Try to discern why a superior doesn't communicate enough, whether it's a personality difference, busy schedule or personal struggles on their part, writes Kevin Dickinson. Schedule an in-person meeting with questions and goals prepared and consider seeking another office mentor if a breakthrough with your boss isn't possible. The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (8/5)
3 Strategies for Gen Z By 2025, Gen Z will represent nearly 1 In 3 workers worldwide. As companies integrate Gen Z with their existing workforce, it's key to understand this new generation's workplace preferences. Are you ready? Prepare for the next-gen workforce today.
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Making the Connection
Strategies for an effective group presentation When giving a speech as part of a group, uniformity of visual elements is important, as is rehearsing the presentation to root out overlap or missing information, writes Jim Anderson. "These can be powerful and effective speeches; however, they need to be put together a bit differently than our normal individual speeches are," he writes. The Accidental Communicator (8/6)
Poll
Poll results: Is your work "purpose-driven"? Organizations that incorporate "purpose-driven" work into their business often experience higher levels of engaged employees. "Collaboration increases, learning accelerates, and performance climbs," write business school professors Robert Quinn and Anjan Thakor. New poll question on Monday.
The shootings last weekend in Texas and Ohio have prompted new conversations among employees and managers about workplace safety, especially at businesses with high consumer foot traffic. Some workers say they are devising their own safety plans, including hiding in walk-in coolers in a food shop or among racks of clothes in a retail store. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (8/8)
Your Next Challenge
4 tips for writing a professional summary Potential clients often ask freelancers to submit a professional summary, which is different from a LinkedIn-style bio, writes Erin Scottberg. The summary should rouse interest in the freelancer's talents by highlighting their largest, most-recent projects and convey a tone tailored to the client's industry. 99U (8/7)Resume secrets from professional coaches Spelling and grammar mistakes are a big deal, excessive formatting is a turn-off, but a little creativity helps a resume stand-out, according to these professional career and resume coaches. List a few personal interests to give recruiters an idea of what it will be like to work with you, "[W]hich is what really matters at the end of the day," says Sean Sessel, director of The Oculus Institute. Business Insider (8/5)
Balancing Yourself
Would you take a pay cut for unlimited vacation days? A survey by travel insurance provider Allianz Global Assistance found a third of employees would accept an average salary reduction of 26% in exchange for unlimited vacation time. However, experts remind that workload dictates how much time off a person can afford, as research finds employees of companies with unlimited vacation policies take an average of only 13 days. CNBC (8/5)
Scientist Seamus Blackley collected ancient yeast by scraping the interior of Egyptian pots approximately 4,500 years old at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard. Blackley then used the yeast to bake a loaf of bread with only ingredients that would have been available in ancient Egypt, describing the taste as richer and sweeter than modern bread. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (8/7)
