bloglovinBloglovin iconCombined ShapeCreated with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch. rssRSS iconsoundcloudSoundCloud iconFill 1Created with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch. Fill 1Created with Sketch.

Tag: work

10 unpleasant things that are actually good for you

Sticking to a schedule – Having a reliable structure gives you the space to create and dream. The same routine again and again might sound boring, but repetition contributes to mastery and improved skills.

Failing – Disappointments test your motivation and resolve. Failures can encourage you to try again and come back stronger.

Heartbreak – Great lessons can be learned from failed relationships, and the period following a breakup or divorce is ripe for self improvement and discovery.

Rejection – Didn’t get that job or promotion you were hoping for? Ask yourself hard questions and analyze yourself through a more critical lens.

Running/Sprinting/Lifting weights – It will hurt at first, but imagine a healthier, fitter body and mind and get yourself out the door.

Practice tests – Repetition and preparation are cornerstones to success. Improve by doing. Even when it’s annoying.

Being broke – You’ll learn how to budget and save when those last dollars leave your wallet.

Not understanding – Asking questions builds empathy and keeps you curious.

Embarrassment – Moments of humility yield trust and compassion.

Hard work – Put in effort, get results. The best outcomes require time, discipline and focus — and rarely happen overnight.

7 ways to make sure your next meeting is not terrible

1. Get curious
Gather input and collect information from your team before the meeting is scheduled. What are employees struggling with? What would help them reach their goals?

2. Turn it into a competition
Split attendees into teams. Award points and reward initiative. You can keep a running tally from month to month and provide incentives for top scores.

3. Actively participate
Be prepared to present your own views and concerns instead of sitting passively in the corner. Listen carefully and think through problems.

4. Add music
Play a song in the beginning of the meeting when attendees find their seats. Turn tunes back on at the end of the meeting and allow time for socializing.

5. Design a seating chart
Placing name tags on seats can help encourage cross-collaboration among teams and introduce executives from different departments.

6. Vary presentation styles
Mix up powerpoint, video clips, role play and dialogue. With so many online resources available, supplement your biggest points with inspiring talks from other speakers.

7. Set due dates
Follow up with your team and ask for feedback about meetings. Discuss what is going well and what needs improvement.

8. Choose a theme
Designating a central theme can intrigue attendees and keep meetings focused and on point.

Are you spending too much time at work?

The eight-hour workday was designed to get the most out of workers in order to run around-the-clock business. After observing inefficiencies of exhausted workers, Robert Owen split the day into three eight-hour blocks: work, play and rest. Even Henry Ford mirrored this formula. Yet bonuses, overtime pay, and office bragging rights have incentivized long work hours. As a result, fatigue is common in workplaces across America.
Are all those hours at work really beneficial?
Research shows that after hour fifty, workers burn out, make mistakes and get hurt. The more hours spent at work, the less work actually gets accomplished. Overtime nurses misdiagnosed patients, and hospital interns were more likely to be involved in automobile accidents after long hours on the job.
Mayo Clinic recognizes the dangerous combination of exhaustion, insecurity and hopelessness; job burnout is a big problem, even resulting in depression and insomnia. If projects are piling up on your desk, if you’re feeling irritable or dissatisfied – even work is going well – take a step back. You’re worth way more than OT.

How to talk to young people about entrepreneurship

Our culture is obsessed with success — mostly because success, as portrayed in media, is sandwiched between wealth and fame. This idealist notion of success, especially in terms of entrepreneurship, has extreme consequences. Hearing stories about those select few who have made millions can alter young entrepreneurs’ expectations of themselves and their perspectives on the future.

I’ve been an entrepreneur for most of my life, and I’ve been teaching skills associated with entrepreneurship for over ten years. In working with clients and students of varying ages, I’ve learned:

Emphasize progress, not results
Entrepreneurship is a long road filled with pivots, failures, hiatus, flashes of brilliance and extreme exhaustion. When successful outcomes are the only stories highlighted, the heavy lifting journey loses value. It is imperative that students learn the importance of sticking things through, even when challenges become great. Success rarely happens overnight, and students need to understand hard work, patience and determination.

Build autonomy
Autonomy is belief in ability; when a student develops skills that contribute to her autonomy, she builds confidence and independence. Research has shown that autonomous students are more motivated, make better decisions, and are more responsible than their peers. Groups exercises, presentations and debates can push students to find answers and perform, even (and especially) when they are nervous.

Encourage questions
Asking questions is an essential step in finding new ways of doing things and improving outdated products. When students learn to think critically, there is no end to what they can do. Students who acquire critical thinking skills are able to analyze arguments, evaluate information and transfer ideas from one environment to another. And in today’s world, when industries borrow from others and businesses must quickly adapt to changing market needs, these skills are essential.

Teach communication skills
The ability to communicate is one of the most valuable business tools. If a student can structure an essay and clearly articulate key points, that student can learn to write a pitch, compose sales emails and rehearse cold calls. Being able to communicate (and listen!) builds confidence and empathy. Both are necessary for entrepreneurs.

Find local role models
No matter where they are in the world, students have heard of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Introduce your students to local entrepreneurs. Tell your class stories about people in their neighborhood, people who have built something, kept it going and continue to show up day in and day out. Even better: invite these businesswomen and men to your classroom and set up a mentoring program.

Reward mistakes
Students need to understand that few, very few people, get it right on the first try. Products can be taken off market and rebranded, launches can happen more than once, sometimes you have to go back to the drawing board and start all over again. Talk to your students about famous people who failed but kept going. Teach students to edit and find their own mistakes instead of giving them paper with red ink scrawled all over the page. Work with them to identify where mistakes occurred so they don’t happen again.

Our world needs young people who are confident, who aren’t afraid to question, and who get back up after failing. It’s our duty to show them how to do it.

When DENIED doesn’t matter

Recently, I’ve been receiving a lot of “No’s.” The proposals and emails I’m sending are falling flat, and my inbox is filled with rejections and denials.

Denial

I could let these responses discourage me, but I’m not. I’m using them as fuel. Like my friend Jodi says, “Care enough to push past the ‘No’.”

Rejection doesn’t have to mean failure; it can be a wonderful teacher. Jodi once set out to be rejected by 100 people in one week. Instead of feeling disheartened by negative responses, she only felt confident and more certain. She also raised money for five scholarships in the process.

Care enough to keep going, even if other people doubt your abilities or ideas.

7 perks of growing up

I sat down to make my annual birthday list of what I’m grateful for. I’ve noticed some common themes, and I’m attributing positive change in my life to these seven key areas:

Patience – In my twenties, I was carried away by emotions and split-second decisions like a kite in the wind. With time, I’ve learned how to sit through unpleasant and uncomfortable feelings and deal with situations from a more focused, grounded place.

Perspective – A friend once told me perspective was the key to a happy life. I agree, for I have found that keeping a balanced scale when confronting challenges and successes makes a big difference. There will be lows and there will be highs, good days and bad, some uninspired days in between. (As a monk once told me, “If there is no night, how can there be day?”) Also: never underestimate the power of a good laugh.

Confidence – Gone are the days when a negative word sends me into a downward spiral. I’ve learned the importance of being yourself and how not giving a fuck can propel your career and personal development forward.

Curiosity – Curiosity is like a plant. Feed it, nurture it, it will grow. This is one of the most exciting parts of living: the ability to explore, ask questions, learn and be stumped.

Compassion – Life experiences have given me a better understanding of the pain and challenges swirling around in the world, and time has taught me the wisdom and patience needed to listen to others without making assumptions. Of course you may not have been through exactly the same situation as someone else, but you can listen to their unique story with an open heart and mind.

Relationships – I’ve gently discarded relationships that are harmful and have embraced those that are loving, supportive and encouraging. I no longer hold onto people out of guilt or necessity. Instead, I actively choose those individuals who stand by me through ups and the downs. I appreciate these people dearly.

Contentment – I am able to enjoy and savor simple moments without constantly having to worry about the next move or what might happen in the future.

What do you think is best about growing old(er)? Tweet me @redheadlefthand.

Here’s to another great year of discovery and excitement!