Attention

Sustainable Success

What happens when you compare your job performance to your coworkers’ and you are not flattered by the comparison? You feel like you can’t mess up. Ever. You fight to be #1, and discover how hard it is to stay #1. You stick to the routines that proved successful in the past instead of trying new things which stifles your creativity, experimentation, and innovation. Beating the competition becomes more important to you than your customer’s satisfaction. What can you do to turn things around?

Team of Rivals

It’s normal to see your coworkers’ job performance, notice your manager’s reaction to it, and gauge how you are doing. You feel good when you compare favorably and nervous when you don’t. This habit is probably most obvious, and even formalized, in a company’s sales department where top salespeople are rewarded more than bottom ones creating internal competition among the team. Instead of comparing yourself to colleagues, how about setting incremental goals for yourself? Make them flexible so you can embrace change, be open to new approaches, and bounce back after disappointments. For example, using our sales scenario, if you did not reach your quota last month, would another 10 cold calls a day help you reach it this month? Your capacity to adapt will not only set you apart, but also carry you through inevitable setbacks.

Abundance Over Scarcity

Instead of being threatened by your coworkers’ success, how about using it for motivation? Continuous learning is a cornerstone of professional development and identifies you as a leader. Seek opportunities for upskilling so you stay relevant in your ever-evolving market. Make resilience in the face of adversity one of your goals. Swap your fear of not being good enough for curiosity. For example, analyze the differences between you and a successful coworker to discover capabilities you should obtain. There will be enough opportunities for everyone because you will create them. Factor self-compassion into your goal setting. It will help you maintain a positive mindset and reduce self-criticism. Be kind to yourself by celebrating your achievements, no matter how small.

You Are Your Competition

Instead of focusing on competing with your colleagues, how about shifting your mindset to competing with yourself? Strive to become an expert in your field. Set goals focused on personal growth so you are not only valuable to your organization, but also to your profession. State your goals using phrases that describe process improvement. For example, improve on, get better at, grow in. You want to be better than YOU were yesterday not better than OTHERS are today. Set small, specific, easily-achievable goals to quickly boost your self-confidence. Maintain and refine your learning through regular practice. Whether it’s honing your presentation skills, becoming a more efficient project manager, or perfecting your coding techniques, steady progress helps you retain knowledge and discover new skills to learn next.

Measuring your self-worth by whether or not you meet monthly Key Performance Indicators (KPI) does not set you up for sustainable success. When some variables are not under your control, you can try your best and still fall short of the organization’s goal for you. Align your goals with your values and aspirations, not with external benchmarks or the achievements of your team. It’s surprising how often you meet monthly KPI when you set goals that are personally meaningful to you.

How do you prevent comparing yourself to your coworkers? Please share in the comments.

Power Tool

Two weeks ago we began this series, Let’s Get Critical, by defining critical thinking. The following week we discussed how to use it at work. But does critical thinking benefit you personally if no one knows you can do it? How can you prove you are a critical thinker and use it to further your career?

Demonstrate

Ask – Curiosity is the fuel that powers critical thinking. You need to get past the symptoms of a problem to find its cause. What is your why? What is the context? How does it make you feel? What works well? What can be improved? What should you stop doing? Questions like these signal your mind is open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.

Listen – While someone is answering your questions, only break eye contact to take a brief note. Nod in acknowledgement when they emphasize a point. After they answer, reply with a paraphrase of what you heard them say. You don’t have to agree with their point of view, but you do have to consider it. Part of critical thinking is realizing just because you don’t like someone’s opinion does not mean they are wrong. Constructive dialogue requires you to suspend judgment, try to understand their assessment, and reach a consensus.

Change

Rethink – Critical thinkers do not accept the status quo. They challenge prevailing beliefs, uncover hidden agendas, and examine the rationale behind both. To accomplish this, embrace stretch assignments that force you out of your comfort zone. Intentionally work with colleagues from different departments, backgrounds, and cultures. This broadens your worldview, reveals your unconscious biases, and gives you new approaches to problem-solving.

Network – Get out of your organization and into your community. Attend industry conferences, roundtable discussions, and Special Interest Group (SIG) meetups. Engage in conversations with people who do what you do and people who use the products or services your organization provides. Get their feedback on what is going well for them as well as their pain points.

Learn

Educate – Getting a degree or certificate is a great accomplishment and it has an expiration date. To maintain your subject matter expertise, you have to learn a skill, use it, unlearn it, learn the new skill, use it, unlearn it, etc. To be a critical thinker, you must be adept at both gathering and integrating information from various sources of relevant and reliable data, pull key insights out of it, and test your conclusions. Regularly reflect on your choices. Think about your reasoning behind them. Consider the perspectives of those impacted by your decisions.

Fun – Engaging in activities that stimulate your mind also stimulate critical thinking. For example, reading a work of fiction while concurrently reading a work of non-fiction, attending non-work related workshops, doing Sudoku or crossword puzzles. Team bonding events where the goal is to relax and get to know one another help build the trust necessary to accept diverse viewpoints when it’s time to problem solve. When you are emotionally invested in someone, you want to collaborate with them.

For example: Let’s say you become known for asking good questions, thoughtfully listening, taking on stretch assignments, presenting at SIGs, and starting your organization’s leadership development book club. These all set you up to be an influencer who contributes innovative ideas, correctly analyzes complex issues, and makes informed decisions. Critical thinking makes you a valuable asset to any organization.

How do you demonstrate your critical thinking on the job? Please share in the comments.

Under the Influence

Coworkers and managers influence your decisions. They have plans for you, but do their expectations align with your values, skills, and goals? Influence is a powerful tool that shapes your organization’s decisions, strategies, and culture. As a leader, it’s essential to intentionally decide whom you allow to influence you, but how?

Who You Are Looking For

Stay away from influencers who are negative, office politicians, cynical, and toxic. Look for people who ooze credibility, integrity, and reliability. Seek out people whose life experiences and ideas are different from yours. Surround yourself with individuals who encourage, inspire, and interact with everyone; not just those who can help them get ahead. You want to follow leaders who are committed to building a healthy and productive workplace environment. These may be colleagues with seniority, peers with specialized knowledge, or direct reports whose work ethic you admire.

What You Want From Them

You need influencers who will offer guidance, provide valuable insights, and exert a positive influence on your leadership style. These are not people who tell you what you want to hear. They both challenge and uplift you. They are accountability partners who spark your mutual growth. Align yourself with individuals who tell you the truth in love. You can identify them by the way they ask you questions then allow you space to rethink your opinions. These types of leaders are busy people. Relentlessly respect their time and find ways to bring value to the relationship.

Boundaries

It’s tricky to collaborate as a member of a team and complete your own assignments and avoid becoming a doormat. To maintain this delicate balance, you have to diplomatically manage both your supervisors’ and coworkers’ influence.

Set: Do you have time to complete your report and help your coworker prep for their client meeting? Be realistic about your own workload and deadlines. Does your team share calendars? Can they see when you are busy and vice versa? It is better to be unexpectedly available than to withdraw the help you said you’d give.

Communicate: As Brene Brown says, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” When you receive requests for help, first express your willingness to collaborate then email your manager and copy the requestor. Ask for clarity on whose project has priority in terms of what is best for the organization. If your manager decides your input is crucial to the project your teammate is working on, and that means you will miss a deadline on your own work, then ask what the new deadline for your own work is.

Protect: When prioritizing someone else’s project benefits you, your teammate, and your company, then it makes sense to move your boundary. But there is always that one person (let’s call them: TOP) who repeatedly asks for help until that task you do for them becomes part of your job description. Every time TOP asks for help, ask yourself: What is TOP’s track record for getting their own work done? Does what TOP wants me to do directly impact our organization’s bottom line? Will this project make me more visible to management and/or clients? Politely decline TOP’s invitation to do their work when the additional task conflicts with your current commitments or if it’s outside the scope of your responsibilities. It’s okay to offer guidance, share your expertise, and encourage problem-solving, but avoid taking on TOP’s tasks. For example, if TOP asks you for prospects, invite them to look at your LinkedIn contacts, filter for their target, and find people they want introductions to. If TOP persists, redirect them to your manager.

What criteria do you use to decide whom you allow to influence you? Please share in the comments.

Toil and Trouble

This is part three of four in the series: Independently Owned and Operated.

Owning the consequences of your decisions is a cornerstone of successful leadership. It is a necessary step on the path of career advancement. But what about owning the consequences of decisions you did not make? What do you do when trouble finds you?

Responsibility

Everyone has hurdles, setbacks, and challenges. Some you bring on yourself. Plenty of others stem from external factors beyond your control. These are the moments your true character is revealed. However the challenge began, taking responsibility for the outcome indicates you are a resilient and self-aware leader. When you take responsibility for solving a problem you did not create, your colleagues see that you are committed to overcoming the challenge rather than blame the cause of it. And your managers see they can rely on you to address trouble head-on no matter where it comes from. Habitually handling trouble this way helps you generate the trust and transparency necessary for a collaborative and productive work environment.

Accountability

In a fast-paced work environment, errors occur despite your best intentions and planning. It is how you respond to these mistakes that defines your commitment to ownership. Rather than deflecting blame or making excuses, being accountable demonstrates you are willing to learn and grow from the experience. Maybe your project is plagued by unforeseen obstacles. Maybe that sparks tension among your team members. Maybe this sets in motion a series of unfortunate events beyond your control. You may be tempted to play the victim or act out in frustration. Instead, acknowledge the trouble and own the current reality. It empowers you to reclaim control of the situation and enlist your coworkers’ help in overcoming the obstacle. When the crisis is fixed dwell on what happened just long enough to identify any lessons you can learn from it. Seek feedback from both your team and stakeholders. Combine what you learn about the problem, solution, and result. Leverage the input to set a trigger to prevent that particular trouble from tripping the team up in the future. Owning the results helps you develop a mindset of continuous improvement.

Integrity

Owning accountability for results requires the emotional intelligence to both accept praise when things go well and shoulder the burden when they don’t. Learning from trouble requires humility and a willingness to confront your shortcomings with honesty and ethical conduct. Ethical dilemmas are everywhere in the workplace. Your team’s competing interests and values are constantly colliding. Business moves at the speed of trust. You, your managers, and your coworkers must be able to trust each other in order to get anything done. When faced with trouble of this sort, draw on your principles of empathy, fairness, and respect. Do not compromise your values for a short-term gain. It may be uncomfortable to stand firm in the face of conflict, but integrity is a non-negotiable aspect of professional conduct. It lays the foundation for your long-term success as a leader.

What do you do when trouble finds you at work? Please share in the comments.

Genuine Connection

One of the most valuable resources for your professional growth is the wisdom and experience of Subject Matter Experts (SME). But approaching them requires respect and authenticity. A cold email with Can I Pick Your Brain? as the subject line makes you look lazy right off the bat. Let’s explore a strategic framework for reaching out that will lead to meaningful interactions and genuine connections.

Propose

Both you and the SME know you are asking them for a favor, so acknowledge that upfront with politeness and in-advance gratitude. For example, instead of using Can I pick your brain? as the subject line, substitute it with May I Learn from Your Experience? or May I Have Your Perspective? Then immediately after the greeting, clearly articulate why you’re reaching out. What specific insights do you want and why do you think this person can give them to you? Are you navigating a challenging project? Do you need to understand industry trends? Are you seeking career guidance? Describe their expertise that prompted you to reach out, then state what you will bring to the interaction. Emphasize the mutual benefits of connecting. For example, you can publish a post about what you learn from your conversation with them on your social media platforms and tag them. By framing the discussion as a two-way street, you position yourself as someone who values collaboration and is committed to adding value to their work.

Pregame

SMEs put content out into the world to test its resonance. Most are open to both feedback and discussion. But if your ask is vague or too open-ended, your SME won’t be able to meaningfully contribute to your development. Prepare a set of targeted questions that align with your goals and challenges. Include a couple in your cold email and request a meeting to obtain the SME’s answers. Set a flexible deadline for your request. For example ask, “Would you have time in the next two weeks to answer those questions and, depending on your answers, maybe one or two follow up questions?” Being upfront about your intentions shows you are mindful of the SME’s time and sets the stage for a focused and productive conversation. Giving the SME time to process your request before you meet is more likely to yield actionable advice.

Prepare

Nothing conveys sincerity more than establishing you’ve done your homework. Get familiar with their background, accomplishments, and any recent contributions they’ve made to their industry. In your cold email, reference specific aspects of their work that resonate with you. Before reaching out, follow them on LinkedIn and react and/or comment on their posts. This showcases your genuine interest in their expertise and signals that you pay attention to their work. SMEs are inundated with meeting requests. Offer to meet in person, to arrange a 20 – 30 minute videoconference, or to send them an email with a list of three to five questions they can answer at their convenience. Consideration of their time increases the likelihood of a positive response. It takes practice and follow up, but mastering the art of seeking advice from SMEs can be a game-changer in your professional journey.

Do you seek advice from strangers you admire? How do you ask them for it? Please share in the comments.

Your Top 12

Thank you for spending 2023 with me! As we begin a new year together, here are the top three articles in each category: Time, Energy, Attention, and Money (T.E.A.M.), based on the most views.

Time

Energy

Money

I appreciate you discussing these topics with me in 2023. I hope you found them useful. There are more in store for 2024!

What decisions around time, energy, attention, and money are you facing in the new year? Please share in the comments.

Prognostications

The workforce spent 2023 dealing with disruptions. Unions on strike, the influence of ArtIficial Intelligence (AI), mass layoffs, and too many more to list here. Relationships between employers and employees can be challenging under the best conditions. Throw in a wrinkle like negotiating remote/hybrid business models and soon you are managing change more than you are serving customers. With 2024 rapidly approaching, what issues should you pay attention to?

Remote and Hybrid

The seismic shift towards remote work that began as a temporary fix to keep businesses open during COVID-19 is here to stay.

Employers: Invest in tools that secure data and facilitate seamless collaboration across geographically dispersed teams. For example, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Basecamp, etc.

Employees: Hone your digital communication skills and set up a remote workspace conducive to this new work environment. For example, adequate lighting, a neutral background, and a quality headset for videoconferencing.

Upskilling and Reskilling

Normalize continuous learning. Technology renders some skills obsolete and creates demand for new ones faster than you think. AI is a great example.

Employers: Provide training to help your workforce collaborate effectively with AI.

Employees: Acquire a basic understanding of AI and identify ways to leverage it in your role. LinkedIn Learning has some great courses. They are free if you have a Dayton Metro Library card.

And don’t forget the importance of soft skills, or what I like to call, power skills.

Employers: Positively reinforce qualities like emotional intelligence, adaptability, empathy, and effective communication in your workforce.

Employees: Develop those power skills mentioned above. They will enhance your individual performance and make your work environment more positive and collaborative.

DEIB

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) are no longer just buzzwords. They are critical components of a thriving workplace.

Employers: Prioritize DEIB initiatives. They not only foster a culture of innovation in your organization, they also help you reach new customers.

Employees: Volunteer to be on project teams whose members do not look like you.

Well-being

There is a link between a healthy, engaged workforce and overall business success.

Employers: Offer initiatives like mental health support, flexible work hours, and wellness programs in your employee benefits package.

Employees: If your employer does not offer such initiatives, then prioritize work-life integration, set boundaries, and communicate openly to your manager about your well-being.

Gig Economy

You know the gig economy is a thing when the IRS has a Gig Economy Tax Center page on its website. Understanding how to navigate and thrive in the gig economy is a valuable skill for both employers and employees.

Employers: Tap into the gig economy to access specialized skills on a project by project basis.

Employees: Embrace the freedom and autonomy it affords and check the employee handbook for the rules around moonlighting.

Ethics

Corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability are no longer optional. Employees are increasingly seeking employers who align with their values and contribute positively to society.

Employers: Integrate sustainability practices into your operations to attract the talent you need.

Employees: Consider the moral and social impact of your organization’s actions. It has a direct impact on the culture of your workplace.

Technology advancements and societal changes are constants every year. A heightened awareness of the importance of a holistic approach to work is a recent transformation that will continue in 2024. The trick for both employers and employees is how to use these trends to drive success both for your organization and your team.

What 2024 trends did I miss? Please share in the comments.

Network Expansion

When COVID-19 hit, networking went from in-person happy hours and handshakes to online webinars and QR codes for LinkedIn profiles. What practices did we learn during the pandemic that we should keep for 2024?

Then: In-person Events

Conferences, seminars, and mixers gave you a forum to connect. You met new people, exchanged business cards, and mingled face-to-face. This environment facilitated reading non-verbal cues, making a strong first impression, and building relationships through direct personal interactions.

Now: Virtual Events

Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and LinkedIn Groups are essential networking tools. This shift towards virtual gatherings has reduced geographical constraints. You can network with people from around the world without leaving your home or office.

2024: Both

Online platforms are useful tools especially for follow up and staying connected. In-person still makes a bigger impact. You interpret non-verbal cues more correctly in person which is vital to meaningful communication. Whether meeting online or in person, focus on getting to know the people in the room as people. Find your common interests. What is their story? What do they do for fun? When meeting online, use the chat feature to exchange email addresses and social media handles and use them to share relevant content and resources.

Then: Transactional

The catchphrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” made networking feel like a soulless, necessary evil to build your career.

Now: Relational

Networking is about building community.

2024: Authenticity

Networking is about know, like, and trust. That takes time, energy, and attention. Be in person with people as much as possible, then get to know them better by connecting with them online. Keep your social media profiles up to date. They should reflect your current professional status and interests. Build rapport with your network by commenting on and liking their posts and direct messaging them. Introduce them to potential collaborators through email introductions. Mention shared connections and why you think the two of them can help each other.

Then: Stick to What You Know

In-person networking often involved going to the same type of events over and over and engaging in light conversations about the weather, sports, or current events to break the ice.

Now: Learn from Others

Networking in 2023 has shifted towards content-driven conversations. With the rise of remote work and virtual meetings, discussions have become more focused on professional topics, industry trends, and shared challenges and less focused on small talk.

2024: Stay Informed

Know enough about what is going on in the world to meaningfully contribute to discussions. Share valuable content, such as articles or podcasts, to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. Mentor someone from whom you want to learn. Trade your expertise for theirs. Use networking events and social media platforms to seek out and connect with professionals who share your interests. Being a thought leader is networking. Presenting at a local Rotary Club is networking. Serving on a non-profit board is networking. To thrive in 2024, integrate elements of both virtual and in-person interactions and you will have the tools to exponentially grow your network.

How is your networking different now than it was pre-pandemic? Please share in the comments.

A Good Thing

Last week we talked about adjusting our mindsets to use setbacks as pushes forward in the workplace. What could possibly go wrong? Well, too much of a good thing is still too much. If you feel compelled to continually demonstrate your value, even at the expense of your well-being, then you risk falling prey to a performance-prove mindset.

Do you feel an insatiable need for external validation? Do you have a deep-seated fear of failure? Do you make decisions that prioritize immediate success over long-term sustainability? Asking for a friend.

You are constantly under pressure to deliver results, meet targets, and drive success. While setting high standards and striving for excellence is essential, an obsessive need to constantly prove your worth through unrelenting performance hurts you, your team, and your organization. How can you tell if you have a performance-prove mindset? If you have it, how do you change it?

How You Can Tell

Burnout: Do you work long hours, neglect your self-care, ignore signs of stress and/or push through exhaustion? This not only harms your health, but also sets a damaging example for your team. These behaviors signal a burnout culture and toxic work environment.

Rut: Are you solely focused on existing methods and strategies? When is the last time you tried a solution someone on your team suggested? A performance-prove mindset often smothers innovation and creativity within an organization. It can result in failure to adapt to changing market dynamics.

Risk: Are you reluctant to take calculated risks? Are you afraid that any undesired outcome will be perceived as personal inadequacy? Risk aversion stifles your career growth and hinders your company’s ability to seize new opportunities.

Trust: Do you prioritize personal recognition over the well-being of your team? Trust is essential for effective leadership.

Short-Term: Are your decisions mostly about immediate performance metrics? When is the last time you considered how they impact the bigger picture? How often do you pay attention to your company’s reputation, customer trust, and employee satisfaction? Thinking exclusively about short-term goals endangers the sustainability of your business.

Stagnant: Do you regularly set aside time for self-reflection, upskilling, and personal development? Not doing so is an easy way to get in a cycle of proving yourself instead of continuous improvement.

What You Can Do

Focus: Align your actions with your company’s vision and/or mission statement. These touchstones should drive decision making for every employee. Doing so lessens the need for external validation, because you already know what your leaders want.

Delegate: Empower your team to own tasks and decisions. Delegating responsibility not only relieves the burden of constant performance but also fosters trust and development among team members. Remember to champion failure as a learning opportunity rather than a personal setback. Encourage a culture that accepts and learns from undesired outcomes so you can stimulate innovation and growth.

Practice: Notice when it’s happening. Regularly set aside time to reflect on why you do what you do and why you feel how you feel. This may be once a month or once a week or even once a day if the situation warrants. Writing a 250 word reflection can help you see what you think. Recognizing the root causes of your performance-prove mindset is the first step to taming it.

Do you attach your self-worth to your job performance? How are you working to change that? Please share in the comments.

Unpleasantly Surprised

Have you ever felt like you’re riding a roller coaster without a seatbelt, blindfolded? That’s the sensation the modern work environment often induces, and there’s a term that sums it up perfectly: VUCA. It is an acronym for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. Understanding and embracing the concept of VUCA can be the key to surviving in the constantly evolving workplace. Let’s breakdown what a VUCA work environment feels like and how to cope with it.

What it Feels Like

Volatile: Imagine waking up every morning not knowing whether the coffee maker will brew a perfect cup or explode. That’s the essence of volatility in the workplace. When change happens faster than you can say “meeting agenda,” then flexibility becomes a core capability.

Uncertain: Imagine a surprise party that never ends. That’s the essence of uncertainty in the workplace. Will your project get a green light? Will your team be reshuffled? Will the strategy you’ve been working on suddenly take a hard left turn? To thrive in this environment, you’ve got to be the MacGyver of adaptability, ready to craft a solution out of a paperclip and a piece of gum.

Complex: Imagine assembling a toddler’s toy with more parts than a Swiss watch. That’s the essence of complexity in the workplace. Departments intertwine like spaghetti, and understanding the big picture is like deciphering hieroglyphs. To conquer complexity, you’ve got to be Velma Dinkley, seeking out clues and patterns while keeping an eye out for the red herrings that can throw you off track.

Ambiguous: Imagine reading a book with pages missing. That’s the essence of ambiguity in the workplace. Ambiguity requires deciphering meaning from bits and bytes of information gathered from multiple channels. You have to piece together what your team is supposed to accomplish from various sources.

How to Cope

Develop a resilient attitude. As Rocky Balboa says, “…it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward;” You will get mentally knocked down. Train your brain to get up again and again and again.

Embrace continuous learning. In a VUCA world, what you know today will be obsolete tomorrow. You have to learn a skill (for example a computer language), use it, unlearn it, learn the next iteration, rinse and repeat. Acquire new knowledge as circumstances shift.

Foster collaboration. Your team is in the same VUCA environment as you are. Collaborate with your colleagues, share insights, and lean on each other’s strengths to create solutions together. Iron sharpens iron. Diverse perspectives cultivate unconventional approaches to problem solving. This is how breakthroughs happen.

Practice self-care. Amidst the chaos, carve out moments of peace and quiet. Celebrate every incremental step toward your goal. You need to refresh to reduce harmful stress and recharge to make accurate decisions.

Embracing the challenges that a VUCA workplace presents can help you become antifragile. Something that is antifragile not only survives but also thrives from coping with adversity.

How do you navigate working in a VUCA environment? Please share in the comments.