Planners’ Picks:
A collection of resources from CSN planning committee members worth mentioning
Our focus turns to looking for the bright side, discussing the mental health of you and those in your care, getting past perfection, and managing change.
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Disrupt Yourself Podcast: Caroline Webb – Creating Opportunity
If Caroline Webb looks a little tired or stressed, there is a good chance that someone will eventually turn to her and ask (with their tongue in their cheek), “Are you having a bad day, Caroline?” Caroline laughs when she recounts this, because as the author of the book “How to Have a Good Day,” she knows that people are watching her.
All joking aside, Caroline Webb has made a name for herself in helping others reframe their day and find ways to look on the bright side. As the CEO and founder of the consulting firm Sevenshift, Caroline spends her days coaching companies, teams, and individuals on how small behavioral changes can lead to lasting professional satisfaction and success.
Three takeaways from her conversation with Whitney Johnson:
- If at the end of the day you focus on three good things that happened you are more likely to remember that day as having been a positive experience overall.
- If you are experiencing cognitive overload (i.e., too much is going on), remind yourself that every “yes” is a “no” to something else. “Park” things that don’t need your attention right now.
- If you want to get good at something, start practicing and living as if you are really good at it. Words said aloud come alive.
https://whitneyjohnson.com/caroline-webb/
Take Caroline’s “How To Have a Good Day” quiz for some tips on your specific situation! https://carolinewebb.co/good-day-index/
If You’re Practicing These 3 Leadership Habits Right Now, Your Skills Are Better Than You Think
It is no secret: Companies that invest in their human capital–their people–see economic growth, productivity, and profitability. But to see the return on their people investment, leaders must bring out the best in their employees. Easier said than done. Because this prospect requires leaders also to be at their best. The simple but hard truth remains: Leadership effectiveness starts with leaders empowering the human workers they serve. In 2021, you can start with three approaches that will work in your favor, as a leader.
This image is exploding on Linkedin lately — Thoughts?
Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy wrote a book called No Hard Feelings on self-care and workplace emotions. See more of their witty book images at https://www.instagram.com/p/B89STgQhYii/ or check out their homepage at https://www.lizandmollie.com/book today! It’s a great read and well worth checking out — “a wickedly funny interactive guide to un-repressing your emotions at work, finding constructive channels even for jealousy and anxiety, demystifying digital interactions and coworker communication styles, and ultimately allowing readers to be the same person in work and in life.”
Why “self-care” is not the right cure for workplace burnout
While important, self-care strategies such as meditation, yoga, eating properly and exercising are not the right tools for preventing workplace burnout during the pandemic, says Jennifer Moss, a journalist, researcher, and author of Unlocking Happiness at Work and the Burnout Epidemic. Instead of placing the onus on the individual employee to do what it takes to feel better, employers should take steps to address the root causes of workplace burnout, Moss suggested.
Don’t Let Perfection Be the Enemy of Productivity
Perfectionism is often driven by striving for excellence, but it can be self-sabotaging. There are three big mistakes that tend to kill perfectionists’ productivity. First, they are often unable to designate any decision as unimportant which prevents them from quick action or delegation. Second, they feel morally obligated to overdeliver. Third, they rigidly cling to habits that might no longer be serving them. Awareness is the first step in overcoming these problems. Perfectionists can also develop heuristics, such as “if I have thought about this choice three times, I will make a call and get on with it,” picking areas in which to overdeliver and areas in which meeting expectations is okay, and reviewing commitments to make sure they are still of use.
https://hbr.org/2020/03/dont-let-perfection-be-the-enemy-of-productivity
Go Ahead and Fail
Perfectionism can make you miserable. Here’s how you can muster the courage to mess up:
1] Focus on the present.
2] Visualize courage.
3] Litanize humility.
More on this idea here:
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/02/how-overcome-fear-failure/618130/
4 Brain-Friendly Ways to Manage Change in the Workplace
Change is good… you go first! Why are people so resistant to change even when we know the current way of doing things isn’t working? Leadership is about leading, and many times that includes leading people through change. People may chuckle at the old saying that the only constant in business is change, but implementing change is rarely fun or funny. Resistance can range from avoidance or passive/aggressive behavior all the way to outright defiance and hostility.
Prior to making any kind of organizational change that will affect others, it’s important for leaders to identify not just what the specific changes include, but also who the changes will impact and how they might perceive the change. Dr. Melissa Hughes talks us through how to navigate change with a group.
https://www.melissahughes.rocks/post/4-brain-friendly-ways-to-manage-change-in-the-workplace
Bench Builders Podcast Episode 21: Learn How to Manage Change
Anna Tubina discusses how organizations successfully plan for and undergo systemic changes. She explains the emotional and mental prerequisites needed for change to occur.
https://bench-builders.com/podcast-episodes/21-anna-tubina/
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>>> “A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but its persistence.” – Jim Watkins