How to deal with workplace frustration more effectively

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by Art Markman

 

Frustration is a common emotion. It’s a close cousin to anger, because both deal with your reaction to an obstacle that is preventing you from achieving your goals. Where they differ is that anger is (usually) directed outward at an external obstacle. The energy and rage that anger generates may be useful for trying to influence that external obstacle physically.

Frustration is often directed at an internal or systemic obstacle that you can’t do much about. You may be frustrated because you don’t have the capability or time to do something, or may feel like some aspect of your company (or society) prevents you from accomplishing a goal.

But frustration is often unproductive, because it gets you energized around something you can’t really fix. You may actually think less clearly if you get too energized and that might make it harder to move forward. Here are a few things you can do to handle frustration effectively, especially when it comes up in the workplace:

Take a step back

Research going back almost 120 years shows that there is a sweet spot for the amount of mental energy you need to operate effectively. When you have a low level of energy, you don’t think effectively, because you’re simply not engaged with the situation. As you get more energized, you get more effective in your thinking up to a point. However, additional energy will actually create too much arousal. At that point, you have a hard time staying focused.

A little frustration can be helpful, because it may actually get you to pay attention to something that might otherwise escape your notice. However, when a situation creates more extreme frustration, you’re going to have trouble addressing it effectively.

You need to develop strategies to dissipate that energy. Ideally, you would take a little time to disengage from the situation. Some physical activity can help. Taking a brisk walk or doing a workout can leave you calmer afterward. Techniques for calming yourself can also be valuable. Deep breathing exercises, yoga, and mindfulness meditations are options. Some of these techniques (particularly deep breathing) are also helpful when you can’t completely disengage with the situation. Continue reading →

Waiting for a promotion? Here’s how to earn it instead

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Story by Heather Younger

 

At the end of a project or meeting, ask a colleague or manager, “What’s one thing I did well, and one thing I could improve?” Listen without defensiveness and take actionable steps to improve. Younger says, “We can choose to remove the clay that we place over our brilliance.” She points out that being proactive about requesting feedback allows our brilliance to shine through.

When receiving feedback that your presentations need more clarity, take a public speaking course or workshop to elevate your skills and demonstrate your commitment to growth. In this example, be sure to ask what specific areas of your presentation lack clarity. That way, you will not waste time on the wrong things.

Often, people shy away from feedback, because they are afraid of what they might find. Those who are eager to go into the unknown of feedback and take in the good with the bad quickly discover the benefits. We cannot be our best and become more self-empowered unless we know where to smooth our rough edges. The good news is that we all have them. So, there is nothing to be ashamed about. Instead, look at the courage you display when you eagerly seek the feedback as a badge of honor.

Claim Your Leadership Role

Empowerment isn’t a gift someone hands you—it’s a mindset you cultivate. By taking initiative, leveraging your strengths, and embracing feedback, you build the confidence and competence needed to lead yourself—and, in turn, inspire those around you.

Stop waiting for permission. Start leading yourself and watch how others begin to follow.

This post originally appeared at fastcompany.com

5 Delegation Practices to Boost Growth and Team Performance

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Story by Peter Economy

Work smarter, not harder, with these strategic delegation techniques.

As a business leader, you probably spend too many late nights and weekends doing work you could have delegated. Every manager knows they need to delegate more tasks and responsibilities to their people, but for a variety of reasons—from thinking they can do the work better to not trusting their people, and more—they often find it difficult to do.

The hard truth? Your perspective turns into the primary barrier preventing the growth of your people and business. Effective delegation provides your people with the skills they need to grow as employees, while relieving you of the burden of doing everything yourself. If you’re not delegating enough, then follow this simple five-step plan to boost the performance of your people and your organization.

1. Identify the right tasks to delegate.

Start with a simple question: Does spending my time on this task provide maximum value? Leaders waste valuable critical thinking hours on routine tasks such as formatting reports and attending meetings that do not require their unique skills.

Take a look at your calendar from last week. How many hours did you spend doing things that your people could have done had you given them the guidance they needed? Managers often discover that delegating 30 to 40 percent of their tasks can free up time to devote to strategic planning and relationship building. Continue reading →

How to be impressive in a job interview without sounding like a narcissist

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by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

 

Job interviews are the fortune cookies of hiring—vague and often misleading. But companies keep using them, despite research suggesting that typical job interviews are mostly unreliable predictors of future job performance, because they give hiring managers the illusion of insight, and a convenient way to validate gut instinct with zero data.

It’s not that all interviews are useless; some formats, like structured behavioral interviews with scoring rubrics, including AI-based scoring algorithms that match responses to actual outcomes and future performance, can be moderately predictive. But the typical unstructured interview? Oftentimes, it conveys the illusion of predictability by allowing hiring managers and interviewers to unleash their biases and subjective preferences during the interview, and then reactivate those same biases during their job performance ratings and evaluations of those candidates, once they become employees. It’s mostly a personality contest masquerading as a talent evaluation.

The candidates who perform best in interviews are often the ones with the most confidence, charisma, and charm. Unfortunately, these traits are also the calling cards of narcissists, Machiavellians, and the occasional smooth-talking psychopath. What passes for “leadership gravitas” can often be ego dressed in a blazer.

In fact, studies show that narcissists are more likely to be seen as competent in interviews—especially by less experienced, trained, or qualified interviewers who confuse bravado with ability.. So how do you stand out in an interview without sounding like you’re auditioning for a TED Talk titled “Why I’m Amazing (and You’re Lucky I’m Here)”?

Here are five science-based recommendations:

1. Quantify your brilliance instead of announcing it

It’s one thing to say you’re “a strong leader.” It’s another to say you managed a team that increased revenue by 35% in under a year during a hiring freeze. Guess which one gets remembered? Vague self-praise triggers skepticism. Data builds trust. Candidates who provided specific behavioral examples—especially with measurable outcomes—are generally rated significantly higher in competence and hireability. Swap generic lines like “I’m results-oriented” for “I led a cross-functional team that reduced churn by 28% in Q3.” And when you do this, resist the urge to sound smug. If your data is good, it speaks for itself. No need to add a drumroll. Continue reading →

Losing your top talent to your competitors? 3 easy strategies to hold on to them

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by Dominic Ashley-Timms

 

According to the latest Gallup State of the Workplace report, employees are seeking new jobs at the?highest level?since 2015. This trend has been coined “The Great Detachment.”

A key reason for this is increasing employee dissatisfaction with management. For instance, Gallup’s research shows that those who work in companies with?bad management practices?are nearly 60% more likely to be stressed, and stress is the second most-cited factor influencing employees’ decisions to quit.

People’s values have also changed post-COVID-19. Employees prioritize well-being. They expect their contribution to be recognized, and if they aren’t valued or supported, they aren’t prepared to tolerate it.

The rise of Gen Z in the workplace also needs to be considered. They now make up 27% of the workforce across the 38 high-income countries that make up the OECD. This generation wants to be coached, not directed, and if they don’t feel that they’re progressing or that their employer wants to cultivate them, they’ll simply leave.

Yet, management practice has remained unchanged, with managers still using outdated and clunky methods unsuited to today’s workplace. Managers are ill-equipped to give feedback and handle challenging conversations in this rapidly changing work environment and consequently default to directing employees rather than enabling them.

Companies need to upskill their middle managers urgently to keep employees engaged and stop hemorrhaging talent. After all, talent is critical for success—companies in the top quartile of employee engagement achieve?23% higher profitability?than those in the bottom quartile.

If you’re losing your top talent to your competitors and suspect poor management may be a cause, here are three things to do: Continue reading →