You can learn more during temporary assignments by setting short-term goals and using the feedback you get to improve, writes John Coleman. Make sure to actively seek out mentors and keep a journal of what you learn during your short-term assignments. Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model) (7/15) 5 steps to finding the perfect career coach To find the right career coach, you must know exactly what kind of help you want and conduct quality research beforehand, writes Lisa Quast. Do a search on the names you find and look for qualities such as extensive experience and education before speaking with the coach personally. The Seattle Times (tiered subscription model) (7/18)
Making the Connection
Read body language when talking to colleagues When discussing professional matters with others, look for signals like crossed arms and legs that often indicate the listener is closed off to what you're saying, writes Travis Bradberry. Excessive nodding or tightness in a person's jaw or neck can also indicate stress and discomfort, adds Bradberry. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (tiered subscription model) (7/16)
A report from Goldman Sachs indicates that the expected increase in drilling activity as the oil comeback continues could lead to a wave of job creation. Between now and the end of 2018, the report predicts that between 80,000 and 100,000 jobs will need to be added. CNNMoney (7/14)
Your Next Challenge
Don't let life get in the way of good habits Habits are easier to form when you like what you're doing and keep a consistent schedule, writes Laura Vanderkam. "Many people flounder with habits because they allow exceptions for things such as travel, or special occasions, that eventually become common enough not to be exceptions," she notes. Fast Company online (7/12)
Older male ants mark young rivals for death by workers Adult male Cardiocondyla ants mark young males with a kind of kiss of death that signals worker ants to kill the potential rival, according to findings published in Entomological Science. The older ants grasp the younger males in their mandibles and slather them in gut juices that attract the worker ants, which proceed to tear them apart, though sometimes the younger ant will survive and launch a counter strike. New Scientist (free content) (7/15)
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.
