10 Ways to Enhance Psychological Safety on WFH Teams Ask how team members are coping. Regularly check in during one-on-ones by asking how they’re doing with life right now, not just your work life. Explain that if you know what’s concerning them, you might be able to help. (Note: although there are reports of people … Read more
There’s no charge! Leadership Lessons from Silicon Valley Create High-Performing Remote Teams How can you take lessons learned about team leadership from Silicon Valley companies and apply them to your work-from-home team? Rebecca will share research from Silicon Valley companies on how leaders create highly effective teams. You’ll learn Google’s 5 key components of top … Read more
Have you encountered a know-it-all? Someone who seemingly knows much more than most on nearly all topics. Someone who would be loathe to utter, “I didn’t know that.” Someone who dismisses genuine experts. Someone who claims to an authority without any credentials or study (formal or informal) on the topic?
Perhaps you’re related to someone like this. Or married to one. Or can be one yourself.
Our lives have incredible highs and some heartbreaking lows. The former are exhilarating. In the moment you think, “How can life get any better?”
The lows often involve blaming ourselves, feeling stupid, and being embarrassed for our part in the mishap. Or you condemn others, thinking they caused this setback.
The difference between those who rebound quickly and those who linger in their negativity is their perspective. Wallowers stay stuck in victimhood, never reflecting on the lesson the experience has for them.
The sooner you can shift from anger or sadness to introspection, the happier you will be. Every disappointment has a gift for you, if you are willing to look for it. This is not always easy. The more time distancing you from the event, the easier it gets. However, if you can train yourself to look for the lesson as soon after the event as possible, the less suffering you’ll have.
What makes someone stand out as a true professional?
Nearly everyone I’ve known has said they want honest feedback on areas they can improve.
Hearing this, some perceive it as an invitation to be mean. Sometimes really mean. Insulting. Demeaning. Humiliating.
Abusive.
A pal has been a supervisor at our local hardware store for eight years. He recently shared a story about Eric, the new general manager — someone who’d never worked in a hardware store and was hired about 6 months ago.
Eric is a nice guy, but he doesn’t see how he’s causing himself to fail. It appears that Eric has a lot of confidence since he never asks anyone else for input. The result is a messy store, frustrated staff and irritated customers. The store sales numbers are suffering as a result.
“Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.” —George S. Patton from a letter to Cadet George S. Patton IV, June 6, 1944
Taking calculated risks means boldness with forethought. It means weighing the outcome and avoiding unwise action. A calculated risk might be giving a presentation to your boss’ peers, telling someone they have a habit that annoys you, volunteering for a project you’ve never done before, or trying a new sport.
We can learn to take calculated risks, and they get easier with repeated attempts. Eventually you learn that you can pick yourself up and continue even if your boldness causes you to fall flat.
Morgan W. McCall Jr., coauthor of What It Takes: Decision Makers at Work, conducted a study comparing 20 successful Fortune 500 executives with 20 whose careers hadn’t been successful. One difference he found was that the achievers were secure enough to admit their fallibility, and they handled their mistakes with poise and grace. They analyzed their mistakes and learned from them, but they didn’t become obsessed. “Executive achievers don’t dwell on their mistakes and aren’t afraid to take risks for fear of failing again,” says McCall.
Many times it has been difficult for me to overcome my initial paralysis when faced with a risky challenge. Years ago when I entered the pension business, my boss assigned me to call on one tax attorney per day. Attorneys intimidated me. I almost had a heart attack.
My comfort zone was narrow. I felt comfortable calling on other insurance agents to ask them to recommend our services, but that was not where the real business was. The business came from tax attorneys and accountants.
After a few months of stressful and anxiety-ridden calls, my comfort zone expanded, and I was comfortable calling attorneys. But it wasn’t easy to overcome my self-doubts and intimidation. I learned from reading, workshops, and experienced friends that all growth occurs outside the comfort zone.
Now as I enter new areas requiring a stretch of my comfort zone, I’ve learned to ask myself these questions. Use them to help you act outside your comfort zone. When deciding to take a risk, write your responses to these six questions.
“Do or die!”
“Don’t give up the ship!”
“Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!”
Military expressions are valuable during war when the price of failure is death. But they lose impact in our business or private life: failure is not quite as final. However, these sayings are based on a principle that applies to all aspects of our lives: commitment.
This commitment to one’s goals is, for me, the most important rule for success. Without it, we fall prey to procrastination, bad habits, laziness, rationalization and a host of goal-defeating problems.
Commitment is a strong word — much stronger than “agreement.” If I agree to meet you for a movie, I have three options — keeping my agreement, cancelling, or changing it. If I commit to meeting you, I will meet you no matter what.
This is a brief clip on Google’s Project Aristotle. This information is also included in my book, Leadership Lessons from Silicon Valley: How to Survive and Thrive in Disruptive Times, which can be ordered here.