The best leaders aren't afraid to fail and understand that failure is a natural byproduct of taking necessary risks, says retired Navy SEAL Adm. William McRaven. Striving to embody "zero-defect leadership" can lead to risk aversion and make it very difficult to accomplish challenging tasks, McRaven says.
Professionals can make better use of their available time simply by planning schedules in complete weeks instead of individual days, says author Laura Vanderkam. Planning ahead allows you to front-load important tasks to ensure they get done and budget time for things that come up unexpectedly.
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If you find it difficult to quickly describe to others what you do for a living, try to find something relatable to compare your work to, writes Kat Boogaard. You'll have better luck helping people understand your career if you skip all the minor details, she adds.
Capital One is facing a disability legal dispute from an obese former manager who was fired after four kidney surgeries led to weight gain and body odor, and was refused accommodations from supervisors despite HR approval. Federal appeals courts are split on whether obesity is classed as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Those who are considering taking an activity they're passionate about and turning it into a career should think carefully before doing so, writes Carol Roth. When you turn an activity into a business, you end up spending less time doing what you love in favor of administrative tasks and you may end up enjoying the pursuit less after a while.
Professionals with the option to break up parental leave into installments can schedule leave to spend time with their babies at different stages or help cover gaps in child care when both partners work, writes Michelle Woo. Breaking leave time into smaller chunks can also making returning to work easier, she writes.
Bonnie Tyler's 1983 song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" has become the unlikely hit of the summer, thanks to Monday's total eclipse of the sun. Spotify says US streams of the song increased by 2,859% on Monday compared to two weeks before, while the ballad reached the top spot on iTunes and received a 500% jump in digital sales on the day of the eclipse.