Be a good team member without being taken advantage of | Drop your fear when trying to motivate your team | Survey: 63% of workers say open office negatively affects wellness
Be a good team member without being taken advantage of If you're asked to help a colleague with a task, show them the process, even if it takes more time than doing it yourself, Kat Boogaard writes. Set clear expectations, don't offer to take on too much of the workload, and don't feel obliged to step in and do your teammates' work if they are slacking off. The Muse (6/11)Drop your fear when trying to motivate your team Focus on the process of achieving your goals, not the outcomes; and communicate with your team in a way that inspires them, CEO Peter Bregman writes. "Your first step is to build your emotional courage -- your ability to act thoughtfully, strategically, and powerfully while feeling afraid," he advises. Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model) (6/13)
The Landscape
Survey: 63% of workers say open office negatively affects wellness An international survey found 63% of employees said the noise level from working in an open office negatively affected their work and wellness, and 75% said they had to take a walk outside to get away from the distractions. The report from Oxford Economics and Plantronics found half of executives surveyed said workers had the tools needed to prevent distractions but only 19% of workers said they were able to mitigate noise. TechRepublic (6/12)
Do your research on a company before you go into an interview to show that you're proactive and want to work there, and be prepared to ask questions, David Jensen writes. Review your achievements and experience as they relate to the potential job, and think about specific problems you've faced and what the results were. Science (free content) (6/13) A guide to writing a good, quick cover letter Ensure the format of your cover letter is simple and legible and don't start it with "To Whom It May Concern," Jillian Kramer writes. Be personable and explain why you are interested in the job, career coach Hallie Crawford says, and use bullet points to list your competencies and credentials. Glassdoor (6/11)
Balancing Yourself
4 strategies for productivity: Do, delete, defer, delegate When your productivity has stalled, give yourself two minutes to complete a quick task or 30 minutes for a longer task, and avoid doing more than one thing at a time, author Bryan Collins writes. Decide on whether to do something or delete it, such as with emails and to-do list items; give yourself time to defer if you're not sure and delegate if you have other tasks taking priority. Forbes (6/14)
The Water Cooler
Study: Melting of Antarctica's ice tripled in recent years Ice is melting about three times faster now on Antarctica than in previous decades, with the continent losing ice at a rate of over 241 billion tons per year, according to a recent study in Natural. Global warming is leading to shifting winds and warmer waters, which is the main cause of the melting ice, says Andrew Shepherd, the study's lead author. CBS News (6/13)
You won't be happy, whatever you do, unless you're comfortable with your own conscience.
