Planners’ Picks
A collection of resources from CSN planning committee members worth mentioning
Fall begins tomorrow. We are all going through different seasons of our lives as well. Embrace the changes by bouncing back, boosting creativity, and saying “Yes, And.”
:: Image of the Week
World Gratitude Day is September 21, 2022. It’s the perfect time to take appreciation to a new level with your team or organization.
“We cannot control the way people interpret our ideas or thoughts, but we can control the words and tones we choose to convey them. Peace is built on understanding, and wars are built on misunderstandings. Never underestimate the power of a single word, and never recklessly throw around words. One wrong word, or misinterpreted word, can change the meaning of an entire sentence and start a war. And one right word, or one kind word, can grant you the heavens and open doors.” – Suzy Kassem, “Rise Up and Salute the Sun”
These are the untapped benefits of feeling gratitude
I don’t know if there is a more misunderstood tool you can implement in your life than gratitude. But why do so many people find it hard to implement? Why do so many subconsciously ignore it or even flat-out reject it? For one, it may be because we are accustomed to thinking about what we don’t have, rather than what we do.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90774330/these-are-the-untapped-benefits-of-feeling-gratitude
7 Mindset Keys To Stay More Positive
Positive Mindset, overrated or a MUST have? Do you have it, do you want it or need to know how to cultivate one…?
Read these 7 Mindset Keys posted by Tuomo Vauhkonen that will surely help you to strive towards more positivity.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-mindset-keys-stay-more-positive-tuomo-vauhkonen
:: Resources on Mental Health and Self-Care
15 Mantras That Help Boost Our Confidence and Creativity
There’s so much power in the words we use – including when we talk to ourselves. And talking to ourselves out loud can be an effective way to boost our confidence and creativity. In a recent New York Times article, writer Paul McAdory calls it “external self-talk,” and explains that it can help us stay resilient in moments of self-doubt. “I have found that vocalized self-analysis… is a valuable complement to more traditional conversational outlets, especially when it comes to creative thinking.”
The Thrive community shared the phrases and mantras they tell themselves when they need a confidence boost. Which of these resonates with you?
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/mantras-and-phrases-to-boost-confidence-creativity
“No business, no problems. No problems, no business. Problems are opportunities for solutions.” – George Naddaff
Building the Ability to Bounce Back
Nimble. Quick to recover. Adaptable. Hardy.
Think of leaders you know who fit these descriptions. They’re the ones who navigate challenges with relative ease—even thriving in times of transition—where other leaders would flounder. Sales down for the past quarter? These leaders are moving ahead with a new strategy. Company acquired by another firm? They’ve already made a place for themselves in the new system.
What these leaders have in common is resilience, a psychological quality that Merriam-Webster defines as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” Resilience can help leaders at all levels of organizations face today’s volatile environment. Companies across the globe offer resilience training to their employees. It’s no surprise to me that many of these training programs incorporate some form of mindfulness meditation.
https://www.kornferry.com/insights/this-week-in-leadership/resilience-meditation-for-leaders
:: Resources on Communication
Meet one-on-one with everyone on the team
This advice from the Better Allies newsletter:
During the 25 years I worked in the tech industry, my managers always held one-on-one meetings with me. Sometimes they were weekly, sometimes less frequent. Regardless, I relied on them to keep my manager informed, ask for advice, and get help removing roadblocks.
I also got plenty of positive reinforcement about the things I was doing well, along with constructive suggestions for how to get better. I’m not sure how I could have effectively done my job or grown in my career without the feedback I received in these meetings.
You know what else? I would have been angry if my manager had scheduled one-on-one meetings with others on my team, but not with me.
While that’s not something I have experienced, many have. In Being Black In Corporate America, the Center for Talent Innovation uncovered 14 specific microaggressions that Black employees experience at significantly higher rates than all other racial groups surveyed. One is, “My manager has met one-on-one with others on my team, but not with me.”
Don’t be that manager.
https://mailchi.mp/04d0bf77828f/5-ally-actions-aug-19-2022?e=6ad6c46384
“A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure.” – Henry Kissinger
“Yes And” Brings 7 Unexpected Collaboration Ingredients
In this episode, Lisa and Gary chat about practical tools to improve creativity and problem solving at work. They even share real examples of activities they have used with teams to improve collaboration and communication. They focus on the Leadership Improv idea of “Yes And” to build upon ideas and continue conversations instead of shutting them down with your opposition.
https://leadthroughstrengths.com/collaboration-activities/
:: Resources on Work Culture & Team Development
Why being respectful to your coworkers is good for business
Looking to get ahead in your career? Start by being respectful to your coworkers, says leadership researcher Christine Porath. In this science-backed talk, she shares surprising insights about the costs of rudeness and shows how little acts of respect can boost your professional success — and your company’s bottom line.
More than your share
Seth Godin’s Daily Blog Entry from August 17, 2022:
“The math is simple: many people do less than they should. They might be selfish, but it’s likely that they’re struggling with a lack of resources or a story of insufficiency. Either way, in any community or organization, many people contribute less than their peers. Whether it’s splitting a check, getting a project done or making an impact on the culture or a cause, if you want things to get better, the only way is to be prepared to do more than your fair share. Because we need to make up for the folks who don’t.”
Ooh, this one is huge as I have one-one discussions with my team at work. Always do more than your share, and the rest will work itself out. Hard on the surface, but a great way to ensure you meet your values head-on and contribute at a level you can be proud of. Don’t look across the aisle and complain about the other people; focus on your own output. What are your thoughts on this?
Link to his blog: https://seths.blog/2022/08/more-than-your-share/
The Importance of Employee Engagement
Why is employee engagement so important? This is a question Gordon Thedgold gets asked a lot, so he posted this graph on Linkedin to help better explain the reality and impact of the various levels of engagement. Can you put names on the different characters in the boat? What can you do to turn the back end of the crew around? Move the middle crew up?