When work has personal meaning, people feel a sense of ownership in their jobs. But few employers do what it takes to make this a core part of their organization. This is apparent in the often bland, tone-deaf, and hollow mission statements companies adopt, which regularly turn out to be empty lip service to values that aren’t lived …
Managing people who used to be your peers is tough. You need to establish your authority without acting like the promotion’s gone to your head. Here are three ways to make the transition easier:
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As a presenter, a question-and-answer session is a powerful way to address your audience’s concerns and drive your point home.
Organizations get it wrong when they rely on only a few people to come up with all the new ideas. Instead, they should connect many colleagues who have the right skills and can foster innovation in others.
You have too much on your plate, deadlines are looming, and people are counting on you. Since you can’t eliminate bouts of intense stress, you have to learn to deal with them. Studies show that people who practice “self-compassion” are happier, more optimistic, and less anxious and depressed.
When you must deliver criticism about someone’s work, it’s best to be direct rather than diplomatic. Avoid the all-too-common practice of mixing positive messages with negative ones. It’s confusing to the recipient. Steer clear of the classic feedback “sandwich”: good news, followed by bad news, ending with good news. Eating a …
A good writer welcomes good edits. A bad writer resents them, seeing them only as personal attacks. Share your material while it’s still rough — the feedback will help you improve it much faster than if you were toiling in isolation. Routinely ask your colleagues, including those you supervise, to read your drafts and suggest …
It’s impossible to know if you’ll really like a career direction until you try it. To avoid costly mistakes — and wasting your energy — take a test-drive. If you can spare nights or weekends, or afford to go without a paycheck for a short period, try volunteering. Offer to help out at an organization or assist an entrepreneur …
You’re not the only one who walks into a networking mixer full of dread. Before you make a run for the door, try a different approach. Tell yourself that it isn’t about you. Instead of trying to meet potential clients, or making another connection that will advance your career, focus exclusively on what you can do for the other …
In today’s organizations, persuasion trumps formal power. To get things done, you need to be able to sway the undecided and convert opponents. Here are three ways to do that:
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Buzzwords, insider concepts, and industry lingo have no place in your presentation. Each field has its own lexicon that’s familiar to experts but foreign to everyone else. Unless you’re speaking to a group of people who are steeped in the material, you’re better off avoiding highly technical or industry-specific language.
Stories are inherently sequential. One thing happens, then another, then another. That structure works well not only in books and films, but also in business writing because it helps readers follow along.
