Career
Ask for What You Need at Work (via HBR)
- Apply the magic 5:1 ratio of healthy relationships. This means that for every negative feeling or interaction between people in a relationship, there must be five positive feelings or interactions.
- Make requests, not demands. A demand is something to which the other person feels obligated to say yes, whereas a request is something to which the other person can say “yes”, “no”, or make a counter-offer.
- Get curious about what “no” means so you can get to a yes. Ask questions about the reasons behind the “no”and then make a better ask next time.
- Cultivate a positive affect. Who is more likely to give you their time, energy, attention, and resources: someone who is experiencing you as needy and negative, or someone who experiences you as upbeat and hopeful? It’s likely the latter.
Communication
A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself (via HBR)
Present, past, future. Example: Hi, I’m Geoff and am the process improvement director and Agile coach. My current focus is on building and sustaining processes that help us scale and work better together. My background is in software development, with most of my experience in medical devices and defense logistics. I’m looking forward to helping our company operate smoothly as we grow.
Interviewing
How to Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Here?” (via HBR)
- Express your personal passion for the employer’s product/service/mission.
- Explain why you would enjoy the responsibilities of the role.
- Describe how you can see yourself succeeding in the role, given your skills and experience.