Honesty can be the best policy at work Truth-telling at work can alleviate a lot of problems down the road, such as a deadline that can't possibly be made, but it needs to be constructive. "If you're giving feedback to your boss, build trust and rapport by standing in their shoes, says Sue Ingram, a communications and HR expert. "Understand what is keeping your boss up at night - acknowledge what they have been given to deliver on by their board or shareholders: 'I know you want to achieve this. I have some feedback here that I think will help you achieve that.'" Full Story: The Telegraph (London) (tiered subscription model) (4/23)
Top employees may quit when these issues arise Certain issues may encourage your best employees to move on, writes Elena Rezanova, career strategist. Employees may leave if they no longer feel appreciated by their managers, don't believe they can be open about their thoughts and aren't given freedom to work in a way that aligns with their needs, Rezanova writes. Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (4/19)
Significant career transitions spark changes in approach some may not expect. Leadership consultant Alaina Love writes about six areas to keep in mind, such as your new responsibility for shaping the culture of your team and ensuring you feel passion in your role and make it shine through in your work style. Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (4/22)
Making the Connection
Should you click the "I'm interested" button on LinkedIn? Clicking the "I'm interested" button on a company's LinkedIn profile shows you are aligned with that company's mission or values and could lead to you standing out in a pile of resumes, says Matthew Warzel of MJW Careers. But be selective in the companies you choose, says Warzel, who lists other tips for using the feature. Full Story: Lifehacker (4/19)
The Landscape
Mass. college gives students job guarantee Starting next fall, President Jay Gonzalez promises students at Massachusetts' Curry College that they will get a job or admission to a graduate school, or the college will pay their student loans for up to a year, cover the cost of six graduate credits at Curry or get a yearlong paid internship at a career-related organization. Students who participate must attend career preparation workshops and receive career advising, including writing draft resumes and cover letters. Full Story: Inside Higher Ed (4/22)
New regulations offer protections for pregnant workers Final regulations recently issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission focus on implementation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The regulations, expected to take effect in June, cover a range of conditions and treatments related to pregnancy, including fertility and infertility treatments, miscarriage and abortion, Jackson Lewis attorneys note. Full Story: The National Law Review (4/22),The Associated Press (4/15)
Free eBooks and Resources
Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors
Spot potential leaders in your organization by looking for those who can toggle between concrete and abstract thinking, says psychologist and author Adam Grant, who recommends strategies for training up-and-coming leaders who may excel in one area but need improvement in the other. "We admire child prodigies in music, natural athletes in sports, geniuses in school, but focusing on where people start causes us to overlook the distance that they're capable of traveling," Grant notes. Full Story: Big Think (4/19)
(Image credit: Brian Murphy/Icon Sportwswire via Getty Images)
In sports, sometimes it's the moves you don't make that can help you become an all-star. A recent study analyzed soccer players of varying skill levels and found the best players were not only fastest at identifying which passes to make, they were also quicker at calculating which passes to avoid attempting. In essence, they could more rapidly suppress the temptation to make a bad pass. Full Story: Osaka Metropolitan University (Japan) (4/19)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Of the banks listed here, which one did NOT adopt "chair" instead of "chairman" for their top corporate title?
