Marla Gottschalk

Mastering the New Normal

June 26, 2014August 5, 2019by Marla Gottschalk3 Comments

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Our beloved Krups coffee maker decided it would brew its last wonderful cup of coffee this week. That might not sound like much to you. But, I assure you — to the finicky beings that are my taste buds, it is. I loved that coffeemaker. Each day it brewed the perfect cup of coffee, that would sustain me through many a morning meeting or assessment.

However, I had no choice in the matter.

Done. Kaput. Farewell.

So, I reluctantly charged off in search of a replacement. The same machine was no longer available. What? Why have you messed with success?

Change is hard. Even the small changes.

When change unceremoniously arrives at work all sorts of havoc can ensue. A little like my coffee machine dilemma, we’re not always consulted when changes occur. Whether anticipating a new boss or company-wide reorganization — change is challenging. It really is. I’ve been there. I’ve lived through lay-offs, sudden resignations and client shake-ups. (I’ve also helped teams move through those very same challenges.)

Embracing that change is an entirely different story, and that is difficult for most of us.

How do we deal with change?

I’d say, as best as we possibly can. But I’m sure that is the last thing you’d like to hear. In many cases, we manage to find that new path and we do manage to adjust.

On some level, we simply have to construct (or wait for) that “new normal” to develop.

While you are waiting, here are a few things to consider:

Embrace the need. While uncomfortable, our work lives demand that we appreciate and recognize the need to adapt. Organizations must evolve. In some cases, the need to revise our own course is inevitable.
You can maintain your identity. Remember, that the qualities you personally bring to the table will remain — even in the midst of change. Don’t assume that revisions to your work life will entirely derail you or force you to become less of a contributor.
Learn more. With any change, learning more about what is about to happen can alleviate the accompanying fear and anxiety. Do a “reference check” on your new supervisor. Ask for the “expanded” explanation as to why that new procedural change is necessary. (And organizations, you need to keep on explaining.)
Ignore the “naysayers”. The last thing you need around you is an individual who isn’t going to give the situation an iota of a chance. Inoculate yourself against the negativity that they might be spreading. It’s really not wise to borrow additional trouble.
Give it time. Once the changes occur, offer the situation time to settle. Some of the initial bumps that pop up, work themselves out. There is a period of re-calibration that must occur. Once that is complete, a clearer picture may surface. You may actually like a bit of what you see.
Look for the up-side. Change often opens the door to more change — and there could be opportunity lurking there. If you have a new supervisor, for example, they may just be the person willing to listen to those piles of ideas you’ve carefully stored.

I hope you discover your “new normal” quickly. Meanwhile, our new Krups #KM7508 12-cup programmable coffee machine sits on our counter. It has big shoes to fill. But, I’ll have to admit — today it brewed a pretty mean cup of coffee.

Is change difficult for you? What are your strategies to deal with it?

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, advisor and speaker.

Career

How To Design A Kick A** Internship

June 20, 2014June 20, 2014by Marla Gottschalk1 Comment

Have interns? I’m guessing that quite a few may have walked through your doors this month. Now, let me pose another vital question: Do you really know what to do with them? (If you’ve ever been stuck in an internship collating reports and getting coffee, you know to what I am referring.) We can do quite a bit to maximize the internship experience. So — let’s do everything we can to make this a positive, career-energizing stint.

Here are some pointers:

Keep things real. Ideally, the tasks that your interns complete should be similar to those that would be performed in a full-time entry-level capacity (think relevance and complexity). While there will be obvious differences in terms of level of required supervision — tasks should represent the type of work that would be experienced post-internship. Of course, this helps facilitate a smooth transition from academic life to career life.
Offer a broadened perspective of work. Assigning portions of a project piecemeal, with little information concerning how the work fits into the larger picture, does not a permanent employee make. Ensure that interns gain a realistic understanding of the all aspects of your work, including the inter-relationships of project components, client considerations and other business-side elements.
Discuss goals. Interns certainly offer a needed set of “helping hands” to your employee roster. However, don’t neglect to schedule that all-important meet-up to discuss their personal learning objectives. (Yes, interns do have opinions concerning why they are with you and what they would like to accomplish). Set the summer on the right foot — and let them know the working relationship is indeed a two-way street.
Pick their brains. How long have you been away from an academic setting? Your interns are a well-spring of information concerning new techniques, recent research, case studies and strategies. Inquire as to what caught their attention and have a discussion on how they might share their insights with the larger team. This process builds self-esteem and confidence.
Don’t underestimate them: Ramp up challenge. Ascribe to a “stair-step” strategy with regard to the assignment difficulty. Note how they handle autonomy and challenge, increasing these as time and ability allow. No intern dreams of being “stuck in neutral” — and truth be told, you’ll be wasting valuable manpower.
Teach networking as a defined skill. Not the easiest of skills to master in the real world — interns are in a great position to start a solid networking base. (Yes, your 20’s are important with regard to work and career. ) We know that students that complete internships are more likely to use informal job sources to find work and are more likely to be satisfied with extrinsic rewards, such as salary.

What strategies are you utilizing to to maximize the internship experience? Share them here.

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, consultant and speaker. The Office Blend, has been recognized by Forbes as one of their “Top 100 Websites for Your Career” in both 2012 and 2013.

Uncategorized

Why I’m Taking a Walk Every Day

June 12, 2014March 18, 2020by Marla Gottschalk7 Comments

liu-jiao-cC9_zOKFHK0-unsplash — Photo by Liu Jiao on Unsplash

Author’s Note: This is an older post. However, I felt a re-share was in order. As spring arrives, walking may be a useful option for many of us. Please update me concerning your strategies — and how you are coping in comments.

Does your mind feel crowded? Unsettled? Unsorted? This can become an issue. While we commit countless hours each day to absorbing ideas, facts and figures — I would guess that your devotion to “down time” — can only be described as paltry.

I’ve neglected that part of life where you find the time to reflect and process. Because of this, I’m certainly less productive. Things seem to “hang” in my mind far too long, spinning, fermenting.

Being busy is a great thing — overload is another.

I’ve recently read a fascinating post (More on the book Daily Rituals here.) about how some of the most incredible individuals of the last 400 years, spent their time. While their areas of expertise were varied (and remarkable), there was one obvious link among many of them: From Milton to Tchaikovsky, many set aside time for a daily walk. A few ventured alone. One with family.

Shame on me — I know better. Walks rock.

Here are just a few of the benefits:

Digestion. I’m not referring to gastronomy — I’m referring to all of the information you’ve taken on-board today. It’s difficult to see patterns and develop linkages when your brain isn’t allowed the time to process effectively.
Fresh air. I love my office, but a change of scenery does help me to feel rested and refreshed. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to a beach or a handy mountain range to view, as some of my colleagues. But the breeze is just as refreshing here in the mid-west — the birds just as vocal.
Lowered anxiety. With our busy work lives comes our unshakable friend, anxiety. Physical exercise has great way of managing this nagging work life by-product.
Digital reprieve. Not sure how much time you must spend in front of a computer — but I do a lot of my work on-line. At times, I simply forget there is more to life than Power Point.

I’m going to commit 20 minutes each day to get out and walk. Whether it’s a stroll around your office building, a nearby park or a quick trek to grab lunch and back, I challenge you to do the same.

Take a tip from Mozart and keep paper and pencil handy. Write me here and let me know what happens.

Want the book? Just click on the visual.

Career, Creativity

Considering Success

May 28, 2014January 3, 2019by Marla Gottschalk4 Comments

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Do you consider yourself to be successful?

Yes — I’m aware that’s a loaded question. In this case, I’m speaking of workplace success. But I’m certain that by the end of this post, other elements of our lives will come into play. Work life success is a complicated construct. It has to be…simply because we’re people…and people are complicated. But, this query seems to come up quite a bit during the course of our career lives. As I coach clients (both individuals and teams), I’ve realized this question often looms central.

Unfortunately career growth is not always reflected in the numbers. When career growth doesn’t jibe with outside measures of success (such as money, power and title) — we have doubts and question our path. We tend to place great emphasis on metrics in business. What you’ve sold. What you’ve earned. How many employees you might supervise. On some level the numbers work — on other levels, not nearly as well. Numbers don’t tell the entire story. They never have. Never will.

Sometimes the numbers lull us into a false sense of security. In other cases, they really don’t reflect or keep up with the progress we should really claim. I see this too. (I’ve left one or two “cushy” jobs with great salaries to pursue goals.) Think of all the organizations that have misread the cues. They may have thought they were at the top of their game — and for a time, the numbers stated that they were. However, the success was fleeting in some part, because their metrics were essentially flawed.

When we are in transition career-wise, the numbers almost never reflect the depth and breadth of what’s happening. (We may have changed paths in exchange for a lower title, for example. We may have opted to re-train. Our goals or focus may have evolved.) But, we still wait for that outside confirmation that we are doing the right thing. I’ve done this. I’m sure you have.

The important point here it to find the guideposts that work for you. These may not be anything like the metrics we are accustomed to — but will offer the information you require.

Here are a few alternative measures of success to consider:

You are developing a voice. We’ve all held roles where our expertise or opinions were lost or ignored. No amount of money can make up for this problem. A voice matters. Always. When you can operate at a level that let’s you know you’ve earned your turn to contribute in a meaningful way, that is priceless.
Mastering something new. You don’t need to leave your current work life to master something new. It’s a commitment, I know — but worth the trouble, as the rewards are certainly there.
You’ve found a challenge. There are “seasons” of our work lives where a new challenge is the last thing that we need. But, when there isn’t enough challenge, this too, can be suffocating. With challenge comes hard work — but also a tremendous feeling of satisfaction.
The chance to create something. We’ve all held jobs where our role was to sustain something — a practice, a policy, a program. But, to have the opportunity to create something new (a post, a new product, a business), is an experience that cannot be measured with traditional metrics.

There are so many other elements success that I’m sure I’ve overlooked. Please share your story here.

Uncategorized

When it Comes to Talent the Right Team is Everything

May 20, 2014October 24, 2020by Marla Gottschalk1 Comment

When George Harrison auditioned as a guitarist for the Liverpool band The Quarrymen in 1958, he was only 14 years old.

Joining the band some months later, his persona as the “younger” member of the band was quickly established. Remarkably, at this early stage of his career (with the soon-to-be Beatles) Harrison had not yet embarked upon his journey as a songwriter. As this skill evolved, his role within the dynamic of the Beatles would prove to be a long-standing challenge. Harrison’s tremendous gift for melody (penning such enduring classics as “My Guitar Gently Weeps”, “Something” and “Beware of Darkness”) was somewhat impeded by the team environment in which he found himself.

On some level — even with the enormous success of The Beatles — Harrison found himself on the wrong team.

The creative struggles that Harrison faced within a team environment are not uncommon. Harrison clearly benefited from his exposure to the talented group, before writing his first song around 1963. (Harrison never learned to read or write music — and didn’t regret that. He employed a “copyist”, as he termed it, to transcribe his melodies.) However, he struggled to gain a place for his music on Beatles’ albums, operating in the shadow of the prolific Lennon-McCartney machine. Reflecting upon Harrison’s contributions to Abbey Road, the last Beatles’ album, Author Peter Lavezzoli wrote: “Harrison would finally achieve equal songwriting status … with his two classic contributions to the final Beatles’ LP”.

Harrison forged relationships with other artists, including Bob Dylan, which offered him varied experiences that supported his creative growth. By the time The Beatles formally split in 1970, Harrison had already worked on other projects. In a 1971 interview, he revealed that he had a backlog of original songs, never recorded. (All Things Must Pass, originally a triple album, was also released in 1970.) Commenting on the break-up of the band, Harrison described the experience as a “relief” — a telling comment. (See the entire interview here.)

Talent alone will not ensure that an individual will excel to their fullest ability within a specific team. In the case of Harrison, he ultimately found alternative paths to pursue — but his actions were likely not without an emotional cost. Within our own organizations, leaders must become cognizant of factors which impact the success of individual players within a team.

What we might learn:

Consider the individual carefully. Talented individuals will run the gamut in terms of both personalities and communication styles. For example, an introverted yet highly gifted individual, may require guidance or support to find an equal voice on a team.
Monitor team dynamics. Collecting talent is one thing — nurturing how the contributors work together as a team, is another. Pay close attention to the dynamics within the group that could derail motivation and eventual success.
Offer “side” paths. Pay attention to developing skill sets of your team members over time. People evolve — and so should their work lives. As was the case with Harrison, his talent emerged over time, but was not fully recognized by the larger group. Be on point to discover these gifts, and offer them vehicles to explore them.
Monitor the “contract”. Although a team relationship may be prove successful — talented individuals still opt to leave, both physically and emotionally. (Harrison was barely present for the making of Sargent Pepper’s) Have conversations to establish the health of the psychological contract. Happy work life relationships, between employees and employers, are a two-way street.

Uncategorized

Introverts: A Brief Guide to Help Find a Job You’ll Love

May 12, 2014May 13, 2014by Marla Gottschalk2 Comments

The prospect of job hunting can be particularly challenging for an introvert. If you find yourself on the introverted side of the I-E continuum, you’ve likely felt that key segments of the search process were stacked against you. Between the “on the spot” nature of interview questions and required networking — the process can seem a complete mismatch with regard to your strengths. Unfortunately, the proverbial “one size fits all ” workplace bias, can also extend to the selection process. So, what are the best techniques to bend the odds in favor of finding the right job-person match?

While many people confuse being introverted with shyness, introversion is in fact about how an individual handles stimulation and processes information. Fortunately, as the importance of embracing individual differences increases in the workplace, the so-called mysteries of introversion will become more universally understood. This aside, turning ourselves completely “inside out” while job hunting is simply not necessary. Introversion is not the problem or a weakness — the challenge is to effectively relay vital information concerning our strengths, as they mesh and align with potential roles. This effectively increases the potential of finding that “best fit” opportunity.

Mechanisms that help to communicate the “whole story” become critical. In many cases, introverts possess a unique set of qualities that are not fully expressed within the traditional job search process. (Many of these qualities can only be appreciated with time.) This can lead to inaccurate or incomplete impressions concerning capabilities. Ultimately, this a communication gap that we cannot afford.

A few thoughts to consider:

Let your network work for you. Not earth-shattering news — but, strategic none the less. (More on branding for introverts from HBR here.) You may not personally wish to broadcast your accomplishments at every turn — and you likely have limits on your desire to network. So, start small, and concentrate on connecting with one or two individuals at events which provide networking opportunities. Also remember that others may be more than happy to do some of this for you. Let your trusted, established connections know exactly what you are looking for — as they can also serve as a powerful marketing team. Those willing to recommend you for a role, team or project, can contribute to the positive buzz. This may lead you to the right role.
Yep, you’ll still need an “Elevator Pitch” (or two). It’s difficult to communicate important messages about our work when answering questions in a pinch or presenting — so craft the messages you wish to convey at your own thoughtful pace, on your own time. As discussed by Susan Cain, find methods that allow you to start with smaller steps. Fill 2-3 note cards with vital information concerning what you bring to the table and your target role. Then choose the salient points. (You can also utilize a recording device to video yourself delivering the messages.) It can take a few “takes” to perfect the messages — but, you’ll likely find an opportunity to use them.
Build a 3-D social media presence. Utilize social media channels to represent your work — as this process allows you to build your presence with the forethought you crave. Start a blog in a niche area to gain visibility. “Flesh” out skeleton profiles with examples of your work and the real-life problems that you’ve solved. Many sites allow room to highlight past projects — so be creative in this regard. LinkedIn for example, allows you to upload images, video, documents and other information about you and your work directly to your profile.
Express your Personal Value Proposition (PVP). Educating others about you and your unique qualifications is what the job search process should be about — and a personal value proposition is critical. (Read the HBR post here.) Companies such as the 1-Page Company, allow you to develop your own proposal as a vehicle to let organizations know exactly what you bring to the table. The platform has the capability to help you communicate your skill set and your creative solutions to specific problems.
Live your dream. Passion for your work can carry you a very long way. If you have a dream role or “vision” project, attempt to make this a reality. Interestingly, you don’t necessarily have to wait for a single employer to give you the go ahead — you can make it happen your way. If you are open to freelance work, O-Desk and Elance offer a great platform to link you with the work that you enjoy and aligns with your strengths. Sites such as Kickstarter, offer an opportunity to gain funding for your dream project.
Practice the “power pose”. Gaining a mental edge before an interview is also important — as sometimes our own bodies betray us. Recent research has shown that our physical stance shortly before an interview, can affect what we project (and how we are subsequently evaluated) during that interview. Spending as little as 2 minutes in a “power pose” can lower the amount of the stress hormone cortisol flowing through our bodies. I’d say it’s worth a try.
Know your limits. The job hunt can include many situations that are quite stimulating. While activities such as networking, professional meetings and conferences are important to find a job you love — know when you’ve had enough. Many introverts can feel drained after participating in these types of situations, so leave ample time to recharge.

What techniques have you utilized to help find a role you love?

Career, Happiness at work

Quit Already

May 8, 2014April 17, 2020by Marla Gottschalk3 Comments

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I’ve met a lot of great people during my journey as a coach. The lion’s share of these individuals possessed great ability and solid credentials. Above all — I feel they possessed a sincere passion for their work. But, there was only one glaring problem. Most of them held a really bad job. These roles may not have been bad for another individual. However, the match was undoubtedly the wrong one for them.

This is usually the point where we would cross paths — a moment in their career when they were intensely unhappy at work.

Sometimes this presented as an entire department or team. Either the group was grossly under-performing, secretly plotting their exit, or half of them had already walked out the door. The jobs these individuals held had often led to feelings of anger, bewilderment, disappointment, stress — and in some cases, despair.

No matter how far they had traveled in life, what institution they had attended, industry or personality — the stories are strikingly similar.

Work just wasn’t what it should be, or could be.

It is highly unfortunate. As a coach— this is the normal state of affairs. I rarely interview happy potential clients. I want that to stop. Now.

Of course, the state of today’s organizations plays a role in this dynamic. Certain elements of work life have evolved over time — and the social contract that once allowed us to count on longer-term employment, has been replaced by a quite a different scenario. The economy has made for some unusual job-person mismatches.

However, we are right in the thick of it all. We contribute to the malaise, because we succumb and feel immobilized.

Back in the 90’s there was a long-running television sitcom called Murphy Brown. The name sake of the show, Ms. Brown (played brilliantly by Candace Bergen) was a high-flying, highly opinionated, hot-tempered news reporter — whose over-riding style was to “kick butt and take names”. She was beautiful, witty and well-spoken. However, Ms. Brown also had a penchant for burning through assistants (during the course of the series she had 93 of them). She was, by most standards, a really lousy boss. For most of us, this situation would have been impossible to navigate. She was completely impossible to work for, and this element was a running (and highly entertaining) sub-plot of the show.

However, the really peculiar thing about all of this, was that even though her reputation preceded her — another assistant always appeared outside of her office on Monday morning. (On some level that bothered me. In the real world, I’d like to think that we would have known better.)

Inevitably, we don’t always see the signs of a poor fit. When we do see things for what they are — we’re just not sure how to act. Then work life can develop into what someone aptly described to me, as a “soul sucking” experience.

Each time I connect with a new client, I marvel at how great people have such negative experiences in the workplace. I’ve not only come to the conclusion that there are a lot mismatches out there. I have also come to realize that we play a role in this dynamic. We don’t craft the rules, but we insist on playing by the rules. I fear this can be quite dangerous.

In many cases, even though we are suffering, we feel the need to seek permission to move on. That’s the role I often seem to play. I offer permission to be happy at work. But, we can offer that to ourselves.

As they say, “You’ve had the power all along”.

It can be difficult to explain how these work life scenarios have evolved. We know that recruitment and selection aren’t perfect processes — this is a given. In many cases, we have a clue that things are not right. We may have been hopeful that we could master the situation, or that things would miraculously resolve. But in many cases, this doesn’t happen. As a result, we remain stuck and unhappy.

Many of us do not think it is even possible to claim a better work life. I’d like to think we can change that dynamic.

So let’s at least try.

Have you ever been stuck? What caused you to finally act?

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist. She is the Director of Thought Leadership at Kilberry Leadership Advisors, Toronto. She is also an Influencer at Linkedin.

Uncategorized

Where Did the Ideas Go?

May 5, 2014May 5, 2014by Marla Gottschalk1 Comment

It is a question heard around the world. Where did all of those great ideas really go? Like you, I find it intrinsically satisfying to share ideas that can improve how we carry out our work. But, while this exchange of ideas is a fundamental component of knowledge work — bringing those ideas to life can prove challenging. Many of us have the opportunity to share ideas; whether in team meetings, off-site conferences or brainstorming sessions. But, what really happens to all of those promising ideas once collected?

While we place great emphasis on innovation in today’s world of work — the fact remains that many worthy ideas will never see the light of day. I would venture to say that many organizations have a back-log of great ideas, languishing untouched and undeveloped. Ultimately, we likely do a good job of generating ideas. But utilizing them effectively — well that can be quite a different story.

Forward progress is just as much about managing the ideas we generate, than any other element in the dynamic. Many worthy ideas fail to become reality, because we fail to utilize a process robust enough to properly select and implement them effectively. In many cases, we are stymied as to how to wade through that mountain of collected ideas.

One key problem is the tendency to view idea management as a spontaneously occurring event — when in fact, we need to employ a winning process to ensure success.

A few topics to consider:

Build trust. In the cultural scheme, if there isn’t an adequate level of trust within the working team, it is nearly impossible to evaluate ideas effectively. To begin evaluating ideas, the stage has to be set for an open and honest discussion. If we are wary of bucking authority and voicing all sides of the story, we can land in trouble. Pixar calls this cultural element the “Braintrust” — the notion of offering an “unvarnished” opinion to move idea development along effectively.
Complete a postmortem. Carefully consider worthy ideas that never reached their full potential — what caused this to happen? Was the idea not properly communicated? Inadequately defined roles in the field? Lack of data concerning value? Use this information strategically, going forward.
Connect ideas with mission & vision. An idea floating in the stratosphere can have little meaning to the work your organization completes. So, offer context, to properly identify idea potential. Attempt to connect an idea with desired end-states that align with company mission and vision. How can the idea provide a route to valued goals?
Narrow the field. At some point we have to focus on the ideas that are worthy enough to devote valuable time and resources. For that to occur, you must develop selection criteria relevant to your team and the situation at hand. (For example, ideas that meet an urgent need or those with the greatest potential to impact customers.) Without these criteria, you cannot move forward. (See other selection techniques here.)
Don’t look for a single “winner”. One trouble we encounter with idea management, we tend to narrow the focus quite quickly to one path — when it’s likely there is more than one great idea circulating. One idea really does not have to “win”? You can often combine ideas, to enhance product development or service improvement.
Capture potential value. To drive your idea home, take the time to draft a “business case” which adds dimension and clearly outlines future cost and benefit. As discussed by Microsoft, this can serve as an integral step in the evaluation process.
Find an owner. Yes, just like people, ideas need guidance and care to develop fully. So identify an owner — and make this choice by aligning with interests and passion. Offer the role to a team member who believes in the idea, and can envision its potential.
Give things time. Great ideas have the potential to turn the normal state of affairs “upside down” and trigger a powerful emotional response. As discussed here, ideas need to be fully digested before we can act on them effectively. Take this into consideration when planning any implementation phase. A little patience may be entirely in order.

What at strategies are you utilizing to manage ideas and bring more of them into the fold? Weigh in here.

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and workplace strategist. She also writes at Linkedin.

Uncategorized

How Not To Be a Really Rotten Co-Worker

April 17, 2014January 3, 2019by Marla Gottschalk12 Comments

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You know them — really rotten co-workers. It’s unclear clear how they have developed into what they are, or progressed this far, but they are here. They could be the person who sits in the cubicle next to you. (Yes, that close.) They may serve on a team with you. Unfortunately, they just may be your boss. During the course of work and career, it’s likely you’ll meet more than one of these individuals — some of us sooner, rather than later. I’m sorry. They are out there.

They don’t fully cross the line professionally (or legally). But, they are awful…rotten to the core. You know this. Somehow they have managed to miss every message concerning a healthy culture and camaraderie. The worst part? They couldn’t care less. They are likely clueless to their egregious behavior. Getting ahead is all that matters.

I know — you sometimes fantasize about getting even. You might replace their Power Point presentation with something ridiculously embarrassing, or offer the wrong start time for an important meeting. But you know that deep in our heart, your daydreaming is just that…daydreaming. Because, you are not that person. (Their comeuppance will arrive, rest assured.)

The best thing you can do is to inoculate yourself against “rotten” — and never, ever fall into that category.

Some ideas for that:

Lend a helping hand. Have you noticed that someone appears stressed or uncharacteristically frazzled? Step in and offer to help. We all have 5 minutes to help someone prepare for a presentation or sort through ideas. Step up. Rotten co-workers turn a blind eye to others in distress.
Be the link. We all want to be a success — but it’s not a “zero sum” game. Rotten co-workers wouldn’t think to help anyone, but themselves, to move forward. Do you know someone that would be a great link for one of your colleagues? Make that introduction. It’s fuel for the “workplace soul”.
Be transparent. We’ve all met that person who presents as one person — but is really another. Be upfront with your needs and motives. It just doesn’t pay in the longer term to be deceitful.
Don’t be that jerk. Leaders remain our co-workers. However, sometimes that undeniable fact is ignored. If you hold a leadership position, don’t “lord” position power or the hierarchy over others. If you land a great promotion, keep this in mind. It’s gross. Really.
Be someone’s champion. Changing attitudes and powering real change is difficult. If you see someone you really “has something”, join the crusade. Help them develop their idea and take it to the next level. Everyone wins.
Above all — value the contribution of others. You know that guy who changed your slide without telling you? He missed the orientation memo concerning respecting the work of others. That kind of behavior is a no – no, if you want to stay out of “rotten” territory.

Have a rotten co-worker? Share your story here.

Photo Credit: Dailymobile.net

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and workplace strategist . She also writes at Linkedin.

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Admit It: We Still Hate Failure

March 22, 2014January 13, 2019by Marla GottschalkLeave a Comment

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I realize that we should attempt to accept failure.

However, in the face of it is difficult to convince yourself that it’s a good thing. Failure is certainly a fact of work life that we must accept and master. But, we may need to take a moment to consider this a little more carefully. What is your real, gut reaction when you reflect back on a failure or setback? I’ll venture to say that the moment might remain cringe worthy.

Let’s be honest. Failing just doesn’t feel glorious.

This is where I believe the challenge with failure still lies. Our heads understand that failing can be advantageous to our work (read more about that here), but our hearts and emotions haven’t entirely followed suit. Intellectually we’ve accepted that we need to fail on the road to success — but learning how to live with that failure is an entirely different story.

Somehow we must find a way to calm ourselves and develop the ability to process failure more effectively. This often involves dealing with the emotional remnants (and fear) that develop when things simply don’t go as planned.

Failure may be necessary — but, digesting it isn’t ever easy. A few things to try:

Alter our associations. We initially define failure negatively, when it actually holds useful information. Researchers, for example, routinely experience a great number of disappointing outcomes on their way to a breakthrough. We should attempt to unlearn our typical view of failure, including labeling a misstep as an “end point” that is devoid of value. A less than positive result can point us toward a worthy alternative path.
Make perfection the enemy. We tend to equate perfection with success — and needed revisions with failure. This can prove destructive, causing us to limit what (and when) we share with others. Successful organizations, such as Pixar, encourage sharing an idea mush earlier in the creative process; accepting the notion that an idea can develop and improve.
Re-frame your emotions. Research has shown that how you view a discovered obstacle is every bit important as the problem itself. Attempting to extract a positive piece from a failure, no matter how small, is critical.
Utilize humor. Attempting to disarm negative emotions with humor is highly advantageous in times of stress. If you can somehow see a trace of humor in a failure or setback (give this a bit of time), it is a solid start in the direction of recovery.
Bolster fortitude. It has been shown that “grit” — the ability to stick with a task and focus on long-term goals, is key to dealing with failure. Take a break to re-gain energy, and then persevere. Promote resiliency and the discovery of a”Plan B”.
Broaden our view of history. We often focus on the successes of others, but forget that their journey included many twists and turns. Highly productive individuals such as Richard Branson, practice methods to master the emotional side of the failing — including banishing embarrassment and dwelling on regrets.
Take another perspective. You may have convinced others that a setback in their work lives should not deter them from trying another route. Think of your situation. What advice would you offer them, if they were in your place? (Then take that advice to heart.)

It can be disheartening to experience a failure — but we can learn a thing or two from these moments.

How do you deal with a failure or setback? What are your strategies to help you recover and move forward?

A version of this post has previsouly appeared at Linkedin.

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and workplace strategist. She also writes at Linkedin.

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