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The Generosity Power Move That Can Boost Your Career

Thee takeaways:

Connecting two people in the professional world not only benefits those being introduced to each other, but can also bring long-term advantages to the connector.
When we become a “hub” for our networks, we are able to broker new relationships that give us new levels of trust– and put us in positions to be looked at as someone who solves complex problems. We are looked at as a short-cut- and people love shortcuts.

The trick here is to operate with a “pay it forward” mentality first. Seek out opportunities to help others; to connect them to others in your network. Former Workday Head of Talent Greg Pryor ends most calls by saying “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

This helps you harness the power of reciprocity. When you need new connections, you’ll have a network of people you’ve previously helped who will be more than willing to offer their time and energy to support you.

Here are some tips to being a great connector:

The Email Formula: Perfect your email introductions to create a sense of opportunity and excitement. One expert suggest writing two paragraphs—one for each person– He describes what they do, why he thought of them, and how they’re perfect to connect on this particular thing. And he always puts the person who stands to gain more from the interaction last, queuing them up to initiate contact, which he always urges them to do relatively quickly.

“Worst Intro Ever”: A poorly executed introduction can not only doom a connection before it even begins– it can result in a hugely negative feeling between everyone involved and hamper existing relationships. Be clear, concise, and directly to the point when it comes to making a possible connection.

Bon Appétit: To make connections less awkward, add food. To enhance your reputation as a connector, you can invite possible connections for drinks or food. One of the article’s sources likes to connect like-minded people by throwing small events, crafting guest lists by thinking about common hobbies, hometowns and the ratio of introverts to extroverts.

By becoming a “connection hub” for others, you’ll always have the resources and support you need when facing a professional challenge.

From Rachel Feintzeig at The Wall Street Journal:

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Note: At the time of this posting The Wall Street Journal requires a subscription to read this article.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

3 Brain Hacks For When You Can’t Focus at Work

Three takeaways:

As scientific knowledge of the brain improves, so does our understanding of both productivity and wellbeing– and how they are related.

Distractions are impossible to completely evade, but using the three hacks below, we can minimize the wandering of our minds and stay focused- without feeling like we are bowing to unceasing pressure to perform.

Brain hack #1: Unfocus– Though it may be counterintuitive, the worst thing you can do when you detect that you’re feeling unproductive is to will yourself to work through it. In fact, a recent University of Sydney study shows that a short five-minute break from thinking is all we need to get our concentration back.Importantly, this does not mean: “take a break by scrolling on your phone.” No: you have to rest your brain. Rather than taking a break by jumping from app to app, meditate, take a walk, stand up and stretch, or do a task around the house in order to give yourself a restorative mental break.

Brain Hack #2: Go with the (neurochemical) flow– If you struggle to focus at work, it’s critical to understand the circadian rhythm, which governs our sleep patterns. Our melatonin spikes in the brain at night and at midday. The former helps us sleep at night, the latter causes that familiar afternoon grogginess. It is too common to push ourselves to overcome this natural low-energy period, but that can lead to burnout and added stress. Allow yourself a break during this midday down period. Your productivity will return after a break.

Brain Hack #3: Task Buckets – write a list of all of your tasks, and sort them into “easy” and “challenging” buckets. On low-energy or “unproductive” days, start with tasks from the “easy” bucket to build a sense of accomplishment, and to counter the feeling of needing to “earn” a break. This approach often shifts focus and motivation, making it easier to tackle “challenging” tasks afterwards.

Curt Steinhorst, author of Can I Have Your Attention?, wisely observed, “Distraction is actually just confusion about what matters.” Productivity and wellness are closely intertwined. We should never let the pursuit of productivity come at the expense of our well-being, because in the long run, that’s what matters most.

From Leah Borski at Entrepreneur:
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This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

What 570 Experts Predict the Future of Work Will Look Like

Takeaways:

This article’s three writers conducted a survey of 485 of articles related to the future of work. Based on questions & conclusions formed from the survey of those articles, they then polled 570 experts from tech, economics, and writing/journalism about their views of the future. Specifically, they asked these experts to name the year that specific projections would finally become reality.

Here are their findings:

Further polling leads to a conversation about how three distinct groups (tech entrepreneurs, economists, and authors/journalists) relate to each other as they predict the future.

Tech entrepreneurs tended to be radical optimists about the future, while economists were more skeptical & cautious. Authors and journalists held more pessimistic attitudes. Importantly, these three groups were unshakably convinced that their predictions about the future of work were right and that the others were wrong — and even preposterous.

Why There Are Differences in Beliefs About the Future of Work: Groups tend to take in information from shared or similar sources, which insulates it from other perspectives. Being open to other group’s perspectives is important; embracing uncertainty and competing scenarios is in fact essential to long-term strategic planning.

The Future Is What We Make It: The article’s writers believe their study shows that the future is not yet set in stone, and that it is impossible to determine who is right about the future of work. The question is not, “What will the future of work be like?” but rather, “What do we want the future to be like?” This reframes the future-of-work question as an arena for values, politics, ideology, and imagination, instead of a set of trends that can objectively be predicted.

The article ends on a resonant note: it is important to be attentive to and active in discussion about the future of work. This ensures that the future of work will unfold within a social and democratic dialogue. Remember: the future is what we make it.

By Nicky Dries, Joost Luyckx, and Philip Rogiers for The Harvard Business Review
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Note: At the time of this posting Harvard Business Review offers two free article views per month. Four if you register for a free account.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

5 Questions You Should Ask Yourself About Your Job Right Now

Five takeaways:

The desire to make a change can be a general one. Assessing the specifics of what you want to change in a profressional situation will help you take the most useful, beneficial action. The five questions below are designed by career development experts to help with this assessment:

“What do I want more or less of this year?” – creating a list of the things you no longer want to do in a new role, as well as the things you want to do more of, will help you refine your search for a new role. It will also provide a framework for conversations with your superiors about a role restructure, should you decide to try to evolve in your current position.

“How can I increase my visibility at work?”– people hire people, people promote people, people amplify people. Visibility to the right people creates a “career insurance plan” – a strong network that provides a safety net should a career change become necessary or disruption arise.

“What’s my one big win this year that will it a year to smile about?” – Look one year ahead, and imagine you’re still in your current role. This helps people clarify which commitments they need to make to themselves; the people they need to be and the mindset they need to have. The resulting action will certainly lead to positive career development.

“What’s my reputation at work?” – Those who get promoted or hired into good positions are known to be collaborative, strategic and analytical. You must think about how adequately aligned your reputation is with those adjectives in your current surroundings to know to best move forward.

“What fills my cup?” – make a conscious effort to have your work align with what nourishes, thrills, and restores you. Does being successful mean making a lot of money, or does it mean making impactful change? Is it somewhere in the middle? Knowing what fills your cup allows you to set yourself up for a year of wins– or refine your search for your next job.

By accounting for these questions honestly, you will put yourself in the best possible position to either grow in your current role, or take productive action towards your next one.

From Monica Torres for The Huffington Post
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This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

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