Facebook

Google

Twitter

Linkedin

Email

BY Kudzi Chikumbu

Source: Fast Company 

Facebook

Google

Twitter

Linkedin

Email

by Sharon Melnick and Dorie Clark

Many professionals have, at times, found themselves frustrated in their current role or organization. While quitting is sometimes the right answer, circumstances outside of your control can make staying the better (or only) choice. If you’re among those who need to remain in an unsatisfying role, it’s important to recognize that you’re not without options.

In our work with professionals and top leaders—Sharon as an executive psychologist and executive coach, and Dorie as an author and keynote speaker—we’ve identified four strategies to transform this challenging period into a valuable phase of your career.

Make it your choice to stay

When facing persistent negative experiences at work, your brain can default to a hard-wired state of learned helplessness, resulting in a reduced sense of control and burnout. Instead of viewing yourself as trapped, reclaim control by making an active choice to stay because the benefits currently outweigh the costs for you. For instance, instead of framing your job as “something I have to do,” it can be useful to change your internal mantra to “I’m coming to work on my own terms,” or viewing the company (and your paycheck) as “funding your eventual transition.”

To maintain your sense of agency, establish quarterly check-ins with yourself to reassess whether staying remains worthwhile. For instance, you could ask yourself:

• What aspects of the job, if any, are helping me grow?
• Are there skills, experiences, or contacts I can cultivate now that will help me later on?
• What’s my red line that would make the job intolerable (triggering a different decision), and how will I know if I’ve reached that point?

Asking these questions transforms an indefinite commitment into a series of intentional choices, enabling you to feel a greater sense of agency over your professional life.

Identify previously hidden opportunities

Owning your decision to stay reduces the stress of constantly trying to survive or change your situation, and enables you to access bigger picture, more creative thinking. Try adopting a beginner’s mindset to see your role through fresh eyes. Even if your position no longer stimulates you, you can find new meaning by exploring cross-functional connections, learning about customer impact, or revisiting promising ideas that were previously shelved during busier periods. Alternatively, you could choose to focus more on people development or practicing deeper presence with colleagues to improve the quality of your interactions.

For example, an SVP at a financial institution hired Sharon after being overlooked for a promotion. Concerned she wouldn’t be able to find a similar role at another company, she decided she needed to stay at her current job even if it meant not advancing.  However, by mapping organizational stakeholders and identifying opportunities to create value, she proposed and was approved for a new role leading a high-visibility, revenue-generating project of special interest to the CEO. This enabled her to navigate around her micromanaging boss, and earn both a title and salary advancement. Refreshing your perspective and considering your role from different angles enables you to see—and create— new opportunities and prevent stagnation.

Take responsibility for your part

Rather than blaming external factors for your dissatisfaction, identify what you might be contributing to the situation. Your degree of agency is typically greater than you realize and will determine your ability to drive better opportunities.

For instance, one of Sharon’s clients —a CTO at a technology company—wanted to leave, but was contractually obligated to stay for an additional year. She consciously chose to shift her thinking: “Instead of focusing on the inadequacies of my executive leadership, I started to focus on showing up as the best version of myself.” She identified ways to improve her team’s operations and build stronger partnerships with stakeholders. Those steps enabled her to implement industry-leading technology without increasing costs, which elevated her influence in management meetings and reduced the stress she felt around staying.

It’s useful to start by sorting out the aspects of your current situation that are within your control or influence, as well as those that are not. Choose one to three specific ways you can improve your current situation through your own efforts—without requiring anyone else to change. Additionally, you might consider developing a daily practice of setting a leadership intention each morning. Identify three specific qualities you want to embody that day, regardless of circumstances or others’ behavior. For example, you might choose “strategic, positive, and collaborative.” Even if you can’t control outside circumstances you can maximize your internal experience in order to increase your sense of efficacy and job satisfaction.

Use this time to evolve, not just endure

It can also be useful to view your current position as part of a larger career arc, rather than a holding pattern. Use this period strategically to develop skills for your next role or identify your next move. One woman that Dorie profiled in her book Reinventing You—an unhappy attorney—used her lunch hour strategically by inviting out people whose jobs she found fascinating. After dozens of lunches, she finally found her next career.

You can strive to identify at least one capability that would make you more marketable, then find opportunities to develop it in your current position by resculpting your role or expanding the bounds of your job description. For instance, if AI knowledge would benefit your future prospects, volunteer to join or lead your company’s AI working group. If public speaking would enhance your profile, represent your organization at industry conferences.

Additionally, leverage the familiarity of your current role—you’re more efficient because you know the ropes—to create bandwidth for external development. Consider applying for board advisory positions, industry association leadership, or certification programs. You may also identify other ways to tap into flow states, such as mentoring others or immersing yourself in a meaningful hobby.

When quitting isn’t an option, it’s still possible to transform a challenging work situation into a growth opportunity. By following these steps, you can regain your sense of agency, reduce stress, and prepare yourself for future opportunities—rather than simply surviving.

Source: HBR

Facebook

Google

Twitter

Linkedin

Email

Story by Peter Economy

Leadership doesn’t have to be an innate gift. All it takes is the will to develop powerful communication skills.

Picture it. A sea of faces, all eagerly awaiting your next words. A bright stage, subtly drawing all eyes to the sole figure in the spotlight. This is the image of a leader who can command any crowd, captivating them with charisma, assurance, and adept communication skills.

The reality is that these kinds of leaders are actually cultivated with time and effort. It doesn’t have to be an innate gift. All it takes is the will to develop some powerful communication skills, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming an exceptional leader. Here are five communication skills that have the power to take your leadership from good to great.

1. Make it personal: The power of storytelling 

Have you ever spoken to someone and instantly felt that inexplicable connection that makes them feel more like a friend than a stranger? The key to developing that experience in every interaction is sharing a little bit about yourself. Don’t be afraid to relate some of your backstory and the experiences that have made you who you are. Sharing your story and creating a space for open communication will make people around you feel more comfortable doing the same. Before you know it, you’re enjoying a truly personal conversation.

2. Be gentle: The difference in tone can make all the difference 

Think about the tone you take when you speak to a group of people (or when you speak to a crowd on a stage). Are you calm and soothing, or do you tend to get a little worked up—addressing the group in a near shout? If it’s the latter, make a point to tone things down. Be patient and get your point across with a sense of careful, measured calm. Being a great leader and excelling at communication is as much about respecting others as it is about being respected.

3. Truly listen: The underrated art of empathy 

Can you remember a time—maybe early in your career—when someone in a position of authority over you stopped and listened to you? I don’t mean a casual acknowledgment that you’ve spoken. I’m talking about the kind of sincere, wholehearted listening that makes you feel truly seen and heard. It’s a gift to experience that kind of empathy, especially from someone in a position of power over you. Be sure to give that gift to your people regularly.

4. Stand out: Make your mark, your way 

It’s important that every interaction you have with another person leaves a lasting impact. After all, when it comes to good communication, being remembered is half the battle. Maybe you’re not the kind of leader who is remembered for making grand speeches in front of crowds. That’s not a problem—there are all kinds of leaders, and each of them has a different way of standing out. The important thing is that you develop your own unique leadership brand, so that people always know when it is you who is in the spotlight.

5. Keep an open mind: Different people, different stories 

When it comes to leadership and communication, one of the most common pitfalls to avoid is the closed mind. Don’t jump to conclusions about what others are telling you. Don’t be so quick to ignore someone’s idea or suggestion before you even understand where they came from. Every person has a different story and a different way of perceiving the world. As a truly great leader, one of your jobs is to uncover those stories. Be open-minded and remember that every person is an entirely new opportunity for interaction, listening, and communication.

This post originally appeared at inc.com.

Facebook

Google

Twitter

Linkedin

Email

Story by Aytekin Tank

When I entered the workforce, I remember trying to appear constantly available to my bosses. It was the height of hustle culture, back when phrases like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” actually sounded cool. Prioritizing work above all else felt like a prerequisite for climbing the corporate ladder. It was also a fast-track to burnout.

Now, as the CEO of my own company, I appreciate when employees and candidates are honest about their boundaries. To me, it signals a well-rounded person who is more likely to thrive and stick around. I’m more interested in how they think, whether they’re solution-oriented, and what kind of energy they bring to the team.

For a long time, putting in more hours was the unspoken rule for proving your commitment to your job. But that’s changing. Today’s workplace increasingly values outcomes over hours. The “always-on” era is giving way to something very different. Employees are prioritizing a holistic sense of well-being, and I think that’s a positive shift for individuals and organizations alike. Here’s why.

Looking busy doesn’t equal productivity 

The “rocks, pebbles, and sand” metaphor is a useful way to rethink how we measure productivity, for ourselves and for our teams. The rocks are the priorities: the high-impact tasks that inspire employees and energize them. For me, the rocks are writing and strategizing how to simplify our users’ lives through automation. The sand, on the other hand, is the low-value busywork—those draining tasks that clutter the day without moving the needle. Think: expense reports, invoicing, unnecessary meetings, or chasing status updates.

It’s easier than ever to fill our calendars with sand and convince ourselves we’re being productive. But when our teams are overloaded with the trivial—the sand—there’s no room left for meaningful work.

Leaders are tasked with protecting time for the rocks, in our own schedules and across organizations. That means setting an example about clearly and regularly outlining priorities, encouraging employees to streamline or eliminate busywork, and valuing outcomes over hours. Just because someone is still online at 6:30 p.m. doesn’t mean they’re being effective. And just because someone has to cut out early doesn’t mean they haven’t had a productive day.

Create a culture that values deep and smart work, and you’ll see not only better results but also more energized employees.

Focusing on outcomes encourages efficiency

Constraints often spark creativity. Deadlines, for example, force us to figure out the most efficient way to get something done. If you’ve ever pulled off a last-minute project under the gun and surprised yourself with how quickly you accomplished it, you know the power of time pressure. You might have even thought afterward: If only I could always work with that kind of momentum.

By contrast, when organizations focus on hours worked, with face-time requirements and mandating that employees be “on” for a certain number of hours each day, tasks tend to expand to fill the time available. That’s the antithesis of true productivity.

Consider law firms, where clients are billed by the hour. Lawyers must track every minute of their day. Those who work quickly and efficiently are often penalized, with fewer hours to bill. It’s a system that rewards time spent over value delivered.

When leaders shift the focus to outcomes, employees are naturally motivated to work smarter, not longer. This requires setting clear expectations for what success looks like on a project or task, beyond just the time spent.

As Georgia Dawson, senior partner at global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, puts it: “It would be ideal for the industry if we can start to move toward more of a focus on outputs and the value that is being delivered by lawyers. That supports a drive toward efficiency, a drive toward the use of technology, and it can help to support a better focus on mental health, well-being, and diversity in the profession as well.”

The same logic applies beyond law. Outcome-oriented environments lead to smarter work, better tools, and healthier teams.

An output-focused culture resonates with Gen Z

Recent research from Deloitte shows that younger generations, especially Gen Z, highly value flexibility in when, where, and how they work. But many aren’t experiencing that flexibility in practice. Instead, they report high levels of anxiety about work-life balance, with long hours being a significant contributor to that stress.

Adopting a more outcome-focused approach helps bridge that gap. When employees are trusted to deliver results rather than log hours, they gain the autonomy to structure their schedules around their lives. That flexibility supports higher levels of well-being, stronger performance, and boosted engagement. It creates the kind of work atmosphere that younger employees gravitate toward.

I’ve seen firsthand how Gen Z thrives with more flexibility, and it benefits our company too. They’re tech-savvy and automation-minded. Give them a goal, and they’ll often find faster, smarter ways to achieve it. When leaders focus on outcomes instead of hours, they unlock that productivity potential.

This post originally appeared at fastcompany.com

Facebook

Google

Twitter

Linkedin

Email

by Kudzi Chikumbu

A friend once asked me how I could be a marketing executive, a fragrance influencer with over 400,000 followers, and a paid public speaker all at once. “Don’t those things live in different worlds?” she asked. My answer was simple: It’s the only way to survive.

In today’s career landscape, having just one title, one path, or one platform isn’t safe—it’s risky. We have all heard the clarion call about AI rapidly transforming the workforce. It’s no longer just about skill; it’s about diversifying and leaning into your identity as your moat. What we’re living through is a strategic career inflection point—a moment where the rules of the game change so dramatically that the old playbook becomes obsolete.

When I was earning my MBA at Stanford a decade ago, one of my favorite classes was called Insight to Outcome taught by Thomas S. Wurster. To this day I think about the concept of strategic dissonance, as outlined by Michael Tushman, Charles O’Reilly, and Andy Grove in their legendary paper from 30 years ago, which I read as part of the class. This wisdom from 1996 is still applicable today. In a business context, strategic dissonance is what happens when a company’s actions no longer reflect the changing external environment—even if they keep doing what once worked. When applied to careers, I think of it as career dissonance: when what we’re doing day-to-day doesn’t get us to the life we actually want because the rules have changed.

And right now, AI is the change that is accelerating that dissonance.

People are talking about AI replacing jobs and we need to focus on what to do next in a strategic way. According to McKinsey, nearly 12 million U.S. workers may need to change occupations by 2030 due to AI and automation. That’s not hypothetical. That’s an inflection point.

What to do

So how do we not crumble? We need to understand inflection points. In class at Stanford I remember learning that at every strategic inflection point, three things happen:

1. The degree of difficulty of evolving increases. Getting to your new goal gets harder. The path becomes steeper.

2. Only a few strategic actions move the needle. Not everything will work. You have to make sharper bets. Focus on what matters.

3. Resources are even more constrained. You need to think about more efficient ways to use your time and energy. If you keep doing everything the way you used to, you’ll burn out.

Yes, these challenges feel uncomfortable. But they’re also invitations—to focus, experiment, and grow. So what do you do in this moment of massive shift in the workplace? These are the three things I’ve found that worked for me and people I admire to address the challenges brought on by the advent of this specific career inflection point.

1. Use the tools to become more of yourself

Instead of fearing AI, leverage it to ease the degree of difficulty of building your “portfolio” career. This way you can address the first challenges of strategic inflection points. When LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude dropped, I didn’t use them to replace my voice—I used them to refine it. I used AI to launch my podcast (Not Just One Thing), structure my content, and sharpen my public speaking. People say AI tools kill creativity. In my case, these tools didn’t diminish me. They revealed more of me.

2. Build your calendar like it’s your portfolio and buy back your time

Each strategic inflection point forces you to get sharper about where your energy goes. And the good news is, constraint breeds clarity. Only a few things are going to move you forward. People get stuck trying to master prompt engineering by never starting. You are better off testing, measuring, and iterating. You don’t need to master every prompt—just experiment out loud. That’s how you find the next version of you. When you find out what’s working, focus more on that. This helps you address the second and third challenges of strategic inflection points.

You will no longer need to waste all your energy on low-impact actions. Use AI to automate your logistics. Reclaim that hour to work on your side project. Book time to journal, plan, or build a content system. According to a RescueTime study, the average knowledge worker spends just 2 hours and 48 minutes per day on productive tasks. That means you’re not just fighting burnout—you’re fighting wasted energy.

In my case, I used tools to streamline my work and double down on my fragrance content. I tested ideas, launched small, and iterated fast. You can build a micro business, pitch yourself for speaking, or start developing a product—all with the tools already at your fingertips.

3. Make your story your competitive advantage

One of the most powerful ideas from the strategic dissonance paper was that most companies keep expanding their existing competencies instead of evolving with the market. The same is true in our careers. We double down on what we’ve already done, instead of asking what will matter next. What’s the best way to do this? What’s your everlasting competitive advantage? Your real edge in this new world isn’t technical. It’s personal. Your personal story.

I was born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa. I started out in accounting, but I always knew I wanted to be a creator. I made YouTube videos. Then pivoted into tech. I joined musical.ly, which became TikTok, and spent years helping creators find their voice. I was using my own passion of wanting to be a creator and my analytical skills from my time as an accountant. This use of my authentic story allows me to stand out and build a career. People call me multi-hyphenate. I just think of it as an integrated portfolio career.

In a world built for sameness, difference is your power. I learned that from another class at Stanford that was taught by Allison Kluger and Tyra Banks. Your background is your moat. It’s the thing that no prompt can generate, and no algorithm can replace.

In this new world, your hybrid path isn’t a hurdle, it’s your blueprint to success. We are not at the end of work as many people fear. We’re at the beginning of becoming. As Maya Watson said on an episode of my podcast, Not Just One Thing: “It’s not about what you do. It’s about who you’re becoming.” That’s the work. She’s right. And you’re going to need more than one title to get there. Being multi-hyphenate isn’t indulgent—it’s how you stay employed, inspired, and in motion.

The people who will thrive are the ones who use the tools, manage their time like a portfolio, and tell the truth about who they really are. That’s how we build careers that are dynamic, fulfilling, and truly human.

This post originally appeared at fastcompany.com