November 2021: The Great Reassessment

I am sure you have heard that pundits have named these recent months "The Great Resignation" thanks to the massive shifts happening in the workplace due to the pandemic. Based on the large number of conversations I am having with clients, I would verify that this topic is front and center in the minds of both employees and employers.

Yet I heard something yesterday that resonated with me: a commentator stated that they wish we could rename this current situation The Great Reassessment. Below are some resources I have leaned into personally and with clients as we all use the massive upheaval of last 20+ months to reassess... EVERYTHING.

REFLECTION. 

I find that most people have strong opinions (positive or negative) about journaling... I'll make it clear from the start that I am lifelong journal keeper and have found the practice invaluable to my emotional, mental and spiritual health. I'm still doing that every morning, but recently I've started writing a one-sentence summary at the end of my day, and have found the habit quite refreshing. In part, I got the idea from Gretchen Rubin here. Not sure you need to spend $24.99 on her One-Sentence Journal - you can easily just buy a blank notebook at CVS or open a free online account at Evernote (which is what I do). I also invite you to access my ever-growing folder of Journal Prompts to jumpstart your effort.

34 Mistakes on the Way to 34 Years Old. Yet another way to reflect on your life, yet with a wider lens. I appreciated Ryan Holiday's transparency here. I will also admit that I have not yet managed to harness the energy to do this same exercise because... perhaps I have to add just few more years to 34? 😵‍💫

3 Changes I'm Making to Find Balance. A good podcast for "women of a certain age" on health, hormones and heart.

LEADERSHIP.

Yes, I am endlessly interested in this topic, and while I have read to a surprising number of books on the topic, and listened to a massive (not kidding) podcast episodes about it as well, I remain pleasantly surprised that there are still new insights to be gained on the subject. Here are two really good resources:

The Dave Chang Show: A Training Session with the World's Best Executive Coach. I absolutely LOVED this interview. Lots of good challenges to be found. You may want to listen to it more than once. P.S. I read Dave Chang's memoir, Eat a Peach, on vacation this summer and couldn't put it down. It has a surprising amount of leadership insights in it. Granted, I was also fascinated by his experience in the restaurant industry and his own story regarding mental health, his Korean-American upbringing, his negative experience with Christianity, among other things. 

Coaching Real Leaders with Muriel Wilkins. Admittedly, I've recommended this podcast before, but her second season has been outstanding, so I want to recommend it again. This is a master class in executive coaching, and the topics being covered are SO pertinent. Please check it out.

WORKPLACE HACKS.

I don't quite know what else to name this section. But these are resources that just might help you sharpen your game at work.

8 Tips for Conducting an Excellent Remote Interview. I liked this article because it didn't just give lame, obvious advice -- it was so practical and clearly rooted in experience. And honestly, the questions would be helpful for an in-person interview as well. Pay special attention to the questions on #emotionalintelligence. 

How Emotionally Intelligent People Use the 'Golden Question'. I could have easily posted this article under the "Reflection" section, but we certainly need to keep learning how to be more mindful at work, so here it is. It offers good insights on how to keep learning how to manage our emotions in these intense days. We all need to learn how to slow down, be more self-aware and reflective. If you only have time to read one article from my post, this is the one.

The 31 Best LinkedIn Profile Tips for Job Seekers (and anyone who wants to keep theirs in tip-top shape!). I recommend to all of my clients to keep your resume up-to-date and that includes maintaining (creating?) a substantive LinkedIn profile. This helps in several ways, but here are two motivators, if you need it: if and when a great job opportunity comes along, you will be ready to apply, and not pass it up because you don't have the time or energy to update your resume that is woefully out of date; secondly, headhunters will be able to find you if you have a current profile. Snap to it! P.S. LinkedIn may be the only sane social media platform left out there... if you don't already, I highly recommend that you put a reminder in your calendar to post content at least once a week on LinkedIn and bring some energy to your networking skills. C'mon... it can't hurt!

DOING GOOD.

Final thoughts for this post... I read this lovely quote yesterday from Bishop Michael Curry:

In the United States and in the world, we have different cultures, different politics, different experiences that have shaped our beliefs. But if we can establish that we’re working toward some common good, whether we like each other or not, then we can be brothers and sisters. . . . Let’s all stop worrying about whether we like each other and choose to believe instead that we’re capable of doing good together. . . 

Thanks for reading. Feel free to share it with others. Reach out to me with questions or feedback at kelly.soifer@ksleadershipdevelop.me. Cheers!