Interpersonal skills are often essential to success in your job. Unfortunately, one of the most difficult personalities to work with is someone who thinks they're the smartest. When you work with someone who fails to give others space when sharing ideas, you can still find ways to work with them successfully.

Collaborating with a difficult person

People may behave arrogantly not because they are confident but because they feel insecure. They may be trying to prove themselves. Instead of trying to put them in their place, you may be able to dissipate their arrogance by validating their contribution. When they raise a point, build on it or use it to develop the discussion. Ask them questions and seek their opinion.

Consider motivations

Sometimes, someone intent on proving they're super smart can make you question your own expertise. You need to feel good about your own contribution to work confidently with others. Remind yourself of all you can bring to your position and embrace your talents. This can help to keep you from falling into the comparison trap.

Maintain your confidence

An egocentric person is often loud and abrasive, and you may find it challenging to get your point across. You can be direct and constructive: 'Before we close on this, let's find out what others think." Your team will benefit from the diverse opinions. However, the best balance is where everyone has an opportunity to express their perspective freely.

Stand your ground

If you have tried what you could, but your colleague is still lacking self-awareness, try to direct your thoughts and attention toward something else. If you fixate on this person, your anxiety might grow. Instead, keep your distance as much as you can. Try to continue with a thoughtful and respectful manner towards your coworker. Regardless of the people you interact with, take the opportunity to learn and find ways to improve.

Let it go

Working alongside the so-called smartest person in the room can be difficult but not impossible.


career

Career

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

communication

Communication

teamwork

Teamwork

4 tips for working with a colleague who lacks self-awareness

Researchers interviewed successful and effective people to discover how they learned to become successful. They found that: <ul><li>70% of their learning was from the experiences they had.</li><li>20% was from other people.</li><li>10% was from books and courses.</li></ul> We often go through experiences mindlessly. We move from one place to another and don't remember how we got there. We interact mindlessly with other people. However, we can only learn from our experiences if we are present in them.

The 70/20/10 tactic

The growth mindset, or learning mindset, is the idea that you want to come to this experience open to learning instead of clenched-jawed and with a performance mindset. You still want to perform but also learn from others about yourself.

The mindset you bring to experience

<ol><li>Work on your mindset. You won't learn if you try to prove how great you are or prevent people from thinking you're weak.</li><li>Set an intention for how you want to grow. Experiences are random. If you know which area you need to grow, such as being a better listener or more open, you will likely pay more attention to that dimension.</li><li>Consider how you will achieve your intention to grow in a specific area.</li><li>Ask for feedback.</li><li>Emotion regulation. Extreme emotions get in the way of learning. Try to keep them in check.</li><li>Reflection. During and after an experience, think about what you've learned.</li></ol>

Practices of a growth mindset

Experiences that help people learn the most are: <ul><li>Highly visible experiences because they're more challenging.</li><li>Experiences where there's a lot at stake.</li><li>Experiences where you're crossing boundaries. For example, a marketing person works with someone in operations.</li><li>Experiences that cross cultural divides, such as working with someone from a different country, race, gender, or other difference.</li></ul> Experiences are only useful if you have a way of capitalizing on the learning, which involves using the six practices of a growth mindset.

Opportunities to challenge yourself

People returning to the office will want a certain kind of leadership. So it comes down to three things: <ul><li>Confidence, because they are scared and want to know that someone is confident that we'll get through this.</li><li>Competence, so that they can be confident in you.</li><li>Compassion, because they want people that are compassionate about what they're going through.</li></ul>

Types of leaders we need to be

artificialintelligence

Artificial Intelligence

The 70/20/10 Rule For Growing in Your Job

Insanity us doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Before presenting an idea at a meeting or sending an email to your colleague, come up with 3 reasons your idea is bad. Challenge yourself to find the flaws in your own thinking, and then adjust the way you've presented your idea to overcome the weaknesses in your argument.

Come Up With 3 Reasons You're Wrong

Too often we allow "accepted" ways of doing things to infiltrate the way we see the world. We create limiting beliefs for ourselves based on what we think others think of us.
For example, we might decide that we aren't ready to start speaking out in meetings because we are too young / others our age don't ever speak in meetings.
Instead, challenge those limiting beliefs with contrary evidence. 
For example, the last time you spoke out at a meeting, your boss liked your idea. Plus, you're a better speaker than the others. And finally, you genuinely believe your idea is worth sharing.

Find 3 Pieces of Contrary Evidence When You Experience Self-Doubt

We are very often presented with a problem, which we immediately try to solve.
It could be a problem we think we have (e.g. we don't have enough money to go on a nice holiday), or it could be a problem our colleague asks us to help solve at work.
Either way, far too often people waste time trying to solve problems at a superficial level. We don't first seek to understand WHY the problem is a problem at all, or whether there is a more fundamental problem we should be trying to solve. 
So, when presented with a problem, ask "Why?" five times - this helps you identify what is REALLY at stake.

Ask The 5 Whys

Other ways of thinking open us up to new ways of approaching problems we may otherwise struggle to solve. 
Watch YouTube videos or listen to podcasts where you expose yourself to the views of others. AND most importantly, watch / listen with an open mind and allow your views to be challenged.

Study another philosophy, language, religion or industry

Speaking to a friend or family member who doesn't work in the same field as you / know anything about your problem is a great way to think about things differently.
First, you'll have to explain the problem in a very simple and easy-to-understand way, which may help give you some mental clarity / identify where your own understanding is poor. 
Second, their fresh perspective may open your mind to a whole new way of approaching the issue.

Ask someone with no idea

I think we all want to excel in whatever we are doing, and the secret to that is doing things BETTER than others. So, how can we think outside the box, break away from the crowd and start crushing whatever we are doing?

productivity

Productivity

How To Think Outside The Box

Sometimes giving up can be the best thing you can ever do for yourself — sometimes quitting is exactly what you should do.

The reason

Have you ever found yourself working so hard on something without knowing exactly why?

1. Why Am I doing this?

Am I solving a problem by doing what I’m doing? Is what I’m doing helping me? Is it working for me?

2. Is it working for me?


Is what I’m doing really worth it?Is all this sweat and blood worth the end result? Is it worth the sacrifice or is there a chance I might be hurting myself ultimately?

3. Is it really worth it?


Whenever you’re working on something, ask yourself this: “Is there an easier way to do this?”

4. Is there an easier way?


Am I prioritizing effectively? Am I doing what’s best for me from all points of view? Or at least from all the views that I can see at the moment?

5. What could I be doing instead?

There is value in changing your mind.

Quitting is actually productive


"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself because you’re the easiest person to fool.”

You can’t get that time back and the worst thing you can do now is waste even more time.

Takeaway

Not many of us like the idea of quitting. It seems like something we should all be ashamed of. It slams a big ‘loser tag’ on our foreheads — “If you’re a quitter, you’re a loser.” Giving up passes a…

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

education

Learning & Education

Here’s Why You Should Give Up On Your Dreams

<ul><li class="ql-align-center">This is the thing about resistance: If you’re doing what you think you should be doing rather than what you want to do with your whole heart, you are not persisting, you are resisting the truth about who and what you are.</li></ul>

Quit if the cost is too high, if you’re doing it because you feel you owe it to someone, or quit if you don’t love it.

It has helped me on my thought process behind a decision I'm thinking of

moneyandinvestments

Money & Investments

When To Quit – Tim Ferriss • Podcast Notes

Short and sweet, a mission statement sums up the core of who your company is and why it exists. They are typically succinct, only a sentence or two. They are inspiring and not boring.When done right, the company’s mission statement acts as a powerful driver that informs every aspect of your organization, from daily operations, to customer loyalty, to employee satisfaction.

The mission statement

A vision statement is aspirational. It outlines where your company strives to be in the future — whether that is one year from now or ten. In contrast, a mission statement spells out where your company is right now.Think of your company’s vision statement as a long-term goal post. The end point towards which you are working. If your vision statement is a goal post, then your mission statement is what drives you toward that goal post.

Mission vs Vision Statement

Better Sales: A 2020 study found that if consumers think a company has a strong purpose, they are:<ul><li>4x more likely to purchase from the company</li><li>4.5x more likely to recommend the company to family and friends</li><li>6x more likely to defend the company in the wake of public criticism</li></ul>Happier & More Productive Employees: <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/336275/things-gen-millennials-expect-workplace.aspx">According to Gallup poll</a>, Gen Z and millennials (who make up nearly half of the full-time workforce in the US) value belonging to a company with a strong moral compass.

Why have a mission Statement

Brainstorm as a team and discuss based on a few questions. Aim for a short paragraph on each question.<ul><li>Why does our company exist?</li><li>What value do our products or services bring to consumers?</li><li>What core beliefs guide our work?</li><li>What makes our company different, better, or more inspiring than our competitors?</li></ul>Once you have one (or more versions of the) mission statement run it check it against these criteria:<ul><li>Plausibility: make sure it ties back to your everyday business operations. </li><li>Readability: No corporate speak or jargon.</li><li>Voice: Use language that is active and compelling. </li></ul>

How to get to the magical Mission Statement

<ul><li>Starbucks: Inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup & one neighborhood at a time.</li><li>Microsoft: To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.</li><li>Square: Everyone should be able to participate and thrive in the economy</li><li>Pinterest: Bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love</li><li>Target: Help all families discover the joy of everyday life</li><li>Southwest Airlines: Connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable & low-cost air travel</li><li>Google: Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible & useful</li></ul>

Cool Mission Statements

Working on updating the mission statement for Deepstash. Do you have any ideas that can inspire us? 

A well-written mission statement speaks volumes about your company. Gather inspiration from mission statement examples and learn how to craft your own.

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Corporate Culture

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Product & Design

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Leadership & Management

Company Mission Statement (with Examples)

The ability to be resilient is not just a mindset thing: It is an execution thing.

Understanding resilience

Organisations that have some healthy paranoia, where they're constantly looking for threats and opportunities become resilient. Adversity can come from unforeseen market conditions or from internal conditions.  But resilient organisations plan for those things. The more engaged the workforce is, the more resilient the organisation will be to overcome adversity.

Workplace resilience

A quick take on building resilience in the workplace from Brent Gleeson – former Navy SEAL, author, and founder of TakingPoint Leadership. Get the full lesson from Brent Gleeson for your business: https://bigthink.com/plus/ How is a boardroom like a battleground? Both spaces require communication, collaboration, and a high degree of mental toughness. In an article for Forbes, Gleeson wrote that his experience in combat gave him, “a highly valuable and applicable set of tools that translated well to entrepreneurship and leadership in business.” Of course, most people aren't fighting life-or-death battles at their desks every day – but they do face unique and complex challenges. On top of their normal job responsibilities, today's workforce is grappling with an ongoing global pandemic, political polarization, the effects of climate change, and the day-to-day stressors of balancing work and home life. In such uncertain and chaotic times, why are some employees able to thrive while others are barely scraping by? The difference often lies in their capacity to quickly recover from difficulties, a skill that can be taught in the workplace through resilience training.  See the full article on building resilience, here: https://bigthink.com/articles/resilience-training/ Follow Big Think+ -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/big-think-plus -Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigthinkplus -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigthinkplus

Understand yourself and those around you.

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Psychology

videos

Videos

A quick take on building resilience in the workplace from Brent Gleeson – former Navy SEAL, author, and founder of TakingPoint Leadership.

Get the full lesson from Brent Gleeson for your business: https://bigthink.com/plus/

How is a boardroom like a battleground? Both spaces require communication, collaboration, and a high degree of mental toughness. In an article for Forbes, Gleeson wrote that his experience in combat gave him, “a highly valuable and applicable set of tools that translated well to entrepreneurship and leadership in business.”

Of course, most people aren't fighting life-or-death battles at their desks every day – but they do face unique and complex challenges. On top of their normal job responsibilities, today's workforce is grappling with an ongoing global pandemic, political polarization, the effects of climate change, and the day-to-day stressors of balancing work and home life. 
 
In such uncertain and chaotic times, why are some employees able to thrive while others are barely scraping by? The difference often lies in their capacity to quickly recover from difficulties, a skill that can be taught in the workplace through resilience training. 

See the full article on building resilience, here: https://bigthink.com/articles/resilience-training/

Follow Big Think+
-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/big-think-plus
-Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigthinkplus
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigthinkplus

With a diverse library of lessons from the world’s biggest thinkers, Big Think+ helps businesses get smarter, faster. 

From leadership with Simon Sinek to design thinking with Sara Blakely, our learning solution unlocks potential across organizations by building the capabilities that are relevant today and will continue to be relevant tomorrow. 


Big Think+

Building resilience in the workplace | Brent Gleeson

We are often told to find a job we're passionate about to sidestep a dull career. The idea is that you should pursue a passion in your career above fair compensation or job security. But passion goes further. It is loaded with the idea that you'll do whatever it takes, and this can lead to exploitation and inequality in the workplace.

Pursuing your passion

Prioritising passion is a relatively new career concept. In the 1940s and '50s, career advice centred around stability, and workers were encouraged to find positions that would support them and their families. However, self-expression as the main motivator took over during the 1970s - 90s. At the same time, industries that provided long-term, stable employment started to outsource their labour. Currently, workers don't stay at one company for long. The idea is that passion should fuel workers, not job security.

Passion hasn't always been a priority 

Steve Jobs and many of his peers famously followed their passion and pursued business ideas that were hugely successful.
However, finding success after following your passion is not guaranteed. We don't hear the stories of people who failed when they followed their passions. Research shows that wealthier families are more likely to have stable jobs in line with their passions than people from less affluent backgrounds.

When we praise passion, we reward privilege

People motivated by passion are more likely to work harder, but they may not be paid more. Sometimes, the lack of compensation is on purpose. Many employers what to hire people who are passionate because they think they'll work harder without demanding a pay increase.

Employers can take advantage of workers who work for passion

People who work in education, health care, social work, journalism and other fields that prioritise passion are known to work long hours, which can lead to burnout, resentment, and resignation. Separating your sense of dedication from the number of extra hours you put into the job can be good in the long run. When an organisation give workers more rest and control over their schedule, they'll be more productive and creative.

Pushing passion doesn't guarantee better work

Keep in mind that passion wasn't always a priority for workers. If you don't feel passionate about your job, it doesn't mean you can't perform well, nor does it mean that you can't live a happy life. Instead, ask what things excite you outside of work and how can you invest time and energy into that.

You don't have to nurture your passions through work

Passion and work often feel inextricably linked, but that's a fairly new phenomenon — and maybe it shouldn't be the expectation. Sociologist Erin A. Cech talks about why the career-passion combo favors privilege and can lead to burnout.

mindfulness

Mindfulness

It's OK to not be passionate about your job : Life Kit

<ul><li>Nearly 20 million Americans quit their jobs between April and August this year, and the trend seems to be accelerating. </li><li>Now dubbed the Great Resignation, this employment exodus stems from workers’ desire to find more fulfillment in life and work. </li><li>While quitting may benefit some, experts agree that smaller adjustments can have sanguine results, as well.</li></ul>

Key Takeaways

Americans regularly quit their jobs in the ‘60s and ‘70s, but that pace only began to slow in the ‘80s. Among a barrage of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happened-to-american-jobs-in-the-80s-2017-7">Reagan-era</a> spending cuts, deregulation, and shifting corporate culture, American workers became devalued in the economy. As their <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/07/for-most-us-workers-real-wages-have-barely-budged-for-decades/">purchasing power stymied</a>, they shackled themselves to their jobs — even <a href="https://bigthink.com/the-present/imagine-world-without-bullshit-jobs/">the BS ones</a> — for affordable healthcare and a financial safety net. The era also intensified the cultural belief that today sees quitting as a sign for losers, unloyal job hoppers, or (worse!) <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/10/90-of-millennials-will-stay-in-a-job-for-10-years-if-two-needs-met.html">millennials</a>.

The Background

A likely culprit of this mojo rejuvenation is the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Americans found their lives upended by shutdown measures. They were laid off. They became their children’s full-time teachers and part-time social outlets. Those lucky enough to keep their jobs struggled as their industries transformed amid ever-revolving kaleidoscopes of rules and mandates. All of which generated immense stress that eroded people’s well-being.

The Main Reason For The Great Resignation

Workers are now prioritizing flexibility, work-life balance, and benefits more than salary. Additional motivators are dissatisfaction, a search for safer working environments, a desire for work that aligns with skills and values, and better pay.

Reconsidering Priorities

That depends. Yes, that may be a bit of a dodge, but it’s also the only acceptable response. Such a question can’t be answered in an article or through a multiple-choice quiz. It requires a deep analysis of what makes you satisfied at work, what you need to live a fulfilling life, whether your job meets those needs, and how you want to grow your career. No one can divine whether the stars have aligned in your favour for you.

The Decision Of Joining The Great Resignation

<ul><li>What is your financial situation?</li><li>What are your family obligations?</li><li>What values should your job align with?</li><li>What job can you secure with your current resume?</li><li>Do you need further education? Reskilling?</li><li>What do you need to maintain your health and mental well-being?</li><li>How do you want to challenge yourself?</li><li>Are you looking to move up the career ladder? A lateral move to a new field?</li></ul>

Ask Yourself This Before Quitting

You can only resign if you have a choice.

They happen outside your control, and you have to decide how to respond. If the restaurant you worked at closed during the pandemic, you encountered a negative moment. If a former coworker offers you an attractive new job because of the current labour shortage, that’s an unexpected moment.

Involuntary Quitting: Negative Or Unexpected Moments

Jumps are voluntary changes. You choose to change your situation, and you do so. Those joining the Great Resignation are taking this leap.It becomes complicated when we hit a ceiling. These do-over moments aren’t barriers to your progress. When you hit a ceiling, you need to make a jump, but you are voluntarily standing still. You are the barrier.Sometimes when you’re stuck, you have to ask, “Am I blaming other people right now? Am I blaming my boss? Am I blaming the economy? Am I blaming coworkers?”

Taking The Leap: Jumps And Ceilings

The lesson from this moment in history is not that people are quitting. It’s that they’ve decided to seize the moment and work for something better. Good enough is no longer good enough. They want meaningful lives, work that is fulfilling, and the opportunity to strive for their passions. Whether that comes from a large do-over moment or a small change is irrelevant. Either way, we’ve entered the Great Affirmation.

The Great Affirmation

Millions of Americans are quitting their jobs, but even if you can’t join the Great Resignation, you can still pursue a do-over moment.

Discover the world of business and economics.

economics

Economics

The Great Resignation is here. Is now the perfect time to quit your job?

How can founders prevent their personal well-being from being swayed by the harsh winds of business that batter their company every day?
In reality, most founders who’ve watched their personal lives spiral after an awful Q3 have lived to tell the tale. And each has their own strategies to manage this situation better in the future.

The Founders: Blurring Of Personal And Professional Lives

How do you maintain your own wellbeing during challenging times for the company?Never skip my morning routine—whatever happens. Stick to your leisurely activities for a few good hours of the morning, whether it is exercise, reading, writing or even sleeping!

Maintaining Your Own Wellbeing

Having your self-worth fully tied to your business is a slippery slope. It's the same as having your self-worth tied to a relationship. If you get destroyed by it not working, you won't be able to continue to the next step—and businesses are a long term thing.
So take care of yourself and make that a priority. Protect your mental space by blocking out time to think.

Don't Tie Your Self-Worth To Your Business

How do you create a healthy distance between yourself and your company?It is about introspecting to really understand where our job stands in our list of priorities. One way is to write down the ten most important things in our lives, and try to put a priority number on them. We will not get it right the first time but will get a sense of what is important to us.

A 10 Point List

The trick is to decide how many hours you’re going to work each day, then to leave the office every day thinking: ‘I did everything humanly possible in the best way that I could.’
Like with most things in mental health, it’s a muscle you have to constantly exercise. So keep reminding yourself when you go home: ‘this is a new chapter of my day, the last one is now closed.’

Self-Discipline

How do you create a space for yourself away from the stress of your company?Mental health is something that you've got to practice every single day—it's like brushing your teeth. Eating well, taking supplements, going to the gym—are all key parts of the routine.You also have to be very intentional about balancing friends, family, and relationships with work.

Creating Space

Find that thing that resonates with you, like “I’m enough. I’m enough. I’m where I’m meant to be—I’m enough.” Whatever it is, find that mantra and use it to anchor yourself any time you feel overwhelmed.

Recite A Mantra

The best thing we can do is find a founder that is one step ahead of us to give us perspective. Opening up to someone that can be impartial, that can understand your struggles, give some perspective, or even just give an ear to the problems you're facing—sometimes that’s 50% of the solution.

Find A Mentor

entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

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Startups

How do founders separate their own wellbeing from their company’s?

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