A Fun Way to Be More Successful, Backed by Research

You could be chosen for a high-profile project. You could land a promotion. You could find a better job. …and then you’d be happy, right? Not necessarily, according to research by Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage. While living, researching and lecturing at Harvard University, Achor spent over a decade studying the link between…

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Fun Way to Be More Successful, Backed by Research

You could be chosen for a high-profile project. You could land a promotion. You could find a better job. …and then you’d be happy, right? Not necessarily, according to research by Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage. While living, researching and lecturing at Harvard University, Achor spent over a decade studying the link between…

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Dramatically Improve Your Performance: Drop These Habits!

Ever wonder why: You’re being passed over for promotions? Your team members aren’t more receptive to your ideas? You’re not asked to join special project teams or to spearhead new initiatives at work? Maybe your bad habits are holding you back. Nobody’s perfect, and we all have idiosyncrasies that occasionally make us challenging to work…

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Great Leadership Starts with Listening Skills

As a leader, what happens when you develop better listening skills? Your employees become more motivated, engaged and productive. You retain more information and make fewer mistakes. You foster mutual trust with your team. You develop 6-pack abs. Okay; maybe not that last answer – but you get where today’s post is going, right? Strong…

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Hypercritical of Yourself? How to Be More Accepting

“She’s so intelligent; I’ll never be as smart as her.” “He’s so creative; why can’t I think that way?” “She’s so disciplined; I wish I could exhibit that kind of control and perseverance.” Are you great at finding amazing qualities in your colleagues, family and friends – but incredibly tough on yourself? It’s human nature.…

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How Successful People Begin and End Their Workdays

Why is the middle of an Oreo so delicious? It’s the chocolate cookies on the top and bottom. This post isn’t about food (entirely), and we don’t recommend eating a package of cookies to enhance job performance. But the inventor of Oreos (or any sandwich cookie, for that matter), knew this important fact: The way…

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Are You Revealing Things You Shouldn’t at Work?

If you’re on the job hunt, you’ve doubtless heard cautionary advice about revealing TMI during an interview: trashing a former boss discussing personal finances dishing about your love life Yikes – makes us cringe just thinking about it. But once you’ve landed the position, all bets are off – right? No way! To ensure your…

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Want to Supercharge Your Success? Quit Doing These Things

In any aspect of your life – your career, fitness, relationships, finances – success really boils down to two things: Doing the right things. Not doing the wrong things. While we’ve written extensively about doing the “right” things to become more successful (like this post on instilling healthy habits), that success won’t materialize if you…

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Have Problems to Solve? Start by Defining Them Differently

When you have a tough problem to solve, conventional management wisdom dictates that you gather your team members and collectively “think outside the box.” But, what is that “box,” anyway? How, exactly, are people supposed to “think outside” it? And, most importantly, is “thinking outside the box” truly the best way to develop innovative solutions…

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When Everyone Nods in Agreement, Be Worried

When is the last time an employee contradicted the majority? Challenged your thinking? Expressed a controversial opinion in an otherwise smooth meeting? If you can’t remember, you need to keep reading. Dissent in the workplace is uncomfortable. Disruptive. Complicated. When an employee disagrees with the rest of the group, it slows down processes by requiring…

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