Self-Management Skills You Need To Succeed

Self-management skills are defined as one’s ability to control their actions, feelings, and thoughts in a calculated and constructive manner in order to follow through on their goals and responsibilities. (GlassDoor) With many professionals continuing their careers in a remote or hybrid role, the ability to work autonomously and self-manage is a fundamental part of improving job performance and productivity. People who are well-developed in self-awareness and self-regulation are “well-positioned to develop a set of self-management skills that support them on their work and personal journeys.” (BetterUp)

“Self-Management is all about becoming your own leader by training your mental, physical, social, and intellectual faculties in different ways.” – Dr. Prem Jagyasi. 

With supporting research from the career resource hub at GlassDoor, we compiled four critical components of effective self-management and reveal steps you can take to improve on each of them:

1. Stress Management

“In high-pressure situations, you remain calm and collected. Rather than losing your focus, you find a way to solve stressful problems.”

Learning to balance your physical and emotional capacities is critical to limiting your stress intake and mastering self-management. Where is the benefit of allowing yourself to focus on your job’s negative features and letting yourself get easily upset with co-workers and clients? Keep your happiness and productivity top of mind by prioritizing your stress management and mental health.

Put It Into Practice: 
– Get outside to release tension and recharge for a productive afternoon.
– Set up appointments with a life coach or therapist.
– Define what being ‘healthy’ looks like in your life.
– Set a sleep schedule.
– Reflect in a journal.
– Exercise regularly.
– Get organized.

2. Time Management

“You can prioritize your tasks and get things done on time. You have ways to stay motivated and avoid procrastination.”

The pandemic pushed us outside of our patterns and inside of our homes. With the high connectivity to our house and family, the importance of establishing boundaries is magnified when it comes to work-life balance and upkeeping productivity. From being consistent in your schedule (no matter what it may look like) to minimizing distractions such as social media, web-surfing, or household chores, effective time management is a source for stability and freedom in a hybrid or remote role.

Put It Into Practice: 
– Set your own deadlines.
– Stick to a consistent schedule.
– Learn to say ‘no.’
– Don’t pressure yourself to multitask. 
– Take breaks. Staying at your desk for 8+ hours allows stress to consume your workday.
– Identify your timewasters. 

3. Adaptability

“When things suddenly change, you can control your discomfort and roll with it. Figuring out ways to embrace new situations comes easily to you.”

Optimism and resilience are indications of an adaptable employee. The willingness and preparedness to embrace change is a vital component in measuring effectiveness. Within the unpredictability and frequent change brought by COVID-19, many workers’ flexibility and job performance were tested. As a result, this self-management skill was in high demand to see out success. In shifting to new trends and market trends, the ability to navigate change instills trust from management teams and allows them to focus on other areas desperately needing attention. 

Additionally, adaptability is a core value linked to a variety of essential leadership qualities: (Key Step Media)
– Improved ability to lead in challenging environments.
– More practical and rapid responses to unexpected changes & ability to ‘sell the change.’
– Effectiveness in multiple roles, functions, or different organizations.

Put It Into Practice: 
– Research: Be proactive in staying relevant/current – seeking new solutions and strategies to address new or recurring problems. 
– Push yourself to take risks by setting goals that are outside of your comfort zone.
– Get curious. Stay open-minded and encourage others to do the same (i.e., procedures, technology, delegating responsibilities, etc.)

4. Conscientiousness 

“You are always mindful of what you say and the way you treat others. Others would describe you as kind and thoughtful.”

Conscientious people are careful, disciplined, responsible, and thorough, and they tend to plan and think things through before acting. (NOBA Project) Becoming a more conscientious employee (or self-aware employee) grants greater access to our thoughts, feelings, and desires, thus providing a sense of control. Conscientiousness is achieved by taking a more scheduled, communicative, and diligent business approach in tune with high awareness and appreciation for others. Assertive communication is critical to understanding your purpose and maintaining motivation. Digital miscommunication results from the absence of non-verbal cues such as tone, body language, and facial expressions.

Put It Into Practice: 
– Refine your communication skills.
– Schedule ‘check-ins’ with your management team, clients, or co-workers. 
– Set reminders for your tasks and responsibilities. 
– Organize your desk, desktop, and email dashboard. 
– Set methods for improving punctuality (setting clocks back, buffer times, etc.)

“All management starts with self-management, defined as the intentions and actions to be taken and the quantifying of those actions.” -Julian Pencilliah.

Wrap Up

Having these self-management skills shows that you are a reliable and emotionally intelligent employee. Managing yourself properly allows you to be more successful in achieving your goals and opens doors to future exciting career opportunities. What’s next? Reflect on the areas you can improve your self-management. Acknowledging any need for improvements is the first step towards change.

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Improving Mindfulness For Career Growth

What is mindfulness? The American Psychological Association defines mindfulness as “a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment. It is a state and not a trait.” A mindful individual is fully present and aware of their surroundings and reactions to specific thoughts and situations. Mindfulness is not something people can be born with but instead attained through attentiveness and comprehension. By tending to your thoughts, emotions, and sensations, you can accurately identify your habits and prepare the necessary steps to improve job performance.

A lack of mindfulness presents a disconnected employee walking through their days on autopilot. In the absence of self-awareness, organization, and intentionality towards one’s mental health, employees are not only stunting growth potential but instituting a continuous cycle of detachment as well. Making a conscious effort to these three healthy habits will unify an increased sense of mindfulness and take your career to new heights!

The Quest For Self-Awareness

Being self-aware is a critical part of becoming more mindful, as it allows you to better understand how you fit into your environment. Stay alert of your surroundings; offering attention without personal bias enables you to see how your work affects others and how it makes you feel. As you improve your self-awareness, you will learn to properly assess your capabilities and know your limits. Self-awareness is not just about recognizing your weaknesses but knowing how to capitalize on your strengths as well. 

Self-awareness is a continuous practice that often includes scheduling times to measure your progress and nurture your mind. This can be achieved through daily journaling or speaking with a mentoring figure. But remember, your quest will require you to take on some tough criticism with an open mind and a level of comfortability to examine your perpetual obstacles. Additionally, completing aptitude tests online or seeking performance reviews from your superiors or peers is another great tactic to initiating self-awareness. 

Recognizing Organization as a Form of Self-Care

Are you putting your organizational skills into practice? Becoming more mindful is achieved by putting your self-care methods into practice, and one of the best strategies for your career is organization. Examples include maintaining a well-kept, uncluttered workspace and a structured calendar with blocks of time left open for mindfulness exercises such as journaling, walking, yoga, or meditation.

The Mindfulness and Wellness experts at Mindful.org proceed to expand on the connection between mindfulness and organization by detailing a self-care roadmap. The ‘activity list’ consists of various exercises and strategies written out to become more intentional in your self-care in your Workplace, Physical Fitness, Emotional Life, and Relationships. As you improve on your organization in these areas, you will find yourself to be more confident, energized, engaging, and patient in your career. 

“Self-care means asking yourself what you need and following through on the honest answer.” (Mindful.org)

Prioritizing Mental Health Through Kindness

While mindfulness is recognized as just one outlet for enhancing your mental health, its connectivity to your thoughts, emotions, and sensations makes it a large piece of the puzzle. Humans are naturally wired to be kind, and being kind to others starts with being kind to yourself. When you act on your instincts to be compassionate and mindful of others, you are strengthening yourself and society. Tying into your surroundings, you must make yourself approachable to others and look out for their mental well-being. Studies have shown that providing social support to others often has more benefits to your physical and mental health than receiving it. 

5 Ways To Improve Mindfulness

Via CERIC & Mindworks:

  • Concentrated attention exercises on different objects such as the breath, bodily sensations, or the five senses.
  • Concentrated attention exercises on body movements (e.g. mindful walking, mindful stretching, yoga)
  • Enjoy the silence. Meditations that develop compassion for the self and others. 
  • Eliminate distractions to help avoid multitasking. Focusing on one task or project for a specific period helps to take a weight off your shoulders and pinpoint your attention.
  • Pour yourself into your household chores wholeheartedly.

Final Thoughts

Remember that mindfulness is about showing yourself unconditional kindness during your highs and lows. Mindfulness techniques, such as meditation and relaxation, are proven to enhance moods and dramatically reduce daily stressors. These benefits offer a significant boost to career satisfaction and increased productivity. Erasing stress and worry is not the goal but rather a byproduct of your renewed confidence and elevated sense of purpose.

Stay Vigilant – Watch out for signs of a toxic work culture. Find your support group and keep looking to grow it! Don’t be afraid to allow people the chance to surprise you.

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Don’t Ask These Questions During Your Next Job Interview

When you are eager to begin your next journey with a new company, there is not much more exhilarating and nerve-racking than the job interview season. Meeting new potential employers during an interview is an exciting occasion because it acknowledges mutual interest in a likely long-term relationship.

To this point, you have dedicated hours preparing what to say, what to expect, and how to showcase your skills in a manner that convinces your interviewer you are best suited for the job. However, it is essential to remember that the interview is a two-way street, and you will be expected to ask questions. This can be a tricky line to walk as you balance 1) uncovering the unknowns surrounding the job while 2) staying appropriate and professional as not to deter your interviewer.

Your closing questions should not be a deep dive into specific company issues, nor should they be overly basic questions. Don’t tarnish any rapport you’ve built with your interviewer and spoil your shot at the job through incompetence. Here are a few questions you would be best suited to AVOID bringing up during your first-round interviews:

“What Does This Job Entail?”

At this point, you should have a decent understanding of the role you applied for and should avoid this generalized question. Instead, focus on specific aspects of the job, such as your daily responsibilities, who you will manage, or who you will be managed by. Ask about what future goals or projects they have in place and what you should prioritize within the role.

In a broader light, you can inquire about the work culture and work environment you will be joining. 

*Pro-Tip* Look back on the notes you’ve taken throughout the interview and pose a question based on your interviewer’s own words. Seeking further insight on a topic they covered will not only show you are a good listener but reiterates your interest in the job as well.

“What Is The Salary For This Position?”

The subject of salary and bonus potential is not deemed appropriate for you to bring up as the candidate. Leave this topic for the employer to reveal in a second or third-round interview or, to ask you directly: “What are your salary demands?” To answer this question, offer a specific range based on the research you have conducted for the position, location, industry, and experience level. Providing this range will leave room for compromise and negotiation. 

“What Exactly Does Your Company Do?”

Again, posing basic questions like this reveals a lack of preparation and a lack of interest to your interviewer. Either you failed to review the job description thoroughly, or you failed to conduct fundamental research into their website. Both will be seen as a red flag to any hiring manager or recruiter. As a general rule, you should never ask any question that you could have quickly answered for yourself online.

While you are expected to bring a blank notepad to track the information you receive during the interview, there is a similar expectation that you arrive with notes as well. From insight on the company’s mission statement, core values, target audience, provided resources, current challenges, and top competitors, speaking to these topics rather than asking about them will show you did your homework and are invested in making the most of your interview and interviewer’s time.

“What Is Your Policy On PTO & Health Benefits?”

Details surrounding paid vacation, 401k contributions, and provided health benefits can often weigh into your decision-making, but requiring this information early on will have your interviewer questioning your priorities. The more conventional approach is to evaluate these features in a later round of interviews or when weighing multiple job offers. Additionally, your immediate inquiry into paid time off will have employers questioning your commitment. If the details are not already revealed in the job description, it’s safe to assume the benefits will not surpass the industry standard.

“When Will I Be Up For A Promotion?”

While giving the impression that you are eager to grow and take more responsibility is admirable, your interviewer may not be keen to hear you are already looking beyond the job for which you are applying. Basic interview etiquette suggests that you should not be looking ahead to a new salary and job description before you’ve even been offered the job at hand.

Instead, ask your interviewer to define success within the role and provide an example of growth within the company. Turn your focus toward how you can impact the company rather than how it can best serve you. As the candidate being evaluated, you want to show you are ready to work hard and grow within the company rather than quick to pursue the next best opportunity.

Other Questions To Avoid (Which Shouldn’t Need Explaining)

– “Do I need to pass a drug test?”

– “Do your employees get breaks and if so, how long?”

– “Can I do this job from home?”

– “Will I be asked to work weekends or stay late?”

– “Will you be checking my references?”

– “Do you like your job?”

– “Do you have other openings I can apply for?”

Stay tuned for next week when I break down the meaningful, thought-provoking questions you should be asking during your interview.

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A.G.I.L.E. Leadership: Success in a Post-Pandemic World

To succeed in a post-pandemic world, today’s professionals must be A.G.I.L.E. in their leadership. Beyond Limits Initiative Founder & Forbes Council Member, Juliet Ehimuan, describes this ‘responsive and adaptable’ leadership style as imperative for genuine camaraderie and cross-functionality to be entrenched in your organization. Join us as we review Juliet’s timely advice and provide some input of our own:

Approachable

Presenting yourself as easily and comfortably approachable in a work setting promotes inclusion and diversity and puts people at ease in their communication. Becoming approachable is not achieved simply by extending an open-door policy or by being friendly in the office. To be an approachable leader, you must first master the art of listening and meet them at their level. Let your colleagues know you are invested in what they have to say by asking lots of questions and not attempting to multitask in the process. Understand that whenever they vent to you, it does not mean they are awaiting a solution. Many leaders choose to remain closed off in their approach, but choosing to be accessible and attentive is fundamental in great leadership.

Grounded

With the chaos that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought, people are looking to their leaders and management team to provide stability now more than ever. The demand of a true leader encompasses holding your ground through trying times (not just when it is easy). Has your recent decision-making been in alignment with your organizational goals and purpose? Staying balanced and realistic is critical to portraying both authentic and confident leadership. Through difficult times and high-stress situations, you can illustrate sound guidance by choosing to be proactive rather than reactive. 

While worry and tension are often imminent, holding tight to your vision and staying flexible to get there is imperative to maintaining strong leadership through uncertainty. Choosing to ‘trust your gut’ is often the intuitive route taken by today’s great leaders, but sometimes that intuition involves taking advice from a co-worker! Not every decision will be the right one, but staying accountable as a leader can quickly diffuse any consequences and setbacks that arise. 

Innovative

Successful leaders recognize the importance of “brave new thinking,” says Ehimuan, by “challenging existing norms and assumptions, finding more cost-effective ways of doing business and exploring alternative supply chain management models or new customer channels.” In short, seek new perspectives from your team and new ways to use your employee’s unique skill sets.

When you become a more collaborative unit, you are making a path for your team’s creativity to bolster innovations. While mistakes are still likely to occur, the miscalculations and risks you take will be more fruitful in your development. Exploring this insight will provide new inventive solutions to your company and enhance the individual’s personal growth. Without an innovative mindset and contributions from your team, your competitors will certainly pass you by. 

“Successful people do not think outside the box. Successful people just make a bigger box.” -CC Sales Pro.

Leverager

COVID-19 brought a new, emphasized meaning to the phrase “Do more with less.” Large corporations, small businesses, stores, and restaurants across the country all took on the challenges of downsizing and limiting their budget. Additionally, they needed to adjust to new safety protocols and travel restrictions. As a result, this spotlighted the innovative thinkers and the new ways to leverage technology resources to upkeep their brand. 

Leveraging your resources and relevant data requires thorough research and levelheadedness. With the support of your team, you must stay open to strategic consultation and quick to act. Being a ‘leverager’ is not to say ‘take advantage of your relationships with people,’ but to tap into the resourceful, authentic relationships of people you believe in. When you have laid the groundwork and have genuine connections within your industry, the relationships will leverage themselves. 

Furthermore, you should never attempt to leverage skills or assets you do not have, as the misrepresentation can dramatically impact your reputation. Instead, build awareness of your team’s skill-sets and the confidence they have in their respective crafts.  

Empathetic

The employees remain the backbone of any organization. Showing that you value their happiness will have a tremendous impact on your company’s overall productivity. Exhibiting empathy and compassion to your team will let them know they can trust you with the bad news as much as the good news. Creating this bond goes a long way in developing healthy relationships and unity. Over time, they will be more inclined to share new information with you because of your ethical approach. 

Remember that you are not the only one experiencing new challenges. Provide an outlet for their problems, and you will prevent employee burnout and limit stress takeover. In your nurturing maturation, you will develop an incorruptible loyalty that is supplemented with respect. To continue this growth, seek honest and open feedback from your colleagues and accept it with gratitude rather than disdain. 

Wrap Up

Staying A.G.I.L.E. in leadership is not exceedingly difficult to achieve but takes quite a bit of effort and intentionality. When you are approachable, you enable yourself to receive valuable criticism and developing trust. In addition to being an active listener, being an active learner keeps you open to new perspectives and shifts your work culture into a collaborative, unified group. Keeping yourself focused on these five leadership behaviors will produce a high-performing team despite any additional ‘curveballs’ that will be thrown your way.

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Three Principles To Live By For Networking Success

Networking is a combination of meeting new people and developing mutually beneficial relationships inside and outside your industry. Within your network, you gain further references, resources, and marketing opportunities to accelerate your career. The effectiveness of your network will follow of “You get out what you put in” mantra. Many will shy away from persistent networking tactics in fear of being considered overly aggressive or annoying, but that’s not what effective networking is designed to be.

Networking is credited as one of the most popular tools for finding your next job opportuntity, but that should never be the intended purpose. If you are aspiring to create an avenue for success based on your network, here are three fundamental principles you must understand and incorporate into your career daily:

What Networking Is & Is Not

Effective networking is not a practice limited to those seeking assistance. It does not entail calling everyone you know and asking them for favors, nor is it a therapeutic outlet for your problems. It is centralized on the gathering or sharing of information that can be momentous in your job search or current position. When you establish rapport with other career professionals and remain patient, a level of trust ensues, leading to optimal career opportunities. Business cards are often exchanged, but only when there is a legitimate reason to keep in touch. When operating with the right intentions, networking is also a great way to step out of the comfort zones of your personality type, career path, and background.

Do Your Homework

Networking does not have to be time-consuming, but there is an expectation that you will research whom you are communicating with and your connection would be beneficial. If you are attending a networking event (virtual or in-person), you can request a list of guests and prepare specific questions for individuals you plan to introduce yourself to. Stay realistic in what you hope to accomplish, and remember not to expect immediate results. When you pinpoint your objectives, you are setting yourself up for a greater chance of success.

Identify the industries, interests, and position titles with which you hope to establish a connection. Be intentional in blending conversations of your industry or interests into their industry or interests, and vice versa. Find ways to reciprocate the knowledge and wisdom they’ve shared back to their interests and career path.

Networking is an Ongoing Process

Quit generating excuses as to why you don’t have time. If you are not actively maintaining contact with your network or looking to expand upon it, you are practically begging for a rut in your career. Utilize social platforms such as LinkedIn to converse with business professionals that share a job title or industry with you. Be strategic with your work schedule and create blocks of time for lunch, coffee, or a virtual meeting. Your competitors are likely making time for networking, so to reach your highest aspirations, the expectation is that you’ll do the same.

Wrap Up

Networking is not limited to the scheduled events you often see promoted. You can capitalize on your network through a consistent approach and committed effort. Your active involvement will plant seeds for future business and unleash the potential for career opportunities. Whether through a paid networking event, social gathering, doing someone a favor or fostering your relationships, you are completing a form of networking every day. Just remember, the primary goal is to garner knowledge and wisdom, not to strike gold on a new sale or job opportunity.

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