You Need to Ditch This If You Want to Be a Better Leader—Here's How
It’s time to get your boss on.
Photo: Create & Cultivate
Millennials are not only taking over the workforce, they’re quickly stepping into more and more leadership roles. In fact, a 2017 study found that the millennial leadership trajectory is as follows:
2.6 years: Entry-level to mid-level
5.3 years: Higher mid-level to senior
6.9 years: Senior level to c-suite
8.4 years: C-suite to CEO
More millennials are moving into leadership roles where they can finally execute on visionary ideas and implement change that they wished those who came before them would. Despite the value millennials bring to the workforce, we’re all a work in progress, and becoming a better leader is necessary for many of the millennials who are new to the role.
Keep these ideas in mind as you grow into your leadership position, which bodes well for your career and the organization. You may find that you garner greater respect and get more done as you learn and develop the skills necessary to manage an organization. Read on to find out what you need to do (and ditch) to become a better leader.
Let Go of Fears
Be better: Stop second-guessing yourself.
Fear of personal failure was the number one fear in a 2016 poll of Americans. And for millennials, this fear is often masked as “imposter syndrome.” Imposter syndrome can be defined as the feeling of being inadequate, despite continued success. A whopping 70% of millennials experience this, in both work and life, but why?
“Millennials might feel impostor syndrome more as they’ve entered the workforce at a time of outrageous technological advancements and constant comparison on social media,” says Breena Kerr of The Hustle.
She continues, “Technology is growing so fast that most of us are learning something new on almost every project we work on. And that can make you feel like you don’t have the expertise you should.”
To be a better millennial leader, you must ditch the fear and find confidence in what you do, and channel that when managing employees and making decisions. Trust your intuition and your skills—this is a requirement for leaders who want to see growth and success in their position.
Strategize Effectively
Be better: Find solutions that are effective—not just fast or easy.
A McKinsey and Company study of 80 organizations around the world, of varying sizes and industries, found that effectiveness was one of the top four attributes of a great leader.
When you focus on being effective, rather than making decisions or problem solving based on what’s easiest or fastest, you become a stronger leader. “Often leaders assume that as long as they have ideas, a vision, and a sense of purpose, that will be enough to lead the way forward,” says David Grossman, CEO of Grossman Group. “If only it were that easy. In truth, good leaders know the importance of planning and clearly spelling out the path ahead.”
Find the best brainstorming style for you and use that to flesh out ideas fully and effectively. A simple pros and cons list may be all you need to shake out the best solutions.
Communicate
Be better: Be authoritative and flexible.
Being a leader requires great communication skills, which can be challenging for some millennials. “The real reason millennial leaders struggle to communicate doesn’t lie in their ability to have reasoned, productive exchanges with other people,” explains Kimberly Fries, a millennial communication and leadership coach. “Instead, it lies in their circumstance, the very style of their leadership, and their personality.”
She breaks it down further, explaining that this struggle with communication comes down to three things:
Their disposition to be diplomatic and non-confrontational
Differences in generational preferences with communication
A credibility problem
To combat these innate issues, focus on communicating clearly and effectively while embracing the strengths of your employees and maintaining your authority. Be flexible and willing to adapt communication skills as employees need, especially when working with a mixed generational team. For example, some employees will do better with emails and chat, while others need more in-person time; adjust for both to be a better millennial leader.
Be Authentic
Be better: Listen attentively.
In a world filled with social media, where we’re surrounded by the perception of who someone is, it’s easy to be inauthentic. Especially in a role of authority, where you want to command the respect that a leadership role commands. Yet, authenticity is critical in business.
When you’re hyper-focused on the image you’re portraying to others, it’s hard to build true and lasting relationships that you need to be successful in business—relationships with mentors, financial advisors, and most importantly, with employees:
“Authenticity—both in business and in networking—is important for establishing reciprocal relationships with others,” says Ted Rollins, entrepreneur and founder of Valeo Groupe. “Long-term, rewarding professional partnerships don’t begin with a selfish attitude.”
When you listen and remain authentic in both your decision-making and interactions with others, you’ll be better at driving the ship.
Start Leading
Keep these ideas in mind as you grow into your role and take steps in your career. Authenticity, effectiveness, communication, and confidence are all critical for all high-level roles—both getting and keeping them. When you work toward becoming a better leader, you boost both your career and your position within your current role.
About the Author: Jessica Thiefels has been writing for more than 10 years and is currently a full-time writer, content marketing consultant, and business owner. She’s been featured in Forbes and Business Insider and has written for Manta, StartupNation, Glassdoor, Lifehack, and more. Follow her on Twitter @Jlsander07 and connect on LinkedIn.
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This story was published on August 29, 2017, and has since been updated.
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There's a Better Way to Say "No" to People
It’s important to create boundaries out of respect for yourself, your time, and your energy—we truly can’t do it all.
Photo credit: Smith House Photography
You have three outstanding assignments sitting on your desk, your phone is lighting up with texts from your friend reminding you that you’re scheduled to have a check-in call, and then your boss Slacks you to ask if you can work late to help out on seven other tasks that need finishing.
Before you can stop yourself, “Uh, sure! I mean, of course,” tumbles out of your mouth. You know full well that you're unable to handle another thing, but there’s just something about saying “no” that’s almost impossible to do. Here’s how to say “no” in a way that’s beneficial to you and your boss.
Have “No” Fear?
If the above situation sounds familiar, it's not surprising—many of us are afraid to say no. Psychology Today offers two main reasons why: We fear conflict and we don’t like to disappoint others. Because of this, we often say yes even if taking on something else isn’t in our best interest. We want to make others feel better—but we sacrifice our own feelings and time in return.
For many, saying no can feel... harsh. But learning to turn down a request is a crucial skill to master. It’s important to create boundaries out of respect for yourself, your time, and your energy—we truly can’t do it all.
So, how do we get better at saying “no?” The answer involves swapping that word for something else entirely. Let us introduce you to your new magic words: “I don’t.”
The Power of “I Don’t”
When we're skittish around the word “no,” we often try to decline requests with an “I can’t”—but “I don’t” is actually the best phrase to use. The reason is this: “I can’t” implies that you want to do something but an external factor is stopping you from doing it. It suggests you could do that task—and it leaves room for people to push back. For example: Saying “I can’t go to the party tonight” leaves lots of room for someone to respond with a “Why not?”
“Saying ‘I don’t’ turns a rejection into an affirmation of how you live your life.”
“I don’t,” on the other hand, reclaims your authority over your actions. When you say that you don’t do something, it's an iron-clad refusal—you as a human don’t do what's being asked of you, and you don’t do it for your own sake. “I don’t go to parties on weeknights” is much more impactful than “I can’t go tonight.” The phrase turns a rejection into an affirmation of how you live your life, making it powerful and something you own.
Another example: If you have a coworker asking you to step in on the office party planning committee—but you already have the responsibility of organizing the company’s retreat plus 10 outstanding work assignments—you can reply with a simple, “Although I wish I could help further, I don’t take on other projects when I’m behind on my existing assignments.” That statement is a lot harder to argue with than, “I can’t do that right now,” and it’s more thoughtful than a plain “no.”
How to Use “I Don’t” to Motivate Yourself
“I don’t” is also a powerful tool you can use when working towards your goals. If you incorporate it into your self-talk, it can increase your willpower.
When researchers at Boston College and The University of Houston conducted a small study looking into the use of “I don’t” and “I can’t,” they found that participants who said “I don’t skip exercise” rather than “I can’t skip exercise” ended up working out more often than the “I can’t” group. “Using the word ‘don’t’ serves as a self-affirmation of one’s personal willpower and control ... leading to a favorable influence on feelings of empowerment, as well as on actual behavior," the researchers wrote.
Take Control of “No”
Bottom line: “I don’t” puts the ball back in your court. It gives you authority over your no and leads to a powerful but respectful decline—or, an empowering motivational phrase.
It’s a lesson in framing, and it’s an easy way to turn dreaded “no”s into something empowering. Give it a try next time you need to say no but feel yourself about to say yes.
Article by Anna Meyer. There's a Better Way to Say “No” originally appeared on Shine, a free daily text to help you thrive.
About Shine: Shine is a free daily text message experience that makes it easier to live a more intentional life. Each weekday morning, Shine sends curated content and actionable tips across confidence, daily happiness, mental health and productivity. Why? Because we all need a little help to get through the day—and Shine’s got your back. To sign up, text “SHINE” to 759-85 or go to www.shinetext.com to learn more.
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This post was originally published on December 26, 2017, and has since been updated.
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The CC Team Asks: How Do I Make My First Investment?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Written by: Camilla Marcus, Co-Founder of TechTable and Partner of Pound for Pound Consulting
The start of a new year is often when we take stock of our lives, think about new opportunities we can pursue that will enrich our day-to-day, and look for ways we can give back. Investing is an incredibly rewarding experience, and a smart way to accomplish both of those goals. By investing, not only do you get to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams (and maybe change the world) but you’ll often see worthwhile returns yourself.
Yet I constantly hear reasons why people don’t invest. I get it, investing can seem daunting. But getting started is often the hardest part. As a female investor, I especially want to encourage other women to leverage whatever success they have to pay it forward and support female-led startups. So, if you’re interested to kick off your investment portfolio, here are six tips for how to make an investment and ensure your first steps as an investor are less intimidating.
START WITH WHO YOU KNOW
For the first few investments you make, it can be helpful to invest in a friend’s company or alongside another friend with experience. If you’re investing in the venture of a friend, ideally you already know their work ethic and if they are a fit for the idea, so you can have faith they will put your hard-earned money to good use and (hopefully) yield a solid return. Additionally, investing alongside people you know—a business savvy friend or a colleague in your network whom you trust and respect—is a helpful way to learn the ropes and can often lead to more opportunities in the future.
ONLY INVEST WHAT YOU CAN STAND TO LOSE
This sounds self-explanatory, but it’s still worth saying (and reminding yourself over and over): “Don’t bet the house.” As a general rule, your total portfolio shouldn’t be more than 10% of your income or net worth, so don’t invest what you need, such as rent.
"Your total portfolio shouldn’t be more than 10% of your income or net worth."
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Sometimes even the best sounding deals don’t go anywhere, and you may never see a return on some investments, especially in the early or seed stages. Before signing on the dotted line, ask yourself, “If I lost this, would I be okay?”
DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT
A common misconception is that because you might not have a large amount of capital to work with, you can’t or shouldn’t invest. “I don’t have a lot of money” isn’t a good reason not to invest at all. You may not have unlimited funds, but you likely have a unique skill set or valuable network. Perhaps you’re a marketing savant or a talented writer or work for an exciting company, and you can be a strategic asset to the venture in other ways, even if you can’t cut a big check. You won’t know until you show interest and ask the founder—nothing ventured, nothing gained. Another option is to create an informal syndicate with other friends interested in investing, pooling together what you each have to spend in order to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW
In the beginning, it’s easier to learn to swim in familiar waters, so invest in products, companies, or industries that you’re passionate about and have at least some level of expertise in. No matter how appealing or attractive an opportunity appears, it’s important to be able to have a pulse on that specific market and the competitive landscape so you can properly evaluate the business with context. I personally prefer to be a more hands-on, strategic partner rather than a passive capital provider, so I find it most valuable to invest in products that I would use or in businesses where my specific background and experience can be useful to the founders. There are a lot of resources out there for beginners, such as Joanne Wilson’s blog Gotham Gal and Charlie O’Donnell’s #newtovc, which hosts monthly classes and workshops for people new to the investing community. And if there’s any part of the process that you don’t understand, it’s important to be thoughtful and humble about asking for help.
“'I don’t have a lot of money' isn’t a good reason not to invest."
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HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
Along the same lines, you have to be truthful with yourself about what kind of investor you are and want to be. Are you willing to invest long term? Do you need cash flow right away? What is the maximum check size you’re willing to contribute? Do you have any other special requirements or restrictions? Deciding what your investor profile is will help attract the right kind of opportunities, guide you through the evaluation process, and help you filter through deals more efficiently.
PASS IS NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD
Be realistic about what opportunities are a good fit and be confident to know that not every company or investment is right for you. Sometimes people who’ve never invested before begin to feel obligated to complete a transaction during due diligence because they feel they’ve put too much time and energy into the investment already. Even if you’ve taken a few meetings with an entrepreneur and you’ve seen their term sheet, it’s okay to pass at any point before signing final documents as long as you do it politely and while maintaining an earnest and thoughtful reputation (this world is small, after all).
BONUS—HAVE FUN WITH IT
Finally, investing should be something you enjoy and have a passion for. It’s okay if you find out it’s not a great fit for you, but if you’re going to be investing your hard-earned (and post-tax) money, you should definitely embrace the adventure. Remember to live by the golden rule: don’t invest just to invest.
Camilla Marcus is the co-founder of TechTable, a hospitality technology thought leadership platform, an active angel investor, and a partner of Pound for Pound Consulting. She brings a broad base of experience across business development, hospitality ideation, culinary operations, and real estate. She received a JD/MBA from New York University, an AA from the International Culinary Center, and a BS from The Wharton School. She is also a mentor in residence for TechStars New York and a board member for Wellness in the Schools in New York City.
This post was originally published on December 11, 2017, and has since been updated.
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How 10 People Stay Successful at Success
We get by with a little help from our friends.
If you find yourself getting easily overwhelmed by emails, struggling to keep your eyes open at your desk, or constantly getting distracted by coworkers, chances are, your productivity level isn’t what it could be.
The secret to working more efficiently isn’t about working more or less, but smarter. Here, 12 successful people share how to do just that, compliments of their productivity hacks. Get ready to get focused:
1. Visualize
“I always envision myself crushing it at my job, working with pristine integrity and keeping a gold standard. I have always envisioned myself being the go-to girl, the leader in my space, the golden girl in the Wellness space. Make an effort to pinpoint your success, and focus on YOU leading the pack. Clear the noise, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Focus on yourself, your work and keep the focus on doing your very best, nothing less.” —Candice Kumai, bestselling author of Clean Green Eats & Clean Green Drinks
2. Unplug
“I can’t begin to stress how important it was to limit digital distractions during my workday. The best thing I’ve ever done to improve my productivity was to check my inbox only three times a day. This allows me to really concentrate on whatever task I have at hand. Before I started doing this, I would constantly get interrupted and it would take me a while to get back to really focusing on what I was working on, which was a killer for my productivity. Sometimes I’ll catch myself cheating by checking my iPhone inbox, but putting it on silent helps stop the temptation!” —Jude Al-Khalil, founder and CEO of BIKYNI
3. Catch those ZZZs
“My #1 productivity hack is getting 7 hours of sleep each night. I turn off the TV and put away all my devices so I can clear my brain and sleep well! To have an energy-full day, I prioritize getting a good night’s sleep so I wake up rested and ready to go face the day’s challenges. I also really appreciate the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute’s principles that lead to being your personal best at work and at home: be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aware to achieve your mission.”—Janis Smith-Gomez, vice president, marketing for Ethicon, Inc.
4. Distance yourself
“Close the office door. I have an open door policy all the time. My office is open to every one of the 110 people who work for me. In fact, it’s unusual not to find at least one of my employees paying me a visit. However, when the rubber meets the road and I have to concentrate and get something done quickly, my office door gets closed. It has become a sign to everyone that when it’s closed, I am full steam on a project so I generally don’t get interrupted. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in an uninterrupted hour—or even a half hour.” —Linda Lightman, CEO and founder of Linda’s Stuff
5. Plan, organize, do
“I have a three-step mantra when it comes to being productive:
Plan it. I plan each day the night before and add them as actual tasks in my calendar. This gives you the creative space to do the work you need to do in the time required and ensures that you are realistic about what can be achieved. I prioritize the most important tasks and always allow time for inspiration and play—being creative means you need time to be inspired, read an article, blog or just be on the pulse of what’s happening.
Organize it. I try to keep to Inbox Zero. I rule the mail, it does not rule me. I check it only three times—morning, afternoon and at the end of the day. Being ruthless with emails means spending more time on the next step and less on organizing and sifting through endless emails. Honestly, if it’s really important, experience has taught me they either come and get you or pick up the phone.
Do it. I get focused. I’m not distracted, I don’t check my email and I get in the zone to complete the tasks for the day. I often have post-it notes with each task on my desk and physically tick them off once a task is done. There is great satisfaction in actually completing something. Visually seeing these is also a great way to remain focused.” —Resh Sidhu, creative director of Framestore’s VR Studio
6. Check-In times
“Email is both a blessing and a curse—a curse in that it often becomes a seemingly endless task. Each day, I set a time to check my email and address as much as I can. But I always set an end time, and stick to it. Of course, email is a blessing in that it keeps me on track. And I sort my inbox by subject, to be as efficient as possible (though I try to keep this trick a secret!).” —Julie Lee, managing director, Maxus Chicago
7. Google Hangouts
“While this may seem counter-intuitive as a productivity hack, I’m in a creative business so talking through ideas needs the nuance of conversation and ideally seeing each other’s face. Hangouts helps our teams get together and have meaningful discussions rather than spinning in the nuance of how we phrased something in an email. ‘ —Jane Delworth, managing director at mono
8. and 9. Meditation
“Headspace—20 minutes meditation a day every day makes all the difference to my productivity.” —Charlotte Smith, partner at Liberty Blue
“Even if it’s just 10 to 15 minutes a day. It centers me, keeps me focused on what matters right now, and helps me to stay calm under stress—which ultimately makes me more productive. Walking meditation is my favorite type of meditation.” —Justine Bloome, EVP, strategy and innovation at Carat USA
10. Podcasts
“My favorite podcast is Ted Radio Hour. I love the diversity of interviews and content matter, which always expands my thinking in new and surprising ways.” —Olivia Fay, CEO and creative director of Rallier
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The 10 Best Quotes from #CreateCultivateLA
Hello #MondayMotivation.
We're not your typical conference.
We have magical shit that happens. From keynote Kim Kardashian dishing her best career advice to our audience (she's not into lazy) to Chrissy Teigen real talking going back to work with postpartum depression, we're sharing some of our favorite mic drop moments from the day.
Chrissy Teigen: It’s important to do something you love on a daily basis.”
Kim Kardashian: “Show up. Do the work. Don’t be lazy. There’s no short cut.”
Aimee Song: "You should find joy in just creating and posting content, not the numbers. If you don't, then you should do something else."
Kim Kardashian: “You have to have your shit together mentally, to put out great product.”
Lauren Conrad: “Whatever you do, you’re going to have tough days. So make sure you have as many great days as you can.”
Nina Dobrev: "I stop following people if it looks like they're just posting because they're getting paid to do something."
Traci Inglis of ShoeDazzle & JustFabOnline: “Being a business owner is a status, being an entrepreneur is an attitude.”
Anine Bing: “If you surround yourself with great people then you can achieve higher goals.”
Kimmie Greene of Quickbooks: “What comes easy to you is still a gift. Don’t feel bad when you charge what you're worth.”
Jen Gotch of Bando: “Take connection over transaction.”
Have favorites from the day that you want to share? Comment below!
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You Should Def Think Twice Before Doing This On Social Media
Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
It’s estimated that 81% of Americans are on social media, (up 5% from last year) so it’s more than likely that you’ll come across professional contacts on various social media platforms. While it might be second nature to connect with those in your professional network, it’s important to think twice before adding a professional contact on social media and make a conscious decision about whether or not connecting is the right move. There are a few extremely important things to consider first.
Nothing is private
One of the reasons why you should think twice before adding a professional contact on a social platform is because nothing is private. This goes for anything you put on the internet, but it becomes even more important when you’re dealing with your career. Regardless of privacy settings, it’s important to remember that everything you put out there can be seen by those in your network.
The first thing that comes to mind may be party pictures, but it’s important to think about the other factors of social media that others see. Are you posting pictures of a relaxing mental health day? Or did one of your friends post a funny meme that your boss might not like? Just remember that when you connect with someone on social media, you are giving them a window into your personal life. If you’re someone that likes to keep your work life separate from your private life, it’s best not to connect with professional contacts on social media.
You’re putting yourself in the line of judgement
It’s human nature to judge others, but when you add a professional contact on social media, you’re opening yourself up to a new line of judgement. Think about it this way: If someone sends you an email and you don’t respond, but you’re actively posting on social media, it sends the message that you don’t care enough to respond to your professional contact, or that you are spending more time on social media than handling your professional obligations.
This can negatively affect you and cause others to judge your work ethic and level of respect. Similarly, if you’re sneakily (or not so sneakily) on social media at work, others will be able to see it. Depending on the office culture and social media rules, this may or may not be allowed, so you’ll want to make sure that you consider this when you’re posting.
If you’re someone who often posts social updates and pictures, you might want to think twice before adding a professional contact on a social platform so it doesn’t affect your reputation at work. If you are going to make a social post, be conscious of who will see it and what they will think.
Sometimes it’s best to keep your work and personal life separate
An industry-wide study of over 2,500 people found that 55% of workers would take less pay to have more fun at work. With that in mind, fun at work is still different than fun outside of work, and it’s important to note the difference. Regardless of your company culture or how relaxed your office is, it’s still important to remember that work is work, and you need to uphold your professionalism.
Remember that you can’t un-see something. If someone sees a picture of you hanging out at the beach in a bathing suit, they will remember that at the office. If you’re comfortable with your office contacts seeing you in that setting, there’s no problem, but it just depends on what you’re comfortable with. It’s a very personal decision that only you can make.
This goes back to the judgement issue, but one of the reasons why you should think twice before adding a professional contact on a social platform is because you don’t want your personal life, outside hobbies, or personal opinions to have an impact on your work. In a perfect world these issues would not affect one another, but it’s human nature to take everything into consideration. With that said, it would be a shame if a personal opinion or weekend activity affected how someone viewed your work or your professional reputation.
_______________
In a society where we’re all connected and plugged into various social platforms, it’s important to think twice before adding a professional contact on social media. Ultimately it comes down to what you’re comfortable with and what you want to share with others. Social platforms are a window into our personal lives, so when you’re considering adding a professional contact, consider if your personal life outside of the office is something you’re willing to share, or if it’s something that you want to keep private.
A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your resume, style, and boost your confidence.