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Navigating Difficult Conversations at Work
16th June 2021
#adaptive-product
Dealing with conflict or tough conversations at work. It’s comparable to the ‘we need to talk’ dread all of us have undoubtedly faced at some point in our personal lives. Whether it’s addressing distracting behaviours in the office, challenging your colleague on the accuracy of a report or confronting a long-overdue company problem – these conversations need to happen, and they need to happen for a few reasons: - The problem can’t be fixed if there is no awareness of the problem in the first place. - Get that weight off your shoulders, its liberating! - It’s how we achieve professional and personal growth – your company will benefit from this too. The art of conversation is like any art. With continued practice you will acquire skill and ease. Finding the right words, and the right moment – it is no easy task in the fast-paced commercial world. Step 1) Conquer your fears and just do it. Here are some tips to make the conversation easier… Set a Positive Tone - Mindset matters. Frame the conversation in a different way and put a positive spin on it. Be constructive, not negative. Can you offer an alternative solution to the one currently on the table? Make sure there is an action plan in place when a consensus (or even just an understanding) is reached to ensure you move forward. Keep Your Cool - Don’t forget to breathe! Taking this brief moment to focus on your breathing will allow you to refocus and absorb any information. It’s important that whether you are the recipient or provider of a challenging discussion, that you make a conscious effort to slow down the pace of the conversation, listen, collect your thoughts, and respond rationally. Plan with Emotional Intelligence - Think ahead. What do you anticipate the response will be to the discussion? Put yourself in the shoes of your counterpart to mentally consider their possible responses. You can have some flexible strategies to hand on how to move the conversation forward in a productive way. If you don’t feel confident on the recipients view beforehand, ask them. Be Concise and Direct - Difficult conversations need to be clear and to the point, otherwise the message gets lost in a muddled delivery. To avoid receiving objections, be prepared with concrete examples. Focus on facts, not feelings. Try not to let your emotions get the better of you when you are trying to find a resolution. Make It a Conversation - Feedback shouldn’t be a monologue - there should be two-way communication. Make sure there is an opportunity for an open discussion and questions to allow the meeting to end with unwavering clarity on both sides. Do you fully understand each other and what will happen next? “Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.”- William Ellery Channing, American Theologian
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How to have a boost in productivity - working from home edition!
11th June 2021
#adaptive-product
Working from home has become the norm for many of us during the pandemic and it looks like it might just be here to stay for a lot us too! It’s great to have the flexibility that comes with working from home, but it’s also a totally different ballgame and something that we need to adapt to as it certainly comes with its challenges. Whether you’re a work from home pro or are still struggling to get accustomed to this new way of life, here are some top tips and reminders to help keep productivity high on a work from home day without compromising your wellbeing: 1. Try to get into a routine. It can sometimes be tempting to sleep in on a home office day and just roll out of bed and get straight into work, but it’s far more beneficial to get into a routine and have time to mentally prepare yourself for the day ahead. It’s also nice to have some time to yourself before diving into work. Use the time that you would usually spend commuting in a positive way, you could try yoga, meditation or even just spending extra time treating yourself to a lovely breakfast! Did someone say pancakes? 2. Create your designated workspace. Whether you have an office room or not, you should avoid working from your bed or sofa as these should be your spaces for relaxation. Try to create a working space with a desk/table and a comfortable chair and make it YOURS, add items to make it an enjoyable space to be in, this could be your favourite plant or some artwork but try to keep clutter to a minimum because, after all, a tidy space = a tidy mind! 3. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Making a plan for each day can be really valuable and help to give your day some structure but be realistic about the how much you can get done. Make your to-do lists reasonable and be flexible! If you give yourself too many tasks to complete in one day, the thought of even starting the first task can be so daunting that you’ll be more likely to procrastinate and have to rush through your tasks later on. Figure out what works for you for instance, some people like to work to a schedule and adopt time management practices such as the Pomorodo Technique (work for 25 minute intervals, followed by a 5-10 minute break). 4. Take a proper break! When you’re working from home, it can be strangely easy to just keep working through lunch and not step away from your desk for a proper break and change of scenery, but studies have actually shown that taking time away from your desk can directly increase productivity and creativity! Going for a walk or spending time outside is even better for your well-being, soak up that Vitamin D! 5. Hydration, hydration, hydration. Okay, you’ve heard this 100 times before but it never hurts to be reminded. An easy way to ensure that you’re drinking enough water is to buy a time marked water bottle. Fill it up in the morning, set yourself a challenge and make sure that you finish it before the end of the day. You might just notice that your concentration is better, and it will help to keep headaches at bay, particularly when you’re on screens all day! 6. Limit distractions. Of course, we can’t always control everything but do try to control what you can. If you have a particularly demanding project or are under time constraints, you could try removing distractions; let friends/family know not to disturb you, close the door, put your phone on airplane mode or in another room and switch off that TV! 7. Try a productivity tool/app. Utilising productivity tools can be the extra push that you need; they give you incentives and motivate you and there are so many to choose from! Try an app such as Forest, where you plant a virtual tree that takes, for example, ten minutes to grow, and if you can stay off your phone long enough, the tree will finish growing and be added to your on-screen forest, but if you return to your phone too fast, the tree withers and dies. It’s a light-hearted way to avoid digital distractions and gives you a sense of satisfaction! What tips do you have to stay productive at home?
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Occupational Burnout - Recognizing the signs
11th June 2021
#adaptive-product
“Self-care has become a new priority – the revelation that it’s perfectly permissible to listen to your body and do what it needs.” ― Frances Ryan Burnout - lets talk about it! It’s one of those subjects that often gets mentioned, but never really discussed. I think it’s time to change that. I am actually quite surprised that in today’s day and age it has not been classified as a medical condition yet, because let’s face it – it is. Burnout is very popular and happens more often than people would like to admit. It’s that state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion, caused by prolonged, work-related stress. In order to come up with ways of avoiding it, let’s break down the definition to see how each of the factors can be FIXED! Emotional exhaustion Emotional exhaustion is a state of feeling emotionally worn out and drained. This can be easily improved by ensuring we eat right, take technology breaks, meet with our friends, and of course exercise. Yes, many people could argue that exercise is a suggested remedy for almost everything nowadays, but in this case it is true. Exercise releases chemical endorphins to the brain which triggers a positive feeling in your body. So there, we have proof that going for a run or taking that HIIT class is worth it! Mental exhaustion Mental exhaustion is similar, but the symptoms can be more severe, as the person experiencing this feeling starts to be detached, showing apathy towards their work colleagues and the work itself. The first thing to do if possible is to remove the stressor. If it is an overwhelming task at work, perhaps speak to your Supervisor – see if they could offer you some help. Don’t feel that you have to go through this alone. Again, try to eat well and stay active, but also practice relaxation techniques like yoga, massage, or mindfulness – all scientifically recognized to lower stress and anxiety. Physical exhaustion Physical exhaustion is an extreme state of unrelenting fatigue and sometimes it can be brought on by the previously mentioned mental exhaustion. Being in this state can cause dizziness, chronic tiredness, and headaches, which if untreated can lead to moodiness, slow reflexes or even bad judgement/decision making. Get some sleep! Clocking in your 7 - 9 hours of sleep a night can restore well-being. Set aside some time each day to stretch and try eating foods that improve your energy level, like nuts, fish, and cheese. Magnesium is an essential mineral to promote a healthy nervous system, energy production, and for muscle relaxation. Also, if you ever notice that someone around you is starting to display any of the above signs, see if they are ok, offer them help. Trust me, it will make their day!
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Own Your Product Career Development
16th February 2021
#adaptive-product
Building your career should be exciting and empowering, but sometimes it can feel as though the speed and direction of our progress is out of our hands. Looking to take back control? Here are some simple, actionable ways to make sure you’re in the driving seat of your own development. How is it that some people power upwards through the career ladder faster than you can track, while others inch forward with a minor promotion every few years? At Adaptive Product I’ve had the opportunity to work with digital marketing professionals across a variety of disciplines – eCommerce, tech, IoT and more. I’ve seen some candidates’ careers shoot up like rockets, leaping from promotion to promotion and cycling up through the pay grades. Others have moved more slowly, and I’m often asked by candidates frustrated with the pace of their career progress what they can be doing to keep moving forward. How do the shooting stars do it? The lady who went from Marketing Manager to Director Product in the blink of an eye… is she superhuman? Probably not – she’s most likely applying a few simple strategies that put her in control of her own career. Based on my work with career high-flyers, here are the best ways to ensure you own your progress. Work backwards from your goals Goals can be defined in terms of earnings, job title, responsibility and many other factors. Whatever they are, you need to build a set of stepping stones to get there. You need to map your journey to that goal. Turning goals into plans is the secret. Plans keep you focused and ensure you work on other areas of your development to make progress achievable. Fight Stagnation The corporate world has conditioned many of us to think of progress and development in annual or bi-annual cycles. Why? That’s often the frequency with which our positions and our pay get reviewed by employers. If you want to truly take control of your development, you need to set your own time-frames. I’ve worked with many ambitious product experts who break that 12-24 month cycle down into 9 or even 6. With each period, they hold themselves accountable to progressing in key areas of their development, such as: Learning – have I acquired new skills? Do I understand things better? Results – am I doing this better than I was before? Network – have I made new connections that will help me? Exposure – have I interacted with a new team, tool, customer or project type? Earnings – have I taken steps towards a raise, promotion, bonus or financial improvement? Involve others Companies are seldom run by one individual. They’re led by a collaborative management team who lean on each other for support, advice and motivation. Leaving one person in charge is too much stress, too much risk and unlikely to produce results. Your career is one of the most important elements of your life – why not take the same approach? Proactively involving friends and colleagues in your career goals can give you some much-needed accountability and drive. Your Head of or Director is another key person to speak with. In a best case scenario, you’ll bring out the best in him or her as they help you to succeed. In unhappier situations, you’ll see their limitations and realize you may not hit your objectives under their supervision. Know when to move on It’s important to explore potential within your current company before throwing in the towel. Good companies value ambition and will work with you to help develop your career. With that said, not all companies can give you the framework you need to reach your goals, however hard you work. Even if you do everything right you can only ever be part of the equation. Don’t stick with a company that can’t provide the opportunities, culture or investment to enable your progress. If you try and make it work but are feeling push-back, it may be the right time to make a change. * * * Adaptive Product provides recruitment services for professionals in the product development industry. Anyone looking to discuss their next career step, feel free to reach out via LinkedIn or at denny.meier@adaptive-digital.com
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