Right Attitudes

Ideas for Impact

Career Planning

The Myth of Passion

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The Myth of Passion at Work: Passion Can Burn Bright, but it's Fickle and Rarely Lasts A common piece of advice from successful folks is to “find your passion,” but that idea is misguided, as I’ve pointed out before. Sure, passion can burn bright, but it’s fickle and rarely lasts. The more you chase after it, the unhappier you become when your job isn’t perfect. An idealized version of work is hard to come by, and when reality doesn’t match up, disappointment kicks in, often leading to burnout. Plus, people driven by passion often struggle with repetitive tasks, seeing them as boring and resisting work that doesn’t fit their idea of passion.

Idea for Impact: The key to job satisfaction lies in finding work that is moderately challenging—difficult enough to engage you without being frustrating, yet not so easy that it becomes mind-numbing. Pick something you enjoy and that you’re decent at. Seriously, only a toddler expects to be keyed up all the time!

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Get Started, Passion Comes Later: A Case Study of Chipotle’s Founder, Steve Ells

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Get Started, Passion Comes Later The notion of directly pursuing your passion can seem daunting, particularly if you’re uncertain about identifying your true calling or how it could translate into a feasible career path. The tale of Chipotle and its founder Steve Ells serves as a fitting illustration of this dilemma.

After graduating from arts college, Ells headed to the Culinary Institute of America, where he fell in love with cooking. Initially, he dreamed of opening a fancy restaurant, but the funds weren’t there.

During the early 1990s, Ells embarked on a culinary journey, starting as a sous chef under renowned chef Jeremiah Towers at San Francisco’s upscale Stars restaurant. It was during this time that the idea for Chipotle began to take shape. Inspired by the delectable “mission-style” burritos he savored in San Francisco’s Mission District taquerias, Ells seized the opportunity. With an $85,000 loan from his father, he ventured to establish the inaugural Chipotle eatery in 1993, nestled in Denver, Colorado.

Ells’s father, crunching the numbers, estimated that his son would need to sell 107 burritos daily to break even. However, the response exceeded expectations. Within the inaugural month, Chipotle was churning out 1,000 burritos a day. This swift success unveiled Ells’s true calling. He realized his passion lay not in haute cuisine but in the realm of delivering delectable, freshly-prepared Mexican fare swiftly. Chipotle garnered a devoted following for its scrumptious offerings, rapid service, and unwavering commitment to sustainable sourcing.

Idea for Impact: Starting with an exploratory approach is often wiser than waiting for the perfect alignment with your passion. Dabble in different areas, adapt your goals over time, and stay open to new opportunities. Sometimes, passion emerges along the journey, leading to unexpected yet fulfilling paths.

Wondering what to read next?

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  2. The Myth of Passion
  3. From Passion to Pragmatism: An Acceptable, Good Career
  4. Beyond Money’s Grasp: A Deeper Drive to Success
  5. “Follow Your Passion” Is Terrible Career Advice

Unpaid Gigs for ‘Exposure’—Is It Ever Worth It?

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Unpaid Gigs for 'Exposure'---Is It Ever Worth It? As a freelancer, you’ll constantly receive requests to write blogs, help with videos, provide ‘expert’ advice, perform a show, or attend events—all without pay, but with promises of experience, prestige, or that ever-so-alluring “exposure.”

But should you say ‘yes’ to these unpaid gigs?

It’s utterly unfair for people to assume you’re desperate for attention just because you’re starting out. And it’s downright rude if these organizations have the budget to pay only some individuals while leaving you high and dry.

For many new freelancers, doing freebies feels like a rite of passage. But speak to the old-timers, and they’ll likely warn you that unpaid gigs often lead to more unpaid gigs with zero real payoff. Plus, those promising “exposure” might not even have much exposure themselves.

So, is it ever worth it to hustle for “exposure”? Maybe, but only if it’s for a cause, charity, or group you’re genuinely passionate about.

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What’s Next When You Get Snubbed for a Promotion

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What's the Plan After Being Overlooked for a Promotion? Feeling passed over for a promotion hits hard, but how you handle it makes all the difference.

Sure, you might want to unleash some frustration on your boss or resort to sticking pins in a voodoo doll resembling them.

Set a Clear Path to Reach Your Career Goals

Take a breather and allow yourself to recover from the setback, but don’t let self-pity take control. It’s normal to experience moments of low spirits, but ensure it doesn’t evolve into an ongoing cycle of self-pity.

Circle back to your boss and ask straight up, “What do I need to do for that next promotion?” Keep it simple. Collaborate on a plan. If you’re lucky, you’ll both be on the same page, paving the way for future success.

Your boss might promise to make things right, but don’t get your hopes up. Companies, especially HR, have a reputation for dropping the ball.

Get Advice from a Supportive Mentor

A supportive mentor brings valuable perspective, insight, and guidance to help navigate the situation constructively. They might suggest that perhaps you weren’t quite ready for that promotion, or maybe you pushed too hard or inadvertently rubbed someone the wrong way.

Alternatively, it could be that the right people simply haven’t noticed you yet. Building key relationships is crucial for climbing the career ladder, so investing time in nurturing those connections is essential advice your mentor might offer.

If you’re feeling stuck, it might be time to explore other options, especially if your current job isn’t aligning with your long-term career goals. But remember, jumping ship isn’t always the quick fix. Dealing with promotion issues or performance setbacks in a familiar environment can be easier than starting anew, where you have to prove yourself from scratch and navigate new dynamics.

Idea for Impact: Own Your Path to Promotion

There’s a big difference between not getting what you want and not getting what you’ve earned. When you’re aiming for something but haven’t secured it yet, it’s up to you to figure out the steps needed to make it happen.

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From Passion to Pragmatism: An Acceptable, Good Career

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From Passion to Pragmatism: An Acceptable, Good Career Career contentment doesn’t always require turning passion into a full-time job. (Dream careers often bring fierce competition and potential low pay or high stress.)

Many fulfilled professionals find contentment in roles they may not love entirely, but they value meaningful work, recognition, fair compensation, and a pleasant environment. Some discover situational passion within their work by aligning job tasks with their interests and strengths. For example, a passion for graphic design when in a manufacturing role can lead to creating visually appealing digital metrics.

Idea for Impact: Opting for a acceptable, tolerable even, content-filled career allows you to pursue passions as hobbies while ensuring financial security and professional contentment.

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Emotional Intelligence Is Overrated: The Problem With Measuring Concepts Such as Emotion and Intelligence

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In the contemporary landscape, relying solely on cognitive intelligence tests to evaluate the managerial potential of MBA students is increasingly considered inadequate. It has become fashionable for successful managers to need emotional intelligence to thrive in their roles.

Within human resources, there is a growing trend to define an individual’s ability to understand emotional expressions as a form of “intelligence,” measuring it through an emotional quotient (EQ) and considering it a personality trait. However, it is worth noting that people often find it refreshing to shed the façade they present in public and freely express their genuine thoughts, emotions, and actions in informal “off-the-record” situations rather than conforming to formalities during official meetings.

While some proponents argue that EQ encompasses all dimensions of managerial success that IQ fails to measure, this widely accepted viewpoint lacks credible scientific evidence. Unlike IQ, a clearly defined measure of cognitive abilities, there is no agreed-upon definition of emotional intelligence, and various EQ tests produce vastly different results. Moreover, societal biases and cultural upbringing can significantly influence EQ scores. Indeed, the claim that EQ is twice as vital as IQ is an entirely baseless and unproven assertion.

Emotional intelligence is an intricate and dynamic concept encompassing a broad spectrum of emotional competencies, social skills, and self-awareness. Attempting to simplify it into a single score may not adequately capture its subtleties and complexities.

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New Job Anxiety is Normal

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When you step into a new position, you’ll feel you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. Many responsibilities of the job will be out of your comfort zone. Feeling confident in performing your duties may take several months. You’ll sense you have more work than ever, which will be overwhelming. Feeling like an impostor and regretting leaving your former position is natural.

Sure, the brutal reality is that new hires have less time than ever to prove their worth, and you’ll be expected to show results almost from day one. Be patient with yourself and transparent with others while you’re still finding your feet. You’ll go through four stages of progression in a new role:

  1. Unconscious Incompetence: You won’t know what you don’t know, and you’ll feel functionally useless
  2. Conscious Incompetence: You’ll know what you don’t know and what you’ll learn
  3. Conscious Competence: You’ll know your job but have to work hard at doing it correctly
  4. Unconscious Competence: You’ll know your job and can do it on autopilot.

Changing any job, even within a company, is a slow process. Keep a low profile, spend most of your time listening, building a network, cultivating essential relationships, and strategizing your case for change. Work out who within the company is respected and who knows what they’re talking about as quickly as you can—they’re the ones you’ll learn from. Identify where you fall short and who can fill the gaps.

Idea for Impact: Don’t try to do everything right away. As you develop a roadmap for your organization, focus on building the connections to help you thrive. Understanding who must be won over to your point of view is vital for managing the change process.

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How to … Be More Confident at Work

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If a lack of confidence is a significant factor holding you back in your career,

  • Appreciate your qualities and personality. Often, a lack of confidence stems from an accurate self-appraisal. Don’t dwell on the negatives. Celebrate what you’re good at. Record your workplace wins to identify the areas you’re strong at. Find ways to develop them even further. Knowing your strengths is also a great asset when considering asking for a pay rise or promotion.
  • Develop your brand of confidence. Don’t compare yourself to other people. Don’t ruminate on what others do and say (if their criticisms are accurate, stop blowing them off and consider changing yourself.) If you’re struggling with personal roadblocks, whether managing clashing personalities or dealing with work-life balance, develop methods or tools for overcoming them.
  • Say ‘yes’ to new challenges; they’ll take you out of your comfort zone. Expect to meet with problems—it’s the only way to keep growing. When you fail, know that you’ll survive—just move on to another challenge. (Losers fear failure so much they don’t bother to try, ensuring they’re failures.) Learn to be patient and to just enjoy the journey.
  • Find positive role models and personal cheerleaders. Many employers offer networking mentorships—they are the perfect opportunities to ask questions and learn directly from people who understand your situation and want to help you develop. Seek a few-steps-ahead peer-mentor, somebody who’s approachable and has a tad more experience than you do.

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Manage Your Own Career—No One Else Will

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In 2014, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was rightfully condemned for casually asserting that women shouldn’t bother asking for raises and instead rely on “good karma” and trust that the system will eventually reward their work.

Despite what “they” may say, no one else will manage your career for you—not the fine folks at human resources, not your boss, or some mentoring system. No one will chart out a career path for you or tell you what experience you should obtain, let alone assist you in getting it.

Don’t subscribe to the notion that someone is looking out for your best interests. You’ve got to look after yourself. Don’t expect to be promoted because you deserve it—no one is likely keeping track. Be proactive and ask for what you want.

Idea for Impact: Take active control of your career because nobody will manage it for you. Own it and challenge yourself.

Wondering what to read next?

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  2. What’s Next When You Get Snubbed for a Promotion
  3. From Passion to Pragmatism: An Acceptable, Good Career
  4. Before Jumping Ship, Consider This
  5. Don’t Use Personality Assessments to Sort the Talented from the Less Talented

What Every Manager Should Know Why Generation Y Quits

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Millennials, or the Generation Y or Gen Y cohort, are much better educated. They’re tech-savvy, more achievement-oriented, and better problem-solvers than preceding generations.

Millennials also tend to be restless with their career progression, demanding salary and job flexibility. They’re quick to move on if something better beckons. Millennials aren’t interested in the financial success that inspired the Boomers or the independence that characterizes the Gen Xers, but in personalized career paths.

Employers often gripe that millennials seem entitled and overly ambitious. And even if they’re high-maintenance, they’re hungry and willing to do what it takes to prove themselves.

To prevent Gen Y retention problems, create an environment where they have room to make an impact and give them the autonomy, support, and training to get there.

Idea for Impact: Millennials become disengaged quickly in the workplace—they’re impatient with things that do not lead to learning or advancement. They never stop questioning the status quo; they don’t want to be told they must do their time and wait in line. Give them a way to move up promptly, with fun and challenges along the way.

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