Professional Development Blog
“Openness to learning and growing is partially achieved in how you deliver feedback in the moment, and partially in what you have done the days, weeks, and months prior to that moment.”
— Kristen B. Hubler | One on One 101
Brilliance Bias and The Myth of Meritocracy
Why Just Hiring the Right Person is More Complicated Than We Think
Have you ever heard someone say something like - it shouldn’t matter what gender someone is, let’s just hire the best person for the job. Or maybe it was something like - we're trying to be more diverse and inclusive, but we just don’t have enough qualified candidates. These are statements that I used to say too because it seems perfect. All that should matter is getting the most qualified person. Period. This idea is called meritocracy: “the holding of power by people selected on the basis of their ability.” Over the years, as I learned more, I started to realize that line of thinking was reductive because unconscious bias makes true meritocracy a lot harder to achieve than we realize…
So, you’ve been promoted to manager… now what?
6 Things Every Manager Should Be Doing (and some extra stuff to consider)
Over the Winter holidays I had the pleasure of catching up with many friends. We shared pleasantries and asked the common question adults ask each other: how's work? Fortunately, I got to celebrate with several people as they told me they had recently been promoted. Yes! Congrats! Unfortunately, every person that experienced a promotion also told me the same story: I don't know how to be a manager, and my company isn't helping…
How To Help Your Friend After a Layoff
Life is not about what you do, it's about who you do it with. It's about the connections you make, the friendships you form, and the community you build. Unfortunately, when someone in your community experiences a loss, it can be difficult to know what to do. We'll have the thought, I should do something, but then the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing sets in and we don't act…
5 Lessons I Learned From a Mass Layoff
The threat of recession is upon us and the number of layoff announcements across LinkedIn are growing. While I hope for the best, I wanted to share a few things I learned from my experience that might help prepare others. These are things that I wish I had done and will make sure I do going forward. I never imagined I would ever be let go, but here we are. If you are in the same boat, I am sorry you experienced this and know that this is not your fault. We may not be able to change what happens to us, but we can at least learn from it.
Prepare To Be Phished
4 Tips To Keep Your Family Safe From Scammers
For the second time in just two days, a friend of mine had their Facebook account hacked. Now, as soon as I said the word hacked, you probably picture someone in their basement somewhere with the lights dark and a green tint coming off their computer monitor as they use advanced coding and trickery to make their way into your account. But most of the time, that's not how it actually works…
The Big Burnout Misunderstanding
5 Things I Had Wrong About Burnout and What I Learned to Combat it
So I don't know if you've noticed, but it seems like there is a lot of turn around happening. And yes, that was a little sarcastic, because it's impossible not to notice. All across LinkedIn I can see announcements of new positions, good-byes to old positions, and more We're Hiring posts in the last few months than I've seen in the last few years combined.
The Subtle Art of Saving Time
How to Shift From Multitasking to Multipurposing
I used to take pride in the fact that I was very good at multitasking. I would listen to a podcast, while cooking dinner, cleaning the kitchen, and answering work messages. What's funny is that I can’t even sing in the shower and remember if I already conditioned or not, so why would I ever think I can successfully multi-task and still be on top of my game? This way of working has become a source of pride among the busy. As it turns out though, they are probably getting less done than someone with a more balanced, focused schedule because what we think is multitasking is actually just diluted, less focused and therefore less productive work.
The Power of Imperfect
Why I Love Scrum
When I first heard this quote from Voltaire, it was during the application process of my current job. Well, maybe it wasn't the first time I heard it, but it was the first time I really thought about it - "Don't let perfect become the enemy of the good" - I don't recall what the question was, but it was some form of what do you think about this statement. I remember googling it, thinking about it for a while, and coming up with some answer that I'm sure was about not being a perfectionist. I had saved that kind of statement for the Monica Geller's of the world, the type A's, the neurotic control freaks. What I didn't realize, is that this statement is more applicable to the general population than I ever realized.
The Day I Decided to Quit
How to Make Difficult Conversations a Little Less Difficult | Part 3
A few years ago, right before I quit my job, I had a series of difficult conversations with the person I reported to. I was so angry because I had years of built up frustration. So many little things that I had chosen not to address because our organization had a culture to assume the best and give the benefit of the doubt. Which is great, and I wholeheartedly support it, but sometimes we swing too far in that direction and avoid having much needed, healthy confrontations. Looking back on the situation years later, I'm still glad I chose to leave. Fortunately, for my personal and professional growth, I did not leave the day I wanted to.
Stop Saying “so what I hear you’re saying is…”
How to Make Difficult Conversations a Little Less Difficult | Part 2
I have heard from many different people some version of the phrase So what I hear you're saying is…. It is a sentence that, when used in the right conversation, can be a good tool. On the other hand, when used in a difficult conversation, can destroy your chance of a positive outcome.