Planners’ Picks — February 15, 2022

Planners’ Picks

A collection of resources from CSN planning committee members worth mentioning

We express our love of leadership this week with a variety of resources about personal and team improvement.

 

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You are a reflection of greatness; don’t lose sight of that! There have been countless challenges that you thought were bigger than you, but you’re still here. Every job you were denied; opened the door to new opportunities.

According to Dr. Steve Maraboli, every relationship that hurt you led you to your true love. Every mistake you thought would be the end of you pointed you towards an incredible success; keep your dream alive. Keep your relationship alive. Keep your career alive. Keep your goal alive. Live BIG!

You have not been rejected; you have only been redirected.

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” —Muhammad Ali

 

||| Resources on Work Culture & Team Development |||

6 Ways to Keep Your Employees Learning At Work

No company can reach its business goals without a qualified and dedicated workforce. As new technologies emerge, on-job training programs have become increasingly useful to enhance both employees’ soft and practical skills. But learning at work can go beyond formal training. Businesses should get creative so that employees are constantly developing their skills.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/358984

If Every Person Has Unique Gifts, Shouldn’t They Be Easier To Spot?

In this episode Lisa answers the question, “If every person has unique gifts, shouldn’t they be easier to spot?” She uses the example of her trip to Bratislava, Slovakia, to explain that it’s hard to see what’s going on in our own heads every day. To help us learn what our strengths are, and the strengths of others, Lisa provides individual and team exercises that are easy to follow. She points out that it’s extremely important that you bring out the talents on the team. You can do it by noticing what’s working so that you can get more of what’s already working for you. This notice-and-say-something approach allows you to leverage areas of team potential that bring out your top performance in life and in work.

https://leadthroughstrengths.com/how-to-find-your-strengths/

How to Fall in Love with Your Work…

You noticed each other. You exchanged affirming smiles and glancing eye contact as you passed each other. Your heart flutters a bit, you want to turn around and look back but you don’t. And then you do. Will your smiles meet again? … Oh crap… Am I really in junior high school again? Yes and no. His shirt, her baseball hat, has that beautiful logo of the company you’d love to work for! Your smiles meet.

Attraction is one thing, love is another. And love, while it takes time, slowly, and then all of a sudden, in a flash we marvel and say, “I love you.” “I love my job.” “I love my team.” “I love my leaders.” “I love our customers.” “I love my company.”

This kind of love is not a single event. It’s from the day and in day out moments when we’re cared for and we care for them, that take us to being grateful, deeply thankful. They are your tribe, and you are theirs. It started with a deep spark.

Sounds pretty amazing huh? Well, here’s a few things you can do to get to that place. And surprisingly, if you do these things, you might even just fall in love with the place where you currently work.

https://www.heartbasedleading.com/blog/2020/8/20/how-to-fall-in-love-with-your-work

 

||| Resources on Hybrid and Remote Work |||

Creating Flex Work Policies … When Everyone Has Different Needs

When it comes to flexible work arrangements, it’s tough to satisfy everyone. Whatever any organization is doing — requiring everyone to return to the office, keeping people at home, or some mix of the two —  you can be sure that at least a handful of people want or need something else. How can you treat your people as the individuals they are without creating anxiety and distrust within the group?

https://hbr.org/2021/10/creating-flex-work-policies-when-everyone-has-different-needs

How to read the virtual meeting room

Many in the workplace have been recruited, onboarded online, and finally thrust into back-to-back virtual meetings with colleagues they have never met. But despite not knowing the quirks of their new colleagues, it’s the nonverbal cues from their body language that often speak louder than their words in ubiquitous video conferencing calls that increasingly dominate the average working day.

https://cybernews.com/security/how-to-read-the-virtual-meeting-room/

 

||| Resources on Communication |||

How to Give and Receive Compliments at Work

Whether you’re a manager or a team member, giving and receiving compliments plays a major part in forming workplace relationships.

  • Yet, research shows that many people feel anxiety over the idea of exchanging compliments, worrying of coming off as a kiss-up or having their compliment misinterpreted.
  • To be better at giving compliments, it’s also important to become better at receiving them.
  • These scenarios and suggestions can help anyone practice the art of giving and receiving compliments.

https://hbr.org/2019/10/how-to-give-and-receive-compliments-at-work

“When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective.”  -Stephen R. Covey

How to Improve Your Communication by Leaps and Bounds

Do you know the most common communication mistakes leaders make? What practical steps can you take right now to be a more effective communicator? What is the most common mistake we make when using email? Check out this article to find out 3 steps to improve your communication.

https://www.skipprichard.com/how-to-improve-your-communication-by-leaps-and-bounds/

 

||| Resources on Gratitude and Appreciation |||

9 Inspiring Ways to Practice Gratitude — Even When Life Gets Hard

When you harness the power of gratitude, it can be truly life-changing. Not only can it give your brain a boost and make you feel more connected to others, but it can also change your perspective on life. Thrive Global asked its community members how they practice gratitude every day and how this practice affects their well-being. Their answers will inspire you to feel extra thankful today:

https://thriveglobal.com/stories/practice-gratitude-more-thankful-tips-how-to

How to Be Thankful When You Don’t Feel Thankful

Even if you think you have little to celebrate this year, you can—and should—practice gratitude. Another great reminder on how to be thankful in challenging times.

https://amp-theatlantic-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/620799/