Your reaction to particularly awful days can make or break future success. The better action to take is to remain as calm as possible. Take quiet time to analyze how far you have come. Think about the twists and turns, and what currently has you stopped in your tracks.
Numerous conversations revealed that many almost quit their current endeavors. But one common factor as to why they did not quit helped them to prevail: They enjoy what they do too much! Ironically, it has become their way of life.
As uncertainty hits, follow these two suggestions:
Take the time needed to uncover the better route.
Convert a negative frame of mind into a positive.
Reframe the situation
One sales technique referred to as “Reframing” applies very well to difficult situations. Whether personal or trying to work with a client, the first step is to figure out where the discontent originates. Upon recognizing the misstep, it becomes easier to work together to find the better solution. By asking a series of questions such as, “What if…” the improved path begins to reveal itself.
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On the personal side, moving from negative to positive thought is the beginning step for improvement. The change in attitude makes an enormous difference in providing increased opportunity to save the day.
The day that you find you are doubting yourself, take private time to consider “the why” that is. Most likely, one of your peers will have had a similar experience. Have a conversation about how they dealt with it and ask for recommendations on how to handle. Their insights won’t necessarily apply or even matter. It’s more about the conversation itself. Just by unleashing the dilemma is all it takes to get back to full steam ahead. As others see you meeting negativity and obstacles head on, they come to admire your steadfast personal brand.
Tips:
When negativity hits, stop to examine the origin.
Decide whether changes need to be made.
Should changes be in order, decide whether they are minor or major.
Begin the process by eliminating the no longer needed.
Create a list of what needs to be fixed.
Prioritize the list in order of immediate need.
Re-energize yourself and/or business by communicating.
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When you first moved your things into your office, you couldn’t wait to put your talents to use and impress your new colleagues with your dedication and drive. But at some point, that passion to succeed did a slow fade. Instead of killing it on projects, you found yourself going through the motions, bored and uninspired.
You’re not the only one who spends the workday feeling this way. A 2014 Gallup report determined that 51% of employees were “not engaged” at the office—in other words, they don’t feel invested in their work, and they’re not getting anything meaningful out of it. Another 17.5% of employees described themselves as “actively disengaged.”
“It’s normal to have times when work just doesn’t seem fun anymore,” says Beverly E. Jones, an executive consultant and author of Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO. “But there’s a lot you can do to become more engaged.”
Before you decide it’s time to jump ship, hang tight—there are less drastic ways to rekindle your excitement. These seven tactics can help you discover the joy in your job and make your nine-to-five meaningful again.
1. REBOOT YOUR DAILY DUTIES
It sounds counterintuitive: If you’re not enthusiastic about your job, why would piling more work onto your plate crank your motivation?
That’s the genius behind a concept called job crafting: taking on new and different responsibilities to expand the boundaries of your job. It’s a new term for something career experts have long advised. Tackling fresh challenges stretches your comfort zone and forces you to learn to grow. That kick-starts your drive and makes your work more interesting, says Kerry Hannon, career and finance expert and author of Love Your Job.
While it’s great to volunteer for projects you hear about in meetings, you’ll get more out of it by coming up with something that’s your own and presenting it to your manager. Since it’s your idea, you’ll be more invested in it, says Hannon. Plus, taking initiative shows that you’re thinking bold, and that can improve your professional rep and help you move higher up in the company.
To brainstorm boundary-pushing ideas, Hannon recommends reading trade websites and setting up Google alerts, which will notify you of the latest news in your industry. “Being in the know can inspire you to think of projects you might be able to nominate yourself for—or start on your own,” she says.
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2. BUILD MOOD-BOOSTING MOVEMENT INTO YOUR WORK SCHEDULE
Hunched over a screen or sitting in a conference room most of the day means that energizing oxygen doesn’t circulate through your body. What registers to you as disinterest in and unhappiness with your work might actually be signs that your body craves activity, like a post-lunch walk.
Science backs up the benefits of a midday reboot: A 2015 study found that a 30-minute lunchtime stroll three times a week for 10 weeks boosts enthusiasm, increases relaxation, and tames on-the-job tension. Additional researchshows that walking during the workday ignites creativity and the flow of ideas.
Can’t get away for a half hour? Ask your manager or team members if you can schedule a walking meeting, suggests Jones. Even a 10-minute stretch session in an empty conference room can make you feel alert again.
Keep your energy cranked by resisting coffee refills (caffeine can make it hard to sleep later) and vending machine trips, as sugar typically causes blood sugar levels to spike—then plunge. Instead, fuel up with foods that contain lean protein and complex carbs. Office-friendly sources include yogurt, nuts, peanut butter packets, hummus, air-popped popcorn, and of course, fruits and veggies.
It’s common for workers to think about employee benefits strictly in terms of health coverage and vacation days, says Sarah Flaherty, LearnVest HR business partner, but that would be a mistake. Benefits are key pieces of your compensation, and you should make sure you are maximizing what you get out of them. “Your employment package often goes well beyond base salary,” says Flaherty.
Some perks offered these days include different types of insurance, gym subsidies, cut-rate tickets for shows and travel, profit sharing, and a 401(k) match program.
“There are often little-known benefits that employees may not be familiar with, such as programs that provide confidential professional counseling services or tuition reimbursement,” says Flaherty. “Another example that I’ve seen is an extension of health care benefits such as covering the cost of IVF or an adoption assistance program that covers the costs associated with adoption—such as agency or legal fees.”
Taking advantage of these benefits can help you see your job in a different light—instead of a gig that’s become a bit uninspiring and routine, your nine-to-five life actually opens up opportunities for you that help you and your family grow and stretch your boundaries, not to mention save money.
Feeling more fulfilled during your workday again may simply be a matter of investigating all the benefits you have access to. “Employees should be sure to pay attention to communications about benefits all year round—not just during benefits season. It is also helpful to leverage the benefits expert in their company if they have any questions about what is being offered,” suggests Flaherty.
It’s hard to resist listening in on a gripe session about higher-ups or swapping war stories concerning difficult clients. Gossip helps bond you to your coworkers, and it feels pretty harmless (when it’s not about you, of course).
But there’s a downside. Too much gossip can be negative and toxic, sapping your emotional energy and lowering morale without you realizing it. If you’re already feeling blah about work, hearing about backstabbing coworkers or company infractions “makes you feel worse,” says Jones. Research also showsthat badmouthing can leave employees more cynical about their jobs, which further sinks your happiness and sense of fulfillment.
Though it can be hard to resist, try to keep the negativity to a minimum. You’re not powerless against the office gossip machine: One recent study demonstrates that you can neutralize it by changing the subject or by preemptively making positive comments.
For example, if a coworker starts bashing another staffer, interrupt her by voicing a positive comment about him, or change the subject entirely by asking about her weekend plans.
5. REFRESH YOUR DESK
You might boast to colleagues that you know exactly where everything is on your desk despite the fact that it’s covered in piles of paper. While a little clutter can actually boost your performance by helping your brain zero in on what needs to get done, that mess can also be a motivation suck. A Princeton University study shows that excessive clutter competes for your attention, which makes you more distracted and less productive. The more visuals your brain has to sort through, the more overwhelmed and fatigued you become.
While you don’t need a totally pristine desk, the fact is, reducing most of the loose papers, folders, and objects in your visual field keeps you more organized and focused, which helps you do better at your job and feel more in control. “When you get rid of old papers or emails that are hanging around, it’s very liberating,” notes Jones. Clearing clutter from your workspace also clears it from your brain, and that can clarify your goals and motivate you to dive back into your work and accomplish more.
Sometimes it’s not the job itself that’s the problem but the people you spend your workday with: the complainers, the scarily ambitious, the petty-minded staffers who make a big deal out of things that don’t matter. Navigate too many difficult personalities day after day, and no wonder you’re unhappy.
If a colleague is genuinely causing you grief on a regular basis, Hannon recommends inviting her for a one-on-one talk. “You’ll need some backbone here, but be positive and do your best to be polite,” she says. “Calmly explain that it’s not okay to treat you this way or act the way he or she does. It’s possible the person is unaware that what he or she is doing is upsetting you, and will apologize and back off.”
If that doesn’t work, or if the person making your work life miserable is a higher-up, talk to your manager or human resources about the situation. Be careful about asking if you can be reassigned. “It’s not always easy for your manager to rearrange work assignments,” says Jones, and inadvertently, you might be branded difficult yourself. “Unless there’s a crisis, I’d start by asking your manager for guidance about how to work more effectively with that person,” she adds. “Then, as a next step, ask if it is possible to modify your assignments so that you work with them less frequently.”
Above all, Hannon suggests framing the situation as something solvable. “Describe what’s been happening in detail, and explain how the situation is taking a toll on your ability to do your work,” she says. “Focus on the potential solution rather than dwelling on the problem.”
Maybe your work lends much-needed help to others. Perhaps the money you earn allows you to afford a nicer life for your family. Or your job taps into skills you’ve worked hard to develop, and you feel proud when you are asked to use them. Whatever it is, even the worst job can offer benefits that fill you with real purpose and meaning. Keeping this in mind will lift your spirits, making you more invested.
It’s not as hokey as it sounds. Research shows that people who feel that their work is meaningful are happier than those who have a high income. If you truly can’t think of something uplifting you get from your gig, take it upon yourself to create that meaning—say, by starting a mentoring program, making yourself available to younger employees who are just finding their footing, or organizing an office blood drive.
“It’s easy to lose track of what the point is or how you’re contributing or helping people, but if you’re actually providing a service or doing some good, that’s a contribution,” says Jones. “Focus on the meaning, on the contribution.”
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It’s time to stop blaming millennial job hopping for poor employee retention. Especially when employers are failing to create a supportive work environment that takes into consideration their unique needs.
It’s no secret: millennials are job hoppers. A 2016 Jobvite survey of 2,305 Americans found that while only 18 percent of the total workforce changes jobs every one-to three-years, 42 percent of millennials do.
That’s made employee retention a nightmare for employers in recent years. There’s constant chatter about how the millennial job hopping tendency makes them difficult to work with. Older generations go on and on about how they wish they’d leave their wandering ways and just settle down.
But what if the root of the problem isn’t millennials? What if it’s actually employers who are failing to create a workplace that meets the needs of the generation? So they go from one company to the next looking for an organization that can fulfill them professionally.
Here are four reasons it’s employers, not millennials, who are behind the job-hopping phenomenon:
1. Lack of career advancement.
Employee engagement is an issue with employees of all ages, but it’s particularly bad with millennials. My company, Quantum Workplace, recently released its “2016 Employee Engagement Trends” report. It surveyed more than a half million employees from more than 8,700 organizations and found that employees between 26 and 35 are the least engaged age group at just 67.3 percent engaged.
The report also found that seeing a chance to develop professionally was one of the top drivers of engagement for millennials. This suggests that one of the main reasons the generation is becoming disengaged at work is because they aren’t getting the career advancement and development they want. Eventually, that causes them to look for a job elsewhere, creating a job-hopping cycle.
The only way to end the pattern is to provide millennials with clear career paths and development opportunities. Talk with them to find out what their goals are and how they can meet those goals with the company. Show a willingness to invest in their future in order to keep them around.
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2. They can’t use their best skills.
Looking at the millennials who do stay with one company for a long time shows they have something interesting in common. The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey of 7,700 millennials from around the world found that 86 percent of millennials who worked with a company for more than five years felt they were able to make good use of their skills in that job. Only 62 percent of millennials who left a company within two years agreed.
Regularly doing what an employee is good at gives them a better connection with the work. It shows that all the hard work they did to develop their skills was not for naught. Unfortunately, most entry or lower-level jobs don’t give employees the opportunity to dig deep and use all of their skills. It’s less clear how what they’re doing contributes to the company as a whole.
Challenge millennials. Give them a chance to show what they can really do. Ask them for their ideas and input on a variety of projects so they can stay engaged and feel of value, rather than like a paper-pusher.
Aside from job hopping, something else that has defined the millennial generation is crushing student debt. A 2016 Citizens Bank survey of 501 American millennials found that 60 percent of adults under 35 don’t believe they’ll be able to pay off their loans until well into their 40s. Thirty-six percent said if they had known how much college was really going to cost them, they never would’ve attended a university.
Student loan debt therefore becomes a huge weight for millennials when it comes to choosing a job. And one that can help them tackle their educational debt is a huge draw. A 2015 Peanut Butter survey of 400 respondents between 20 and 35 years old found that, on average, millennials with college loans would stay with a company 36 percent longer if it offered repayment assistance.
By making loan repayment assistance part of the organization’s benefits package, it becomes a lot more appealing to younger professionals. It gives them a reason to stick around, resulting in improved millennial employee retention.
Nobody likes feeling under-appreciated. Yet it seems like millennials’ hard work in particular is being ignored. In a 2015 LeadershipIQ surveyof more than 3,000 employees, only 33 percent of employees under 30 were confident that their performance was at the level it should be.
There is clearly a major lack of feedback and recognition for so many young professionals to be unsure of how they’re doing in their role. And that lack of communication makes them feel less important to the organization. Without that connection, it’s easier for them to leave in hopes of being appreciated elsewhere.
Make sure all employees, but especially millennials, are acknowledged for their hard work. Start having regular one-on-one meetings with employees so their performance can be discussed. That way, millennials will be confident in the fact that they are doing a great job and their work is of value to the organization.
It’s time to stop blaming millennial job hopping for poor employee retention. Especially when employers are failing to create a supportive work environment that takes into consideration their unique needs.
Entrepreneur.com | September 16, 2016 | Greg Harris
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Most people like the idea of being the boss — but not everyone has what it takes to lead effectively.
It can be difficult to determine whether or not you’re manager material, even if you’re being honest with yourself. What’s more, once you are in a leadership role, it’s hard to reckon whether or not you’re doing a great job — or failing miserably.
It’s important to determine what your strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to leading. Otherwise, you might be unprepared once an opportunity to rise up comes around. Or, if you are already a boss, you might flounder in your management role.
For anyone who’s considering whether or not they have any leadership chops, Headway Capitalcompiled this infographic breaking down what it takes to be a great boss.
Follow the flowchart to figure out if you’re a great manager, or a horrible one:
Businessinsider.com | September 16, 2016 | Áine Cain
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You don’t always work as efficiently or productively as you could, and you know it. Chances are you can even identify which ways of doing things you could probably do better if you were to do them differently—but you don’t want to. That’s just the way you do it.
You don’t always work as efficiently or productively as you could, and you know it. Chances are you can even identify which ways of doing things you could probably do better if you were to do them differently—but you don’t want to. That’s just the way you do it.
It’s normal to have some habits or practices you prefer and others you don’t, and some managers have found that giving employees control over the “how” as long as they accomplish the “what” is a powerful productivity strategy in its own right. But sometimes we fall into routines at work that not only do weknow to be less than ideal, but we also find ways to convince ourselves they’re worth sticking to anyway. That can be a problem.
HOW YOU COME UP WITH REASONS FOR BAD HABITS
In the 1950s, the psychologist Leon Festinger coined the term “cognitive dissonance” to describe the uneasiness we feel when we hold two conflicting ideas simultaneously. Festinger realized that this discomfort isn’t just an inert feeling—it influences our behavior in surprising ways.
Cognitive dissonance is so unpleasant that it motivates us to make changes in order to avoid experiencing it. But since we don’t always recognize why we’re uncomfortable (the source of our cognitive dissonance), we can often wind up making the wrong changes—or holding onto habits we should probably abandon.
I once worked with an organization that sent out sensitive documents. Because of the nature of the work, when mail was returned, it couldn’t just be thrown away and the recipient removed from the mailing list. We had to make every effort to contact the person.
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The procedure to do this was created before email and social media were widespread. So those tools—even after they came on the scene—still played little part in our process for contacting recipients. Our staff found themselves using a process they knew was unwieldy and old-fashioned, and that created cognitive dissonance. They valued the efficiency of shooting off a quick email over mailing physical documents, and taking that analog approach anyway (in other words, behaving contrary to a belief) subconsciously caused distress.
For a long time, they weren’t able to change the process. So to avoid cognitive dissonance, employees came up with ways to make sense of what they were doing. By the time they were given the freedom to change course, they’d convinced themselves they had a legal obligation (which they didn’t) to act in the way that they did. Dislodging this idea became a stumbling block to improvement for the business.
Cognitive dissonance can motivate people to change the way they work. But if they aren’t aware of what’s going on, it can instead lead to irrational behavior and the invention of justifications for things that should be changed. If it’s consciously recognized, though, these inconsistencies can motivate change for the better.
You can never entirely avoid cognitive dissonance—it’s part of how we think. But you can reduce it. Here are a few steps to take to do that.
1. WALK THE WALK
People are pretty good hypocrisy detectors. Any inconsistency between your company’s stated values and its behaviors will create dissonance for employees who are asked to follow procedures that conflict with the values they’re told to uphold. So if you’re going to say you value creativity, then let people be creative; if you say you value diversity, then be diverse; if you say you value quality over speed, then don’t rush people. This isn’t rocket science, but the gap between values and action is the first thing to look for.
Same goes for your brand. Examine the relationship between your organization’s public image and the reality of your work. Don’t pretend to the world that you’re a fun-loving company if your ethos is really about serious work, or that you value customer feedback if you’re already set on a specific course. Make sure image matches reality, and no one will waste mental energy straining to match the unmatchable.
2. MAKE AN EFFORT IN THE RIGHT AREA
The more effort people put into something, the more they’ll tend to believe in it. So make sure that your employees are focused, as far as possible, on core tasks and values that express the purpose of your business. This way their work and the supposed purpose of it will correspond, and that work will make them comfortably more committed to those values. A great deal of misplaced effort usually leads to a great deal of justifications for sticking with it.
3. RESEARCH, DON’T EXPLAIN IT AWAY
Anytime someone asks why you do something, there’s a risk that you’ll give a knee-jerk response, looking for the most obvious way to make sense of what you do already—instead of really thinking about why you do it. The worst part is, you won’t even realize you may be inventing after-the-fact justifications for a less-than-ideal process.
So don’t give the first answer that comes into your head. Press pause, step away, check the facts, and then come back with the real explanation. If that explanation—the truthful one, backed by research—isn’t so hot, then maybe it’s time to change.
4. ACCEPT A LITTLE INCONSISTENCY
Avoiding cognitive dissonance is all about creating consistency, but that doesn’t mean that you should go into denial about what’s inconsistent. Circumstances change, and so do businesses. Sometimes inconsistencies will develop, and we can get defensive about them—explaining them away instead of fixing them. So be on the lookout for those inconsistencies, but keep in mind that they’re normal and, in many cases, fixable.
It’s a good goal to try and work as rationally as possible. But we don’t always think that way, and recognizing that is the first step toward scrapping your worse habits and hanging onto your better ones.
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Mike Krzyzewski, or Coach K as he’s more commonly called, is much taller in person than he looks on TV.
I guess that’s because the coach of Duke’s multiple champion men’s basketball team and Team USA’s gold medal men’s basketball team wasn’t surrounded by 6-foot-11-inch super athletes at the time I met him in a midtown New York office. Instead, Coach K was sitting with his business partner Chrissie Gorman, CEO of PowerForward, a new startup digital subscription service that will deliver interactive leadership and team-building videos to users.
He’s got trophies, medals and the respect and admiration of millions, so why start a business? “I don’t know how many more years I will continue to coach, but I wanted to be able to teach for the rest of my life,” Coach K told me. “And this platform will allow me to do so.”
I had the pleasure of speaking with Gorman and Coach K about their venture and the parallels between leading on the court and in business. I walked out of the room feeling energized, inspired and ready to throw down a vicious dunk on my opponents … if only I could figure out a way to grow a foot and a half on my way to the gym.
Last time I saw you, Coach, you had a big hunk of gold around your neck.
Coach K: I wish! They don’t give coaches the actual medals, we get replicas — but that’s OK, the main thing is we won!
How does PowerForward work?
Coach K: It is a video service a company would subscribe to. People from all walks of life — sports, business, military — tell a story about how they have adapted or how they have shown leadership. And as you watch the 20-minute video, the viewer is asked if they would have made the same decisions, if they would have done things differently and why. It is interactive. So you’re not just reading or watching — you’re able to feel it. And if you feel it, you might own it. And that’s how you get better.
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Coach K: Chrissie and CAA had the vision to put this startup together, which has been two years in the works. And they were able to help me understand the vision, because this isn’t a world that I am in. Just like she doesn’t understand the vision of attacking a zone or full-court pressing. And now it is a shared vision. I love what she and our team have be able to do.
Chrissie Gorman: We had an incredible opportunity to work with a man who has this amazing legacy of leadership. I came in to look at it and see if there was a need we could fill. I looked at the $10 billion B2B leadership market, and we saw a gap in focusing on emerging leaders. Who better to fill that role than Coach K?
Your ability to lead spans between athletes fresh out of high school to athletes who are seasoned NBA All-Stars. What are the similarities and differences leading groups like that?
Coach K: It is completely different. There’s a big difference in maturity: age, physical and experience. So when I’m coaching the USA team in the Olympics, those guys are professionals, they’ve crossed bridges of experience. The quickest way of explaining it is that we adapt to each other. Then we find the best practices that that group can adapt to.
When I’m coaching the young guys in college, they pretty much have to adapt to me. The lessons I’ve learned in adapting to the pro players have been unbelievable. How you train, how they are able to be successful in certain situations — I’ve learned more in the past 10 years from these guys than I knew before.
Who surprised you most?
Coach K: Almost all of them, quite frankly. In some respect, that’s not the world I live in. In college, we have to train our guys. These professionals have their routines. What we do as a group we do as a group. But I have to allow them time to follow the routines that work for them.
Demar DeRozan is getting up at 6 a.m. to do his routine, Klay Thompson is going back to the gym and shooting at night. Kyle Lowry is one of the top scorers in the league, and he came to me and said, “What do you need coach? I don’t care how many minutes I play.” It is called selfless.
People always ask “How do you get these big egos together?” If you have a good common cause — to play for your country and win a gold medal — that’s a pretty good common cause. Like we say inPowerForward, they make a commitment to being part of something that is bigger than you.
Coach K: Both! I would say for me, the thought of losing is a bigger motivator than the thought of winning. But the hatred of losing causes you to prepare to win. Everybody wants to win, not everybody wants to prepare to win. You have to love the process of preparing to achieve that goal of winning. People who are less talented can beat you if they are more together, tougher and more unselfish.
My kids play little league, and there is a mercy rule that stops better teams from running up the score too high. Are you able to take your foot off the gas during a game?
Coach K: I would hope that I am faced with the opportunity in every game that I coach! A lot of people ask if I prefer a close exciting game or a blowout — as long as we’re the ones blowing out the other team, the sooner the better.
Does that competitiveness carry through in business? Do you look to crush your competition?
Gorman: In business, you have to be agile. You have to be open to someone coming in and disrupting you. You can’t rest on your laurels. It is always competitive, but in the end, it is all about your investors and your customers. You are working to make their investment of time and money worthwhile, that’s where your focus needs to be.
Coach K: I think your focus should always be on yourself, being the best that you can be. Your competition shows your flaws, your weakness. I’m into beating my opponents, not crushing them. Without competition, you don’t know how people are looking to beat you. So you welcome that. To “crush” someone means that you feel like you won. But if you’re committed to excellence, it’s not about one game, you have to be there all the time. You’re never at the end, you’re always “becoming.”
When you are recruiting new players for Duke, you have statistics that show how talented a player is, but are there any tells that you look for to see if you want them on your team?
Coach K: We look for three things: talent, academic ability and character. Are they easy to coach? Is it all about them or is it all about us? We give those equal weight, and if one is missing, we won’t try to recruit that player.
Do those three pillars line up with recruiting employees in business?
Gorman: Yes, particularly when it come to character. I look for people who say “we” more than “I.” When someone says “we” that means that they feel a part of something being built.
Coach K: I ask every kid I’m visiting, “What are your goals?” I visited two this weekend who said, “I want to be part of a national championship team.” And you love to hear an answer like that. If they start asking how many shots they’ll take or minutes they’ll play, that’ll all shake itself out — most likely as you are playing for another team. The “we” concept is huge for us.
Gorman: It’s funny, as I’m building this team for PowerForward, if someone’s first question is “what will the salary be?” it’s not the right fit. This is a startup, this is about building something together and about the experience. You can go somewhere else if all you’re looking for is a comfortable salary.
Part of being a leader is dealing with the good and the bad. The NCAA just announced that they are pulling all championship games from North Carolina due to its controversial transgender bathroom law. How do you feel about that?
Coach K: I was asked about this law when we were preparing for theOlympics in Las Vegas. It was a very short answer: It’s embarrassing. And I still feel it is embarrassing because it is discriminatory. I’m all in on what the NCAA has done and I am proud that Duke AD Kevin White has stepped forward on behalf of our university to say that we are against discrimination, and to express our sorrow that it has hurt our great state.
You coached all of these guys on Team USA, and now they’re all back in the NBA. So going into this season, who do you want to win?
Coach K: First off, I want them all to be healthy. I want them to be taken care of contractually. In 11 years, in the last five competitions we’ve won, we’ve coached 39 NBA players and they’ve all won gold medals. Some multiple times. I have anywhere from 16 to 20 former Duke players in the NBA. I want good things to happen for them all.
On Christmas, I’ll be watching the NBA games with my grandsons and I’ll be able to say, “On the court right now, there are six guys I’ve coached.” Then the next game will have four or seven. I just want them to do well. And I keep in contact with a lot of them. Relationships are another keyword that we teach in PowerForward. We want people to take these words, make them their own and be better for it.
Entrepreneur.com | September 15, 2016 | Dan Bova
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg00First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-15 20:33:032020-09-30 20:50:44#Leadership : What Coach K Can Teach You About Leadership and the Morning Habits of NBA Stars…The most Winningest Coach in NCAA Division I Basketball History Wants to Show you How to Be a Better Leader. He’s Qualified to Do That, Don’t you Think?
Leaders are difficult to find, leaving many companies scrambling when a higher ranking employee decides to leave. The Global Workforce Leadership survey from Workplace Trends found that almost half of the companies surveyed in February and March 2015 said that leadership is the hardest skill to find in employees.
How can companies manage the transition when leaders leave or when management positions are open? These changes in leadership shouldn’t be a catastrophe. By building a talent pipeline of future leaders, employers can simply fill urgent talent needs with a qualified internal hire.
However, building a talent pipeline is not just an event to do as needed. It’s a fully integrated process that requires more than just a set-it-and-forget-it philosophy.
Let’s take a look at how to build a talent pipeline of future leaders:
1. Create an employer branding message.
Growth opportunities are great for attracting top talent and retaining employees. LinkedIn’s “Why and How People Change Jobs” reportfound that 45 percent of the 10,536 people surveyed who changed companies between late 2014 and early 2015 say they left because they were concerned about a lack of advancement opportunities. Fifty-nine percent say they started a new job for a stronger career path and more opportunity.
In other words, start marketing the company’s emphasis on career development and growth opportunities. Cater the employer branding messaging to those who aim to become leaders and make sure it is clear and consistent.
The company’s online presence should make it clear that employees have a lot of room to move and grow within the organization. Share employee testimonials to highlight real-world examples for interested job seekers. This adds a level of credibility and authenticity to the message.
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Utilize social media outlets to expand the brand’s reach. For example, if a new department is in need of some entry-level workers, share the job listings on Twitter and Facebook. Make the most of visual platforms as well, like Instagram. Post images of the office or live stream video from a training seminar to show job seekers what it’s like to join the team.
Consider updating the core values and mission statement to incorporate employee development. Remember, creating a culture based on personal growth doesn’t just happen overnight. The best method for this involves a documented, fully developed talent mobility program.
2. Start a talent mobility program.
Talent mobility programs are essential for building a robust talent pipeline, especially for filling future leadership positions. Unfortunately, finding an employer with a leadership program is nearly impossible. The 2015 Global Human Capital Trends report from Deloitte found that while 53 percent of younger workers want to take on leadership roles, only 6 percent of organizations have strong leadership programs in place.
Talent mobility attracts more job seekers and improves retention rates. After all, employees who are being invested in will want to stick around. Investing in the workforce builds a strong relationship between the employer and employee that is based on trust and respect.
When creating a talent mobility program, incorporate leadership training so employees can start developing those valuable skills they’ll need when it comes time for them to succeed higher-ups.
Start encouraging participation within the company by promoting the benefits of the program through email notifications, signage in the office, meetings and other tactics that can catch their attention and engage them with the program. Raise awareness by clearly defining how it is advantageous to employees who want to move up in the company.
Some employers fail to make the most out of their talent mobility programs. To maximize the results and to understand the talent pipeline well, start measuring and tracking.
3. Use performance analytics.
Performance data gives employers and management visibility and insights about the talent on hand. Track how employees are faring with succession activities in the talent mobility program and provide feedback consistently to guide them toward achieving their goals and becoming a better leader.
Use data to assign tasks that they can succeed in, but also push them out of their comfort zones so they learn new skills or further develop ones they already possess. When employers fully understand each person’s strengths, they know who their best candidates are for future leadership roles.
Measuring and analyzing performance data helps companies make the right decisions. They can hire more confidently with predictive analytics. Promoting from within is not a guessing game. Talent mobility programs empower companies to build deep talent pipelines where they can choose from the best of the best to ensure the future of their company remains in good hands.
Entrepreneur.com | September 14, 2016 | Kes Thygesen
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Free-Empty-Park-Seats1.jpg11001650First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-15 10:28:552020-09-30 20:50:45#Leadership : 3 Tools to Build a Leadership Pipeline…Use these Three Tips to Build a Talent Pipeline of Future Leaders and Ensure your Company Remains in Good Hands.
I tend to wake up early and do my best work while the sun is coming up. Whenever I try to work late at night, I find I’m less focused and I have trouble thinking creatively.
But there is one thing that I’ve noticed that I have more of at night: motivation. Something about the end of the day makes me want to get a lot more done and complete more tasks—but by the time I wake up the next morning, all that motivation is gone.
Maybe you’re the opposite. Maybe you jump out of bed full of enthusiasm to attack the day, only to find you taper off at around lunchtime, and crawl through the afternoon trying to look busy.
And we’ve all gone through phases where we’re just not in the mood to work. Whenever you struggle most, if motivation is your challenge, I’ve got some good news. Researchers find it interesting to figure out what motivates us. That’s good for us, because we can use their findings about the general population to figure out what we, personally, respond to best.
Let’s take a look at some of the major findings on motivation from science, and how we can translate those into practical actions to help us get more done with less friction.
1. USE INTRINSIC MOTIVATION TO DO CREATIVE WORK
There are two types of motivation: “extrinsic” (or external) and “intrinsic” (or internal). If you’ve ever been extremely motivated to clean your house when you know you’re about to have visitors, that’s extrinsic motivation. If you spend time on your days off working to get better at a hobby simply because you want to, that’s intrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation is often used in a work context with “if, then” rewards. When your boss tells you, if you hit this deadline, then you’ll get a bonus, that’s an “if, then” reward. It’s providing you with an external incentive to work hard.
This can work well to increase how hard you work—but only in particular contexts. That is, tasks that are simple and require mostly physical effort or time to get done. Anything repetitive that doesn’t require creative thinking is a perfect candidate for this type of motivation.
But this approach breaks down when we look at tasks that require innovation and creative thinking. In those cases, researchers have found “if, then” rewards lead to worse performance. And in some cases, the higher the reward, the worse the participants performed on their tasks!
So extrinsic motivation isn’t our best bet when we’re working on something creative. It narrows our thinking by focusing us on getting the task done so we can earn the reward. But in creative work, that’s the opposite of what we want. We need broad thinking, so we can come up with innovative ideas and see new connections.
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Put this into practice: Focus on the three elements of intrinsic motivation. If you’re working on a simple, mechanical task, try using “if, then” rewards to increase your motivation. Save a fun task to do later as a reward, or promise yourself a break, a snack, or a short time playing a game or watching videos. Apps like Habitica offer in-game virtual rewards with an aim to motivate you to complete tasks and goals on your list.
But when you’re doing creative work—whether it’s writing an article or trying to come up with a name for your new business—try not to use “if, then” rewards. You’ll probably find it hard to do your best work if you’re using extrinsic motivation. Instead, focus on what author Dan Pink says are thethree elements required for intrinsic motivation:
Autonomy
Mastery
Purpose
Autonomy is all about choice. As Scott Geller, director of the Center for Applied Behavior Systems in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech, says in a talk at TEDx Virginia Tech, when you believe you have a choice, you’re more motivated. If you’re working on something you chose to do, you’ll be intrinsically motivated to get it done.
So finding as many ways as you can to increase your autonomy in your work can improve how much natural motivation you have. Maybe you were given an assignment by your boss but aren’t too thrilled about it. See if you can negotiate the terms of the due date, the project specs, or anything else that would help you feel more in control.
Mastery, says Pink, is about wanting to get better at something that matters. If you love what you do and enjoy improving your skills, you’ll be more motivated to learn and use those skills in your work. If you believe you have worthwhile skills, you’ll appreciate opportunities to use them more. If you don’t feel this now, try looking for ways to augment your work by picking up a new, related skill that interests you.
Finally, focus on purpose. That comes from believing you’re working on something that’s bigger than yourself. If you’re thinking about your customers, how your business is impacting the world, or the innovations that will come from what your team is working on, you’ll be more motivated to do your part.
These three factors—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—are all also critical for job satisfaction. When you have all three in your line of work, consider yourself lucky.
2. KNOW HOW YOUR WORK HELPS OTHERS
When we know that our work will make a difference to someone else, it makes us work harder. One example of this was found in a study of a fundraising call center at the University of Michigan. Students who’d benefited from the center’s sponsorship fundraising talked to the call center workers for 10 minutes. One month later, those workers were spending 142% more time on the phones, and revenue had increased by 171%.
Despite these stark changes, the call center team members denied their work was affected by the students visiting them. So it may be that we draw intrinsic motivation subconsciouslyfrom evidence that our work is useful to others.
Put this into practice: Talk to the people who benefit from your work. Try seeking out the people your work impacts directly. That’s probably not your boss or your colleagues. They’re your final customers or even their customers. They might not be people you come in contact with every day, but making the effort to get in touch with these people could boost your motivation to work hard. You might occasionally ask customers to fill out a satisfaction survey or informally request feedback directly.
If you’re curious about whether it will work for you, try tracking your work results before and after speaking to people, since you might not notice the effects yourself.
3. GIVE YOURSELF SOMETHING TO LOSE
There are two parts to this finding that relate to motivation. The first is acognitive bias called “loss aversion.” For example, if you found $20 on the ground, you’d be pretty happy. But if you had $20 in your wallet and lost it, you’d be really unhappy. Loss aversion refers to the fact that we feel stronger emotions about losing something than we do about gaining the same thing.
The second related finding is about ownership. The “endowment effect” states that we rate things as having higher value if we own them. This was illustrated in a study of students at Duke University by behavioral economist Dan Ariely and marketing professor Ziv Carmon. Ariely and Carmon asked students who’d won Final Four basketball tickets in a lottery at what amount they’d sell their tickets. The average answer was $1,400.
They then asked disappointed students who hadn’t won tickets in the lottery how much they’d pay if they could purchase the tickets outright. Their average answer was $170. It’s quite a big difference!
This is because the owners of the tickets believe they’re far more valuable than those who don’t own them, due to the endowment effect. They also have to ask a price high enough to offset their loss aversion—they’ll feel a lot more strongly about “losing” the tickets than those who buy them will feel about their gain. Knowing it will hurt to part with something they own, the sellers ask for high prices to offset that pain.
Vassilis Dalakas, professor of marketing at California State University San Marcos, tested how loss aversion affects our motivation with his consumer behavior class. He had two classes learning the same material and gave each class optional pop quizzes throughout the semester. Each quiz was worth one point if answered correctly, and would cost the student one point if answered incorrectly.
For the first class, Dalakas told his students they had to take a final exam unless they earned five points through the pop quizzes. Those five points would earn them the chance to skip the exam. Forty-three percent of students in this class collected the full five points. In the second class, Dalakas told his students the final exam was optional unless they didn’t earn five points through the pop quizzes. If students opted to not take the quizzes or didn’t pass enough to get their five points, they were required to take the final exam.
In the second class, 82% of students earned five points. Can you guess why?
In the second class, students believed they owned the right to opt out of the final exam. The exam started off as being optional, but they could lose that right to sit it out by not taking the quizzes. The thought of losing the right to skip the exam was a powerful driver.
The first class, however, was told their exam was required from the start. They could earn the right to sit it out, but they weren’t having anything taken away from them. Earning something new wasn’t enticing enough for even half the students to earn the required points.
Put this into practice: Motivate yourself externally using loss aversion. You can use this psychological principle by putting something at stake when you feel unmotivated. It could be money, which is how apps like Beeminderand stickK work. You put up the money initially but only lose it to an individual you specify, a charity (or worse, anti-charity—an organization you strongly oppose) if you fail to complete your commitment.
Whether it’s money, a right to something, or a physical object, make sure you choose something you feel ownership of and a way to hold yourself accountable, such as a friend or colleague. If you feel like it’s not yours in the first place, you won’t feel as much pain to part with it, and its power to motivate you will be diminished. And remember, this is an externalmotivation mechanism, so it’ll work best for simple, mechanical tasks rather than creative work.
There are plenty of things I’d like more of: self-discipline, willpower, persistence, and spatial awareness to name a few. But motivation is certainly at the top of my list. Without motivation, it’s hard to hit deadlines and even harder to do your best work.
These approaches aren’t foolproof and won’t necessarily work for everyone. But the best way to find out what motivates you most is to try different approaches and measure your performance. Just remember to match the type of motivation to the task at hand.
This article originally appeared on Zapier and is reprinted with permission.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/brain-mind-wires-2-1940x900_35021.jpg450970First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-14 20:45:112020-09-30 20:50:45#Leadership : 3 Brain Hacks To Boost Your Motivation When You Need It Most…Different Kinds of Work Require Different Types of Motivation. Here’s How and When to Use these Three Psychological Principles.
Are you a self-proclaimed bookworm? Can you read quickly and comprehend every sentence you consume? Good news: your passion for books and excellent reading skills may help land you a lucrative job.
Editor
Turns out there are a lot of high-paying professions out there that require strong reading comprehension skills.
Business Insider recently combed through the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a US Department of Labor database that compiles detailed information on hundreds of jobs, and looked at salary data on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website to find positions with a median annual salary of over $55,000 where reading comprehension is very important to the job.
They research, analyze, interpret, and present the past by studying historical documents and sources.
Reading comprehension importance score: 94
Median salary: $55,800
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They teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Some of these professors also engage in research.
They develop instructional materials and products and assist in the technology-based redesign of courses. They also assist faculty in learning about, becoming proficient in, and applying instructional technology.
Reading comprehension importance score: 85
Median salary: $62,270
Instructional coordinators
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
They develop instructional material, coordinate educational content, and incorporate current technology in specialized fields that provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. This profession includes educational consultants and specialists, and instructional material directors.
They study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. They may also study topics, such as public opinion, political decision-making, and ideology — and they sometimes analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. They may also conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.
They represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. They may specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
Reading comprehension importance score: 85
Median salary: $115,820
Preventive medicine physicians
Jim Bourg/Reuters
They apply knowledge of general preventive medicine and public health issues to promote health care to groups or individuals, and aid in the prevention or reduction of risk of disease, injury, disability, or death.
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Mental strength takes a long time to develop. It is the daily practice of pushing yourself to grow stronger, maintaining realistic optimism, and setting healthy boundaries.Mentally strong people don’t dothings like waste time feeling sorry for themselves or give away their power to other people.
Morin shared the following 21 signs you’re mentally stronger than average, which we’ve listed here in her words:
1. You balance emotions with logic
“Mentally strong people understand how their emotions can influence their thinking. In an effort to make the best decisions possible, they balance their emotions with logic.”
2. You choose productive behavior
“While it may be tempting to make excuses, complain about other people, and avoid difficult circumstances, mentally strong people refuse to waste time on unproductive activities.”
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3. You feel confident in your ability to adapt to change
“Mentally strong people know that although change is uncomfortable, it’s tolerable. They focus their energy on adapting to change, rather than resisting it.”
4. You face the fears that hold you back
“While mentally strong people don’t need to conquer fears because they have something to prove to others, they do strive to face the fears that hold them back.”
5. You learn fromyour mistakes
“Mentally strong people don’t hide or excuse their mistakes. Instead, they learn from them.”
6. You balance self-acceptance with self-improvement
“Mentally strong people accept themselves for who they are, while simultaneously recognizing their need for personal development.”
7. You genuinely celebrate other people’s success
“Mentally strong people cooperate — rather than compete — with those around them. They don’t feel as though other people’s success somehow diminishes their own achievements.”
8. You are comfortable living according to your values
“Mentally strong people make decisions with relative ease because they understand their priorities and they live according to their values.”
9. You focus on sharpening your skills, rather than showing them off
“While some people seek validation from others, mentally strong people are less concerned about gaining recognition. Instead, they’re intrinsically motivated to become better.”
10. You live an authentic life
“Mentally strong people are true to themselves. Their words are in line with their behavior.”
11. You view life’s hardships as opportunities for growth
“While hardship causes some people to grow bitter, mentally strong people let adversity make them better.”
12. Your self-worth depends on who you are, not what you achieve
“Mentally strong people feel good about themselves, whether they win or lose.”
13. You practice delayed gratification
“Mentally strong people view their goals as a marathon, not a sprint. They’re willing to tolerate short-term pain when it can provide long-term gain.”
14. You bounce back from failure
“Mentally strong people don’t view failure as the end of the road. Instead, they use their failed attempts as opportunities to gain knowledge that will increase their chances of success in the future.”
15. You’re a realistic optimist
“Mentally strong people are able to look for the silver lining and think on the bright side, but they don’t allow their optimistic tendencies to blind them to reality.”
16. You accept personal responsibility for your choices
“Mentally strong people don’t needlessly beat themselves up, but they do accept complete responsibility for their actions.”
17. You express gratitude
“Rather than exclaim they need more, mentally strong people acknowledge they have more than they need.”
18. You focus on what you can control
“Mentally strong people are effective and productive in life because they devote their resources to the things they can control.”
19. You engage in active problem-solving
“Mentally strong people don’t dwell on the problem — instead, they create solutions.”
20. You’re open to learning more from all that surrounds you
“Mentally strong people are constantly learning from their circumstances and the people they encounter every day.”
21. You work on your weaknesses, rather than masking them
“While many people work hard to disguise their vulnerabilities, mentally strong people invest their energy into improving their shortcomings.”
This is an update of an article originally published by Steven Benna.
Businessinsider.com | September 14, 2016
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/free-Chain.jpg25923872First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-14 12:40:382020-09-30 20:50:46#Leadership : 21 Signs you’re Mentally Stronger than Average…How Do you Know Where you Fall on the Spectrum? We asked Psychotherapist Amy Morin, the author of “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.”
