I had a good chat with someone recently about feedback that they’d received about their management style. They were ready to brush it off because it came from someone who was a bit of a troublemaker and on their way out of the door. Hopefully, I convinced them not to.
Feedback is always a gift. You may not like the gift, it may be stinky socks, but it is a gift nonetheless and should be treated as such. People who give feedback that stings may want to hurt you, but it is truly up to you to grow from it rather than let it diminish you.
What should you do when you get stinky socks feedback? Well, the first thing is to stop thinking of it as stinky socks. There is a golden nugget of goodness in every piece of feedback that you get. Recognize if you are becoming defensive or thinking negatively and slow things down.
Take a look at what was said from the perspective of the person who said it. If they said that you seem disengaged lately, think about if there is some truth in that. Remember, they view you from a completely different perspective than you view yourself. Then, rather than think about why they may have said that, think about what the impact that behavior may have had on them.
Some of the biggest leadership transformations that I’ve seen have been when leaders involve those who have given them feedback on their leadership journey. Reach out, ask for help pinpointing when you’ve said or done something that doesn’t sit right with someone on your team. You may unconsciously be pissing people off left and right. That’s not something you can fix on your own.
Last, ask for feedback. Get to know people on your team in a way that lets them know that you are always open to receiving the gift of feedback. Demand the same of leaders that work for you and check in with their teams. Think about when you had a crappy boss. Wouldn’t it have been great if your crappy boss’s boss checked in with you and asked for feedback to help your boss be less crappy?
Being in HR for so long I have said over and over, an organization can’t fix a problem that it doesn’t know that it has. Communication is more than just a two-way street. Leaders have to be willing to listen to feedback and people have to be willing to give it, but the onus is on Leaders to go search for that feedback. Conduct skip level meetings, 360 evaluations, engagement surveys, whatever it takes because without the gift of feedback, you don’t grow. And when you stop growing, you stop thriving.
Did you graduate and get your first student loan bill and freak out, wondering what on earth you paid all that money for? Yes? Ok, well stop doing that! Going to school you cultivate some valuable life lessons. Correct implementation of these experiences is at the heart of the success sought after in business. The following five habits picked up in school can be modeled and incorporated in just about any role.
Stress and Anxiety Management
School can be stressful especially during the first years. However, as you progress, you learn to handle the stress and anxiety and plan better for any bumps in the road. The ability to manage stress and tension that you learned by juggling coursework and assignments in school can be applied in the business world. Instead of getting stressed out in the first place, tell yourself that you’re just really excited about your work as the first step in managing your work-related stress and anxiety. This way, positivity flows in all you do.
How to Be On Time
Being on time for all of your school activities was a juggle. From class to extra-curricular activities, relationships, partying, to personal downtime. Your time was just limited as it is now, yet, you were able to manage all these activities. As you may recall, planning helped you to be on time and ready for the next item on your to-do-list. Similarly, the same principle required of you in the business world for you to be successful.
How to Work Hard
Looking back at your school life, you will appreciate the value of the effort you put in. Good grades required extra hours of study, research, and sometimes even a little extra help. Effort speaks of hard work. In like manner, the same determination applied in school is one that could apply to you now. Spend more time on researching and studying how best to manage and grow your role or business.
How to Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Stagnating or declining business growth is similar to maintaining or dropping grades in school. These aspects point to familiarity in the comfort zone. Taking on new challenges helps break the comfort barriers. It renews your motivation and drives you towards new heights of achievement. As a result, you will learn to be innovative as you get more comfortable with being uncomfortable.
How to Accept Change
Sometimes changes that you went through in school were not the best, yet in all the disappointment, there was some good. For the most part, change is a reality of life that is inevitable. This is why businesses make changes to become better. It may be tough, but it is ultimately in your best interest to embrace changes in your workplace. This way you become more productive, efficient and relevant.
All in all, every stage in life is a learning process, a preparation for what is yet to come. The true value of these lessons is only evident in their implementation in your everyday life. This is why the habits picked up from school will help steer you towards success. And if you need some extra help implementing these things into real life, look into coaching to help better understand how to start succeeding.
Life can be awesome but let’s face it, life is also inevitably stressful. Thee will be occasions, every once in a while, where you will experience a chronic or acute stress. Stress can be helpful for you when coping with a serious situation or threat. However unlike acute stress, chronic stress is a long-term condition which can wreak havoc on your mind and body. We don’t want that to happen, so here is some information to help make sure you know what to do when you are feeling stress.
Brain
Chronic stress can destroy your brain cells. According to Psychiatry Advisor, it also leads to depression and increases the risk of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease). Depressed people usually have a small hippocampus. Stress can interfere with memory formation in the hippocampus and cause loss of prefrontal cognitive abilities. This can happen to a pregnant woman’s baby. Generalized anxiety can affect functions associated with memory.
Cardiovascular System
High cortisol levels can increase the heart rate, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels. Hypertension puts you at risk for heart attack or stroke. This is especially true if you are experiencing “broken heart syndrome.” Stress hormones contribute to the buildup of abdominal fat, which can give some people an “apple” shape.
Digestive System
Stress hormones have a tendency of slowing gastric juice release and gastric emptying. If you have high cortisol levels, you can get hungry. We know what happens when you are always hungry, you will gain weight. This is really important to know because you can develop Type 2 diabetes under prolonged stress. Stress increases your chance of getting ulcers and cause the malfunctioning of existing ulcers. You can get diarrhea as your colon is stimulated, thanks to the stress hormones. According to The Farber Center, prolonged stress can also lead to teeth grinding or bruxism, can cause dental problems in the long-term, as well as sleep disruption and headaches. Do you want to go into an important meeting feeling this way?
Immune System
Prolonged stress can suppress the immune system, making people more prone to infectious diseases (i.e. flu). Sometimes, stress can make the immune system excessively active instead, leading to autoimmune disease. I’m sure that you have noticed in the past that during times of stress, you tend to get sicker, picking up every little bug and flu going around.
Nervous System
Increased cortisol amounts can make you feel constantly anxious, helpless, and hopeless. These symptoms can be confused with disorders such as anxiety and depression. They can also disturb sleep, take away sex drive, and reduce appetite.
How can you cope with prolonged stress?
Be assertive.
Get comfortable saying No.
Get regular exercise.
Go to bed early.
Improve your diet; eat more fruits and vegetables instead of processed foods.
Developing resilience through healthy coping methods can help you resist the effects of prolonged stress. You can curb the exacerbation of chronic stress by developing ways to successfully manage stress. If negative self-talk is getting in your way, take the Sears Coaching Self-Esteem Challenge to start putting yourself first.
There used to be a time when people would leave a company for another opportunity. They would do so quietly, never uttering a negative comment about the previous employers. Now with the introduction of the Internet, former employees are empowered. They have more outlets than ever to vent or share information about previous employers. Here is how company reviews are highlighting what disgruntled and former employees think of a business.
The more prominent the company is, the more it has to work on its image. A major technology company has an article published on its perks. Some employees at the tech giant say that the company has terrible perks. Employees gripe about issues like no free lunches. Companies can expect that they will be measured by prospective applicants in terms of the perks they offer. Make sure to do market surveys and stay aware of what perks the competition is offering.
Whistleblower retaliation is frowned upon now. Current times welcome transparency. The right to voice disconcerting behaviors is something that employers should be just as invested in protecting. Retaliation is something that employers must have zero tolerance for; it should be viewed as an opportunity to correct the cultural norms and environment that invites the behavior in question. You should be mindful that how whistleblower information is shared is similar to how stories of retaliation efforts are shared. Both make their ways into publications and forums. Companies should take a different approach in addressing the behaviors, such as investigating, correcting, or ending the practices. It is extremely important that you always have a good sense of what is going on in your organization so that you can try to prevent problems and ensure a happy and productive work environment.
Unfair Pay
Unfair pay is another common topic discussed among former employees. People often complain the loudest about unfair pay. They go to popular forums like Glassdoor to air out their grievances. They share their pay information with entities like SalaryWizard to determine what they are making when compared to their peers. The more latitude they have in sharing their salary information openly, the more descriptive they become when highlighting responsibilities and comparing them against job expectations or compensation. Companies like Walmart make the news often, getting bad press for their compensation. Don’t look at this as a negative thing. In my opinion, pay transparency is where every company should strive to get to. If you are compensating your employees fairly, you could post everyone’s pay information on a bulletin board and there would be very few complaints. Pay your people what they are worth based on their experience, what they bring to the table, their performance and what market data dictates. It is worth having someone look at your compensation data and make recommendations to help get your pay practices to be as equitable as possible.
Underappreciation is another issue that former employees are extremely vocal about. They cite the marginal increases in pay in comparison to their contributions and feel underwhelmed by the compensation received. They openly discuss how much more is added to their plate and what more will be expected of them. It isn’t uncommon for employees to gripe about being taken for granted or feeling unrecognized for their efforts. Acknowledgment and compensation are how employees often measure underappreciation. Take a look at what you are doing to show your employees appreciation. Do you say “thank you” often enough? Are you showing gratitude to employees in ways that matter to them? Get to know what makes each person get out of bed each morning and go to work so that you can recognize them in meaningful ways.
Company reviews are showing that employees, especially millennials, value work-life balance. They want to have a schedule that is honored, and many desire to leave the office on time in order to spend time with families. Companies who aren’t that great on work-life balance get poor reviews highlighting that. This makes them less of an attractive employer to prospective applicants. People value being able to have some predictability to their schedule, and don’t want to be connected to a company 24/7. Are you “clock watching” and paying too much attention to time sitting behind a desk rather than results that are achieved?
Businesses have to be mindful of company reviews. These forums are open to anyone. Surveys can be completed by employees at any time, and this allows them the opportunity to share their grievances. Companies can monitor these reviews and learn what they can do to make their companies more inviting to potential candidates. You should also spend time getting ahead of these complaints. Doing Stay Interviews and Engagement Surveys are two quick and easy ways to learn more about what employees are saying about you and to prevent them from becoming former employees.
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Stress can invade all facets of life, especially in your work life. When you feel like things are barreling you over and you are drowning, do you have a go-to method to unwind fast? If you do not immediately think of something zen, then you might need one of the ideas we use to knock out worry and stress. This blog talks about five spectacular ways you can get clarity when you need it the most.
Tai Chi or Yoga
Exercise is a great way to get your body and brain in another gear, but yoga and Tai Chi get your mind away from the day. The focus and concentration that you put into breathing, correct form, and stretching demands your attention, and you forget about everything else. If you are a beginner, then you may want to start with yoga because there are modifications and basic moves that you can use until you get the strength, balance, and flexibility for the advanced and intermediate positions.
Massage
Got knots in your shoulders? Is a headache-free day something you dream about all the time? A massage is a great way to relax after you come home from a long workday. Many spas have evening hours where you can book a half an hour of time to get a Swedish or hot rock massage. Some are soft and relaxing while others are hot or rough like deep tissue massage, which is used for healing sports injuries and sprains from falls, so be sure to get the right one. If you live with someone, then you can give each other shoulder and neck massages to get rid of taut muscles and an achy body. But if you’re alone and don’t want to spend money on routine massage visits, there are roller massagers and other massage toolsthat could help you to get the kinks out at home.
Sensory Deprivation Tanks
Some health and wellness spas offer a unique experience for stress relief. Sensory deprivation rooms are the size of a small bathroom or a little larger depending on the site. Inside you will enter a warm pool of water and float with a blindfold on for about 30 to 90 minutes. When the door is shut to the room, no noise can penetrate because of the soundproof walls. This experience lets your body and mind drift into a deep chasm away from the hustle and bustle of the city, screaming people, honking horns, and other noises.
Meditation
The first thing you need for meditation is a quiet and comfortable space. Choose one thing to think or talk about and focus on only that item. When your mind drifts to other places, do not get angry or tense up. Take a deep breath and regain your concentration on your focal point. Try using a timer to let you know when your session is over so that you do not have to check the clock. Don’t just take my word for it!
Imagination and Visualization Techniques
Visualization involves you getting deep into your mind. You close your eyes and choose a place that you believe is your safe zone. Anywhere, anytime, any person and anything can be in your happy spot. Anything you do not want to be in your happy spot it is also under your control. When you need to clear your head fast, you can take five or ten minutes to close your eyes and concentrate on your happy spot. Think about how it feels like if the wind is blowing or something feels soft or sleek. Smell the air and the scents around you. All of these things will take your mind off from a stressful situation fast.
You can find out more about relaxation exercises here. The goal is to get your mind off from things that stress you out in a healthy manner. Depressive times require a mindful exercise while anxious days are the times when meditation or imagery work best. You can choose the method that suits your situation and switch up the choices to suit your mood. And at the end of the day, remember that even if you cannot release stress on your own, you might have to seek different ways to deal with the issues going on in your work life, such as seeking a coach to help you start organizing where to start.
Prolonged job hunting can take a physical and emotional toll. When faced with rejection after rejection, it is understandable that people may feel hopeless and upset. Many people feel that their job is an important part of their self-worth. They may have allowed themselves to be defined by their profession. Losing a job may mean a crisis of identity and a gradual erosion of self-worth.
Rather than letting the negative emotions take over during a long and arduous search process, change your perspective and look at the bright side of searching for a new job. When you have a positive attitude, you’ll be able to take advantage of all the opportunities coming your way.
It’s important to have the right mindset while searching for a new job. These tips will help you land the new job of your dreams while keeping your self-worth intact.
Create a Personal Brand
A job hunt is a great time to update your profile on networking websites such as LinkedIn. It’s smart to create a complete brand for yourself using your LinkedIn and social media accounts, as well as in your resume. Take the time to think about what makes you unique as an employee. What do you bring to the table that no one else does?
Make sure that all information available to the public on your social media accounts, from photos to status updates and the groups you belong to, are all appropriate in a professional environment. You may feel that your social media accounts are private, but most people have a significant amount of information that is visible to the public. Take the time to search for yourself on Google. You may be surprised at what shows up.
On your résumé, skip listing your personal objectives. Begin instead with a list of your skills and accomplishments. While it has become more acceptable for résumés to take up more than one page, make sure that you are only including relevant information. Be sure that all of your information is accurate and completely proofread.
Make Sure You Retain Structure
When employees are out of work, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of Netflix binging and sleeping until noon. Treat job hunting as its own “job.” Get up on time and spend time doing concrete tasks that will help you get a job. Attend networking events and call companies for informational interviews. These informal sit-downs will give you an idea of what these companies are looking for and may give you a foot in the door where hiring interviews are concerned.
You may need a break from job-hunting from time to time, and that’s fine. Take a day for yourself and do all of the things you’ve been too busy to accomplish. You can then approach your job hunt fully refreshed and able to show yourself in your best light. If you want some concrete steps to take, sign up for this course to help you with your job search.
Take Advantage of Professional Connections
If you are job-hunting while you are still employed, use your networking connections to their best advantage. If you are a valued employee, your current employer may give you incentives to stay in your current position. Sometimes these offers are good enough to keep you in your current position, and sometimes they are not worth the trouble.
Attend networking events and social functions as much as you can. Get to know the staff at the company you would like to work for.
Contact the Company Offline
While employers are largely focused on accepting résumés online, it’s wise to supplement this contact with offline methods. Call the hiring manager and thank them for taking the time to look at your application. Find any possible connections at the new company and get in touch with them.
Remember That Your Job Is Only Part of your Identity
This tip can be difficult, but it’s important to remember that you are worthy as a person, not only because of your professional accomplishments. It’s hard to keep getting rejected from job opportunities, especially if you have been out of work for a long time and you are suffering financially. Stay in touch with your friends and family and let them remind you that you are more than your job.
The Consequences of Ongoing Job Searches
While job searching holds the potential to be damaging to your self-esteem, consider the positive aspects of the experience. You have the opportunity to start over in a new job, letting go of the preconceptions and defined roles from your previous workplace. The doors of life have swung wide open once again, and all you need to do is find the new path that works for you. When you maintain a positive attitude, it will shine through in your interviews and actually increase the likelihood that you’ll be hired. Your prospective employers will see a productive, helpful person and a good hiring prospect.
Is negative self-talk getting in your way? You know that you can’t be successful with low self-esteem. Let’s fix that! Take the Self-Esteem Challenge today.
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