Here we are. Hunting season begins this week, as well as the slide until the end of the semester. What can you do in the next 7 weeks to stay on track with your team? It’s figureoutable for sure! Let’s work on our culture on remote teams, trust yourselves, and run some kick-butt meetings with the resources you find this week in PP.
:: Image of the Week
Rise and shine, folks!
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – NELSON MANDELA
:: Mental Health and Self-Care
6 Things People Do to Slow Down
Is living too fast turning your life into a blur? How can you slow down to see things clearly and savor them more? One way is to take inspiration from calming rituals and traditions found across the world. If you’ve already mastered the Spanish siesta what other practices can you build into your life?
Read this curated list below to find out.
https://ideas.ted.com/6-things-people-do-around-the-world-to-slow-down/?mc_cid=6a5fd61f23
“The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.” – Robert Jordan
:: CSN’s Book of the Week Recommendation
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
From the host of the award-winning MarieTV and The Marie Forleo Podcast, an indispensable handbook for becoming the creative force of your own life.
While most self-help books offer quick fixes, Everything is Figureoutable will retrain your brain to think more creatively and positively in the face of setbacks. In the words of Cheryl Strayed, it’s “a must-read for anyone who wants to face their fears, fulfill their dreams, and find a better way forward.”
If you’re having trouble solving a problem or reaching a dream, the problem isn’t you. It’s that you haven’t yet installed the one belief that changes everything.
Marie’s mom once told her, “Nothing in life is that complicated. You can do whatever you set your mind to if you roll up your sleeves. Everything is figureoutable.”
Whether you want to leave a dead-end job, break an addiction, learn to dance, heal a relationship, or grow a business, Everything is Figureoutable will show you how.
You’ll learn:
- The habit that makes it 42% more likely you’ll achieve your goals.
- How to overcome a lack of time and money.
- How to deal with criticism and imposter syndrome.
It’s more than just a fun phrase to say. It’s a philosophy of relentless optimism. A mindset. A mantra. A conviction.
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Figureoutable-Marie-Forleo/dp/0525534997
Here’s a LinkedIn post on the topic: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marieforleo_no-one-ever-changed-the-world-without-dreaming-activity-7221620298989604865-ZttN
:: Trust, Psychological Safety & Belonging
Trust Yourself First
“Before anyone else can trust you, you have to trust yourself,” writes Deborah Grayson Riegel in this Psychology Today piece on developing and assessing self-trust. While Riegel’s advice is tailored towards sales professionals, her insights hold resonance for leaders too as they are tasked with influencing other people: “Being able to extend trust externally and internally is important for everyone,” and selling “a product or service—or even an idea” requires creating “a climate of trust with prospects and clients.” She points to four key areas of trust to help define and assess self-trust.
1. Sincerity: “Is the assessment that you are honest, that you say what you mean and mean what you say; you can be believed and taken seriously,” and “it means that your actions will be aligned with your words.”
2. Reliability: “Is the assessment that you meet the commitments you make, and that you keep your promises.”
3. Competence: “Is the assessment that you have the ability to do what you are doing or propose to do.”
4. Care: “Is the assessment that when you make decisions and take action,” you have either your own or the other relevant party’s “needs, values, and interests in mind.”
:: Creativity
Complex Challenges Require Creative Leaders
In the wake of the election results, I’ve been at a loss for what I could post that could be relevant and helpful until I realized that this new episode of my podcast that focuses on Breaking Down Creativity in the Workplace – may just be perfectly timed.
Listen to Keynote Speaker Mary Messner; full of hope for the future, excited to tackle this topic and learn from her focus on creativity leading to a shift in companywide culture and positive impact.
Complex problems call for a heavy dose of creativity. The path forward will undoubtedly require just that as we navigate changes and ripple effects in business and life.
When you tune in to this episode, you will be inspired by Mary’s approach to meeting challenges with creativity, refusing to accept the status quo, and leading with a determination to grow others. You just might be inspired to ‘create something unexpected’ as she says, which may be what you and the people you lead need right now.
You’ll also hear about:
• Encouraging Creativity in Workplace Culture: Allowing Risks and Innovation
• Permission and Creativity: Valuing Diverse Perspectives
• Speaking to Women’s Empowerment and Creativity
• Redefining Success: Confidence, Courage, and Creativity
• Uncharted Territory & New Paths for Creative Goals
• Embracing Flexibility in Creative Ideas and Solutions
• Encouraging Free Thinking and Problem Solving
• Leading Creativity: Inspiring and Empowering Other
LISTEN, WATCH, & SHARE
• Apple | https://lnkd.in/gvh2RNUK
• Spotify | https://lnkd.in/giMxHbic
• YouTube | https://lnkd.in/gjB_hBdD
“I was waiting for something extraordinary to happen, but as the years wasted on, nothing ever did unless I caused it.” – Charles Bukowski
:: Self-Leadership Development
From Fear to Leadership: Blanca Gonzales’s Tech Industry Adventure
Wisconsin Tech Month shines a spotlight on inspiring women in technology, celebrating their journeys and achievements. This episode features a compelling conversation with Blanca Gonzales, who shares her accidental yet impactful journey into the tech world. Blanca discusses her initial fear of technology, how a friend’s invitation opened the door to a new career, and the challenges she has faced as a woman of color in a predominantly male industry.
Takeaways:
- Facing Adversity with Confidence: Blanca emphasizes the importance of being prepared to have a seat at the table and making your voice heard, especially in an industry where women and minorities are underrepresented.
- Continuous Learning: In the fast-moving tech industry, ongoing learning is crucial. Blanca underscores the need to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies to remain competitive.
- Agility and Opportunities: Blanca advises those entering the tech space to be agile and open to continuous learning. She highlights the abundance of opportunities, including tech-adjacent positions that can serve as a gateway to further knowledge and growth in the tech field.
- Community and Networking: Staying connected with the tech community is vital. Blanca’s openness to conversation and networking through platforms like LinkedIn highlights the importance of building and maintaining professional relationships.
Listen to her short video interview at https://witechmonth.com/from-fear-to-leadership-blanca-gonzaless-tech-industry-adventure/
:: Remote and Hybrid Work
How to Build a People-First Culture in Remote Teams
In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, they welcome Katya Laviolette, Chief People Officer at 1Password.
Katya shares insights into scaling a remote-first, high-growth company while preserving a unique, people-centered culture. She discusses the role of resilience, intentional onboarding practices, and the importance of transparency in hiring for a fully remote company.
In this episode, Katya discusses:
- Why transparency during hiring creates long-term success.
- The value of intentional onboarding in a remote-first company.
- Balancing flexibility with employee accountability in remote work.
- How to build a resilient culture that supports innovation and employee well-being.
https://hrleaders.co/podcast/how-to-build-a-people-first-culture-in-remote-teams?_hsmi=331774697
:: Work Culture & Team Development
Why Talented People Don’t Use Their Strengths
When McKenna-Doyle was hired, she observed that a number of her people were struggling, but not because they weren’t talented — because they weren’t in roles suited to their strengths. After doing a deep analysis, she started having people switch jobs. For many, this reshuffling was initially unwelcome and downright uncomfortable.
Experts have long encouraged people to “play to their strengths.” And why wouldn’t we want to flex our strongest muscle? But based on observations, this is easier said than done. Not because it’s hard to identify what we’re good at. But because we often undervalue what we inherently do well.
Fostering Brave Space: Reflections on Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead
In this episode, the discussion centers around leadership insights from Brene Brown’s book Dare to Lead, exploring themes like authenticity, vulnerability, and building trust in the workplace. Hosts Wes Johnson and former UW-Madison employee Sarah J. Buszka also share tips for making the most of your EDUCAUSE 2024 Conference experience (or any large conference networking experience you might encounter).
“Can you define what you have an innate ability for and match that with what you are willing to hustle to get?” – Matthew McConaughey
:: Communication
How to Run Meetings That People Love
As a business leader focused on caring leadership, you want your meetings to be power-packed, not snooze-fests! Why? Because productive meetings mean you’re getting things done, energizing your team, and keeping everyone laser-focused on those big goals. When your meetings are exciting and efficient, your team is on the edge of their seats, ready to dive in and contribute. They leave feeling motivated, not drained. Successful meetings can be made even more productive by utilizing the active listening skills I talk about. When you use the techniques in this video, you create an environment where people want to show up, speak up, and crush it. See what Heather Younger has to say about inclusion in meetings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-HdO9b8IYE
:: Job Searching & Interviewing
You Don’t Need to Meet Every Qualification to Apply for a Job
One of your biggest concerns as a college graduate is landing your first job. But when you look at the qualifications in many role descriptions, you may worry that there’s no way you’ll get the job, never mind an interview. The reality is that you don’t need to have all of the qualifications listed to apply. Too many people, especially women, focus on jobs that they are overqualified for – and that’s a mistake and can lead to becoming stagnant in your career. An upward trajectory in the workplace requires consistent acquisition of the set of skills needed to take on the next position. Learning these skills when you’re in a position for which you are overqualified will require that you learn “off the clock” rather than incorporating learning into the daily performance of your job. So look for a position that will stretch you, not one where you can already tick all of the boxes.
https://hbr.org/2019/05/you-dont-need-to-meet-every-qualification-to-apply-for-a-job
The best way to change it is to do it, right? And then after a while you become it, and it’s easy. – Ursula Burns
:: Upcoming Events
How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain
Date: Thursday, November 21, 2024
Time: 1:30–2:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 AM–11:30 a.m. PT
Where: Online via YouTube Live
Over the past two decades, research has found that being more grateful in life increases health and happiness. But do gratitude’s benefits apply to people who struggle with mental health concerns? And, if so, how? Join us for an illuminating one-hour conversation with Adriana Alejandre, trauma therapist and founder of Latinx Therapy, and Joel Wong, professor in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology Programs at Indiana University. They will share insights into the psychological benefits of gratitude, along with practical techniques for people and practitioners to easily incorporate it into their day-to-day lives.
Moderated by Kia Afcari, the Director of Training at the Greater Good Science Center, this live-streamed discussion promises to be enlightening and thought-provoking. Whether you’re a mental health professional or interested in enhancing your own well-being, this event offers a unique opportunity to dive into the science of gratitude and discover how it can measurably benefit emotional resilience, relationships, and personal growth.
https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/event/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain
Register Now: Information & Technology Leadership Conference — Dec 3
Join your information and technology colleagues at the 2024 Information & Technology Leadership Conference on December 3! Former Michigan CIO Laura McCain Patterson will keynote this free event for UW–Madison employees and students. Choose from 15 sessions on topics like managing change, AI, and team building. Attend in person at the Discovery Building (includes breakfast and lunch) or virtually via Zoom from 8:30am-4pm. In-person space is limited—register early! Questions? Contact itlc@wisc.edu.
Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Time: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Central Time.
Location: In person at the Discovery Building and online on Zoom