Traits of Talented Employees

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Contents

Top 10 traits of the most talented employees ............................................................................................. 1

1. Good communication and listening skills ......................................................................................... 2

2. Strong work ethic .............................................................................................................................. 2

3. Positive attitude ................................................................................................................................ 2

4. A yearning for learning...................................................................................................................... 2

5. Open to feedback .............................................................................................................................. 2

6. Innovative spirit ................................................................................................................................ 3

7. Resourceful ....................................................................................................................................... 3

8. Shows initiative ................................................................................................................................. 3

9. Flexible embracer of change ............................................................................................................. 3

10. Ability to work with diverse teams ............................................................................................... 3

Communication Skills for Workplace Success ............................................................................................. 4

Best Ways You Can Demonstrate a Strong Work Ethic ................................................................................ 7

11 Ways To Keep A Positive Attitude At Work, So You Don't Have To Feel Miserable ................................ 9

The Power of Self Directed Learning in the Workplace ............................................................................. 12

How to Give and Receive Feedback at Work: The Psychology of Criticism ................................................ 15

Self innovation: creating the best you ......................................................................................................... 24

Resourcefulness: A Perennial Characteristic of Success ............................................................................ 27

10 Tips for Adding Value By Showing Initiative ....................................................................................... 29

Embrace Flexibility to Create Positive Change ........................................................................................... 30

More Diverse Personalities Mean More Successful Teams ........................................................................ 33

Top 10 traits of the most talented employees

While every profession has its own particular knowledge and skills base, some qualities are

universal among high-performing employees. With input from career development and human

resource experts, including experienced hiring managers, we compiled this list of the top 10 traits

often portrayed by the most successful workers.

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1. Good communication and listening skills

Expressing yourself well verbally and in writing, plus absorbing what co-workers and managers

explain to you, are workplace effectiveness musts.

Number to know: 4.4 out of 5 is how employers rate oral and written communication as an

essential career readiness competency.

2. Strong work ethic

Think punctuality, integrity, reliability, and face time at day's end.

Number to know: 4.7 out of 5 is how employers rate professionalism/work ethic as an essential

career readiness competency.

Trait insight: "If you're known as someone who's highly dependable, that's a great professional

brand." —Ben Brooks, professional development and career improvement expert and CEO of

PILOT, which helps individuals take control of their success

3. Positive attitude

"I can do it! We can do it! And that glass? It's half full." Employees who think like this are

people magnets because they've got a smile and a sense of humor, too.

Trait insight: "People with this quality have the ability to maintain a positive, forward-thinking

perspective when they come upon adversity and challenges." —David Naylor, executive VP,

global leadership and learning development of 2logical, which trains organizations to hire

candidates with the top qualities of the most successful people

4. A yearning for learning

Your degree is just the beginning of a lifetime of learning, whether it involves asking questions

on the job or picking up a new skill or viewpoint.

Number to know: 64% of hiring managers see being a good learner—able to learn new concepts

quickly—as one of the most important skills for young professionals.

5. Open to feedback

Learning also involves growing from constructive criticism, and successful employees invite it.

Employer perspective: "I've had thousands of different people work for me and the common

denominator of successful employees is a person's virtue of approachability. Is the person open

to feedback? This one quality is the difference between a wise individual and a foolish one." —

Bryan Clayton, CEO, GreenPal, an app that connects lawn care providers with clients.

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6. Innovative spirit

Got fresh ideas? High-performing employees do. And they know having the confidence to share

can help both the company and their career.

Number to know: 30% of companies who are actively hiring new graduates this year named

“they bring fresh ideas and an innovative spirit" as the primary reason.

7. Resourceful

Being able to obtain, interpret and use knowledge, facts and data to solve problems is key to

career success.

Employer perspective: Presenting a problem along with possible solutions "shows management

the employee isn't one to simply whine and complain about a work problem, but is actively

interested in resolving it and correcting any issues that cause it." —Mario Almonte, managing

partner, Herman & Almonte PR

8. Shows initiative

Self-starters are valued because they keep an eye open for projects or tasks in need of an

owner—and then get the job done.

Number to know: 65.8% of employers cite initiative as a highly-sought trait on a new graduate

candidate's resume.

9. Flexible embracer of change

Maintaining status quo for the sake of status quo is a no-no. High performers, meanwhile,

embrace change, even when it's scary.

Number to know: 24% of CFOs say the ability to adapt easily to change is the most critical trait

for professional advancement.

10. Ability to work with diverse teams

Companies succeed when people combine their skills, knowledge and outlook, and appreciate

different generations, cultures, societies and nations.

Number to know: 4.6 out of 5 employers rate teamwork as an essential career readiness

competency.

Sources: National Association of Colleges and Employers, LinkedIn, Circumventure,

Accountemps

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Communication Skills for Workplace Success

Employers Look for These Communication Skills

By Alison Doyle

Updated July 31, 2018

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/communication-skills-list-2063779

The ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and staff is essential, no

matter what industry you work in. Workers in the digital age must know how to effectively

convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email, and social media. Good

communication skills will help get hired, land promotions, and be a success throughout your

career.

Top 10 Communication Skills

Want to stand out from the competition? These are the top 10 communication skills that

recruiters and hiring managers want to see on your resume and cover letter. Highlight these skills

and demonstrate them during job interviews, and you’ll make a solid first impression. Continue

to develop these skills once you’re hired, and you’ll impress your boss, teammates, and clients.

1) Listening

Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good communicator. No one likes

communicating with someone who only cares about putting in her two cents and does not take

the time to listen to the other person. If you're not a good listener, it's going to be hard to

comprehend what you're being asked to do.

Take the time to practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to

what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says

to ensure understanding ("So, what you're saying is…"). Through active listening, you can better

understand what the other person is trying to say, and can respond appropriately.

2) Nonverbal Communication

Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone of voice all color the message you are

trying to convey. A relaxed, open stance (arms open, legs relaxed), and a friendly tone will make

you appear approachable and will encourage others to speak openly with you.

Eye contact is also important; you want to look the person in the eye to demonstrate that you are

focused on the person and the conversation (however, be sure not to stare at the person, which

can make him or her uncomfortable).

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Also, pay attention to other people's nonverbal signals while you are talking. Often, nonverbal

signals convey how a person is really feeling. For example, if the person is not looking you in the

eye, he or she might be uncomfortable or hiding the truth.

3) Clarity and Concision

Good verbal communication means saying just enough – don’t talk too much or too little. Try to

convey your message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly,

whether you're speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your

listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of exactly what you want. Think about what

you want to say before you say it; this will help you to avoid talking excessively and/or

confusing your audience.

4) Friendliness

Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your

coworkers to engage in open and honest communication with you. It's important to be nice and

polite in all your workplace communications. This is important in both face-to-face and written

communication. When you can, personalize your emails to coworkers and/or employees – a

quick "I hope you all had a good weekend" at the start of an email can personalize a message and

make the recipient feel more appreciated.

5) Confidence

It is important to be confident in your interactions with others. Confidence shows your

coworkers that you believe in what you’re saying and will follow through. Exuding confidence

can be as simple as making eye contact or using a firm but friendly tone. Avoid making

statements sound like questions. Of course, be careful not to sound arrogant or aggressive. Be

sure you are always listening to and empathizing with the other person.

6) Empathy

Even when you disagree with an employer, coworker, or employee, it is important for you to

understand and respect their point of view. Using phrases as simple as "I understand where you

are coming from" demonstrate that you have been listening to the other person and respect their

opinions.

7) Open-Mindedness

A good communicator should enter into any conversation with a flexible, open mind. Be open to

listening to and understanding the other person's point of view, rather than simply getting your

message across. By being willing to enter into a dialogue, even with people with whom you

disagree, you will be able to have more honest, productive conversations.

8) Respect

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People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their

ideas. Simple actions like using a person's name, making eye contact, and actively listening when

a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay

focused on the conversation.

Convey respect through email by taking the time to edit your message. If you send a sloppily

written, confusing email, the recipient will think you do not respect her enough to think through

your communication with her.

9) Feedback

Being able to appropriately give and receive feedback is an important communication skill.

Managers and supervisors should continuously look for ways to provide employees with

constructive feedback, be it through email, phone calls, or weekly status updates. Giving

feedback involves giving praise as well – something as simple as saying "good job" or "thanks

for taking care of that" to an employee can greatly increase motivation.

Similarly, you should be able to accept and even encourage, feedback from others. Listen to the

feedback you are given, ask clarifying questions if you are unsure of the issue, and make efforts

to implement the feedback.

10) Picking the Right Medium

An important communication skill is to simply know what form of communication to use. For

example, some serious conversations (layoffs, changes in salary, etc.) are almost always best

done in person.

You should also think about the person with whom you wish to speak, if they are a very busy

person (such as your boss, perhaps), you might want to convey your message through email.

People will appreciate your thoughtful means of communication and will be more likely to

respond positively to you.

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Best Ways You Can Demonstrate a Strong Work Ethic You Can Build a Strong Work Ethic Even When It Does Not Come Naturally

By Susan M. Heathfield

Updated March 30, 2018

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/best-ways-you-can-show-strong-work-ethic-4157720

Work ethic is something that every parent hopes their child has, and while some people just

appear born with it, most people have to work to gain that focus. And some people, who are

extremely hard workers, don’t come to a positive work ethic naturally. They find it difficult to

focus and work, but they do it anyway.

What Does a Strong Work Ethic Look Like?

Since you can’t peer into another employee’s soul, you have to judge their work ethic based on

their output. So, what does a strong work ethic look like?

A person who displays a strong work ethic takes these actions.

Shows up on time, every day. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to work a

9:00 to 5:00 job. But when you are supposed to be at work, you are at work.

Does what needs to be done. A person with a strong work ethic will tackle the icky tasks

as well as the interesting ones. It may not be “your” job, but if it needs to get done, you

will make sure that it gets done.

Doesn’t whine. Work is hard. That’s why it is called work. But, just because something

is hard, doesn’t mean that you have to complain about it. Just do it.

Works through bad situations. A person with a strong work ethic doesn’t call in sick

because of a cold, or bad weather. Now, on occasion, a person with a strong work ethic

should call in sick and doesn’t. While this may seem noble, it’s not. Sharing your germs

or driving under unsafe conditions doesn’t make you a superstar, it makes you dangerous.

Don’t encourage this bad side of a strong work ethic.

Gets the job done. A good work ethic means nothing if you can’t deliver the expected

finished product at the end.

What Does a Manager See When an Employee Has a Strong Work Ethic?

Most managers would give a lot to have an employee with a strong work ethic. They reward

them properly with raises, praise, and promotions. They give the hard-working employees the

best projects because they’ve earned them.

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But, bad managers sometimes see people with a good work ethic as a resource they can exploit.

If you give the task to Heidi, she’ll whine and do a lousy job, but if you give the same task to

Jane, she’ll work extra long hours and knock it out of the park.

This can result in overburdening Jane and praising Heidi for doing a lousy job, just because

doing anything is an improvement for her.

Managers need to take care in managing their high work ethic people so that they don’t

overburden them. Eventually, every employee burns out and the last thing you want to do is

cause your best worker to quit because she can’t get a break.

Managers should reward their hard workers with promotions, praise, and raises—not more grunt

work that no one else wants.

Managers should use their hard workers as examples for their other employees. This doesn’t

mean a constant comparison, as that will breed resentment, but as a standard for what they

should expect from others. If Jane can come to work every day, on time, and Heidi doesn’t have

any extenuating circumstances that make on-time work impossible, the manager needs to hold

Heidi to that standard.

How Do You Gain a Strong Work Ethic If It Doesn’t Come Naturally to You?

If the siren song of your iPhone is too much for you to handle, and you find yourself checking

messages rather than working, you may think you’re a hopeless case, but you’re not. You just

need to fake it until you make it. Here are five suggestions:

Turn your phone off and store it in your desk drawer.

Make a list of tasks you need to do and stick to them—not anything else until you've

completed the list. Place this list where you will see it.

Ask your coworkers to say something if you’re off task. You don't need to ask them

to say something like "get back to work." You can use a simple code word: "Task,

Heidi."

When you finish your tasks and don’t know what to do next, ask your boss or a coworker

how you can help.

Install a time tracker on your computer that will shut you out of your time wasting

websites after a pre-programmed amount of time. For instance, if you waste time on

Facebook, you can set a twenty minute limit for the day, and when the time is up, it’s up.

All of these actions are easy by themselves but they can feel difficult to do as a group. Pick one

and start with it and when you’ve mastered it, add the next. You’ll gradually build a strong work

ethic. And, isn't that your goal?

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11 Ways To Keep A Positive Attitude At Work, So You Don't Have To Feel

Miserable By Carina Wolff

Apr 14 2016

https://www.bustle.com/articles/154739-11-ways-to-keep-a-positive-attitude-at-work-so-you-

dont-have-to-feel-miserable

We've all had those days where being at work seems like the worst thing in the world. Even

though we know we are lucky to be employed and recognize that life requires hard work,

sometimes we just get grumpy and may need a reminder of how to stay positive at work. Being

in a bad mood is not just unpleasant, but it's bad for our health and even detrimental to our

productivity.

Although you may think a little complaining is harmless, a bad attitude can begin to affect your

work performance. One study from Columbia University found that employees with more

favorable attitudes showed far superior sales performances than their negative counterparts.

Other research from the University of Pennsylvania found that in places with a positive work

culture, employees experience less pain, make fewer trips to the emergency room, and are more

likely to report being satisfied and in a positive mood.

If you do care about your job and want to get rid of those mid-week cranky slumps, it's important

you take the necessary steps to boost your morale. To brighten your day-to-day spirits while on

the job, try these 11 ways to keep a positive attitude at work — perhaps you'll find your

weekdays more pleasant after implementing these tips.

1) Befriend Your Co-Workers

Even if you have plenty of friends outside work, keeping good relationships in the workplace can

have a positive impact. A report from Globoforce found that employees who have quality

relationships with their co-workers are more likely to be engaged and happy at work.

2) Tune Out

People's moods are contagious, so if you find that there is negativity around you, try to separate

yourself from it and tune out. "If you have a workplace that will let you bring headphones and

listen to music while working, this can have a calming and productive effect on you," says Nikki

Martinez, Psy.D., LCPC over email. "It lowers heart rate and increases focus by tuning out

outside distractions."

3) Take Breaks

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"Make sure that you take short breaks throughout the day," says Martinez. "You are entitled to

them, and a brief walk or change in atmosphere can make a huge difference." A study from

Baylor University found that office workers who take short, frequent breaks during the workday

report higher job satisfaction, reduced emotional exhaustion, and greater efforts to take on their

job responsibilities.

4) Deal With Problems Professionally

We all know that no good ever comes from bottling up our negative feelings, so if there's

something that's not working at your job, find a way to resolve the problem in a professional

matter before it eats away at your insides. Hit the conflict head on and use it as an opportunity to

work on your communication, and you may find you hold less resentment.

5) Leave For Lunch

"Do not eat lunch at your desk," says Martinez. "Physically removing yourself and changing

your environment for a brief time can have the effect of a 'reset' on your day. If you can, try to

get outside. Getting moving outside even for just five minutes can improve your mood as well as

your self-esteem, according to research from the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

6) Set Goals For Yourself

Sometimes all you need is some self-motivation. Creating goals for yourself can help motivate

you to work harder, as completing steps in your goals can help give you the satisfaction that

encourages you to keep working further, according to Psychology Today. Feeling attached to

your goals is important, so if you aren't pleased with your work responsibilities, come up with

some on your own.

7) Do Something Nice

Committing random acts of kindness is not only a good way to get into your co-workers good

graces, but it could make you feel better as well. Research from the University of British

Columbia found that people who do random acts of kindness each week report feeling happier

overall.

8) Take The Time To Be Grateful

Despite the rough days, there's always something beneficial about holding a job, and it's

important to remind yourself of that. Take time each day to write a list of what you are thankful

for. People who keep a gratitude journal report feeling more happier and optimistic than people

who don't keep a list, according to research from The University of Miami.

9) Keep Visual Reminders

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"Keep images and sayings that inspire and calm you around your desk," says Martinez. "Read

them and look at them when you feel yourself getting worked up. They are visual reminders of

what matters to you, and that this moment will pass."

10) Get Good Sleep

It's hard to stay positive when you're running on little sleep. Lack of sleep can only make you

more stressed and anxious, but it can even affect your work performance as well, leading to a

vicious cycle of frustration, according to WebMD.

11) Smile

If all else fails, force yourself to smile. You'll not only appear more upbeat, but you'll likely start

to feel that way too. Studies show that forcing a smile can genuinely increase your mood and

decrease your stress because your body associates those muscle movements with feelings of

happiness.

Feeling more positive at work can take some effort, but the more you think positive thoughts, the

easier it will be to be happy. However, if nothing seems to be working, it may be time to

consider switching jobs.

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The Power of Self Directed Learning in the Workplace

September 13, 2017

by Nikos Andriotis

https://www.talentlms.com/blog/power-self-directed-learning-workplaceself-directed-learning-

workplace/

Working in an office, you may have some idea of what self-directed learning is. But self-directed

learning (or SDL) has been around for decades and means much more than you would expect.

When used properly, it can change the attitude, culture, and productivity in a work environment

completely. Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is Self-Directed Learning?

To put it simply, SDL is transferring the responsibility of learning from the instructor to

the learner, giving the learner—or in this case, the employee—the opportunity to make every

decision when it comes to learning.

Imagine that your boss asks you to plan a company party. Some people may say that simply

choosing the venue of your party would be an example of SDL. But self-directed training

consists of so much more: not only is it about choosing the venue, but it’s also about planning

how employees will get to the venue, what time they should get there, what to do when they

arrive, what they will eat and drink, and, perhaps ironically, questioning why you’re even

planning a party, to begin with.

SDL is so unique because it allows the individual to direct their learning as they see fit.

Instead of being ordered to do this and that like a mindless drone, you are taught to understand

the mechanics of a task, by choosing what you want to learn, how you want to learn it, and

why you should even bother. When it comes to SDL, the most important criteria is simple: the

choice must be theirs. When it comes to SDL, the most important criteria is simple: the choice

must be theirs.

The Benefits and Challenges of Self-Directed Learning

But is SDL in the workplace really the best way to help employees evolve and develop new

skillsets? Like all theories and learning strategies, self-directed learning activities also have

their benefits and challenges.

Benefits of Self-Directed Learning

Greater development of specialized skills: When employees are allowed to choose their

own learning paths, they’ll have the chance to gravitate towards self-directed training that

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helps them learn skills they are genuinely interested in. With a higher interest, there is a

higher chance they will develop new skills, thus improving their value

Adjustable to a learner’s specific needs: We don’t all learn the same way. Information

isn’t absorbed and understood at the same pace or with the same methods; some of us

would prefer to read, whereas others may prefer to do. The self-directed learning model

breaks this mold and allows learners to do as they wish, and learn in the ways that feel

right.

The learner experiences “deep” learning rather than “surface” learning: When an

instructor teaches a task to a learner in a plain and direct manner, the learner may learn

the task, but nothing more. With SDL, the learner would understand the concept of

the task and would be able to apply this concept towards other situations. This is the

main difference between deep learning and surface learning; in the former, learners think

about the task critically and truly wrap their minds around it. With surface learning,

there is little more than memorization.

Challenges of Self-Directed Learning

Some learners can’t learn on their own: This is perhaps the main challenge when it

comes to this method. SDL assumes that learners simply need the freedom to work at

their own pace and with their preferred strategies to achieve their learning potential. The

truth, however, is that this is not the case. Some learners require the guide of another to

understand certain concepts, thus rendering SDL a failure on them.

Biases may influence learners the wrong way: When learners are allowed to learn

without guidance or even supervision, there is no guarantee that they will extract the

intended lessons or concepts from the program. This is especially true when you have a

workplace with individuals from different demographics, such as culture, beliefs, values,

and even age and gender. A more hands-on approach than self-directed online

learning would be required to counter this.

It may offer too much freedom: Can there be too much freedom? Some people believe

there can—by letting learners have the entire breadth of possibilities when it comes to

dealing with tasks and solving challenges, some people can be stifled and ultimately

frozen by these options. Uncertainty will take over more than any meaningful

learning, and instead the learner will only experience stress and anxiety.

As can be seen, this method may not be a perfect system, with its own faults and limitations.

However, no perfect system exists, and SDL has been touted by many as one of the most

effective learning strategies developed. If it requires some tweaks here and there for certain

learners, then tweak away; the goal, after all, is to get everyone on the same page, as long as that

may take.

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If you decide to apply SDL to your workplace, here are some self-directed learning strategies

you may consider.

How to Apply and Support SDL in the Work Environment

If this were an easy answer, everyone would be doing it. However, implementing SDL in your

workplace isn’t simply a matter of buying the right guides for your HR department. It’s so

much more than just a program, but rather a change of general culture and attitude in your

workplace.

Getting everyone on board and believing in SDL may be the greatest challenge you could face in

workplace HR, but if done successfully over several years, it would be one of the most

rewarding.

Here are some strategies you can employ to start shifting your workplace culture to a self-

directed learning environment:

Start small: Once a week or twice a month, let your employees have some time to do

what they want, as long as it has something to do with improving their skills or

contributing to their ability to work. Keep this up for months, until employees stop seeing

it as secret free time and truly understand it as an opportunity to develop in ways they did

not realize before

Hold meetings: And this time, don’t be the lone voice ordering everyone around. Let

your employees have the chance to direct the flow of the conversation sometimes,

without letting them know that you’re doing it. If they begin to realize that your office

is a safe environment for them to use their brains (rather than mindlessly listen to the

checklist of tasks), SDL may organically manifest

Open up your resources: By allowing your employees more access to the company’s

resources, training courses, and specialized software, you accomplish two things at

once:

o You allow them to browse through training courses they would never have

previously thought to consider; and

o You reinforce a more positive atmosphere, in which the barrier between you and

your employees is less rigid

Letting Your Workplace Adapt

Remember: SDL won’t happen overnight. It’s a matter of rinsing out the air in your office

and letting your employees see that you are moving in a more rewarding and open

direction. Like any kind of habit or culture, it takes time for it to truly develop. Once this has

been established, self-directed learning will begin to show itself; sometimes, without you even

noticing!

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How to Give and Receive Feedback at Work: The Psychology of Criticism by Courtney Seiter

Buffer

Originally written Dec 9, 2014. Last updated Aug 23, 2017

https://open.buffer.com/how-to-give-receive-feedback-work/

No matter what we do or how well we do it, some criticism is eventually going to come our way.

And those moments are often some of the toughest we all face in work and life. Hearing

potentially negative things about yourself is probably not your favorite activity, and most of us

would rather avoid the awkwardness that comes with telling someone else how they could

improve.

But what do we lose out on when we avoid these tough conversations? One of the fundamental

skills of life is being able to give and receive advice, feedback and even criticism.

If given and received in the right spirit, could sharing feedback—even critical feedback—

become a different, better experience than the painful one we’re accustomed to? Could feedback

become a valued opportunity and even a bonding, positive experience?

In this post, we’ll explore how to give and receive feedback at work in the best ways possible,

along with some of the psychology behind handling critical feedback (in both directions). I’ll

also share with you some of the methods in which we offer and receive feedback at Buffer to try

and make the experience less scary and more loving.

What happens in our brains when we receive criticism?

It’s hard for us to feel like we’re wrong, and it’s even harder for us to hear that from others. As it

turns out, there’s a psychological basis for both of these elements.

Our brains view criticism as a threat to our survival.

Because our brains are protective of us, neuroscientists say they go out of their way to make sure

we always feel like we’re in the right—even when we’re not.

And when we receive criticism, our brain tries to protect us from the threat it perceives to our

place in the social order of things.

“Threats to our standing in the eyes of others are remarkably potent biologically, almost as those

to our very survival,” says psychologist Daniel Goleman.

So when we look at Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs, we might suppose that criticism is

pretty high up on the pyramid—perhaps in the self-esteem or self-actualization quadrants. But

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because our brains see criticism as such a primal threat, it’s actually much lower on the pyramid,

in the belonging or safety spectrums.

Criticism can feel like an actual threat to our survival—no wonder it’s so tough for us to hear and

offer.

We remember criticism strongly but inaccurately.

Another unique thing about criticism is that we often don’t remember it quite clearly.

Charles Jacobs, author of Management Rewired: Why Feedback Doesn’t Work, says that when

we hear information that conflicts with our self-image, our instinct is to first change the

information, rather than ourselves.

Kathryn Schulz, the author of Being Wrong, explains that that’s because “we don’t experience,

remember, track, or retain mistakes as a feature of our inner landscape,” so wrongness “always

seems to come at us from left field.”

But although criticism is more likely to be remember incorrectly, we don’t often forget it.

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Clifford Nass, a professor of communication at Stanford University, says “almost everyone

remembers negative things more strongly and in more detail.”

It’s called a negativity bias. Our brains have evolved separate, more sensitive brain circuits to

handle negative information and events, and they process the bad stuff more thoroughly than

positive things. That means receiving criticism will always have a greater impact than

receiving praise.

How to offer criticism the best way possible.

So now that we know what a delicate enterprise criticism can be, how can we go about offering it

up in the right spirit to get the best results? Here are some tips and strategies.

Reflect on your purpose.

The most important step is to make sure that your potential feedback is coming from the right

place. Here’s a list of some of the main motivating factors behind offering up feedback.

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“When we have difficult feedback to give, we enter the discussion uneasily, and this pushes us to

the side of fear and judgment, where we believe we know what is wrong with the other person

and how we can fix him,” writes Frederic Laloux in his book Reinventing Organizations. “If we

are mindful, we can come to such discussions from a place of care. When we do, we can enter

into beautiful moments of inquiry, where we have no easy answers but can help the colleague

assess himself more truthfully.”

Focus on the behavior, not the person.

After entering the conversation with the best intentions, a next guideline is to separate behavior

or actions from the person you’re speaking to.

Focusing the criticism on just the situation you want to address—on what someone does or says,

rather than the individual themselves—separates the problematic situation from the person’s

identity, allowing them to focus on what you’re saying without feeling personally confronted.

Lead with questions.

Starting off your feedback with a few questions can help the other person feel like an equal part

in the conversation as you discuss the challenge together.

Neal Ashkanasy, a professor of management at the University of Queensland in Australia, shared

with Psychology Today the story of overcoming a tough feedback challenge—firing an

assistant—with questions:

Ashkanasy began by asking her how she thought she was doing. That lead-in gives the recipient

“joint ownership” of the conversation, he says. Ashkanasy also pointed to other jobs that would

better match the skills of his soon-to-be-ex employee. That promise of belonging helped relieve

her anxiety about being cast out of the group she already knew.

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Inject positivity: The modified ‘criticism sandwich.’

“Sandwich every bit of criticism between two heavy layers of praise.” – Mary Kay Ash

One well known strategy for feedback is the “criticism sandwich,” popularized by the above

quote from cosmetics maven Mary Kay Ash. In the sandwich, you begin with praise, address the

problem, and follow up with more praise.

In fact, the more of the conversation you can frame positively, the more likely your recipient is

to be in the right frame of mind to make the change you’re looking for.

The blog Zen Habits offers up some phrases to try to inject more positivity into your feedback,

like: “I’d love it if …” or “I think you’d do a great job with …” or “One thing that could make

this even better is …”

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Follow the Rosenberg method: Observations, feelings, needs, requests.

In his exploration of the next phase of working together, Reinventing Organizations, Frederic

Laloux explores some of the world’s most highly evolved workplaces. One of the cultural

elements common to all of them is the the ability to treat feedback as a gift rather than a curse.

As Laloux puts it, “feedback and respectful confrontation are gifts we share to help one another

grow.”

Many of these organizations use the Rosenberg Nonviolent Communication method, pictured

here, to deliver feedback.

This method provides a simple and predictable framework that takes some of the volatility out of

giving and receiving feedback.

The best way to prepare for and receive criticism

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So now we know some strategies for offering feedback with an open heart and mind. How about

for receiving it?

Ask for feedback often.

The best strategy for being caught off guard by negative feedback? Make sure you invite

feedback often, especially from those you trust. You’ll be better able to see any challenges ahead

of time, and you’ll gain experience in responding positively to feedback.

You can begin by preparing some open-ended questions for those who know you well and can

speak with confidence about your work. Here are some great example questions:

If you had to make two suggestions for improving my work, what would they be?

How could I handle my projects more effectively?

What could I do to make your job easier?

How could I do a better job of following through on commitments?

If you were in my position, what would you do to show people more appreciation?

When do I need to involve other people in my decisions?

How could I do a better job of prioritizing my activities?

Ask for time to reflect on what you’ve heard, one element at a time.

When receiving feedback, it might be tempting to become defensive or “explain away” the

criticism. Instead, let the other person finish completely and try to listen deeply. Then ask

questions and reflect thoughtfully on what you’ve heard.

Stanford Professor Nass says that most people can take in only one critical comment at a time.

“I have stopped people and told them, ‘Let me think about this.’ I’m willing to hear more

criticism but not all at one time.”

So if you need some time to reflect on multiple points of feedback, don’t be afraid to say so.

Cultivate a growth mindset.

While some of us have a hard time hearing negative feedback, there are those who thrive on

it. This group has what’s known as a growth mindset. They focus on their ability to change and

grow—as opposed to those with a fixed mindset—and are able to see feedback as an opportunity

for improvement.

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You can learn more about how to develop a growth mindset here.

Take credit for your mistakes and grow.

It’s easy to take credit for our successes, but failure is something we don’t like to admit to. For

example, we’re more likely to blame failure on external factors than our own shortcomings.

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But lately, the idea of embracing failure has emerged, and it’s a great mindset for making the

most of feedback.

“Continual experimentation is the new normal,” says business psychologist Karissa Thacker.

“With risk comes failure. You cannot elevate the level of risk taking without helping people

make sense of failure, and to some extent, feel safe with failure.”

Take a page from the “embracing failure” movement and treasure the opportunities you’re given

to improve and grow.

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Self innovation: creating the best you

Yuri Khlystov

https://www.laowaicareer.com/blog/self-innovation-creating-best/

Self innovation is about being the best you can be, and this involves making some changes. Of

course, you will need a bit of courage to change.

The only permanent thing in this world is change. The world, and everything on it, is changing

all the time. In order to succeed in life, you have to change with the times. Everyone should

know how to adapt to circumstances and change. You can learn a lot doing this.

One of the best things you could ever learn is how to make yourself a better person tomorrow

than you are today. You have to assess your qualities to achieve this. Psychologists call this

phase self-innovation or self-assessment.

Here are a few thoughts about how you can become a better person and subsequently improve

your life.

Self innovation definition.

Many people think of self-innovation as learning by trial and error. This is partly true as every

person in the world is unique. What works for Bill Gates might not work for you. You will learn

by observing others and emulating what you think is good in them. At first you will have to do

an honest assessment of yourself to find out what can work better for you. This is the first part of

the learning curve.

This type of introspection is a kind of self-service, and can be difficult as being critical of one’s

self can lead to upset, but is absolutely essential to improving.

What does innovative mean?

In psychology, being innovative means having the guts to work ‘out of the box’. Some problems

in life require ‘out of the box’ solutions too. To develop this trait in your nature, you should let

go of your ego and be ready to accept advice from wherever it comes. This means becoming a

better listener. Often, too, we don’t realize that the best advice comes from the most unlikely

places. Being innovative means coming up with a creative and effective solution immediately.

Seek knowledge at all times.

It is never too late to learn new things; even an old dog can learn new tricks contrary to the

famous saying. Every person you meet on any day can teach you something new. Every person

has his or her positive and negative points. You should concentrate on the pluses and try to

absorb them into your being. This will make you a better person.

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You may not be able to absorb all the good qualities, though. However, you should learn self-

innovation and develop the qualities that work for you best.

Know your weaknesses.

You should know your strengths; it is as important as knowing your weaknesses too. Once you

are aware of your weaknesses, you should go ahead and try to convert them into strengths. You

may have to do self-evaluation innovation techniques. By learning from your mistakes, you can

evolve and improve your whole being and how you act.

Never give excuses.

When you are not able to achieve something, the first thing most people do is give excuses.

Giving excuses for your inability to complete the job won’t get you anywhere. Instead, you

should focus on where you went wrong. This will help you to innovate or improvise when you’re

in a similar situation in the future. If you practice this, you will soon believe you can achieve

your objectives. This is the meaning of self-innovation.

Control your anger.

It is quite natural for humans to get angry. However, becoming angry at someone or something is

not going to solve a problem. If you have a sincere wish to become a better person, anger is the

first thing to get rid of or control. When you’re angry, you are on your worst behavior. You do

not think rationally, and this leads to more mistakes so the issue escalates. Maintaining a cool

head can solve most problems.

Be innovative and become a role model.

The meaning of self-innovation is being receptive to change and having the will to see it through.

By becoming innovative, you will open parts of yourself up that were hidden. This also projects

a positive version of you to the world. In this way, you can become a role model for others.

Give credit where it is due.

This is one of the best ways to improve your nature. You learn to give credit where it is due. All

praise should be sincere and come from the heart. One of the greatest industrialists from the US,

Charles Schwab, practiced this technique very effectively. People crave appreciation all the time.

Learn to be in the company of people smarter than you.

Qualities rub off on you according to who you hang out with. You should try to stick around

people smarter and more successful than you. In this way, you should be able to absorb some of

their qualities and become a better person. If you read the biographies of successful people such

as Andrew Carnegie, you would find he openly admitting to having people around him who were

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much smarter than he was. It is about raising expectations. If you hang out with people you can’t

learn from then you won’t learn.

It is futile to argue with people.

You may be right a lot of the time. Other people may have a difference of opinion. If you really

want to become a better person, you will never argue with people. You should realize that the

more you try to convince them they are wrong, the more you end up making them think they

were right.

You can never ‘win’ an argument. If you lose it, you lose it. If you win it, you still lose it. You

leave behind a person waiting for an opportunity to get back at you. Once you practice self-

innovation and conclude inwardly you are in the right, there should be no reason to try and prove

that to people. No one wants to be wrong.

You can use these tips for self-innovation as well as for improvements at work. After doing an

honest self-assessment, you will have a clear idea what you need to change. You can train

yourself in self-innovation and improve on your weak areas. You will find yourself becoming a

much better person every day.

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Resourcefulness: A Perennial Characteristic of Success

By Harriet Cabelly

THE BLOG

03/07/2013 10:44 am ET Updated Dec 06, 2017

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/harriet-cabelly/resourcefulness-a-perenni_b_2811774.html

“The defining factor is never resources, it’s resourcefulness” - Tony Robbins

This quote says it all in terms of how we need to be raising our kids today. The focus has been on

the external pursuits of grades, trophies, awards, which would ‘hopefully’ lead to that prestigious

college, big job in a ‘big’ company, working big hours to make the big bucks. It’s a treadmill

leading to nowhere. Well yes, it does lead to somewhere — to the material world of resources.

We chase our tails towards what’s become the end-all and end up with big holes in our cheese

into which we fall through a bottomless pit of emptiness.

Because we’re missing something. We’re missing the inner ability to deal and cope when the

resources run dry; when we lose that job and therefore that income or we don’t land the job to

begin with because the other guy won it over us. We’re missing the internal attributes to carry us

through when the external pieces give way.

Just as the tide brings in the big waves and then recedes, so the resources can swallow us up into

glory and then spit us out onto dry land; and then what. We’re left hanging out like a beached

whale dying for water devoid of any inner strength to get us back on our feet.

If resources are the transient, as they come and go with the times and circumstances and are great

hooks on which to hang our hats of excuses as to why we’re not doing something — not enough

money, time, people to give to us — then resourcefulness is the perennial thread that is woven

throughout the tapestry, pulling us through the knots, blockages, mistaken stitches.

We pride ourselves in being able to give our kids all the resources at our disposal — the newest

and best technology of all sorts at an increasingly younger age — and then some. Wherever

possible we’re stepping in to prevent them at all costs from experiencing any pain, discomfort,

failure, consequences or the likes of which that would begin to build and shape those internal

muscles of resourcefulness.

Are we letting our kids figure out how to get back up on their feet after a mishap? We did it for

them when they were babies. As they were learning to walk they would fall down over and over

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again, and then get back up on their own. And that’s how they got to the next phase of

development called walking. Rarely do you see a baby sitting on the ground just waiting for a

rescuer to come and pull him back up onto his feet. He wimpers and gets back up. And we seem

to be able to watch and tolerate that.

But something happens as they get older. We can’t seem to allow them to suffer the natural

consequences (the obviously safe ones). Parents will fight the teachers over a poor grade and say

it’s their fault, that they, the parent, didn’t spend enough time doing the homework with or better

yet, for, their child.

And so kids have nothing inside themselves to resort to. It all comes from outside sources —

let’s call mom to bring my forgotten lunch, after all it’s her fault she didn’t remind me to take it;

I didn’t wake up in time for my bus because dad didn’t wake me enough times and now dad has

to drive me to school.

Parents are creating these scenarios by fostering this total lack of self-responsibility and

ownership of a situation. The saving and rescuing is crippling our children and stripping them of

the wonderful qualities that go into resourcefulness: problem-solving, trust in one’s own ability

to make something happen, competency and feelings of self-pride, creativity and thinking out of

the box.

Let’s put the resource of resourcefulness back into our children so when their outer

circumstances crumble, they have themselves to turn back to and can pull themselves up by the

bootstraps with renewed hope and fervor.

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10 Tips for Adding Value By Showing Initiative

Andy Robinson

Work It Daily

May 7, 2015

https://www.workitdaily.com/10-tips-adding-showing-initiative/

In these tough times, it is absolutely critical you continue to demonstrate your value to your

employer, clients, and colleagues on a daily basis. Adding value is THE buzzword for “safe-

guarding” your career and propelling yourself to the top of your profession.

Showing initiative is a must-do in demonstrating your value at work. Initiative correlates

strongly with personal achievement and professional development. It is the act of taking personal

responsibility for your growth, and it is a clear sign of your capacity to develop as a leader.

So, what are you waiting for? Take action today; don’t wait to be asked – be proactive. Consider

the following ideas for lighting the fire of initiative in your daily work life:

Always be alert for ways to make something work better.

Make the suggestion.

Volunteer to take ownership for getting it done.

Take it upon yourself be the first to adopt and implement the newest company policy.

Stay alert for ideas to simplify processes, and find new and better ways of doing things.

Proactively suggest those improvement ideas. Be the example for implementing those

processes.

Stay alert for ways to save money and reduce costs. “Raise your hand” to communicate

those suggestions as quickly as possible.

Reach out to colleagues and team members who need help.

Be the first to volunteer for those tough projects and assignments.

Always think ahead. Preempt likely obstacles with well-thought-out plans that take those

obstacles into consideration.

Provide, in advance, the answers to the questions you know are going to be asked. “Think

like your boss/manager” and consider all deliverables from their perspective before you

submit them. Always review your work from the elevation of “30,000 feet.”

Always do your homework; always be prepared. Read the material in advance, research

the subject matter in advance, dig in and immerse yourself in the topic at hand

Deal with problems immediately; take action and be decisive. Get it done, and get it

behind you as quickly as possible.

Make it happen! Be a role model for showing initiative; demonstrate your capacity as a

leader. Make the choice to lead with action and initiative; your value will soar.

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Embrace Flexibility to Create Positive Change

Fred Tracy

Tiny Budda

https://tinybuddha.com/blog/embrace-flexibility-to-create-positive-change/

“If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”

~Jack Dixon

Living without flexibility in the way we act and see the world leaves us at a severe disadvantage.

I always wanted to be one of those people with incredible drive. The kind of people who don't

take no for an answer. As I became more and more like my ideal, I learned that trying to control

everything just doesn’t pan out in the long run.

Real power comes from flexibility, not rigidity. Let me explain.

This fact is well known in the martial arts. Have you ever heard of Jiu Jitsu? It’s based entirely

around reacting to your opponent.

You use their force against them. Rather than facing them head on, you react to your opponent in

a way that brings about the best result. Dealing with life is a lot like that.

No matter who you are, you’ll have a lot of things happen to you. Some will be good, and some

will be bad.

The sensei of life knows that flexibility in thinking and action is what brings true happiness.

After all, the only constant in life is change.

Goals are good, but trying to constantly force your will is not only exhausting, but

excruciatingly futile.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to become more flexible in my approach to life. I’ve had

some discoveries that I’d like to share here.

1. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

This is one I’m definitely guilty of doing. I tend to have tunnel vision when it comes to things I

set out to do. The phrase “stubborn as a bull” comes to mind.

It's not necessarily a bad quality, because I can get a lot done. On the other hand, it can be bad

because I often fail to consider other options at all.

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Even if you’re really good at something, it doesn’t bode well if you can’t adapt to the world

around you. It's like being a genius programmer, except you're too closed minded to use anything

but Windows 95. Not exactly a good approach, is it?

Step out of your productivity bubble for some quality reflection now and then. When you're

wrapped up in something important, it can be really hard to be objective. It could be that while

you’re making excellent progress, you were too rigid in the beginning and now you’re off track.

Or perhaps you need to adapt your project to the changing marketplace rather than insisting on

using outdated paradigms. Embrace change rather than fighting it, and you’ll be surprised with

the results.

So how does one determine when they need to use more flexibility in their approach? This leads

me to my next point.

2. Stop Everything And Think!

We used to have something called D. E. A. R. time back in elementary school. It stands for

“Drop Everything And Read.”

I love the concept. There are so many things we think we don't have time for. If we would just

stop making excuses and actually go do those things, we'd get a lot more important things done.

Based on this idea, I've created a similar concept, not for achievements, but for purpose. It's

called S.E.A.T: Stop Everything And Think.

The reasoning behind S. E. A. T. is simple. It's hard to objectively evaluate the worth of an

activity you're constantly doing. It's textbook psychology: People come up with tons of reasons

to justify whatever action they’re currently taking.

It’s natural, but it’s not useful. In order to get some real perspective, you have to shift your focus

for a bit.

I especially like to use this method before big decisions that require a lot of flexibility in

thinking. I will meditate and clear my mind. This only takes a few minutes, and I end up having

much greater clarity afterward.

Another way to do this is to simply concentrate on what you’re doing. Ask yourself a few

questions about it.

Pay attention to exactly what it is you’re thinking about. Rather than asking what you're doing,

ask yourself why you're doing it.

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Perhaps your goal is to help as many people as possible. Maybe you want to make more money.

Are you working on something that accomplishes that goal in the best way possible? Is your

approach flexible enough that you can serve others as well as yourself?

These are all important things to consider.

Occasionally, we have moments where we’re lifted above our normal, everyday thoughts. They

give us an opportunity to examine our approach to life and see what works and what doesn’t.

Use this as an opportunity to have one of those moments right now. Remember to be one with

the nature of change. Be flexible. Don’t stick to something that doesn’t work. Take a moment

right now to have a seat, practice S. E. A. T., and decide if you're doing what's best for you.

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More Diverse Personalities Mean More Successful Teams

Doug Wilde

March 2011

https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/diversity/more-diverse-personalities-mean-

more-successful

ASME – The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

The success of a collaborative team in creating today’s increasingly complex technological

devices depends not only on the combined skill sets of the team members but also on their

personalities and ways of approaching and solving problems.

Almost a quarter-century of records of student design teams, mainly in Stanford University’s

mechanical engineering design program, indicate that performance improves when a team pays

attention to its members’ individual personalities. In other words, teams do better when they are

composed of people with the widest possible range of personalities, even though it takes longer

for such psychologically diverse teams to achieve good cooperation. They must first cultivate an

openness to opposing opinions and recognize the value of exploring a problem from various

angles.

While these principles have evolved from observing student project teams at work on realistic

problems, the basics are likely to apply in corporations as well. Most compelling was the tripling

of design prizes awarded by the Lincoln Foundation to one course’s teams over a ten-year period

when no factors were changing except personality composition. Especially convincing was one

year when students composed their teams with no guidance from a personality questionnaire.

That one year, only a quarter of the teams won anything, compared to three-quarters of the

Stanford teams in the other years when a personality questionnaire was used.

Corporations rarely have the flexibility of universities to construct teams freely without

considering rank, seniority, experience, or specialty. Yet any team can benefit from cognitive

mode information about its members. Extremely valuable is a preliminary meeting devoted

entirely to what might be called the "psychological organization" of the team. Each team member

examines a chart specifying eight cognitive modes and indicates his or her preferred modes. The

team then decides whether to select a single person to be responsible for the mode or whether the

job should be shared.

The thinking is that team members handling preferred activities are likely to perform better. For

any empty cells, team members should either designate a member to be responsible or to

alternate responsibility among members to make sure the mode is not forgotten. After the

meeting each person knows what to expect not only from the others, but also from herself or

himself.

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Advantages of addressing cognitive modes include (1) drawing attention to the quieter

introverted modes of knowledge, imagination, analysis, and evaluation, too often overshadowed

by the more noticeable extraverted modes of experiment, ideation, organization, and community

and (2) increasing the use of the information collection modes (experimentation, ideation,

knowledge, and imagination), sometimes unintentionally overlooked by managers tending to

concentrate on the decision-making modes (organization, community, analysis, and evaluation).

An organization meeting increases the efficacy of individual team members and enhances team

effectiveness, possibly because of each individual’s increased understanding of his or her own

roles. Since assignment to roles has been guided by each individual’s preferences, that should

encourage responsibility.

According to psychologist Albert Bandura, author of "Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control,"

the belief in one’s own capabilities is important for every team member because beliefs influence

their course of action, how much effort they put forth, how long they persevere in the face of

obstacles and failures, whether their thought patterns are self-hindering, how much stress and

depression they experience, and the level of accomplishments they realize.

Although the Lincoln awards ended a decade ago because of a reorganization of Stanford

programs, teamology has continued to be studied at other universities. At the University of

California at San Diego, a study of 150 lower-division science and engineering students in teams

pursing robotics projects found that those in cognitively diverse groups said their teams felt less

cohesive but generally their projects were deemed more creative.

Preliminary experience with personality questionnaires has led to markedly improved

performance of academic design teams, based on the number of awards won. Although corporate

circumstances differ in many ways from a university’s, some of the academic experiences and

ideas may help managers improve the effectiveness of their industrial teams.

[Adapted from "Personalities into Teams," by Doug Wilde for Mechanical Engineering, January

2010.]