Our fear of failing can be a catalyst for inaction. Writing in the Harvard Business Review Susan Peppercorn, author of Ditch Your Inner Critic at Work, offers these strategies for overcoming self-doubt and recrimination in order to move on:
 




Redefine failure: “By framing a situation you’re dreading differently before you attempt it, you may be able to avoid some stress and anxiety,” she counsels.  If we define failure as anything short of perfection, we are undermining ourselves. This is how perfect becomes the enemy of good. So, consider what would be an acceptable if not perfect outcome.
 
Set approach goals (not avoidance goals): With approach goals, we are motivated by wanting to achieve a positive outcome; with avoidance goals we just want to avoid an adverse one. Says Peppercorn, “While developing an avoidance goal is a common response to a perceived failure, it’s important to keep in mind the costs of doing so. Research has shown that employees who take on an avoidance focus become twice as mentally fatigued as approach-focused colleagues.”  (https://bit.ly/2DgEpym)
 
Focus on learning: Things don't always work out the way we hope, but if we accept that we extract the most value out of any experience, no matter the outcome, it is the learning that boosts us even when the outcome doesn’t. (Tweet it!)
 
Has a perceived failure at work ever made you reluctant to step into a similar situation or set new goals? How did you break out of your resistance? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.
 
If you would like to learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our online learning programs. 
 

“I’ve observed the same thing time and time again: how information is communicated to employees during a change matters more than what information is communicated.” So says communication consultant Patti Sanchez, coauthor of Illuminate, writing in the Harvard Business Review.
 



A lack of empathy when conveying news about organizational transformation can cause it to fail, says Sanchez. But the following strategies can help a leader relate to employee perspectives.
 

• Profile Your Audience at Each Stage: Interview individual employees during each phase to gain perspective on typical mindsets. Ask questions designed to uncover beliefs, feelings, questions, concerns.  Continually reconnect with your audience throughout the journey. 
• Tell Employees What to Expect: The more informed your people are, the more they’ll be able to deal with discomfort. (Tweet it!) It will also help you build credibility and enhance trust.
• Involve People at all Levels: A transformation won’t succeed without broad involvement. Be sure to share details relevant to each department.

Leaders who express genuine empathy for everyone involved will enable employees to feel valued and be inspired to help their initiative succeed.

Have you ever been through an organizational change and, if so, do you feel your leader showed empathy throughout the process? How so? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.
 
If you would like to learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our online learning programs. 

Much has been written lately about the virtue of humility in leaders, and about how those who are sincere, modest and unpretentious tend to inspire the best performance in others. But we bet you can think of plenty of leaders who do not fit that description. Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Bill Taylor, cofounder of Fast Company, asks: If humility is so important, why are so many leaders today, especially our most famous leaders, so arrogant? (https://bit.ly/2RJfxaf’).
 
Taylor notes that many who head up companies are, not surprisingly, competitive and ambitious. But do these traits preclude humility? According to Taylor,” humility in the service of ambition is the most effective and sustainable mindset for leaders who aspire to do big things in a world filled with huge unknowns.” Years ago, HR professionals at IBM coined a term to describe this combination of traits: humbition.

The “humbitious” focus on their work, not themselves. Tåhese leaders seek success but feel fortunate, rather than omnipotent, when it arrives. Additionally, such leaders ask rather than tell. Says Taylor, “The most effective business leaders don’t pretend to have all the answers; the world is just too complicated for that. They understand their job is to get the best ideas from the right people, whomever and wherever those people may be.”
 
Do you think of yourself, or anyone you work with, as “humbitious”? Do you think it makes one stronger to admit to not having all the answers, and can you give an example? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.
 
If you would like to learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our online learning programs. 

You thought you nailed that interview but then you get the news that the company “went another way.” Don’t tear up your résumé and eat a gallon of ice cream yet. Forbes Contributor and career coach Adunola Adeshola says there are several types of interviewees who struggle to get a job offer (https://bit.ly/2M8rHUZ):
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1. The Overqualified – If you more than meet the qualifications and experience needed, the interviewer may think you won’t be fulfilled – and may fear they cannot compensate you fairly or that you might leave for a more fulfilling offer.
2. The Rambler – Irrelevant stories and unnecessary details won't help you. Interviewers want a concise account of how you can meet their needs and fit into their culture.
3. The Ill-Prepared – Being qualified is not enough if you have not also done your research. Instead of winging it, know your potential employer and identify the specific strengths, qualities and experiences that make you the right candidate.
4. The Almost Perfect – Despite checking all the boxes, perhaps you did not express enough enthusiasm for the job or organization. Employers want people who want them. (Tweet it!)

Do you feel you might have missed the mark in any of the above ways? What can you do to remedy the situation? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.

If you would like to learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our online learning programs.