GRANTED: The two kinds of respect employees want and why you should bet on older entrepreneurs
July 2018
I’ve been thinking about the evolution of self-esteem in a career:
Phase 1: I’m not important
Phase 2: I’m important
Phase 3: I want to work on something important
The sooner you get to phase 3, the more productive you’ll be and the more impact you’ll have.
Here are some articles that might get you closer to it:
1. Try These Two Smart Techniques to Help You Master Your Emotions
To boost your emotional intelligence, use a broader vocabulary of emotion words. People who distinguish thrilled from inspired or aggravated from envious are more flexible in managing their emotions and less likely to retaliate aggressively against others.
One of the more fun recommendations is to invent your own emotion sniglets. My first three are trimjoy, the skip in your step from a recent haircut; roofglee, the elation that must be shouted from a rooftop; and emoverload, the feeling of being overwhelmed by emotions. And my wife Allison coined slumberfudged, the regret of having stayed up too late last night.
2. Do Your Employees Feel Respected?
What people want most from their leaders at work is the respect they're owed and the respect they've earned. Owed respect is universal: being included and recognized as a human being. Earned respect is meritocratic: being valued for contributions.
3. How Old Are Successful Tech Entrepreneurs?
Hey Silicon Valley, it's time to start betting on older entrepreneurs. 40-year-olds are more than twice as likely as 25-year-olds to found a successful startup, and 30% more likely to found a startup in the top 0.1%.
4. "Follow Your Passion" Advice Could Make You Less Successful
“Follow your passion” can lead to tunnel vision, discouraging us from exploring new areas. Passion isn’t a fixed interest waiting to be discovered. It’s something to develop and cultivate.
From My Desk:
5. Creative Ways to Raise Your Kids to Be Resilient, Happy
To help kids build resilience, ask them for advice on how to handle a challenge you're facing. It normalizes struggle, reinforces your confidence in them, and strengthens their problem-solving skills.
6. Can Your Job Make You a More Controlling Parent?
When we're robbed of freedom at work, we become more authoritarian at home. I explore how giving people the self-direction to choose what to do-- and when, how, and where to work-- isn't just good management. It can make us more flexible and supportive at home.
Back at the end of the month with the latest installment of Wondering.
Cheers,
Adam
Adam Grant, Ph.D.
Host of WorkLife, author of ORIGINALS and GIVE AND TAKE,
coauthor of OPTION B, and Wharton professor