them or ghost them. Address issues maturely and work together to resolve them.
5. Balance socializing with working: If your friendship is taking up too much of your time or impacting productivity, adjust how you interact at work.
6. Don’t engage in favouritism: Ensure your friendship doesn’t lead to cronyism or nepotism, which can harm team dynamics and trust.
7. Respect privacy: Don’t share personal information about your work friends with other colleagues without their permission.
8. Clearly communicate and stick to boundaries with your work friends.

Having friends at work can be a good thing — it’s good for mental and physical health, prevents loneliness and organizations perform better. But, like all relationships, it’s important to always remember and respect boundaries.

Jason Walker, Program Director & Associate Professor of Industrial-Organizational and Applied Psychology, Adler University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Key Takeaways:

• Variety of professional growth opportunities in new construction sales.
• Financial incentives and personal satisfaction are critical motivators.
• The importance of relationship-building and networking in long-term success.
• Flexibility and a dynamic work environment are advantages of the field.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction to New Construction Sales
• Professional Growth and Advancement
• Financial Incentives and Rewards
• Relationship Building and Networking
• Flexibility and Entrepreneurial Freedom
• Industry Knowledge and Expertise
• Potential Challenges and Solutions
• Conclusion: Building a Fulfilling Career in New Construction Sales

Introduction to New Construction SalesEmbarking on a career in new construction sales allows individuals to step into a field teeming with possibilities. This sector of the real estate market focuses on selling newly built homes, an arena that requires an understanding of property and construction and the art of salesmanship. It’s a career choice that blends the tangible aspects of real estate development with the interpersonal intricacies of guiding clients through one of their most significant life decisions: purchasing a home.

In recent years, the real estate industry has seen a surge in demand for newly constructed homes, which makes new construction sales jobs particularly appealing. These roles cater to professionals who relish the idea of being at the forefront of market trends, offering innovative housing solutions, and being associated with the creation of brand-new communities. Noteworthy is the chance to be part of an evolving industry where every sale contributes to shaping the residential landscapes of the future.

Professional Growth and AdvancementCareers in new construction sales are varied. They come with diverse pathways for professional growth and advancement. Unlike other jobs that offer a linear progression, new home sales enable one to explore different facets of the real estate industry. From marketing newly developed properties and handling client portfolios to expanding into management roles or even entrepreneurial ventures, the ceiling for growth is practically limitless.

Professionals in this field often find opportunities to attend workshops, obtain certifications, and participate in industry conferences, further solidifying their expertise and enhancing their resumes. Such advancements offer personal satisfaction and help build a reputation as a sought-after expert in the industry, paving the way for even more significant professional opportunities.

Financial Incentives and RewardsOne of the most compelling reasons individuals choose a career in real estate, particularly new construction sales, is the financial reward. Sales positions often come with the advantage of a commission-based structure, which means your earning potential is directly tied to your performance. Driven and skilled sales professionals can benefit significantly from their sales strategies’ successes, experiencing both financial gain and the immediate satisfaction of their efforts, which translate into tangible rewards.

This financial incentive also spurs a healthy sense of competition and motivation. It encourages professionals to stay on the cutting edge of sales techniques, market knowledge, and customer service—the factors that can increase sales success and financial outcomes.

Relationship Building and NetworkingThe role of a new home sales professional extends far beyond the transactional. It also encompasses the nuanced process of building long-lasting relationships with clients, colleagues, and industry contacts. These relationships are often the bedrock of a successful career in new construction sales, as they can lead to repeat business, referrals, and strategic partnerships.

Whether through social media, community involvement, or professional associations, networking benefits business development and provides a sense of professional community and support. Building such a network can offer guidance through the more complex aspects of the career, such as navigating market fluctuations or understanding new construction regulations.

Flexibility and Entrepreneurial FreedomA career in new construction sales often affords professionals a degree of flexibility and autonomy that is not found in other fields. Sales agents can typically set their schedules, controlling their work-life balance to a greater extent. Additionally, the entrepreneurial aspect of sales encourages creative thinking and problem-solving, allowing individuals to craft unique sales strategies tailored to their style and strengths.

This flexibility doesn’t sacrifice support, however. Many companies provide a robust framework, including marketing resources and training, to ensure sales agents can perform effectively while maintaining the autonomy that many in this field value.

Industry Knowledge and ExpertiseAn exciting aspect of a career in new construction sales is becoming an expert in a constantly evolving industry. Sales professionals develop a keen understanding of market trends, construction practices, and customer preferences. This expertise empowers agents to provide exemplary service and positions them as authoritative figures clients trust to guide their decisions.

The knowledge gained through experience in this field can prove invaluable, offering a competitive edge and the satisfaction of being an integral part of clients’ journeys to homeownership.

Potential Challenges and SolutionsAs in any career, new construction sales come with unique challenges. Market volatility, customer indecision, and the complexities of new construction can all hinder sales success. However, these challenges can be met head-on with a proactive attitude, continuous learning, and a commitment to personal development.

Establishing a well-defined business plan, staying educated about industry changes, and seeking mentorship from more experienced professionals are all strategies that can help overcome these hurdles. Embracing technology, utilizing innovative marketing strategies, and honing negotiation skills are also essential to turning potential challenges into opportunities for growth and success.

Conclusion: Building a Fulfilling Career in New Construction SalesThe benefits of pursuing a career in new construction sales are manifold. The industry offers diverse avenues for professional growth, competitive financial incentives, the opportunity to forge lasting relationships, and flexibility that caters to the entrepreneurial spirit. Developing industry expertise can provide you with a unique and valuable skill set. At the same time, the challenges in the field can push you toward becoming a more skilled and resilient professional.

Ultimately, a career in new construction sales is not just about selling properties; it’s about crafting a fulfilling professional life that ticks the boxes of personal ambition, financial success, and work-life balance. With the right mindset, continuous learning, and a commitment to excellence, new construction sales can be an advantageous career path, offering both personal satisfaction and the opportunity to impact people’s lives through homeownership positively.

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Never dismiss how you feel; always tap into the power behind these feelings and thoughts. They are connected with the reality that crossed your path in the past and bear powerful solutions that will be revealed once you listen to them. These authentic insights prepare you for success by leading you to your next appropriate step.

No matter how prepared we are or how many times we double-check our strategies, unforeseen occurrences may influence our path to success. Unexpected twists and turns can hamper our progress and stop us dead in our tracks unless we have the confidence to move forward.

The confidence necessary to conquer any challenge and achieve your dreams grows from releasing the power of your thoughts. It begins and ends with being in the moment.

Constant adjustments are part of any successful journey. Each instance comprises the basic building blocks for your abundant life.

Success is about moving forward despite any challenges you may encounter. Actions move you forward to experience accomplishment. It begins by cultivating confidence in you no matter what outside influences exist.

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The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.

– Arthur Koestler

In his book Houdini, author Harold Kellock shares a story about Houdini on one of his European tours when Houdini found himself locked in his own thinking.

After he had been searched and manacled in a Scottish town jail, the turnkey shut him in a cell and walked away. Houdini quickly freed himself from his shackles and then tackled the cell lock. But despite all his efforts, the lock would not open. Finally, ever more desperate but completely exhausted, he leaned against the door- and it swung open so unexpectedly that he nearly fell headlong into the corridor. The turnkey had not locked it.

Houdini was not locked in a cell by a key but by a belief.

Your belief systems directly influence every part of your life. The larger question is: what does your belief system look like? Let’s explore a few ways this happens in your life.

Wrong beliefs and assumptions lead to wrong actions

Houdini assumed the door was locked. Because his assumption was wrong, his actions were wrong. Wrong assumptions caused him to waste a lot of time and energy trying to accomplish something that was not even necessary. It will do the same for you.

Decisions you make as a leader must be grounded in facts and reality. The worst thing you can do as a leader is to make decisions based on bad information.
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When this happens, you waste valuable time. Your people lose confidence in your leadership.

Wrong actions lead to wrong conclusions

Because Houdini believed the door was locked, he worked tirelessly to open it. Imagine his reaction when he leaned on the door and it opened, realizing that he had been needlessly working to solve a problem that did not exist. I can only imagine his frustration when the cell door opened that was not even locked.

When your thinking is wrong then wrong actions will follow. This leads you and your team to make faulty conclusions. This only compounds already strained morale.

Understand the power of right-thinking leadership

You do not want to be locked in by negative thinking as a leader. Right-thinking leaders seek solutions, explore options, empower their team, and share the credit. Right-thinking leaders have a mindset shift that’s not fixed but one that is growing, expanding, and overcoming its challenges because they refuse to be trapped by limited belief systems.

Your growth as a leader is determined by the choices you make. Don’t allow yourself to be trapped by beliefs that hold you back and limit your leadership capacity. Embrace right-thinking leadership with a passion to grow and your possibilities will be unlimited.

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Adrenaline is my best motivational drug, and it is generated by many things’ excitement, fear, rejection, and many other things. I regularly use it to contribute to my successes. My long experience of “Living by the Split Second” is something that I have enjoyed, and I have to admit to it being very addictive. I do not advocate it because there might be fewer people on the planet! The best example I have of personal value is when I felt that I was going to flunk out of IBM Mainframe School, I began my weekend trips to go skydiving and it helped me gradually regain my confidence and succeed.

I am confident in my ability to defy the societal myth that intellectual value diminishes with age as time ticks away. It’s time to break free from this limiting belief and embrace the full potential of aging. My practical skills now can be instrumental in developing many things that will aid functionality as people age. I plan to help create and fully use the mobility tools being developed if necessary. As my website indicates my “RAIotic Buddy” might Skydive with me into my Hall of Fame induction.

I have decided to write some stories that illustrate the skills that I have and continue to use in real-life situations to resolve problems. I believe that they will aid in the safe rollout of AI. It will also help other people to lead an active life rather than just involvement social and discussion groups. The breadth of situations I have encountered and overcome has equipped me with valuable experience and insight that I can contribute to navigating the AI revolution. From overcoming challenges to capitalizing on transformative opportunities, my diverse background has honed my problem-solving abilities and strategic thinking. I bring a seasoned perspective that can help organizations anticipate and adapt to the profound changes AI will bring, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve and maximize the potential of these disruptive technologies. My wisdom, forged through adversity and success, can be an invaluable asset in charting the course through this uncharted territory.

My revelation today is to persist with my proven methods, adapt by acquiring new ones as needed, and avoid the distraction of craving constant validation and recognition. I aim to embody, with others of similar age and experience the value of the “Total Package,” the depth of understanding that comes from combining age, experience, and wisdom when approaching situations. I remain astounded by the numerous flawed results I encounter from AI queries. The inaccuracies in the responses and subsequent apologies after I correct them are staggering. As I document stories about my multiracial background, places I’ve lived, and solo travels, the reasons behind these mistakes become evident. I’ve led a life quite different than the norm, and those validating the responses simply lack the breadth of experience and knowledge to comprehend what they don’t know. Therein lies the peril.

It is imperative that I shed light on how I have endured, preserving my life and others through practical survival skills honed over a lifetime. Those lacking such capabilities are naively awed by AI whose intelligence pales in comparison to the depths of human cognition. We celebrate incremental strides as “sentient” when vast leaps are required to truly mirror the human mind.

Many business failures have and will stem from a lack of experience and practical knowledge. Mature experience, what I term “adaptive intelligence,” is crucial for success.

I have written about the birth and necessity of the Crisis Management position and why every company should have a position with that functionality. The skills that made me successful in the Crisis management role are the most important right now. I was allowed to create the position by a very forward-thinking CEO and I completed the projects successfully in multiple locations around the world. The sole reason for its termination was the company’s acquisition. After the acquisition, I was allowed to use the same skills in sales to demonstrate that I could resolve sales problems using those skills. By utilizing my skills and resourcefulness, I was able to achieve the title of “Salesperson of the Year.” I truly enjoyed the experience of being featured in the Bell Atlantic Annual Report, wearing my Gold Rolex watch prize until unfortunately, it became too dangerous due to blatant crime.

The COVID-19 Pandemic was a different reality for me than most people. A priceless memory from that experience was when I was busy meticulously explaining all my qualifications on a video call to the person, Dora Regalado, who was interviewing me for a job. She interrupted my lengthy, meticulous explanation and said, “Are you going to take the job or not!” My kind of person! Later, she helped change my position to working more safely in the mobile facilities. For almost 4 years I was outside almost every day, by choice, relating to people who generally wanted to talk, and I was able to make them feel good or help them in some way. Unfortunately depending on the location. too many were combative because of their fear, and I was able to get through those years without any physical altercations but came close many times.

I have enjoyed this opportunity, thanks to Dennis Pitocco, that I have had to write, think, and prepare for the AI Revolution. I have set records in the past and with all the assistance of the remarkable people in BizCatalyst 360°, we are going to enjoy setting more records and continue enhancing and enjoying our Big Dreams … in Vivid Color!

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2025 could bring stagflation into the economy.Stagflation, a grim economic cocktail of stagnant growth and high inflation, can disrupt the financial fabric of any society, but the impact on women is often underexplored. From purse strings to job opportunities, we’ll dissect six ways stagflation can affect women and what it could mean for their financial and social standing.

Job Market Pressures: A Double Squeeze on Employment

In a stagflation scenario, job markets are notoriously tight. Typically, women face steeper odds of finding employment than men—these odds can double during an economic downturn.

With fewer job opportunities and higher competition, women’s unemployment rates can spike, exacerbating income disparities and reducing financial independence.

The job market pressures aren’t just statistical; they play out in myriad day-to-day challenges. For example, women might find it more difficult to secure part-time work market pressures aren’t just statistical; they play out in myriad day-to-day challenges. For example, women might find it more difficult to secure part-time work to fit around caregiving responsibilities or might be at higher risk of losing their jobs due to employer cutbacks on roles frequently held by women, such as retail or service industry positions.

Purchasing Power: The Struggle to Afford Basic Necessities

High inflation during stagflation means the cost of goods and services will rise significantly. This can especially impact low-income households, where women are often the primary earners.

With rising prices, women may struggle to afford necessities such as food, housing, and healthcare. This can make them vulnerable, making it difficult to choose between paying for essential items or meeting other financial obligations.

Moreover, the increase in prices of goods and services can also disproportionately affect women-owned businesses. As they face higher costs for supplies and materials, it becomes more challenging to remain competitive. This can lead to business closures, job losses, and declining economic opportunities for women.

Impact on Education and Career Advancement

Stagflation can also hurt education and career advancement for women. With limited job opportunities and lower wages, it becomes increasingly difficult for women to invest in their education and professional development.

Inflation can also make it more challenging for families to afford higher education for their children, limiting the opportunities available to women in future generations. This perpetuates the cycle of limited economic mobility for women.

Additionally, during stagflation, employers may be less likely to offer salary increases or promotions due to rising costs. This can further impede women’s career advancement and lead to a widening gender pay gap.

Stagflation can severely affect women’s financial stability and career opportunities. It is essential to address economic inequalities and implement policies that support women’s economic empowerment to mitigate the negative impacts of stagflation on women. So, policymakers must proactively tackle stagflation and its implications for women to build a more resilient and sustainable economy. Votes matter.

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Most of us have experienced challenges in our lives that called for resilience. So, we could rightly think of ourselves as resilient entrepreneurs.

Do you ever wonder what it takes to bounce back from life’s toughest moments?

Think about it for a moment. When you hear ‘resilient entrepreneur,’ whose story resonates with you? Perhaps it’s the perseverance of Albert Einstein, who, despite initial academic setbacks, revolutionized our understanding of the universe with his theory of relativity. Or maybe it’s James Dyson, whose relentless experimentation led to the creation of the iconic Dyson vacuum after numerous failed attempts.

Or is it someone closer to home? A friend, a mentor, or even your own story? Someone who, against all odds, rose from the ashes of adversity to not only survive but thrive. If you or someone you know embodies this spirit of resilience, I’d love to hear your story.

The Resilient Dolly Parton

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

~ Dolly Parton

Regardless of what you think about country music (and I’m a huge fan of classic country), Dolly Parton’s journey exemplifies true resilience. Her story is one of triumph over life’s harshest conditions. Raised in poverty, with her family often struggling to make ends meet, Dolly’s early life was far from easy. Yet, her spirit remained unbroken.

Facing rejections, stereotypes, and even threats, Dolly’s path was anything but smooth. Her unwavering determination has made her a symbol of strength and success. At seventy-seven, she continues to inspire with her unstoppable energy.

We all encounter our unique challenges – financial woes, personal struggles, or professional obstacles. The key lies in how we face them. Intelligence, passion, and faith are crucial, but there’s something else – resilience. This invisible armor enables us to withstand life’s battles and emerge stronger.

What Is Resilience?

Resilience isn’t a single skill. It’s a variety of skills and coping mechanisms.

~ Jean Chatzky

Resilience is about more than just ‘bouncing back’; it’s about adapting, learning, and growing from our experiences. It’s about maintaining our core strength, even when faced with life’s relentless challenges. Real resilience can be messy and challenging, often stirring up a whirlwind of emotions. But it’s also crucial for our overall well-being.

Studies show that those with higher resilience can navigate life’s trials more effectively and they also enjoy better physical health. It’s not about being unaffected by hardships but it’s learning to navigate them with grace and strength.

When Resilience Falters

Life’s not always smooth sailing. Sometimes, even the smallest setbacks can feel overwhelming. When our resilience falters, recovery becomes harder, and new challenges can feel insurmountable. It’s crucial, then, to nurture our resilience, keeping it strong and ready for whatever lies ahead.

Boosting Your Resilience

Here are four actionable tips to enhance your resilience:

Practice Gratitude: Appreciate the small joys – a sunny day, a good meal, a laugh with a friend. Cultivating gratitude helps build a positive outlook, vital for resilience.

Embrace Realistic Optimism: Optimism is essential, but it must be balanced with a realistic view of the situation.

Find Meaning in Challenges: Look for lessons and growth opportunities in difficult situations.

Nurture Your Sense of Humor: Laughter can be a powerful tool in the face of adversity.

The Climb – Embracing the Struggle: We usually perceive adversity as an obstacle; and it often is. Yet, it can also be an opportunity for growth. Facing challenges head-on can be incredibly rewarding, often more so because of the struggle involved. It’s about the journey, the learning, the growth – it’s the climb.

Your Resilience ChallengeIdentify a current challenge in your life. Apply just one resilience strategy to this situation. Notice the impact, no matter how small. Life is a series of actions and reactions – each step, a building block towards growth and change.

If you’d like, please share your challenge and how you overcame it. You may be surprised at the effect you may have as someone else may have encountered something similar and discover a solution through your experience.

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We’re conditioned to believe that those who work the hardest will be the most successful. Rewards will come to those who are the first to arrive and the last to leave. Pedal harder and faster and your efforts will be rewarded.

Amazon is a great example of the “pedal harder and faster” mantra. For years, Amazon has been criticized for treating employees as cogs in the larger business machine. This 2015 New York Times article exposes edicts such as “toil long and late,” and “when you hit the wall from the unrelenting pace, the only solution is to climb the wall” as the Amazonian rules for success. While Bezos has publicly disputed many of the claims, the company manifesto that he wrote himself states, “You can work long, hard, or smart, but at Amazon.com you can’t choose two out of three.”

While Amazon is known for its customer-centric approach, innovative capabilities, and long-term vision, the organization is notorious for putting profits over people. Based on interviews with over 100 ex-staff members, The New York Times discovered that Amazon’s culture exhibited the following characteristics:

• Anonymous evaluations and forced elimination of underperformers: Employees engaged in informal agreements to provide negative feedback for specific colleagues, leading to their termination during annual performance reviews.
• In hostile work environments: individuals were actively encouraged to engage in intense debates and criticism of their co-workers, often reaching levels of humiliation.
• Poor work-life boundaries: Some employees were expected to participate in conference calls while on vacation or work weekends and nights from home. Additionally, the company demonstrated a lack of consideration and empathy toward individuals dealing with personal hardships. Culture 500Culture 500 provides a data-based view of company culture within some of the largest and most powerful organizations in the world. In a collaboration with MIT Sloan Management, Glassdoor and CultureX, they use cutting edge AI and other technology tools to examine how companies measure up on culture in the eyes of employees.

Culture 500 measures company performance across nine cultural values — agility, collaboration, customer orientation, diversity, execution, innovation, integrity, performance, and respect. These values are among the most frequently cited by large companies in their official corporate culture value statements as well as by employees in company reviews, and they are linked to a variety of desirable outcomes like financial performance, innovation, and employee engagement.

Among over 24,000 Amazon employees, the most frequently discussed cultural value is execution, and the most positively discussed value is innovation. While Amazon walks the talk when it comes to customer orientation and innovation, employees don’t experience the same with integrity, performance and respect — the three most negatively perceived values.

Even according to Bezos himself, the currency at Amazon is time and energy for money. Considering that the very definition of energy is the capacity to do work, the logic is twisted. The more time we put in the less energy we have. The less energy we have, the less productive we are. The cumulative effect becomes a powerful current that leads us right out of our peak performance zone.

“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” – Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell’s Soup

Today’s leading companies strive for continual improvement across the board. Reduce costs, improve processes, increase revenue, streamline processes, build a better widget, be first to market, do more with less. But the most successful companies recognize the currencies that drive high performing, bright employees to achieve those goals. They understand that people go to work for more than a paycheck and are motivated by more than money.

The companies that nurture healthy high-performing teams breed an atmosphere of success by cultivating the kind of culture that inspires people to take pride and ownership in their individual contributions toward to those goals. In fact, employees who feel their contributions are valued are 60% more likely to deliver their peak performance for their employers.

People who love what they do are more engaged. But, people don’t love their jobs because they are making millions of dollars for shareholders. While the bigger bottom line may be the payoff for the organization, it’s rarely what inspires the individual. People love their jobs because they feel like their contributions matter.

“Everyone wants to know that what they do really matters.”
—Bob Chapman

Employee engagement is measured by individuals’ contributions to organizational success as well as the personal satisfaction people feel in their roles. Highly engaged employees are not just committed. They are passionate about the contribution they make to the success of the team, and they feel valued and respected for their talents. That collective passion fuels a collaborative culture rather than a combative one. These are the teams that recognize the competition is not “inside the house,” but out there.

Engagement isn’t a utopian ideal. In fact, a sense of belonging and value are innate human needs that contribute to the highest level of self motivation. Psychologists refer to this as self-actualization, and it ‘s the realization of one’s full potential – being the best one can be. People actually want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. Their level of engagement is defined by the alignment between the satisfaction they get from the contributions they are able to make.

“The engaged stay for what they can give; the disengaged stay for what they can get or leave to give their talents to someone else.”

A highly engaged culture, however, is not synonymous with a kinder, gentler, happier workplace. Happy people do not automatically create an engaged culture. The irony of a “smile and nod” culture is that, while it might feel good, it can actually cripple innovation by creating an environment where there is no impetus to change or there is too much pressure against rocking the boat to welcome new ideas.

Overachievers are looked down upon because they make mediocrity feel uncomfortable. Disagreements are uncomfortable. Challenge is uncomfortable. The status quo often wins. The 7 most expensive words in business, ‘We have always done it this way,’ not only prohibit the next big idea, they discourage people from even thinking about the next big idea.

“We tried that once; the guy who came up with the idea isn’t here anymore.”

Full engagement happens in a culture that inspires people to stretch and challenge themselves and each other. It isn’t written down in a binder; it’s deeply embedded in the way people feel about their capacity to contribute. Enabling people to take risks leads to innovation, creativity, and process improvement. But it requires a healthy balance between challenging new ideas and promoting teamwork.

Productive disagreements shouldn’t be sacrificed by harmony, nor should candor and respect. A healthy challenge of ideas is essential. Without it, people fall into the status quo mindset laced with apathy or complacency. However, challenging the status quo only works within the context of healthy relationships built upon mutual respect.

Organizations that truly want to not only achieve but fuel sustainable peak performance have to consider a new value exchange. What does it take to engage employees, enable them to contribute productively to organizational goals, and create the conditions where everyone operates within their zone of peak performance?

Care and empathy can coexist in a culture that fosters candor and honesty. Likewise, candor and honesty can be delivered with respect. Leaders who foster a culture of respect, learning, and individual contribution don’t take capacity for granted and they don’t mistake time for value. They create the conditions necessary for people to work in their performance zone and encourage them to shift to the renewal zone when they need to. These are the leaders that have the maturity and the vision to recognize that the health of the organization is defined by the health of the people within it.

So, the million-dollar question is this: What is the price of success? Perhaps it’s a good time to take inventory what you do each day, how it makes you feel, and how it impacts others.

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

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“Describe strengths and weaknesses” is one question that makes most candidates somewhat uncomfortable. The million-dollar question is how one answers it. Again, it varies from one candidate to another as how do they respond. However, when we respond to this question, we must start by saying that we are aware of our challenges and how we are working to overcome those. Understanding how to answer this interview question can improve our chances of being seen as reasonable candidates and receiving a job offer.

In this article, we shall discuss examples of both strengths and weaknesses and provide tips on how to prepare our responses.

Why employers ask this question?A job is never a skillset alone that we sell to an employer. It’s primarily the behaviour as well. In other words, it’s a complete package. A hiring manager asks this question to understand how self-aware a candidate is. They want to know if s/he is familiar with what areas of improvement and what steps s/he needs to take. They also want to know what a candidate thinks about his/her qualities which will be applied in the new role in their organisation.

Preparing ahead of time for an interview question concerning our strengths and weaknesses is a valuable use of our time before the actual interview. Even if a hiring manager doesn’t ask about strengths and weaknesses specifically, writing out our response on a piece of paper to this common question can help us describe what we can offer to an employer and how we wish to grow in our professional career in future.

How to answer “What are your strengths?A hiring manager may ask “What are your strengths?”, but you can also prepare for them to deliver this question using different phrasing. For example, they may ask “When they’re describing you, what is one word your colleagues and managers would use to describe you?” While these questions don’t ask you about your strengths directly, they encourage you to talk about your positive attributes. Start by clearly stating your strength. Then, you can strengthen your answer by providing context and telling a story. Address the traits that qualify you for the available position and distinguish you as a candidate.

Here are some examples to reference as you create your own response:

Example 1

Here’s an example answer from a candidate who has strong leadership skills:“I’ve always been a natural leader. With more than 10 years of experience in sales, I’ve exceeded my KPIs every quarter and have been promoted four times. Reflecting on those successes, I know that I wouldn’t have reached them if I hadn’t built and led teams of highly skilled and diverse individuals. I’m proud of my ability to get cross-functional groups to collaborate well. I’ve regularly honed my management skills through 360 reviews with my team, and I know I want to continue to build my leadership skills in my next role

Example 2

Here’s an example response from a candidate with strong collaboration skills:“I strongly believe in team collaboratiion and have always preferred to work with the teams. In the project teams I’ve directed, worked with a variety of people and motivated them through diverse creative tasks. Since I began managing my current team, I’ve increased productivity by 15% and retention by 25% over three years.

Example 3

Consider this example answer from a candidate whose strength is their interpersonal skills:“I’m an empathetic person who’s skilled at relating to people. In one memorable instance from earlier this year, I was on a call with a customer whose contract for car insurance we had terminated. Reinstating the service agreement would’ve caused her rates to increase dramatically, which was something she couldn’t afford at the time. She was understandably upset and worried.It became clear that we couldn’t meet her needs, but I wanted her to walk away with a favorable impression of the service we had provided. I talked her through some of her other options and even let her know of other providers who might be able to offer her a lower rate so she could avoid a lapse in coverage. In the feedback survey from that interaction, she specifically mentioned that she would still be recommending our services to others.

Turning a weakness into a strengthTo answer the question “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” we can be sure to mention a weaknessbut we don’t have to leave it as a weakness, though, as it’s possible to transform a weakness into a strength. We can start by giving a truthful answer as to what our weakness is. Then, we can explain how we’ve been working to improve it. We can also state what lessons we’ve learned and how we’re becoming a better personby identifying our weaknesses.

Wrap UpNavigating the “What are your weaknesses?” question in job interviews requires finesse, self-awareness, and strategic communication. By choosing relevant weaknesses, emphasizing growth and improvement, and maintaining a positive attitude, one can turn the tables and question into an opportunity to showcase suitability for the role. Remember, honesty and authenticity are key, so approach the question with sincerity and confidence. With preparation and practice, one can master the art of answering this question and leave a lasting impression on the interviewers.

At the end of the day (or, at least, at the end of the interview), what the recruiters, potential colleagues, and supervisors we met may not be really interested in our biggest strength and weakness. All they want to know what kind of person we are and how we can contribute to the Bigger Picture. The question itself “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” = Are you the kind of person who can contribute the bigger picture? Let’s be honest about our abilities, and take advantage of opportunities to improve and grow?

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The skills that made me highly successful as a Worldwide Crisis Manager started in early childhood when I lived with my divorced father and a group of men in a house. I was taught to fend for myself in many things that would normally be handled by a mother. All the males were involved in trades of all kinds, including construction, auto, and all kinds of machine repair so I was taught how to repair anything and everything when it broke just like everyone else. I don’t ever remember any outside help ever being called for anything. With the knowledge inside the house, we could solve any repair or building problem. We had a variety of animals on our property, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, and rabbits.

On weekends, we would hunt and fish, so knowing how to prepare food from live animals was essential. I fired my first shotgun at age ten and that did not go so well. There was a lot of laughter, but it was not so funny to me when it lifted me completely off the ground as it knocked me over backward! I proved my value when we went hunting, we were never able to properly train a dog, so my job was to retrieve anything that was shot and went down on the land or in the water.

That early training worked well for me later in my Air Force Arctic and Desert survival training and later in some extreme skiing situations. When many people turned down the opportunities to repair aircraft in flight was confident that I knew enough to handle any situation, save some lives, and help accomplish many missions. My longevity of being a part of the IBM Mainframe Era and now being able to use that “assisted knowledge” as a part of the AI Revolution is something valuable, I am very proud of and plan to enjoy to the fullest.

I was allowed to create the Crisis Management role after winning the top technical award in a company. My role in crisis management involved coordinating specialized teams to rapidly respond to and resolve major IT, security, and communication issues on a global scale. The skills I developed include rapid response, expertise allocation, cross-functional collaboration, global reach, knowledge management, resource allocation, and incident command/oversight. The ability to manage critical situations is crucial for preventing disruptions or risks. My experience in crisis response, assembling experts, and utilizing my skills prepared me for managing high-stakes challenges, which will be assets in navigating the coming “AI Revolution”.

Maintaining composure and leveraging specialized teams in a coordinated way is crucial during crises and imperative for success.

The skills I developed before, during, and after my Crisis Management role, are highly valuable for the coming revolution, and I have experience in effectively utilizing many of them. I am incredibly excited about combining my natural skills with augmented Intelligence, also known as intelligence amplification. This AI is designed to enhance and complement human intelligence rather than replace it. Augmented intelligence systems work alongside humans to improve decision-making, problem-solving, and task completion.

My long history of Crisis Management skills has allowed me to come into any situation with the confidence that I will be able to find a way to resolve it successfully. Once I analyze the information and form an initial team, I incorporate additional skills as necessary to solve the problem. Many times the key to what I accomplish is to recognize something that is being overlooked.

An ongoing issue usually causes some level of frustration. Arriving at one project, I gathered all parties involved in a single room and announced that… “the Crisis team has arrived, we have never failed, and the problem will be solved!” “We have successfully done this before and the speed at which the resolution will happen depends on how much cooperation we receive.” I also added, “That will be the only thing that will slow us down!” I must have pressed the right button because there was a period of silence, and the highest-level and loudest manager went silent and grinned! The mood of the whole room became supportive. I know that many times, confidence can be everything! Most of the people that we helped were very happy to see our team arrive but, in many cases, the local management team did not want us to be successful because the perception was that it would make them look incapable. In many cases that was true and after some problems were resolved people were released or reassigned.

I am working and studying long hours every day to make certain that I can prove that I am a model of what can be achieved with Augmented Intelligence and a very high and lengthy level of natural, practical skills. I am very excited about another beginning!

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A note about Helpful Questions Change Lives:

If you’re curious about why you experience life as you do and what changes your experience when it’s unhelpful, the posts in my first series can help. They invite you to look more closely at the relationship you have with you. Especially the sensations, thoughts, and feelings that make up, and automatically appear as the contents of your consciousness in any moment. They invite inquiry into how liberating it can be to entertain and play with these unique-to-you contents, rather than be entertained or hijacked by them.

I make such an invitation because it’s that freedom bit that helps change lives – for the better. You not only see why your experience unfolds as it does more clearly, but why others behave as they do too.

Series 2 explores what makes sense to you in your relationship with the different groups you’re a part of – teams at work, professional networks, family and friends, for instance.

Suppose you, and other members of these groups were NOT bound by sense making that no longer helps you. Then what?

Enjoy playing with and wondering about what works for you on the questions in this series. Let me know in the comments if they help or not.

Colin Newlyn began The Decrapify Work Not-Newsletter as..

“a form of therapy… A way to work out loud, to figure out what I think and to connect with others who see the world in a similarly sideways and outraged fashion.”

His outrage is supported by numerous workplace engagement surveys, done by Gallup, Deloitte and many others, all of which point to high levels of disengagement among two-thirds of employees – and here’s the rub – persistently across about 20 years of surveying who knows how many people, yielding millions of data points, all around the world.

A post inEliza Filby’s Newsletter called Introducing Inheritocracy asked this question “Do young people want to be managers?”

Citing influencers on TikTok and an article in The Independent she writes..

“While we shouldn’t take a TikTok trend as representative of anything anymore, it’s interesting to note how prevalent this feeling is amongst older Gen Z/early Millennials (between 24-30) who entered the workplace at a time of the pandemic and who now find themselves in management positions. They were never exposed to good practise in this area themselves, and so are struggling now. The legacy of COVID continues to be felt at different points throughout the career ladder”.

Over the last 30+ years I’ve had countless coaching-and-mentoring conversation with leaders in both public and private sector organisations. Most entered these from a stressed state of mind to differing degrees. One big contributing factor, I concluded, connects to the way they think about their role. Being the chief sense maker, decision taker and action initiator, may have felt exciting once, but, over time, overwhelms many.

If my work points to leaders’ stressed, overwhelmed states of mind with respect to how they think about their role. And, among others, Colin’s speaks up on behalf those who’ve been on the wrong end of poor leadership. While Eliza highlights why many of the younger generation don’t want more of the same – not to mention you’re own direct experience of leading and leaders, of course, – we might conclude that many people believe leadership, as we’ve known it, isn’t working.

Our beliefs about leadershipBeliefs about the role a leader plays can hang around for a long while. They get passed on from one generation to the next. They are reinforced via art, literature and films. They take on more relevance and meaning when experienced first hand. And, like us, they may evolve and adapt as circumstances change. But they may not too. We have a tendency to hold on to beliefs. Which is why we get stuck sometimes.

Though I was once a subscriber to the belief that leaders are born not made, that doesn’t make sense to me now. In my experience, we are all provided with opportunities to take a lead even when we don’t see ourselves in a formal leadership role. Life invites is to make sense of being a parent, losing a loved one, getting married, caring for a friend, choosing a career, bringing out the best in others, having purpose, crafting a culture in our workplaces and other groups we’re proud of, resolving the inevitable differences that arise in these, and more. We may not always recognise it, but such sense making, choice making, and action taking opportunities are abundant.

Our beliefs about the leader’s role determine whether and how we seize such opportunities.

No matter whether you have a formal leadership role in a business or family, say, or are taking a lead on a particular issue, look at the beliefs we can each hold about leadership below. Note which resonate with you – that is to say what you’re drawn to, and which you find less attractive, because it’s less you, as it were.

Knowing what kind of beliefs about leadership automatically show up in you, makes playing with each, and wondering which are most helpful in your circumstances, easier.

1. The Tribal Leader

You see your role in terms of protecting your tribe and bringing cohesion to it. To be the one who is relied on for communal survival because of your strength, wisdom, and skill.

Though rooted in early human societies, this same belief can be seen today in those who run their part of the organisation, or family, as fiefdoms or factions, and are tribal in how they relate to others and compete for resources.

2. The Divine Right Leader

You believe your role is to deliver on a divine-given mission, which you see as essential for stability, order and authority. To be the one on whom power is bestowed and centralised as a way protecting the mission, or God’s work, and growing the number of fellow ‘believers’.

The consolidation of power through hereditary rule was often legitimised by claims of divine right, linking leadership to religious beliefs and establishing dynastic traditions. In modern times monarchies still prevail – think King Charles III’s divine-like coronation ceremony, which epitomised this belief. More commonplace, though, are leaders of dynasties or big family-run organisations who believe their mission is inspired by divine intervention and seek fellow disciples to enact it.

3. The Warrior or Military Leader

You see your role is to gain authority through conquest and (military-like) strength. To be the one who can maintain control and protect conquered territories (or market share gains.)

The feudal system thrived on a hierarchical structure, and leadership was closely tied to military prowess. Kings and lords gained authority through winning military battles using strategies designed to defeat an enemy, step by step. We get the term ‘command and control’ from here – needed to ensure each step of a strategy is executed well. Competitive marketplaces are often thought of as being analogous to battlefields and war.

4. The Enlightened Leader

You feel your role is to govern for the betterment of societal progress as a whole. To be the one who embraces, articulates and enacts new intellectual and philosophical shifts.

Rooted in The Age of Enlightenment, this belief marked a shift toward reason, science, and human rights. Leaders fostering the growth of cross-border collaborative networks, working on science-related topics such as vaccine research and climate change, would be examples of modern-day equivalents.

5. The Captain of Industry Leader

You see your role is to oversee enterprises that can manage complex processes, and navigate societal transition with attendant economic shifts. To be the one who can clearly envisage the benefits new technology brings before others have any inkling of these.

The Industrial Revolution brought about significant technological disruption, from agricultural to industrial production. New captains or pioneers like Brunel in the UK, Rockefeller in the US, and Benz in Europe, were driven by the benefits innovative new technology brings. Modern day captains in this digital age are epitomised by Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and leaders of many different start ups including those building new blockchain and AI technologies on Web 3.0.

6. The Inspirational Leader

You believe your role is to inspire others and win their hearts and minds. To be the one who sets out a clear vision of what is possible, builds up people’s resilience and motivates them in the face of rapid social changes.

The 20th century witnessed a shift toward this belief about leadership, especially at times of war, think Churchill regarding the cause of freedom, Gandhi and Mandela on equality, and on inspiring a nation to bold technical accomplishments, think JKF and the Apollo programme to the moon.

7. The Servant Leader

You feel your role is to be of service to those in your organisation or family whose work is valuable, and on which others depend. To be the one who understands wellbeing, inclusivity and the impact both have on collaboration and, ultimately, what is and isn’t achievable.

The shift to servant leadership responded to a growing awareness of the importance of wellbeing and engagement – the extent to which group members feel good about the way things get done and play a full part in making them even better.

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Each day presents us with new challenges, opportunities for personal growth, and empowerment. However, the most daunting ones can trigger anxiety, especially when we feel we lack the natural talent or the necessary skills to overcome them. Negative comments from others, such as ‘It’s time to give up; you will never make it!’ can exacerbate this anxiety. But remember, these are just hurdles on your path to success, not showstoppers. Our blog offers insights on how to overcome anxiety for better outcomes.

Negativity hits each of us occasionally, and we wonder whether we will make a fool of ourselves or if there is a way past the situation to focus on what we most desire. Time and again, anxiety kicks in due to these matters, raising the question: Is it possible to overcome the stress for better outcomes, or do I need to face the blunt facts shared with me that it’s time to give up?

The Positive MindsetLive Life Without Regret.

We only have one life to live. Imagine how you might feel if you did not give an issue your all to correct it and move on. If you can’t fix a problem, ask a friend for help or hire help as necessary.

I sincerely appreciate that Executives Diary Magazine has published my story, https://lnkd.in/gsHG3bG5, and posted it on LinkedIn. My experiences are meant to inspire readers to reconsider their seemingly low points, assure them that they are not alone, and encourage the reconstruction of thinking to reach new heights.

Sometimes, walking alone is necessary to motivate our mind, body, and spirit to achieve new heights. Without a doubt, a positive mindset opens many more doors.

Embrace Your Long-Term Vision Always

Before you sleep at night, make it a habit to recall what you ultimately want to accomplish. Upon awakening, do the same, plus review the goals necessary to complete that day to move a baby step further toward your distant achievement.

Motivational Thoughts to Embrace:

• We only have one life to live; it’s our duty to live it our way.
• Realize that statistics are temporary.
• Tomorrow is a blank canvas; begin painting your future today.

Take A Time-Out for Yourself

Long ago, I was taught that a computer must be rebooted when it isn’t operating correctly, and it’s wise today to do the same for ourselves. Accordingly, when anxiety on any level hits, and depending upon the weather, make time to enjoy the outdoors with a run, hike, walk, or bike ride, allowing your mind to wander. In the wintertime, go to the gym to strengthen your muscles, body, and mind; even better, find time to do so all year!

All the while, allow free-flowing thought that suddenly appears to be your magic wand, bringing new ideas to mind. Give each one due consideration to begin with the recurring one while advancing to testing, revision, and testing again to ensure it works well and complements the other strategies already in place. Creative projects and embracing memorable songs can open our minds to previously missed ideas.

The lyric titles that speak to me are:

‘Listen to the Music,’ by the Doobie Brothers

‘The Answer is Blowing In the Wind,’ by Cat Stevens.

Focus On the Worst to Realize the Best

Most of us ‘have been there,’ from annoyances to seeming catastrophes. Reflecting on how far we have come is always good when we have troublesome days, particularly when the next disaster hits. Use it to give yourself a pep talk to move past the dilemma and return to what matters most.

In Conclusion: Overcome Anxiety for Better Outcomes

Finally, we only have one life to live. Acknowledging this fact leads to realizing that we must live without regret. When we commit to fixing small or significant issues, we can look back and realize how far we have come. Finally, embrace the community spirit by sharing the best of what you learn, feel the joy for all you have accomplished and shared in your lifetime, and live life to its fullest!

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In this episode of The Sanity Project podcast, host Joanne Victoria interviews Katherine Lazaruk, a leadership coach who began her career in image consulting. Lazaruk discusses her unconventional path to leadership development, emphasizing the importance of embracing one’s inner child and being open to various career possibilities. She shares her experience of building a business around her corporate job and eventually transitioning to full-time consulting, aiding clients in climbing the corporate ladder. Lazaruk also touches on the concept of “web thinking” versus linear thinking, encouraging the idea that diverse experiences can eventually interconnect to form a fulfilling career path.

Katherine’s foray into the professional world began with a vision—quite literally. During a pivotal coaching session, she experienced a flash of inspiration that would become the foundation of her first business, ICU Image Consulting. Despite the lack of regulation in the industry and the initial uncertainty, Katherine’s entrepreneurial spirit was undeterred. She leaped, balancing her corporate job with her burgeoning business, until the recession presented an opportunity to go all in.

Katherine’s background in music and education, along with her experiences in opera and teaching, shaped her multifaceted approach to life and work. She observed that few people have the luxury of a single, linear career path. Instead, most of us create a mosaic of experiences that, over time, weave together to form a unique and fulfilling professional life.

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One of the key things I have learned from talking to both clients and people in the communications business over the years is that they believed that the hardest thing to do was to develop a methodology or personal business philosophy to help guide them on the long and winding road.

A lot of these people tend to run mainly on inspiration. But the fact of the matter is that there needs to be much more than that if you are going to be a truly effective communicator.

And I’m not just talking about ‘creative’ people. This applies right across the board. Because communication really is all encompassing, and good communication is all important.

What follows here is a list of ‘rules’ I carry around in my head, kind of like a GPS system, that have guided me through the process of my independent career.

Some of these ‘criteria’, also help us make sure that, if nothing else, the strategic-to-the-creative will be in synch all along the line and be well received by whoever the communication is designed to reach.

1. Every client, no matter how big or how small, deserves your best effort 100% of the time.
2. Advising clients to put all their eggs in one basket is dangerous. We have all have seen baskets come and baskets go. And we have seen baskets shrink and baskets grow. It’s never about one basket, but the right combination of baskets and how many eggs you put in each.
3. Always look for and pursue clients who are truly committed to making the world a better place. This is always a more gratifying environment in which to work, especially if their commitment to their goals is driven by more that just profit motive.
4. Understand that consumers, still go through the same thought processes they always have when it comes to making purchasing decisions, be they for themselves or for their businesses. They simply want to be told the truth in a persuasive way,
5. Always work to make your client’s businesses look and feel appealing without resorting to hyperbole, exaggeration or any other form of aggrandizement that would artificially inflate the importance of that business at the expense of the importance of the customer.
6. In order to do the best job possible, always learn how your client’s business works, from the perspectives of: product or service, sales, marketing, competition and target audiences.
7. Understand that clients seek help because they can often feel they are too close to their business to be objective about their communications, so it’s up to you to provide objectivity and perspective.
8. A solid understanding of the entire marketplace your client operates in is the only way to figure out where your client’s business fits and how to position them accurately.
9. Know that with smart thinking, solid positioning and honest communication, you can keep your clients in the preferred 20% of their market, and out of the 80% of less than successful businesses.
10. Never forget, no matter what, that developing great communication is a much simpler process than a lot of people would have you believe it is.

As you can see these ‘Commandments’ cover a fairly wide range of activity. But this is necessary simply because communication is a multi-faceted area of any company’s business.

In today’s world, an understanding that in order to survive and thrive in a highly competitive marketplace every business needs to be able to communicate effectively. Either internally or with the help of objective and professional allies, who will always have their best interest at heart.

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I was told by a dear friend that if I stopped working, the world would end. Currently I am in three different businesses and write as well. Seeing that the customer facing ne has me working weekends and I seem to get the most urgent requests only on my days off. As a customer-centric person, I do what I can to avoid problems that result if one is deemed in-attentive! Example one customer very well educated, and very specific directions had a question the day before install. It was a Sunday. Not only did I have back-to-back customers all day, so I wasn’t on my computer or even my phone she texted and called, but I was talking with a person every time, showing products so no hands free to text. She called the office and left a message. When I finally got a moment towards the end of the day, I got yelled at and she yelled at everyone in the office. My customer service was her issue. Our business is very keen on speaking with whoever is with us directly first. It made me upset as I take my role seriously and there is no way to know each day the ebb and flow of clients in person.

Contrast to the software part time position that is on the 24-hr. clock because of the global nature of staff and clients. Though I set hours every week on my calendar, the 4 or 5 that I do as a business development/salesperson, this one can easily make a mess of my schedule. Textile consulting is appointment based and easy to manage. This difference between work styles made me think I should investigate the issue more! I was speaking to an IT friend who I know because of our shared passion for rugs and textiles. A treasure trove of information, this is what he offered.

Barry O’Connell shared:In the dynamic and ever-connected world of global collaboration, working across time zones is a familiar challenge that demands flexibility and sometimes, a touch of personal sacrifice. For one dedicated professional, navigating the time difference between the United States and Kerala, India, has become an art form, honed by necessity, and facilitated by the freedom of remote work. Our protagonist finds themselves bridging the geographical and temporal divide that separates their US-based operations from their development team in India.

The logistical puzzle of coordinating efforts across continents is a common scenario in today’s interconnected workplace. Yet, it’s the personal adaptation to these circumstances that truly encapsulates the spirit of global teamwork.

With team members in Kerala wrapping up their day as the US team is just beginning theirs, this individual has embraced an unorthodox schedule to keep the wheels of progress turning smoothly. Working from home offers the flexibility to adjust working hours, and this has become a cornerstone of their strategy for seamless collaboration. Embracing the quiet hours of the early morning, they’ve turned what could be seen as a disruption into an opportunity. Waking up for a 4:00 AM call to India is not just about troubleshooting or crisis management; it’s about fostering a continuous flow of communication and ensuring that both teams move forward in harmony. This unconventional schedule has its perks. After the call, a return to sleep is not just restorative; it’s a tactical pause. By the time the US management is ready to discuss the day’s agenda, our interviewees are refreshed, informed, and ready to brief them on the overnight developments. This approach also offers an unexpected benefit in the realm of workplace autonomy. The necessity of being available during the wee hours grants a certain degree of freedom during the conventional workday.

In an era where digital tools like Teams make it all too easy for managers to monitor activity levels, there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing that true productivity can’t always be measured by keyboard strokes or mouse movements. Our protagonist’s story is a testament to the adaptability required in today’s global workforce. It highlights not just the challenges of working across time zones, but the creative solutions that emerge when individuals are committed to their team’s success, regardless of the hour. It’s a narrative of compromise, ingenuity, and the subtle rebellion against the digital oversight of modern management tools—a reminder that in the vast web of global collaboration, the human element remains the most critical connector. Also, I should have posted into that article as well to keep your manager off balance. Shoot him an email at 9:00 at night and then answer a call at 4:00 in the morning. He won’t know when you’re working when you’re not and he will think you’re wonderful.

From Forbes: The world is experiencing a pandemic disruption that is changing our perspectives and beliefs about how we work. In particular:

• The balance of power has shifted from employers to employees.
• The employee value proposition has shifted from “work for me” to “work with me.”
• Employees favor a hybrid model versus going back to the office full time.
• Employees are rethinking their purpose—they are searching for meaning, not activity. In particular, millennials are interested in working with purpose-driven companies rather than those focused on shareholder value.

As governments start to ease pandemic restrictions and employers prepare to welcome employees back to work. The successful transition of the workforce from the known pre-pandemic world to the unknown post-pandemic world will depend on shifts leaders make to navigate this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. According to Andy Grove, former chairman and CEO of Intel, “Bad companies are destroyed by crisis, Good companies survive them, Great companies are improved by them.” Below are five shifts’ leaders must make to transform the pandemic work disruption into a gift and opportunity:

#1 Focus on purpose: What kind of employees would leaders attract if they measured their value not from Wall Street but by improving people’s lives—resolving environmental, social, and governance issues? Your organization will attract and retain employees searching for meaning and not activity. According to Mckinsey, “70% of employees now demand purposeful work.” These purpose-driven employees are “6.5x more likely to report higher resilience, 6x to stay at the company, 1.5x likely to go above and beyond.” Also, shareholders and customers make choices in the market based on purpose and sustainability.

#2 Change your paradigm: The implications of the post-pandemic disruption on the future of work are still unknown. Tim Elmore, the author of The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership, said, “Uncommon leaders leverage both their vision and their blind spots. We must not fall in love with an idea but fall in love with a problem. If we fall in love with an idea, we may be blinded to the better idea that comes along later.” You can mandate people to return to work, but you can’t control their levels of engagement. The current problem is complex, which means the problem must be managed, not solved. Also, it requires a cautious and experimental approach to bring employees back to work.

#3 Shift from customer-first to people-first: It is widely known that Amazon Founder, Jeff Bezos, leaves an empty chair to represent the customers’ voice during the company’s most important meetings. In today’s world, you need two chairs, the customer, and your employees. Like your customers, your employees are human beings. Howard Schultz, the former CEO and Chairman of Starbucks said, “We are not in the coffee business serving people, but in the people, business serving coffee.” Simply, treat your employees with the same respect and passion as you would a customer.

4 Embed your talent strategy into every phase of your business: Your HR partners are closest to the pulse of your organization, and they can leverage these insights to engage, energize, and unleash the power of your talent.

5 Shift your leadership operating model: With the shift to digitization, small businesses have been struggling to keep up with consumers’ insatiable appetites and changes in technology. Costs associated with bigger, better, newer, and faster software and hardware were a burden. The X-as-a-service (XaaS) model (where X = platform, software, infrastructure, etc.) is catching on in these environments as an intangible value to customers while lowering the total cost of ownership by providing subscription-based technology. It helps business owners meet their customer needs by accessing the latest technology while keeping CapEx low.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardosibanjo/2022/02/27/the-post-pandemic-workplace-5-shifts-every-leader-must-make/?sh=1c4f96354fc1

Some things businesses have to consider post pandemic according to: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7566764.

The pandemic has pointed out problems in the current systems, as well as speeding along progress in the technology realm. A structural-unruly duality characterizes emergence, progression, and impact. Mainstream development thinking the problem. Transformations are needed in science-policy, economies. Resilience, equity, diversity, and inclusive politics are required.

This was a predictor back in 2020 and I believe it certainly has proved true!

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/11/our-post-pandemic-world-and-whats-likely-to-hang-round/

That ongoing uncertainty takes a big toll. That’s the basis of a traumatic stressor — unpredictability, uncontrollability — until it exceeds the ability of the organism to cope,” Koenen said. “It’s affecting every milestone: graduation, entering school, leaving school. For the older Gen-Zers: marriages, dating, jobs — in fact, there aren’t jobs. That’s a formative period in their lives when people are figuring out: What’s important to me? What do I want my life to look like compared to my parents’ life?”

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Stagnant and frustrated? Spinning your wheels but going nowhere? You’re not alone. We all hit plateaus where growth feels impossible. But what if I told you there’s a roadmap to reignite your progress and smash through those barriers?

As a mass communication specialist with over three decades of experience and a business coach dedicated to transforming lives, I’ve seen countless individuals break through plateaus and achieve incredible things. My passion lies in helping people connect, and that connection fuels growth.

But what if growth doesn’t have to be such a struggle? What if there’s a method to the madness, a formula you can follow that will get you unstuck and moving in the right direction again?

There is, and it starts with being honest with yourself. You have to get a clear-eyed assessment of where you’re at now before you can plan the steps to get where you want to go.

This guide unlocks the secrets to transforming struggle into steady advancement. We’ll explore how to set powerful goals, navigate setbacks with optimism, and celebrate every step on your journey to becoming your best self.

The opportunity for growth is there in every moment – you have to be ready to seize it. So, ditch the frustration and get ready to unleash your potential. Let’s take control of your growth starting today.

Graduating to the Next Level: Upgrading Your SkillsYou’ve been doing the same thing for a while now and feel stuck in a rut. Your job has become mundane, or you’ve plateaued in your career. It’s time for a change—an upgrade. Growth doesn’t happen by accident. You have to be intentional about improving your situation.

Continuous LearningThe key to progressing in your career or relationships is continuous learning. Take a course on a new skill, read books on personal development, or learn from a mentor. Exposing yourself to new ideas and ways of thinking helps spark creativity and opens you up to new opportunities.Expand Your Network

Those that share your growth mentality should be in your immediate vicinity. Connecting with like-minded individuals, especially those further along in their journey, helps motivate you and opens doors to new possibilities. Join a local networking group or online community to make valuable connections.

Look for New ChallengesOnce you’ve built up your skills and network, look for ways to apply your newfound knowledge. Ask your boss for more responsibility or look for a promotion. If that’s not possible in your current role, start searching for a new position that will challenge you.

Growth may feel uncomfortable, but that’s how you know you’re progressing. While change can be difficult, focusing on self-improvement and expanding your opportunities leads to a more fulfilling life. Continuously learning, networking, and taking on new challenges will set you up for success at the next level. The key is taking that first step. Are you ready to graduate?

Reality Check: Action Plan for Strategic GrowthWant to grow into your best self? First, take an honest look at where you are right now. Ask yourself the hard questions about what’s really going on in your life and how you truly feel. It may not always be pretty, but facing the truth is the only way to build the life you want.

Where do you stand in your relationships?

Are you making time for the people who lift you and support you? Or are you neglecting them in favor of work or other responsibilities? Please create a list of the relationships that nurture you and commit to strengthening them. Your connections with others are the foundation for growth.

How’s your physical health?

Are you exercising, eating balanced nutritious meals, and getting enough rest? Or are you burning the candle at both ends, surviving on caffeine and junk food? Take stock of your habits and make a plan to establish a healthy routine. Your physical health impacts everything else in your life.

What are your current skills and abilities?

Do you feel challenged and engaged at work? Or have you been coasting along, doing the bare minimum? Continuous learning and improving your skills is key to progress. Look for opportunities to advance your knowledge and take on more responsibility. Stagnation stifles growth.

How do you feel emotionally and spiritually?

Are you practicing self-care, engaging in meaningful pursuits, and maintaining an optimistic outlook? Or do feelings of boredom, restlessness, or apathy dominate your days? Your inner life steers your course, so make sure to nurture your emotional and spiritual well-being.

With an honest self-assessment in hand, you’ll gain clarity on what’s working and not working in your life. Growth happens through gradual progress, not an overnight transformation. But the journey starts here.

Developing Objectivity: Clarifying Your Goals and TimelinesAchieving growth requires developing an objective view of what you want to accomplish. Ask yourself some tough questions to gain clarity on your goals and timelines.

What exactly are you aiming for?

Be specific about what you want to achieve. Do you want to advance your career, learn a new skill, improve a relationship, or something else? The better, the more accurate you can be. Rather than expressing a general desire like “I want to improve my public speaking skills,” you could specify a concrete goal, such as “I aim to deliver an engaging and informative TEDx talk within the next six months.” This approach adds clarity and direction to your aspiration

How will achieving this goal benefit you?

Connect your goal to the benefits to stay motivated. Will it increase your confidence, open up new opportunities, or allow you to help others? Remind yourself of the benefits when obstacles arise.

What are your timelines?

Set both short-term and long-term timelines to keep yourself accountable while still being realistic. If your goal is to run a 5K, aim to run one mile within the next month, two miles within two months, and so on. Breaking a big goal into smaller milestones makes it feel more achievable.

Are there any preliminary micro goals?

Stay calm by the end goal. Remember the small accomplishments along the journey. If you want to learn Spanish, start by learning five new words daily. Celebrate achieving these micro goals to stay motivated for continued progress.

Developing objectivity around your goals and timelines is key to achieving real growth. Be specific about what you want, connect your goals to benefits, set timelines, and focus on small wins. With this approach, you’ll be making steady progress in no time. Remember, growth is often gradual, so keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you’ll get there.

Riding the Waves: Maintaining Positivity and Persistence Through ChallengesStaying Afloat Amid the Highs and Lows

Growth is a journey filled with ups and downs. Some days, you’ll feel on top of the world, energized by progress and breakthroughs. Other times, obstacles may seem impossible, and self-doubt starts to creep in. The key is learning how to ride the waves—how to maintain optimism and motivation even when times get tough.

Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

When facing challenges, it’s easy to become discouraged by how far you still have to go rather than appreciating how far you’ve come. Make a habit of regularly reflecting on your wins, big and small. Notice the milestones you’ve achieved and the skills you’ve gained. This helps build your confidence and resilience for the road ahead.

Look for the Silver Lining

Even when things don’t go as planned, there are lessons to be found. Ask yourself what you can gain or improve from the situation. You may have discovered a new approach that didn’t work. You have the chance to try something new right now. Growth often happens when we step outside our comfort zone. Look for the upside in any perceived “failure” or setback.

Take a Step Back to Recharge

When the going gets tough, pause to renew your motivation. Do something to shift your mindset and lift your mood, like exercising, spending time with loved ones, or engaging in an enjoyable hobby. A recharged mind and body will help you feel ready to dive back in with fresh enthusiasm and determination.

Connecting With Your “Why”

Remember your initial motivation for embarking on this trip. What motivated you to push out of your comfort zone and work to achieve your goals? Revisit your original inspiration and vision. Let it reignite your passion and strengthen your resolve. When challenges arise, your “why” can be the driving force that keeps you going.

Growth is a journey, not a destination. Learn to find the joy in overcoming life’s obstacles, both great and small. Maintain an optimistic mindset, focus on progress, and reconnect with your motivation. With persistence and positivity, you’ll build resilience and continue moving forward. The obstacles you encounter today will mold the person you end up being tomorrow.

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“You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.”

Charles Buxton

We all share the same 24 hours in a day, yet some people seem to effortlessly accomplish their goals while others struggle to keep up. The secret lies in effective time management—a skill that can transform your life and lead you to success. In this blog post, we will explore practical strategies to make the most of your time, ensuring a balanced and fulfilling life.

One of the fundamental principles of time management is prioritization. As the renowned productivity expert, Stephen Covey, once said, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Start your day by identifying the most critical tasks and allocate your time accordingly. When you focus on what truly matters, you can achieve more with less effort. By doing so, you not only increase your efficiency but also move closer to the life you envision.

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”

William Penn

Reflecting on how we spend our time is crucial to effective time management. The above insightful quote from William Penn reminds us of the value of this finite resource. Take a moment to evaluate your daily activities, identifying those that contribute to your goals and eliminating habits that waste your time. This mindful approach ensures that each moment is an investment in your personal and professional success.

The Power of PlanningEffective time management starts with a well-thought-out plan. Break down your goals into smaller, manageable tasks and create a daily or weekly schedule. As the saying goes, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” When you have a roadmap, you can navigate through your day with purpose and avoid the chaos of unplanned moments.

Take ownership of your time by consciously making choices that align with your goals. Create a balance between work and personal life, ensuring that you allocate time for relaxation and self-care. Recognize that making time for what matters requires intentional effort.

Embrace the 80/20 RuleThe Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. Identify the tasks that yield the most significant impact and prioritize them. By focusing on the most critical aspects of your work and life, you can achieve remarkable results with minimal input.

So, mastering the art of time management is something that requires self-awareness, planning, and intentional choices. By listing your priorities, planning your days, and focusing on what matters most, you can unlock the full potential of your 24 hours. As you go through the path to success, remember the wise words of William Penn: “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”

Make the most of your time, and watch how it transforms your life.

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In large processes of cultural evolution, such as the current contexts, leaders have an even more relevant role. Recent events have literally forced a cultural evolution at all levels in companies and leaders have been inexorably overwhelmed by it.

Many have been able to ride the wave. They experienced, understood, learned and were truly able to seize a precious opportunity for authentic evolution. Some others improvised and, ultimately, improvisation represents a resource, perhaps even a genuine talent.

The majority faced the unprecedented and extremely difficult challenge with a great sense of responsibility and conscience and had the intellectual honesty to admit some defeats along with the successes.

What is certain is that reality sees us projected into a world with technological and organizational phenomena whose scope is enormously difficult to deal with.

Today it is talked about inclusive, inspirational, feminine, heartfelt, sustainable, humanist leadership etc. and, undoubtedly, each of these proposals brings with it the authentic value and weight of those years-long research or those experiences accumulated even with great effort.

And since on this matter there is nothing certain, final, to be negligible, especially in constantly changing times, and then, every experience, opinion, study or research, survey, are always opportunities for consideration and reflection, I will try, I too, to propose some aspects which, in my modest way of seeing, should characterize a leader so that he can face this historical phase with a sense of presence and responsibility:

Curiosity, which must never be lacking, because after all there are many proposals and there are no recipes; stopping at the first reading or at the first inspiration could be fatal.

The ability for synthesis and personal elaboration, because the approach to the many proposals must not be encyclopedic but synthetic, that is, capable of drawing the best out of every idea to obtain a very personal proposal.

Anti brittleness, the ability that perhaps we have really put aside, that is to lend ourselves to chaos (absence of routine, points of reference, regularity, habits, serenity) with the aim of learning and thriving.

Attention to those who have a vast repertoire of experiences accumulated over time.

The ability not to be shocked by the contradictions of the reality that surrounds us; paradoxes are an integral part of a complex worldle and leaders (and not only) are faced with the challenge of identifying useful and intelligent syntheses.

Lastly, I would add a great sense of sportsmanship in the face of what represents an unavoidable factor in the leaders’ daily game, and in the face of which one sometimes runs the risk of becoming a little “over-confident”: the risk, which it cannot be eliminated from the life, not only of leaders but also of all of us.

In short, we could say that what is worth focusing on is, more than ever, the “quality” of the daily action of a leader and his collaborators.

I hope I have not added to the confusion in the debate.

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At work we have all kinds of people. Some are extroverts and others are introverts. Some people love to socialise to their fullest and others stay reserved, uninviting and minding their own businesses. The extroverts, sometimes, really talk endlessly. We might think of those colleagues who hardly talk as unsocial but they may be doing it by design and in many situations, they are wise enough. They are also extremely good at observing what goes around them. The real game is what they need to disclose with colleagues @work and what to keep it to themselves. In fact, it’s a subtle art to maintaining our mystique at work.

Successful people know this very well — there are certain things, outside of work life, that we just don’t need to disclose it anyone at work. It’s not about being sensitive to information sharing and being secretive at the same time, rather, it’s about being strategic. Revealing too much can sometimes lead to unnecessary judgments or biases. But keeping certain things to ourselves can keep us on our path to success.

Let’s explore how these successful colleagues operate in their private and professional. What they disclose publicly and what keep under wraps.

1. Personal strugglesWorkplaces are often seen as professional environments, and successful people understand this very well. They know that their personal life, particularly any struggles or issues they might be dealing with, are usually best kept separate from their work life. This may include some family disputes, other issues i.e. health issues within the family etc. This isn’t about creating a false facade or pretending everything is perfect.

Rather, it’s about maintaining a professional image and ensuring that personal issues don’t distract from work related projects and assignments. This category of colleagues tend not to air their personal issues in the workplace. They also don’t add or invite office colleagues to their personal social media platforms. Needless to say that we all have our own life struggles. But successful people know that the workplace is not always the best place to discuss them.

1. Future Career AspirationsThese wise people also understand the importance of commitment and dedication to their current job roles. While it’s completely normal its their right to have long-term career goals or aspirations outside of the company if they cannot make it within the organisation for obvious reasons, voicing these openly at work may send the wrong messages for no reason.

Talking about plans to leave for other opportunities can create doubt in our dedication to the current job roles. It could impact our relationships with our current colleagues and bosses and even affect our progress within the company. While it’s crucial to have career goals and ambitions, successful people usually keep these future plans close to their chest until they’re ready to make their next move.

1. Self-doubtWe all grapple with self-doubt at times, even those who seem the most confident. I remember early in my career, I would often question my abilities and wonder if I was truly capable of succeeding in my role. Successful people are no strangers to this feeling. However, they tend not to reveal these insecurities at work. They understand that self-doubt can be perceived as lack of confidence or competence, which can impact their professional reputation.

This doesn’t really mean that one starts talking about it publicly or to the “trusted colleagues”. Instead, they work on overcoming these doubts on their own, focusing on not self-sabotaging their careers and craving for growth. They know that everyone has areas to improve on and they strive to turn their insecurities into motivation to perform better.

1. Past FailuresAs Michael Jordanvery rightly said: “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying”. Failure is a part of life and often a stepping stone to success. But successful people know when and where to discuss these failures. While it’s important to acknowledge where we go wrong and learn from them, dwelling on past failures at the workplace can create a negative impression. It can lead others to question our very existence at that organisation.

Successful professionals tend not to reveal their past failures at work, unless it’s relevant to a learning experience or a particular discussion. They focus on their achievements and future goals, using past setbacks as lessons they’ve already learnt, not as defining factors of their professional identity.

1. Political leanings / affiliationsThis one is highly important. I’ve seen a few colleagues losing their jobs and their sufferings due to making such an information public in one way or the other. Research suggests that political discussions at work can lead to decreased productivity, poorer work quality, and increased hostility. Successful people understand the potential pitfalls of discussing politics @workplace. While it’s natural to have political views, voicing them in a professional environment can lead to unnecessary conflicts.

Keeping political leanings to ourselves help maintain a harmonious working environment with colleagues of all backgrounds and beliefs. It’s all about focusing on what unites us in the workplace — our shared goals and tasks — rather than what might divide us.

Final ThoughtsLet’s remember that acting maturely at the workplace is all about creating and maintaining a ‘Fineline’.The road to success is often paved with caution, care and wisdom, and part of that strategy is knowing what to keep under wraps. The art of maintaining professional boundaries is a skill successful people have mastered. Recognizing that some aspects of life are best kept out of the workplace isn’t about creating a persona or hiding who they truly are. It’s about understanding the dynamics of a professional environment and fostering a productive and harmonious workspace.

Whether it’s personal struggles, political leanings, or health concerns, the decision to keep these matters private can significantly impact how others perceive us in our professional lives. Navigating these boundaries might not always be easy, but it’s an essential part of the journey towards success. And as we’ve seen from those who’ve walked this path before us, it’s a journey well worth taking.

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Facing a workplace situation that feels more like a never-ending marathon than a fulfilling career? Sounds like you’re stuck in the “24/7 rule” circus, where the company’s demands are juggling you around like a reluctant clown! But fear not, it’s time to add a dash of humor to lighten the mood and find your way out of this job jamboree.

Imagine this: you’re the star performer in a workplace drama titled “The Great Escape from 24/7 Land.” Cue the dramatic music as you dramatically roll out of bed after hitting the snooze button more times than you can count. Your reluctance to face the day rivals that of a cat avoiding a bath – and trust me, that’s some serious reluctance!

But wait, there’s more! Your inner circle knows all about your workplace woes, making you feel like the lead character in a soap opera where everyone’s in on the juicy gossip. And as for having fun? Well, it’s become as elusive as finding a unicorn at a corporate retreat.

Now, let’s sprinkle in some wit and wisdom. Picture yourself sitting down with a trusted confidant, pouring your heart out over a cup of coffee. You lay out your grievances, and they respond with a quip so sharp, it could cut through the corporate red tape like a hot knife through butter. Together, you brainstorm a plan so ingenious, it would make even Sherlock Holmes proud.

As you jot down your thoughts on paper, you realize something profound: it’s time to reclaim your power and put yourself first. You’re not just a cog in the corporate machine – you’re a force to be reckoned with!

So, armed with humor, wit, and a newfound sense of determination, you set out on your journey to find greener pastures. Who knows? Maybe your next adventure will involve writing that book you’ve always dreamed of or embarking on a spontaneous trip to Singapore – because life’s too short to be stuck in a job that feels like a never-ending sitcom rerun!

Remember, laughter is the best medicine, especially when dealing with workplace woes. So, chin up, my friend, and let’s add a little humor to this chapter of your life story!

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More than ever, organisations and individuals are looking ahead to the future with a close lens and keen insights. This type of big-picture thinking is imperative to the success of any company or a person. It’s part of building mental fitness. After all, our world is not static, rather it is in a constant state of change. With much of the future unknown and uncertain, companies (and people) need to stay agile and think strategically about what’s to come ahead. In fact, half of us feel unable to plan for the future.

Having said that, we also need to make sure to stay reactive. Our organizations know that the future isn’t set in stone. Nowadays, the future is fluid. To look at the bigger picture ahead, we know that we need to make space for reflection in case things don’t go as planned.

In this article, we shall deliberate on how to adopt habits to become a BIG Picture Thinker. Let’s find out how BIG Picture Thinking Pattern can keep ourselves and our organizations a step ahead from the competition, from the market place — and be better prepared to pivot when needed.

Who’re the Big Picture Thinkers?The BIG Picture People tend to be creative, strategic, and visionary, but they can also be messy, disorganised, and forgetful. On the other hand, the detail oriented people are conscientious and exacting, but may lack perspective or fail to prioritise long-term goals. These types of thinking skills aren’t inherently natural to us. Like any other sort of skill or muscle, it takes practice to start thinking with a BIG Picture view. Let’s see how BIG Picture Thinking should work for us and why it’s worth investing in building a future-mindedness in our respective workplacs?

Ways to Embrace Big Picture Thinking1. The Power of seeing the Whole

In most cases, particularly in our part of the world, we are not trained to have a holistic view of things. Rather, we look at the transactional value of the pieces. We love to work in silos and we feel good about it. Also, in most cases we don’t like others to interfere in our respective domains even for our own good. We live with this distorted desire to control i.e. I am the In-charge for my own little kingdom.

Unfortunately, most managers are trained like that, not bothered to look at the BIGGER Picture, e.g., the Heads of HR, Finance, IT or other support function are generally busy adding frills to their little empires without realizing the purpose or core of their organisational existence. Similarly, they train their successors in a similar fashion, living in their own (fool’s) paradise.

2. Spare Time to Reflect

Rather than acting on short-term conditions such as emotions, fatigue, time pressure or distraction, deciding based on the BIG Picture can ensure us prioritise effectively and set achievable goals. Here are a few methods we can use to think about the big picture:

1. Connect with the Divine and seek help
2. Write down the BIG Goals
3. Go for a thoughtful walk
4. Talk to a friend or a family member who is a good listener and seek advice

3. Build Future-Centric Skills

We all understand that due to the current economic situation around the world, the future will remain uncertain for a foreseeable time and that’s fine. Organizations and individuals everywhere are navigating the same uncertainty and unknown. In fact, 63% of Americans say they’re stressed about the unknown. But our workforce doesn’t have to feel like it’s navigating the unknown alone or without support.

Creating future-centric leaders in our organisations will help keep our employees agile, healthy, and engaged. Researchshows that future-centric leaders report increased team agility, team performance, innovation, and resilience. 82% of people have significant room for improvement in at least one area of future-centric leadership skills.

4. The Journey Starts from Within

It takes a “leadershift” — a balance between standing back and seeing the big picture (vision) and moving in close while painting all of the fine details (execution). BIG Picture Thinkers dream of the opportunities, not just the problems, they see possibilities, not barriers. They have the capability of see across the wall.

BIG Picture leaders then take those abstract thoughts and envision strategic outcomes. They can make a plan for how to create opportunities from challenges, and outcomes that drive an organization to somewhere ahead of where it is today. BIG Picture leaders elevate possibilities, processes and people.

5. Convert Plans into Action

Since we are discussing the BIG Picture Thinking and painting a vision, let’s see what the great artist Pablo Picasso had to say: “Our goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a plan. There is no other route to success.”

As we look through our own leadership lens today, let’s ask ourselves:

1. Do we have a vision for what we do?
2. Is our vision in sync with our life goals?
3. Are the goals outlined with a plan that is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound)?
4. Does our vision include leading others toward the end state? If so, am I more focused on managing an operation or leading people?

SummaryIn short, “Symphony” is the ability to see the big picture not only in terms of analysis, but also to integrate and synthesise to see that the whole is greater than the sum of all the parts. It is a capacity that each person has to a degree. The more this symphony is cultivated the easier it becomes to communicate and understand the job as a whole, the significance of each part to success, and the subtle interrelationships among the parts.

Let’s not forget that the change is the only constant and is necessary for evolution. Leadership Guru John C. Maxwell writes in his book Leadershift, “You cannot be the same, think the same, and act the same if you hope to be successful in a world that does not remain the same”.

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A recent neuroscience study exploring how the brain engages in creative work, reveals that flow, or being “in the zone,” the state of blissful consciousness, can be achieved by consciously releasing or reducing cognitive control to allow creativity to flourish.

“Letting go”, a foundational principle in mindfulness meditation practice, is central for an optimal creative state of flow to be reached and maintained.

To elicit flow, we have to intentionally create the space for it. A mental, emotional and physical environment that is conducive “to see what else is possible”.

The realms of possibility and opportunity are inherently connected with untapped potential.

Harnessing change is part of any growth’s journey; it is the gateway into new experiences that open to new, effective ways of attaining the desired outcomes.

The essence of the creative process is to let go of the “knowing” mind construct, to shift into the dimension of wondrous curiosity, allowing for new insight to surface, to be explored and eventually embraced.

Unlocking organisational potential ties with fostering human centred dynamics where processes, systems and approaches are harmonised, to synergise with the change effort.

This is a dimension of expansion, where intentional presence and empathic listening weave in with collaboration, experimentation, authenticity, safety and trust, to synchronise the shared purpose, build resilience, and activate ownership, transforming the relationship with adversities.

How comfortable are you at the idea of letting go of the “I know” and embrace instead the “What if” and “Where from here” ?

To shift from change to transformation, we steer the dialogue (inner and outer) in a direction that invites in openness, to a space where we promote collaborative problem solving.

The creative process is by all means a human centred endeavour. Ideas and solutions arise as a result of channelling the creative energy into a collaborative pursuit.

It is not about the ‘I’ versus the “We” rather the integrative process that is built around a shared vision, shared values and a common goal.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” A. Einstein

This analysis is foundational to the Module 3 of my “Transformative Leadership Coaching Program” at present offered on 1-to1 Format: “Embrace Growth. Be In Service.” You can learn more about the first two Modules by visiting my LinkedIn profile and my website. To unlock more insight into the 5Dimensions of the Program, you can sign up to download the expanded view.

Link to the external resource: https://neurosciencenews.com/creative-flow-neuroscience-25918/

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With all the talk about layoffs, and top companies laying off thousands at a time over the past year, we’re seeing more and more individuals using what’s called Career Cushioning. This refers to maintaining a safety net – or backup plan -while pursuing your primary career goals. This safety net includes such scenarios as a side job, freelance work, a secondary source of income. Not to mention, professionals are job searching with the hope of lining something up should they end up laid off.

The purpose: to provide financial stability and security, especially during times of uncertainty or transition in one’s primary career path. In short, this is a strategy where professionals take steps to create ‘just-in-case’ alternate paths of employment in the event they lose their current job.

According to a recent post on the HubSpot.com, a site with tools, software and info for businesses, Career Cushioning allows you to ‘cushion the blow’ if you lose your job unexpectedly. It’s about being proactive and creating additional opportunities for yourself in the event of a layoff or sudden termination.

The practice of career cushioning has continued to escalate. And while it wasn’t called Career Cushioning in the past, professionals have been doing just this for decades.

businessinsider.com says – “A slew of companies across the tech, media, finance, and retail industries made significant cuts to staff in 2023. Tech titans like IBM, Google, Microsoft, finance giants like Goldman Sachs, and manufacturers like Dow, all announced layoffs”. With all these layoffs by top companies, such as these – over the past year – workers are feeling unsettled. Even employees with a history of stable employment may harbor apprehensions about their future within their company. Also, we’re seeing the elimination of mid-level positions. For example – management roles. Unfortunately, the firing of a manager or specific leader can cause a domino effect in terms of staff turnover.

Remaining vigilant about the job market is prudent regardless the situation, and utilizing this practice can enable you to gauge the market regarding your skills. That said, this practice could also pave the way for significant discussions within your current organization. In short, staying aware of the marketplace can help you grasp the needs of prospective employers providing you an opportunity to upskill or venture into a completely new professional area via reskilling.

7 Tips for Career Cushioning1. Stay visible – Update your Profile on LinkedIn – post comments and articles of value on a regular basis. 2. Take time to diversify your skills. For example – broaden your skill set. This helps you make yourself adaptable to different roles and industries. Having a diverse range of skills can increase your employability and resilience in the face of changing job demands. 3. Develop and solicit feedback from mentors to identify areas for improvement and professional growth. A mentor can offer valuable guidance and support during challenging career transitions. 4. Participate in informational interviews. This is a meeting between an individual seeking information about a career, industry, company, or specific role and a professional who possesses relevant knowledge and experience in that area. Unlike a traditional job interview, the primary goal of an informational interview is to gather insights, advice and firsthand perspectives rather than securing a job offer. During an informational interview, an individual typically asks questions to learn about various aspects of the profession, such as day-to-day responsibilities, required skills and qualifications, career paths, industry trends and challenges, for example. It’s an opportunity for the interviewee to gain valuable insights into the field they’re interested in and to expand their professional network. 5. Get Certified. Skill Validation Certifications validate your skills and expertise in a specific domain. They provide tangible evidence to employers or clients you possess the necessary knowledge and competencies to excel in your field. In today’s competitive job market, having certifications can set you apart from other candidates. They demonstrate your dedication to staying current with industry trends and technologies, making you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. 6. Network. Networking exposes professionals to a broader range of career opportunities. Whether job openings, freelance projects or collaborations, networking can quickly connect individuals with opportunities they might not have otherwise encountered. Networking is engaging with peers, mentors, and industry leaders which can provide valuable feedback, guidance and mentorship opportunities. Professionals can learn from the experiences of others, gain new perspectives and receive advice on career advancement strategies. 7. Offer your services on a freelance site. Freelancing opens up a world of diverse opportunities. As a freelancer you can work with clients from various industries, regions and backgrounds, allowing you to expand your skills and knowledge, This can also provide opportunities for continuous learning and growth. Plus can help you build your network.

Overall, career cushioning is a strategic approach to career management which prioritizes financial stability and flexibility. Bottom line – it enables individuals to pursue their primary career goals with greater confidence and resilience, knowing they have a backup plan in place to support them during challenging times.

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The Assumption of CompetenceIn the corporate world, there’s a pervasive assumption that once an employee climbs to a certain rung on the ladder, they inherently possess all the skills necessary to lead effectively. This belief is rooted in the idea that experience alone is a sufficient teacher and that seniority equates to leadership prowess. However, this assumption is flawed and can lead to a dangerous neglect of ongoing leadership development.

The Consequences of NeglectWhen organizations operate under this assumption, they inadvertently set their leaders—and by extension, their teams—up for failure. Leaders may become isolated, losing touch with the ground realities of their teams. This isolation can breed a form of insulation where leaders are cocooned in their established ways, resistant to new ideas or blind to emerging issues within their teams.

The Ripple Effect of IsolationThis isolation doesn’t just affect the leaders; it trickles down, affecting team dynamics and performance. Leaders who are not up-to-date with the latest management techniques or who lack self-awareness may inadvertently pass on bad habits to their team members. These habits can manifest as poor communication, ineffective feedback, or a lack of empathy—each of which can erode team morale and productivity.

The Need for Continuous LearningLeadership is not a static skill set but a dynamic one that requires continuous learning and adaptation. Just as industries evolve, so too must the skills and approaches of those who lead within them. Leadership training should be seen as a continuous journey, not a destination reached at a certain job title.

Investing in GrowthOrganizations must invest in their leaders at all levels, providing them with the tools, training, and support they need to grow. This investment pays dividends in the form of more engaged, productive teams and a culture that values growth and learning.

ConclusionThe myth of self-sufficiency in leadership is not just a disservice to the leaders themselves but to the entire organization.

By committing to continuous leadership development, companies can foster a culture of excellence, adaptability, and shared success.

Orlando Haynes and I talk about the negative consequences, need for continuous learning and investing in growth in their leaders on his CareerTalks podcast.

Listen to full podcast here:

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I was looking outside when I glanced a luxurious car parking under what looked like a healthy tree. Suddenly, a big branch of the tree fell on the car and damaged it. This reminded me of the Fallen Tree Branch Syndrome. A tree that looks healthy is not.

My mind drew analogy between the fallen branch syndrome and the fallen branch of employees’ morale.

Researchers are still undecided on the reasons why a healthy-looking tree drops its branches suddenly. One reason is due to overwatering the tree and rotting its roots. This leads to the sudden fall of the tree branches.

There are early indicators of the fallen branch of the employees’ morale by lowering their emotions state. Morale in the workplace is a key driver of a company’s success. Detectable signs of fallen morale include

• Lower productivity compared to previous performances.
• Increased gossiping, backbiting and spread of rumors in an organization.
• Increased illnesses among employees and reporting late to work.
• Lower quality of customers’ service
• Increased waste of time due to increasing mistakes by employees.
• Forgetting appointments
• Sleeping during meetings and agreeing with the group without serious discussions
• Increased floor dirt such as thrown napkins on the floor
• Increased conflicts among employees
• Employees not putting their maximum effort in the work
• Fallen creativity and continuing doing the same without attempting to improve work
• Late to respond to customers’ phone calls and complaints
• Prevalence of toxic culture

When employees’ morale is high, they engage, contribute and care for the quality of their work. This is because employees with good morale levels value their work.

This results in higher team unity and productivity. Employees care to work in keeping with the companies’ mission, vision and goals. Those employees try again if they fail and learn from their failures. They care to improve their work and generate new ideas.

Be careful to assume that what looks a healthy morale tree may drop its branches and fail the work. Care to detect the early signs of falling morale.

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The importance of inspiration in leadership has been long known. When people are inspired by the behavior of an individual, that inspiration can shape actions, goals, and outcomes. Ultimately, those who inspire others not only have a “significant positive impact on their followers,” but also on social systems (Cakir, & Adiguzel, 2020).

In order to inspire others, however, a leader must himself be inspired. Effective leaders make it a habit to seek out sources of inspiration rather than expecting it to find them. This starts by knowing yourself, recognizing areas for growth, and determining how to share oneself with others in a meaningful way. Part of knowing yourself is “questioning [your] character, which is defined by the sense of purpose, values, aspirations, and personal resilience” (Shet, 2020). To grow as a leader and a person who inspires others, leaders must begin by creating discomfort. Staying in your comfort zone may be understandable and even logical, but to grow, we must try something new (Resto, 2021). For those who desire to inspire as they lead, this must involve looking for new sources of inspiration.

Inspiration from outside your comfort zoneOne of the most-overlooked places for inspiration are people outside your regular work sphere. There are people in different industries who possess amazing abilities, characteristics, and ooze inspiration that you can absorb or emulate. Circumstances that aren’t precisely parallel with those of your own industry are no reason to ignore the wisdom and motivation that can be offered outside one’s circles of influence.

Seeking inspiration from those in our own field can often be hampered by a sense of competition. In a competitive mode we can then become self-critical, which can undermine confidence. By looking for inspiration outside one’s industry, you can learn from others you admire with self-compassion and without unhelpful comparison. You are more readily able to remain in observation mode when interacting with others. “Learning from others depends on people’s ability to integrate their own and others’ experiences” and then understanding what can be learned, adopted or discarded (Moskaliuk, Bokhorst, & Cress, 2016). We may unintentionally be discarding experiences from outside our usual spheres and missing inspiring moments in the process.

Good leaders must shift from this automatic mode and instead observe, note, and adopt, even from unexpected sources. Reflecting on interactions or journaling about encounters with those who inspire us helps us take notice of our surroundings and drive learning.

Furthermore, inspirational leaders set challenging objectives, use symbols to get ideas across, provide meaning for suggested action, envision an attractive and attainable future, and appeal to feelings (Bass, & Riggio, 2006). Leaders must challenge themselves to look at others outside their industry and learn from them and apply their perspectives and approaches to their own work. When leaders show individual consideration or are motivated by others intellectually, they replenish their well of inspiration to draw from to stir up others (Bakker, Hetland, Olsen, & Espevik, 2022).

Consider the examples below of three individuals from different walks of life, then expand this exercise to think of people who inspire from outside your normal day-to-day work and social life.

Profile A. Incarcerated Person serving sentence in prisonIn my work with a prison ministry, I have been continuously inspired by a particular Incarcerated Person who exhibits a high level of gratitude. Gratitude is defined as “a generalized tendency to recognize and respond with grateful emotion to the roles of other people’s benevolence in the positive experiences and outcomes that one obtains (Li, Wu, Brown, & Dong, 2022).” Observing how this person speaks and interacts with others and noticing the ways his gratitude inspires the same in those around him is challenging and instructive. Leaders can learn from his example how to cultivate gratitude that is contagious—even in challenging circumstances.

Profile B. School Nurse providing daily day-to-day care in a school systemA School Nurse was concerned that her colleagues were no longer seeing the best in their students and appeared to be exhibiting compassion burnout. Compassion doesn’t follow a give-and-take approach, and the school nurse had experienced this first-hand. Her response to her colleagues’ attitudes toward their students was to “ask questions that allow them to interrogate their approach and teach them to spot their own assumptions” by simply asking why (Davey, 2023). This was sometimes as simple as asking teachers why a student needed to seek medical attention when no medical issue existed or giving feedback to the teacher about the student that humanized the pupil, thus helping the teacher to see the child beyond any preconceived notions, refreshing an incomplete perception of the student, and reestablishing a compassionate connection between the student and teacher.

Profile C. Public Relations and Marketing Manager in the tourism industryA Marketing Manager works hard within her team to improve the team dynamics. She facilitates discussion on a project to improve employee engagement, helps diminish team members’ frustration, and examines ways that offering the option to work either remotely or in-person can be fulfilling and engaging. Her desire to see the team perform well together and her compassionate, creative, and flexible approach to their well-being influences her employees’ performance and contributes to the success of the organization (Swanson, Kim, Lee, Yang, & Lee, 2020).

Profile D. Yoga InstructorHealth and peace are closely linked. A Yoga Instructor inspires by focusing on developing health and by teaching her pupils to cultivate and increase their self-awareness, body-awareness, emotional regulation, and attention regulation through relaxation, diet, exercise, and challenging the status quo of Western medicine (Fogel, 2020). Her teachings promote confidence in their sense of self that allows them to engage with intentionality and to respond to challenges in a way that is experienced as authentic by both the leader and those they are leading (Fonow, Cook, Goldsand, & Burke-Miller, 2017).

ConclusionAs Shivam Agarwal muses, often, “we surround ourselves with people we are most comfortable with and forget about the world which exists in the parallel” (Agarwal, 2019). Effective leaders seek inspiration from individuals who are “enthusiastic about their job, their life, or their family, and who convey their enthusiasm and good energy” to others (Economy, 2016). However, it may feel fresher or more distinct when it’s outside the industry that you are embedded within. The attitudes of people who are passionate about what they do are infectious, and these people exist in many unexpected places if you are willing to take the time to observe.

Experienced leaders know that “what works in one situation will not necessarily work every time” (McKinsey and Company, 2022). Therefore, diverse experiences and exposure to events, situations, and people will help develop a vast repertoire of skills, which will not only catalyze your personal growth, but will also increase the likelihood of being successful in different situations.

Self-assessment and reflection are key to finding inspiration and inspiring others.

The next time you interact with a colleague or someone outside your organization, try writing down as many things as possible that inspire you about that person. Note why it inspires you and consider your current ability on the traits you listed to discern how their example might help you grow as a leader.

In the words of leadership expert Jeff Moore: “It may seem that inspiration is what leads to action but this is not always true; the truth is that action is what leads to inspiration” (Moore, 2022).

Editor’s Note: This Article originally appeared on NY Weekly and is featured here with author permission.

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The workplace is forever changing, and the staff at some companies includes multi-generations. Inclusion is a popular topic today as it applies on multiple levels and can encourage repetitive quitting or loyalty.

How you handle tradition versus the new in business on all levels will affect your bottom line. New tech, including AI, is undoubtedly more challenging for seniors to adapt to, while younger generations will likely have the knowledge to assist with the updates.

My Story

Today, two questions suggest the importance of combining traditional communications with the latest strategies. The workplace has dramatically changed on many levels, including:

– Multi-generational

– Greater diversity

– Remote work vs. corporate

It’s apparent that management needs to embrace the fact that differences exist more than ever and that ignoring them will not help any one person or the business. Moreover, diversity exists in many ways, including race, heritage, disabilities, work preferences, and communication styles.

No matter the topic for discussion, you can count on receiving diverse opinions and insights. Wise leaders are inclusive and welcome varying thoughts for sharing, learning, and deeper conversations to benefit everyone involved.

Questions Propel Open Conversations

Today, the first question I read concerns the individual’s preference for communication. With varying generations in your employ and working globally at home or in the office, it’s more essential than ever to ask for the individual’s preference for communication.

While adhering to everyone’s communication preferences may sound time-consuming, the payoff will be timely and quality responses. With a large staff, creating a reminder to review everyone’s choice will be best should you experience a forgetful state of mind.

Once your system is in place, track the changes to determine:

– The response time, individually and collectively.

– The percentage of responses and the statistical increase vs. decrease.

– The average length of employment.

One more tracking option is vital to consider. How does all the above affect your bottom line? When people feel their insights are welcome, they respond quicker and more insightfully to questions and issues, and longer-term employment occurs.

Mindset Encompasses Sales Strategy

Every conversation outcome, whether with friends, associates, staff, prospects, or clients, depends upon our frame of mind, which affects business considerations. While the old age expression is ‘curiosity killed a cat,’ the more modern thought is ‘curiosity opens doors.’ And know that ‘When one door closes, another can open.’

Each Generation Can Provide Value

Today’s second question came from a younger person who wanted to know how I got into story-sharing. Many of us fear sharing poor experiences due to past ridicule and no more of it. However, seniors have many experiences and insights that can empower younger people by sharing them.

The sharing requires bravery to reveal errors or mistreatment so that younger people can learn about the worst to improve and achieve the best. I owe my story-sharing efforts to a Dale Carnegie public speaking class long ago and his book How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Bridging the Divide

It’s essential to accept that disagreement arrives on all levels. Our first job is to figure out where the disconnect may be and to strive to find a solution. But it’s best to save time and move on if it isn’t workable. Sales taught me to welcome either a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer, as it invites trust and the realization of what should occur next.

My evergreen question for when I didn’t understand a situation or a statement is ‘Why?’ or ‘What has been your experience coming to that conclusion?’ Moreover, a calm tone of voice behind the questions invites deeper insights for better understanding and approach to the suggestions awaiting.

In Conclusion: Tradition versus the New in Business

Bridging the divide between generations is a fabulous learning curve for all willing. The underlying factor is inclusion among all you meet and with whom you work. By being as accommodating as possible, like Carnegie, we can all win more friends and influence more people to enjoy a robust career and business.

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In a chat with a colleague, I confessed that there is one position I try to go to in case I have any doubt about my leadership abilities. I would rather be considered a humble learner than a know-it-all. Learning brings two things out — first, we create space for other’s opinions, and second, listen with an open mind.

Again, taking such a position is a luxury for most of us. Being the visionary and the lead player in the business, it might be on us to be at the front, making it difficult to become a student. If we were to stop and let the other go to the front, we could see how the organization would look without us at the helm. The first challenge of leading from the front is the ability to see the way ahead, at least till the path turns a corner. If somebody else could peek further down the road and give their views, we would have another pair of eyes seeing the same path ahead and concluding.

This leads to two questions: Would we accept a diverse view than us? Would we let somebody else lead, at least for a moment? It is hard to let go, especially if there is a disparity in intellectual levels, or the ability to envisage. Most people can’t handle abstract layers and therefore are uncomfortable taking the lead. Some may shun the spotlight because they would rather express but not explain and defend, others might just be uncomfortable with the abstract.

However, I have observed that three factors make a good student out of a leader.

First, curiosity — unbridled curiosity to learn from the smarter people around; Second, humility — the attribute that makes one willing to accept another’s excellence; third, gratitude — a sense of thankfulness that makes you acknowledge other’s contributions.

Let us examine these three closely. Before that, I would like to set the context of why I consider myself a student.

A Journey as a Student into Leadership:As I transitioned from my corporate job into a self-employed phase, I embarked on projects that suited me. I was a natural in many subjects — content writing, website building, building sales funnels and teams, setting up operations for a foreign company, and business consulting. The list could go on. I was faced with a problem of plenty. I expanded my team to address a few projects, but I was mostly the face of my work, and I started feeling the stress of running sales, marketing, delivery, payment, and collection. I came to a point where I needed to start a different journey, albeit being successful as a solopreneur. If I could become part of a team, it would make me focus on my strengths, and let others bring their skills and experience that could complement mine.

My partners brought complementary strengths in finance and investment banking, while I added my strengths in strategy and organization building. We had a meeting of minds, chemistry, and zest to drive the business. It took some time for me to realize that I had learned a lot on the job, but more from my partners. I could take pride in being excellent academically, but it was more than that. It was an unsatiated curiosity to learn as we built our business. To achieve this, I listened to my partners, and their years of experience added to the collective wisdom that made our decisions more enduring.

My biggest learning was to be part of a team. It did not matter how smart I was, what mattered was the loyalty to the team. Even if I was doing the gruntwork of 80%, the balance of 20% could only be achieved with the team. If 100% of any desired result, the 80% would fall short without the 20%. So the 20% became more important than the 80% that I contributed. It brought me to the point of accepting that I was part of something, rather than being the only thing of nothing. A beautiful part of this journey was the acceptance of the interdependence. I felt humbler and grateful, and I was vindicated. During my bad days and poor patches, the team stood up for me and took things forward.

To distill the experience, I could say that I became a student, learning lessons about life, partnership, and teams. From an unequivocal leader in a corporate setup, I became part of a leadership team that balanced various aspects — skills, situations, decisions, and backing each other up. It turned out that being a student put me in places that I would not have been otherwise, but the results were amazing — easier conflict resolution, better decision-making, and faster execution.

This transformation has held me in good stead when I have worked with new teams. The new teams have relative newcomers, but they are specialists and experts in their own right. Here, I become the student as it enables me not only to understand their thoughts but also to listen to their perspectives. It is a ringside view of how ideas come to life.

Let us now examine the three important qualities of a studious leader.

1. a) Curiosity

Einstein describes curiosity as persistent interest and patience to chase a problem to its solution. For a startup founder or a leader, curiosity is the guiding force to propel forward. Whether it is about the vision or a smaller task, curiosity becomes the beacon of studentship. Curiosity brings genuine interest. But there is a caveat — a filter about understanding the relevance of any input that directly lies in the path of the subject in question. Many have considered curiosity as a serious, single-track attribute, but the fact is that curiosity is built on persistence, focus, and patience.

I have seen more curious people. Their learning methods are deeper — taking notes, asking for clarifications, tagging open points, admitting a lack of understanding, requesting examples, etc., It is inspiring to build conversations about the subject, in the process of sharing, we learn. Such learnings make good building blocks for business.

1. b) Humility

Humility is the other side of the coin called curiosity. A student who is curious to learn should be willing to be humble.

“A great man is always willing to be little.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson**

No teacher ever reveals the true wisdom to a haughty disciple — for the shedding of the ego is the first step in the path of wisdom. If we apply the same logic of curiosity, which makes us students and our fellow founders teachers, we need to be ready to listen. Listening comes with genuine empathetic focus and that comes with being humble.

I have found humility as the biggest challenge to handle — not because it is difficult, but because we forget that we are the students. If we are curious but not humble, we become intellectual show-offs(and I know this, because people use the word genius around me). Humility is the first lesson for a curious student.

1. c) Gratitude

We are curious. We are humble. Now, we have studied our lessons. The third quality — gratitude is the last piece of the tripod of leadership. Gratitude is the basic but the most genuine form of respect. Gratitude is also about seeing the goodness in others — we can be grateful that even thorns have roses ( or feel cursed that roses have thorns.)

A simple acknowledgment that the others have been our teachers is enough. When gratitude is the bond that binds the team, it makes the space for everybody to contribute better, as they are acknowledged and their inputs more meaningful. Gratitude is fundamental to the formation of tribes. African tribes have expressive ways of thanking their fellow tribespeople. In a team, if the stakeholders acknowledge each other’s contributions, it brings them together as a bonded force to achieve the milestones.

If we assume that these qualities could be cultivated, then we could consider a structured approach to becoming a studious leader.

The Feynmann approach to learning as a leader:Being a student is beyond listening — it requires a lot of reading (and watching videos these days) and thinking. The deeper one understands a subject, the better one can contribute to decision-making. Of course, there is the basic intellectual quotient. I would follow Feynmann’s technique (which is counter-intuitive for me).

1. a) Select a subject to learn: The subject in question is about understanding incubators and academic institutions. It is important to crystallize the thoughts about them, mostly in context. The five Ws and H’s approach helps to construct the basic understanding of cultivating entrepreneurship culture and supporting startups from these academic institutions to commercial success. The first step is to understand the lay of the land.
2. b) Simplify the subject: The deeper the understanding evolves, the more complex the learning becomes. But to transmit the learnings to other stakeholders, the same has to be distilled into simpler words. The simplicity comes in articulating the understanding in simple, succinct words. Using tables, bullets, and pictures — workflows, block diagrams, and mind maps, such understanding can be simplified. In the above example, understanding the gap and mapping the possible solutions could be constructed as a table.

c) Review and Refine: Capturing the essence in various documents, tables, and diagrams will allow the stakeholders to consume, comment, and convince ( or get convinced) about the idea. The revisions and refinements are to distill the idea to further simplicity. Simplicity is the ultimate goal — clarity of thoughts expressed shortly and succinctly to the finest possible understanding between the stakeholders, and finally to the external world.

1. d) Organize and Review: The idea is to unify opinions and address them — normally such decisions from the learnings above lead to unanimity in the way forward. When the decisions are at the topmost level, it is important to get stakeholder buy-in and track disagreements in a manner that does not impede the progress of business.

By applying a structured approach and adopting the qualities of curiosity, humility, and gratitude, one can become a studious leader.

In Summary

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry**

If a person feels the thirst of curiosity to achieve the vision and they see in their tribe the same hunger, the yearning to chase the dream becomes the unifying factor, acknowledging the contributions of his tribe. In a sense, they become a leader in their own right.

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The need to grow is one of the higher level needs that every human being needs to satisfy. If he hadn’t had this seed inside him, we probably wouldn’t still have the fire, or the wheel.

We truly achieve our goals not when we avoid difficulties, but when we learn to face them, without shortcuts and without being discouraged by some disappointment.

For some time it seems that parents of the latest generations often tend to clear the path of their children from all possible and imaginable difficulties.

Skills, instead, are acquired by facing difficulties.

Self-confidence is not a gift but is given to us by the experiences faced, by the large and small problems solved. Everyday life is the gym where we acquire the skills to face the challenges that will be proposed to us.

If young people are prevented from facing difficulties, they are prevented from becoming people capable of facing them, from being able to make conscious choices, from building their own self-esteem and the necessary resilience.

Difficulties are nothing more than training for our goals. They are what strengthens us, what strengthens our skills, our resilience, our willpower, the spirit of sacrifice.

Those preparing to face a super competitive world must be trained to rely on their own resources and not to give up too easily. Because there are no overly ambitious goals, there are only people who give up.

It is evident that, if not trained, the person’s skills are then insufficient and lacking in dealing with the complexity of life.

Emerging and burning problems within the couple, the family, parenthood, among young people and last but not least in the school and its ability to train people to face real life, indicate with unmistakable alarm signals that something must be done , because what is achieved does not seem to be enough to slow down, much less stop the ongoing decline.

In our society it is often not understood what the study and growth of personal skills actually are. Many mistakenly believe that it is not necessary at all, believing that transmission through osmosis within the family bubble is sufficient to develop full life competence and mastery of personal skills.

This probably corresponded to reality just a few generations ago. In the last century things have changed suddenly and the number of personal skills and the complexity of the skills necessary for a fulfilling and successful life have grown dramatically. Young people will have to face a world quite different from the one inherited from their parents, and mothers and fathers have difficulty transmitting how to live correctly, because the world they know no longer exists by the time their children have to conquer it.

The growing numbers of these problems should make understand that learning to face difficulties and obstacles is the only way to equip young people with the tools capable of building a better style and quality of life that is more in line with today’s needs.

Parents must prepare their children to become a conscious adult, not crush him with worries about the future or continue to treat him like a defenseless child, they have the duty to give him all the tools to face this complex world.

Families and schools should collaborate by working on relationship skills, expression skills and life skills in general, all of which are necessary for young people to have autonomy and existential success.

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I feel that saying our workplace is just like our family might have been appropriate in the 20th century but not anymore. Back when family models were more stronger, positive and universal, the association might have sounded appealing, even inspiring. And in an era when employees felt more loyalty to their employers and employers expected more as well, a family-like organisation might have been productive.

Speaking as both an employee and a line manager, one of the most common approaches I’ve seen is the myth that one’s team should be a family. While this idea may sound appealing on the surface as part of the employee engagement campaign, it can have detrimental consequences for both the employees and the company as a whole.

In this age, trying to run an organization just like a family — or even merely saying that one does — will hold them back, and may even backfire.

Precisely, our companies are not like our families because:

1. We Don’t Let Go Our Family Member?First and foremost, equating a workplace to a family dynamic doesn’t align with the reality of professional life. In a family setting, we don’t typically decide to let go of our least productive family members. In contrast, businesses often need to make tough decisions to ensure their survival and success, which may involve letting go of underperforming or morally challenged employees.

By blurring the lines between family and work, it can lead to unrealistic expectations, causing confusion when such decisions are made, and morale can suffer as a result. There will inevitably come a time when, whether through firing or layoffs, we have to terminate some employees’ employment. If we tell people they’re our family and then we let them go, they will consider us hypocrites — and they’ll be right.

Suggested Watch: Why good leaders make you feel safe?

1. An Overdone Loyalty Doesn’t WorkWhen any of our own family members is in need or requires significant commitment on our part, we rarely have to think twice. At least, that’s the perception among intra-family relationships. Placed into a work setting,loyaltycan get misinterpreted and expectations will go above and beyond to do anything to get the job done. According to Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones’ book, The Character of a Corporation, in family cultures, employees are willing to step in to assist others when the need arises, or even volunteer to “help before they’re asked” in the most selfless manner.

But here is the flip side. Numerous examples and research show that overly loyal people are more likely to act asslavesand sometimes they participate inunethical actsto keep their jobs and are also more likely tobe exploitedby their employers. These could manifest as being asked to work unreasonable hours or on projects or assignments unrelated to their roles, orkeeping things under wrapsbecause it is in the company’s best interest. We’re all in this together, so we’ve to play our part.

1. Personal & Professional Lines Shouldn’t BlurWe must understand that “family” means different things to different people. Not everyone wants to connect with their coworkers on a deeper and personal level, let alone create a dependency to the organization. In a professional context, an employee will want to reserve private details of their personal lives outside of work. But when we try and make our workplace as a “family,” these types of conversations can be fair game, as the goal of the organisation is to encourage socialisation for the benefit of the whole.

On the other hand, according to a research, when an organisation uses the family metaphor in businesses, it creates a positive, motivating and morale-boosting culture, where colleagues are not seen as colleagues any more, but as brothers or sisters, moms and dads, uncles and aunts. While it can reduce conflicts and disagreements within the organisation, a fear of causing a strain in the relationship with their superiors (who are now seen as fathers or mothers) could leave employees feeling like they must share any information that is being asked of them, which, in principle, intrudes our private domain.

Wrap Up — What Companies Need to Do Instead?When fostering a healthy, supportive culture, let’s avoid promoting a “family” mentality and focus on putting in place actions and structures that bring value to and support our employees. E.g. think of our organization as a sports team or a tribe instead. In doing so, you retain a culture of empathy, collectiveness, belonging, and shared values and goals, while outlining a performance-driven culture that respects the transactional nature of this relationship. To promote a more balanced culture:

1. Define Expectations At The Outset

Let’s be upfront and clarify expectations. Employees are paid and are expected to do a good job. However, the sense of comfort, humility and empathy must always stay there. When building teams and onboarding new employees, make sure to disassociate the jargon of “family” from conversations around high performance and purpose. Let your employees know what is expected of them to succeed at work and that there is a clear line between work and their personal lives.

Researchsuggestsdefining purpose can lead to a heightened sense of loyalty and stronger employee engagement, especially when the company’s overlaps with the employee’s purpose. Clearly define and communicate the purpose: What are you trying to achieve? What is your employee’s role in helping you get there? A shared purpose can get everyone rowing in the same direction.

1. Set Clear Boundaries

The grayer the policy, the more opportunities for misunderstanding. Make sure employees understand what’s expected of them when it comes to work hours and what lies beyond standard work hours. Support your employee’s endeavors and let them know that vacation is not only encouraged but expected. Share team calendars where everyone lists out their paid time off (PTO) and ideas for new vacations.

If employees start to feel overwhelmed and can no longer manage performance expectations, make it clear what options are available to find support and get back on track. Can they take time off? Can team members pitch in to make their workload more manageable? Can priorities be reshuffled?

1. Mutually Acceptance of Work Relationship

We have to be realistic about the relationships employees build with their employers and remember that it is transactional. Most people won’t stay in the same company for their entire career and that’s completely okay. As organisations grow, so do the roles and every organisation can be outgrown by its employees if there aren’t enough opportunities for the employee to grow or if the organisation doesn’t need the employees’ skills or experiences anymore.

Be candid about setting this expectation as early as the onboarding. If an employee has decided to leave, don’t take offence about them not wanting to work at our orgs any longer. Acknowledge their contribution and help them exit respectfully. If we don’t need their skill’s anymore, ask how we can help them find a more suitable position within or outside the company.

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How can you effectively support people at work and in your community, especially when they’re different from you? Inclusion strategist Amber Cabral shares three steps you can take to build connection — emphasizing that even small, everyday actions can make a big difference to those around you.

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Unlock the secrets to a life rich in both service and success as we sit down with special guest Dan, whose story of empathy and kindness will inspire you to weave service into every facet of your existence. Through heartwarming narratives and real-life examples, we delve into how the smallest acts of kindness can reverberate across our personal and professional lives, transforming transactional encounters into relationships that are deeply fulfilling. Dan’s journey, particularly the profound lessons learned from his daughter’s experiences with exclusion, serves as a moving testament to the power of a service-oriented mindset that consistently prioritizes goodwill.This episode isn’t just about personal growth; it’s also a treasure trove of insights into fostering robust business relationships through the joy of shared experiences. Listen to tales of luxury retreats in Coeur d’Alene that go beyond mere networking, illustrating how integrating fun with business can lead to a thriving organizational culture and forge bonds that last a lifetime. From the ROI of investing in people to the compassionate intricacies of tough decisions like parting ways with an employee, we explore the delicate balance of honest communication, the ‘give first’ approach, and decisive action in nurturing a positive, dynamic company culture. Join us for a conversation that promises to enlighten, entertain, and elevate your approach to business and life. (02:53 – 03:37) Attitude of Service and Giving (07:47 – 08:38) Affiliate Program and Networking Goals (15:14 – 16:54) Building Loyalty Through Relationships (19:41 – 20:55) Making Decisions With Empathy and Integrity https://www.bigleap.com/blog/author/b… * https://www.bigleap.com/blog/author/d…*

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We are experiencing a lot of buffeting in these times…buffeting which can disturb our inner equilibrium which in turn can affect how we show up in the world….our Presence.

Maintaining an inner and higher point of focus can help us guard against this buffeting as we dis-identify from the outer effects (things breaking, technology playing up, communication feeling challenged) and see a bigger picture, a higher unfolding, a larger landscape. Buffeting is inevitable in any change and no more so than in global human transformation.

If we can find that point of dis-identification, we can more easily accept that the challenges are simultaneously personal and impersonal, meaning we can both enquire into what they are asking of us and strive to see the deeper patterns that are unfolding within the changes. As we see those deeper patterns we can develop greater understanding and insight enabling us to play our own role in the world even more effectively.

Standing in a place of dis-identification enables us to move in the world with more compassion, more understanding and more grace all of which we might describe as being in presence, a quality which is sorely needed if we are to support the transformations needed for the greater good.

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"My love for performing, language and linguistics, listening to lots of audiobooks, and meeting a voiceover artist all led me to voiceovers." ...

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"Success happens when both parties take responsibility for making it work. Success happens when best practices are in place and so on and so forth." ...

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"Intelligence, education, and theory are important. After all, those who choose to ignore history will often make the same mistakes over and over." ...

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"Bosses who exhibit bad people skills or who fail at problem-solving do not deserve the title of “leader”. They might be the owner, founder, or boss, but Leader? No way." ...

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Everyone will have heard of the “great resignation”, i.e. the tendency to voluntarily abandon jobs, even well-paid ones, opting for one where work is more on a human scale.

Resignations can have very different reasons: work methods more on a human scale, a greater balance between the private sphere and the working sphere, ethical motivations, environmental situations, etc. are at the basis of the decision to leave the job. It is the desire, increasingly widespread in the new generations, to “re-appropriate” one’s life by reshaping the relationship with work.

Unfortunately, not always with a radical change of life as an epilogue.

So, we can say that today’s cultural challenge is to rediscover the human dimension of work as an element of citizenship, participation, and inclusion, without forgetting the search for sustainability.

This vision starts from the assumption that work does not only serve as an element of income and, indeed, the new generations in particular are aware that not only what can be measured through a price has value.

Work must be experienced as a collective commitment to social cohesion and inclusion. It must be a path of relationship between people, of personal growth, an instrument of autonomy and emancipation, the continuation of creation for believers, and a collective effort where everyone can make choices that determine their own future and that of society.

The world of work must include young people who are the best wealth that a country possesses, if only because they have the necessary initiative to blaze new trails.

It must include women to enhance the work with their sensitivity and organizational aptitude. Must find effective solutions for the inclusion of those who have been forced out of work during a crisis, promote a healthy balance between people from various backgrounds and cultures, recognizing, without prejudice but promoting their valorisation, the differences between employees (age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education or nationality).

As a further matter, the great challenge, at the beginning of the era of man-machine interaction, is precisely the enhancement of the person, for an increasingly human work, based on knowledge and protection of the environment.

The world of work has always been the best promoter of development, well-being, equality, and emancipation for all, helping to create a development that has been able to combine wealth and solidarity, although it is not always easy to achieve these purposes everywhere.

In the future, the challenge of putting the person at the center will be even more demanding: young people, the elderly, women, agile work that does not mean “working remotely” and that’s it but, rather, combining remote work with office work, reorganizing work based on the concept of responsibility and not of time, having adequate tools to facilitate collaboration, redesigning physical spaces, imagining different ways of using services by citizens, etc.

And then (better now!) addressing the major issues of inclusion and sustainability, not only from an ethical point of view but simply because we are realizing that it is convenient for everyone.

In fact, I do not believe that ethical motivations alone can solve every problem in this sector, then also have a positive impact on the economy.

We must be firmly aware that an inclusive approach is not only good for those who, for the most varied reasons, experience a condition of diversity with respect to the context in which they find themselves, but it represents an advantage for all people, for companies, for society in general.

The same goes for sustainability, the ability of companies to commit their efforts not only to safeguarding the environment but also to operate taking into consideration other variables such as the social context in which the company operates and the people who work in the business (but I would like to talk more about sustainability).

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Workplace psychology researcher, Stefan Falk, wrote an article for CNBC, in which he’d like you to know that in his more than 30 years of studying workplace cultures, he’s discovered five toxic phrases selfish and entitled individuals always use. If he came up with only five, that suggests 30-plus years may not have been quite enough.

Be that as it may, here are the offending phrases Stefan’s in-depth studies have revealed:

1. “This feedback is insulting.” [Translation: Some people may be interested in the truth. I’m not one of them.]
2. “My ideas are valuable and always merit serious consideration.” [Translation: You’ve clearly failed to recognize my intellectual superiority.]
3. “Their success comes at the expense of my own.” [Translation: You’ve weaponized merit and objectivity and used them against me.]
4. “Why are you always trying to control me?” [Translation: There’s no i in team. But if you add an e, there’s eat me.]
5. “You’re being disrespectful by not agreeing with me.” [Translation: I’m not responsible for your failure to recognize my genius.]

With a few more minutes of research, Stefan might have been able to abbreviate his article from 538 words to these nine: “Bureaucracies are Petri dishes for narcissism and self-serving politics.” But he didn’t. So, here are the top ten phrases (sentences, actually) selfish and entitled individuals use that Stefan might have heard if he’d stuck around a little longer. You can decide for yourself if they’re toxic — or if you should just tell the selfish and entitled individual in question to take a long walk off a short pier:

1. “What’s in it for me?”
2. “That’s a great idea, Herb. I’m glad I thought of it.”
3. “The only person I care about, other than me, of course, is the one on the rung above me on the ladder.”
4. “I came in late. So, I’m going to leave early to make up for it.”
5. “There’s no limit to what you can accomplish around here, as long as you always tell me I’m right.”
6. “You probably think you can’t get your nose any farther up my ass. But that’s only because you’re not trying hard enough.”
7. “If you don’t think I’m the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.”
8. “I’m not paying you to think. I’m paying you to say, ‘Yes.’”
9. “I may not always be right. But I’m never wrong.”
10. “Not for nothin’, but when HR found me, they quit hiring.”

The Man Behind the CurtainIn my last corporate gig, there was a guy as self-important as anyone I’ve ever met. We’ll call him Tony because his name was Tony. He was the last person of whom I’m aware who actually got a gold watch for 25 years of service to the company. He wasn’t an officer of the company, but he walked around, talked, and acted, as if he owned the joint.

His chief responsibilities were two: (1) He was responsible for the fleet of cars the company leased for its salespeople. (That ought to give you an idea of how long ago it was.) (2) He was responsible for commission payments to the salespeople. As a result, Tony produced enough reports every month, using enough paper to fell a forest every month, to bury the building — which was 24 or 34 stories, depending on what accounts you read — but listed as 527 feet tall in either case (?!).

Shortly after his 25th anniversary with the company, Tony was greased (staff-adjusted as the euphemists put it). His responsibilities were turned over to one of my co-workers and me. We’ll call the co-worker Jeff because his name was Jeff. When we were told Tony’s responsibilities were now ours, Jeff and I soiled ourselves. After regaining our composure and changing our shorts, we waded into the bunker Tony had built for himself in one corner of the floor on which we worked and started digging through his files.

We found nothing except for copious evidence of the fact that Tony did next to nothing. The reports he submitted every month, aside from being arboreally criminal, were delivered to him by others: The auto reports came from the company from which the cars were leased. The commission reports came from the accounting and IT departments that calculated them. All Tony did was re-package them, make them exponentially more voluminous than they had to be, submit them, and strut around like the cock of the walk.

All that and a gold watch, too. Wow.

The Moral of the StoryPeople are seldom as important as they try to appear to be. You don’t have to think they’re important at all because they think they’re important enough for both of you.

When you encounter such folks, repeat after me: “Take a long walk off a short pier.”

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In January 2008, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a sweeping plan to ease Manhattan’s desperate traffic problems. At the time, according to U. S. News and World Report, the number of vehicles entering downtown had been growing annually by an average of 8000 per day since the 1920s, resulting in an unsustainable critical mass.

The mayor’s plan would encourage – or coerce – commuters to rely on public transportation by imposing a daytime tax of $8 per car and $21 per truck traveling onto the island. City officials believed that this “congestion pricing” would ultimately reduce traffic by as much as 12 ½ percent.

At first, the plan seemed a sure bet. A broad coalition of civic, business, labor, health, and environmental organizations endorsed the plan, together with state senators, representatives, and councilmen. “Congestion pricing,” they claimed, would increase revenues, expand regional rapid transit, reduce air pollution, create jobs and, of course, ease traffic. The U.S. Department of Transportation was so enthusiastic that it had already awarded $354 million to New York to kick-start the project. The planning commission approved the project by a vote of 13 – 2.

But the proposal generated equally passionate opposition, so much so that the state assembly failed to hold a vote by the April 7 deadline. Opponents argued that drivers seeking to avoid the pricing zone would cause traffic to spill over into adjacent communities, that added fees would place undue burden on the middle class, that not all neighborhoods would benefit equally, and that enforcement cameras threatened civil liberties. Despite the success of similar programs in London, Stockholm, and Singapore, the proposal died.

Would it have worked? Probably, yes; and here’s the evidence:

Only three months later, gas prices spiked to nearly four dollars a gallon. Simultaneously, traffic into Manhattan dropped by 5 percent, the initial target figure for Mayor Bloomberg’s plan. A significant number of people who had fought the government’s plan willingly traded their cars for public transportation when the cost of driving became too high.

More than any other nationality, Americans love their cars. This comes as no surprise if we consider the car as an allegory for personal autonomy. In a very real sense, nearly all of us are control freaks; we want to feel our hands firmly on the wheel of destiny, steering our own course into the future.

But when we come to life’s crossroads, we often choose one road over the other without adequate knowledge of where either may lead. And as we embark down the path of unanticipated danger, we may only discover much later how fortunate we were that obstacles appeared in our way to stop us in our course. The problems, frustrations, and inconveniences we curse when they arise often prove our greatest benefactors in the end.

A young man from the country traveled to the big city to buy supplies for his father’s store. In the city, he stayed with his uncle, on whom he relied to guide him in his business dealings.

Upon hearing of his nephew’s excited plans to sample the nightlife of the city, the uncle feared that the inexperienced young man might fall prey to unscrupulous characters and come to harm through all manner of unsavory activities. The uncle made a number of calls to contacts throughout the city, and immediately the young man found himself so preoccupied with business that he had not a spare minute to indulge his curiosity.

At the end of his trip, the boy complained to his uncle that he had been unable to experience the city. On the other hand, he confessed, he had done more business than he could have anticipated so that his father would surely be proud of him and give him more responsibilities in running the family store. The uncle smiled and expressed delight that his nephew’s business had turned out so well.

Only long after the young man had returned home did it occur to him that maybe his uncle had had something to do with the remarkable success of his trip.

Some call it karma. Some talk about destiny, or fate, or kismet. In Solomon’s tradition, it is the hand of Providence that causes obstacles to spring up before us and make the paths of personal autonomy increasingly difficult to travel. We feel stifled in our jobs, unhappy with our families, and discontented with the direction of our lives. We perceive the natural ebb and flow of life as a continual series of roadblocks and dead ends.

So we seek out “detours,” looking for fulfillment in the least likely places: alcohol, drugs, gambling, or adulterous affairs. We think change will make us feel better, but we usually find ourselves worse off than before.

And even when we get it right, even when we find fulfillment in our careers, families, and communities, the paths of life are rarely without potholes; holding a straight course poses a never-ending challenge.

With every step forward, we need to weigh our options and calculate the costs and benefits, evaluate which detours are necessary and which are more hazardous than keeping to a straight but tortuous main road.

If we hit a brick wall, we have to decide whether to go under, over, around, or through it – or turn back and seek a different course altogether.

Even if we are willing to reevaluate our course constantly, we may find that repeated obstacles seem to be telling us that we should give up, when in fact we are on the verge of a breakthrough; or we may try to conquer obstacles before us again and again when in fact we have no chance of success.

But if we keep our eye on the distant goal of living our lives according to moral principles and moral discipline, then whatever detours we have to traverse and however much backtracking we have to endure, we can be confident that our efforts have not been wasted and will not be in vain. By keeping our objective in sight and our eyes on every step, we cannot fail.

From Proverbial Beauty: Secrets for Success and Happiness from the Wisdom of the Ages, just released in audio format. For information, please click here.

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Ever feel like you’re stuck in a rut, going through the motions of everyday life without really growing or improving yourself? The truth is real personal growth requires effort. It means challenging what you think you know and unraveling preconceptions. It’s time to embrace change and unlearn the outdated mindsets holding you back.

The Problem With What We “Know”

The illiterate of the future are not those
who can’t read or write
but those who cannot
learn, unlearn, and relearn,

— Alvin Toffler.

What parents, teachers, and society have taught us is what we accept as truth. The “facts” we know are full of biases and limited perspectives. We must unlearn some of these assumptions to grow and open our minds.

Let’s understand with examples, we know that if we work hard and follow the rules, we’ll be successful. But in reality, there are many external factors outside of our control. Unlearning this belief means accepting that failure is not always due to individual shortcomings. It allows us to show more compassion for ourselves and others.

Similarly, we were likely taught that intelligence is fixed. And that we have specific natural talents that determine our abilities. Modern research shows that a “growth mindset,” is the belief that skills and intelligence can be developed. It is a must for improvement and success. Unlearning the notion of fixed ability is critical to reaching our full potential.

Embrace Growth: Unlearning for a Progress-Driven PerspectiveChallenging what we think we know isn’t easy. Our brains prefer familiar ideas and ways of thinking. Question your assumptions, and consider other perspectives. Accept in life you may not have all the answers. We can gain a balanced and insightful understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

The beliefs we hold most, are often the ones most need examination. Unlearning is a humbling process, but it’s the only way to make space for new growth. By letting go of rigid thinking, we open ourselves up to possibility. And that is where real progress begins.

Why Unlearning Is Essential for GrowthTo grow, you must let go of what you think you know. Unlearning is a skill. Unlearning, though challenging, fuels growth. Our minds favor familiarity. But questioning assumptions and exploring diverse viewpoints fosters actual development.

Acknowledging knowledge gaps humbles us. It paves the way for fresh insights. Our deepest-held beliefs benefit from scrutiny. Unlearning is the path to make room for new ideas.

By releasing rigid thinking, we unlock potential and embark on genuine progress. Embrace unlearning as a catalyst for growth. Allow evolution beyond the confines of old perspectives.

Half of wisdom is learning what to unlearn

The idea is that true wisdom involves recognizing the need to shed outdated beliefs. In pursuing knowledge, individuals accumulate ideas. That might have once been valid but has lost relevance or accuracy over time. To achieve genuine wisdom, one must discern between valuable knowledge and concepts that hinder growth.

The willingness to unlearn obsolete notions demonstrates a deeper understanding of personal limitations. This offers a commitment to evolving perspectives. Just as learning enriches the mind, unlearning is essential. It ensures a well-rounded and adaptable intellectual foundation.

Why is unlearning so hard?We get comfortable with what we know. Our brains form solid neural connections that reinforce familiar ideas and ways of thinking. To unlearn, you have to break those connections. This can feel threatening and disorienting. But unlearning is how we make space for new ideas and new growth.

How do you start unlearning?First, question what you “know” to be true. Look for beliefs and habits of thinking that feel fixed or rigid. Then, look for evidence that contradicts those beliefs. Try re-framing the idea in a more open, flexible way.

For example, maybe you believe that “people can’t change.” But people change all the time in big and small ways. A more open belief would be “people can change under the right circumstances and with effort.”

Look for real-world examples that challenge your assumptions. Talk to others with different perspectives and experiences. Their insights can help expand your thinking.

Unlearning is challenging but rewarding work. With practice, you can let go of limiting beliefs and open your mind to new possibilities. Growth happens outside your comfort zone, so take that first step to question what you think you know. The more you unlearn, the more you’ll realize how much remains to learn.

Identifying Areas Where We May Need to UnlearnTo grow, we must first face the uncomfortable realization. Some beliefs and assumptions may not be true. Identifying areas where we need to “unlearn.” It involves challenging what we think we know by looking for:

Inconsistencies and contradictions

Do any of your views contradict each other or seem logically inconsistent? For example, do you believe people should be treated equally regardless of gender. And you also believe that some jobs are better suited for men or women? Unraveling these kinds of contradictions requires unlearning biased or stereotypical thinking.

Outdated or inaccurate information

The knowledge we gain is shaped by the era we live in. Many “facts” we learn years ago have been disproven or updated. It’s essential to stay up-to-date with current research and unlearn anything outdated. Especially in critical areas like health, society, the environment, and technology.

Narrow or close-minded thinking

Are you judgmental or intolerant towards certain groups or types of people? A narrow mindset prevents us from learning and growing. Try exposing yourself to different perspectives and life experiences to expand your thinking. Make an effort to understand people other than yourself.

Emotional reasoning

Our emotions strongly influence how we interpret the world. But just because we feel a certain way doesn’t make it accurate. Try to recognize situations where your feelings may cloud your judgment. You can reevaluate based on facts and logic rather than personal biases or anxieties. Discuss your concerns with others to gain a more balanced perspective.

Unlearning is challenging work that often takes conscious effort. We need to express our openness to admit our fallibility. Identify and address areas where our knowledge or beliefs is less, inconsistent, or misguided. We open our minds to gain a more precise and broader understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Continuous learning and growth then become possible.

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Prior to writing this article, I penned down two others viz.: “5 Self-Confidence Boosting Secrets” and “Over Confidence – A Silent Killer back in February 2020 and March 2021 respectively. Now I feel that we should reflect on what other attributes are needed alongside Confidence. Have you ever had a colleague becoming your boss, who according to you, lacks talent, ability, and work ethic? While you were busy doing a good job, others seem to be advancing much faster in their careers. What skills do they have that you lack? What went wrong?

The answer in many cases is your contributions are not being registered and recognized by your supervisor. One important reason this happens is that people are simply not great at assessing competence — a crucial trait for succeeding at work — and perceptions of competence are just as important for success as actual competence. But don’t results mostly speak for themselves? The short answer is: “They don’t”, even when it’s all about numbers. You sit there and silently seethe, as you grow accustomed to answering to a lesser professional. It’s your fault. In the battle between competence and confidence, the latter wins nearly every time. For all of you who believe that competence is everything, read carefully:

What is Confidence?In fewer words, confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life’s challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act accordingly. Being confident requires a realistic sense of one’s capabilities and feeling secure in that knowledge. Projecting confidence helps people gain credibility, make a strong first impression, deal with pressure, and tackle personal and professional challenges. It’s also an attractive trait, as confidence helps put others at ease.

What is Competence?Competence means that I have the ability to do something well. I am capable of performing a task or job effectively. Competence can include the knowledge and skills needed to solve a quadratic equation. Or, it can comprise the much larger and more diverse clusters of skills, or competencies, needed to lead. The concept of competence is creeping into our lives, pervading our thinking about developing people of all ages. We find it in corporate HR and in innovative schools experimenting with competency-based career pathing and education.

What to look for: Confidence or Competence?If we decide to hire someone to lead an important business segment at our workplace, chances are we will choose the most confident candidate. Their confidence will inspire and motivate us to achieve greater milestones. That’s what makes them a great leader, right? But there is a darker side to confidence that erodes trust and turns away once eager followers. That side is the overconfidence that is considered arrogance.

Competence is NOT enoughIt is nearly impossible to earn a position of great responsibility without being highly confident. Would you feel safe in the care of a physician who is simply jumping and dancing all over the hospital and making tall claims without enough competence? Or on the contrary, a physician who doubts his or her own judgment? Of course not.

The same is true for those who make decisions about whom to promote. Why give responsibility to someone who lacks confidence or competence in the first place? While writing this part of the article, I can already read those of you who disagree, saying competence is everything. The truth is, I somehow agree with these statements. But competence isn’t enough. To those of you who believe you are highly competent but admit that you also lack confidence, I have one thing to tell you:

Build Confidence, Whatever it takesIt is irrational to simultaneously believe you are more competent than a colleague but act less confident than s/he does. It is irrational to be proud of your performance but hesitant to act that way. It is irrational to allow less-qualified professionals to have more responsibility than you do, simply because you don’t feel comfortable holding your head up high. Make no mistake, without confidence, much of your competence will go down the drain.

It’s time to make certain that doesn’t happen to you in your careers. Build your confidence, no matter what the price. The world needs more people who are both confident and competent, and I know one thing for certain:

Incompetent confident people are never going to get more competent. If you are competent, it’s up to YOU to grow more confident.

Strike a Right Balance Between the Two1. Engage in self-assessment

Let’s spend quality time with ourselves in self-evaluating our skillset, knowledge base, strengths, and weaknesses regularly; this will enable us to make more informed decisions and identify areas for improvement and growth. Remember: Stagnation stinks.

2. Seek Feedback

Let’s have someone by our side (parents, spouse, siblings, friends) who could share genuine, valuable insight into our personality i.e., positives, negatives, and performance, and identify areas of improvement by way of openly criticise us.

1. Pursue lifelong learning

Personally, I devote 5% of my earnings to new learning efforts each year. Whether that is through formal education, workshops, online courses, or self-directed study, one should always be looking to expand his/her knowledge base and skill set.

4. Set SMART Goals

Let’s always raise our own bar and keep doing that periodically. Have ambitious, yet attainable SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals for ourselves that should reflect an honest assessment of our abilities and challenges.

5. Adopt a Growth Mindset

Understand that our skills and abilities are not fixed – we can, and we shall develop them over time through dedication and persistence. Through employing these strategies, we can build both confidence and competence to promote an achievable path to long-term success.

Competence Before Confidence – ConclusionOne common misconception about great athletes and performers is that we often overestimate their level of confidence. We assume because of how skilled and experienced they are that they must feel supreme confidence. But this is far from true.Some performers never feel real confidence. Some performers are so plagued by self-doubt and performance anxieties and insecurities that they cannot feel confident before and when they are performing.

Yet they can still produce exceptional performance despite not feeling confident. How are they capable of this? Because they focus on competence instead confidence. So to help feel more confident, focus on just getting better. How? As Gareth Bale tells us: Through the right amount of high-quality practice. After all, as detailed in an excellent article by Practice Makes Permanent.

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"How could you be leading the world of work more joyfully?" ...

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"Should we move from the notion that winning is a solo event to the idea we can benefit society, we may accomplish much more than we already do." ...

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"While some view failure as a final roadblock, the journey's end, they perceive it as a temporary detour, a stepping stone leading them one step closer to their goals." ...

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"Sense-making is determined by our ability to sense, which is far beyond the activities of the brain and thinking. In many respects, it has to do with not thinking." ...

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"What if we were to raise good employees by being the kind of bosses that allow employees to grow into who they are supposed to be and then encourage them to be precisely that?" ...

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"Have you ever felt excluded both personally and professionally? I am sure most of us have faced this uncomfortable feeling, whether as children or as adults." ...

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"Almost half of the world’s potential entrepreneurs have been handicapped, and are still being held back from adding value to the quality of people’s lives and making the difference they want to, and can make in the world." ...

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"It's OK to fall down. It's NOT OK to stay down." ...

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"To excel, we need to know what we want precisely and desire to achieve. Not everyone will be on board with us for numerous reasons." ...

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"The time is NOW for you to act, girt up your loins and take the initiative, take charge of your future, and start building it the way you have always dreamt, one step at a time." ...

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"When we truly seek to understand another we are committing ourselves to bringing an open mind and a level of curiosity that means we are really open to learning." ...

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"Our work and our titles can be ripped away from us in seconds. Who are we actually without any of them? What is the essence that can never be taken away from us?" ...

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"With STAR and CARL, you're all set to compose a symphony of compelling stories, turning your interview into a stage where your experience and personality can shine." ...

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"Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good." ...

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"It takes courage to engage in a sometimes messy process of leading and motivating people to do hard things." ...

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"Storing this tension inside us can lead to depression and mental disorders. Such tension may affect the chemistry of our bodies and throw them out of order." ...

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"While strengths undoubtedly contribute to your success, it is essential to recognize their limitations." ...

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"By establishing clear goals and objectives, leaders can align their efforts and lead their organizations to greater heights." ...

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Neurodiversity and innovation often go hand in hand, but does that mean visionary entrepreneurs get a free pass to say and do anything they want? Bonobos founder and mental health advocate Andy Dunn shares his experience navigating bipolar I in the midst of running a successful startup, offering lessons learned on his journey to wellness and steps to create a future where everyone is able to “dream crazy dreams” — while being held accountable.

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Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good — even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff analyzes the roots of this belief and suggests a shift towards a more meaningful way to think about effort, rather than admiring work for work’s sake.

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What do the fear of failing, the fear of making mistakes, and the fear of being criticised have in common? It feels to us that the world will end, and there won’t be any life after, so we stay stuck in our comfort zone and miss opportunities for growth and learning.

Chances are that we will fail, be criticised, and make mistakes; it would be ignorant to think that we will not experience any of these situations in life or that somehow we can prevent them from happening.

In this episode, we explore the fear of failure and questions like; what if it was OK to fail and make mistakes? What if it didn’t mean that life will end, and what if it is just another step in our experience as a human and another step in our personal and professional growth?

Peter also shares one of his significant failures during an important performance at a music showcase and how it became a valuable learning experience and sparked more opportunities in the future.

The name of the four-member band Peter played with was MASS. Tune in to hear the whole story.

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I‘m a big believer in setting goals. My mentor taught me this skill at the early age of 12. Goals give us a sense of direction and purpose and help us stay motivated. I use the SMART framework to set my goals as Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Specific: Goals should be clear, well-defined, and unambiguous. Instead of setting a vague goal like ” improve my career,” a specific goal would be “earn a promotion to a managerial position within my current department.”

Measurable: Goals should have quantifiable criteria that allow us to track progress and determine when they have been achieved. For example, if the goal is to increase sales, a measurable goal is to “ increase monthly sales by 10% within the next quarter.

Achievable: Goals should be realistic and attainable. While it’s essential to aim high, setting goals far beyond our capabilities can lead to frustration and demotivation. An achievable goal might be “complete a marathon within the next year” if you have been consistently running and training for shorter distances.

Relevant: Goals should be aligned with our broader objectives and aspirations. They should be relevant to our values, priorities, and long-term vision. For instance, if your long-term goal is to become a published author, an appropriate goal is to “ complete the first draft of my novel within the next six months.

Time-bound: Goals should have a specific timeframe or deadline for completion. This helps create a sense of urgency and provides a timeline for tracking progress. For example, a time-bound goal could be ” attend three professional development workshops within the next six months.”

I’ve found that using the SMART framework to set my goals has helped me achieve more personally and professionally. I am more likely to stay motivated and on track when I set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. I also find tracking my progress and celebrating my accomplishments easier when my goals are SMART.

My Personal Mission, Vision, and GoalsEveryone has a unique purpose in life. My goal [particular purpose] is to use my knowledge and skills to help others. I want to positively impact my sphere of influence and leave it a better place than I found.

I have developed a personal mission statement and vision to achieve my purpose. My mission statement is:

To use my knowledge and skills to help others and positively impact the world.

My vision is:

To create a world where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I have also set SMART goals to help me achieve my mission and vision. My goals are:

• Volunteer my time. This allows me to give back to my community and make a difference in the lives of others.
• Write and publish my second book. This will allow me to share my knowledge and experience with others and help them more meaningfully.
• Start a podcast. This will allow me to share my knowledge and skills with others and inspire them to achieve their goals.

I am confident that I can achieve my mission and vision by setting SMART goals and working hard to achieve them. I am excited to see the future and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.

I encourage you to develop your mission, vision, and goals.

It is a powerful way to focus your energy and achieve your dreams.

If you want to achieve more, I encourage you to use the SMART framework to set your goals. It’s a simple but effective way to set yourself up for success.

SMART goals are more likely to help you stay motivated and on track. You are also more likely to achieve your goals because they are realistic and achievable.

Here are a few tips for using the SMART framework to set your goals:

• Make them specific. What exactly do you want to achieve?
• Make them measurable. How will you know when you have reached your goal?
• Make them achievable. Are you setting yourself up for success?
• Please make them relevant. Are your goals aligned with your values and priorities?
• Make them time-bound. When do you want to achieve your goal?

By applying the SMART framework and these tips, you will be well on your way to setting and achieving your goals.

Enjoy your journey!

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Can you sense the pull toward more and more group work? The word collaboration is used frequently in organisational life but isn’t well understood or practised in reality…and yet somewhere within us, we know that working across boundaries and overcoming the isolation of long-held silo thinking will be one of the keys to elevating the impact of our work in its many forms.

The silos sit at so many levels – roles, departments, directorates, companies, organisations, institutions, nations and so on. There’s push and pull of getting our own ‘part’ working well and protecting it alongside deep knowing that in fact, true success relies on a higher level of interplay between ‘us’ and ‘others’.

On the global level we are seeing the challenges and the pull of group working in so many aspects of the Pandemic as, in some cases, we seek to work out how we work as a single Humanity rather than with separatist tendencies. Simultaneously we can see the undercurrent and indeed stark evidence of ‘me first’ or ‘protectionist’ behaviour. So too in organisations we can see this play out as we become immersed in our own priorities and agendas – not necessarily fuelled by political or personal gain but because we find it too difficult to lift our heads up and look outward.

Thinking and acting as a ‘group’ demands that we set or can connect to a higher collective purpose or focus. It needs an emotional maturity from everyone as we act from generosity and a higher point of service to the purpose rather than our own egos. That said, we know that in organisations so many of the performance reward mechanisms are geared toward the individual rather than collective performance. This will need to change for us to really harness the power of group working.

A group mindset has within its core a deep sense of unity and oneness…a bringing together of the unique talents and gifts of each entity – person, function, nation – and harnessing these in service of something bigger and which cannot be achieved alone.

This is the future and opening ourselves more deeply to the potential of group working will reveal many new opportunities for making it live. The question is how long will this take us given how pressing the need is now in our world?

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Episode SummaryTony Douglas has made a remarkable career out of dealing with complexity and creating inspired communities of people who are able to work together and deal with that complexity as a unit. From engineers to pilots, customer service people to administrators, all from around the globe, Tony’s brought the best out of diverse teams for some of the world’s most respected organizations. This week, we get his amazing perspective.

Episode NotesLeading Through Complexity, Creating a Community (ft. Tony Douglas). Tony Douglas on managing complexity in high-stakes environments

OPENING QUOTE:“It’s about people. There are no organizations without people. Simple as that.”

-Tony Douglas

GUEST BIO:Tony Douglas is CEO of Etihad Aviation Group with over 30 years of international leadership experience in aerospace, transportation, infrastructure, and government sectors. He joined Etihad in 2018, after being the CEO of the UK’s Ministry of Defense Procurement Arm, supplying all the services and equipment for the British Armed Forces valued at over $20 billion pounds a year. Tony has previously held senior leadership positions in the UAE, such as CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, and in UK, his roles included the Managing Director of the Heathrow Terminal Five Construction Project, CEO of Heathrow Airport, and COO and Group Chief Executive Designate of Laing O’Rourke, a massive global construction company.

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[10:53] – We All Have a Part to Play

Junior, senior, everybody in-between

While managing production lines of 4,000 or more people, all heavily unionized, Tony quickly learned that engaging with their community would send productivity through the roof— and failing to engage would be catastrophic. “We’ve all got a part to play,” he says. “Some parts are bigger than others, but unless they all play together, you’ll never get the potential that is clearly there.”

[26:06] – Embracing Diversity from the Ground Up

The difference between success and failure

In his role at Etihad, Tony works with people of 112 different nationalities and an average age of just over 30. He’s learned that diversity must become something that you embrace without a second thought, or you and your teams will fail. Tony even speaks to finding joy in the complexity of navigating diversity, knowing that it ultimately leads to more diverse perspectives and greater success.

[37:47] – Clarity of Purpose in an Organization

Translate what’s required and deliver it

Tony speaks to the importance of clarity and purpose at an organization from the top down. When that clarity is present, everyone within the organization can interpret it and deliver results built around an organization’s purpose.

[48:36] – The Power of Ramesh

Being brand ambassadors— and recognizing great ambassadors for your brand

Tony shares a story of an Australian family who stops at the same hotel in Abu Dhabi every time they have a stopover there en route to the UK. Why? Their children have connected so much with an excellent hotel employee named Mr. Ramesh. But the hotel managers not only had no idea what an impact Mr. Ramesh has had for their brand, but didn’t even know who he was.

Imagine if management had realized the power that Ramesh was having for their brand and capitalized on it, instead of being unaware of his impact?

RESOURCES:* [0:47] About Etihad Aviation Group * [28:14] About Jack Jarvis

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We’d just returned to SeaTac airport from Tampa Florida, where we each led a keynote conversession at Encounter 360°. After exchanging heartfelt words of appreciation for each other’s conversession, we hugged, the kind of hug that shares the gratitude for being so glad to have met the other. And then Andy (Vargo) said this, “I want to thank you… for the first time in my life, I feel that I have the power to create my own belonging.”

The first thing that flashed through my head was, I’m so glad you got there! You see, in my perfect world, everybody would believe in their ability to belong, in self, and with others. The second thing, a few moments later, I realized my Encounter 360° conversession on reimagining belonging did give them a space of agency for themselves in self-belonging. It worked! Phew! It gave them a way past the popular, or conventional view of belonging that, unfortunately, limits one’s own agency to belong.

Our mental wellbeing in the workplace seems to be in a pretty rough place, and I think it’s because of messed up belonging. Burnout, anxiety, and depression appear to be at record levels, according to Forbes. A McKinsey study found that 51% don’t feel they belong. And what’s rather interesting, is a Deloitte study as belonging being reported as one of the most important human capital issues. So, there’s easily enough awareness. But not much change. Could it be our functional definition of belonging is the problem? Maybe it’s because we’ve made belonging a transactional receive-mode thing, instead of relational. And not only that, the framing the way that we think of it is that if I don’t get these four things, I don’t belong.

The Problem: our Popular Definition of BelongingBefore moving on to how we redefine belonging, let me introduce you to a neuroscientist, Kelly McGonigal. Kelly studied how the way we perceive stress can make it harmful, or, helpful to us. Harmful if we believe there’s nothing we can do about it, but helpful if we believe we can. And there’s also an interesting aspect that she uncovered that relates to oxytocin. She found that when you’re connected in a caring way (belonging) and you perceive the stress as a healthy challenge, you actually get a positive bump in your oxytocin levels. And, the stress that would’ve killed you, when combined with the oxytocin actually makes you stronger.

And, on a wellness aside, here’s what you physically get from that oxytocin, in addition to increased pro-social emotional abilities:

• cardiovascular protection
• an anti-inflammatory response
• relaxed blood vessels
• your heart rebuilds faster than it degrades under stressed performance

Sounds pretty healthy doesn’t it? Our bodies have a built-in mechanism for stress resilience. Our wiring for belonging is a self-regenerating relational neurochemical mechanism. McGonigal’s work gives us a clue as to why the current model of belonging might be undermining our current belonging efforts right from the start. We have no agency as we experience stress while in pursuit of belonging.

Here’s the popular definition of belonging from Cornell University.

Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of (1) acceptance, (2) inclusion, and (3) identity for a member of a certain group. It is when an individual can bring their (4) authentic self to work.

This standard, or institutional understanding is a receive-mode-only model. If I get these four things… then I belong.

A sense of (1) acceptance, (2) inclusion, (3) identity, (4) being your authentic self to work (AIIA)

So, if you don’t get these four things, you don’t belong? This definition creates a box where the stress of being in a belonged state is unwinnable as it’s out of our agency, and thus the stress becomes harmful. From this frame, your state of belonging is a passively harmful place when you don’t fit in. Further, it creates an emotional barrier to doing the very reach outs that your own oxytocin is calling for. Because you believe it’s out of your ability to get it, this inhibits you further and limits your source of oxytocin and serotonin. We have to be in a positive human connection to generate oxytocin. Here’s a link to a list of seven belonging lead measures. You belong when you get these four things is a rather powerless frame that limits our neurobiology as we attempt to create our belonging. Yet it’s the dominant model. While it’s always brought up and referred to with good intent, it accidentally omits our agency in the definition.

The story we tell ourselves, and sometimes the story we’re given, that we tell ourselves, is the story we live.

Our words matter, and our story shifts with that omission. We’ve been promoting a story of what it takes to belong that disempowers us from creating it in our companies. And, it might even be making some people’s pursuit of belonging even a bit more harmful. (I gotta think more on this one.) The more you run into a brick wall, after running into a brick wall, the more damage you’re doing to yourself. Ironically, we’ve been given a model for belonging that sets us up to be powerless in affecting our own belonging.

1. It’s a one-way, passive receive mode, must-get affirmation transactional model
2. It leaves us with a self-narrative that says we only belong with someone who gives us these four things
3. Yet, those four things aren’t necessarily indicative of belonging
4. Ultimately leaves us chronically stressed on the bad side of a fit-in

For bullet 3, I want to offer this caveat. You can have all 4 of these things and not belong, a sense of (1) acceptance, (2) inclusion, (3) identity, and (4) being your authentic self to work. And, you can have the absence of those four things and still deeply belong. I can tell you, from my own personal experience, that I have not been (1) accepted, for being my (4) authentic self. Was warned about getting un- (2) included, and told to get back in the game here with us, or I’m out, my personal (3) identity in the tribe was about to be rejected. And I was implored to get back to rightness with the company tribe. I still belonged despite not getting affirmed in those four areas. And it would be my choice, whether I continued to belong.

The Shift: Define Belonging as You Feel, Own, and Care for Them, AND, They for YouAt Encounter 360°, I offered Belonging Reimagined. One that puts each of us in the driver’s seat of our own belonging. Shifting the power from just us receiving whether or not we belong, to choosing, creating, and inviting another to belong with us. From this re-defined version, our stress from when we don’t belong can be healthy instead of harmful, and help us to get into real belonging.

Try shifting your definition of belonging to this…

Belonging, it’s a state of being, in relationship with others:

When you feel, own, and care for them, in their successes, dreams, and failures. And, they feel, own, and care for you in yours. It’s a two-way relational street.

It’s a two-way street of feeling for yourself and them, owning your life and theirs, and, caring for yourself and them. And they do the same with you. If you prefer today’s typical business emotional intelligence language, it’s mutual-empathy (feeling), accountability (owning), and compassion (caring for).

Belonging requires all three – Feel, Own, and Care forThere’s a hollowness that we all know, that comes when any of the three: feel, own, or care for, aren’t genuine, or, are missing.

• Without the Feel, (empathy) we question whether or not we’re really theirs, when they say, “You’re my friend… or my employee…” We question the “why” of their care for us.
• Without Own, (accountability) we’re stuck with the nagging doubt of if their expressed feelings for us are true. We doubt if their care for us is actually for us.
• Without Care for, (compassion) we disbelieve in the genuineness of their expressed feelings and their claim that we are each other’s.

But, when you have all three, look out, you get a company of resilient people that’ll find a way for each other. You know you belong, because first, YOU feel, own, and care for them, AND second, THEY also feel, own, and care for you. If it’s just them, you’re getting affirmation, and yeah, that feels good. If it’s just you, you’re probably just fitting in, or in codependency.

Notice the order.

1. The first qualifier is, “When you feel, own, and care for them…” (starts with you)
2. AND (not, so that)… I guess the “AND” could be seen as a third qualifier, it’s not transactional.
3. The second qualifier is they feel, own, and care for you in yours…”
   Notice also, the context.

“In each other’s successes, dreams, and failures.” It’s in the good times, the aspirations, and the bad times. This is what falls in line with our tribal neurobiology. We’re designed to be indispensable to our tribe.

I love Angela Theisen’s take on belonging being as fundamental to how we organize ourselves.

“The sense of belonging is fundamental to the way humankind organizes itself. If it was unimportant, we would live solitary lives only coming together for procreation then quickly kicking the children out of our lives as soon as they could walk. We would have no families, communities or organized government.”

We cannot separate the importance of a sense of belonging from our physical and mental health. The social ties that accompany a sense of belonging are a protective factor helping manage stress and other behavioral issues. When we feel we have support and are not alone, we are more resilient, often coping more effectively with difficult times in our lives. Coping well with hardships decreases the physical and mental effects of these situations. (Mayo Clinic Health System)

It’s a relational model of bidirectional power that starts with you. Each one of us has agency. You get to shift into the driver’s seat of your own belonging. You’re not of the tablet victim to circumstance, nor are you an unfortunate victim.

When we define belonging this way, we get a frame for living out a new belief where our belonging is also in our power to create. So that even in the stress during the formation of belonging, we actually can get stronger.

Here’s a belonging practice to move your head in your heart into your own efficacy to create your own belonging.1. Remember a time when you: felt, owned, and cared for somebody in their successes dreams, and failures, who also feels, owns, and cares for you in yours.
(Do not tell of a time when you had a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity, and could be authentic. – Play along with me here) 2. Meet up with someone, in person or over Zoom, and share that story with them. 3. Afterward, take note of how you’re feeling inside. 4. Now, that person who you felt, owned, and cared for… Invite them out for coffee, or beer, or call them, or text them- and thank them for feeling, owning, and caring for you.

A quick summary of belonging wellness benefits:1. Less burnout, anxiety, and depression 2. Higher resilience 3. Oxytocin neural/emotional benefits * Empathy * Cooperation * Generosity * Interpersonal trust * Social motivation * Altruism * Emotional recognition * Gaze and focus & eyes face

1. Oxytocin physical benefits

2. Cardiovascular protection

3. An anti-inflammatory response
4. Relaxed blood vessels
5. Your heart rebuilds faster than it degrades under stressed performance
   I wonder what would happen to the rates of anxiety, depression, suicide, heart attacks, strokes, autoimmune diseases, etc., if we had more belonging of the feel, own, and care for type?

Give this definition a try. Make the shift. I bet you’ll find your emotional and physical wellness moving upward with your belonging.

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Do you know that women who had to leave college to have children can feel like they cannot return and finish their degrees? It can be challenging, especially if years have passed. But don’t worry!

There are various options available for you to return to school and complete your education. With flexible scheduling, online courses, or part-time enrollment, you can make it work!

Here are some tips that can come in handy if you are considering returning to college:

1. Research Your Options – Whether you want to finish your degree or explore a new field, researching your options is the first step. Check out schools that offer degree completion programs or services dedicated to helping adult students like you.
2. Build Your Support System – Talk to your family and friends about your plan to return to college and enlist their help and support. You may also seek a mentor, either in real life or online, who can inspire and advise you throughout your educational journey.
3. Develop an Education Plan – Put together a plan for completing your degree incorporating the new challenges you face as an adult returning to college. Set realistic goals for yourself, and plan for the time commitments associated with classes, studying, and other activities.
4. Pursue Financial Aid – Do some research to learn about grants, scholarships, loans, or other financial aid opportunities tailored to adult learners. Knowing what resources are available can help make it more affordable for you to pursue your degree. Also, consider pay-as-you-go with cash; it may take longer but will avoid debt. If already employed, review company benefits for educational purposes.

Lastly, let’s talk about the importance of education in a world where most jobs require some education today and in the future. Education is a cornerstone of society, and fostering the best educational opportunities for everyone is crucial. By leveling the playing field, we can make progress and enhance the prospects of all citizens in our global society.

As we look ahead to 2030, it’s clear that the need for specialized and diversified education will only increase. Advances in technology, artificial intelligence, and other disruptive forces will shape the world of tomorrow; new degrees will be needed to provide them with broad skills and knowledge.

One such degree is the Bachelor of Distributed Ledger Technology or BDLT. This degree will prepare students to understand the principles behind distributed ledger technologies like blockchain and its potential applications across multiple industries. Through courses in coding and cryptography, students will learn to design secure systems that can be

I hope this helps!

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What if leadership at work wasn’t for a select few, but rather shared among many? Management consultant Gitte Frederiksen gives us the recipe for “distributed leadership” — dynamic, multidimensional networks of leaders that tap into everyone’s knowledge and creativity — and shows how it allows teams to do more and do it better.

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Unless you’re a man who has been living in a cave for the last year, you will be aware of the quantum shift taking place for you in today’s professional world. No such thing as business as usual especially for men.

Balancing a man’s life challenges with positive masculinity and authentic harmony is a must if you are to be successful with women in business and in life …

It’s tough for men, especially top decision men who are often making major adjustments from traditional perspectives to ensure they thrive in these uncertain times.

Men must navigate their usual traditional role and the new emotional integrity that post-pandemic economies demand. The new leadership/life dynamics occurring with DEI and ESG and SNGs and more pressures at home to provide against escalating living costs and teenage children wanting college fees paid!!

As men lead and work in required gender-equal and diverse cultures, many issues arise that they are unused to. Women are asserting themselves in ways that often confuse men. Different generations holding perspectives that clash and many old patterns of hierarchy and gender equity battles are blocking progress to authentic harmony.

Male leaders report that they are more unsure than ever as to how to negotiate their way through the ripple effects of the #metoo movement and pandemic pressures for hybrid working and rising cases of big payouts on sexual harassment legal actions. Even for men advocating for women to move to the top often feel left out in the ‘women empowerment’ movement when battling with those men who refuse to change.

What is the mix of fear, anger, frustration, and confusion that creeps in? This is not an “either-or” situation, it’s “and-and”! Building awareness on natural differences and principles of harmony includes the value of heart-centered leadership.

Go on – it’s ok to own all emotions… and it’s “manly” to overcome them with emotional understanding, business trust, and a culture of respect for all parties.

Can we build a new baseline landscape that shifts awareness for both men and women is the way to engage everyone in a new creative conversation? To achieve this, we propose to empower men to be open-minded to a more flexible, adaptable, collaborative synergistic, harmonious diverse world, and to navigate the MIND-Field of professional and domestic relationships. Men need to be men and still want to be viable competitors as well as colleagues in the challenging game of life and business (and and)!!

Many wise men today want to reassess their masculinity in communication, using greater sensitivity and still retaining authority. It’s increasingly difficult to exert a more masculine-style influence and be sure to be received fairly by both men and women. Now we present a pioneering Gender Dynamics Intelligence (GDI) landscape assessment and communication tool is designed to help men (and women) achieve a meaningful, masculine manner that fluently integrates instinctive emotions, integrity, and logic.

This pioneering approach encompasses positive masculinity and female empowerment into the combined territories of male and female with a 360-degree view of all diversity. This is integral to a new program facilitated by Dr. Pauline Crawford, the creator of the GDI map, an International Speaker, and Author of The Power of Authentic Harmony.

Men – It’s time to eliminate the barriers that bar your way to fulfillment and material success.

Start the journey one-on-one with your most difficult conversation…

Men of the Future … are you ready NOW?

My gratitude to all the men I interviewed during 2018 -pre pandemic- in a world of #metoo movement and quotas of women into boardrooms. Our world of women has moved on and now we face economic challenges globally. We cannot afford to waste time arguing for equality, we need harmony and joint- co-creation honoring each other’s natural talents.

I asked this cohort each in turn “What advice will you give a woman to manage a man today?”

The answer collectively was “We love you women – we love working with you, we respect you, you are complex, we are simple. Please value us for who we are, don’t smother us, mother us or see us as a threat (#metoo) – see us for our straight-forward truth as a man and love us as we are”

WISE ADVICE…. thank you!

Reach out to me below for more information and to be ahead of the game.

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Career development appears at the top of many lists. Unfortunately, they tend to be lists focused on what employees desperately want but are not getting from managers.As for managers, most appreciate the value of career development and really wish they could do it more frequently and more effectively. But let’s face it: A manager’s day-to-day reality is a kaleidoscopic blur of meetings, responsibilities, and shifting priorities. Helping employees to develop and grow is one of many activities that is continually pushed out in time to that elusive “someday” that too rarely comes.

How can managers get past this conundrum? How can they make career development happen within the pressure-cooker reality that is business today? The answer is definitely not new systems, checklists, processes or forms. Those have actually contributed to the problem.

Instead, the answer lies in a new mindset — a different way of thinking about what career development is — and a few key behaviors.

Transfer OwnershipManagers don’t own their employees’ careers. Employees do. All that managers can (and should) feel accountable for is guiding, encouraging, collaborating on, and supporting the effort. When a manager really internalizes this reality, it can produce a powerful energetic shift. The weight of responsibility lifts, allowing managers to approach this task with greater energy and creativity than when it was another of their many “duties.” This transfer also ensures that employees have some skin in the game. Personal ownership enhances their engagement, interest, commitment, and results.

Cultivate CuriosityWhen ownership of development is transferred to the employee, career conversations suddenly become much easier and less stressful for managers. Managers don’t need to have all the answers. But they must be ready to pose the right questions. Questions are the most powerful tool managers have to support career development. And cultivating a genuine sense of curiosity and interest in others and their goals sets the tone for the most productive conversations possible.

Iterate the IDPMany organizations have formal individual development planning processes, during which managers engage in a lengthy annual analysis and career discussions with each employee. For the manager, it’s a huge time sink, and for the employee, it’s frequently like drinking from a fire hose. So, break it up. Do a little bit each month — or better yet, each week. These smaller, iterative chunks better accommodate the cadence of business. Perhaps more importantly, they better accommodate how development really occurs: little by little over time.

Engineer ExperiencesMany managers avoid career development conversations because they believe that to make employees happy, the goal of such conversations is to provide ideas about how to move up or around in the organization. That’s simply not part of today’s de-layered, leaner approach to business. So how then does development occur? Through experiences that leverage talents and build the skills that employees need. It might be leading a team, analyzing data, or getting to know new customers. Jointly arriving at development experiences is smart business because while the employee is developing, important work gets done simultaneously.

Seize Coachable MomentsCareer development opportunities occur countless times each day, but only when managers are sensitive to the cues around them and are willing to seize coachable moments. When an employee shares a new interest, is starting a project, has just come back from training, or has experienced a setback — all of these are career development cues. A 1-3 minute conversation in the flow of the work that needs to be done can help employees reflect, analyze, consider, and plan their career development. There’s no need to wait for some big career meeting (that likely won’t occur anyway).

Managers who consistently engage in career development that employees appreciate don’t have more time than others. They have a mindset that allows them to deploy the little time they have toward efficient high-value conversations that drive employee ownership, reflection, motivation, and action.

In fact, it’s the busiest managers who realize they don’t have the time not to develop those around them.

This article originally appeared at SmartBrief.

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On the plane about to take off, I’m sitting in the exit row, and the flight attendant asked us, “Are you ready, willing, and qualified to assist in case of an emergency landing?” Hmmm, I thought. Qualified? I have never had to reload an entire plane because of an emergency landing before. How could I be qualified? This made me think of new managers, those who are promoted or ones hired who have no experience leading people. Yet, we think they are “qualified”! Is that fair? Shouldn’t we do something to prepare them?

People often believe that if they don’t feel capable, influential, or experienced enough to be leaders then they aren’t “qualified” for the job. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth! Leadership is not only about technical skills and knowledge; it’s also about confidence, flexibility, and resilience. An article from CCL says “A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, empathy, and gratitude.” Despite our own doubts and insecurities about leading others, there is no set mold for what makes someone qualified–each person has their own unique traits that make them a great leader.

Leadership TrainingLeadership training can have a profoundly positive impact on your ability to lead your organization, team, or project forward. If you feel stuck and unable to develop strategies that bring together both short-term and long-term objectives and shape cultures of mutual respect within your organization, leadership training can help. It offers opportunities to develop the skills to reflect critically upon all the decisions you make, understand and accept different perspectives, delegate effectively, and motivate your colleagues. With all these tools at hand that help you foster meaningful relationships with colleagues while driving results through dynamic decision-making, you’ll be well on your way toward becoming an influential and momentous leader. Leadership training is the perfect stepping stone for you if you’ve been looking for ways to step up in the type of leader you want to be.

Mentoring or ShadowingMentoring or shadowing is a great way to gain knowledge, increase your skill set and make valuable connections. A mentor can help you develop an understanding of the profession you have chosen by providing practical advice and guidance. Shadowing someone in a role that interests you is equally beneficial, allowing you to put the skills learned through self-teaching into practice. With both of these strategies, gaining insight into different approaches can be invaluable for your learning. Don’t forget that mentoring or shadowing requires commitment and dedication, and it can often take hard work and perseverance to receive the maximum results. However, with any effort comes a reward so take the plunge and reap the rewards!

Peer ReviewsBecoming a qualified leader is an important skill, and peer reviews are a great way to help the process. Providing and receiving thoughtful feedback can bring an understanding of strengths and development opportunities to aid any aspiring leader. Careful consideration of feedback from someone in the same field can be invaluable, as it comes from experience that may not be available outside of your peers. Peer reviews provide a platform for growth and development for anyone looking to build their leadership capabilities, which ultimately promotes self-confidence in workplace decisions.

Acknowledging and Celebrating Other People’s SuccessesAs a qualified leader, I understand how important it is to recognize and celebrate other people’s successes. Showing gratitude for the hard work of others not only maintains our relationships, but it’s also a great way to boost confidence and soften competition. Each time someone excels, I feel privileged to be around them and acknowledge their success. Through noticing great accomplishments throughout my circles and offering congratulations with warmth, I hope that others can experience the same inspiration and motivation as I do when witnessing successes.

ReflectionDeveloping leadership skills requires dedication and thoughtfulness. Qualified leaders are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and how to leverage them for the benefit of their goals or environment. They take initiative and recognize the potential in others, while not forgetting to establish structure and guide their teams. All the methods discussed – rigorous training, mentoring or shadowing, peer reviews, and celebrating successes – can help build strong leadership skills that qualify you as a leader. Take stock of what’s comfortable for you – do you prefer a classroom setting? Or one-on-one meetings? Is public speaking natural for you? Knowing what works best for you is key to nurturing your capabilities. And at the end of it all, it’s important to reflect: What makes YOU a qualified leader? With careful investments into honing your leadership craft, continue to equip yourself with the knowledge and humility necessary to become an effective leader who moves people and brings out the best in them.

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Office politics, workplace politics, organizational politics – I call it high school. Nothing much has changed since the cliques of high school – although today’s clique categories are a bit different, they still include what you recall from your high school, just with different labels.

In high school, cliques are part of social development. In the office or your office, your job and your reputation can be at stake.

Yes, I know that many are now working their job from alternate spaces, however, this information is the same as if you were in an office. All workplaces are political because we are human beings who bring all our baggage, good and bad, into the workplace.

What does one do if you are either new to the game of large offices or still working in that environment?

Set clear boundaries.

Start by staying out of it. Whatever game you do not join, you do not have to play.

Be nice, at all times; be as nice as possible.

Be fair to all you speak to. When someone attempts to engage you in a Gossip Round, simple, non-committal replies are best.

Use lots of ‘Ohs?’ and ‘Ahs’! and ‘Unhuhs’. Really – no one will care and they will move on to the next person who will agree or disagree, therefore getting snagged into a revolt, big or small.

Don’t gossip about anyone in your office, building, or company. It may hurt you on the way up the ladder and send you spinning down quickly.

The best players have the same respect for the receptionists as they have for the CEO, VPs, and other C Suite categories. You never know who’s watching or listening or who is anxious to pass on your words to someone else. Don’t let anything you say bite you in the butt.

Establish your office ‘line in the sand’ and do not engage anyone who wants to play the game of gossip, bullying, or other not-so-nice means.

Be yourself at all times and enjoy yourself as much as possible while you contribute your skills – the ones they pay you for – to your company.

Just so you know, all this craziness can be shared using social media.

Be yourself, be kind, and stop playing games.

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With all of the world’s layoffs, economic uncertainty, and technological innovation in artificial intelligence, it’s a complex business environment out there. How should you prepare for the jobs of the future? See more in the visual deep dive below:

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Work that’s dictated by a fixed schedule, place, and job description doesn’t make sense anymore, says leadership expert Debbie Lovich. In light of the cultural shift towards remote work sparked by the pandemic, Lovich gives three essential tips to leaders so employees can keep their autonomy (while remaining productive), companies can let go of rigid bureaucracy and we can all reshape work to better fit our lives.

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We tend to believe that happiness comes from success. In reality, then, it doesn’t work (at least not always) like this.

We agree: people, in general, want to obtain a good level of financial stability and due recognition for their achievements, they want to experience the maximum possible pleasure in the professional field because it is a reason for greater happiness in life.

And they are right, they are reasonable aspirations. In fact, it cannot be denied that with willpower and commitment, significant results can be achieved in the context of one’s goals in life, however ambitious they may be. For this reason, therefore, many individuals, especially the more ambitious and diligent ones, simplify the equation in an apparently logical way: they seek success, engaging all their energies, in the belief that it is the antechamber of happiness.

How to explain, then, that often, once you have achieved professional success, that one wonders if it was worth wasting so much energy for a success that doesn’t fully fulfill? I guess the following reasons.

The exaggerated cult of performativity at any cost, the idea that to be worth something in life you need to be able to impose yourself better and in less time than others. A rhetorical model that is passed off as the only possible and, as such, is suffered by parents, not opposed by society, is fed by the media with the exaltation of superstars and the diffusion of talent shows, where one is judged continuously and all that counts is to be first.

A more balanced society shouldn’t just exhibit role models who always push to be exceptional, and successful in a given profession.

Success itself does not guarantee happiness. To be happy it’s not enough to win, it’s not even enough to become the best in the world, you have to feel fully accomplished, love what you do, and express all the potential you have within us and that drives us to succeed.

It is above all the journey, not the destination itself, that counts: dreams and goals are used only to measure progress, and it is precisely the latter that brings happiness, not the goal itself: satisfaction comes from the steps we do towards activities that are meaningful to us. Small progress must already make us feel good. In short, it is the emotions we feel along the way, the state of mind, which play a central role in a person’s professional and personal life.

Meanwhile, we should decide what is the right goal “for us”, and ask ourselves if we are looking for what can produce within us those emotional states that we really want, those feelings that we want to experience continuously in our lives because they satisfy our most deep. Don’t spend energy to achieve goals proposed from outside, moving away from our most authentic desires, those that make us feel complete, that make our life satisfying, and interesting, according to “our” point of view.

The road to happiness passes through self-realization, through a journey of emotions experienced in full awareness of what we are building, what makes us feel truly fulfilled, what we need, and what we must leave instead lose because it has no real meaning to us.

Success and happiness are obviously linked, but this alchemy may work better in the opposite direction to what most people imagine. Convincing ourselves that pursuing the success suggested by externally imposed models is no guarantee of happiness, indeed, at best it is an ineffective strategy for us.

The best strategy is to understand what can make us happy, to know our inner needs, and, by working to achieve “our” happiness, we can also achieve success.

So, then, can we conclude that happiness is not simply the consequence of ephemeral positive events but, on the contrary, it is the inner condition that contributes to generating and also producing success, results, and rewarding conditions of life?

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Dan, I am, and at times I wonder if Dr. Seuss started out as a software engineer at Microsoft. The picture of that fox looks awfully familiar.

Do you ever wonder where Whoville is? One Microsoft Way perhaps? Did Horton work there too? Dr. Seuss said himself, “Horton hears a Who.” And what’s up with the Easter eggs? Are they green? What if Dr. Seuss was laid off?

Oh, the thinks you can think Mr. Theodore, but I have to tell you, the times they are changing. You can think about Career Builder or Think about Monster. You can think about Jobot. You can think about Indeed. And, you can even roll the DICE. Oh, the things you can think.

You can think up how much you are worth and boy, that is like giving birth. And you don’t have to stop. You can think about the glamors of all the spammers. You can think about recruiters advocating for you, after all, they have families too.

While you think you thinks Mr. Geisel, you may want to try this for your reprisal. Think about questions, that by the end of your day, will let your head rest and easily lay. Great questions a many you’ll need as your tools for these remarkable employers are not fools.

For all your years of service Dr. Seuss, I give to you my wocket in my pocket. A prize if you will. 5 great questions that are sure to thrill. Take my advice and use them wisely or the outcomes may be a bit more than lively.

• Question 1: Beyond the role I would play in your company, what characteristics would you be looking for in me to help me better stand out as a candidate for future roles?
• Question 2: After reviewing my resume, what is one thing that’s not in the job description that would be a shareable asset to your team.
• Question Red: If your company could change one thing that would positively impact employee quality of life, what would it be?
• Question Blue: What characteristics of your company would inspire me to stay there long term?
• Last Question For You: If I came to you and asked for help, what would you say to me?
• The last one is a bit of a fright, but will be remarkably impactful if timed just right. It requires a bit of finesse while employing tactful genius. The goal here is to fail while trying not to bail.

Purposely fail your best on a question of the test. Ask for help openly and hope for the best. My last question for you will make sense and is surely to make more cents.

Candidate: “I would like to ask for help on this question.”
Employer: “So, you give up?”

Candidate: “No, I’m asking for help?”
Employer: “So, you give up then right?”

Candidate: “Can I google it?”Oh, the thinks you can think when you ask for help. Here’s to hoping you don’t find yourself swimming in an ocean of kelp.

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The glass cliff: an experience of taking on a leadership role only to find that your chances of success have been limited before you’ve even begun. Equality activist Sophie Williams explores the research-backed reasons behind this workplace phenomenon and how it overwhelmingly affects underrepresented groups, despite a facade of progress and inclusion. Learn more about the biases and behaviors that set people up for failure — and what can be done to make the path to success in leadership better for everyone.

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Facing the possibility of a layoff, or dealing with one, can be a challenging and emotionally taxing experience. However, there are steps you can take to emotionally prepare yourself and minimize the impact of this event on your mental and emotional well-being.

Research has long shown layoffs have a detrimental effect on individuals and on corporate performance. Harvard BizReview 12-22. “What Companies Still Get Wrong About Layoffs” (hbr.org)

Layoffs, which began in mid-2022, have continued until there has become a steady stream of announcements in 2023.  This includes the following planned layoffs and those currently in process:

• Wall Street Journal -1250 employees
• Yahoo – more than half the ‘Yahoo for biz division’ – 1600
• GitHub – owned by MSN – 10% – approximately 300 workers
• Disney – 7K
• The Google Alphabet (parent company) – plans to eliminate 12K in 2023
• Amazon is organizing a layoff of 18k.
• IBM announced it intended to layoff approximately 3900 from it’s Kyndryl
  holdings.
• Microsoft intends to lay off 10K.

Layoffs have always been an emotionally challenging situation for everyone – both those laid off and those who remain, not to mention the company itself. The affected employees may feel a range of emotions such as shock, anger, sadness, as well as fear about their future. Meanwhile, the remaining employees may feel guilty or anxious about their job security or may, psychologists say, experience survivor’s guilt.

Almost all who work experience a layoff, now and then, which presents some upheaval in their lives. Layoffs can, in fact, present anything from little worry over financial situations to significant negative financial consequences for affected employees who may have been living financially close to the edge; especially if they have no savings or backup plan. Furthermore, companies can find it cost prohibitive to hand out severance packages, as well as to recruit, train, and onboard new employees.

It can’t be overlooked – the negative impact on morale and productivity a potential or full blown layoff can also have on the remaining employees. It’s natural for them to feel demotivated or disengaged from their work as a result. It can also be challenging for managers to keep their team motivated and focused during a time of uncertainty and change. Those still working may have lost a coworker who had become a best friend and/or confidant; a lunch pal; work helpmate; someone they regularly played golf and socialized with outside the office. Not to mention their ride to work.

Furthermore, layoffs are difficult because they can have a range of emotional, financial, and practical implications for everyone involved.

During this time – it’s important to remember ‘YOU ARE NOT YOUR JOB’

Much has been written about self-identifying with a job. What it boils down to is the job becomes part of our identity since it’s something most spend the majority of our lives performing. It can shape our values and beliefs, provide us with purpose and structure, help us build relationships with colleagues. It can also provide us with a sense of accomplishment.

Although all of these things are true – the question remains – how do you disengage from the job once laid off? Why can’t you stop feeling emotionally out of sorts – if not depressed – when laid off? Psychologists tell us facing the possibility of a layoff, or living through one, can be an emotionally and financially taxing experience for a variety of reasons.

You’ve not only lost your job and the salary which comes with it – a two-fold loss – but are now cut off from co-workers you not only worked but no doubt socialized with.

You’ve likely developed relationships with their friends and families. The two of you, as well as others, may have lunched, had drinks, and headed off to sporting events as a group on a regular basis. As friends, you’ve likely shared your life and experiences with each other; consoled each other during difficult times; cheered each other on during good times. Perhaps become a backup for each other.

While you may continue to connect, for a brief time after the layoff, it usually won’t take long before many of those relationships begin fading, those friends drifting away. Lack of connection, to these individuals, then becomes another personal loss brought about by the layoff.

It’s important to remember, however, your job is not your entire identity – your worth as a person does not depend – solely – on your employment status.

Not to mention we can all learn to live without ‘extras’ we’ve come to include in our lives like Starbucks Frappuccino, for example.

Here are 7 tips to help guide you through this unique time:

1) It’s natural to feel a range of emotions, such as anxiety, fear, anger and sadness, when facing a layoff or living through one. It’s essential to recognize and acknowledge layoff-related feelings rather than suppressing them psychologists tell us.

2) Reach out to your support system. Talk to family, friends, network connections – a therapist, friends at church if necessary. They can provide emotional support and help you work through your feelings.

3) Focus on what you can control. While a layoff may be outside of your control, focus on things you can control – such as updating your resume, networking, searching for new job opportunities or volunteer activities.

4) Create a financial plan. Losing a job can be stressful but having a financial plan in place can help reduce some of that stress. Create a budget, cut back on unnecessary expenses; consider seeking financial advice if necessary.

5) Take care of yourself; prioritizing your physical and mental health. Exercise regularly, eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, and engage in activities that bring you joy. On occasion – have lunch with old co-workers and friends being careful to share some good rather than ruminating over all the bad that you believe has erupted from the layoff. Talk about your job plans, resume revamping, starting a business, and new volunteer activities you’ll be undertaking, for example.

6) Consider upgrading your skills and/or working on certifications. All of which can help you get hired for a job you want. Consider returning to college, starting business school or taking online classes, for example.

7) Stay positive. While it’s natural to feel down about a layoff, try to maintain a positive attitude. Be optimistic about better things coming your way and focus on the opportunities which may arise from this experience.

“Don’t be afraid of change – you may end up losing something good however it’s highly likely you will end up gaining something better.” Quotemaster.org

Remember:You are not alone; many have faced a layoff at some point in their career. It doesn’t define you as a person.

While losing a job can be a difficult experience, it can also be an opportunity to explore new avenues and potentially find a job that better aligns with your values and interests, plus upgrade your skills and/or education.

With time, patience, and perseverance, you can overcome this challenge and emerge stronger on the other side.

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When you help someone, your self-confidence will also grow… if you do it with a spirit of help rather than to show you are better than someone else.

Mentoring programs for children who are learning to read, do math, learn science, play a musical instrument or a sport are great places to volunteer your time. As you help these children come to a realization that they can do it, your self-esteem will also grow.  Look around your area and find a place you can donate time to help someone else.  Schools, libraries, and many foundations are set up and in place to help children and all need volunteers.

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The role of the CEO entails a remarkable formal power, exercisable in different ways. But power, authority, expertise, and even results are often not enough to truly guarantee success.

Effective CEOs must try to combine formal power and authority with the legitimation they gain when people believe in them as people and as leaders. But they have to earn it, in many different ways, as demonstrated, for example, that they have also values, ethics, fairness, and an altruistic commitment towards the company and its collaborators.

Legitimation gives rise to a motivation that goes far beyond the issuing of orders and can produce extraordinary organizational performance.

Time is probably the most important of the resources (scarce by definition) with which the CEO must constantly deal. CEO time allocation is not just about meetings or decision-making, but about the whole range of ways in which he/she relates to the organization and its members.

The challenges are not few because the CEO, in general, represents the executive and decision-making body of the company, the subject responsible for the company’s strategy, and responsible for providing the members of the organization with the guidelines to implement it.

The life of the CEO of a large company is not easy. Leading a large company today means learning to manage decisions between complex scenarios, ambitious and short-term goals, and coming to terms with an ever shorter working life expectancy. And while it is undeniable that managers have a great deal of resources and support on their side, it is they, more than anyone else, who have to deal with the chronic shortage of time.

Compared to even the recent past, the new, more complex reality emerges in all its relevance: if CEOs want to be such, and be so for a long time, they are faced with a large number of interlocutors and must always keep them in mind. The term stakeholder is now commonly used, and since that day we have known that they are all those who have a significant relationship with the company. Usually, we say “stakeholders”, but now the term must be read more broadly because we aren’t talking only about employees, customers, and shareholders, but we are also talking about suppliers, surrounding communities, and the environment.

The CEO, who today has a shorter professional “life expectancy” than the previous generation of leaders, has much more articulated and complex objectives.

The first objective remains that of achieving economic and competitive results such as placing and maintaining the company on the market and keeping it well and successful. But the climate of strong pressure has increased because the community looks at you and public opinion scrutinizes you thanks to technologies digital that make companies glass boxes, the media shoot you at the slightest mistake, and every defaillance remains forever on record in the borderless world of the web.

And, let us remember, the CEO is a multiplier of corporate reputation!!

And all this trying not to be crushed by the weight of the many and growing responsibilities and, perhaps, even trying to have a happy and persistent personal and family life.

We can say that the CEO is the key to creating an organizational ecosystem that encourages new ideas and changes, whose behaviors and attitudes are directly reflected in his relationships, influencing his collaborators and, consequently, the development of his business.

Here, to return to the most important resource I mentioned at the beginning, the most successful people consider it crucial to manage the time they have available.

The matter is very simple: we all have time in the same way. The difference between those who are successful and those who are not is that those who are successful “invest” their time (and therefore have a return) while those who are unsuccessful just waste it.

I look forward to any comments.

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I was raised as the only child of a hard-working single Mom. In my formative years, she taught me so much about life and business. Truthfully, I didn’t know that’s what I was learning until the day came for me to enter the business world.

Then, moment by moment, as the tests and trials of my own career began to unfold, I realized she had done an amazing job at teaching me some very profound wisdom.

Here are Her 10 Truths:1. Believe in Yourself – Seldom will others believe in you, so you must always believe in yourself. This is especially true when starting a new gig. You are an unknown. It’s only human for others to have doubts about you until you get to prove yourself. So while a period of any transition is going on, believe in yourself. Stay strong.

1. Mistakes do Happen – You will make them. But a winner will bounce back up. Learn from your mistakes and be sure to never make the same mistake twice.

2. Your Word is Your Honor – Let your word be true. When she made a promise to a business person, the thing happened, whatever it was. If something got in the way and started to delay the delivery date or prohibit the honoring of the word, she was quick to address the change and get permission or acceptance to make a change.

3. Set Lofty Goals – Dream big. Why work hard for small goals? Do something different if you have to, but hang on to those dreams. She left a steady paycheck to start her own business when I was still in school. Talk about being brave. Her dream guided her. She created a very successful interior design business that grew from residential design to large commercial (office buildings and retail) projects.

4. Don’t Let Them See You Sweat – I know that’s been said by someone else, but I watched her live it. I have no doubt she went to bed some nights and cried herself to sleep because she had a big deadline or problem in front of her, but she never let it show. In the public eye, she was steel with grace.

5. Keep Learning – Mom didn’t have a higher education. She started working right out of high school, but she never stopped learning. She read voraciously. She maintained a very open mind about culture, ethnicity, and moral code. This equipped her to be a gracious host, a warm welcome for anyone who came to visit, and a cherished memory for those who got to know her. She earned the respect of friends and colleagues far beyond her original station in life. She also taught me about the value of being mentored. Since there was no man in our house, she arranged my involvement with several very significant male mentors who taught me so many things. As a result, I am a patchwork quilt of the best qualities those men could teach.

6. Be Compassionate – Despite her steely business sense, she had a special compassion for others. Her warmth was felt by so many. She volunteered at my school and elsewhere in the community though her time was tightly scheduled for her roles as a mother and business owner. She created her own sense of work-life balance that never left out quality time for generous giving of herself.

7. Know Your Banker – Mom taught me about getting to know the banker. Perhaps that’s why I ended up in banking. Because of her tenuous financial condition as a sole provider and single-income head of household, she needed bank loans frequently. But she was shrewd. Loans were only made when good contracts had been awarded. The loans floated the projects (and our living expenses) until the payout was received. Then the loans were paid immediately. The bankers loved her as a customer. She never leveraged anything near 100%. The loans were always for less than the contract amount. That way, there was a profit to keep when the project closed and the loan was paid.

8. Create and Guard Your Reputation – She had savage competition. However, she built a brand that included high integrity. She fiercely protected that brand reputation. Once when she was accused in the local newspaper of manipulating a contract award, she had to fight the allegations. She won and even received a published apology from the editor of the paper. Business boomed after that.

9. Center on Faith – Last but certainly not least, Mom taught me about faith in God through Jesus. Her undeniable faith kept her strong through the darkest hours. She knew there was a force and a purpose far greater than herself with whom she could connect at any moment. Whether it was bedtime prayers or a quick discussion sitting in her car before an appointment, she sought divine guidance regularly. This faith even endured until her last breath on this earth. She always told me she and God had a deal, that, when it was her time to go, it would be quick. Sure enough at 1:00 AM on February 1, 2001, she had a massive stroke. She died less than 24 hours later. No pain, no suffering. Medically, the neurologist told me the brain hemorrhage that caused the stroke had cut off all feeling to her body. She needed no pain meds to ease her to the end.

My Mom was a remarkable woman, whose forward-thinking was well ahead of her time. Her unique collection of wit, grace, love, compassion, fire, and faith made me what I am today.

The poem below, by Walter Wintle, was on a plaque she gave me. She had first made the plaque for her father when she was a teenager. I was given the memento as my own family keepsake. It sums up everything I am telling you today. Very wise words to live by.

The Man Who Thinks He can

by Walter D. Wintle

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win, but think you can’t
It’s almost a cinch that you won’t
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will;
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you’re outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.

Who is the person in your life who has made the biggest impression?

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Leadership and followership are two sides of the same coin, but we are used to seeing and studying only one.Followership is not considered in managerial and organizational thinking. The cultural models in which we grew up clearly value the figure of the leader as much as they dismiss that of the follower.

Everyone considers themselves a leader or at least aspires to become one. In fact, with all the emphasis we place on developing leaders, we often forget the importance of followership and that effective leaders need effective followers to be successful.

Let me be clear, leadership matters a lot, but often in looking for the best leader figure we tend to lose sight of the people these leaders will lead (i.e. followership). And like leadership, followership also needs to be developed and taught.

After all, without collaborators or followers, the leader is just a man with big ambitions.

Among other things, in this “liquid” society no one is just a leader or just a follower, but one is both at the same time, and it happens to move from one position to another several times.

Followers are essential in the functioning of an organization. They are not passive followers, adepts without judgment. They are the collaborators, the employees of a company, endowed with a sense of responsibility and the ability to work as a team towards a goal. The success or failure of a project largely depends on them.

In different life situations, the same person is the leader and in others, he is the follower. And it also happens that a follower shows excellent skills to take on the function of a team leader. It is therefore advisable to be ready to play both roles.

Usually, the ability to be a good employee is considered only as the other side of being a great leader but they are two different things. Contrary to what the collective imagination thinks, followership does not coincide with mere execution but is expressed with a full, voluntary, and explicit organizational citizenship.

The leader himself creates value thanks to an adequate followership, and difficulty may surface without it.

We certainly do not deny that, if on the one hand, it is true that followers condition the success of a project, it is equally true that the leader influences the quality of the followers present in the team.

Leaders lacking confidence in themselves and in their own abilities will tend to create teams of conformist collaborators, i.e. who do not seek discussion and sharing of ideas, but will lead to the formation of teams basically made up of resigned followers.

An authoritative leader, on the other hand, needs to have effective followers alongside him, courageous people capable of thinking independently, questioning what they do not share, and providing valid alternatives on which to build continuous improvement.

A crucial aspect underlying the leader-follower relationship is reciprocity understood as complementarity: in reality, leadership and followership are conceivable only if they are related. Relationship within which the follower, grounding his knowledge and skills, is able to enrich and inspire the leader.

As followers we expect our leaders to provide motivation, direction, and influence. As leaders we expect our followers to get the job done and deliver results. It is a mutually beneficial relationship and it is impossible to have one without the other. So, the essence of followership does not lie in what followers do in general but in what they do in relation to the relationship they have with their leaders.

Specifically, it should be interesting to investigate how the followers take responsibility towards the leader, how they relate to the top positions, and how they deal with problems in relation to the existing leadership style in the company.

Ultimately, a very good follower, far from being a passive person, although in a non-equal relationship with the leader, shares with the same the common goal pursued by the company and operates, through a continuous proposition of ideas, independent evaluations, and constructive criticism, to ensure business success.

The leader creates good followership in the measure in which it has the possibility of choosing its employees associated with the ability to pull out the best from them. If the leader must be well versed in technical-relational skills, aimed at the management and development of his collaborators, the follower must also work on specific skills to increase his own relevance in the cooperation phase.

Some scholars who also dealt with the followers tried to define the collaborator that all leaders would like to have. Endowed with independent critical thinking, this kind of follower, without letting himself be conditioned by the role or hierarchical level, shows uniform behavior with everyone, evaluates the risks well, and manages to deal assertively with the conflicts that may arise.

He is able to manage the changes that the organization needs, share its goals, and knows how to express his opinions to anyone empathetically. He is aware of his role and acts on his own initiative, willingly placing his abilities at the service of the group.

This is the figure to aspire to in order to be considered an effective follower: people capable of thinking independently, who are actively committed to the success of a project in which they firmly believe.

What are its particular characteristics?Enthusiasm, versatility, reliability, credibility, independent and critical thinking, courage to challenge the leader, commitment to achieve high performance, initiative, assumption of responsibility, professionalism in one’s work, willingness to act actively for the company mission, effective communication, and interpersonal skills.

I rather believe that there isn’t an ideal profile but many profiles, if not all, are usable for changing business needs, identifiable in relation to the specific business situation and organizational identity. Awareness of the systemic relationship that is triggered between the environment and the type of follower, of how to intervene appropriately, and what results you want to achieve.

Have you been a follower, a leader, or both?

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For all students, online learning is becoming increasingly popular as an effective way to acquire the skills and knowledge needed for success in today’s careers. It offers flexible, cost-effective options for those looking to invest in their professional development without taking time away from their daily lives. By enrolling in online courses, students can learn at their own pace and in their environment without compromising the quality of their education. With an array of courses covering various topics, online learning is a great way to gain expertise in areas relevant to current career paths.

Digital learning is particularly beneficial for women who may struggle to find the time and resources to pursue a full-time career while meeting family commitments. Women can gain essential and valuable skills by taking advantage of online courses.

What online courses and other knowledge should women consider?As technology continues to evolve, so do the skills and qualifications needed to land a job in the future. A college degree is still essential for many positions required by global corporations; however, employers are increasingly looking for candidates with unique skill sets beyond traditional degrees. For example, software development professionals may benefit from having coding certifications and being professional association members. Another option is considering a stackable degree to ensure learning is the most up-to-date skills and knowledge.

Digital learning women should consider cyber security, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Biotechnology, Nursing, Sustainability, Health Information Technology, Medical Technology, and Construction Management.

My latest book, written by experienced professors, offers plenty of advice on how to make the most of digital learning for the careers of tomorrow!

Amazon – Reimagining Higher-Ed Online Learning Focused on Student Success and the Careers of Tomorrow.

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In this episode, we invited Sunday Times Bestselling Author and Executive Coach Jamie Smart back on the show to talk about the principles behind clarity and his 10th Anniversary edition book with the same name. We came across the principles behind clarity back in 2015. Since then, it has transformed our personal lives and allowed us to have more impact in our work with leaders, teams, and organisations.

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Probably everyone has heard the phrase “employee engagement”, but for many who have, unless they are in HR, few will know exactly what it is, why it’s important and that every leader needs to make it happen to so they, their team, and organisation more successful.

As a leader, it is your route to success. HR can support you but, in the end, it’s about what you do, no one else. In a wider context, all employers, and senior leaders in particular, need to pay more attention to organisational and team engagement. Each year if possible conduct employee engagement surveys to make sure employees are having a great employee experience. Because if they aren’t they won’t be performing well and may be thinking of leaving.

Engaging your people is how you maximise your potential to achieve real success for any organisation set against any important factors you care to mention, from customer experience to risk management and high performance to innovation.

This isn’t some soft fluffy idea about being nice to people this is a proven evidence-based organisational strategy for success and maximised return on investment.

Having an employee engagement strategy will enhance employee experience, boost employee satisfaction and thus build an engaged workforce. That is one of the best ways to minimise employee turnover, increase the quality of work and boost morale across the entire organization. But also a great way to grow positive core values and company culture which then enhances the organisation’s success long term.

Certainly, anyone in senior leadership roles needs to understand in detail what employee engagement is and how to optimise it within their area of responsibility.

At C suite employee engagement is not just a responsibility of HR, it’s the strategic responsibility of everybody at the senior level to role model it and to support it. In particular, the CFO, as will maximise the return on investment from human capital.

What is employee engagement?There are numerous technical definitions of employee engagement but to keep it simple and practical you can say that “engaged” employees are people who are genuinely giving their best at work. Thus when you see a figure for employee engagement in an employee engagement survey this is the percentage of employees in the organisation who are doing that. Employee engagement is the process by which organisations seek to get more of their employees engaged and thus giving their best.

It is worth mentioning “discretionary effort” here. This is effectively the amount of effort an individual can withhold but it is unlikely to be identified that they are doing so via performance management. In other words, they will be rated as performing satisfactorily but yet there could be up to 30% extra effort they could give if they were engaged. It is this the additional effort employee engagement is seeking to gain to maximise organisational performance.

Why do all leaders need to know about employee engagement?Just reflect on the potential impact of a significant proportion of an organisation’s employees giving 30% more effort. Better employee engagement will enable any organisation doing anything anywhere to be more effective and successful. But it is individual leaders above all who have to make it happen. Simply because the vast majority of factors that influence how engaged people are relate directly to the behaviour of their boss.

In the final analysis no matter what senior leaders are doing, no matter what HR is doing, if the employee’s own boss is not taking day-to-day action to engage them then it just won’t happen.

The Corporate Executive Board in a study of over 30,000 employees across the world found that of the top 20 drivers of employee effort 17 were actions that individuals’ bosses needed to take and the other three of which were not, in terms of importance, ranked less important than 15th. (Refer to page 13). This is why it is vital every leader understands employee engagement and how to make it happen.

Those actions which increase our engagement do so not because of the job that we do but because we are human. So, for example, my report for the King’s Fund on developing leadership in the NHS to enhance patient care submitted to the UK government enhancing employee engagement proposed the same core strategy and actions just as much as when I proposed them as a key element in enabling better financial performance at UBS and transformation at London Underground during restructuring. I’ve also helped deliver them in construction, not-for-profit, and other sectors. They work everywhere. They work not because of our job or the organisation but because we are human.

Why employee engagement? The return on investmentThere is a vast resource of data based on studies of all types from organisations, professional bodies, consultancies, academic institutions, and other sources which show that high employee engagement improves performance in many areas. This vast resource of data confirms that when employees are engaged, and therefore giving their best, the positive impacts are not restricted to their own performance but apply to everything from customer service to cost efficiency and operational risk management.

Simple day-to-day employee engagement actions by their boss can significantly boost the effort that individuals give. For example, if your boss does these things versus a boss who can’t be bothered then this is the potential extra effort uplift from individuals:

When you multiply up the impact of all leaders taking these actions at a strategic level it has a significant effect. The UK Government Report, Engage for Success, for which I was part of the Expert Panel, has many examples and evidence of return on investment from employee engagement. One of the most important is that if every leader in the organisation starts to engage their people effectively you could potentially get 30% more effort, the discretionary effort, from 60% of people.

Depending on business model, margins and other factors that could deliver up to 10% on the bottom line for free. In anybody’s book, in particular a CFOs book, that’s not a bad return on investment.

Here are a few others:

• Companies with high engagement are 71% more likely to outperform their peers in the sector.
• Can produce Earnings per share 2.6 times higher than competitors with low engagement (Gallup)
• Could increase revenue by up to 43% (Hay)
• Bank branches with high employee engagement achieved 16% high-profit margin growth than those with lower scores (Standard Chartered)
• Engagement can halve days lost through sickness (CBI)

Once, after I spoke on this to a group of CEOs and CFOs on why they need to significantly increase their efforts on employee engagement, the CFO of a major telecoms company came to me and said “Chris why has nobody told me about this before? This is a no brainer! It’s a license to print money if we get it right!”. It is indeed !

How are we doing on employee engagement?Could be much better. The latest data from Gallup would suggest that most European countries have employee engagement rates on average lower than 25%. In addition potentially with employees who are “not engaged” around 50 to 55% with another approximately 20% “disengaged”. The UK data is even worse. Low employee engagement is simply a long-term block to future success.

The fact that these figures are to some degree so dismal should make every leader reading this ask why, given how simple it is to improve employee engagement, are we languishing at these levels? But the flip side is that it’s a great opportunity for you to take action and get some great easy wins. Clearly, these are country or region-wide figures and lack the accuracy of survey results from an in-house employee survey which is run on a regular basis but they are a useful indicator.

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Organizations “in play” are adaptable, inclusive, innovative, engaged, and productive. Want to know what organizations fear? That when we are “in play” we are not “working”. We are afraid that play means silly, and unproductive, and makes us feel unprofessional and uncomfortable. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Play is that thing you do that you enjoy so much you get lost in. When you are doing it you don’t know where the time went. Play is personal. What do you do at work that you really love to do? Why do you go back to work every day? In there lies “the play”. And it is voluntary…no one can make you do it. If the ping pong tables and cupcake socials are not your play, then they are doing nothing to increase your productivity or potential.

However, When we are “in play” we are utilizing our whole self, revealing our potential, physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally. It is scientifically proven that the brain “in play” drives motivation, and imagination, and is most open to new ideas and concepts. Play is where we are most capable of and open to creative and dynamic thinking — it is also when we are most open to considering multiple perspectives and new ideas and we are most inclusive

Work and play are not separate-when you do the work you love, and you were meant to do, the two constructs are seamless. You won’t know where one starts and the other begins. “In play” are creative solutions for innovation, inclusion, productivity, and profit.

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Wouldn’t it be great if we could get through life – or at least our work day – without any unpleasantries? Alas, we all know that won’t happen. Not only do we have to deal with difficult situations and trying people, but even our language contains words that make us uncomfortable and anxious.

In this series of posts, I’m going to identify five uncomfortable words that we would rather not hear, and propose a solution to dealing with them.

Here’s the first: Personal Responsibility.I’m sure you are familiar with the concept. The idea is that every person is responsible for their own actions, and that those actions have consequences. As a general rule, therefore, most people have created their own circumstances through the decisions they made and the actions they have taken.

Of course, there are exceptions. People are born with disabilities, or encounter situations over which they have no control. Someone is injured in a car accident or orphaned at an early age, for example. Granted, events over which we have no control can overtake us and shape our lives. However, for the mass of humanity, at least in our work lives, the truth still remains that, generally speaking, we get what our actions have brought to us.

That idea, too many, if not the majority of folks, is a troubling, uncomfortable thought. It’s easy to see why. Every day we are presented with examples supporting just the opposite view. The media glorify the victims. The courts are full of people wanting someone else to blame for their circumstances, and the government exists, at least in part, to buffer people from the consequences of their actions.

In this environment, the specter of personal responsibility takes on the semblance of a monster in the latest teenage horror movie – something to avoid and run from whenever it pops up.

I see this phenomenon most frequently in my work improving the effectiveness of sales systems and salespeople. Get a group of salespeople together and listen to the litany of reasons why sales aren’t as good as they should be. It’s the company, the product, the service, the price, the competition, the customers – everything but themselves. The idea that they could improve everything by improving themselves – personal responsibility – hardly ever crops up. It’s been my observation that in any random group of 20 salespeople, only one has invested $25 in his own improvement in the last 12 months. Only one of 20 get it – that their results are produced by their efforts. And they can improve their efforts. Only one of 20 accept personal responsibility.

I suspect that salespeople are no different than the rest of us. Probably that one in-20 ratio holds true for many professions and careers. James Allen said, many decades ago:

Men are often interested in improving their circumstance, but are unwilling to improve themselves, they, therefore, remain bound.

Getting to the point where you accept personal responsibility for your own life, your career, and your business can be a life-changing step in the journey, freeing you of the internal constraints of a ‘victim’ mentality, and springboarding you to a life of greater achievement and fulfillment.

At least it was for me. Here’s my story.I had been the number one salesperson in the nation for a company – my first full time professional sales job. I had it made – adequate salary, good benefits, company car, bonus potential, and the respect of my employer and colleagues. But the opportunities were limited, and I decided to move on to a job that was completely different. I took a sales job with a new company, selling surgical staplers to hospitals. It was a leap from the secure job I had to one that paid straight commission, and for which I had to buy my own samples and literature from the company.

But I was cocky, filled with the success of my previous job, and sure that I could make this work also. It wasn’t hasty. I looked at the amount of existing business in the territory I was slated to get, and determined that if I could double the business within six months—a doable task, I was assured – I’d be back making about what I was used to. Then, as I increased the business, my income and lifestyle would evidence the difference.

It all sounded good, and I left my old job and arrived in New York City for six weeks of intensive training in the new one. During the time that I was there, my district manager was replaced. When I arrived home after the training, the new manager was eager to meet with me. In our first meeting, before I had a chance to begin working, he informed me that he had revised the sales territories. The territory that I thought I had — the one I was hired for – was not the one I was going to get. Instead, I was going to receive just a fraction of that. And the new territory only contained about 1/3 of the existing business of the previous one. This change meant my plans for making a living were shot. It now became an impossible task.

I was upset and angry. How could they do that to me? At this time, I had five kids to support. I immediately began to look for another job, determined to quickly leave this unethical, uncaring company.

Things got worse. As I interviewed several companies, I discovered that they saw me as the problem. Instead of understanding what the company had done to me, they thought I was an opportunist who was looking for an easy way out. Basically, no one else was going to hire me!

I grew more and more angry and bitter. In addition, I had little success selling the staplers. After six months, my temporary draw came to an end. I owed the company $10,000, was making almost nothing, and had no prospects for another job. I felt squeezed between the proverbial rock and hard place.

Somewhere in there, I had an epiphany. Yes, the company was unethical. Yes, they had done a bad thing to me. But the reason I was not achieving had nothing to do with that. It was my fault! It was me. It was my anger, my bitterness, my resentment –yes, my “victim attitude” that was keeping me back. The product was still exciting, and the opportunity was still great. The real problem was my attitude – my bitterness and anger were getting in the way of everything.

So, I accepted my responsibility to change my performance. I saw that I had to change my attitude. I set about to do so. I looked up Bible verses that were very inspiriting. Versus like, “If God is for you, who can be against you?” I wrote them down on 3X5 cards. Then, as I drove into my territory every day along I-96 in Detroit, I held them in my hand on the steering wheel and read them over and over to myself. Slowly I began to do away with my bitter attitude, and replace it with hope and expectation.

My results began to change also. Things began to go better. Six months later, I had paid off the debt to the company and was making more money than I thought possible. The job became more fun, more financially rewarding, and more fulfilling than anything I ever expected.

The change happened when I accepted my personal responsibility.

I’m probably not unique.I discovered that which millions of others have found. When you choose to remain a victim and hold that your circumstances are the result of someone else, you live in a world of anger, impotence, and depression. When you accept personal responsibility, you go forth with empowerment and expectation.

Personal responsibility is not to be shrugged off and avoided, it should be embraced.

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We are each to follow the laws of the land, and so it is within the legal landscape that we can do what is necessary to become unstoppable. Entrepreneurs, especially, need to be creative and believe in themselves plus their endeavors to achieve success in the long run. Employees also need to realize the right time to have their say to gain their way.

But the most challenging piece is hearing and listening to all the negativity surrounding us to weed out a potential good thought and then ignore the rest. The ability to do so is the entry to becoming unstoppable.

My StoryUpon awakening each morning, we never know what the entire experience will be. However, it is up to each of us to do the best we may with what comes our way. A significant portion of doing our best is to employ a bit of psychology in our interactions with others. Although I never studied the topic, it was always helpful to attempt to learn the other person’s mindset of the people I met.

Getting into the mindset of another to later make a sale sounds like magic and almost impossible to do. However, it is the easiest method for successfully selling and is enjoyable for most. The process begins by asking questions that open the door for the prospect to talk. Surprised, they give in-depth answers that lead to more questions and conversation. Soon both parties delve into sharing fun-related stories that may produce laughter and admiration.

The better sales strategy is in developing heart-to-heart and mind-to-mind conversations. The point of the conversation style is to establish a meaningful connection with each prospect. Return appointments occur when the match is good, and the relationship deepens.

The critical sentiments tossed at us by peers matter less when making solid connections with clientele. Nothing else matters when we see our progress with those we want to serve. The only detail to pay attention to is if we realize an idea to advance further and more quickly within the negative commentary. As the experience becomes commonplace, our stamina strengthens, and we become unstoppable.

My memorable unpleasant lessons taught me the following:* Our worst experiences are our gifts in disguise. * Listen to those nasty remarks; sometimes, you find a nugget of gold. * Contradictory for many, selling is about listening and clarifying what you don’t understand. * You must admit that you don’t know what you need to learn. * If you don’t stand up for yourself, no one else will.

What other people think about how we live or pursue our careers matters not. The entire picture depends upon us to do what is right, mirrors integrity, and our audience quickly realizes they can trust us. Trust and integrity are the beginning steps for what is necessary to become unstoppable.

Next, we are to monitor our progress and always research ways to improve our approach, plus further educate ourselves on the missing pieces, new technology, and strategies. Careers, no matter the level or style, is never easy. Accordingly, our determination and commitment to move forward will differentiate us from the majority.

Being a guest on the Super Entrepreneurs Podcast with host Shahid Durrani was a privilege. Our combined experiences shed light on the mindset we are each to craft and maintain to achieve the outcomes we set for ourselves. May you enjoy the insights we share to enable you to become unstoppable! You may click this click this YouTube link to listen and watch now.

Your Story: Will You Do What is Necessary to Become Unstoppable?The first stage to becoming unstoppable is adopting a mindset to include a willingness to learn, do additional research, listen to all comments, and test the better ideas that sound appealing. Next is to realize only some things work to 100% satisfaction, and some approaches have almost a negative effect. Instead of wasting time beating yourself up mentally, it is best to see where the ‘oops’ may reside to move forward again.

As you network, seek out supportive peers who are not just ‘yes’ people but who support you by offering valuable insight to help you further. Allow the negative commentary to strengthen your grit and determination. You may not find the yellow brick road, but you can create the path you desire on your timeline and your terms.

Enjoy your journey and celebrate the milestones along the way. Work a bit above your current knowledge base to inspire yourself to do more and be more. All the while, people will recognize your leadership development; some will attempt to stop you, while others make excellent introductions and offers of opportunity. Focus on the latter as you continue expanding your abilities and track your progress.

In Conclusion:Following your heart’s desire will lead others to admire your achievements. All the while, you will build a respected brand that can also transfer to empowering communities at large. Ultimately, it will be evident that success requires you to do what is necessary to become unstoppable.

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In 2008 — nearly 15 years ago — Joseph Epstein published an article called, “The Kindergarchy”. It begins like this:

In America, we are currently living in a Kindergarchy, under rule by children. People who are raising, or have recently raised, or have even been around children a fair amount in recent years will, I think, immediately sense what I have in mind. Children have gone from background to foreground figures in domestic life, with more and more attention centered on them, their upbringing, their small accomplishments, their right relationship with parents and grandparents. For the past 30 years at least, we have been lavishing vast expense and anxiety on our children in ways that are unprecedented in America and in perhaps any other national life. Such has been the weight of all this concern about children that it has exercised a subtle but pervasive tyranny of its own. This is what I call Kindergarchy.

It was easy enough then to call Epstein’s view extreme. It might even be easy enough now. But if we determine that Epstein wasn’t at all extreme, we may discover he was, in fact, prescient. And it would make it far more predictable that, in 2023, four folks from Gartner would publish this article in Harvard Business Review (HBR), “9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2023 and Beyond.” The summary of the article says this:

Last year was another tumultuous year in the workplace, with continued high employee turnover rates, evolving return-to-office policies, inflation, and more. In 2023, amid a looming economic downturn, organizations will continue to face significant challenges — and how they respond could determine whether they are an employer of choice.

Employer of choice? Hold on thar, Baba Louie. We might need to do a little research, followed by a little math. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

The number of job openings increased to 11.0 million on the last business day of December … Over the month, the number of hires and total separations changed little at 6.2 million and 5.9 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (4.1 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.5 million) changed little.

Okay. Let’s see:

• 6,200,000 hires – 5,900,000 separations = 300 people employed
• 11,000,000 jobs – 300 people employed = 10,999,700 remaining jobs

And that doesn’t take into account the myriad folks who aren’t looking for employment, including everyone from career Pajama Boys to older folks who’ve been aged out and have given up, as well as those who’ve been paid quite handsomely by the government to stay home and do nothing, thank you very much. So, if you’re an employer — one needle in a haystack of 10,999,970 — you’ll spend more time trying to be the employer of choice than you will doing whatever it is your company does.

The Secret Decoder RingIn any case, logic notwithstanding, the nine trends our Gartner friends list in HBR are these:

1. Employers will “quiet hire” in-demand talent. [Translation: Employers will promote from within or find the guts to settle for nothing less than the qualifications they want and the performance they deserve.]
2. Hybrid flexibility will reach the front lines. [Translation: Employers will require those who’ve been slacking to take some pressure off those who’ve been taking up the slack.]
3. Managers will find themselves sandwiched between leader and employee expectations. [Translation: Business as usual.]
4. Pursuit of nontraditional candidates will expand talent pipelines. [Translation: Employers will look for people who actually want to work for a living.]
5. Healing pandemic trauma will open paths to sustainable performance. [Translation: In addition to participation trophies, employers will also start awarding cookies.]
6. Organizations will drive DEI forward amid growing pushback. [Translation: Employers will be forced to check boxes, even though they know meritocracy is the only way to succeed.]
7. Getting personal with employee support will create new data risks. [Translation: Employers will acquire cybersecurity protection, or they’ll be sued out of business.]
8. Concerns around AI bias will lead to more transparency in recruiting tech. [Translation: HR departments will disappear, and hiring will be mechanical and homogenized.]
9. Organizations must address workforce-wide erosion of social skills. [Translation: As surrogate parents, employers will pick up where public schools left off.]

There may be a whole bunch of things you’d like to be these days, but an employer shouldn’t be one of them unless, of course, you need an outlet for your masochistic tendencies, you have an innate and unquenchable desire to be a babysitter, or your altruism compels you to give some folks a place to spend a few hours of their days and take your money without doing too much to earn it.

The Moral of the StoryWith the death of empiricism and common sense, I’m coming to conclude we can analyze things to the point at which our ability to distinguish between cause and effect is eroding unto obliteration at the same time that our ability to read bell curves is suffering the same fate.

As the bell curve above illustrates, the majority of employees don’t need to be fretted over, to be objects of pampering, to have special circumstances created for them, to receive counseling for pandemic trauma, or to get naptimes and cookies. Their epidermis is sufficiently durable. They just need to be treated with fairness and respect, to be allowed to contribute to the best of their abilities, to be recognized and rewarded for their contributions, and to derive a sense of fulfillment for the work they do.

Because that’s true, employers need to get a grip of their knickers, to recognize their prerogatives to impose conditions and to have reasonable performance expectations, to expect a degree of self-discipline and to impose the discipline that’s lacking, to exchange a day’s wages for a day’s work, and to have the respect they give be returned in kind.

If the coronavirus pandemic taught us anything it’s that we’re tougher, more resilient, and more resourceful than we may have realized. When it comes to mental health, I minimize nothing. But please. If we’re going to infantilize people or, at best, treat them like adolescents, let’s not expect them to behave like responsible adults, okay?

We all want to live in Utopia. But we don’t. We live and work in reality.

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Matthew Piszczek, Wayne State University and Kristie McAlpine, Rutgers University

For most American workers who commute, the trip to and from the office takes nearly one full hour a day – 26 minutes each way on average, with 7.7% of workers spending two hours or more on the road.

Many people think of commuting as a chore and a waste of time. However, during the remote work surge resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, several journalists curiously noted that people were – could it be? – missing their commutes. One woman told The Washington Post that even though she was working from home, she regularly sat in her car in the driveway at the end of the workday in an attempt to carve out some personal time and mark the transition from work to nonwork roles.

As management scholars who study the interface between people’s work and personal lives, we sought to understand what it was that people missed when their commutes suddenly disappeared. In our recently published conceptual study, we argue that commutes are a source of “liminal space” – a time free of both home and work roles that provides an opportunity to recover from work and mentally switch gears to home.

During the shift to remote work, many people lost this built-in support for these important daily processes. Without the ability to mentally shift gears, people experience role blurring, which can lead to stress. Without mentally disengaging from work, people can experience burnout.

We believe the loss of this space helps explain why many people missed their commutes.

Commutes and liminal spaceIn our study, we wanted to learn whether the commute provides that time and space, and what the effects are when it becomes unavailable. We reviewed research on commuting, role transitions and work recovery to develop a model of a typical American worker’s commute liminal space. We focused our research on two cognitive processes: psychological detachment from the work role – mentally disengaging from the demands of work – and psychological recovery from work – rebuilding stores of mental energy used up during work. Based on our review, we developed a model which shows that the liminal space created in the commute created opportunities for detachment and recovery.

However, we also found that day-to-day variations may affect whether this liminal space is accessible for detachment and recovery. For instance, train commuters must devote attention to selecting their route, monitoring arrivals or departures and ensuring they get off at the right stop, whereas car commuters must devote consistent attention to driving.

We found that, on the one hand, more attention to the act of commuting means less attention that could otherwise be put toward relaxing recovery activities like listening to music and podcasts. On the other hand, longer commutes might give people more time to detach and recover.

In an unpublished follow-up study we conducted ourselves, we examined a week of commutes of 80 university employees to test our conceptual model. The employees completed morning and evening surveys asking about the characteristics of their commutes, whether they “shut off” from work and relaxed during the commute and whether they felt emotionally exhausted when they got home.

Most of the workers in this study reported using the commute’s liminal space to both mentally transition from work to home roles and to start psychologically recovering from the demands of the workday. Our study also confirms that day-to-day variations in commutes predict the ability to do so.

We found that on days with longer-than-average commutes, people reported higher levels of psychological detachment from work and were more relaxed during the commute. However, on days when commutes were more stressful than usual, they reported less psychological detachment from work and less relaxation during the commute.

Creating liminal spaceOur findings suggest that remote workers may benefit from creating their own form of commute to provide liminal space for recovery and transition – such as a 15-minute walk to mark the beginning and end of the workday.

Our preliminary findings align with related research suggesting that those who have returned to the workplace might benefit from seeking to use their commute to relax as much as possible.

To help enhance work detachment and relaxation during the commute, commuters could try to avoid ruminating about the workday and instead focus on personally fulfilling uses of the commute time, such as listening to music or podcasts, or calling a friend. Other forms of commuting such as public transit or carpooling may also provide opportunities to socialize.

Our data shows that commute stress detracts from detachment and relaxation during the commute more than a shorter or longer commute. So some people may find it worth their time to take the “scenic route” home in order to avoid tense driving situations.

Matthew Piszczek, Assistant Professor of Management, Wayne State University and Kristie McAlpine, Assistant Professor of Management, Rutgers University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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How do we end up saying yes to everything and then never having enough time to get it all done? This is a common experience in most corporations these days with shrinking budgets and fewer staff to meet all the expectations required for growth. We often say yes to things that don’t make sense to do rather than saying no to solidify our ‘high performer’ identity.

We can choose to operate differently by embracing A Culture of AND.

We achieve this by adding the word AND to saying YES and NO to others. This empowers us to:

• give our best,
• ensure that our colleagues and leaders have what they actually need vs. what they think they want,
• get what we need to make good on that YES, or
• let others know WHY we are saying no in ways that help them to move forward anyway

Let’s break each of these down –

Giving our Best:What keeps us from giving our best? Often it is a lack of clarity in our role or a misunderstanding about what we are trying to achieve in the first place. Many times, it comes from not having the information required, or the time to digest that information prior to engaging in brainstorming or decision-making with others.

Other times it is the idea that we have to work 80 hours each week just to keep up with the pace of doing 2 full-time jobs while we wait for the new positions to be filled.

When we place getting the job done ahead of our health and wellness, it’s very difficult to give our best. During these times, it’s important to be OK with our best being different at different times. Raising children, supporting parents, dealing with health issues, and learning new skills, all impact what ‘our best’ is in each situation. When we use the power of AND to acknowledge what our best is in each moment and accept that is exactly what is needed, we are free to give what we have to give while managing expectations with others.

Saying YES + AND may sound like this:

‘YES – I’d love to help you get clarity on that. I have been out with a sick child for a week and am booked solid for the next two weeks AND I realize that I’m the best person to help you with this. I could give you a couple of hours next week if you could replace me at the all-day set-up meeting. That would give me the time to help you before the presentation’.

Saying NO + AND may sound like this:

‘NO. I won’t be able to help you with that as I’m off that day with my family AND I have two potential colleagues who may be able to step in on my behalf. I’d like to introduce them to you once I know who is available.

Ensuring that our colleagues and leaders get what they actually need

Too many times our colleagues or leaders ask us for information or assistance that doesn’t make sense to us. We can see that what they are asking for is not going to help them, yet we do it anyway, not wanting to question their authority or ‘higher wisdom’. Many of us learned this as small children when asking ‘why’ we had to do something, and the answer was ‘because I said so’. This taught many of us that others know better and that it’s not our place to question what they ask of us.

Unfortunately, those around us can’t always see the perspective we hold – even if they used to do the same job in the past. If we are going to add our highest value, it’s up to us to ensure the requester actually gets what they need to move forward in their world.

Sometimes the information we are asked for doesn’t make sense given what they are trying to decide or accomplish. When this happens, we can use YES + AND:

‘YES – I understand that you/they are looking for the ‘xyz’ information AND if I can better understand how it’s going to be used, I can get you what you need in a format you can use right away.’

(then) ‘Given what you are trying to communicate, the information you are asking for won’t really help. A quick 15-minute conversation together will give me chance to get us both on the same page to get you what they need so you can effectively make the case. When can we do that?’

Sometimes a request doesn’t make sense because we are not the person that has the answers or owns that body of work. When that happens, we can use NO + AND to steer the conversation in a productive direction. It may sound like this:

‘NO – I’m actually not the one who has that information – AND I don’t want you to have to run around to get what you need. Here is my understanding of who would have that and the best way/timing/approach to get it quickly from them’.

Getting what we need to make good on that YES

Often we ARE the right person and we DO have the information, insights, or content that our colleagues or supervisors need. At the same time, requests that come in with low clarity and a fast-turnaround time can disrupt our progress on existing efforts and priorities. How do we say yes then? When we are asked to focus on something that will take us away from what we are doing, it’s up to us to manage that expectation. It might sound like this:

‘YES – I can get you that information for your meeting tomorrow AND for me to do that, I’ll be skipping the team meeting this afternoon to get you a draft by COB. I will need a response on the draft from you by 9 am tomorrow to make any other adjustments, so you have it for noon.’

If you are not sure what is OK to let go of or delay, you may need to engage your supervisor to help decide what the priority is. It might sound like this:

YES – I understand what you need and why, AND for me to get that to you by COB today, I’ll need your guidance on what to stop working on or delay for now as this will take me the rest of the afternoon. I have two internal stakeholder meetings scheduled and the event calendar is due today. Can you help me run interference on those?

Letting others know WHY you are saying no in ways that help them to move forward anyway

As an organization shifts and grows, roles and responsibilities and lines of the work shift and grow as well. While we may know who does what within our own unit, others that engage and rely on us may not.

Sometimes we end up with requests that are not appropriate for us, even though the requester would feel better if we did it. While this situation may be hiding a deeper problem, it is not up to us to fix it for others. Instead, we can use NO + AND to guide the requester back to those that are accountable for the work. It might sound like this:

NO – while I used to do some of that work, it’s now being done by this group AND it is important that they are the ones to advise you so everything stays integrated. While I understand you would prefer to engage with me, they are working hard to build the skills and responsiveness that you are looking for, and every time they have a chance to respond they get better at it. Let me suggest you contact (this person) and help them understand your overall intention and timeline and that will help them give you a firm date to access the content you are looking for.

How can you cultivate a culture of AND today?

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It is a rare person who never offers an excuse, and most of the reasoning blames the lack of time available. But there are always at least two sides to a problem, making it worthy of reviewing what we dismiss and why and whether regret was to follow. It is possible that on occasions, more than we care to admit, the answer is Yes! to the question, ‘Are excuses holding you back?’

The typical answer is, ‘I would like to, but sadly, I don’t have the time.’ The question is, what can we do to improve our response?

My StoryTwo recent experiences raise the question, are excuses holding you back? My answer is more so in the early days, but experience and time management, working together, improve my willingness to do more. As time progresses, my responses have a wide meter read, from, quietly believing, ‘this is ridiculous’ to graciously accepting an opportunity.

Losing OpportunitiesWe can improve further when we admit that we dismissed an idea assuming it will never work or is ridiculous. For years, it baffled me why recruiters would ask seemingly ‘ridiculous questions.’ Long ago, I turned down a potential job, thinking, ‘I don’t have time for this nonsense.’ Today, I realized I too quickly moved away from a job interview as the article revealed the answer to why the strange questions.

But a few years later, I thought I’d have fun when asked what animal I would like to be and why. My answer was that I would like to be a giraffe on sales calls! To my complete surprise, the offer came almost immediately. Demonstrating the value, I then turned that answer into an article appearing in US News Magazine, ‘What to Say If an interviewer asks which animal you would be and why:’

Finally, today, the long-awaited answer came to me via an article that reveals why recruiters ask these mind-boggling or annoying questions. The author refers to the questioning style as ‘situational.’ She then states that the answers applicants provide tell a great deal about their thinking and behaviors to determine whether they will be a good fit for the employer.

The Gift of An Athletic CapUpon receiving an athletic cap, a big smile came over me upon seeing the slogan, ‘365.’ As an avid goal-setter always striving to improve, it brought about the thought of 365 days per year and what it means to me. Suddenly, the realization that a lack of time is not necessarily the reason for an excuse but our preference to dismiss.

‘I don’t have the time’ is a weak excuse, most often.

Let’s do some calculations:There are 365 days per year, and we have 24 hours each day to do as we see fit. The total number of hours in a year is 8,760, and 525,600 is the number of minutes we have to spend any way we like each year. Surely, we can do more than we allow ourselves with proper goal-setting and an increase in motivation to accomplish more.

As efficiencies take over, I realize specific strategies work well, allowing me to accomplish more in less time. Taking a calculated risk to test the reality of a new idea working well proves better than expected. And the occasion it does not, I realize what needs to improve to advance. Doing so includes ‘finding time’ for requests and offers that, in the past, I would decline.

The overall benefit of utilizing more of our yearly minutes is:* Being able to build a broader collaborative effort * Branding and marketing will become more robust than ever * Offers that we desire unexpectedly come our way

The lyrics to Jim Croce’s song, Time In A Bottle, come to mind:‘But there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do once you find them…’

Your Story: Are Excuses Holding You Back?Truthfulness begins with each of us. It is best to admit to opportunities you may have dismissed, not bothering to learn the facts before deciding. But it is never too late to realize a habit or two is ready for updates. An excellent place to begin is to ask why they are asking and how the person sees the outcome. Ask for the benefits of participating and the downside, should there be one. It will help you come to a better conclusion and final decision.

On occasion, people propose the opposite of what you may believe. There are almost always two sides to every story or opinion. It’s best to stop and consider the perspective on the other side to see if there is room for compromise. And should time be a real issue, consider how you may increase efficiencies for productivity in the future. With 525,600 minutes available to us yearly, there is little doubt that we can save time in the real world to do the things we want to do.

Most of all, by taking better control of habits and accepting possibilities, advancements of all types will occur more frequently. And should a setback unexpectedly appear, taking the time to learn the lessons will help with progress, too. Either way, you can turn the scenario into a win-win for your success!

In Conclusion: Are Excuses Holding You Back?It is best to review past offers and how we reacted to them in our quiet time to discover if a better approach awaits. Should you desire to minimize excuses holding you back, seek out commonalities of the missed opportunities to improve upon moving forward.

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Jackie Stiles is one of the most renowned basketball players in the history of the women’s game. However, if you knew where she came from, most people would have never thought someone from a tiny farm town in Kansas could have such a profound impact in basketball. Jackie’s story teaches us an important lesson.

It doesn’t matter where you came from, all that matters is where you are going.

Jackie started small by being the best in her town, to the best in her state, then the best in the area, and finally one of the best to ever play college basketball. What’s even more impressive is that she wasn’t the tallest or the fastest, she just continued to work to be the most skilled. She was focused on being the best and she was willing to do what it took to be the best including being the best teammate as well.

The greatest players are at their core some of the greatest people.

They know it takes a team to accomplish anything of significance, therefore they uplift others and don’t ask others not to do anything they also wouldn’t do. Players like Jackie lead by example, then use their words to encourage and uplift others.

There are many lessons we can learn from Jackie Stiles but I think there is one that stands out the most.

Great players make others great around them. They don’t care who gets the credit, they just care about the team’s success and the well-being of their teammates.

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1. Stay Accountable

When you write down your goals and track them regularly, you are more likely to stay on track and achieve them. If you don’t track your goals, it’s easy to let things slide and not take your goals seriously.

2. Measure Progress

Tracking your goals allows you to see how far you’ve come and how close you are to reaching your goal. This can be a great motivator to keep going.

3. Identify Roadblocks

If you find that you’re not making the progress you want, tracking your goals can help you identify what might be getting in your way.

4. Make Adjustments

As you track your goals and measure your progress, you may realize that you need to make some adjustments. Maybe you’re not moving as quickly towards your goal as you would like, or maybe you need to change your approach.

5. Stay Motivated

Seeing your progress and how close you are to reaching your goal can be a great motivator to keep going. When you track your goals, you can also see how far you’ve come, which can be a great source of motivation.

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The opportunityOver $750 billion a year is spent by organisations globally on advertising trying to boost their brands, products, and services. Marketing and branding functions spend vast amounts of time and money working with agencies on trying to find the best way to resonate both with their current customers and attract potential customers.

Employee brand ambassadors will support this objective and can have a significant positive impact whilst costing very little. However, in my view, the use of employee brand ambassadors rarely reaches the potential it truly has. This would seem to be a “no-brainer” but for some reason, it just doesn’t seem to be on the strategic agenda and, even if it is, it’s not done effectively, often because of a misunderstanding of what has to be put in place to make it work.

To identify and appoint a number of employees as brand ambassadors to work both inside and outside the organisation does have benefits but I believe there is much more that could be done quickly, simply, and relatively easily. Not by just these few employees promoting the organisation, especially if it is part of their job in either sales marketing or associated teams, but that every single employee in the organisation proactively inside and outside work promotes the brand of the organisation to their family, their networks, on social media in their blog posts and to people they meet.

From a branding and marketing perspective, you might say this cannot possibly have the reach that, for example, a television advertising campaign might have, that might be so, but every employee who expresses their genuine belief in what their organisation does is likely to have much more resonance with other people than a TV advert or corporate social media post. A corporate social media presence is not the same as speaking to someone, or seeing a post on their own social media. Also, you are more likely to mention such an interaction to other people. That’s because it’s real people and that’s the potential power of an employee brand ambassador program – the power of real people in support of the organisations brand.

Great organisations realise the power of employee brand ambassadors and leverage it but overall few are leveraging the power of their people effectively.

What is really interesting is that turning everyone into a proactive employee brand ambassador through an employee ambassador program not only has a positive impact on the presentation of the brand but also has a significant impact on the corporate culture, creating a common purpose and boosting the performance of the organisation which then further strengthens brand value and ensures the delivery of brand promises to customers more effectively.

It truly unleashes the power of employees. They become the embodiment of your brand, showing your business in a positive light, using word of mouth to say positive things from their unique perspective and real-life personal experience which can reach a wider audience of consumers and others.

The challengeIt’s fair to say that in most organisations, other than those in branding and marketing or C suite, the vast majority of employees have no clue what the brand promises are that the organisation presents to customers. In fact, most of them are also pretty unclear on vision, values, purpose and the wider big picture into which they fit. This not only causes problems around understanding what the brand is about it also has a significant impact on employee engagement, ie employees giving their best. In addition, this lack of understanding also reduces the ability of employees to ensure that operational activity is aligned with strategic objectives. Even if they don’t know the brand promises at least aligning their work to strategic objectives has them heading in the right direction.

All the data on employee engagement shows that employees can potentially withhold significant effort, called discretionary effort, and still meet satisfactory performance standards. In other words, if the environment isn’t right they will withhold this effort but it will not be possible to tell that they are doing so, or indeed who is and who isn’t. This additional effort which is being withheld could amount to an extra 30% of effort from up to 60% of people within the organisation. Imagine how much impact getting that extra effort could make, and how it could be applied to brand ambassadorship.

Worryingly there are indications that post-COVID this figure could now have risen to somewhere in the region of 70 to 80% of people withholding effort due to higher expectations that employees have of their leaders and organisations not being met post-pandemic.

This is the crux of the challenge of how to start the journey to create brand ambassadors – how to create an environment where no one, or as few people as possible, are withholding effort. That’s quite simply because if they were holding effort they certainly won’t be a brand ambassador Why? Because if they’re withholding effort they just don’t care.

This challenge might seem complex and something which has to be done at strategic level. Certainly if planned and coordinated at that level it will have maximum impact and benefit but there is no reason why individual leaders should not encourage their team members to all be brand ambassadors even if the rest of the organisation isn’t. The impact on team engagement and performance is going to be just as beneficial. Any leader can achieve this through the simple steps set out here, as can the whole organisation if C suite sets an example and supports.

Does it work?In a word yes. I’ve seen a significant positive impact in a number of organisations when implementing employee ambassador programs. From personal involvement during the creation of UBS, the global bank, effectively the result of 6 mergers and acquisitions over a short period of time brand ambassadorship delivered significant impact.

This is now a Harvard Case study “Towards the Integrated Firm”. As Global Head of Leadership, it was clear that creating belief in the new organisation was a key element to successfully bring together the constituent parts to operate as one, as we clearly promoted it “One UBS”. That One UBS had to have one brand identity. This started with the executive team acting in an authentic way to set an example to build a strong company culture and show the essential role that the banks values played in what it did everyday, reflected in the brand promises.

During the early stages of this transformation bringing together the people, processes, and brands into a single entity it became clear to us that alignment on the new brand was key for the optimization of sustainable profitability. But also what was critical was that the brand had to be all-encompassing – equally valid internally with employees as well as externally with customers and the market.

Why both? Because many of us had seen the negative impact of an organisations internal brand being different from the external brand, a perception that customers were treated well but employees not so much. We had the potential to create over 70,000 proactive brand ambassadors across the world, something that could have a significant impact both internally and externally.

It worked because of a clear business case set out by the CEO, picked up by senior leaders, cascaded, and led by example down through the whole organisation. In addition this was reinforced working with the external agency to develop the new a brand line. The result was short and simple “UBS you and Us”, which would apply equally to customers, employees, and indeed other stakeholders.

The application of this was highly flexible and effective and was maintained as the key message both internally and externally for over 6 years. Its external impact was widely credited with contributing to the rapid growth of the bank at that time but what is less widely appreciated is the significant role it played internally in creating willing brand ambassadors at all levels of the organisation, enabled by a culture where everyone gave their best because they cared about the success of themselves, their colleagues and UBS .

This employee advocacy built momentum internally, growing from early adopters inspiring others to join and take it to the next level. The result? 51% increase in brand value and becoming a top global brand in 3 just years, together with higher than peer profitability, and numerous people and business awards.

But the world moves onThe success of this creation of employee brand ambassadors was clear from so many measures. But the world moves on, and encouraging and enabling employee brand ambassadors has to be an ongoing effort, to make it work it never ends, either at strategic or team level. It needs constant momentum building and adaptation. This initial success at UBS was before the financial crisis and that event significantly changed the business environment and employee attitudes. As a result to recover the power of brand ambassadorship UBS had to proactively re-engage at all levels to be successful again, through another concerted campaign.

What is interesting is that to follow on from “UBS – You and Us” which engaged both customers and employees the new line was “For some of life’s questions, you’re not alone. Together we can find an answer.” – again which engaged both customers and employees and subsequently UBS again won a number of preferred employer awards. Note the focus on “working together” in both with common purpose, a theme shared by great brand building and great leadership.

Building the brand inside outMy conversations with marketing and branding professionals about this often reveal that they have not realised the full potential of employee brand ambassadors and their strategic impact. To some degree that’s not unreasonable as it is their brief to focus on the external customer. But I have seen marketing and branding departments frantically trying to create a positive quality brand for the organisation’s customers whilst the perception of employees within the organisation is that it’s not high quality internally due to less than great culture and leadership. I would take the view that employees are the organisations first customers and therefore you need to build the brand inside out.

Any fundamental disconnect between the external brand and the internal brand just isn’t sustainable. Disengaged and unhappy employees will not perform well, will not want to be brand ambassadors and this will, without doubt, eventually feed through reducing the quality of customer service and so damaging the external brand. They just won’t care.

Building the brand inside out is not just about the strategic level brand, it’s also about the organisations operational level brand as reflected by employees’ individual leaders. Thus every leader is a brand ambassador to their people and their example and action can either inspire or destroy the likelihood of employees being proactive brand ambassadors, irrespective of how great the strategic level brand is.

But with the right mindset and a simple action plan, there is a significant opportunity here if marketing and branding professionals work with all leaders and HR to create an environment where a great internal brand provides the opportunity to grow brand ambassadors and which, if done effectively, will be willingly taken up by every employee. Essentially by just spreading best practices to build brand awareness within an environment where people care because simply they have a great boss.

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Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself and be lenient to everybody else.

― Henry Ward Beecher

Welcome to my latest blog post on self-discipline, where together, we will explore why self-discipline is a key ingredient for achieving success as a small business owner, and in every aspect of life.

As an entrepreneur and business owner, I know firsthand the power of self-discipline and how it has helped me to overcome obstacles, stay focused, and achieve my goals. I also know first-hand the painful results and disappointments that result when I fail to maintain self-discipline. The reality is that despite its many benefits, self-discipline is a skill that many people struggle to develop and reinforce.

Contrary to what some believe, self-discipline is not about being harsh or living a restrictive lifestyle. Instead, it’s about having self-control and inner strength to take charge of your actions and reactions.

Self-discipline helps you make hard decisions and stick to them, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. By rejecting immediate pleasure in favor of long-term success, you can achieve greater results and experience more significant personal growth.

In this post, we’ll dive into the importance of self-discipline, exploring how it can help you and I to overcome addictions, laziness, and procrastination. We’ll look at how self-discipline is a key ingredient for success, helping you to stay focused on your goals and overcome setbacks and failures. Plus, we’ll examine how a lack of self-discipline can lead to problems in all areas of life, including relationships, health, and career.

But it’s not all bad news! The good news is that self-discipline is a skill that can be developed and strengthened, just like any other skill.

In this post, I will provide you with practical tips and strategies to help you build self-discipline, such as avoiding carelessness, fulfilling promises, and engaging in positive behaviors. With consistent effort and practice, you can become stronger and more self-disciplined, achieving your goals, and realizing your dreams.

So, if you’re ready to take your self-discipline to the next level and unlock your full potential, keep reading. Let’s explore the power of self-discipline and how it can transform your life.

3 Ways to Become More Self-DisciplinedWe’ll now cover three ways you can become more disciplined and successful in every aspect of your life. These strategies will help you set active goals, ignore negativity, and practice gratitude.

Firstly, active goal setting is a critical skill if you want to become more disciplined. It involves more than just setting goals in your mind, but rather actively defining them and making plans to achieve them. By setting long-term goals and tracking your progress towards them, you’ll be able to stay focused and motivated, which is essential for building self-discipline.

Secondly, it’s essential to ignore negativity, particularly from people who may have a negative effect on your mindset. By avoiding those who are negative or unsupportive, you can protect your energy and stay focused on your goals. Seeking advice from experts can also help you learn how to deal with negativity and maintain a positive outlook.

Finally, practicing gratitude is a powerful way to shift your focus from wanting more to appreciating what you already have. When you cultivate a habit of gratitude, you begin to see remarkable shifts in your emotional well-being, mental health, and spirituality. By focusing on the positive aspects of your life, you’ll be better equipped to tackle challenges and achieve your goals without stress.

Continue to Develop Greater Self-DisciplineIt’s an ongoing process. It’s always too easy to give in or fall back into practices and habits that are not conducive to success in your life and business. You can start by removing temptations from your environment, embracing change, rewarding yourself, and not beating yourself up when you slide back into old habits. Developing self-discipline takes time and effort, but it’s worth it.

When it comes to temptations, we all have our challenges. For some of us, it may be eating too much of the wrong foods that are not healthy for us overall, and these foods make us sluggish and lazy. For another individual, temptation may be to continue watching that television series even though you have deadlines to meet. And for others, it’s simply wanting to do the easy things first that will not make a difference to your business, rather than focusing on the more challenging tasks that will make a difference.

You have the power to create the life you want, and by mastering self-discipline, you can achieve it. Remember that you can start developing self-discipline at any time, and with each step, you will become stronger and more disciplined.

In summary, if you are looking to achieve greater success and happiness in life, you need to develop self-discipline. As we have seen, self-discipline is not only about restricting yourself, but also about making positive choices that help you achieve your goals.

You can start by removing temptations from your environment, embracing change, rewarding yourself, and not beating yourself up when you slide backwards. Developing self-discipline takes time and effort, but it’s worth it.

You have the power to create the life you want, and by mastering self-discipline, you can achieve it. Remember that you can start developing self-discipline at any time, and with each step, you will become stronger and more disciplined to take on even greater challenges.

What is your biggest challenge with self-discipline?

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SummaryThere’s a lot of talk about why organizations need to have a purpose beyond a mere marketing tagline: why they do what they do on behalf of those they seek to serve. What’s equally challenging to get at is how an organization defines its why, how they get staff buy-in — or better yet, staff input — and then has the discipline to choose activities that work towards fulfilling it.

I’m never saying that the lack of a real purpose is the only problem that causes organizational dysfunction. But it is one of the most foundational ones because people are looking to contribute with their roles.

— Brooke Erol

My guestMy guest to help walk us through this topic is Brooke Erol. Brooke is a corporate dropout who pursued her dream of having more meaningful work for herself and others where we are not only seeking money but also contributing to a bigger cause. All her life is spent on writing, speaking, coaching, and consulting on this topic of having a life of fulfilling and purposeful work. She works both with individuals- YourBestLife and organizations – Purposeful Business, Inc.

Takeaways√ Many businesses focus on profits over purpose instead of figuring out how to do both.

√ An organization’s pain point is not necessarily an expressed lack of purpose, but lack of purpose is often the driver below the surface.

√ Leaders at the highest point of an organization — founder, and CEO — must have a deep consciousness to understand the imperative of having and living a purpose fully.

√ Companies often face a litmus test as to whether they are going to honor their purpose in their decision-making,

√ Customers and job seekers should monitor a company over time to see if it adheres to its purpose.

√ The number one reason for the purpose to stick is the 100% commitment of the CEO or the founder.

√ Instead of trying to save the whole world, find one area where you can have an impact, and let that be your purpose.

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Last time, we discussed opportunities for weaving intentional gratitude into our professional environments, and we looked at the possibility of adding gratitude to your formal organizational values, encouraging gratitude as a daily practice, and making that gratitude easily and abundantly visible to the people who make up your company.

ENJOY ALL PRIOR PARTS BELOW︎

Gratitude at Work – Tapping into The Power of Appreciation in Your Organization

Today we’re going to focus on ways you can incorporate gratitude into your external-facing spaces. Prospective new employees are checking out your culture, as much as can be seen from outside your organization anyway. To attract top talent, make it easy for them to get a sense of who you are and what matters from a culture perspective. Also, helping your current and future customers and vendors see that gratitude is important to your company can help build stronger relationships, leading to more positive outcomes with them, too. Here are two ideas for making gratitude part of your external-facing landscape.

Recommendation #4: Make intentional gratitude visible externally. Leaning into the intentional practice of gratitude can help your organization differentiate and amplify your company culture as a way to attract top talent. When I’ve worked with companies both in my research and as a consultant, employees frequently share that they appreciate working for an organization where gratitude is already seen being practiced by senior leadership and colleagues. And it doesn’t take long to find complaints on sites like GlassDoor, from everyone from job applicants to long-time employees to former staff when appreciation is simply not there. Even if this is a new addition to your organization’s strategic cultural initiatives, emphasizing your efforts can help reframe your company in a more positive light, no matter where you are starting in that journey.

Leadership may want to consider adding a section to the company website focused on the commitment to gratitude as an organizational driver, to enhance the company’s existing mission and vision statements. Regular blog entries or social media content showcasing recent gratitude messages are also excellent ways to showcase how gratitude is interwoven into your culture. These could be employee testimonials, press releases announcing quarterly gratitude award winners, or simply sentiments shared by your employees that continuously reinforce how gratitude is expressed. One client I worked with had video screens in customer waiting lounges, and they streamed comments like “Sumetra D says, “Thanks to my team for covering my shift while I was out taking care of my mom. It really makes me feel like I matter!” What a great way to elevate that message!

Recommendation #5: Encourage clients to engage in intentional gratitude. Studies show a positive impact from receiving expressions of gratitude from customers and clients, including an increase in both job satisfaction on confidence not only in that assignment but when considering upcoming or potential assignments. Account managers and client-facing employees may want to consider encouraging active gratitude as part of the regular interactions with clients, and certainly as part of any final project documentation. Again, consider including these appreciative comments as part of your portfolio of testimonials to further enhance your brand image to current and prospective clients.

As we’ve mentioned previously, gratitude is simply not a common practice in most workplaces, so for your employees and your clients to feel comfortable expressing and receiving appreciation, intentional, strategic opportunities for gratitude to be part of the conversation are important for employees and clients alike to experience the benefits.

Encourage or even incentivize positive feedback from your clients. We all know people don’t hesitate to complain – so encourage them to tell you when things are going WELL, too. For example, a hotel chain we used to frequent made it known that they actually gave a cash bonus to staff when they received a positive comment that identified that person by name. Given what we know about gratitude in the workplace, expressing gratitude intentionally may not be a routine part of the professional experience for your clients or vendors, either, so make it easy for them, and they’re more likely to share their positive feedback with you. Talk about a win-win!

Conclusion

There is no indication that one form of gratitude is superior to another. Individuals have different communication and learning styles, and cultural and generational differences may make one style more comfortable than the other. Further, individual preferences as to which form of gratitude is more beneficial for them may change depending on the circumstances in which the individual finds themselves, the mood they are in, and so on. Fundamentally, I believe (and the research so far backs me up) that any gratitude practice is better than none, as long as we’re doing so in authentic, meaningful ways.

Are you interested in making gratitude part of your organization’s cultural landscape? I’d love to hear about what you’re doing currently, or the challenges and barriers you’ve faced trying to build more gratefulness into your working hours. And sincerely, thank you for taking the time to consider gratitude as an intentional professional practice. Even normalizing the possibility helps bring this topic into more people’s awareness, and I am deeply grateful for your contribution to changing the professional paradigm.

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Suppose we saw the term “people pleaser” as no more than a label others use when describing our behaviour. (Not who we really are note, just some of our actions.)

And suppose we mischievously asked some searching questions of that label – what it assumes people pleasing is caused by, for instance, and precisely what behaviours is it describing.

Should such a label be somewhat problematic, might such questioning make it less so?

Let’s find out.
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Insecurity, low self-esteem, perfectionism, and the fear of rejection cause people pleasers to do what they do apparently.

1. Mmmm – who’s never felt insecure? Doesn’t insecurity describe all of us?

As a young man and boy I would people please to minimise the chances of being beaten up. Apart from one occasion it worked. I think of it more of a survival strategy than an affliction.

1. Low self-esteem, again, I bet you everyone has had times when this has affected them. But that was then, it isn’t now, is it?

I had a dad who expressed his love by continually pointing out what I hadn’t achieved, not what I had. It left me thinking I could never please him because I’m just not good enough. But that was then, it only comes alive for me now through memories, which I have some agency over whether I pay attention to them or not.

1. Perfectionism – okay, okay, I know this can lead to chronic procrastination, but doesn’t it have an upside too?

Wanting to get things right, perfect even, so others can benefit from our work tells me someone cares. It’s only problematic when things never get done because of…

1. ..The fear of rejection, which makes taking the doing-nothing-is-better-than-being-rejected option attractive. But need it be?

This is a big one for me. I was born with a club foot, a black eye (forceps) and was unable to sleep for months, which brought pressure on my parents’ marriage. Not what you’d call a little bundle of joy.

Family rifts over homosexuality, two divorces, a 24-year estrangement from my two daughters, and the suicides of friends and family can all trigger rejection memories. For large parts of my life, these led to bouts of depression.

As I’ve gotten older though, these have dwindled to a trickle, and only happen for short bursts of a few hours say, nothing like the months on an end as before.

Why?

I put it down to understanding that I am separate from the thoughts and memories that arise in my head, which were at the root of my low moods. When I realise I’m not my thoughts, the opportunity to interrupt them or not taken them too seriously arises, which simply could not have done when I was unaware of this.

Sure I still feel the fear from time to time, I just don’t dwell on the memories that create it and my tendency to catastrophise about the future which only makes it worse!

That’s why I’m writing this right here, right now. Several years ago the fear of rejection that might come from sharing this with you, would have left me in that chronic procrastination loop.

Having subjected the causes of people pleasing to a bit of scrutiny, let’s see how we might counter six specific behaviours it produces.

1. You agree even when you disagree

What if you flipped this and disagreed with yourself on an issue you felt strongly about?

Take some really contentious issues – the existence of God, the legalisation of abortion, or capital punishment, for instance. See if you can put the case to yourself of those who take the opposite view to you.

Seeing the reasoned cases of both sides in a dispute or conflict helps you interrupt the automaticity of always agreeing with someone to get validation, say, or lower the fear of rejection, or any of the other causes mentioned above.

1. You apologise too much

Would you rather be someone who never apologises or one who can do so readily when it’s called for?

Saying sorry can be a strength, so I encourage you to not be too hard on yourself here. Focus on what does and doesn’t need an apology and why. It’s this more-precise reasoning that will help you interrupt your automatic tendency to say sorry.

1. You always have someone double-check your work

What if you reduced the number of times you asked for this to be done gradually – by 10% a week, say?

If you try this I encourage you to notice how more self-reliant you feel once your dependence on someone else reduces. They might appreciate having more time too.

1. You are constantly burdened by other people’s feelings

Could understanding the idea of projection help you?

Before I delve into that, let me say I totally ‘get’ this burdensome feeling. When you’re concerned about another, especially a loved one, it’s very easy to feel the weight of that.

In psychology, there’s something called “projection.” It happens when we find a troubling emotion too difficult to handle, so we project it onto others via blame or simply sharing it. It’s a bit like passing a hot potato, we don’t want to get burnt so quickly pass it on.

Self-talk rooted in some of the causes above – insecurity, low self-esteem etc. – can innocently and understandably make you a great catcher of those projections! Realising that is sometimes all you need to bat the hot potatoes back or shield yourself from a few of them, or just not catch them at all!

It seems to me that ultimately, we’re each responsible for our own feelings. The best gift we have is to help others live peacefully with theirs.

1. You rarely accept credit or praise

What if you treated yourself every Friday to small gifts?

Treats mark the progress you’re making in not taking the unhelpful thoughts, feelings and sensations, which arise automatically in you, so seriously. Progress such as speaking your own mind and not just responding in ways designed to please others.

Treats are a form of self-praise that, perhaps, haven’t occurred to you before, because, quite understandably, in order to survive and thrive, you’ve paid more attention to what others think of you. What’s it to be – chocolate? A long walk? An hour in silence? What else?

1. You take the blame when it’s not yours

What if you didn’t blame yourself for taking the blame on others’ behalf?

Taking the blame can have sound reasoning behind it that serves you well now or in times gone by. Maybe it was a survival strategy where the calculation was – take the wrap for this so as to avoid bigger consequences if you didn’t. Taking the blame can also be motivated by wanting others to feel sorry for us, so that we earn their leniency, forgiveness, or favour.

If you’re a blame taker, even when it’s not yours to take, explore what happens when stop blaming yourself for it! Breaking this behaviour pattern begins by being kind to yourself. Zoom in on how blame-taking helped you once, before wondering whether it still does today in every situation you face.

Finally, let me share another way of looking at people pleasing in a workplace context.

For some years now I’ve been reflecting on what delivers real internal contentment to teams. It seems to me being of help to others is key to that. I don’t mean this in a customer’s-always-right kinda way, more that when we help teams listen to understand the wants and needs of those who depend on their work, and see what those they serve would ideally like, don’t get currently, new opportunities to help arise.

Providing what’s missing and being appreciated for it is another way of looking at pleasing people. One I find immensely satisfying personally, and when shared by my team, has a bit of a contagion effect. We all feel good together about the difference we’ve made.

To discover more please visit https://www.rogermartin.me/home

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Did you know that you shouldn’t choose between being ethical and being successful? 6 questions. 7 minutes. Pure insights. Episode 261: Successful business leaders don’t choose between being ethical and being successful. Wise words from Yonason Goldson, Director at Ethical Imperatives, LLC. https://www.yonasongoldson.com/

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Your mind is a powerful thing. The way you see yourself and your ability to learn doesn’t just impact your success, but also the goals you set and how you attack them. Organizations have a mindset, too, and it significantly influences company culture, employee engagement, and overall success.

Mindset Influences How and What We LearnAccording to Stanford researcher Carol Dweck, the difference between what she calls a “fixed mindset” and a “growth mindset” is what determines what we learn and how well we learn it. Dweck maintains that a fixed mindset assumes our character, intelligence, and creativity are fixed traits that we have no control over. A growth mindset is the belief that even though we each have unique talents, aptitudes, and interests, our mental traits can change through effort and experience.

Dweck contrasts the two mindsets this way:

In a fixed mindset, students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.

Much of Dweck’s research explores how these mindsets are formed and how early on in life. In a study on hundreds of school-age children, she examined how different types of praise influence mindset as well as how each mindset impacts learning and academic achievement. Some students were praised for how hard they worked on various tasks while others were praised for their abilities.

Two important findings stood out: (1) praise that focuses on effort nurtures a growth mindset while praise that focuses on ability nurtures a fixed mindset, and (2) students with a fixed mindset will reject learning experiences in order to avoid failure.

When students were given the choice to complete tasks of various difficulty levels, those who were praised for their ability rejected any tasks that might result in failure or indicate deficiencies. To this group, failure meant they were not smart, and the risk of that far outweighed the benefits of learning something new.

Conversely, those who were praised for effort weren’t intimidated by the risk of failing the difficult tasks. Rather, they embraced them as challenges. In fact, 90% of them wanted to tackle the most challenging tasks. To this group, failure was not a reflection of their intellect or ability, it was an indication that they just had to work harder to succeed.

The team expanded the research to find out if a fixed or growth mindset influences character traits such as honesty. They asked the students to write about their experiences and disclose their scores on the tasks. Forty percent of the students in the ability-praised group inflated their scores to make them look more intelligent. Since a fixed mindset equates failure with deficiency, almost half of these students were so ashamed of their scores that they lied about them.

Dweck didn’t confine her research to school-age children. She examined brain waves of adults to determine how mindset affects the way people receive feedback. Those with a fixed mindset were much more interested in feedback about their ability than they were in feedback about how they could improve their ability. Those with a growth mindset were much more interested in learning how to improve regardless of their current ability. They saw ability as a starting point, not the ending point.

The collective body of this research confirms that our mindset is a powerful factor in our willingness to learn as well as our ability to learn new things.

Mindset Impacts Employee Engagement and Company CultureDweck extended her research even further to explore whether an organization can cultivate a fixed or a growth mindset, and if so, how it impacts employee engagement and company culture. Employees at seven Fortune 1000 companies were asked to rate statements about the company such as, “This company believes that people have a certain amount of talent, and they really can’t do much to change it.” High levels of agreement indicated the company had a fixed mindset; low levels suggested a growth mindset. The researchers then surveyed the employees to see if there was a correlation between mindset and job satisfaction, employee engagement, collaboration, and perception of culture as well as whether it impacted managers’ perceptions of employees.

Those employees that described their companies as having a growth mindset reported that they felt empowered to take risks and valued for the contributions they made. They also described their organizations as more collaborative and innovative, and they viewed themselves as respected members of the team.

Employees at fixed-mindset companies reported cultures characterized by inequity, mistrust, and dishonesty. Many said that only a handful of employees were valued and respected and that the company largely didn’t care about the rest. They worried about being called out for failing, so they stayed in their comfort zones and avoided taking risks that could result in creativity and innovation. Employees who feel that innovation and hard work are only rewarded if they are successful are much more likely to put in the time, play it safe, and fly under the radar.

Leaders can cultivate a growth mindset in the organization by demonstrating that they value potential, capacity for learning, and a passion for challenges. When employees feel that effort is as important than ability and they are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones without fear of being penalized for making mistakes along the way, engagement and collaboration increase significantly.

5 Simple Ways to Cultivate a Growth MindsetHere is the good news: a growth mindset isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you can develop. Here are some simple ways to do that.

1. Redefine the meaning of learning as brain training. Remember that the brain is like any other muscle in the body; the more you use it the stronger it gets.

2. Replace the words failure and mistakes with the words learning and experience. This shift in perspective turns the fear of failing into opportunities to improve. Without that fear, you’ll try more new things and you’ll learn from both mistakes and successes.

3. Embrace the word “yet.” Instead of saying, “I’m not good at that, “ train yourself to say, “I’m not good at that, yet.” That tiny word reinforces the belief that you have the power to improve.

4. Remember that the brain is not fixed and neither is your ability to learn. Each time you reach a goal, acknowledge the neuroplasticity at work in your brain. Then set a new goal knowing that you’re never done sculpting a better brain.

5. Cultivate grit. Think of grit as setting a goal so big that you can’t possibly reach it and then growing into the person who does. Embrace the challenge with the confidence that you have far more control over your brain than anything or anyone else.

If you enjoyed this post, share it with someone in your corner of the world.

Learn more about how to apply neuroscience to improve company culture, engage employees, and grow collective intelligence in your organization!

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The short answer is: probably not. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics are still in the early stages of development, and their capabilities are far from replacing human labor for many jobs. But the rise of AI and robotics usage needs awareness. As AI and robotics become more advanced and cost-effective, industries such as manufacturing, transportation, retail, finance, healthcare, and many others are incorporating automation into their processes. As a result, careers that once relied on human labor are now being taken over by technology-driven processes.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean humans are becoming obsolete. Jobs in data science, programming, and AI development are growing faster than ever. Plus, as technology continues to advance, there is no doubt that new careers will be created.

At the same time, it is essential to remember that not all careers can be replaced by robots and AI quickly. Professions such as law, teaching, personal caregiving, and many more that rely heavily on the interpersonal skills of humans make it harder to be automated. However, advancements are moving forward even in careers that require interpersonal skills—examples of jobs that will be affected.

• Therapist. QTrobot helps increase children’s ability to interact with therapy while reducing anxiety.
• Lawyers. DoNotPay is an APP that acts as a lawyer.
• Squirrel, China’s largest AI-driven learning platform, is about to expand globally.
• Nursing Home Employees.
• Robotics for Ageing Well, the UK attempts to continue developing robots for aging.
• Care Robots, Japan’s decades of development continue to advance as new technology is developed.

Some careers are disappearing.

• Artist. AI art generator platforms continue to grow.
• Editors. There are now multiple AI-driven platforms that complete editing tasks.
• Farm tractor driver. John Deere’s first fully autonomous tractor is impressive.
• Fast food workers. Robots will continue to be employed as the cost of having employees rises.
• Chipotle has Chippy, an AI kitchen assistant.
• McDonald’s has begun the first-ever robot restaurant in Texas.
• White Castle has Flippy, a robot cook.

The Unknowns.* ChatGPT. The effects of technology on careers are just beginning, but expect it to impact teachers, middle-management, data analysts, journalists, HR and training professionals, accountants, and many other professions. * Sophia. The world’s first robot citizen with unlimited uses.

Ultimately, the rise of AI and robotics is transforming how we work. For those looking to remain competitive in the job market, staying updated with technological advancements is important. Secondly, learning new skills and knowledge will become critical to stay relevant in the ever-changing job market. With the right skills and knowledge, individuals can use advanced technologies to their advantage and create careers that will help them stay competitive in the future.

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Chronic stress can make you sick.I think we are at a point where most people would agree with that statement. Another way of saying that statement is; We can make ourselves sick.

Because it is not the outside events or our interactions with the world that are causing the majority of stress in our modern lives but the way we interpret and respond to them.

I am re-reading an amazing book called Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky which talks about the science behind our stress response and it goes into detail about the chemical responses and physiological actions that take place within our bodies in response to stress.

This book also talks a lot about how the systems within us that respond to stress are based on our ancestral need to survive in a more aggressive world and not so much needed to deal with our perceived stressors in our modern daily life.

The statement that we can make ourselves sick ( I think we all have heard the comment, “I worried myself sick about…”) is one that modern science has shined a large light on in the past few decades and is now widely understood and accepted.

The flip side to that coin, which has not received as much acceptance yet, is that we can also make ourselves well/keep ourselves healthy.

Before I go any further with this section let me say that this information or the work that I do is “not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

There has been tremendous amounts of work done in the field of Body/Mind science that has shown how this works. The work continues on and the field is always expanding as modern science catches up with and finds explanations for work that has been around for centuries.

If you looked at a large portion of the prescription medications that are prescribed you would see that they mimic chemicals that our bodies already make. When there is an imbalance in our systems then we do not make either enough of the chemical, too much of another chemical or it doesn’t “arrive” at the correct time in our systems. This is, of course, an oversimplification of a very complicated subject but it is for the sake of overview.

By relieving our stress we can remove a lot of the issues that are showing up in our systems in negative ways.

We can do that through several different modalities. We can work to change our reaction/interaction with the outside world so we do not see danger where it may not be.

We can also do things such as meditation and other processes that help calm our nervous system and allow it to operate in a way that supports our lives in a positive and safe way.

The majority of the work I do in this area is based on working with the unconscious mind and clearing patterns (negative emotions, Limiting decisions/beliefs) from the past that are causing the client to have reactions to their world that are showing up as stress and anxiety. Two of the biggest contributors to making us sick and unhealthy.

There is deeper work going on that looks into how our past significant emotional events show up in different negative ways in our bodies later in life. I will let that work speak for itself.

This article is not to speak negatively about modern allopathic medicine practices or pharmacology. They do amazing things for our world, including helping to extend our life expectancy and saving many lives every day.

My goal is to share that there are other ways for all of us to live a healthy and long life.

If you are interested in learning more about any of these processes, please reach out and I would enjoy discussing them with you.

I am including the titles of several books that I recommend reading that I have found to shine a bright light on these practices and explain how they can help all of us live happier and healthier lives. They range from the very scientific to the more esoteric so you can find what fits best with your interests.

You may notice several of the titles mention “healing”.

Healing is not curing.

Healing is about re-establishing a lost connection and I will save that discussion for another article.

1. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers?- Robert Sapolsky
2. The psychobiology of Mind-Body Healing – Ernest Rossi
3. Why am I sick?– Robert Flook
4. Healing and the Mind– Bill Moyers
5. Quantum Healing– Deepak Chopra
6. You can heal your life– Louise Hay

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Many of us remember Carl Sagan, a famous American astronomer, cosmologist, author, and producer of the show Cosmos. Sasha Sagan is the daughter of Carl, and she wrote a wonderful book about rituals for finding meaning in our unlikely world entitled For Small Creatures Such As We. In the book, Sagan looks to create a set of rituals for her secular family that honor the joy and significance of each experience without relying entirely on a religious framework.

While I enjoyed the entire book on living a secular life while still trying to acknowledge rituals and traditions within a family unit, one passage resonated with me for a longer period. Well into chapter five on confession and atonement she writes about celebrating rituals and traditions for some redemption or rebirth—decorating the Christmas tree each year, for example, or those traditions that happen only once in a lifetime like baptisms and funerals. She also speaks of possibly making up her own secular holiday to atone or celebrate, and she chose the one I have unofficially followed for many years: March Forth.

“My mother and I have often thought that March 4th would be a good date for such a secular holiday. When you say it out loud, in English, it sounds like a bold command. It’s a pun that seems to cry out a directive to improve or ‘evolve.’ In a footnote to the book Pale Blue Dot, [Carl Sagan] describes the events of March 4, 1953 BCE, when the five planets visible to the naked eye aligned perfectly, ‘strung out like jewels on a necklace near the great square in the constellation Pegasus.’ This was observable in China and may have been ‘the starting point for the planetary cycles of the ancient Chinese astronomers.’ Up until that moment, they had a completely different view of the universe and our place in it, but faced with new evidence, they changed their worldview, abandoning what no longer made sense.”

Sagan goes on to write “My brain cannot help drawing connections between the verb march and the month March, the adverb forth and numerical term fourth. It’s nothing more than a happy coincidence, but if it hadn’t been for this event it would have been another. March 4th is as good a day as any to repent. This needn’t be a day to beat ourselves up for being human but instead shake off what we can no longer stand up to scrutiny, and to bravely march forth into the personal and philosophical unknown.”

When you say it out loud, in English, it sounds like a bold command. It’s a pun that seems to cry out a directive to improve or ‘evolve.’

I have been recognizing March 4th as a kick-in-the-butt motivational holiday for many years. When I was younger, I used this day on more than one occasion as a starting point for a diet. For many reasons, notwithstanding the mention above by Sagan, this date is much better for atonement than, say, January 1st. So many people announce New Year’s resolutions to exercise more or eat less, but in the dead of winter you are more sedentary and homebound by default, and neither of those things is as attainable as in springtime, during warmer weather and more opportunities for exercising outdoors.

Springtime is by its very definition a time of rebirth, with new sightings of animals, buds on plants and trees, lawns peeking out from the snow and greening up, and so much more.

The warmth of longer days pulls you toward the idea of wanting to get out and move, a much more natural motivator than the gray harsh cold of the shorter days of winter. Thus, march forth.

Several years ago, at my last place of employment, a workmate was fired on March 2nd. The following day, the bulk of his workload was dumped on me in a very unprofessional manner by my supervisor, who basically tried to blame me for that person being let go. My manager’s behavior and actions challenged me to decide if I wanted to continue in my role there, in what I suddenly perceived as a more toxic environment. After a night of contemplation, I chose to rise up and power through the situation—on March 4th—and will always remember that day of coming into work with a new set of goals for myself as a person. A few years later, the recession hit, and we experienced some layoffs and pay cuts the last week of February due to losing a large client. I was not let go but took a cut in pay and again was assigned some additional work of those who were let go. Once again on March 4th, I chose to march forth, but to proceed with caution and take a closer look at my career and where I was headed.

I get motivated to do something—anything—to improve upon what I currently have.

Later that year, I started to retool so I could be better prepared to leave this job on my own power instead of being blindsided by a future layoff. I started applying for jobs and went back to college at the age of forty to get an IT degree and learn web development. I began networking with others on several platforms to develop relationships and connections. From there, I took a job at UW-Madison as a production worker and then 18 months later a supervisor, taking me down an entirely different path of leadership and growth that I never could have imagined before taking those actions.

More recently, March 4th has come more quietly, but the corners of my mouth curl up slightly and I get motivated to do something—anything—to improve upon what I currently have. As my “inner planets” align and adjust my worldview each spring, I strive for change and to evolve into something more than I was before.

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It should come as no surprise according to the recently released 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer “A lack of faith in societal institutions triggered by economic anxiety, disinformation, mass-class divide and a failure of leadership has brought us to where we are today – deeply and dangerously polarized.” That said it’s more important than ever for leaders to establish themselves as trustworthy entities.

A trustworthy leader establishes strong relationships with their followers and team members. It’s no secret trust encourages collaboration and inspires commitment to shared goals. Not to mention working in an environment which creates trust develops a positive environment where people feel valued, respected, and supported – are less likely to quietly quit.

Trust paves the way for the creation of stronger relationships, better communication, increased productivity, and better decision-making. Not to mention reduces stress.

That said, it’s so easy to lose confidence in a leader who fails to show us they are reliable, and possess integrity and honesty. A trustworthy leader encourages others to be vulnerable enough to place their confidence (faith) in another’s ability to act in their best interest – without the need for constant monitoring or control.

Building trust is important for a variety of other reasons as well:

Aside from developing solid relationships: It allows for open and honest communication; something we are in desperate need of now. When you trust someone, you’re more likely to speak openly and honestly with them without fear of being judged, criticized or laid off. This can lead to better understanding and stronger relationships – when ‘buy-in’ is required of a team to effectively complete the job.

Increased productivity: Trust can increase productivity in the workplace. When employees trust supervisors and managers, they’re more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work. This can lead to increased productivity and better performance.

Better decision-making: Trust can also lead to better decision-making. When you trust someone, you’re more likely to seek their input and take their advice into consideration when making decisions. This can lead to better outcomes and a more effective decision-making process plus reduced stress – something we’re sorely in need of in today’s changed world.

6 Leadership Skills Which Build Trust:1. Open Communication: Transparent leaders communicate in a way which shows they are open to feedback – sharing their vision, goals and challenges with the team and actively listening to and discussing input received. 2. Empathy: Being empathetic and understanding regarding the needs and concerns of team members is critical to building trust. 3. Accountability: Leaders who hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their actions build trust with their team – including admitting mistakes, commitment follow through; holding others accountable. 4. Consistency: Leaders who consistently demonstrate their values and principles build trust. Consistency in communication, decision-making and behavior establishes a sense of predictability and reliability essential for building trust. 5. Competence: Leaders who are knowledgeable and skilled in their field build trust. Demonstrating expertise, providing guidance, and solving problems competently shows the leader is credible and capable. 6. Integrity: Leaders who are honest, ethical, and uphold their values build trust. Their actions match their words and they prioritize doing what is right over personal gain.

Leaders who communicate openly, show empathy, hold themselves accountable, demonstrate consistency, exhibit competence, and operate with integrity can build trust with their team members.

Bottom line – Trust can take different forms and built over time through consistent actions and behaviors that demonstrate reliability and honesty. Conversely, it can be broken or lost through actions or behaviors which violate expectations or standards of honesty, reliability, or integrity.

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Only a handful of people actually do what they know to do. Take the best seller Think and Grow Rich. Since 2011 70 million copies of the classic have been sold worldwide. The book synthesizes what successful people do that the unsuccessful people do not … and have done for 200+ generations.

Hill was a reporter who kept up with some 500 citizens that were healthy, happy and wealthy, to find out their secrets. It was Andrew Carnegie that offered the 20-year ‘job’ to Hill.

Today’s most successful people use this plan, whether they have read the book or not. Men have much of this knowledge inherently — that is it is in their DNA. You only need to watch a man step up to the plate on inner confidence and desire, even though he knows he is not qualified. Women don’t do this.

If then, more than 70m copies have been sold and it contains the most concrete plan for expedient success, you must ask yourself this question:

Why aren’t there 70 million millionaires? Every person that can read can be a millionaire or a billionaire.

Because we “don’t do what we already know to do!” And we continue to add more and more information to what we do know — still not applying what we know.

It’s not having knowledge that is power. It is the consistent application of the knowledge over time until it becomes habilitualized. That is the POWER.

Take a quick inventory of your books and programs in which you have invested financially and never used. You are not alone. We are invigorated with new information, yet acting on it isn’t as invigorating — it actually takes something.

The difference between knowing and doing is often called the performance gap.

Why don’t we do what we already know to do?We have a slew of beliefs, paradigms, or clusters of ‘ways of being’ that are automatic. We’ve believed them as true for so long they’ve taken hold and we don’t even notice them.

The beliefs are based primarily on the beliefs of others … those we love and admire and whom we want to please. Unfortunately, most beliefs of others are of lack and limitation rather than abundance and opportunity. These beliefs have been ‘engineered’ by default in our subconscious mind or what the Ancient Greeks referred to as our ‘heart of hearts.’ I will cover how to ‘engineer a belief’ later.

As children when we ‘stubbed our toe’ we became more and more careful where we put our toes. It didn’t take long to learn that by noon the sand at the beach is so hot you must run to give your feet a chance to cool between strides. We run faster or we wear shoes to protect our tender feet.

Likewise, when we are embarrassed or ashamed as children as a result of our behavior, we tend to shy away from repeating that behavior. It’s a protection of sorts … when we are children.

Perhaps your first time in front of the class in early elementary school, sharing a report you wrote, you misunderstood the instructions, reported on the wrong book, and classmates began to laugh and chide you. Fighting back the tears, we plant this truth to protect ourselves, “I’ll never get up in front of a group of people to speak again.” Maybe that’s why some people say that public speaking is a fate worse than death for most!

This protection works well as a child, yet those habits and inner dialogue are ‘still running your life.’ And as adults, this does not serve us very well. We allow ourselves to be stopped from acting on ideas that light us up … mostly because we don’t know how. And the fear of crossing the gap of performance is greater than our desire to have what we want. And we have a host of beliefs that say “it’s selfish to want more,” or “there simply isn’t enough money to go around.”

These beliefs keep us playing small and taking no risk. The level of our reward is always the perfect reflection of how much risk we are willing to take.

The process of developing the beliefs of others follows us into adulthood, adding more opinions of others, including television and news reporters. Negativity sells, so by default, we are ‘filled with’ the negative points of view of others. When you harness the “power of pause” as you step from ‘knowing to doing,’ you will see that you always have a minimum of two perspectives or answers to every question.

So it makes perfect sense that when we go to ‘step’ from knowing to doing, there is a great Fear of the unknown between the two. You want it and you start out, yet when things get dark and you can’t see how you can do it, you step back to safety.

Not only are you hearing your own inner dialogue such as “I’ve tried before and I’ve failed,” or “I’m not smart enough or deserving,” or “Someone else is better at this than I am,” if you share this with others you will also hear “are you crazy, you’ve never done that before,” or “who do you think you are,” or “go get a regular job” (one of my favorites).

It’s a battle for the one conscious thought over which you have control over. Why wouldn’t you back down if your inner self doesn’t believe you can do it and others don’t either?

These beliefs are held by both men and women, and for women it is critical that we overcome them. While men automatically step up to the plate in business, women do not. It doesn’t matter initially if the man is not competent … he’s first at bat. It’s not too long before you realize that just because they ‘stepped up’ does not mean ‘they’ will necessarily navigate the gap.

After 45 years in corporate America, my experience is that I more often than not — and my female counterparts — ended up more often than not ‘finishing up’ what they had started!

Why? Because we have been finishing up and cleaning up after our families for more than 200 generations! We’re good at it, yet we don’t have time to finish up after others and still grow our own businesses.

Here’s an example. Ready to start, a dozen thoroughbreds are at the starting gate ready for the first race of the season. Behind the row of gates, one woman is in charge to get all the horses down the track and cross the finish line.

Three, two, one, and the starting gun is fired. As the horses leave the gates, the woman is behind them. Watch her running sideways behind the horses slapping each one as she runs by, saying, “come on boy, you can do it!” Back and forth she runs, egging all the horses on, and finally, they all cross the finish line at the same time. We bring everyone across the finish line but no clear star or winner.

Now put a man behind the gates. Three, two, one, and the starting gun is fired. As the horses leave the gate, the man is behind them. See him pick out the middle horse and run behind only him, slapping and chiding him to go faster. Finally, that one horse crosses the line first and wins the race. He is the star.

Women must learn to practice laser focus on one idea … and bring it home, to the exclusion of all else. Men already do this naturally. It’s not our way. We are the nurturers and peacemakers. Women make sure everyone is a winner. That doesn’t work in business.

Navigating the performance gapWhen we must step into the gap to apply knowledge and move toward what we want, it is a given that we are afraid. Afraid because we do not know HOW we’ll get across. Our experiences have us automatically stop short. If we do not cross the gap we are destined to going to the edge on one idea, shrinking back; going to the edge on another, and shrinking back again.

To solve this problem, I wedged a large coin with a thick edge in the gap. Now you may cross the divide on the edge of the coin.

What value does ‘crossing above the gap’ provide?1. You are physically higher than you were before so you have vast vision of both sides of the gap. You see all sides of your obstacle or issue. You see why you shouldn’t cross over and why you should cross it, and the best way to do it. You get to make an objective and responsive decision. 2. You have a high level of awareness of your current potential. You can see once you have chosen to proceed the precise steps to the ‘doing’ side. 3. Even if you ‘slip’ the edge is wide enough for you to pull yourself back up. Your ‘muscle of Faith’ is developed enough so that it ‘lifts you’ back to the coin’s edge for a clear view. 4. Decisions that take you from knowing to doing as quickly as possible allow you to grow your business with consistency, momentum and results. 5. Once you are practiced at hopping across whenever you have something new to tackle, you become the Champion for other women who have not found their own ‘sea legs’ and are inspired by what you are doing and the results you are getting. 6. You can use this image whenever you know what you want to do and need to do to forward your business yet are afraid. Every time you lift yourself to the coin’s edge, your intellect grows, and soon it becomes a habit.

The Champion has developed Faith … Faith in herself and Faith in our Universe and how it works.

She lives by the following values from which she avidly seeks their wisdom. These values and laws operate all the time, whether we are aware of them and how they work, or not. Take for example the physical law of gravity. The result of taking a jump off a cliff is well-known to all of us. Down we go with an impact that matches the depth of fall and our physical condition. So you don’t jump off cliffs.

What if all the principles below also worked all the time and you not only were aware of them, you also studied and applied them in growing your business. You would have an extraordinary advantage and step into the realm of ‘the few’ who are not only wealthy — they are healthy and happy. These principles in action spike business growth and momentum and keep it consistent when applied over time. The idea is to have these values become part of you — automatic, or habitualized.

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When we begin our careers, we have yet to learn about the pitfalls we may soon face. The same applies to building a business. Those who do succeed are the ones who heed life lessons to overcome unforeseen challenges and move beyond. But for those who don’t, excuses fly for quitting to exclaim their track was not to be. The slogan, ‘think positive!’ offers much merit and is to be with us at all times.

My Story

When we surround ourselves with similar-minded people, motivation for one another picks up as ideas emerge. To my surprise, someone asked me to provide him with motivational quotes, to which I responded: I’ll be happy to do so, but can you tell me why you ask? He then answered that his goal is to help students and those starting their careers. The answer was perfect, as that is my mission, too.

On another level, the quotes I heard and accepted throughout the years motivated me to push past the obstacles before me to achieve my desires. Accordingly, we need to heed life lessons when we desire to accomplish all we hold in mind.

Below you will read one quote spoken to me that started me on my unique path, and the ones that I created upon experiencing seemingly the worst of the day to arrive at better moments. May they inspire thought for you to move forward with a smile!

In My Youth

Bullies surrounded me everywhere, and I shriveled up to cry on one occasion. But the same day, everything changed when I heard:

If you don’t stand up for yourself, no one else will.

The Benefits: Personal and Business

The one quote saved me from ever allowing another to pull me down with them. Heeding the advice, I began to tune into the personality of everyone I encountered. I began to carefully listen to their choice of words, plus watch their body language and facial expressions. If any sign of inconsistency or rudeness were evident, I would set the person on their heels to ask many questions to examine their responses and behaviors further.

People called me intuitive, but that is only sometimes correct because I was heeding life lessons. Accordingly, long before I knew it, I grew into the personality that successful salespeople possess.

Question, listen, and clarify to sell well.

Persistence Will Keep You In The Game

Business Advancement

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Never give up; find a better way.

Seek the nuggets of gold in the nasty remarks to launch your business forward.

Baby steps every day will get you to your goal.

Nothing is impossible with the desire to figure out your best path forward, regardless of what others think.

Remember, you are unique, and what will or won’t work for others may not necessarily prove true for you.

Eliminate the rhetoric, ‘you should,’

A. Being competitive helps you to win trophies and some recognition. However, being collaborative gives you a much wider audience with far greater opportunities to achieve the success you never imagined

B. People who brag do so because they have a severe lack of confidence

C. When nastiness is yours for the keeping, put on your well-oiled super person cape to fly upward, and the darts fall to
the floor.

Leadership Success

The better leadership style is to be inclusive and embrace diversity and inclusion. Listening to understand brings about a more comprehensive range of possibilities. People from varying backgrounds possess various experiences from which we may all learn. By embracing and acting upon the concept, your perspective widens, solutions will deepen, and success will expand.

Never brag about accomplishments, but share your best insights with people following your lead so they may advance and, one day, lead others.

‘Believe, Become, Empower.’

Self-Reflection

Every morning awake with renewed enthusiasm for your long-term vision and focus on that goal to do what is necessary for a baby-step advance every day. Keep a notepad and pen near your bedside if the thought comes to capture it in the middle of the night, and then quickly go back to sleep. Before you retire in the evening, write what you need to complete the next day.

Entrepreneurships

• Trust is the soul of sales and all else that you do.
• Consistency in words, actions, and deeds develops trust and builds a reputable brand.
• A dedication to learning plus trial and error to retry will get you to your goal.
• Our worst experiences are our gifts in disguise.
• Respectfully listen to all perspectives to realize the gold nuggets previously unknown.
• The collaborative effort can bring about exponential growth with supportive peers.

Heed Life Lessons to Improve Relationships

Strive to be among people who accept your ideas, admire them, and contribute more so you may all be successful.

The sales term cold calling of days long ago referred to an aggressive pursuit of prospective clients. However, cold calling today can refer to making friendly professional connections and attracting interest in what you offer minus aggressive techniques. The style works very well.

To receive better introductions, be respectful of all. No matter who you encounter, their professional title matters not. However, what matters most is how you treat them because they know the executives who can help you advance.

Above all, be truthful with consistency intact. Your words, actions, and deeds are essential because friendship underlies all your interactions and all communications. You need to demonstrate what people want to know about you to attract them to your services and see the business expand.

In Conclusion: Heed Life Lessons

Believe in Yourself! Nothing is impossible with the mindset to continue, no matter the obstacles in your path. Positive thinking will help you arrive at your destination only to move beyond! Looking back, you will be amazed by all that you have accomplished.

Those who do succeed are the ones who heed life lessons to overcome unforeseen challenges and move beyond. But for those who don’t, excuses fly.

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Staying focused and productive can be a challenge when everything seems to be tugging for your attention. My clients often tell me that they are overwhelmed with so much to do and want to know how they can be more productive.

Here are 15 of my best tips.

1. Plan your day before it starts

You are in control of your day and your calendar. Deciding what you plan to achieve sets the tone of your day. It keeps your mind focused. And a focused mind can achieve a lot.

1. Read and write down your goals every day

This daily reminder will mentally put you in a positive state to accomplish those goals in the best way possible.

1. Use a default diary

Set up a default diary and make sure that you have time scheduled to complete important projects and tasks.

1. Prioritize your work for the day

While reviewing your plans for the day, identify the most important things you need to do. Focus on the most critical work first before doing everything else.

1. Analyze your activities to identify and minimize time wasters

If you want to free up some serious time, start with doing a skill/fun box exercise to determine what you need to do and what you should delegate. My clients have reported to me that they hear my voice in their head asking: “can’t someone else do that?”

1. Learn how to delegate well

Delegation is not abdication – nor is it micromanaging. Delegation is a skill that you can learn – this will help: How to become a master of delegation.

1. Reduce inefficient communications

Develop a regular team meeting rhythm including a daily huddle for managing employees. When it comes to communicating with clients or vendors, sometimes a phone call is faster and more effective than an email.

1. Break large tasks into smaller tasks

Have you ever looked at something on your to-do list and thought to yourself: “I don’t even know where to start”? The best way to start is by breaking that large task into smaller tasks.

1. Take a break when you need one

When you begin to feel overwhelmed and stressed with work, take a break. Breaks are necessary to recharge your brain cells to be more focused when you eventually resume.

1. Manage interruptions

Interruptions will break your flow and significantly impact your productivity. If you need to do some focused work turn off your phone notifications, close your office door and make yourself unavailable.

1. Concentrate on one thing at a time

Once you have identified a key task, stay on it until it’s 100% complete.

1. Work every day towards achieving a long-term outcome

One of the best ways to achieve your long-term visions is to be more productive in your short-term goals. Work towards your long-term goals by actively accomplishing the daily goals you set for yourself.

1. Simplify your work process

Sometimes we fall into habits of doing things the same way every time without stopping to look for a better way. Can you get the same thing accomplished in 5 steps instead of 7?

1. Learn how to terminate unproductive discussions

Find a way to politely extract yourself from casual chitchat. If you have completed everything on the agenda, end the meeting early and claim back some time.

1. Set communication rules for your peers or subordinates who bring you questions or problems

Ask people to do these 3 things before they come to you:

1. Write down the problem. Reduce it to a single sentence.
2. What are the three best solutions or suggestions for the problem? Write them down.
3. What do you recommend?

Being more productive is an intentional decision to make. When you are clear about what you need to do, the above tips can really help you make the most out of each day.

Sometimes “increased productivity” isn’t the answer

If you are uncertain about your goals and your most important priorities or if you know you need to make significant changes to how you are doing business and aren’t clear about what those changes need to be it might be time to consider working with a business coach.

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“98% of the words we hear come from people seeking to profit from our decisions. Seek, instead a happier, more meaningful life by listening to your own heart.”~ Clark Finnical

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” ~ Charles Darwin

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ~ Anais Nin

“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” ~ Steven Covey

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again … more intelligently.” ~ Henry Ford

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” ~ Joshua J. Marine

“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” ~ Voltaire

“When We Accept the Fact that No One Can Fully Understand What We’re Capable of Or How Driven We Are, We Can Set Aside Their Opinions and Pursue Our Dreams.” ~ Clark Finnical

“If you’re not humble, Life will visit humbleness upon you.” ~ Mike Tyson

“The Only Words More Powerful than the Words You Say to Yourself, Are the Prayers You Say to God.” ~ Clark Finnical

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.” ~ William James

“You can let life defeat you……and mentally check out with all of its consequences. Or, You can decide, I’m going to work through this. Because it too will pass. And tomorrow will be a better day.” ~ Clark Finnical

“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” ~ M. Scott Peck

“Life is 95% Opinion and 5% Facts. Remember that, the Next Time Someone Questions What You’re Doing.” ~ Clark Finnical

“Reinvention involves growing up. Growing above and beyond the hurts and memories of the past.” ~ Steve Chandler

“If you don’t separate yourself from your distractions, Your distractions will separate you from your goals and the life you want.” ~ Louisa Alcott

“Everything Worthwhile Has A Personal Cost.” ~ Frank Reagan, Blue Bloods

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” ~ Saint Augustine

“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps there is no solid obstacle except our own need to protect ourselves from being touched. If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we find the very same problem waiting for us when we arrive. It just keeps returning with new names, forms, manifestations until we learn whatever it has to teach us about where we are separating ourselves from reality, how we are pulling back instead of opening up, closing down instead of allowing ourselves to experience fully whatever we encounter, without hesitating or retreating into ourselves.” ~ Pema Chödrön

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This series is targeted at leaders who are interested in learning about how to create a legacy. Upon investigation, most leadership legacy resources focus on the organization you are leaving, the financial portfolio you leave behind and even the transition plan to the next leader. It is hard to find one article that focuses on…well…the leader…you!

Leadership LegacySo, I thought I would put three different legacy paths together in this series to help you discern what might be in your wake and hopefully, in your bow waves as well.

We are starting here, with your Leadership Legacy. It was crafted with the knowledge that not many leaders fully retire. We often find consulting gigs, or projects and boards to be part of and it’s that blurred line that is worthy of some reflection here.

We often see executives jump into consulting roles as they get closer to the end of their official careers. Some say it’s because they can’t put up with the bureaucracy anymore, while others say that their knowledge is antiquated. I imagine it being not so much about these things but a nice big realization that now is the time to live an active life with some work to keep us purpose-filled. It feels good to be able to golf for a few weeks between contracts or do some work in the morning and hike in the afternoon.

But as you get closer to day hiking and golf lessons, it behooves you to take some time to reflect on the wake you are making. The wake of what you are leaving behind in your own career. Not in your company or in your transition plan. This is about you specifically. Are you known as a hard-ass? A financier that focuses only on cost-cutting? The CEO that makes shareholders happy?

List them out if you can – better if you can perhaps ask someone you trust to give you their thoughts as well:

• What are the themes in the work you have done?
• What do you personally want to be remembered for?
• How can you make that truer with the time you have left?

Focusing on your legacy helps craft connections between what you want to be remembered for and what themes currently exist. My hope for you is that they are not that far apart. My other hope for you is that what makes it truer gets you excited about your final days in this role.

If this is hard for you to visualize:

• What do you really love to do?
• What networks are you part of that can make use of those much-loved skills?
• What boards would open those doors to help you use those skills more often?

If we thought of semi-retirement as a true career transition (from one job to the next), we can certainly wrap our heads around the idea that what you leave behind is important to your brand. The difference is that now, it’s not just about your brand, you can now focus on things you love to do, the challenges you enjoy strategizing for and the successes that further deepen that important legacy.

You may be a CEO for a technology company however you may also love arctic adventures – what can you do to make both of those things work for you? While being on the Board of a VR Expedition Company is not your idea of fun, know that it all comes down to what are you known for today and what you want to be known for 5 years from now.

What do you need to do today to begin filling the gap between those two things? It should be closer and easier than you think.

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In the late 1990s, with several decades working full-time in corporate America under my belt, I was introduced to my new boss at a small scientific company in Research Triangle Park, NC. Serving as desktop publisher (from secretary to technical information specialist) I managed the company’s proposal production department. If you were a secretary in the ’60s and stayed in the field through century end, you had to go through all iterations of word processing, magnetic card readers, MTST a huge machine with a tape on both sides, and more. Without display with the MTST (magnetic tape Selectric typewriter), you would transfer a document from the right tape to the left one having to ‘catch’ where the changes had to be made in between, on the keyboard. All the way through to the TRS 80 (Tandy Radio Shack) … the computer that stored information on an 8″ floppy disk, smaller floppy discs, floppy discs that were no longer floppy, and more. They got small and weren’t flexible. You by this time had to be a master of the craft of being a ‘secretary.’ I say craft as I also learned to write DOS batch files, teach computer-aided drafting systems (CADD) to architects, and more.

About five feet three inches tall and dressed in a well-fitted pantsuit, my new boss smiled and extended her hand which I took and shook. We talked freely and in a very short time, I recognized something very familiar about her. Her conversation included certain words that were ‘coined’ by a transformational technology — one which I had studied in great depth over time. When I asked if she had done ‘the work,’ she said yes, and that “the technology changed her life.” The best part was that since we spoke the same language, I could always be straight with her and not worry about being judged or evaluated on a personal level. We both had done Landmark Education programs.

Over the next few months, I marveled as I watched her fit right in with all the male directors and c-level executives sans one woman director in statistics. She seemed relaxed and confident no matter what she was doing.

One day as we caught up on activities and I sat across from her in her office, I had been itching to ask her something and because of our relationship at this point, I did. “How do you get along with all the men managers so well?” Her answer changed my entire perspective on women in business and became an important milestone in my career. She said with a smile, “I do what they do.”

She was right … she did. I watched her closely from then on and she seemed to interact as they did. They all had short bullet-point dialogues with one another. They shook hands coming and going and they all stood rather still while they talked. I never saw them socializing like their direct reports. They were short, cordial, and to the point. And she ‘fit in’ like a glove.

When I first learned the cold, hard statistics about the gender wage gap — how much more men earn than women for doing the same job, and by when the gap would close — I was in shock.

I began to think of my granddaughters and great-granddaughters to be, waiting to be paid what they deserve while being integral in the financial responsibility of their families. I realized there was not only something I could do to crush that gap … I was fired up about it! I have just the right training, experience, and skills to start teaching women what to do to begin crushing and squeezing the life out of the gender wage gap right now.

And if I didn’t, then who would? Our mothers and grandmothers … and theirs … took their risks on our behalf, stepped out in the face of adversity, and made a difference one woman at a time. It has to be done that way to make steady inroads in more promotions and better pay for women. That is precisely how we crush the gap early and turn the tables in our favor in short order — stepping out, taking action, and taking a stand! Being a Champion for others.

As you read further, see if any of the behavioral business skills mentioned could be affecting your own opportunities for growth in business. Few women have mastered them all, however. It’s about learning, mastering, then habitualizing one skill at a time, at your own pace, which ultimately keeps you inspired and engaged, bringing you one step closer to success. You may feel the laughter of recognition swelling in your smile as things begin to get very clear for you … and you know what to do next.

After 45 years in corporate and 20 years in professional development, it was very clear to me that most women are invisible — not seen or heard by business leaders, both men and women. Being invisible yields lack of credibility. And not being seen or heard gives us almost no opportunity for advancement.

When I held the position of document production supervisor for a company in the healthcare industry, I noticed two small things over the 5 years I worked there.

1. While our department was the last pair of eyes on huge proposals (thousands of pages) that had to arrive picture-perfect by a certain time or date (or would end up in the trash), and I ran it effectively, there was no ‘step up’ for me in the organization — no place for me to ‘go.’ No path to director or executive level. I was stuck there or I could choose to leave.
2. Small yet telling … after securing an 8 figure contract, the company did ample expansion with window offices around the whole floor. Every single person that had direct reports was assigned a window office, except … you guessed it … me. I had 4 direct reports and was not even considered. When I brought this up to my supervisor, I did get the window office. The point here for me was that it wasn’t even a ‘thought’ in anyone’s mind. That’s invisibility.

During the dot.com era while working for a small tech startup, a coup ensued (not atypical then) during a Board meeting which I attended by phone. When an attendee in the meeting asked about my position, the board member in charge told them all “her services are no longer needed.” For about 10 seconds my blood began to boil and then something magical happened. I did a 180 in my thinking and said to myself, “I don’t want to be where I am not wanted. I have excellent skills and I want to be working with people who appreciate what I bring to the table.”

Figure 1 Whether small business or corporate, women are invisible.Women are invisible in business, therefore not credible, and passed over for deserved opportunities for advancement.

Isn’t it time for you to be visible, credible, and enjoy opportunities for advancement? I say YES, it is time!

Were you at all surprised that women are earning far less than men? No? I didn’t think so.

It has been this way since I can remember when my mother’s part-time job for ‘pin’ or ‘mad’ money in the late ’50s and early ’60s, turned into a full-time job in the ’70s, and by the ’80s, all her wages were required to support the household. Earning less is frustrating for you — today’s working woman. You are challenged to make ends meet, you may well be ‘doing it all’ on your own, and you live longer, paying more for insurance.

Business success today has its own personality .. and you likely guessed that — it is male. It made perfect sense to me when I realized for the past 200 generations or so since we began recording history, that history was recorded and read by men, and then the virtues and timeless principles recorded were practiced by men in business, consistently and repeatedly over time, until their way of doing things effectively, simply set the landscape for success in business. It became automatic — a habit.

During that same 200 generations of course women were developing their own unique skills including leadership, collaboration, and peacemaking.

If we had had the luxury of declaring ‘in 5 years we’ll go into business,’ between now and then, we could learn the skills required to be as successful as our male counterparts before we even started! No. We’re already in the thick of it. And most of us are like fish out of water in business

I suspect men becoming ‘house husbands’ while their wives work, experience the same fish-out-of-water experience, as their inherent skills are not very useful in successful home management.

Figure 2 Men have set the context for business success through the ages.Men are unaware of the source of their own influence in business as they are a collection of inherent and hidden habits.

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Quiet quitting is a description for people who are unhappy in their job but, for whatever reason, don’t feel able to leave.What does it mean to be a quiet quitter?

Quiet quitting is a description for people who are unhappy in their job but, for whatever reason, don’t feel able to leave. As a result, they reduce the effort that they are putting into their job, doing the minimum and nothing beyond. Quiet quitting as a term took off in the summer of 2022 after a US TikTokker posted a video that went viral saying “work is not your life”, as reported here on BBC News. This resonated with the post-Covid feelings of millions of employees.

But it’s a significant threat to both short- and long-term organisational performance. And it’s something that all company executives and leaders should be concerned about and take action to address. It eats away at all aspects of the effective operation of the organisation; its ability to deliver strategic objectives and achieve its vision.

Employees who are quiet quitting are a real drain on team performance and can negatively affect workplace culture.

What’s caused quiet quitting?Quiet quitting has always been with us but the Covid-19 pandemic massively increased the potential for it. It’s caused by the same drivers which gave us the ‘Great Resignation’. So, what caused the Great Resignation? One simple phrase explains both quiet quitting and is the impetus for the Great Resignation – our experiences create our perceptions. These then determine our behaviour at work in response to different situations.

As the Great Resignation, or indeed also the great ‘I’m not even going back’, started all of us had come through two years of being locked in and locked down. We all saw serious illness on a scale that none of us had ever experienced. Some of us also suffered a personal tragedy. It brought home to each of us how precious and short life could be. As a result of this potentially traumatic life experience for all of us, lots of people reprioritised what was important in life. For most, this meant that the importance of work significantly dropped compared to the importance of family, free time, quality of life, and well-being. It was probably the greatest reality check many of us have ever experienced.

It was those changed perceptions that raised the benchmarks by which we measured what we wanted and expected from work, especially from our leaders.

What drives quiet quitting or resigning?People are no longer prepared to tolerate poor leadership, overwork and antisocial hours, unfair rules, not being treated with respect, having our private lives undervalued, and not being able to grow and develop as a person or see a positive future ahead. So the benchmark against which people measured their leaders and organisations was raised. Leaders who were tolerated before the pandemic were now seen in a new light and seen as unacceptable – so people left. Analytics firm Gallup reports that this is reflected in falls in employee engagement in many countries.

The reasons for which people left organisations are likely to be very similar to the reasons which trigger quiet quitting, so it’s worth looking at the headline reasons for departure as reported by management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

These include:

• Uncaring leaders: not feeling valued by the boss or the organisation
• No sense of belonging
• Lack of flexible working
• Lack of visible potential advancement
• Unmanageable workload
• Lack of engagement
• Poor work-life balance

However, how many of us are in a secure enough financial position to leave our jobs without one to go to? Not many. Not everyone can leave when they want, despite a rise in those prepared to do so even without a job to go to.

With a leader who doesn’t meet their standards, people who can’t leave will stay as ‘quiet quitters’ until they can. Just doing enough to get by. In particular Generation Z – that’s those born after 1995 – have a very different view of the priority between work and personal time, and what they expect from their leaders and organisations. They view the reasons listed in the infographic more negatively than other groups and expect a greater focus on well-being in the workplace.

It’s also worth noting that many employers don’t often recognise or admit the key drivers for resignations, they say it’s other things which they cannot control like employees leaving through sickness or being poached by competitors to absolve themselves of any responsibility for the departure.

Why is quiet quitting so dangerous?Quiet quitting is more dangerous precisely because you’re not resigning. It can have a greater negative impact on organisations than if people just left. If somebody leaves, they are gone and can be replaced by somebody prepared to give maximum effort – often coming in as an enthusiastic new employee. If they stay, their negative impact could linger for months if not years, and attitudes impact their colleagues.

Despite the damage they are potentially causing, identifying quiet quitters and trying to re-engage them can be extremely difficult for a leader. Those who quiet quit could be underperforming by 30% on their potential performance. Not only that but if their behaviour starts to have a negative impact on others in the team – they become disengaged and damaging. It’s reported by Gallup that you need to have four engaged employees to counter the negative impact of every one disengaged quiet quitter.

Daily examples of quiet quittingIt might be useful to give a few practical examples of what the difference is in terms of day-to-day behaviour between those who are engaged – giving their best – and those who are quiet quitting, by definition not engaged or even disengaged. Here we illustrate the significant negative impact which this can have.

How widespread is the problem of quiet quitting?The figures for the number of people leaving jobs have increased but there is an additional and worrying dynamic. Before the pandemic, most people wouldn’t leave a job unless they had a new one, but now the number who will has significantly increased. Potentially up to 60 to 70% of people are now prepared to leave without a job if they feel they need to, say McKinsey & Company. Global media company Forbes also reports that this is particularly affecting the Gen Z group, where 77% are already thinking of leaving, a precursor to quiet quitting and potentially departure.

This single change in perception vastly increases the ease and speed at which people can leave. No longer does there have to be a long and sustained period of dissatisfaction with your boss or research into potential new jobs. If you don’t care about having another job, your departure decision can be very swiftly implemented and it could be triggered by just one incident which has pushed you too far.

The data on how many people leave organisations versus those who are potentially quiet quitting is dramatic. Standard organisational turnover could be between 10 to 15%, but in annual surveys, the number of people who say they might consider leaving organisations if they could find a better job is around 40%, rising to 54% for Gen Z. So we can potentially make the judgement that for every person who leaves an organisation there may be 3 or 4 staff members considering it. So a significant number of people could be quiet quitting to some degree. Therefore organisations potentially have a quiet quitting iceberg – the danger hidden under the surface and almost impossible to assess.

How do you measure quiet quitting and the wider problem?While I say that getting evidence of individual quiet quitting is very difficult at a strategic level, an aggregate picture with reasonable accuracy can be obtained using employee engagement data. This data groups employees into three populations:

• The engaged – people who are giving their best.
• The not engaged – people doing enough to get by or sometimes giving their best depending on how they feel.
• The disengaged – people actively avoiding contributing to the organisation.

It’s unlikely that your engaged people will want to leave because, to be classified as engaged, they will have given feedback confirming they are having a positive experience, and their work is consistently good. Your quiet quitters are within the ‘not engaged’ or potentially even the ‘disengaged’ groups depending on how disaffected they are. The ‘disengaged’ are much easier to spot than the ‘not engaged’ because there are often weak elements within their performance. Whereas the ‘not engaged’ can be performing satisfactorily but just not giving their best – withholding their ‘discretionary effort’.

Quiet quitters are embedded in these ‘not engaged’ and ‘disengaged’ groups – and potentially in large numbers. Data from Gallup’s workplace engagement survey 2022 shows levels of employee engagement. This is the percentage of employees giving their best. In most European countries it’s under 25%, with the UK at a dismal 9%. In the USA and Canada, employee engagement levels are a more respectable 33%. The differential between the US and Canada, Europe in general, and the UK are significant – why this is happening is a bigger question for another article.

This means that in the UK, on average, 91% of employees are either ‘not engaged’ or ‘disengaged’ so not giving their best and therefore could be quiet quitters – this is horrifying! But even in the US and Canada, with a 33% engagement rate, it still means a potential quiet quitter population of up to 67%.

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In Parts 1 & 2 (below), we looked at why organizations should consider ensuring gratitude is a part of their normal business practices, and some of the immediate results when one company did just that. In today’s segment, we’re going to dive a little deeper into some of the feedback from people who experienced gratitude as an active, intentional practice.

Gratitude at Work – One Company’s Story

Connections and team culture. Study participants repeatedly emphasized the impact of gratitude on the quality of their connections with their supervisors, colleagues, clients, and their relationship with their employer. They also pointed to an increase in trust, alignment, and psychological safety in their working teams. These are all strong drivers for performance as well as reducing turnover. Recruiting top talent is positively impacted by healthy workplace culture, and people want to stay when they feel good about their experience as a team member.

Study participants who were in supervisory roles also indicated that gratitude as a formal leadership practice improved their sense of connection with their direct report and felt a positive impact on the overall culture of the team as a result of the shift in tone resulting in gratitude being a regular part of the workplace experience. One participant shared the impact for newer employees who were not part of the study, noting, “I would literally have the new consultants say, Is this normal? Is this normal to appreciate and recognize people?”, and further commented that it felt validating to be able to say that this was something the company actively endorsed.

Job satisfaction. The literature highlights job satisfaction as a key driver of employee engagement. In this study, all participants noted that gratitude had a positive impact on their job satisfaction, and several participants reiterated multiple times that experiencing gratitude from the people around them, including supervisors, coworkers, and clients, had an immediate impact on their job satisfaction. However, it is crucial that gratitude be experienced as an authentic expression and not a forced group activity. Inauthentic expressions of gratitude have the potential to damage the employee experience. If you decide to make gratitude a more regular player in your workplace culture, leadership will want to be very intentional in framing gratitude as a positive practice that must be founded on genuine appreciation for a specific activity or experience to realize the benefits.

Role confidence. Gratitude was highlighted as a contributing factor in role confidence for both experienced employees and those newer to their roles. Participants who were in supervisory roles at the time of this study noted that gratitude allowed them to connect with their direct reports in a positive way, improving those relationships and strengthening the team dynamics, improving their confidence not only in their own work but in the ability of their team to meet business objectives. Supervisors also noted that they had previously believed that gratitude was an important piece of their personal leadership style, and that their participation in this trial validated that belief.

From the individual contributors who participated in this study, several noted that the company culture was a key reason they had joined the company, and their experience as study participants reinforced for them that the company actually takes positive culture seriously, which helped them feel more secure in their role.

Further, participants highlighted the challenges inherent in often being on a smaller working group or the only consultant working on a project and felt that gratitude positively impacted their confidence in those situations. This was noted both in terms of current projects, as it provided positive informal feedback that they were meeting expectations. This also resulted in an increased sense of capability for the individual, which translated to greater confidence when looking forward to upcoming projects to which they already had some visibility as well as a more generalized sense of confidence. As one participant stated, “I feel like I’m walking into this new project with the confidence I didn’t have prior.”

Workplace stress and well-being. The strong response from study participants relating to the impact of their gratitude activities and its influence on their wellbeing and stress as not initially part of the study design, but this theme very prominently and quickly emerged from the data. Participants noted that they felt supported by the company by being allowed to pause periodically to engage in gratitude, and that it reinforced their decision to be part of the organization. They also reflected on how it gave them an opportunity to connect with others, both within and outside of the organization, and that the daily practice created a positive impact on the rest of their workday. Several also commented that they found the practice spilling into their relationships with friends and family members as well, helping bolster those connections.

While this study focused on the workplace, it would be remiss to suggest that stress can be compartmentalized into specific parts of one’s day. Several participants also mentioned that taking time to focus on gratitude for even a few minutes each day provided balance, and an opportunity to reframe their experience as being more positive than they might have been feeling previously. This has strong implications for considering how this practice might be embedded in other well-being initiatives sponsored by the organization or individual employee resource groups.

So how can organizations tap into intentional gratitude to improve outcomes for their teams? We’ll explore some recommendations in the next installment in this series on Gratitude as a lever for improving the employee experience and organizational outcomes.

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Most people do not regularly experience gratitude at work, either as recipients or as an active intentional practice of their own. And yet we know that just generally, when we feel appreciated, we feel and do better. What would happen if we purposefully made gratitude a regular part of the “ways of working”? This question had been nagging me since I first started down the path of focusing on employee experience, and now I had the great fortune to partner with an organization that had already dabbled in a gratitude challenge for their employees, and they were interested in seeing what impact a more robust trial might have.

ENJOY PART 1 BELOW ▼

Hey, Thanks! or, the Power of Gratitude in the Workplace

It was unknown how gratitude practices would influence job satisfaction or role confidence for the company I was working with. Their leadership was keenly interested in employee engagement and understanding the levers and mechanisms which drive this core metric. Further, with an eye to considering future opportunities for product offerings, the client organization wanted to gain an understanding of how gratitude might be positioned as part of a product offering in an employee wellness portfolio of services, specifically with an understanding of the return on energy investment for the individuals in an organization.

Current engagement scores have averaged in the 57-65% range over the last three years, with their 2020 survey reporting an average engagement of 70%. Although this represents some improvement, leadership was aiming for engagement scores in the 80-85% range. This desired engagement level was targeted in terms of both creating a culture that is attractive for prospective new talent—a key consideration in innovation companies—as well as retaining talent in an industry where success relies on technical competence, and turnover was a significant risk to both.

The desired outcome of this study was to gain insight into the potential for gratitude to favorably impact individual employee job satisfaction and role confidence and to identify any appreciable differences in that impact on engagement scores that might be observed when comparing the result of internal and external gratitude practices to allow further longitudinal research on the impact of gratitude on employee engagement when practiced over long periods of time or by a larger percentage of employees at all levels of the organization. In short, the organization wanted to learn if gratitude could create a competitive advantage, and this study was the first step in the process.

For my research-happy peeps, for this work, I opted for a qualitative case study design to explore how intentional gratitude practices could impact job satisfaction and how those practices could be improved to allow the partner organization to realize greater performance outcomes. There isn’t an easy way to quantify gratitude (or job satisfaction, actually…. I wish somebody would discover a cheek swab that was reliable for this stuff!) This study also aimed to fill a gap in existing research by extending knowledge on the impact of intentional gratitude practices in the workplace.

The conceptual framework for this study was built upon the theory that employee engagement is seen as an intersection of two forces: employee assessment of personal job satisfaction, and organizational artifacts which support well-being. Job satisfaction tends to increase when employees believe that the work they do has specific value or the results are seen as being worthwhile in some aspect, and when they have high-quality relationships with the people with whom they work. You may have recently seen an influx of articles about belongingness or the importance of relationships at work, which are based on the same foundational work.

Gratitude in personal practices has been shown to improve life satisfaction and to strengthen relationships. Would it have a similar impact at work?

That’s what we were hoping to learn, through the lens of two research questions:

RQ1: How do intentional gratitude practices influence job satisfaction?

RQ2: How can intentional gratitude practices be improved to increase job satisfaction?

The first question explored how intentional gratitude practices impacted job satisfaction for employees, and we identified several ways in which gratitude, both intrinsic and extrinsic, had a positive impact on not only job satisfaction but also employee confidence, well-being, and stress. Study participants in both groups noted that gratitude had a wide variety of positive impacts on their relationships with clients, supervisors, colleagues, and their perception of the organization.

Participants noted the increase in trust and team alignment, including with group members they knew were not part of this study. Several participants also commented that they noticed a “ripple effect” with gratitude, where one person would express gratitude for a specific action or experience, and the recipient would often reciprocate with an expression of gratitude themselves, creating a positive feedback loop that improved team morale and culture. This was also credited with having a mitigating effect on workplace stress, both in terms of work-related stress as well as more generalized stress based on current global and societal issues, such as working remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other political and economic issues.

Another prevalent theme was that having the anchor of a daily gratitude practice helped both focus attention on what was going well, but also over time they noted themes emerging, which reinforced existing positive perspectives or mitigated stressful situations such as complex project challenges or the complications caused by working in a remote environment.

The second question explored ways that intentional gratitude practices could be improved to allow for the organization to continue to realize these benefits or even increase the impact of these practices for employees and the organization as a whole. All participants noted, sometimes multiple times, that it was helpful to have organizational support for taking time to pause and experience gratitude intentionally, noting that it can be difficult to prioritize non-billable activities such as self-care or gratitude, and they appreciated the company’s overt support for this activity.

Another common theme was the belief that gratitude should be considered a core leadership value not only at the executive level but also cascading through the tiers of the organization. Two participants mentioned that they felt it could be a positive addition to leadership development for newer people leaders within the organization, with multiple references to how receiving gratitude from one’s supervisor had an immediate and lasting positive impact for the recipient both in terms of job satisfaction and confidence.

Additional findings were that participants in supervisory roles noted the belief that gratitude as an intentional workplace practice could have a positive impact on employee turnover rates, as well being a beneficial opportunity to connect with and reinforce the supervisor-direct report relationship. This included the supervisor’s own observations and experiences, as well as having the opportunity to share positive client feedback with team members. This reinforces individual contributor sentiments that positive client feedback was beneficial, especially for those working on very small teams with limited interaction with others.

Table 1

Key Findings for Research Questions

(Source, Ratekin, S.A, “Gratitude as an Organizational Performance Lever”, Proquest, 2021)Next time we’ll look at some feedback from the people who actively experienced gratitude in their workplace during this study. How about you? Have you expressed or received gratitude at work lately? How did that impact you? I’d love to hear about your experiences!

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If you have recently been promoted or plan to step up into a more senior leadership position in 2023, these are the three areas you can focus on first to set you up for success and avoid burnout.

1. Reassess your personal and professional boundaries.
2. Explore what gives and takes your energy.
3. Make self-care part of your daily routine.

Reassessing your boundaries is essential. Still, it is one of the main challenges our Executive Coaching clients face when they take on a new role, which is always different from what they experienced in their previous position. Ignoring this will only lead to further challenges in the future.

Gaining awareness about what gives you energy and what takes it away will pay off massively in the future as you become aware of how to recharge during your busy week and learn how to mitigate too many energy-zapping tasks or activities. And lastly, many leaders often overlook prioritising self-care, scheduling breaks, allowing for downtime, and headspace to think and be creative. Without self-care, you can only be an empty shell of a human being and not be the leader your teams deserve.

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Years ago, when I was working as a seminar leader, one person who wanted to work with me, as a team member, had a yellow pad filled with goals. Each page had his handwriting on it.

My first task was to tell him to shred the yellow pad. He could take three top goals to complete from the list, and work on those. I advised him that all his dreams could be reached with only these three goals and that most of what he wrote was just ‘stuff’.

Of course, he was in shock and denial as he had meticulously written his life on a yellow pad. He did follow my directions and returned the completely shredded yellow pad to me in a large envelope.

Over time, he completed his goals, discovered what he really wanted to accomplish in life, and proceeded to be a great success.

Writing a huge goal list is something many people do. People do not realize that each goal requires its own to-do task list that can consume you.

When you write your goals down, then write your to-do task list, you need to keep this as simple and easy as possible.

Each day look at your task list and choose three items of High Value that you will accomplish on that day. Include on your High-Value list time spent on you. If you need a massage, add this to your High-Value list. If you have a doctor’s visit, add this to your High-Value list. If you go to the gym, add this to your list. Yet the bottom line is you only have three items on that list, no more, no less.

The simpler you keep your life, the easier it will be to accomplish what you want.

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Everyone desires success in one form or another. Some just dream about it, while others go after it with everything they’ve got. An important title, a fancy house, an expensive car, a diversified portfolio? Many successful people have all of those things. But what is success… really?

Many people chase big career titles, lots of money, or elite social status — yet don’t feel successful when they get them. If you relate, don’t feel bad. I submit that it’s not entirely your fault. This monochrome version of success is something that’s been fed to us from childhood through films, magazines, and social media. Even our education system inculcates the idea that success is determined by degrees. If we buy into it, names like Ansel Adams, Steven Spielberg, Frank Lloyd Wright, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates would not qualify as “successful.”

Merriam-Webster defines success as “a favorable or desired outcome” and “the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence.” But this definition implies extrinsic values rather than intrinsic values. The emphasis is placed on how others see us rather than how we see ourselves.

Is it what we have that makes us successful or who we are?

Consider Bill Gates, one of the wealthiest people on the planet. Gates co-founded one of the world’s most valuable companies on the planet and as of May 2022 has a net worth of $105 billion. While many define his success by that fortune, perhaps consider what he’s done with that fortune as his true success. Created with his wife Melinda, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest private philanthropic foundation in the world. Since its founding in 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has distributed over $60 billion to causes tied to eradicating diseases and reducing poverty and inequity around the world.

Regardless of how you feel about the political backdrop, it’s hard to deny the impact they have had as “catalysts of human promise.”

“We seek to unlock the possibility inside every individual. We see equal value in all lives. And we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals around the world. From the education of students in Chicago, to the health of a young mother in Nigeria, we are catalysts of human promise everywhere.”

If we believe the manifestation of success is what the world sees in us – what looks good on a résumé or having the best that money can buy – the joy we experience will be short-lived because there will always be something bigger and better out there.

Success isn’t out there. Instead of defining success as something you get, think of it as getting to do something you love, rewarding work that makes a positive impact on others, work that leaves the world a little better than you found it.

Defining success is slippery because success looks and feels different for each of us. It’s not a destination but rather an ever-evolving journey. Perhaps on that journey, our definition changes and grows with us. If you are lucky enough to measure success in the legacy you leave behind, the way people will remember you and your imprint on the world, then you will discover your personal evolution of purpose.

“What is success? To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch Or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!”

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Many C-suites and business commentators seem to believe that the Great Resignation is a short-term, post-Covid blip which will fizzle out as the global recession hits consumers. However, this superficial analysis ignores the underlying drivers behind the Great Resignation, as well as sweeping changes globally in people’s attitudes towards what they want from their jobs and work-life balance together with the developing demographics of the global workforce.

We’re at an inflection point when it comes to how organisations move forward. The Great Resignation offers a window into why companies are failing as well as opportunities for those who learn its lessons to change, develop and improve performance. Those that deal in denial will almost certainly waste these opportunities.

Organisations were put to the test by COVID, given its speed and depth of impact. Chronic pre-existing problems related to leadership, culture, empowerment, agility, and effective decision-making were highlighted and exacerbated. These were long-standing issues which should have been properly addressed but never were It also highlighted new possibilities to improve performance and wellbeing.

Hybrid working, for example, had never been fully utilised despite it having been a very real possibility for many organisations for years.

Only by acknowledging the truth that our experiences shape our views, which subsequently influence our behaviour in response to various circumstances can we hope to understand and learn from what we have been through.

Keeping this in mind helps us make sense of what we are seeing now and what we need to do next.

The COVID LessonsEveryone’s experience of COVID varied widely, depending at least in part on their proximity to the risk of infection. Based on this, McKinsey divided the working population into four distinct groups:

• 20% – continued to work – low risk roles, e.g. outdoor & construction
• 30% – furloughed / unemployed – e.g. hospitality and retail
• 30% – remote work – e.g., office-based staff
• 20% – essential workers – high risk but continued to work, e.g., healthcare and transport

How different groups experienced COVIDImpact varied across different groups too.The most affected were women, minority groups, younger adults and lower-paid workers. Those industries that essentially closed down during the pandemic had higher proportions of employees in these groups.

In terms of organisations there was a significant difference between different individual organisations and sectors. Some failed, some thrived. Few leaders are aware of the vast differences in events and outcomes. That’s because business leaders only know what happened where they were and do not have clear insights into what happened elsewhere.

The reality was that organisations which survived well if not thrived had a positive culture, trust, empowerment, and where leadership adapted more successfully. Their teams were able to work together more effectively and were more agile in reacting to the rapidly changing circumstances created by the pandemic.

COVID required executives to create the right environment for their organisation’s continued success set against unprecedented demands. They needed to step up their game, but many did not. Speaking to many of these executives post-COVID about their experiences, I was struck by one consistent theme: “COVID showed us who the leaders really were in our organisation.”

Remote WorkingThere is often an assumption that almost everybody has ended up working remotely. But, in practice, remote working is not consistently applicable.

Overall, only 30% of workers were able to do so. Only 5% of those earning under £20k pa were able to remote compared to 95% of those earning £50k pa. Furthermore, 55% of jobs in London were “remotable”, whereas in northeast England, the figure was only 35%.

Is working from home here to stay?The experiences from pandemic-induced remote working teaches us valuable lessons about how to make hybrid working effective in the future. What were they? Simply that, if set up and implemented correctly, remote working works well. It delivers improvements in work performance over office-based work, especially in individual activities that require creativity or focused work. It also enhanced wellbeing even during the pandemic, which itself negatively impacted wellbeing globally. Within this, the overall experience of remote working gives us an excellent roadmap to make hybrid working highly successful, if we learn the lessons. One of those lessons is that, in cases where remote working was not set up effectively, the cause could be traced to insufficient support from leadership. Here’s how this impacted the results:

• 30% found difficulty adjusting to the remote environment.
• 30% felt lonely and disconnected from their organisation.
• 15% felt their mental health suffered.

These are leadership problems rather than technology issues.

Key issues in remote working

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The broad and basic definition of a mentor is “one who is an experienced and trusted advisor”. The more formal definition of mentorship is “the guidance provided by a mentor, especially an experienced person in a company, or educational institute”. Throughout history, there have been various other names for a mentor. In law enforcement, a mentor is called a Rabbi. This would be an experienced officer who guides a young rookie through the ins and outs of being part of a law enforcement agency. In the religious community, a mentor is often referred to as a Confessor. This could be a clergy member or simply someone who is a member of the congregation.

Mentoring can be a powerful interaction between an experienced mentor and a lesser experienced, sometimes younger mentee. The relationship is typically guidance-based and can take place in a variety of formats, such as professional life, school environments, and marriage.

Regardless of the title, everyone at some point in their life, needs someone to assist them in professional, spiritual, marital matters, parenting, etc. At its core, mentoring is helping! Mentoring can be a powerful experience for the mentor and the person receiving the mentoring.

The history of mentoring appears to have originated as far back as Greek mythology. A man named Mentor became a trusted confidant and overseer to Odysseus and his son Telemachus. This was at the time of the Greek war against Troy. Through his dealings with these two famous Greek leaders, the term “mentor” was coined. From this time in Greek mythology, up to the last one hundred years or so, there was little reference to mentoring. Logic would tell us that these types of interactions must have taken place in many communities around the world. The important concept of apprenticeship certainly had strong elements of mentorship in its DNA. Over the course of US history, there have been many who have participated in mentor-mentee arrangements. Some notable examples are listed below:

• Henry David Thoreau, American essayist, poet, and philosopher, was mentored by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was a powerful American essayist and poet who led the Transcendentalist Movement in the mid-19th Emerson was a major influencer in the same disciplines as Thoreau and shaped his education and philosophy.
• Helen Keller, American author, and disability advocate, was mentored by Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Keller to overcome her blindness and become one of the most powerful figures in American history.
• General Colin Powell, Four Star General and former Secretary of State, had what many young people have experienced. That is, having a family member as a mentor. Powell credited his father for instilling in him the virtues of hard work, loyalty, integrity and being a leader, as the central focus of his life.

These three examples are of very public and famous American figures. The fact is, anyone who has some experience and expertise can be a mentor. In addition to having experience and expertise, the main requirement for mentorship is a willingness to help others. Being interested in others, giving back, and “paying it forward,” should be the core values of mentorship.

How do you become a mentor? The options for becoming a mentor are endless! Listed below is a small sampling to get everyone started on their exciting mentorship journey:

1. Your Place of Employment. This can be pursued through a formal channel, such as the Human Resources Dept, or informally as the opportunity arises and someone looks ready for direction.
2. Boys and Girls Clubs of America,www.bgca.org
3. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America,www.bbbs.org
4. Local Churches
5. Just Serve,www.justserve.org

It is never too late to become a mentor. Start your journey now to help others and yourself in the process.

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It’s no secret that the economy has been in a rut lately. More and more people are finding themselves out of work, and those who still have jobs are seeing their hours and wages reduced. If you’re one of the millions of people who are struggling to make ends meet, don’t despair! There is hope. You can find relief by working a second job. This blog post will discuss some tips for finding a second job that will help you get through these difficult times.

1) Consider freelance and remote work:With the rise of online technology, finding freelance or remote work opportunities is easier than ever. There are many websites that allow you to search for these kinds of jobs from the comfort of your own home. You can also find job postings on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn as well.

2) Take advantage of your skills and talents:If you have specialized knowledge or skills, consider using them to make extra money. For instance, if you’re a web designer or graphic artist, offer up your services on a freelancing platform such as Fiverr or Upwork. Alternatively, if you have teaching experience, consider tutoring someone online via Skype or Zoom sessions.

3) Selling agent for photographers:Do you have an eye for photography and a knack for marketing? If so, consider becoming a selling agent; this can be to sell feet pics, wildlife photography, etc. This job involves helping photographers get their work out into the world by submitting their photos to magazines and websites. You can also help them to join stock photo sites and promote their services to potential clients. Finally, consider offering your own images for sale.

4) Become an online content creator:Do you have a way with words and an eye for design? Consider becoming a freelance writer or blogger or creating digital products such as eBooks, courses, or printables. You can also offer copywriting, web design, or podcast editing services.

5) Take on odd jobs in your community:If you’re looking for something that’s more hands-on and tangible, consider taking on odd jobs in your community. These could include pet/house sitting, landscaping work, painting houses or fences, delivery driving for food services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, and grocery shopping for elderly folks who can’t get out and about, or any number of other services that people might need.

6) Virtual assisting:Virtual assistants are in high demand these days as more businesses move online. As a virtual assistant, you can help with administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, organizing calendars, filing paperwork, creating presentations, and much more. There are plenty of freelance opportunities available in this field as well.

7) Become a ride-share driver:With ride-share apps like Uber and Lyft becoming increasingly popular, there is plenty of opportunity to make money as a driver. You can work your own hours and get paid for each ride you provide. Plus, if you have an extra car, SUV, or van, you can make even more money by offering rides to people with large groups or items.

In conclusion, these are some of the ways you can find extra income during difficult economic times. Remember to keep your eyes open for new opportunities and use your creativity to come up with ideas that match your skills and abilities.

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Going into a job interview can be nerve-wracking, no matter how much experience you have or how qualified you are for the position. It’s natural to feel anxious and self-conscious, but being confident in yourself can make all the difference. In this post, we’ll provide thirteen tips to help you feel more confident and prepared for your next job interview.

1. Know your stuffOne of the best ways to boost your confidence is to be knowledgeable about the company and the position you’re applying for. Research the company’s mission, values, and products/services. Familiarize yourself with the job requirements and think about how your skills and experiences align with them. This will not only help you answer questions more confidently, but it will also show the interviewer that you’re genuinely interested in the opportunity.

2. Practice, practice, practiceThe more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel going into the interview. Consider role-playing with a friend or family member, or use online resources to practice answering common interview questions. This will not only help you feel more comfortable with the format of the interview, but it will also allow you to refine and improve your responses.

3. Dress for successIt’s important to make a good first impression, and the way you dress is a big part of that. Choose an outfit that is professional and appropriate for the industry and position you’re applying for. Make sure your clothes are clean, pressed, and in good repair. Avoid wearing anything too flashy or revealing, and leave any facial piercings or unusual hairstyles for another time.

4. Ensure you look your bestIn addition to dressing well, it’s important to take care of your appearance in other ways. This includes grooming habits such as brushing, shaving and using deodorant. It’s also a good idea to get a haircut or style your hair in a neat and professional way.

For those with seemingly unmanageable or difficult hair, consider changing the method you use to care for it. Using new techniques, such as the reverse hair washing method, can help you do things such as add volume and minimize an oily look. To do this, simply wash your hair with conditioner before shampooing. This helps create a smoother, more polished look for certain hair types.

1. Get a good night’s sleepIt’s important to be well-rested for your interview, as this will help you feel alert and focused. Try to get a good night’s sleep the night before the interview, and avoid staying up late or consuming too much caffeine.

2. Eat a healthy breakfastEating a nutritious breakfast can help to improve your mood and cognitive function. Choose foods that are high in protein and complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal with nuts and berries or a spinach and tomato omelet. Avoid sugary cereals or pastries, as they may give you a quick burst of energy but ultimately lead to a crash.

3. Take care of your physical and mental well-beingIn addition to getting a good night’s sleep and eating a healthy breakfast, it’s important to take care of your overall physical and mental well-being leading up to the interview. This includes engaging in regular exercise, which can help to reduce stress and improve your mood. It’s also a good idea to take breaks and practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation, to help you stay calm and focused.

4. Arrive earlyPlan to arrive at the interview location at least 15-30 minutes early. This will give you time to gather your thoughts and review any notes you may have. It will also show the interviewer that you’re responsible and punctual.

5. Bring copies of your resume and any other relevant documentsIt’s always a good idea to bring several copies of your resume, as well as any other documents the interviewer may need, such as references or writing samples. This not only shows that you’re organized and prepared, but it also gives the interviewer an easy way to follow along and take notes during the interview.

6. Use positive body languageNonverbal cues can speak louder than words, so it’s important to be aware of your body language during the interview. Make eye contact, sit up straight, and avoid fidgeting or crossing your arms. Using open, relaxed body language can help you come across as confident and approachable.

7. Be yourselfWhile it’s important to be professional, it’s also important to be authentic and genuine. Don’t try to be someone you’re not or pretend to have skills or experiences that you don’t have. It’s better to be honest and genuine, even if it means admitting that you don’t have a certain skill or experience. This shows the interviewer that you’re comfortable in your own skin and willing to learn and grow.

8. Make a good first impressionYour first impression is crucial in an interview, and it’s important to make it a positive one. This includes being courteous to the receptionist or anyone else you may encounter before the actual interview, as well as shaking hands firmly and making eye contact with the interviewer. It’s also a good idea to smile and exude positive energy, as this can help to put the interviewer at ease and make a good impression.

9. Follow up after the interviewAfter the interview, it’s important to follow up with the interviewer to thank them for their time and to reiterate your interest in the position. You can do this through a handwritten note or an email.

This not only shows that you’re professional and courteous, but it also gives you an opportunity to highlight any additional information or qualifications that you may not have had a chance to mention during the interview. Following up after the interview can also help keep you on the interviewer’s mind and increase your chances of being considered for the position.

ConclusionFeeling confident going into a job interview can be a challenge, but with some preparation and self-care, it’s definitely possible. By taking the time to prepare and invest in your physical and mental well-being, you’ll be able to approach the interview with a sense of calm and poise.

Remember that the interview is a chance for you to showcase your skills and experiences and to learn more about the company and the position. With the right mindset and preparation, you can feel confident and succeed in your next job interview. Good luck!

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Working takes up half our lives, so it’s important to enjoy what we do as well as earn a comfortable income, but too often, heavy workloads start to put a strain on mental and physical health. Make sure you strike an effective work-life balance and get any compensation owed.

Prioritize TasksSometimes people feel overwhelmed in their working lives because they have too much on their plate and not enough time to complete everything. There are many productivity models to work with; some of them involve creating time in the day, while others involve better energy levels.

By prioritizing tasks for the day, you can guarantee that you get the important tasks completed reducing your stress and improving your work performance. Planning is essential. If you want to strike the best work-life balance, make sure you have your day planned so you can work easily.

Work ProductivelyOn the topic of work productivity, you can improve your work-life balance and your income with smart decisions about where you work, as well as how and when. For instance, you might work at home because of an accident you suffered in the workplace; in that case, seek compensation.

Known as workers comp, money is available for people that have been injured in the workplace, and it was not their fault. This could be due to a loose cable on the office floor, a slippery floor that caused you to fall, or something else. Either way, it’s best to follow up on the comp claims.

Set Home BoundariesIn recent years, more people have switched to home working situations – mainly due to the Covid pandemic – but also because of a significant change in the way business is organized nowadays. Working from home is desirable, but it can be difficult to find a work-life balance.

If you work from home most days, you need to make sure you set appropriate boundaries in your household and in your mind. Make sure your family knows where you are working and when to stay away from you; also, create some healthy habits and routines to stay professional.

Find a PassionIf you want to strike the best work-life balance, then find your passion and start a business. Passion projects often make the best businesses because you are personally invested in the livelihood, and this translates into everything you do. If you don’t have a passion, find one.

Everyone has some core abilities, skills, and interests that can be put to use in the world. If you have spent most of your life in an office environment or you have raised a family, it could be time to rediscover your spark and create a business that feels more like a free time activity of sorts.

Final ThoughtsStriking a work-life balance is important for your health and wellbeing; it’s also important for your lifestyle and household. It’s best to look first at how much you are willing to work before deciding on your working hours and commitments. Remember, enjoying what you do is half the battle.

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Did you ever have an experience like this? You set out on some new activity energized by the exciting expectations of the good things that will result? You may have begun a vacation, visited a relative, hired a new employee, taken on a new project, or launched a new product. Your mind naturally thinks about the result and creates expectations: The vacation is going to be glorious; the visit will be fun and fulfilling, the new employee will immediately contribute, etc.

And then, alas, the expectations weren’t fulfilled, the actual results weren’t up to your expectations, and you end up discouraged.

And because you are discouraged, you question your value. “Do you really have the talent to make something like this happen,” you wonder. You cast a shadow over your relationship with God. “Does He even know I’m here. How could He let this happen?” Your energy and creativity wither and you spend some time sitting on the sidelines of the next opportunity.

Discouragement must be one of Satan’s primary tools. By generating discouragement in the hearts of Christians he effectively places them on the bench in the great contest between Satan and God. It’s like soccer – bench a couple of your best players and the team is less likely to win.

When we distance ourselves a bit from the process and look at the big picture, it’s clear that the problem wasn’t the results we experienced, but rather the difference between those results and our expectations. Since the gap between reality and our expectations was so great, we filled it with self-doubt and discouragement.

It is easy to view every initiative through the lens of high expectations. The world is full of advice to create high expectations.

Every team wants to become the champion. Every entrepreneur dreams of making millions. The idea that we should create lofty expectations goals as a precursor to significant achievement is ubiquitous. It is so deeply embedded in our culture that to question it is to make you feel like a heretic. Create high expectations and then work to achieve them. — that’s the way progress is made and success is realized. It has become part of the common wisdom, so universally acknowledged that only the ignorant would ever doubt it.

Maybe the solution then is to be a bit more thoughtful about our expectations. Don’t do away with them, just lower them a bit. Then we’ve reduced the likelihood of the ultimate discouragement coming from not meeting high expectations. Lowering our expectations looks like a simple solution.

But is it? What if there were another solution?

The problem with lowering our expectations is that those expectations come from the same source – ourselves. In defining our expectations, we reach into our heads and hearts and generate a vision of what could be. The source is us.

But what if we tapped into another source? Instead of us deciding what we’d like to have happen, we deferred to God?

What if, instead of thinking, “I want to begin this new thing and achieve these results” we begin with “Lord, show me what to do and I will trust you with the results.”

In other words, we began a new effort, not because we wanted the end results, but because we were being obedient to God. What if we didn’t even think about expectations, instead we left the results up to Him. That would require a whole new paradigm and a major step on the ladder of spiritual development.

And that brings us to a new term: Expectancy instead of expectations. The thesaurus lists ”hope,” “belief,” and “anticipation” as synonyms. The idea is this: Because the source of the idea is God, we anticipate a greater good to come from the effort than anything we could have expected. We believe God is in control, we hope for a great outcome and we eagerly await the revelation of the results.

He did say, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

If we stopped ‘leaning on our own understanding” and instead incorporated “trust in the Lord” into our routines, we wouldn’t create high expectations, nor any expectations at all. Our actions may be just the same, but the core motivation would be different. Instead of thinking we are in charge, steering our vessels down the paths we chose to the outcomes that attract us, we would now be motivated by doing God’s bidding in the worlds we occupy. This transformation of heart and motivations would mark a significant step on our spiritual journeys.

We’d cut discouragement off at its base. We’d eliminate discouragement from germinating in our hearts, and we’d be 100% able-bodied and equipped for every challenge, ready to be thrust into the starting lineup of every contest.

All because we substituted expectancy for high expectations.

Note: Article inspiration came from my good friend, Deb Brown Maher, author of Sell Like Jesus: 7 Characteristics of Christ for Ethical Sales.

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So, you want to be a teacher? That’s great! Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers out there. But before you make the decision to become a teacher, there are a few things you need to consider. In this blog post, we will discuss 30 things that every potential teacher should think about before making the jump into this career field.

EducationFirst and foremost, you should consider how far you need to go with your education in order to be a qualified teacher. Depending on the state you live in and the grade level you wish to teach, this may require an undergraduate degree plus additional certifications or even a master’s degree.

PatienceTeaching is not an easy job; it requires a great deal of patience. You will have to work with students who are having difficulty learning material or getting along with other students. You must have the ability to remain patient during these difficult times, while also working hard to help your students succeed.

CreativityAs a teacher, you will need to come up with creative ways of teaching material that will engage your students and keep them interested. You must be able to think outside the box in order to develop lesson plans that will capture your students’ attention and help them retain the material they are learning.

FlexibilityYou will find yourself dealing with all kinds of unexpected situations as a teacher, so you need to have an ability to be flexible and adaptable when needed. You may have to rethink or adjust your lesson plans on a moment’s notice if something comes up and needs to be addressed immediately.

Passion for TeachingYou should also ask yourself if you truly have a passion for teaching. Teaching is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about inspiring students and helping them realize their potential. If you don’t have a genuine love for teaching, your students will be able to tell and won’t be as receptive to learning.

DisciplineIt is important to remember that when you become a teacher, the students are not just there to learn material; they are also there to develop their social skills, respect authority and understand discipline. As such, you must be able to enforce rules in the classroom and maintain order so that everyone can get the most out of the educational experience.

Time CommitmentWhen it comes to being a teacher, you need to consider how much time and energy it will require from you. Teaching involves more than just lesson plans; it also requires grading tests, attending meetings, and dealing with parents. You need to make sure that you have the time to commit to this career before taking it on.

Extra-Curricular ActivitiesAnother thing to consider when thinking about becoming a teacher is whether or not you would be interested in participating in extra-curricular activities such as coaching sports teams, advising student clubs, or organizing field trips for students. These activities can help make teaching an even more meaningful experience for both you and your students.

Professional DevelopmentContinuing education is an important part of any job – especially teaching! As a teacher, it is important to keep on top of current trends in education by attending conferences and workshops, reading professional publications, or even taking additional courses.

Working with ColleaguesWhen it comes to being a teacher, you will need to be able to work well with your colleagues. This includes both the other teachers in the school and the administrative staff. Working together as a team is key for creating an effective learning environment that benefits all students.

Managing Classroom MaterialsIt can be difficult to keep track of all the materials needed for teaching a classroom full of students. From textbooks, to handouts, to art supplies – there are a lot of items that need to be managed on a daily basis. You have to make sure that you have sound organizational skills if you plan on becoming a teacher!

Student/Parent CommunicationIt’s not enough just to teach a group of students – you also need to maintain relationships with their parents, too. This means being able to effectively communicate what is going on in the classroom while still keeping confidential information secure. It’s an important skill for any teacher to master!

Understanding Your StudentsOne of the biggest challenges of teaching is understanding who each student is as an individual. It is important to be aware of what each student struggles with, so that you can provide the best possible support. This requires patience, empathy and a willingness to listen.

Differentiating InstructionNo two students learn in exactly the same way; as a teacher, it is your job to differentiate instruction based on the needs of each student. You must be able to identify the different ways in which each student learns and then adjust your lesson plans accordingly.

Understanding Different CulturesIn today’s world, it is likely that you will have students from many different cultural backgrounds in your classroom. As such, it is important for you to understand not just their beliefs but also their values and customs. This will help ensure that everyone in the classroom is respected and accepted.

Creating a Safe EnvironmentCreating a safe learning environment for your students should always be at the top of your priorities list. This means being aware of any potential safety risks, promoting respect among all students and staff, and setting expectations for appropriate behavior in the classroom.

Working with Special Education StudentsEducating special education students requires an entirely different set of skills than regular education classrooms. You need to know how to modify assignments, provide additional support, and understand legal requirements related to special needs students – all while still creating an inclusive atmosphere where everyone can learn.

Handling Stressful SituationsTeaching can often be a stressful job – there are challenging students, difficult parents, and tight deadlines to meet. It is important that you learn how to take care of yourself during these trying times, as well as understand when it is necessary to seek out help from colleagues or school administrators.

403b vs 457b Retirement PlansIt is important for any teacher to understand the difference between a 403b vs 457b retirement plan. The two plans have different benefits, so understanding which one will be most useful for your specific situation is key. A qualified financial adviser can help you figure out which plan best fits your needs.

Self-CareOne of the most important things to consider when becoming a teacher is taking care of yourself. Teachers often feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities, so it’s important that you make time for yourself and practice self-care. Whether it’s reading a book, going for a walk, or simply taking five minutes to sit in silence – make sure you take moments for yourself each day!

Collaborating with ColleaguesOne of the most important aspects of teaching is collaborating with your colleagues. It’s often hard to get all teachers on the same page when it comes to curriculum, lesson plans, and other school policies – but having a strong support system from co-workers can make all the difference.

Keeping Up With TechnologyTeachers must always be aware of the latest trends in technology in order to effectively use digital tools in their classroom. From using iPads for presentations to creating interactive whiteboard lessons, staying up-to-date with the latest programs and applications can help make learning fun for both students and teachers alike!

Understanding School Policies & ProceduresAs a teacher, it is important that you understand all of the school’s policies and procedures. This includes anything from attendance policies to dress code regulations, and it is your job to make sure all students are following these rules.

Staying Organized & PreparedTeaching requires a lot of planning ahead – whether it’s studying for upcoming tests or preparing lesson plans. It’s essential that you stay organized in order to stay on top of things and make sure everything runs smoothly in your classroom.

Working With AdministrationTeachers need to work with administration in order to ensure that their classroom is running smoothly. This includes having regular meetings, staying informed of any changes or updates, and understanding the school’s budget and curriculum needs.

Pursuing Professional DevelopmentTeachers should always strive to improve their skills through professional development opportunities such as workshops, conferences, and online courses. Not only is this important for personal growth but also for career advancement – many schools require teachers to pursue certain credits in order to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in education.

Adjusting Your Teaching StyleNo two classrooms are alike – so being able to adjust your teaching style based on the needs of your students is essential. From adjusting the pace of lessons to understanding different learning styles, adapting your teaching style can go a long way in helping your students succeed.

Heart set on becoming a teacher? Now you know that there are many facets to consider when making this decision – from understanding different cultures to staying up-to-date with technology, teaching requires a wide variety of knowledge and skills. With dedication, hard work, and lots of preparation, your heart’s desire can become a reality!

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Work has always meant fatigue. And there is no doubt that work is tiring, it requires sacrifice, effort, and pain: physical, mental, and sensory fatigue.

There is an element that has made work rise from the simple description of a physical or psychological effort to a higher dimension, linked to the goal that is pursued: it is dignity, individual fulfillment, and satisfaction of needs.

We can understand, in any case, that associating the verb “to love” with the verb “to work” may seem like a possibility reserved only for the lucky few, the privileged, perhaps deluded.

Yet, the concept of love plays a fundamental role in the life of each of us, and affects all spheres of our life, including work. You can cultivate love for a person, for a value, for an idea, for an activity, for a goal, and so on.

Love for work, in particular, gives us strength and self-esteem, and for this reason, we hope that everyone will be able to love their job, or find a job to love because, regardless of the type of work we do, our skills, our age, etc., when we can bring together the verb to work with the verb to love, our whole life benefits from it in terms of energy, creativity, reliability, quality, and ability to face the inevitable difficulties that every job entails.

Unfortunately, some studies and surveys seem to attest that the percentage of people who believe they love their job is low in all countries, with an average of around 12% of the total employed. All the others are divided between those who hate the job they do and those who experience a neutral feeling of indifference.

And instead, when you do a job you love, the probability of being able to work well producing “well-being” for yourself and for others is also higher, or at least you get this result by paying lower personal costs than those who must do more effort to try himself to work well even if he hates or tolerates his job.

One can love your job whatever you do. We must not fall into the trap of thinking that only those who do prestigious, noble, well-paid, perhaps artistic, or otherwise notorious jobs can love their work. Establishing a loving relationship with one’s work depends more on the person’s aptitude, will, passion, interest and, I would say, conscientiousness than on external factors. Therefore every job can be the object of love: from the simplest or humblest ones, to the most complex and coveted ones; and every person can be capable of loving their job, regardless of age, skills, qualification, role, etc.

People who love their work can be seen with the naked eye, we realize it by how they move, by what they say, by the gestures they make, by the decisions they make, by the way, they deal with difficulties. And, even if they are rare as mentioned above, we all know very well how to distinguish a person who loves his job from one who tolerates or hates it: the former, in fact, will show more attention, more interest, more kindness, more professionalism and it will most likely give us a feeling of sincerity, energy, and passion.

People who love their work are more resilient, more self-confident, generous, creative, sociable, energetic, innovative, and oriented towards continuous improvement.

Loving your job certainly gives you an edge and helps you to better face all the challenges and difficulties that every type of work inevitably poses. Because the love for one’s work gives more strength and courage, nourishes self-esteem, and makes us want to improve ourselves and take care of ourselves and of others.

Those who love their work essentially recognize that the work they are doing has a strong sense, a profound meaning: that is, they have managed to grasp that their work makes a useful contribution to something greater and more important, for themselves and for others, and this thought makes them proud and satisfied with what they are doing.

There is a little story that sums this up well: A traveler met three stonecutters and asked all three what they were doing. The first replied, with a certain hatred “I’m breaking stones”, the second replied, with a certain serenity “I break stones to support my family”, the third replied, with great pride, “I am building a cathedral”.

Moral: A person who thinks that work is a way of expressing one’s identity and worth, and not just an effort or a duty or a sentence, is more likely to be able to love one’s job.

In fact, a basic ingredient for being able to love one’s job is just the idea that work, whatever it is, can give us the opportunity to express our uniqueness, our values, our desire to contribute positively to the life of the society we live.

There are so many different ways to be able to do the job one loves. It takes patience and tenacity and it also takes an attitude of curiosity and sincere openness. You need to know yourself, understand your strengths and weaknesses, the humility to understand that we also need others to complete us. It takes the willingness to get involved, to experiment, to make concrete gestures, to make mistakes and to admit one’s mistakes. It takes constant commitment and the deep conviction that we really need and want to put together the verb to work with the verb to love. And, what’s very important, one can learn to love the job you do even if it’s not the one you dream of. One of the most outstanding skills of happy people, or those who have a more serene approach to life, is to be able to appreciate what they have. To succeed in many cases they adopt one or more of these tricks: they manage to keep the positive aspects distinct from the negative ones, and show sincere gratitude for the positive ones; they cultivate alliances with positive people; they try, even gradually, to modify some negative aspect or to strengthen some positive aspect; they try not to be prejudiced against the work they do, or the context in which they do it, and not to take anything personally; they don’t put themselves in a victim position.

Many people find themselves doing a job they didn’t choose (because they had no other choice) or this job can be a long way from their dream job (assuming one has a clear idea about what own dream job is). But even in this case, deciding to be passive or active, interested or unmotivated, victim or perpetrator is, however, up to us. Just as we choose, in our lives, to feel affection and to take care of people or things that we have not chosen and that are far from our ideals. Moreover, very often, true love is born and proves itself precisely when we are capable of loving the imperfect and the unexpected. Why not apply all of this to work as well?

Of course, loving your job doesn’t mean it’s always all rosy.

No love is linear, there are ups and downs, there are crises and rebirths, there are illusions and disappointments, and there are perfect moments and moments to erase. Usually, however, what love gives us is precisely the strength to overcome the most difficult moments, not to avoid them. As with any other type of love, there are loves that are more serene, others more turbulent, others even more contradictory, and so on. Of course, the important thing is not to make comparisons between one’s own story and those of others. Everyone has the opportunity to find their own personal way of loving their work.

Loving your work means taking care of it every day without taking anything for granted, nurturing it constantly, giving yourself time to think about what you can do new, different, and better, always setting new goals, and new opportunities, and always being present and attentive without leaving our work in the hands of autopilot, routine, “it’s always done like this”.

People who love their work are more likely to do well, to be appreciated and recognized by others, and become indispensable.

The art of working is also the art of learning to love your job or finding a job to love!

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The phrase, “Skidding into Heaven”, is loosely based on author Hunter S. Thompson’s quote;

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming Wow! What a ride!

I will take the “Skidding into Heaven” phrase and attempt to expand it to a much broader reach.

Over the past 10 years, I have become intrigued with the concept of “later-in-life activities”. As a result, I am a huge proponent of never entering into the vast wasteland of retirement. I have come to understand this is not a popular belief, especially in the United States. I do believe that when my time comes, I want to go “Skidding into Heaven” knees scrapped and bloody, with my entire body black and blue. With that, I know I will have lived a good life.

Historically people (primarily males), planned their entire adult life for the day when they would retire. The day they would receive the gold watch, a pat on the back, a piece of unforgettable sheet cake, and then pack up their box of memorabilia and head off into the sunset! Now, there are many famous and not-so-famous folks who hit the normal retirement age of 65 and keep going. Those are the people who are huge proponents of “lifelong-learning”, “later-in-life activities” and creating a “second act” for themselves and their families.

I also mentioned my interest in “later-in-life” activities. The list of “later-in-life” activities is endless. Historically, this list included travelling, playing golf, and spending time with the grandkids. All of these activities are great, and I prescribe to all of them! Along with these activities are the ones that allow us to pursue endeavors we never thought possible. We are all living longer and many with continued good health. Continued good health, due to advanced medical breakthroughs, and also healthy regimes of diet and exercise, lead up to this advanced age.

At no time in history have there been the vast number of resources available at everyone’s fingertips. The internet and limitless amounts of print and visual materials are available. Add in podcasts and blogs that give folks the opportunity to research what their “later-in-life activities” will entail.

For many, “later-in-life activities” have been a continuation of their ongoing legacy endeavors. Warren Buffet, at the grand old age of 92, with a net worth of 101 billion dollars is still actively overseeing his company, Berkshire Hathaway. Famed actor turned director, Clint Eastwood is still “churning out” movies, also at age 92. These are two famous “later-in-life” proponents. But what about people who operate more “under the radar?” Those people who are not in the daily news and may even live in our neighborhood? Annie Korzen, a former actress and professional storyteller, re-launched her “second act” as a Tik Tok sensation, with 223,000 current followers. Vivian Johnson, at the age of 85, formed a non-profit called Seniors for Racial Equality, in Irvine, California. Maurine “Mo” Kornfeld still swims actively at the Pasadena, California, Rose Bowl Aquatics center. “Mo” is getting close to turning 101 years old this month. These are a small number of active seniors who have approached their “second act”, with a healthy desire to accomplish more and not give in to society’s notion of what one’s “senior years” should look like.

What do you want to do in your “second act” that will help you Skid into Heaven? What do you want to do that will have you arrive in heaven, knees scraped and bloody, fully spent, no regrets, memories aplenty?

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Marketing analyzes market trends and sales patterns to identify potential customers interested in a company’s products or services. Obtaining a Masters in Marketing in the United States will aid international students in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the industry and its facets. Please read this blog to learn more about pursuing a master’s degree in marketing in the United States, top universities, eligibility requirements, career opportunities, etc.

Why Studying MS in Marketing in the United States?The United States has established itself as an active learning strategy over many decades, as shown by the many Nobel laureates and discoveries created by its research institutions. There are several reasons to obtain an M.S. in marketing in the United States.

• Better Job Opportunities

According to research from the BLS, the marketing industry will grow by 8% by 2028. This increase will result in improved employment options for marketing newcomers. After completing a master’s degree in marketing in the United States, you will have several chances.

• Distributing Practical Information

Higher education institutions in the United States use a method of practical instruction for students. Universities in the United States provide distance and on-campus ms in marketing programs, enabling students to finish their education at their own pace.

• Secure Environment for International Students

The United States has been a haven and home for immigrants and international students for years. The United States has always welcomed overseas students and made them feel comfortable on campus.

• Better Salaries

Students who complete one of the best marketing master’s programs in the United States obtain higher-paying employment. The average marketing manager’s salary in the United States is approximately $50,000 annually.

• Scholarships

The average annual scholarship awarded to students pursuing a master’s degree in marketing in the United States is approximately $10,000 (INR 78,873,50). Most of these awards cover tuition and other student fees.

Masters in Marketing Admission Requirements and Eligibility Criteria in the United States:Students must successfully meet the masters in marketing prerequisites for admission to marketing programs. The following marketing ms are eligible for use in the USA:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Tests of English Language Proficiency
• GRE or GMAT Exam Results
• Work Knowledge
• USA Student Visa
• Additional Requirements

Let us explain in detail:

• Bachelor’s Degree

To apply for a Master of Science in Marketing, students should have earned a bachelor’s degree with a grade point average between 50 and 60 percent in English and mathematics.

• Tests of English Language Proficiency

The English proficiency examination is compulsory for all overseas applicants to the M.S. in Marketing program. The IELTS criterion for M.S. in marketing USA admission, as well as other pertinent exam scores, are as follows:

• TOEFL- 100
• IELTS- 7.0

• GRE Or GMAT Examination Score

Numerous colleges in the United States need GRE or GMAT scores for admission to marketing master’s courses. However, some institutions only need GMAT scores but rather GRE and other entrance examinations. The average GRE score is 310, while the GMAT score range is 500-550. There are U.S. institutions providing master’s degrees in marketing without the GMAT.

• Work Knowledge

Not all U.S. institutions providing master’s degrees in marketing need job experience. However, two years of job experience is sufficient.

• USA Student Visa

International students wishing to apply for a student visa in the United States must first get an admission letter from the institution they want to attend. In addition, before applying for an F-1 student visa, ensure that it is valid for the program in which you are enrolled.

Admission Procedure for Masters in Marketing in the United StatesTo get accepted to a university in the United States, international students who desire to pursue master’s degree programs in marketing must adhere to the admissions procedure. You should take the following sequential steps:

• Search for the master’s programs in marketing provided by the leading colleges in the United States and visit their official website for more information.
• Once colleges have been chosen to apply for such a marketing program, they must fill out the application and pay the application cost.
• Review all required admissions paperwork and submit them online by the specified deadline.
• If your application is approved, you will get an email from the applicable master’s in marketing programs colleges.
• Prepare for the university’s interview rounds
• If chosen, you will get a letter of acceptance from the applicant institution, which you must submit within the allotted time frame.
• Following final confirmation, submit the program’s tuition charge and apply for an American student visa.

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Everyone has dreams, but not everyone works to turn them into reality – into goals reached. Believe it or not, as a coach, clients share virtually the same issues about why they can’t reach their goals – over and over. You may have a few of these thoughts, too. If so, consider the reasons you tell yourself, before falling asleep at night, why these goals aren’t possible to reach. These reasons are beliefs you have, but that doesn’t make them valid reasons for ignoring goals and pursuing success.

Here are the top 5 reasons clients tell me they can’t or don’t start or reach their goals.

1. Unsurprisingly ‘Not Having Enough Time’ Sits at the Top of the List.

We all know accomplishing goals takes time. And that said, the bigger the goal the longer reaching it/them takes. The main issue, here, is failing to determine the actual time required to complete each task in order to reach your goal. In my experience, people tend to greatly underestimate the time it will take to complete a task. It’s easy to become frustrated if you believe a task or scenario will takethree months, but unfortunately, three months just doesn’t cut it and little is accomplished.

Everyone is busy these days – has the same twenty-four hours in the day. Yet some accomplish far more than most. For a week or maybe two, keep a time ladder of how you spent your time. This includes sleeping, preparing and eating meals, social media, getting ready for work, cleaning your house, and bringing work home from the office, for example. Take a good look at how you expend your time and soon you may discover you actually have more time than you realize and more than enough time to time to reach a new goal.

1. I Don’t Have the Right Talent.

This is a statement I hear more than you might think. Yet, every year, thousands head off to college, hundreds of thousands develop new skills and thousands apply for new positions.

In my experience, this statement boils down to a lack of confidence; suggesting it may be time to leave your comfort zone in order to move forward. Here are 5 solid ways to build confidence to help you develop and progress:

• Emulate confident peers.
• Absolutely set goals.
• Focus on your strengths.
• Learn from your mistakes.
• Teach yourself positive reinforcement.
• After I Accomplish XXX I’ll do it.

When I decided to do more business marketing I was told, absolutely, I needed a website. It’s expensive and I did not have the money – at the time – to hire a developer. Plus knew nothing about site development or, more importantly, web coding and knew no one I could hire – so continued to put it off.

Eventually, I found most good sites required ‘code’ – which is literally a ‘bunch’ of letters and numbers strung together, in a specific way and which instruct the site what must be done to run properly. Yet to the average person it’s unreadable. Instead, the customer sees only beautiful photos, (once they reach the site); perfectly aligned paragraphs, and boxes to click to purchase. After procrastinating for a year, I found a variety of free online and college classes, plus books and training sites to help me learn to write web ‘code’. In time, I taught myself to write three types of ‘code’. It certainly wasn’t easy – I worked and had a husband and family. But I reached my goal of setting up my first site, then several others. With experience, I became faster and more skilled and it became easier as I developed each. While becoming a coder was not something I aspired to, it was
a means to reach my site goals.

Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in installments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day’s success.

― Israelmore Ayivor

Almost all skills development, job prep, and training – for example – can be done on a part-time basis, after work hours or dinner, on a lunch break, for example. However, it does require determination to reach whatever goal it is you have in mind.

4. I’m Not Good Enough.

I’m always somewhat shocked when a client – especially one with a long list of accomplishments and awards – makes this statement to me. I immediately ask ‘what ruler are you using to measure the how and whys of the ways in which this phrase describes you’? You are always good enough to go after your own dreams and goals. On the other hand, if this is an internal dialogue that has developed and planted itself in your mind, continuing to repeat itself like a broken record, you must remove it and replace it with positive words of encouragement and those which regularly provide assistance and inspiration as well as act as a boost to your confidence.

If this belief is coming from external sources, then consider those sources and whether their intent is to hold you back. Opting, instead, to disassociate yourself from, to associate and socialize with those who offer help and encouragement.

5. ‘X’ Person Has it Easier.

The phrase “The grass is greener” proverb, from Erasmus of Rotterdam, seems to relate here. However, the grass is usually greener wherever you water it.

This is part of what is considered ‘Self-Limiting Beliefs. You come to me asking for help interviewing for a specific job – yet during conversation mention two or three others who have it easier; surely they will end up being hired. One works regularly as a freelancer in this department; a second applicant knows the VP hiring. Making it easier, you believe, for either to end up hired for the position although you are highly qualified.

From experience, I know neither of these two scenarios can secure this position for you. While they can help, you have no idea if the actual experience each has will be enough to seal the deal and get them hired.

Finally:Take time to examine your reasoning before deciding, unequivocally, someone else has it easier; you aren’t good enough; don’t have the right talent required, nor have the time to set and reach new goals. While I may not know you and you may not be a friend or connection – I can tell you from experience you have most or all of the experience required – however, if you are reading this you are determined to accomplish more.

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Many sources of career advice assume that you will be earning more money and taking on more responsibility. However, there are times in life when you move in the opposite direction. It can be the result of forces beyond your control or a voluntary decision. The economy is still recovering from the pandemic, and some industries were disrupted more than others. Even if you love your job and your company is prospering, you may be looking for a change.

Whatever the reasons for resizing your career, you are more likely to find what you want if you take an intentional approach. It will benefit you to master the modern rules for moving down the career ladder gracefully.

Benefits of Taking a Lower-Level Position:

1. Reduce stress. More than 40% of workers say their job is extremely or very stressful, according to a poll by Northwestern National Life. A less demanding job might enhance your health and overall well-being.
2. Prepare for retirement. Are you thinking about working in your senior years to stretch your savings or stay engaged? Easing into your encore career may give you more time to figure out what you want to do next.
3. Change fields. In the modern workforce, many employees change jobs and even careers more often. Being willing to take a more entry-level position can increase your options. You will also have a chance to learn new things and pick up additional skills.
4. Pursue other interests. Maybe you are less focused on your job than you used to be. You would rather shift your time and energy to spending time with your family or working on personal projects.

Strategies for Finding a Lower-Level Position:

1. Watch your budget. Before you take a leap to a lower-paying job, it is important to ensure that you can live on your new salary. Reducing your housing expenses often has the most impact. Dining in and cancelling your cable subscription may help too.
2. Identify your strengths. Spend some time evaluating your transferable skills. Taking inventory will guide you to the kind of work where you excel.
3. Explain yourself. You may need to reassure potential employers about why you are applying. They may be concerned that you won’t stay long or you will feel dissatisfied. Use cover letters and interviews to show why you are taking a different path.
4. Edit your resume. You may need to de-emphasize some of your achievements if you want to avoid giving the impression that you are overqualified. Use simple language and focus on the relevant aspects of your background.
5. Ask your boss. Your current supervisor may be an asset. Before you leave your company, see if you can negotiate some adjustments. Maybe you can work remotely or switch to part-time hours. Maybe you can do some contract assignments on a temporary or longer-term basis.
6. Use your network. Your other contacts may be valuable too. They may have leads themselves, or they may be able to introduce you to others who need your services.
7. Try it out. To make a transition with less risk, take a trial run. Hold onto your day job while you do some part-time work or volunteering that will broaden your experience and contacts.
8. Take action. Any big change can feel overwhelming. Break your plans down into smaller steps. You might commit yourself to filling out at least 3 job applications a week or going to one job fair each month.

Downshifting your career could open up new opportunities and create more balance in your life. Be prepared to explore your alternatives and market yourself to new employers. You may find that your new arrangement is more satisfying than anything you left behind.

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Many times in life we do everything within our power to achieve our goal, whether that be a new job, to bring pride to others or ourselves, and to finally get over that hurdle our mental health has been lately. It’s easy to forget how far you’ve come when you see how far you still have left to go, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate your accomplishments now.

In this episode, Sarah Elkins and her good friend Megan Miller discuss the importance of allowing yourself to change and to celebrate every victory, no matter how small, because those victories are proof of your success.

HighlightsSharing vulnerable personal information without any intention doesn’t help you. Sometimes you don’t notice how much things change until you step back or get an outside perspective. Celebrate the wins. You get out what you put in.

Quotes

It’s soul, it’s about how you do it and why you do it. The advice we give a lot of the time is advice we need to hear at that point in time.

About Megan: Megan Miller is the CEO of Aprovechar Language Solutions, LLC, a company that acts as a bridge between English and Spanish language learners. Her personalized and small group programs take a habit-based approach, and whether it’s in class or a Book Club – you know you’ll have fun! She also helps IT companies in Latin America and Europe tell their stories for a U.S.-based audience through translation and localization projects. Megan has a Bachelor’s in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture and is certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language. Check out her Instagram and LinkedIn! As well as her website, Approvechar Language Solutions!

Mentioned in this Podcast TEDx on Imposter Syndrome by Melissa Hughes

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"What have you learned lately…or what would you like to learn? What would move you forward- inspire you- lift your spirits or your income??  What could you learn to help your clients better or faster?" ...

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"She helps people find their own, and others around them, paths that tie value to humanity, and she understands that "leaders are not doers, they're the developers of doers." ...

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"When we’re anticipating something, we can almost see it and feel it. It comes to life in our minds." ...

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"There are ways we can foster and nurture hope during uncertain times." ...

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"Just like your muscles get strong with use, your creativity gets stronger when exercised. How do you increase your creativity?" ...

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"Do you suffer from a suspicion you might be a fraud and sooner or later everyone you know or work with will discover it?" ...

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We can probably all agree that there is a severe lack of law enforcement personnel during times of crisis, and if you’re thinking about a career in this field, you may be wondering what exactly it is you could do to help. Obviously, this will be determined by the level of responsibility you are capable […]

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"Is your identity tied to your job?" ...

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"The reality is that when the chips are down most people will do what they deem to be in their own best interest with what may be good for the team being in a not-so-close second place." ...

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"Purpose is essential to living and leading with fulfillment. But how do you find your purpose?" ...

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"Over decades of experience as a nonprofit board member and consultant, I have encountered directors who have abandoned their convictions and have taken the easy road." ...

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"How often do you say to yourself “I don’t have time?”...

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"Be intentional, consistency is key, only start a business you feel completely aligned to so it doesn’t feel like work, but more like love." ...

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"Each of us has skills that go unnoticed by many. But that doesn’t diminish the skills. They’re there, just waiting for the right moment to come out." ...

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"We seem to keep applying the same old traditional approaches hoping that they will work and make a difference. " ...

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"How many people do you know who still talk about their work with passion, and engagement, they feel valued and valuable in what they do and it reflects on how they feel about themselves and others?" ...

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"Psychologically unsafe workplaces that are not friendly to mental health contribute to the gap between the need for support and help-seeking behavior." ...

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"Do you agree that it’s in the face of tests and difficulties that human virtues like Fortitude, Endurance, and Bravery truly show up best …and inspire us to become the best version of ourselves?" ...

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"It is not enough to have talent, you have to train it, every day. Excellence cannot be improvised, even if the stroke of the wing, when you are already well prepared, can decide the fate of a career or a life." ...

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"What would it feel like to work with some who invites you to reclaim your presence whether you have a case to win, a story to tell, a keynote to shape, or a vision to sell?: ...

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"There is no comfort in the growth zone, and no growth in the comfort zone." ...

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"Mental wellness, feeling safe, being healthy, and having an inclusive and innovative workplace, integrity, honesty, and values that were lip service in the past have now become very important measurements in our commitment to a company." ...

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"Inspired people create change. Because inspiration is the spark of motivation. It's the breath of the muses awakening your dreams. It's also the engine that drives you to achieve your goals." ...

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"Might the fact that so many current thought leaders are making such a big deal over something that’s been recognized within leadership circles for many decades already amplify another issue?" ...

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“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves..” ...

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"This shift happened as a result of many factors; what matters now is millions of people are questioning these work norms and demanding better conditions." ...

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"Employees have begun considering their workplaces – workplace culture, how they want (prefer) to spend their time and – beyond that – what is most important to them." ...

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"While “quiet quitting” appears to be this month’s clickbait, it’s not a new idea. Nor is it some outgrowth of the pandemic." ...

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"What feelings will you have if your wife becomes your boss? Jealousy, envy, or pride that she accomplished what you did not?" ...

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"Most people hold an idealistic view of entrepreneurship that will enable you to work how you desire. Sadly, it’s a naïve perspective, and the realization quickly hits... "

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"It sounds so simple to introduce humane treatment —if we get these basic ingredients in place, we create the recipe for success.  Yet simple doesn’t mean commonplace." ...

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"Ah, learning. When was the last time you intentionally set out to learn something new?" ...

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"When you are feeling like your life is too small, or you keep getting stuck, you are not broken, you’re just human." ...

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Occupational health nursing is an entire specialty within the nursing field dedicated to the safety and health of employees in a workplace. Occupational health nurses (OHN) specialize in health and safety in industrial, corporate, academic, and governmental settings. They are responsible for delivering health and safety programs to be implemented by the organization or company […]

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"It is commonly said that to do your best in a work environment, you need to have the right character." ...

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"To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions.' ...

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"From the time we are born until we die, our life circumstances depend on making good distinctions between trustworthy and untrustworthy situations. But characterizing contrasting perceptions of fairness as conflicts destroys trust." ...

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"What makes astronauts and athletes so successful— and how you can unlock that same power?" ...

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"How many employees have followed you when you left for a new job because “you’re such a great boss to work for”?' ...