Let’s not try to be “Authentic”

Posted on

 

 

 

by Dylan Seltermann

 

One of the big recent cultural shifts in America has been people claiming that they want to strive toward greater authenticity in their lives.

 

Perhaps this was brought on by a feeling that people are increasingly “fake” in their online personas, especially on social media and dating app profiles, or in routine interactions with acquaintances or colleagues that might seem forced and mundane. Whatever the reason, people seem to be strongly craving a connection with their true selves and to bring more authenticity into their lives.

There’s just one problem. There is no true self, at least not in any sense of the self that we can understand through science. We should seriously question the idea of authenticity as a meaningful construct in our lives.

A Psychological Quirk
We might naively assume that everyone has a true and authentic core “self,” almost like believing in a secular version of a soul. But this assumption is based on a psychological quirk. Humans are essentialist thinkers, which means we wrongly assume that all beings have a stable underlying essence, or a je ne sais quoi. But when it comes to living, growing life forms, this is an illusion. Lots of people say that in order to have a happy, meaningful life, we just need to get in touch with that core, essentialist part of ourselves and behave in ways that are consistent with this. I suggest this is a false and unhealthy way of thinking. This concept of authenticity isn’t useful because it’s based on a flawed assumption of how human psychology works.

Previously, I suggested that people actually change a lot throughout their lives. But the pace of change diminishes throughout adulthood, so it may not feel subjectively like we’re changing very much from year to year when, in fact, we do. This also helps explain why it may not be possible to have one true authentic self, because the self is almost always changing. Striving for authenticity may be like trying to hit a moving target. If you’re always in motion, or if your north star keeps shifting, then getting to an authentic state would be a fool’s errand. Developmental psychology is, in a sense, the study of change. The more we change, the more it should be apparent to us that there isn’t a fixed, static thing that we should use to define ourselves. Continue reading →

Yes, you can train yourself to be happier, just be aware of the downsides.

Posted on

 

 

 

 

by Lydia Dishman

Is there a day on the calendar that isn’t significant for some sort of recognition? From pizza to hotdogs, pets to cousins, the “International Day of fill-in-the-blank” populates each square of the 365 that mark the year.

And so it was for happiness. March 20, in case you missed it, marked that highly sought quality that the U.S. forefathers cited as one of three inalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence. As such, the pursuit of happiness has become a holy grail in work and life. Why shouldn’t we be happy? Or happier, if we have a right to be?

Of course, philosophers, sages, scientists, and business leaders have each tried to detail prescriptive measures to reach greater happiness. That’s because copious amounts of research point to the fact that happy people live longer.

It has an impact on working life, too. Citing research from a study conducted by the Saïd Business School, Jade Green argued that happiness should be a new performance indicator. “Happiness can have a significant impact on productivity. Results showed that happier workers were 12% more productive than their unhappy counterparts,” she wrote. “This boost in productivity can be attributed to various factors, such as increased motivation, engagement, and creativity.” The study additionally revealed that fewer mistakes were made by happier workers.

On the flip side, unhappy employees might suffer long-term health effects. That goes for the youngest members of the workforce. As Fast Company’s Jared Lindzon wrote, “A study conducted by researchers at Ohio State University found that those who are dissatisfied with their jobs in their twenties and thirties were more likely to have problems with sleep, anxiety, and depression later in life.”

Continue reading →

8 Essential Qualities of Successful Leaders

Posted on

 

 

 

 

by Rebecca Knight

Do you have what it takes to be a great leader?

 

 

It helps if you excel at communicating. And, of course, you need to be adept at planning, problem-solving, and delegating. You also need to be capable of navigating any and all challenges that arise.

Beyond these skills, though, the qualities that set great leaders apart are more elusive and can at times appear otherworldly. Exceptional leaders possess a certain X-factor that makes it seem as though they inherently know what to do.

But according to Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill, one of the world’s top experts on leadership, star leaders aren’t born with superhuman capabilities. Rather, they tend to have intentionally put themselves in situations where they have to learn, adapt, and grow — a crucible for developing the tenacity and fortitude to motivate and guide others.

“Leadership is a process of self-development, she says. “No one can teach you how to lead; you need to be willing and able to learn how to lead. Mostly we learn from our experiences and facing adversity. Stepping outside of the spaces where we feel safe — is a powerful teacher.”

Here are what Hill says are the top eight most important qualities for successful leadership — along with ideas on how to cultivate them.

1. Authenticity

Being genuine and true to who you are is fundamental to success in any role. Hill says that as a leader, you must embody your best self — the version that’s not only highly effective but also capable of motivating and inspiring those around you.“Your competence is not enough; people need to trust your character and connect with you, otherwise they will not be willing to take risks with you,” she says. This understanding ties deeply with your ability to be self-aware: “You need to figure out how to create the conditions for your success, and don’t assume others will do it for you.”

How to show up as your best self.

Understanding how people perceive you is crucial for growth. But asking for and receiving feedback can be complicated and emotional, says Hill. She recommends seeking feedback at a time when you can remain open, without becoming defensive.

Start by asking for feedback from peers in low-pressure situations and work your way up to higher-stakes scenarios. Say something like: “I’m trying to understand my impact and the kind of experiences I am creating for those who work with me. Can you give me some sense of what I should keep doing, start doing, and stop doing?” Finally, don’t dwell on the negative and the things you need to fix. Instead, Hill recommends you “home in on the positive.”

Continue reading →

5 things all good bosses have in common

Posted on

 

 

 

 

BY KATHLEEN DAVIS

 

 

We write a lot about bad bosses. After all, a bad boss can ruin everything you might like about your job. But what about the good bosses? The people who support your career development, make you feel valued, are open to feedback, and who hold themselves accountable? Good bosses are out there; and chances are, if you’re reading this you might be a manager who (like me) hopes that the people you work with view you in such a positive light.

But there’s a reason why stories of bad bosses are so plentiful: Being a manager is hard. It’s easy to fall back on bad habits, or pass the buck, or transfer pressure from above to your direct reports.

Still, I don’t have to tell you the importance of striving to be a better boss. It’s not about just doing what’s right—though that’s really important! Being the type of boss that people want to work for means you are less likely to have employees who quit—or who stay but aren’t engaged or productive. So, what can you do to be a better boss? Here’s a good place to start:

1. TRUST YOUR EMPLOYEES

The number-one complaint that employees have about their bosses is micromanaging and that stems from a lack of trust. Good bosses, on the other hand, trust that their employees are smart, capable adults. They focus on results instead of wasting time worrying that things are done exactly how they would do them.

2. CHECK YOUR EGO AND DO THE WORK

You’ve likely heard the adage about not asking someone to do work you wouldn’t or haven’t done yourself. Good bosses aren’t dictators who give orders; they understand what’s a reasonable workload and don’t view themselves as above any job. In fact, pitching in to help when needed is a good refresher for managers who find themselves removed from the day-to-day duties, and it shows that you really are part of a team.

3. CELEBRATE PROGRESS AND GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK

These are different sides of the same coin and equally important. You may have the best boss in the world, but if your work is never acknowledged, you’ll eventually feel like there’s no point in working hard. And if you make mistakes or have gaps in your skills or knowledge, a “nice” boss who never helps you improve isn’t doing you any favors in your career development.

4. VIEW EMPLOYEES AS PEOPLE FIRST

Work is not your family; good bosses know this and respect that their employees have families, personal obligations, and interests that will sometimes need to take priority. Good bosses get to know who their employees are as people and give them the grace and flexibility when needed.

5. COMMUNICATE AND BE HONEST

You can’t expect employees to feel motivated if they don’t understand what they are working for. The job of a good boss—especially a middle manager—is to clearly communicate what they know with their employees. Ambiguity leads to speculation, worry, and confusion, especially during challenging times. Good bosses tell as much as they can and admit when there are things they don’t know.

 

Source: Fast Company

 

Leadership Should Be a Team Sport

Posted on

 

 

 

 

 

by Graham Ward

 

Actions speak louder than titles and every voice holds the power to lead.

 

 

Just as there is no yin without yang, there is no leadership without followership. The two interdependent and complementary roles cannot exist without each other. 

Followership is the symbiotic interchange between a leader and those they seek to influence. However, the word has long carried connotations of subservience, implying that followers are subordinates – a term derived from the Latin word for “lower order”. This notion is deeply misguided.

Although the concept of followership is often associated with hierarchy, in organisations, the reality is that important things are accomplished through meaningful discussions between groups of people, horizontally. And while it is true that individuals “hold” symbolic positions of authority, for organisations to flourish, the distance between authority figures and those executing important work needs to be greatly reduced. 

Indeed, in the best social systems and organisations, where difficult, adaptive work really gets done, leadership is not a fixed or rigid position but rather a fluid and distributed set of activities.This blurring of roles allows for the most suitable individuals or groups to take on leadership responsibilities, especially when they are better equipped to deliver.

The importance of playing out of position 

Continue reading →