As kids, we’re often told not to care about what other people think. This advice usually continues well into adulthood. Phrases such as, “Go against the grain!”, “Don’t listen to what anyone says, go for it!”, “Haters gonna hate, you do you”, “Drown out the noise. Be strong. Be independent.” appear as common motivational refrains throughout the United States.

In most cases, this is great advice. You should never let haters or other malicious people tell you how to live your life. You should never let the fear of upsetting others hold you back.

However, it’s not always wise to tune out the opinions of the people around you. There are some situations where taking a moment to listen to the thoughts of a colleague, mentor, or relative can be advantageous. 

When I first meet with a new client, I ask what brought them to coaching. They usually respond with a “want” in their life. Some common ones are: “I want to get promoted at work”, “I want to increase my salary”, “I want to improve my work relationships with colleagues.”

Their goals are admirable, and I’m always impressed by their willingness to invest their time and energy into accomplishing them. 

However, the approach they are using to achieve their objective is not the most effective. Why?

Searching for a way to break the ice at your next interview? Here are five topics you can turn to…

As a manager or leader of a team, you’re going to be providing feedback to your team members on their performance. This feedback may be given in an official performance review and more likely - and hopefully more frequently - in real-time. Here are five quick tips to keep in mind to make delivering feedback and constructive criticism effective: 

“Why is it important to take time off work?”

Your overall performance is better when you are there. You are more productive, more creative, and your decisions are higher quality. You’re also setting yourself up for success for the long run – you will be less likely to burn out if you take time off.

I like to push myself hard at the gym. I once had a personal trainer tell me, “Emily, your job is to stay in the game.” I asked what he meant. He said, “If you push too hard and get injured, you’ll be laid up and have to spend time recovering. That is a whole bunch of time you’ll miss with regular workouts and quality training.” I got it. His statement shifted my thinking.

The interview process is a two-way street. If you are a candidate being interviewed for a job, you will obviously be answering some questions about your background, experience, and what you bring to the table.

You should also have the opportunity to ask some questions about the company, team, and role.

Your career and where you work is a big decision. Make sure you have all the relevant information you need to make an informed one. Below are some thought-starters to use and/or add to the questions you already have.

For some managers, it can be difficult to let go of having control of projects. They want to oversee every step of it to make sure everything goes according to plan. This impulse is based on two biases that a team of researchers discovered in trying to understand why some managers are reluctant to delegate. These include:

The principle of compounding is one of the most powerful forces in the world. Albert Einstein once referred to compounding as “…the eighth wonder of the world.”

No matter how busy we are, it’s imperative that we continue to learn and grow. There are a lot of great books out there, and reading is one of the best ways to level up your career and your life.

Ensuring you continue your own growth is made all the easier when you learn how to read books more efficiently and effectively. Here’s how I go about it, covering all three mediums — audiobooks, e-books and physical books — that I incorporate depending on my level of interest in a title.