Sharing salary information with co-workers or other contacts can give you a better idea as to whether you're underpaid. Use this, along with market data, to determine a fair salary target to negotiate your next pay raise. The Muse (10/16) Determine your weaknesses and make improvements Take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses, and figure out how to make improvements in areas where your skills are not as developed. Setting specific goals, embracing the challenge of improvement and being consistent can help you to make real progress, writes Timothy Sykes. Entrepreneur online (10/17)
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Making the Connection
The right way to network Networking should be about making authentic connections, rather than just going through the motions, writes leadership coach Cheryl Amyx. Searching for common ground when talking with others and being a good listener are crucial steps. Forbes (10/18)
The Landscape
Why employees don't use retirement plans A survey from Capital One found that many employees with access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan don't participate because they believe they don't make enough to contribute. However, educating individuals about tax benefits and fees could help encourage participation, says Stuart Robertson of Capital One Advisors. PlanAdviser online (10/17)
Your Next Challenge
Come to job interviews armed with thoughtful questions Part of nailing a job interview involves asking questions of the interviewer and describing your strengths backed by examples, writes Jill Cornfield. Two-thirds of hiring managers in a Netquote poll stated asking questions in an interview is "extremely important," including asking about the company's mission. CNBC (10/18)
Balancing Yourself
How to become more engaged with your career Becoming more engaged in your work is achievable by examining your typical tasks and focusing on the ones that define your purpose, writes Matthew MacKinnon. Spend more time engaging in these meaningful tasks, and strive to complete less-meaningful tasks efficiently. MedPage Today (free registration) (10/18)
The Water Cooler
Fossil revealed to be newborn Tylosaurus An 85-million-year-old fossil has been identified as belonging to a newborn Tylosaurus that had yet to develop the creature's distinctive long snout, according to findings published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Takuya Konishi of the University of Cincinnati examined the fossil more than 25 years after it was found in a Kansas rock formation and determined where the marine reptile fit in the Mosasaur family tree. BBC (10/16)
Clarity is the antidote to anxiety, and therefore clarity is the preoccupation of the effective leader. If you do nothing else as a leader, be clear.
