Tell Your Employees It’s OK to Look for Other Jobs (Yes, Really)

November 13, 2018

Tell Your Employees It’s OK to Look for Other Jobs (Yes, Really)

Encouraging your star performers to consider outside job offers might seem like a bad idea. But doing so sends them a clear signal that you care about their learning and development. Tell the people you manage that you want them to consider all options for their careers. This will help them to talk openly with you about their career plans, which in turn will give you the time and opportunity to find a way to keep them when they’re considering a job offer. Maybe you can give them a new project, add to their responsibilities, or negotiate a raise. And if you think an employee has grown as much as they can in your company, support their efforts to get a job somewhere else. Your transparency will make them more likely to recommend your company as a great place to work, and maybe even to return in the future.

Adapted from "Why I Encourage My Best Employees to Consider Outside Job Offers," by Ryan Bonnici

Getting Better at Handling Disappointments

October 30, 2018
Getting Better at Handling Disappointments
Disappointments are inevitable and unpleasant —­ a missed promotion, a failed project, a poor investment — but you can always learn something from them. To constructively deal with your next setback, think through what happened. Distinguish situations that were predictable and preventable from those that were unavoidable and beyond your control. Ruminating over something that didn’t go your way — and that you couldn’t control — will only frustrate you further. For situations that you could have handled differently, consider them in positive terms: What can you do differently next time? What lessons can you learn from the mistakes you made? And remind yourself of what’s going well in your life, so you don’t let the disappointment take an outsize role in your brain. It might sound like a cliché, but keep the setback in perspective — and try to let it go. You may be tempted to play the situation over and over in your head, but staying preoccupied with it will only create unnecessary stress.

Adapted from "Dealing with Disappointment," by Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries

Boost your Emo with these 3 questions

October 29, 2018
Improve Your Emotional Intelligence with a Specific, Feedback-Based Plan

It’s not always obvious how to improve your emotional intelligence skills, especially because we often don’t know how others perceive us.
 To figure out where you can improve, start with a reality check:
 (1) What are the major differences between how you see yourself and how others see you? You can get this kind of feedback from a 360-degree assessment, a coach, or a skilled manager. 

(2) Next, consider your goals. 
Do you want to eventually take on a leadership position? Be a better team member? Consider how your ambitions match up with the skills that others think you need to improve. 

(3) Then identify specific actions that you’ll take to improve those skills. Working on becoming a better listener? You might decide that when you’re talking with someone, you won’t reply until you’ve taken the time to pause and check that you understand what they said. Whatever skill you decide to improve, use every opportunity to practice it, no matter how small.

Adapted from "Boost Your Emotional Intelligence with These 3 Questions," by Daniel Goleman and Michele Nevarez

When Starting a Side Hustle, Focus on the Right Things

November 1, 2018
When Starting a Side Hustle, Focus on the Right Things
A side gig can be a great source of extra income, but when you’re launching one it’s easy to focus on the wrong things. For example, you shouldn’t be fretting over how much to pay for a fancy logo or website, or whether to incorporate as an LLC or an S corporation. In the early stages, those things aren’t critical. What is critical is determining whether you even have a business — meaning, do customers want to buy what you want to sell? Run a small, inexpensive test to see if there’s preliminary interest: If you’d like to write a book about a particular topic, write a blog post and see what the response is. If you’d like to start a coaching practice, take on a pro bono client and see how it goes. Most successful businesses do eventually need a nice website and a proper legal structure, but those complex and expensive steps can wait until after you’ve proven your idea.

Adapted from "How to Get Your Side Hustle Off the Ground," by Dorie Clark

Is It OK to Tell a Lie If Your Intentions Are Good?

November 2, 2018
Is It OK to Tell a Lie If Your Intentions Are Good?
People often lie in an attempt to be kind. (“You look great in that outfit!”) When is it OK to tell an innocuous fib, and when is the truth a better bet? Before you tell a white lie, ask yourself if you’re sure it will lead to a better result in the long run. Sometimes the answer will be obvious; in other cases it may not be so clear. Consider whether the other person prefers comfort or candor, as well as whether they want different things in different situations. If you don’t know, ask. With colleagues, for example, you could ask what type of feedback they generally appreciate, and when they want to hear tough but constructive criticism. But in most circumstances, as the saying goes, honesty is the best policy. If you’re not sure what to do, ask a group of people for advice — and if they don’t unanimously agree that a lie is OK, tell the truth.

The More You Work from Home, the More You Need to Build Relationships with Colleagues

October 26, 2018
The More You Work from Home, the More You Need to Build Relationships with Colleagues
Working from home can be a coveted perk (No commute! No interruptions!), but it can also cut you off from coworkers and your friends at the office. How can you combat loneliness when you work remotely? First, make sure you see your colleagues’ faces from time to time. Instead of phone calls, use videoconferencing so that you can see the other person. This helps you read their body language, creating a more natural conversation. Second, don’t skip the small talk. When you work from home, you may try to avoid “wasting time” by keeping the conversation on work topics. But small talk is the cement that creates rapport. So before a meeting starts, ask your colleagues about recent vacations, their kids’ sports matches, or upcoming wedding plans. These small details can build deeper relationships that are both personally gratifying and professionally beneficial.

Adapted from "How to Avoid Loneliness When You Work Entirely from Home," by Dorie Clark

If a Career Change Would Reduce Your Salary, Try Living on That Salary First

When it comes to a major career change, pay is often a sticking point. Can you afford to switch jobs if you’d be making less money? Eliminate some of the uncertainty by testing out your new salary. Figure out what you expect to earn, and live on that for two to four months. This will give you a realistic picture of daily life in your new career. If you’d be making significantly less money, think hard about what you could cut back on — meals out, expensive groceries, or TV subscriptions, for example. At the end of your test, revisit your budget to see how you did. And, of course, check in with your spouse, partner, or other family members to discuss the financial implications of your career change. Setting expectations for what you will, and won’t, be able to afford will leave less room for surprises.

Adapted from HBR Guide to Changing Your Career

How to Support Your Spouse If Work Is Stressing Them Out

October 22, 2018
How to Support Your Spouse If Work Is Stressing Them Out

Even if you find it easy to leave your worries at the office, your spouse or partner may not. How can you help them cope with work stress?
 For starters, really listen. When your partner gets home and begins telling you about an office frustration, don’t “half listen” while you do the dishes or make dinner. Stop, pay attention, and empathize.

 Sometimes they may just want to vent; other times they may want your advice. If you’re unsure what they need from you, ask. You can offer advice — but be gentle about it. 
Say something like, “I have a suggestion for that problem. Can I share it?” 

And if you get the sense that your partner is misreading a situation at the office, ask nonthreatening questions to learn more: “What makes you think that’s the case?”
 Whatever you do, never compare your spouse’s stressful day with your own. Stress endurance is not a competition.

Adapted from "How to Help Your Spouse Cope with Work Stress," by Rebecca Knight