How to Set Goals

Establishing goals provides clarity and a method to track progress. According to the academic article New Directions in Goal-Setting Theory by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, higher or more aspirational goals leads to higher task performance and a greater ability to attain set goal. The challenge lies within how to set goals that are attainable,…

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How to Ask for Assistance

There are multiple times when working on a project or on a team that you reach a point and need assistance. This can be due to a lack of information, lack of experience, needing a required approval authority, or uncertainty on how to continue. In order to progress, we must approach the team leader for…

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How to Give Negative Feedback

Sitting across the table from another co-worker having to deliver negative feedback on their work performance is a stressful task. Employees spend a majority of their day taking pride in the work they are performing, and as a supervisor it is never easy communicating to that employee that their work is insufficient. According to an…

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How to Crush an Interview

Interviews are stressful. Whether it’s an internal interview with the company you’ve worked for a long time, or an interview with a new company that you’re trying to get hired, interviews are the gateway to development and growth. It’s a mutually difficult process for the interviewer and the interviewee, the company is considering making a…

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How to Negotiate for a Salary Increase

In my conversations with peers and colleagues, there has been a common stressor on how to effectively ask for a raise from their manager. Justified or not, it falls onto the single employee to approach the manager and have the conversation about a salary increase. Here are a few key tips to keep in mind…

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How to Manage Stress

No matter the position, company, or industry, leaders will encounter stress. While we may not be able to control the initiators of stress, or the stressors, leaders can control how we react too and manage these situations. According to an academic journal article on coping with stress by Peggy Thoits, coping strategies start with either…

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How to Address Tension on Your Team

When working on a team, it is inevitable that you may encounter tension amongst team members or ideas. While the leader may not be directly involved in tension, it is their responsibility to quickly address the tension and ensure that the conflict is not detrimental to the team or productivity. According to the Harvard Business…

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How to Understand an Industry

The need to better understand a new industry applies to both aspiring career switchers and professionals working on a new project outside of their area of expertise. No matter the level of experience, a quick background and understanding of the size of the industry, the key competitors, and cyclical trends will prepare you to be…

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How to Run an Effective Meeting

Inc. Magazine reports that Doodle’s 2019 State of Meeting study revealed that in 2019 alone poorly organized meeting cost U.S. organizations $399 billion  and $58 billion in the U.K. This is almost half a trillion dollars for these two countries alone Use these steps to keep the meetings you run from falling into these costly traps.…

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