MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors

Four takeaways:

Accepting that you are not perfect– and that no one else is either– is key to opening yourself to the possibility of improving yourself and your life.

Research shows that humans have a tendency to overrate their own qualities and abilities in relation to others. We tend to think we’re better drivers than most everyone else, for instance. This is called “Self-enhancement bias,” and while it can make us feel secure in our abilities/traits– it is not a path to longterm growth or happiness.

For instance, a Journal of Personality and Social Psychology study showed that when college students held an inflated view of their own academic ability, it enhanced their mood and positive affect—that is, they enjoyed happier feelings. But the illusion of superiority did not translate into better academic performance overall.

We face a dilemma: while we aim to uplift ourselves and others, self-enhancement offers only a fleeting relief with potentially lasting negative effects. Here are four healthier and more accurate things to tell ourselves and others:

1. You’re not perfect, but you’re normal: Imperfection is normal, and admitting it to yourself is healthy. If you never felt sad or inadequate, that would be pretty good evidence that something is wrong with you.
2. Accept yourself: Treat yourself with compassion; acknowledge your shortcomings without judgement. This makes them easier to start improving upon.
3. Work to improve: To acknowledge that “I am flawed in this way right now” is not to say “I will always have this flaw.” Self-acceptance is the basis of the pursuit of improvement.
4. Resist blaming others: Research shows that people with poor emotional self-regulation often blame others for their shortcomings. While this delusion may temporarily alleviate negative feelings, scholars advise that taking responsibility for one’s decisions is a more effective long-term strategy for managing negative emotion.

To be truly perfect would cost you a chance to improve- and that would make for a boring, purposeless life!

From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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Takeaways:

It is easy, in the modern workplace, to get overwhelmed with emails, meetings, and constant interruptions. While we feel busier than ever, these constant demands on our attention can lead to mental and physical exhaustion with little sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. The paradox: in an effort to do more, we end up doing less.

The solution is to “Do Less to Do More.” To actively eliminate unnecessary activity and intentionally shut out the common drains on your attention that keep you from crossing hte finish line on your most important goals. In short: “eliminate the bullsh*t” from your day to day.

Be conscious of spending time on activities that add value to oneself and others. Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote, “[M]ost of what we say and do is not essential. Eliminate it, you’ll have more time and more tranquility. Ask yourself, is this necessary.”

The advice might seem obvious, but workers often resist being unconventional or different in their approaches, not wanting to ruffle feathers by being unresponsive or uncooperative. However, if you follow what everyone else does, you’ll only achieve the same results.

For better outcomes, it is crucial to adopt more efficient and effective approaches– even if your new methods are unconventional.

From the Farnam Street Blog
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Five takeaways:

A company’s leadership builds its culture, and the most effective leaders consciously model the values of their organizations through their actions and relationships with their teams. These five habits are worth cultivating and sharpening to make sure your leadership fosters the best possible atmosphere & action within the groups you lead.

1. Lead with Empathy: Support your employees by being an active listener and then giving them diligent updates as to how you are taking their thoughts on workplace experience and progress into account. Be present with them, with 1-1 Zooms or in person meetings, and in all interactions show them that you take their concerns & thoughts seriously.
2. Embrace Change: The best leaders are not content with standing still. Leaders who invest in adopting new technology set themselves apart as forward-thinking, making it easier to attract and retain great talent. Get employees involved in the change, by encouraging them to experiment and report on experiences with customers or tools.
3. Act as a Mentor: Effective leaders mentor their team, and actively support their growth. Identify skills your team needs to develop, and actively provide support or resources for cultivating those skills. Active mentorship can help you identify talent that is ripe for promotion.
4. Welcome Different Views: Consensus can be a dangerous thing; the happiest employees feel comfortable speaking up when they have an issue. A good leader fosters open communication, and does not take criticism personally. They seek out second opinions among their employees.
5. Encourage age-diverse hires: Right now there are four generations prevalent in American workplaces; each of them bring distinct & innate strengths. 89% of talent professionals surveyed say that a multigenerational workforce makes a company more successful. Make sure that employees from different generations interact and learn from each other.

From Linkedin’s Official Talent/Development Blog
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Four takeaways:

Pressured situations and crises can arise very suddenly- but they don’t have to lead to disorganized or stress-induced reactions. Here are some quick tips for building that ever-elusive, but universally-admired quality: grace under pressure.

1. Preparation: A lack of preparation is not only impossible to conceal, but it also causes scattered, tentative actions. Do your homework, and arrive to each situation with as much background knowledge & understanding as you can..
2. Visualize: high-level athletes are known to visualize successful play. You too can visualize various scenarios, which can give you a sense of having “rehearsed” or considered all courses of action when actual challenges arise.
3. Create contingency plans: Anticipating potential questions, roadblocks, or other negative outcomes can strengthen your sense of control, lowering the risk of feeling flustered or losing composure when things do indeed go wrong (and they often do, as we know!). Taking the time to consider all possible missteps or unplanned interruptions can increase your confidence.
4. Learn from mistakes and close calls: Use errors and frustrations as learning moments. This will increase your sense of “having been there before” the next time a stressful or unexpected crisis arises. This is part of the reason why there is no substitute for experience in the workplace: with experience comes the adaptive learning that comes with making mistakes.

In most cases, the stressful situations that arise in life do not require the heroism of a first responder. But that doesn’t negate the way that they can test our mettle. Hopefully these tips will help you impress those around you with your calm and clarity the next time a highly pressured situation rears its ugly head.

By Perspectives
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