How to Succeed at Work Without Kissing Up

How to Succeed at Work Without Kissing Up How to Succeed at Work Without Kissing Up That promotion you were hoping for just went to the guy in the depspeciesment next to yours. He is nowhere near as qualified as you are, and youre pretty surehis I.Q. places him just below the plant you have sitting on your shelf on the office intelligence scale.How could this have happened?No, wait you know exactly how it happened.Marvin is the best suck-up on the fourth floor. Hes made pandering to the boss an art form. There are rumors hes contemplating teaching Kiss Up 101 at the local community college.You push the pile of reports you should be doing late into the night into your brief case. They can wait. Youre dealing with a larger question Why stay here if youre not willing to play the game required to move ahead?If youre feeling, or have in the past felt, these emotions, youre not alone. Office and company politics didnt just start. They have been going on for years, and probably have been around since well before the Industrial Revolution. As long as workplace politics remain relevant, the sycophants, toadies, and suck-ups will have a home.A little context might help you formulate a plan on what to do and how to do itSuck-ups can only thrive when there are leaderswho act as hosts. Like the suckerfish that attaches to a shark and remains connected for the rest of its life, so too do the human equivalents depend on a carrier for passage.Enlightened leaders spot suck-ups from a mile away. They know the tendencies, and they know the behaviors.Those who thrive in their careers recognize that attaching their lifeline to a single source is a long-term recipe for disaster. The management team changes, the company restructures, and the parasite dwindles away and dies.Okay,that makes some sense but the real question is, How do I succeed without becoming a suckerfish myself?Below are six things you can do to greatly increase your chances of career success. No suck-up can beat them.1. Build a Proven Record of PerformanceSuccess begets success. All the media and backroom maneuvering in the worldcant overcome results.2. Build Quality Relationships With the Real Influencers in Your CompanyNo, not the superficial and self-serving kind of relationships, but the meaningful, collaborative kind. Successful employees understand the power of positive networking. Expand on these relationships every day.3. Stay Above the Political Fray as Best You CanThis doesnt mean you become the career equivalent of Switzerland. An apolitical punkt is in and of itself a political position. Rather, this simply means that emotions and pettiness can reign supreme on the job site. Professionalism often doesnt.4. Find a MentorOne who is respected, knowledgeable, and can offer perspective on how your business works. Their value is greater than gold.5. Treat Everyone You Meet With Dignity and RespectEveryone. If you want to spot a classic suck-up, watch how they act around the supervis or versus the guy who vacuums the hallway. The very best work under a simple code Every person I meet I treat as an equal, not a superior or inferior.6. Accept the Imperfection of the World Around YouThe worldwill never be completely fair. It will never be a meritocracy. Lose that idealistic view. Move on with your life. Focus on what you can control, rather than on the eccentricities of others.Is it possible to succeed without becoming a suck-up at work? Of course it is. Building a truly significant career demands a lot more than learning how to grovel it demands learning how to lead. Great companies know that.Can you change Marvin from the fourth floor? No but then again, without the Marvins of the world, truly transformative employees would never be noticed or admired.Tim Cole is the founder and CEO of The Compass Alliance. His book, The Compass Solution A Guide to Winning Your Career, is an Amazon best-seller.

4 Ways Youre Lying to Yourself About Being Productive

4 Ways Youre Lying to Yourself About Being Productive4 Ways Youre Lying to Yourself About Being ProductiveIts easy to spot when people are lying to themselves- like when a co-worker confidently departures a huge project at 430, but has a 5 PM deadline. Whos he kidding? you might chuckle. But when youre telling lies to yourself- well, thats another story.When it comes to productivity, you may think you have it mastered. You check tasks off your to-do list, multitask like the best of them, and stay insanely busy from morning until night. But it turns out, your so-called productivity may actually be a jumble of popular myths that make you think youre getting mora done than you actually are.Think youre using your time wisely? Check out these four lies you might be telling yourself about being productive- and how you can free yourself from that false reality.Lie 1 My Days Full of Activity, So I Must Be Super ProductiveThese days, theres no shortage of digital time-fillers that can make yo u feel productive. You can easily spend all day emailing, tweeting, searching, instant messaging, texting, and whatever else it takes to stay in the online loop. But while your fingers are busy typing and your eyes busy reading, all youre really doing is getting hits of information- over and over again- instead of working toward a goal.Or, you might pack your schedule to the brim- coffee meetings in the morning and networking events after work- which forces you to spend all night responding to all the emails in your overflowing inbox. Sure, that makes you feel (and look) busy, but are you really getting anything significant done?Solution The Done ListTo make aya youre actually accomplishing substantial tasks each day, keep a done list- that is, a list of tasks youve completed instead of things you have left to do. When you stop to recognize each days accomplishments, youll be able to reflect more constructively Did you spend your time wisely? Did you make any significant progression today? If instapapered some super-useful articles is the only item that made it onto your done list, you may need to reevaluate how youre spending your time.Lie 2 Please, Im a Multitasking MasterMultitasking can trick you into feeling like youre a productivity superhero. After all, if you have the skills to simultaneously compile a budget, listen to a podcast, and catch up on your email, you must be running circles around your single-tasking co-workers, right?Actually, multitasking can make you perform worse in whatever youre doing. Studies show that when you try to focus on too many things at the same time, youre less likely to be able to filter out irrelevant facts, switch between tasks effectively, and remember important information.Solution Practice Single FocusTry focusing on one task at a time. Why should you work against what you believe are your natural multitasking talents? Hear me out It might feel less productive- or even be less enjoyable- to work on one thing at a time , but extreme focus will bring out your best.To help you get out of your task-juggling habits, work in ones Keep one simple to-do list. Complete at least one significant task toward the beginning of your day. If youre really up for a challenge, try working in only one browser tab When you single-task, youll boost your brainpower- and since youre not spending partial attention on multiple tasks, youll get the task at hand done faster.Lie 3 Schedule, Schmedule I Go With the Flow Some people relish planning. I, on the other hand, tend to go with the flow and work from a mental to-do list, starting with whatever seems most appealing at the moment. Usually, this isnt a problem, and Im able to get my work done, but Ive noticed that I get stressed from trying to hold everything in my head.You may think that having a flexibile and open schedule can be conducive to creativity (and it can be, to a certain extent), but that doesnt mean all forms of scheduling should go out the window. A little structure can help you clarify your goals and think more clearly- so you wont waste time trying to figure out if you overlooked anything from your mental to-do list.Solution Get Into Rhythms Rather than TimetablesDont worry- if youre a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type, you dont need to start scheduling out your day by the minute. But what you can do is create a more reliable rhythm for yourself. Instead of scheduling your day down to the very last detail and task, try working with broader goals in mind.With this strategy, I still recommend to-do lists- but not necessarily filled with specific tasks. Instead, list categories of what youre working on. For example, replace itemized tasks like write one blog post or contact Beth, with higher-level goals, like complete one task that supports growing my network or do two things that will broaden my expertise as an analyst.This will allow you to work productively toward your goals without locking yourself into turn-by-turn directions. T hen, set aside a dedicated block of time for you to work on each category, so you can minimize distractions and focus on actually producing.Lie 4 No Worries Ill Do it TomorrowThe power of procrastination is, well, pretty powerful. Without much thought, the top task on your to-do list can get pushed to tomorrow, and then to the next day, and then to the next. And in your mind, you truly believe youll get to it eventually- but eventually keeps getting pushed further and further away.Solution Find an Accountability AllyThe root of procrastination is often a lack of accountability- if no one knows whats on your to-do list, no one knows that youre not actually making any progress on it. To stay on track, partner up with a co-worker or group of peers- people who are committed to helping each other do what they say theyre going to do- and plan to check in with each other at least once a week. Whenever you meet (whether virtually or in person), review your progress, share your upcoming goal s, and provide feedback and encouragement. Youll be a lot more likely to finish your blog post if you have a friend who checks up on you I havent seen an update on your blog today- when are you going to post it?If you cant find an accountability partner, technology can help you become your own coach. Check out apps like iDoneThis, Lift, and Email Game, which keep you updated on your progress toward specific goals- which can help keep you on track and motivated to stay productive.Admitting our productivity lies can be tough. In fact, you may even go through a mini-cycle of grief when you first hear them denial (I dont procrastinate), indignation (I get plenty done), bargaining (Ill start tomorrow), and a bit of blues- all before finally accepting them and taking the next steps. But, those steps arent as hard as you think With these solutions and a hearty dose of honesty, youll be on your way to unmatched productivity in no time.Tell us What productivity lies do you tell yourself- and how do you overcome them?Photo of man writing courtesy of Unsplash.

How to be resilient 8 steps to success when life gets hard

How to be resilient 8 steps to success when life gets hardHow to be resilient 8 steps to success when life gets hardStick with itBe resilientNever give upI seea lot of stuff about resilience, persistence and grit. What I dont see is a lot of legitimate info on how to actually increase those qualities.How can we be mora resilient? How can we shrug off huge challenges in life, persist and - in the end - succeed?SoI looked atthe fruchtwein difficultscenarios for insight. (Who needs resilience in easy situations, right?)When life and death is on the line, what do the winners do that the losers dont?Turns out survivingthe fruchtwein dangerous situations has some good lessonswe canuse tolearn how to beresilient in everyday life.Whether its dealing with unemployment, a difficult job, orpersonal tragedies, here are insights that can help.1) Perceive And believeThe companyalready had two rounds of layoffs this year but I never thought they would letmego.Yeah, the argument welches getting a little heated but I didnt think he was going tohitme.The first thing to do when facing difficulty is to make koranvers you recognize it as soon as possible.Sounds obvious but weve allbeen in denial at one point or another. What do people who survive life-threatening situations have in common?They move through those stages of grief from denial to acceptancefasterViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyThey immediately begin to recognize, acknowledge, and even accept the reality of their situation They move through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance very rapidly.Whats that thing doctors say when theyre able to successfully treat a medical problem?Good thing we caught it early.When you stay oblivious or live in denial, things get worse - often in a hurry. When you know youre in trouble you can act.Nobody is saying paranoia is good but research shows a littleworrying is correlated with living a longer life.(For mora on how a little negativity can make you happie r, clickhere.)Okay, like they say in AA, you admitted you have a problem. Whats the next thing the most resilient people do?2)Manage your emotionsSometimes when scuba diversdrownthey still have air in their oxygen tanks. Seriously.How is this possible? Something goes wrong, they panic, and instinctivelypull the regulator out of their mouth.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyM. Ephimia Morphew, a psychologist and founder of the Society for Human wertmiger zuwachs in Extreme Environments, told me of a series of accidents shed been studying in which scuba divers were found dead with air in their tanks and perfectly functional regulators. Only they had pulled the regulators out of their mouths and drowned. It took a long time for researchers to figure out what was going on. It appears that certain people suffer an intense feeling of suffocation when their mouths are covered. That led to an overpowering impulse to uncover the mouth and nose. The victims had followed an emotiona l response that was in general a good one for the organism, to get air. But it was the wrong response under the special, non-natural, circumstances of scuba diving.When youre having trouble breathing whats mora naturalthan to clear an obstruction from your mouth?Now just a brief second of clearthinkingtells you this is averybad idea whilediving - but when you panic, youcantthink clearly.Rashdecision makingrarely delivers optimal results in everyday life either.Resilient people acknowledge difficultsituations, keep calm and evaluate things rationally so they can make a plan and act.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyAl Siebert, in his bookThe Survivor Personality, writes that The best survivors spend almost no time, especially in emergencies, getting upset about what has been lost, or feeling distressed about things going badly. For this reason they dont usually take themselves too seriously and are therefore hard to threaten.(For methods Navy SEALS, astronauts and the sam urai useto keep calm under pressure, clickhere.)So you know youre in trouble but youre keeping your cool. Might there be a simple way to sidestep all ansicht problems? Yeah.3) Be a quitterMany of you might be a little confused right nowA secret to resilience is quitting? That doesnt make any sense.What do we see when we look at people who survive life and death situations? Many of them were smart enough to bail early.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyIts a matter of looking at yourself and assessing your own abilities and where you are mentally, and then realizing that its better to turn back and get a chance to do it again than to go for it and not come back at all. We are a society of high achievers, but in the wilderness, such motivation can be deadlyThe best way to take a punch from a UFC fighter and to survive a hurricane are the saatkorn Dont be there when it hits.You quit baseball when you were 10 and quit playing the pianoafter just 2 lessons.Nobody sticks witheve rything. You cant.When the company starts laying people off, theres always one guy smart enough to immediately jump ship and preemptively geta new job.And some people are smart enough to realize, I am never going to be a great Tango dancer and should double my efforts at playing poker.And you know what results this schriftart of quitting has? It makes you happier, reduces stress and increases health.ViaThink Like a Freak The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your BrainWrosch found that people who quit their unattainable goals saw physical and psychological benefits. They have, for example, less depressive symptoms, less negative affect over time, he says. They also have lower cortisol levels, and they have lower levels of systemic inflammation, which is a marker of immune functioning. And they develop fewer physical health problems over time.You can do anything - when you stop trying to do everything.(For more on how to determine what you should stick with and what you should abandon, clickhere.)Okay, so maybe you cant bail and really do need to be resilient. What does the research say you can do to have more grit? It sounds crazy4) Be delusionalMarshall Goldsmithdid a study of incrediblysuccessful people. Afterassembling all the data he realized the thing they all had in common.And then he shoutedThese successful people are all delusionalViaSupersurvivors The Surprising Link Between Suffering and SuccessThis is not to be misinterpreted as a bad thing. In fact, being delusional helps us become more effective. By definition, these delusions dont have to be accurate. If they were totally accurate, your goals would be too low. Goldsmith noticed that although illusions of control expose people to risk of failure, they do something else that is very interesting they motivate people to keep trying even when theyve failed Successful people fail a lot, but they try a lot, too. When things dont work, they move on until an idea does work. Survivors and great entr epreneurs have this in common.Crazy successful people and people who survive tough situations are all overconfident.Very overconfident.Some of you may be scratching your headIsnt step one all about not being in denial? About facing reality?You need to makea distinction between denialabout the situationand overconfidencein your abilities.The first one is very bad, butthe second one can be surprisingly good.binnensee the world accurately - but believe you are a rockstar.ViaSupersurvivors The Surprising Link Between Suffering and SuccessDenying or distorting a bad situation may be comforting in the short term, but its potentially harmful in the long run because it will be almost impossible to solve a problem unless you first admit you have one. In contrast, having an especially strong belief in ones personal capabilities, even if that belief is somewhat illusory, probably helps you to solve problems A useful, if somewhat simplistic, mathematical formula might be a realistic view of th e situation + a strong view of ones ability to control ones destiny through ones efforts = grounded hope.(For more on what the most successful people have in common, clickhere.)So this is how superheroes must feel theres definitely trouble, but youre calm and you feel like youre awesome enough to flossele this.But we need to move past feelings. Whatactionsare going to see you through this mess?5) Prepare even if its too late for preparationFolks, I firmly believe there is no such thing as a pretty good alligator wrestler.Who survives life threatening situations? People who have done it before. People who have prepared.Now even if you cant truly prepare for a layoff or a divorce, you can work to havegood productive habits and eliminate wasteful ones.Good habits dont tax yourwillpoweras much as deliberate actions and will help you be more resilient.How do you survive a WW2 shipwreckand shark attacks?Keep preparing for the future, even when youre in the midst of trouble.ViaSurviving Su rvival The Art and Science of ResilienceAs the days went by, he continued to concentrate on strategies for survival. At one point, a rubber life belt floated by and he grabbed it. He had heard that the Japanese would use aircraft to strafe shipwrecked Americans. The life belt could be blown up through a rubber tube. He cut the tube off and kept it, reasoning that if the Japanese spotted them, he could slip under water and breathe through the tube. He was planning ahead. He had a future in his mind, and good survivors always concentrate on the present but plan for the future. Thus, taking it day by day, hour by hour, and sometimes minute by minute, did Don McCall endure.One caveat as learning expertDan Coylerecommends, make sure anyprep you do is as close to the real scenario as possible.Bad training can be worse than no training. When police practicedisarming criminals they often conclude by handing the gun to their partner.One officer trained this so perfectly that in the field he took a gun from a criminal - and instinctively handed it right back.ViaMake It StickJohnson recounts how officers are trained to take a gun from an assailant at close quarters, a maneuver they practice by role-playing with a fellow officer. It requires speed and deftness striking an assailants wrist with one hand to break his grip while simultaneously wresting the gun free with the other. Its a move that officers had been in the habit of honing through repetition, taking the gun, handing it back, taking it again. Until one of their officers, on a call in the field, took the gun from an assailant and handed it right back again.(For more on how to develop good habits - and get rid of bad ones, clickhere.)Youreexpecting the best but preparedfor the worst. Perfect. Is now the time to de-stress? Heck, no.6) Stay busy, busy, busyWhats the best way to survive and keep your emotions in check when things are hard? Work, work, work.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceReme mber the saying Get organized or die. In the wake of trauma, Work, work, work, as Richard Mollica wrote. He is a psychiatrist at Harvard who studies trauma. This is the single most important goal of traumatized people throughout the world. The hands force order on the mind.When things go bad, people get sad or scared, retreat and distract themselves. That can quell the emotions, but it doesnt get you out of this mess.Resilient people know that staying busy not only gets you closer to your goals but its also the best way to stay calm.And believe it or not, were allhappier when were busy.(For more on what the most productive people in the world do every day, clickhere.)Youre hustlin. Thats good. But its hard to keep that can-do attitude when things arent going well. Whats another secret to hanging in there?7) Make it a gameIn his book Touching the Void, Joe Simpson tells the harrowing story of how he broke his leg 19,000 feet up while climbing a mountain.Actually he didnt break his le g he shattered it. Like marbles in a sock. His calf bone driven through his knee joint.He and his climbing partner assumedhe was a dead man. But he survived.One of his secrets was making his slow, painful descent into a game.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhySimpson was learning what it means to be playful in such circumstances A pattern of movements developed after my initial wobbly hops and I meticulously repeated the pattern. Each pattern made up one step across the slope and I began to feel detached from everything around me. I thought of nothing but the patterns. His struggle had become a dance, and the dance freed him from the terror of what he had to do.How does this work? Its neuroscience. Patterned activities stimulate the saatkorn reward center cocaine does.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceAnd tellingly, a structure within the basal ganglia is activated during feelings of safety, reward, and simply feeling great. Its called the striatum and drugs such as cocaine set it off, but so does the learning of a new habit or skill and the performance of organized, patterned activitiesEven boring things can be fun if you turn them into a game with stakes, challenges and little rewards.And we can use this same system for everyday problemsHow many resumes can you send out today? Can you beat yesterday?Celebrating small winsissomething survivors have in common.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhySurvivors take great joy from even their smallest successes. That is an important step in creating an ongoing feeling of motivation and preventing the descent into hopelessness. It also provides relief from the unspeakable stress of a true survival situation.(For more on how to increasegratitude and happiness, clickhere.)Youre a machine. Making progress despite huge challenges. Whats the final way to take your resilience to the next level? Other people.8) Get help and give helpGetting help is good. Thats obvious. But sometimes wer e ashamed or embarrassed and fail to ask for it. Dont let pride get in the way.Whats more fascinating is thateven in the worst of times, giving help can helpyou.By taking on the role of caretaker we increase the feeling ofmeaning in our lives. This helps people in the worst situations succeed.Leon Weliczker survived the Holocaust not only because of his resourcefulness - but also because he felt he had to protect his brother.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceWhen his fifteen-year-old brother Aaron came in, Leon was suddenly filled with love and a feeling of responsibility for the two boys. He was shedding the cloak of the victim in favor of the role of the rescuer. Terrence Des Pres, in his bookThe Survivor, makes the point that in the journey of survival, helping someone else is as important as getting help.Sometimes being selfless isthe best way to be selfish. And the research shows thatgivers are among the most successful peopleand theylive longer.ViaDeep Su rvival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyHelping someone else is the best way to ensure your own survival. It takes you out of yourself. It helps you to rise above your fears. Now youre a rescuer, not a victim. And seeing how your leadership and skill buoy others up gives you more focus and energy to persevere. The cycle reinforces itself You buoy them up, and their response buoys you up. Many people who survive alone report that they were doing it for someone else (a wife, boyfriend, mother, son) back home.(For more on how helping others can also help you, clickhere.)So once the threat is passed, once the dust has settled, can we have a normal life again? Actually, sometimes, life can be even better.Sum upSo when life is daunting and we need resilience, keep in mindPerceive And BelieveManage Your EmotionsBe A QuitterBe DelusionalPrepare Even If Its Too Late For PreparationStay Busy, Busy, BusyMake It A GameGet Help And Give HelpTo live full lives some amount of difficulty is essential.Vi aSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceRichard Tedeschi, a psychologist who treats post-traumatic stress, said that to achieve the greatest psychological health, some kind of suffering is necessary.You can meet lifes challenges with resilience, competence and grace.And when the troublesare over, science agrees what does not kill youcan in factmake you stronger.Join more than 320,000 readers and get a free weekly update via schmelzglashere.Related postsWhat 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails4 Lifehacks From Ancient Philosophers That Will Make You HappierThis article first appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.How to be resilient 8 steps to success when life gets hardStick with itBe resilientNever give upI seea lot of stuff about resilience, persistence and grit. What I dont see is a lot of legitimate info on how to actually increase those qualities.How can we be more resilient? How can we shr ug off huge challenges in life, persist and - in the end - succeed?SoI looked atthe most difficultscenarios for insight. (Who needs resilience in easy situations, right?)When life and death is on the line, what do the winners do that the losers dont?Turns out survivingthe most dangerous situations has some good lessonswe canuse tolearn how to beresilient in everyday life.Whether its dealing with unemployment, a difficult job, orpersonal tragedies, here are insights that can help.1) Perceive and believeThe companyalready had two rounds of layoffs this year but I never thought they would letmego.Yeah, the argument was getting a little heated but I didnt think he was going tohitme.The first thing to do when facing difficulty is to make sure you recognize it as soon as possible.Sounds obvious but weve allbeen in denial at one point or another. What do people who survive life-threatening situations have in common?They move through those stages of grief from denial to acceptancefasterVi aDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyThey immediately begin to recognize, acknowledge, and even accept the reality of their situation They move through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance very rapidly.Whats that thing doctors say when theyre able to successfully treat a medical problem?Good thing we caught it early.When you stay oblivious or live in denial, things get worse - often in a hurry. When you know youre in trouble you can act.Nobody is saying paranoia is good but research shows a littleworrying is correlated with living a longer life.(For more on how a little negativity can make you happier, clickhere.)Okay, like they say in AA, you admitted you have a problem. Whats the next thing the most resilient people do?2)Manage your emotionsSometimes when SCUBA diversdrownthey still have air in their oxygen tanks. Seriously.How is this possible? Something goes wrong, they panic, and instinctivelypull the regulator out of their mouth.ViaDeep Survival Who Liv es, Who Dies, and WhyM. Ephimia Morphew, a psychologist and founder of the Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments, told me of a series of accidents shed been studying in which scuba divers were found dead with air in their tanks and perfectly functional regulators. Only they had pulled the regulators out of their mouths and drowned. It took a long time for researchers to figure out what was going on. It appears that certain people suffer an intense feeling of suffocation when their mouths are covered. That led to an overpowering impulse to uncover the mouth and nose. The victims had followed an emotional response that was in general a good one for the organism, to get air. But it was the wrong response under the special, non-natural, circumstances of scuba diving.When youre having trouble breathing whats more naturalthan to clear an obstruction from your mouth?Now just a brief second of clearthinkingtells you this is averybad idea whilediving - but when you panic, yo ucantthink clearly.Rashdecision makingrarely delivers optimal results in everyday life either.Resilient people acknowledge difficultsituations, keep calm and evaluate things rationally so they can make a plan and act.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyAl Siebert, in his bookThe Survivor Personality, writes that The best survivors spend almost no time, especially in emergencies, getting upset about what has been lost, or feeling distressed about things going badly. For this reason they dont usually take themselves too seriously and are therefore hard to threaten.(For methods Navy SEALS, astronauts and the samurai useto keep calm under pressure, clickhere.)So you know youre in trouble but youre keeping your cool. Might there be a simple way to sidestep all these problems? Yeah.3) Be a quitterMany of you might be a little confused right nowA secret to resilience is quitting? That doesnt make any sense.What do we see when we look at people who survive life and death situations ? Many of them were smart enough to bail early.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyIts a matter of looking at yourself and assessing your own abilities and where you are mentally, and then realizing that its better to turn back and get a chance to do it again than to go for it and not come back at all. We are a society of high achievers, but in the wilderness, such motivation can be deadlyThe best way to take a punch from a UFC fighter and to survive a hurricane are the same Dont be there when it hits.You quit baseball when you were 10 and quit playing the pianoafter just 2 lessons.Nobody sticks witheverything. You cant.When the company starts laying people off, theres always one guy smart enough to immediately jump ship and preemptively geta new job.And some people are smart enough to realize, I am never going to be a great Tango dancer and should double my efforts at playing poker.And you know what results this type of quitting has? It makes you happier, reduces stress an d increases health.ViaThink Like a Freak The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your BrainWrosch found that people who quit their unattainable goals saw physical and psychological benefits. They have, for example, less depressive symptoms, less negative affect over time, he says. They also have lower cortisol levels, and they have lower levels of systemic inflammation, which is a marker of immune functioning. And they develop fewer physical health problems over time.You can do anything - when you stop trying to do everything.(For more on how to determine what you should stick with and what you should abandon, clickhere.)Okay, so maybe you cant bail and really do need to be resilient. What does the research say you can do to have more grit? It sounds crazy 4) Be delusionalMarshall Goldsmithdid a study of incrediblysuccessful people. Afterassembling all the data he realized the thing they all had in common.And then he shoutedThese successful people are all delusionalViaSupersurv ivors The Surprising Link Between Suffering and SuccessThis is not to be misinterpreted as a bad thing. In fact, being delusional helps us become more effective. By definition, these delusions dont have to be accurate. If they were totally accurate, your goals would be too low. Goldsmith noticed that although illusions of control expose people to risk of failure, they do something else that is very interesting they motivate people to keep trying even when theyve failed Successful people fail a lot, but they try a lot, too. When things dont work, they move on until an idea does work. Survivors and great entrepreneurs have this in common.Crazy successful people and people who survive tough situations are all overconfident.Very overconfident.Some of you may be scratching your headIsnt step one all about not being in denial? About facing reality?You need to makea distinction between denialabout the situationand overconfidencein your abilities.The first one is very bad, butthe second one can be surprisingly good.See the world accurately - but believe you are a rockstar.ViaSupersurvivors The Surprising Link Between Suffering and SuccessDenying or distorting a bad situation may be comforting in the short term, but its potentially harmful in the long run because it will be almost impossible to solve a problem unless you first admit you have one. In contrast, having an especially strong belief in ones personal capabilities, even if that belief is somewhat illusory, probably helps you to solve problems A useful, if somewhat simplistic, mathematical formula might be a realistic view of the situation + a strong view of ones ability to control ones destiny through ones efforts = grounded hope.(For more on what the most successful people have in common, clickhere.)So this is how superheroes must feel theres definitely trouble, but youre calm and you feel like youre awesome enough to handle this.But we need to move past feelings. Whatactionsare going to see you through this mess?5) Prepare even if its too late for preparationFolks, I firmly believe there is no such thing as a pretty good alligator wrestler.Who survives life threatening situations? People who have done it before. People who have prepared.Now even if you cant truly prepare for a layoff or a divorce, you can work to havegood productive habits and eliminate wasteful ones.Good habits dont tax yourwillpoweras much as deliberate actions and will help you be more resilient.How do you survive a WW2 shipwreckand shark attacks?Keep preparing for the future, even when youre in the midst of trouble.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceAs the days went by, he continued to concentrate on strategies for survival. At one point, a rubber life belt floated by and he grabbed it. He had heard that the Japanese would use aircraft to strafe shipwrecked Americans. The life belt could be blown up through a rubber tube. He cut the tube off and kept it, reasoning that if the Japanese spotted them, he could slip under water and breathe through the tube. He was planning ahead. He had a future in his mind, and good survivors always concentrate on the present but plan for the future. Thus, taking it day by day, hour by hour, and sometimes minute by minute, did Don McCall endure.One caveat as learning expertDan Coylerecommends, make sure anyprep you do is as close to the real scenario as possible.Bad training can be worse than no training. When police practicedisarming criminals they often conclude by handing the gun to their partner.One officer trained this so perfectly that in the field he took a gun from a criminal - and instinctively handed it right back.ViaMake It StickJohnson recounts how officers are trained to take a gun from an assailant at close quarters, a maneuver they practice by role-playing with a fellow officer. It requires speed and deftness striking an assailants wrist with one hand to break his grip while simultaneously wresting the gun free with the othe r. Its a move that officers had been in the habit of honing through repetition, taking the gun, handing it back, taking it again. Until one of their officers, on a call in the field, took the gun from an assailant and handed it right back again.(For more on how to develop good habits - and get rid of bad ones, clickhere.)Youreexpecting the best but preparedfor the worst. Perfect. Is now the time to de-stress? Heck, no.6) Stay busy, busy, busyWhats the best way to survive and keep your emotions in check when things are hard? Work, work, work.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceRemember the saying Get organized or die. In the wake of trauma, Work, work, work, as Richard Mollica wrote. He is a psychiatrist at Harvard who studies trauma. This is the single most important goal of traumatized people throughout the world. The hands force order on the mind.When things go bad, people get sad or scared, retreat and distract themselves. That can quell the emotions, but it d oesnt get you out of this mess.Resilient people know that staying busy not only gets you closer to your goals but its also the best way to stay calm.And believe it or not, were allhappier when were busy.(For more on what the most productive people in the world do every day, clickhere.)Youre hustlin. Thats good. But its hard to keep that can-do attitude when things arent going well. Whats another secret to hanging in there?7) Make it a gameIn his book Touching the Void, Joe Simpson tells the harrowing story of how he broke his leg 19,000 feet up while climbing a mountain.Actually he didnt break his leg he shattered it. Like marbles in a sock. His calf bone driven through his knee joint.He and his climbing partner assumedhe was a dead man. But he survived.One of his secrets was making his slow, painful descent into a game.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhySimpson was learning what it means to be playful in such circumstances A pattern of movements developed after my initial wobbly hops and I meticulously repeated the pattern. Each pattern made up one step across the slope and I began to feel detached from everything around me. I thought of nothing but the patterns. His struggle had become a dance, and the dance freed him from the terror of what he had to do.How does this work? Its neuroscience. Patterned activities stimulate the same reward center cocaine does.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceAnd tellingly, a structure within the basal ganglia is activated during feelings of safety, reward, and simply feeling great. Its called the striatum and drugs such as cocaine set it off, but so does the learning of a new habit or skill and the performance of organized, patterned activitiesEven boring things can be fun if you turn them into a game with stakes, challenges and little rewards.And we can use this same system for everyday problemsHow many resumes can you send out today? Can you beat yesterday?Celebrating small winsissomething sur vivors have in common.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhySurvivors take great joy from even their smallest successes. That is an important step in creating an ongoing feeling of motivation and preventing the descent into hopelessness. It also provides relief from the unspeakable stress of a true survival situation.(For more on how to increasegratitude and happiness, clickhere.)Youre a machine. Making progress despite huge challenges. Whats the final way to take your resilience to the next level? Other people.8) Get help and give helpGetting help is good. Thats obvious. But sometimes were ashamed or embarrassed and fail to ask for it. Dont let pride get in the way.Whats more fascinating is thateven in the worst of times, giving help can helpyou.By taking on the role of caretaker we increase the feeling ofmeaning in our lives. This helps people in the worst situations succeed.Leon Weliczker survived the Holocaust not only because of his resourcefulness - but also because he felt he had to protect his brother.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceWhen his fifteen-year-old brother Aaron came in, Leon was suddenly filled with love and a feeling of responsibility for the two boys. He was shedding the cloak of the victim in favor of the role of the rescuer. Terrence Des Pres, in his bookThe Survivor, makes the point that in the journey of survival, helping someone else is as important as getting help.Sometimes being selfless isthe best way to be selfish. And the research shows thatgivers are among the most successful peopleand theylive longer.ViaDeep Survival Who Lives, Who Dies, and WhyHelping someone else is the best way to ensure your own survival. It takes you out of yourself. It helps you to rise above your fears. Now youre a rescuer, not a victim. And seeing how your leadership and skill buoy others up gives you more focus and energy to persevere. The cycle reinforces itself You buoy them up, and their response buoys you up. Many peo ple who survive alone report that they were doing it for someone else (a wife, boyfriend, mother, son) back home.(For more on how helping others can also help you, clickhere.)So once the threat is passed, once the dust has settled, can we have a normal life again? Actually, sometimes, life can be even better.Sum upSo when life is daunting and we need resilience, keep in mindPerceive And BelieveManage Your EmotionsBe A QuitterBe DelusionalPrepare Even If Its Too Late For PreparationStay Busy, Busy, BusyMake It A GameGet Help And Give HelpTo live full lives some amount of difficulty is essential.ViaSurviving Survival The Art and Science of ResilienceRichard Tedeschi, a psychologist who treats post-traumatic stress, said that to achieve the greatest psychological health, some kind of suffering is necessary.You can meet lifes challenges with resilience, competence and grace.And when the troublesare over, science agrees what does not kill youcan in factmake you stronger.Join over 320,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.This article first appeared on Barking Up The Wrong Tree.

The 25 best cities for job seekers may surprise you

The 25 best cities for job seekers may surprise youThe 25 best cities for job seekers may surprise youGlassdoor justreleased its list of the 25 Best Cities for Jobs 2017, and with Pittsburgh, PA in the top spot andNew York and San Francisco nowhere to be found in the rankings, midsize cities are in the spotlight.Of all of the findings, here are some that stood out.These cities take the cakeThe researchers came up with Glassdoor City Scores (out of 5) based on the ease of getting a job, how much people like their punkts, and how much money it takes to live in each area.Pittsburgh, PA came in first place, with a listed city score of 4.4, a 3.2 score in job satisfaction, a median base salary of $44,000, a median home value of $137,400 and 95,399 open positions. The data also featured some local in-demand jobs for each location. In the top Pittsburgs case, these were Registered Nurse, Civil Engineer and Project Manager.As for the rest of the top five, Indianapolis, IN welches 2 (4.4 city score), Kansas City, MO was 3 (4.4 city score), Raleigh-Durham, NC was 4 (4.4 city score), and St. Louis, MO was 5 (4.4 city score).Its also worth noting that although cities like San Francisco and New York werent present on the 25-city list, Glassdoor said that several of these cities currently offer healthy job markets.This California city has the big bucksSalaries and the cost of living vary by city, but one on the list really stood out.While San Jose, CA lagged behind some others in terms of city score (4.0) and the number of job openings (106,809), it was among the highest in terms ofjob satisfaction (3.5) - and had the highest listed median base salary, at $100,000, and the highest listed and median home value ($1,013,700) by far.Heres what to love about medium-sized citiesTheres a lot to love about medium-sized cities, as Glassdoor Chief Economist Dr.Andrew Chamberlain explained.Big, metropolitan cities may be more famous than others, including being home to some amazing co mpanies to work for, but this recognition is also what contributes to them being among the most expensive places to live, he said. People may be overlooking midsize cities likePittsburghorSt. Louisif they are looking to relocate or find new opportunities. What this jobs report shows is that many midsize cities stand out for offering a great mix of a thriving job market with plenty of opportunity, paired with home affordability and being regions where employees are more satisfied in their jobs too.Cities at the bottom of the listRounding out the bottom of the 25-city list were Chicago, IL at 23 (4.0 city score), Charlotte, NC at 24 (4.0 city score) and Dallas-Fort Worth, TX at 25 (city score of 4.0).Certain states - or maybe just big cities- may come to mind when you think of the best place to score a job, but Glassdoors newest list shows that a position suited for you just might be in a place you havent given much thought.

The Secret to Types of Resumes

The Secret to Types of Resumes Trying to find a new business to work for is never effortless. If a business is interested, they will request your references. Sales is much like customer service as salespeople can be effective in a wide selection of industries. There are 35 different kinds of commercials, but only six standard approaches. No matter your degree of job practical expertise, your resume format is very important to making your program stick out. Then, the free Example Of 3 sorts Of Resume will ask you to offer a um ein haar summary of your abilities and talents. On the contrary, it focuses on the skills you have developed that fit the prerequisites of the job for which youre applying. There are many benefits of using skill assessment tests together with the conventional selection techniques such as reviewing resumes and conducting job interviews. Therefore, its not proper for you if youd like to exhibit all of your knowledge, skill and experience to the employer whilst putting in an application for work that wants all your prior data in detail. Skill assessment test can offer valuable insights into the capability of candidates to learn new things and upgrade their current skills. The Benefits of Types of Resumes Including a profile is helpful for just about any applicant. The subsequent part of the 3 kinds Of Resume Examples that youve got to attempt to do nicely is the content part. Functional and conventional resumes arent the only resume types to pick from. Both components are vital in deciding the success of the resume. If required, other sections ought to be included to create the entire picture of the candidate. Once youve determined the kind of resume youre likely to use, you will want to recognize the sections of information. It is crucial that the essential information ought to be shown in the right fashion, which can assist the employer to correctly rate the applicant. Changes in medical insurance benefits are sometimes a stressful time for both human resources and the remainder of the business, particularly during open enrollment. Healthcare providers frequently have widely differing costs for the very same procedures. 1 advantage for employers to internet resumes is the substantial cost saving in comparison to traditional hiring methods. Thus, the possibilities of hiring the incorrect part escalate. If you receive an employer to spend more than 6 seconds to check at your resume, then your likelihood of getting an interview are considerably greater. Much like everything in life, locating a job demands an excessive quantity of planning and preparation for the work hunter to produce the absolute most out of every application. Any moment you introduce change in an organization, employees are likely to get questions and concerns. Just make sure, whichever format you pick, which youre targeting it for the job that youre applying to. Possessing a resume template gets rid of the impulse to clutte r and the structure makes it feasible for the user to distinguish which information needs to be set on paper and which ought to be left for the interview part of the application practice. When ranking the best sort of format, the combination format sits at the peak of the ladder. Part of creating an effective resume is selecting the right format to inform your private story. The definition of de-identified data in the CCPA and in HIPAA are not similar. Usually, one particular page is more effective. As previously mentioned, you wish to pick a resume format thats suited to your personal profile. If you wish to learn more about resume formats, have a look at our basic resume format templates. Whispered Types of Resumes Secrets Resumes may be used for a number of reasons, but most often theyre utilised to secure new employment. They may be organized in different ways. They tend to be very important, and essential, when an applicant appears for a job interview, or applies for a particular post. Optimal Resume is one particular resource readily available to you that provides resume-building services and lots of other job search resources. Each work title should use active verbs to spell out the duties and obligations for the position. Real estate is a rather lucrative industry so its obviously a competitive one. Also, in case you frequently change jobs, you might also think of a functional resume. Transportation jobs involve plenty of responsibility and your resume will want to reflect you can manage that.

What to Expect From List Book on Resume Writing?

What to Expect From List Book on Resume Writing? The Chronicles of List Book on Resume Writing A great resume format is simple to scan. Much of the info you guide to create a print book citation is found on the title page. Consider your requirements and see the explanations below to pick the best resume format for you. Employers and recruiters will have the ability to rapidly understand your career progression. Terry states, Resumes are your primary marketing and advertising material. To understand what recruiters wish to see in your resume you should think as a recruiter. Resumes should be updated no matter where youre in your career. You merely have as much space on your resume, which means you ought to be pragmatic when choosing what to include. There are various ways to organize your resume. Always be watching out for the risk your distinctive expertise might be relevant, because the customer may not think to ask. An assortment of factors impact the normal price t ag of resume writing services. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About List Book on Resume Writing Is Wrong If you dont have sufficient experience and expertise to fill up more than 1 page, it is logical to actively distill what you would like to say to meet that one-page cut-off. Simply enumerating your abilities and experiences isnt enough. Excellent editing still takes a menschenwrdig being. With the introduction of ATS, however, it is reasonable to list skills you may consider obvious anyway. The Importance of List Book on Resume Writing Clients can make sure that their private information wont ever be shared with third parties. The pop-up window on the web site makes it possible for you to book a consultation and share your career goals to make the most of the effectiveness of cooperation. The info in your resume should paint a photo of the sort of employee you are and show employers what youre capable of accomplishing. A number of the advice is commonsensical. For instance, budgeting is an important skill in civilian businesses. When looking for a resume writing or editing support, pick one thats knowledgeable about your field and ask to see before-and-after samples. Written language skills are an essential part of many orts in virtually every business. The New Angle On List Book on Resume Writing Just Released Its possible for you to earn as many as 2 CEUs per book review. If you own a college education, omit info about high school. If you regard yourself a do-it-yourself-er there are a whole lot of great books on the marketplace that may help you craft a compelling and visually distinct document. For instance, you may be hired to edit a book, in which case understanding of the books subject matter is a clear plus. Its also important to think about the type of work you really wish to be hired to do. Think about it, rather, as a chance to showcase the remarkable things youve done in your career and an opportunity to begin a con versation with a possible employer. Though its most helpful once the book is related to the position youre attempting to get, acquiring any publications beneath your belts shows you may carry out long-term, complex projects successfully. The book also has sound resume writing advice dependent on the secrets of professional resume writers. You might also be asked for clips. While a resume objective tells the reader what you would like to do and why you would like to do it, a summary delivers a fast recap of your career. Nowadays you know which bad resume ideas to avoid and a couple of tweaks that may land you the interview. The author gives you practical and easy-to-follow advice together with numerous samples that demonstrate every one of her tips in action. List Book on Resume Writing A technical writer should have strong communication skills, together with exceptional writing and grammar abilities. Writing and editing is quite a wide category. Writing and editing need a lot of interrelated abilities, and its tough to understand what to include.

This tech company has the most burned out workers

This tech company has the most burned out workersThis tech company has the most burned out workersBurnout at work is very common these days, but if you work at a tech company it seems to be amplified. And now we know which companies are emotionally exhaustingworkers thanks to a new survey from workplace appBlind. The app asked its 11,487 users, many of whom work in Silicon Valley if they were experiencing work burnout, and over half said yes.The survey then produced a list of the top 30 companieswith the most employee responses to burnout with 25 of them having a burnout satz of 50% or higher, and 16 of the 30 have a burnout rate higher than the surveys average of 57.16%. Not good news.So who is crying at the drop of a hat and who is sitting easy? Well life is good if you work at Netflix, PayPal, Twitter, Facebook and Uber. Facebook and Netflix are known for their employee perks and promoting work-life balance so that would make sense that their workers are not feeling too much burno ut. Credit Karma came in last with 70.3% saying they were stressed which begs us to ask, what are the managers at the company doing to their employees and do they know the definition of karma?Here are the full rankings of the tech companies with burned out workers30.Netflix - 38.89% stressed29.PayPal - 41.82% stressed28.Twitter - 43.90% stressed27.Facebook 48.97% stressed26.Uber - 49.52% stressed25.Booking.com - 50% stressed24.Adobe - 50.77% stressed23.Salesforce - 53.25% stressed22.Google - 53.83% stressed21.Pinterest - 53.85% stressed20.LinkedIn - 55.38% stressed19.VMware - 55.93% stressed18.Yahoo.com - 56.67% stressed17.Tableau - 56.90% stressed16.Apple - 57.46% stressed15.Microsoft - 57.61% stressed14.Airbnb - 57.94% stressed13.eBay - 58.04% stressed12.Intel - 58.45% stressed11.Amazon - 59.53% stressed10.Cisco - 59.70% stressed9.Lyft - 60.16% stressed8.Snapchat - 60.40% stressed7.Intuit - 62.75% stressed6.Oracle - 63.25% stressed5.Oath - 63.93% stressed4 .Expedia - 65% stressed3.Nvidia - 65.38% stressed2.Twitch - 68.75% stressed1.Credit Karma - 70.73% stressedTech jobs are in high demand right now and companies are putting the pressure on their workers to produce. Plus, with mora tech hubs sprouting up outside of Silicon Valley, like in Colorado,Michigan, Utah, Montana, Washington, North Carolina and Minnesota, there is extra pressure to be outstanding. However, companies should take note that HR leaders attribute 20% to 50% of their annual turnover to burnout.

15 people share the worst advice they got when they were young

15 people share the worst advice they got when they were young15 people share the worst advice they got when they were youngThese are the best years of your lifeThis welches the advice countless adults gave me about my high school and college years.Is it really true?, I remember thinking, dejected. How welches it possible that my best years would be over before I ventured out into the world as a fully formed adult?Turns out, those adults were totally, tragically wrong. Life gets better when youre able to create the one you want for yourself. The larger point being, sometimes the pearls of wisdom people dispense to us when were young and impressionable are misdirected, misinformed, or just plain badeanstalt no matter how well-meaning the advisor. And sometimes that bad advice ends up being the most eye-opening of our lives.Weve all received advice as young people that turned out to be hogwash advice aboutcareersuccess,workethic, romantic or interpersonalrelationships, or life in gen eral. So we asked Thrivescontributorcommunity to share some words of wisdom that just didnt hold up, and what they wish theyd been told instead.Follow your passion.This advice once sounded great, but it assumes that I had some predisposed passion that I was born with. I didnt. So instead, I spent years searching for my passion, wasting valuable time and money. I didnt find it, and it left me with heartache. It wasnt until I realized that passion isnt something youre born with, its something you develop, when things changed. I wish I had instead been given the advice to, develop your passion. That would have been a life changer.- James Huntington, marketing manager, Seattle, WAYour college major doesnt matter.I was told by numerous adults throughout my college years that it didnt matter what I studied. I think their intention was to assuage the anxiety I felt about my lifes direction and how my career might unfold. The intended message was that I would be OK regardless of my major, but the way it was said made me feel helpless and like I was wasting time. In result, I wasted time floundering and not making intentional decisions. If I could go back, I would tell myself to think about jobs that interest me and the skills they require, and then work backwards from there.- Christine Ahlstrom, academic adviser, Seattle, WAWhen in conflict, just walk away.Ive learned the hard way that walking away from an argument in a relationship is the worst thing to do because it makes your partner feel unappreciated and not heard. Its so hard, and I am not perfect at it, but staying in the argument is more beneficial (and results in resolution) than just avoiding and walking away.- Fara Rosenzweig, content professional, San Francisco, CADont move out. Stay home and save up money.My aunt gave me this advice when I had just graduated high school and lived my whole life up to that point in a one-stoplight farm town. I needed culture, city lights, room to make mistakes I didnt fo llow her advice. Im glad I didnt. If I could speak to my younger self now, Id say, Move out. Youre amazing and youll do great things.- Megan, corporate recruiter, Baltimore, MDDont be anfhrery.As a young girl who liked to lead my pack of friends, I took this as If you agree, people will like you. I have spent most of my young adulthood seeking the approval of others rather than being the leader I am. It was just recently that I had an epiphany that being bossy isnt a bad thing- Taylor Bento, MBA, Knoxville, TNYoull be happy once youre successful.I was told to go to university, get a job, work hard and become successful - and once you are successful, then youll be happy. So, I studied a career I didnt like, to end up in a job I hated. I worked hard and became successful, but I wasnt happy. Today, 25 years later, science proves that happiness is not the result of success but leads to success in nearly every area of our lives especially at work and in business. If I could go back in time Id tell my younger self Trust your intuition. Everything is going to be ok Marc Reklau, consulting, Barcelona, SpainYou pick a person, you pick a set of problems.My mom told me this relationship advice, and for years, it seemed to make sense to me. It wasnt until my early forties that I realized the advice had caused me to constantly be on alert for the negative in my relationships That set of problems that I was willing to live with for the rest of my life. It made me afraid to commit to another person, because who wants to be committing to a set of problems? Letting go of that idea allowed me to be open to finding true love. If I could go back, I would tell my younger self that life is an adventure. Find a person who makes you happy and enjoy the ride- Rebecca K., freelance writer editor, Westlake, OHDont attract too much attention.As an Asian-American female, my family always told me this. It was better to blend in and be humble. Im grateful that as I got older and more co nfident in myself and my abilities, I stopped listening to them. Speaking up for what I believe in and celebrating what makes me unique is one of the best things that I have done. Being different, vocal and authentic is what has created genuine connection with my audience and brings continued success. Dont ever dim your light because others are afraid of how bright you shine.- Marian Bacol-Uba, spirituality, holistic health and wellness, Miami, FLFake it until you make it.The first time I got promoted into a leadership role, I wasnt sure I could do the job. Many leaders told me this advice. Whereas I understood what they were trying to say, I chose a different path full transparency. After working with employees at all levels throughout my career, I have found that people have really good B.S. detectors. Lack of knowledge and experience can be forgiven and even embraced as signs of a humble leader. Lack of perceived authenticity often isnt. I chose to be honest about what I knew a nd didnt know. I found that it made people follow me more and help me be a successful leader.- James Sudakow, consulting, San Diego, CADont expect a fairytale ending.I once opened up to my mom about the anxiety I was feeling about my fiance, and she told me that in reality, you find someone youre moderately compatible with and make a life together no fireworks or soul mating required. There was such cognitive dissonance between what I heard and what I believed that I ultimately eschewed her advice. I called off the nuptials, spent some time soul searching (and lamenting) before I met the man that made me feel the way I hadnt before certain that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this person. That was ten years ago and that man loves me, my daughter and the two daughters we had next today more than ever. Sometimes mother doesnt know best. You do.- Ashley Carroll, health marketing and communications, Omaha, NEBe a man.My father used to tell me Be a man. Stop crying. Years l ater, I learned that manliness is not the lack of emotion it is the lack of despair. Now, I would tell my younger self that boys become men not when they stop feeling, but when they embrace what they feel and stop allowing it to overwhelm their spirit.- Simon Tang, business student, SingaporePursue a sensible career.Im a naturally creative type at heart, but because I had good grades in science, I was told by many people that I should pursue a career in science engineering because thats where the money and job security was. I spent almost fifteen years as a consulting engineer but I was miserable and my health declined. When I finally decided to quit my career as an engineer and follow my passion, my health improved. If I had my time again I would tell my younger self Tune in, find your own personal truth and follow that and success and happiness will follow.- Kate De Jong, global career coach, Perth, AustraliaIf you love what you do, youll never work a day in your life.This ad vice turned out to be wrong. In fact, its more like this If you love what you do, youll kinda work all the time. Im not saying work is bad, but if you keep chasing a work life that is nothing but fun and easy all the time, youre going to miss out on some amazing opportunities and lessons. Work can be tough, weird, difficult, complicated, beautiful, fun, easy all at the same time If you take every little bump in the road as a sign youre going in the wrong direction, youll never get very far.- Trine Ravnkilde Frederiksen, online community expert, DenmarkYour grades will dictate your success.My mom gave me this advice when I was in school, so I learned as much as I could, memorized all the facts, and tried my hardest to get straight As. My mom failed to mention that to be successful in life, you dont need only knowledge, but also necessary life skills.- Patricia Bloj, corporate wellbeing, London, UKYou never get a second chance to make a first impression.My first boss told me this ad vice, and over time, I learned it was wrong, and it can become a burden. Trying to create a good first impression hinders people from being authentic, experimenting and taking risks we are so worried about creating a wrong impression that we all play safe. Job interviews are a perfect example most candidates act like robots. They are anything but authentic. My version of the advice is You always get a first chance to make a second impression. Take risks. Its better to be liked for who you are than to be appreciated for who you pretend to be.- Gustavo Razzetti, change leadership consultant, Chicago, ILThis article was originally published on ThriveGlobal.com.

Answer Interview Questions on Time Management

Answer Interview Questions on Time ManagementAnswer Interview Questions on Time ManagementTime management is an essential skill in any workplace. While you may think employers are concerned with how you spend your time and how quickly it takes you to complete your tasks, there is more to time management than that. Using your time wisely also means determining what tasks need to be done first, how to avoid distractions, and how to get things done when new priorities pop up. When employers ask you questions in an interview about time management, they are trying to gauge how you manage your resources and if you can be flexible and nimble while still producing a quality work product. Tips for Answering Time Management Interview Questions Being prepared with a thorough, detailed answer that is carefully reasoned will impress a prospective manager. Mentioning how you handle different aspects of time management will set you apart from other candidates, especially if you provide specific examples. Daily Prioritization Employers want to know you can handle your tasks each day without being directly told each step of what needs to be done. They also want to know you can manage to prioritize work appropriately. You can accomplish this in your answer by saying you create a fresh to-do list for yourself at the beginning of each workday, ordered by a deadline and by the level of importance. Since you know that surprises and interruptions can occur, you create three must-wins for yourself of tasks that need to be completed by the end of the business day. You might also explain how you utilize the 80/20 Rule (also known as Paretos Principle) to prioritize work tasks. The 80/20 Rule states that, in any project, 20% of the activities yield 80% of the results. Typically, the first 10% and the final 10% of time spent on a project consume the fruchtwein resources and are the most labor-intensive. Thus, you might explain how you schedule your time so that you can give your full attention to the most critical stages of any given project (typically, the beginning and the end/roll-out). Avoiding Multitasking Although there was a time when employees who could do many things at once were valued, recent studies have shown that multitasking is, in general, vastly overrated. Too often people who try to complete multiple tasks at the same time end up doing sloppy work, losing the time they have saved when they are subsequently forced to correct their errors. A key element of effective time management is the ability to schedule your time so that you can focus on one thing at a time. If you can demonstrate, with an example or two, your ability to efficiently single-task challenging work assignments, youll give your interviewer the favorable impression that you are dedicated to providing quality work. Meeting Deadlines Meeting important deadlines is an important aspect of your work. When a potential employer asks how you handle deadlines, emphasize your u nderstanding of processes and of the importance of working ahead. For instance, your answer could be that you work backward from the deadline when planning your approach to a project, breaking it into smaller tasks and setting mini-deadlines for each task leading up to the projects overall due date. In that way, you are continually making progress each day, and you ensure the project is completed on time. Handling Interruptions Interruptions and distractions are common in the workplace. Your ability to spektrum them out and handle them appropriately is pivotal to your overall performance. Employers are looking for workers who can set firm boundaries, keeping themselves from getting distracted at work by coworkers or fun websites. Mention strategies you put into place, such as wearing headphones to block out chit-chat, putting blocks on your computer for certain chunks of core work time, and limiting water-cooler gossip. Work-Life Balance For a good employer, making sure emp loyees are balanced and not stressed or burned out is important for company morale and productivity. When employers ask about this, they are not looking for someone to say work is my life or that they have no hobbies or obligations outside of the workplace managers know that is not healthy. Instead, focus your answer on how you give your full effort at work and are completely present while you are on the clock, and that your efficiency allows you to disconnect when you are at home. Time management questions can be tricky, as managers are looking for more information than just how you use your time. Focus your answers on these important factors to demonstrate your effectiveness and productivity.