Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Stamp the Cynicism Out of Your Office Culture

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Stamp the Cynicism Out of Your Office Culture One of my first managers used to say a bad attitude in the workplace is like cholera. Once one person gets it, unfortunately, it spreads like wildfire before taking down the original source. And over the years, I’ve seen one coworker’s negativity significantly affect the culture of an entire team. In another small-business case I heard about recently, in which the CEO himself possessed a bad attitude, the staff became so demoralized that the entire company went under. As the publisher of Forbes, Rich Karlgaard has seen it all, and he felt that employee cynicism was enough of a problem to write a whole book about it. In The Soft Edge: Where Great Companies Find Lasting Success, Karlgaard says, “Mocking irony, snark, and cynicism are very much in vogue, but they are also toxic to your company’s culture.” People view cynicism as less harmful than overt negativity, and that’s part of the problem. “Cynicism trivializes the gravity of bad behavior and normalizes superior attitudes toward customers and, often, coworkers,” Karlgaard says. “But it’s also a red flag that something is awry in your company.” According to Karlgaard’s work, what’s missing is trust. “Cynicism is the defense mechanism of people who feel unsafe and powerless. It’s an expression of the uncertainty that comes from working in an environment where ethics are lax, employees don’t feel valued, and information is withheld,” he says. Indeed, employee trust in companies has declined over the last few decades. The 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer study, which surveys the trust and credibility of government and business, reports that in North America, only 43 percent of people trust CEOs. In fact, CEOs are the least trusted spokespeople, sitting only above government officials. Karlgaard hypothesizes that efforts to boost employee trust will naturally result in a decrease in cynicism and negativity. How can you build trust within your organization? Understand that trust is both internal and external. First, there’s the external trust between an organization and its customers. Will a company stand behind its products? If something goes wrong, will it do the right thing? The second dimension is the internal trust between employees, managers and top-level management. Do leaders keep their promises? Can employees speak up without censure? Generally, what’s true externally is also true internally. Develop a vision of a trusting culture. Hold a company-wide summit at which everyone can share opinions about what a trusting environment looks like. Include an anonymous component like a suggestion box or online survey. Get everyone’s input, from the C-suite to the custodian. Your goal should be to pin down exactly how a culture of trust translates to leader and employee behaviors. Then, come up with a list of rules, such as “I will not badmouth customers to other employees,” put them in writing, and get all your employees to sign the document. For more tips, please see the rest of the post at the AMEX Open Forum.

10 Secrets to Managing Your Expat Career

10 Secrets to Managing Your Expat Career Do you dream of working in a foreign land? Below are 10 insider tips that will help you if you are looking to grow your career overseas. 1. Identify your bright spots Sure you worked 15 years in shipping or marketing but this doesn’t mean anything to a manager in a foreign country looking for a new team member. Clearly state your transferable skills in your resume. Remember that years of experience back home often equates to ‘zero experience in the local market.’ Unless you have years of local market experience you will need to clearly show which skills will make you successful in your new career. These success skills are your bright spots. Make sure they shine in your resume. 2. Demonstrate your value The best way to show your worth to an expat firm is to focus on your achievements. Nothing speaks better than what you did well in the past. Remember your achievements need to answer three main points: What was done? For whom? What was the result? (Figures speak better than words, use % or $) Make a list of your achievements, use them as a guide, they will help you define a credible expat career objective and also script the conversation during your interview. 3. Find mentors Find someone you trust in your community and ask him or her for a referral to a person who works in a field you are interested in. The key word is trust. You want to build a tribe based on trust. Mentors will give you advice and what the main challenges are in their field. Always make sure you ask for referrals to other members of your mentor’s tribe. Do not be a user. Make sure you keep in touch with your mentors when you have landed your dream expat career. 4. Learn about the new home When I first arrived in Dubai in 1999 nobody back home had heard of it. Later, many multinationals setup their MENA (Middle East and North Africa) offices there and expat professionals make up 80% of the population. As the expat population grew so did the ‘incidents’ with the local population, due to a lack of cultural knowledge. From losing your job to ending up in jail, cultural awareness can be vital to thriving in your new home. 5. Develop a strong personal brand Now that you have a good idea of your value, the cultural context and what the main challenges are in the field you chose, make sure you position yourself for career success. Developing a strong personal brand will enhance your chances to be noticed or recognized for your unique attributes and achievements. 6. Blog Launching a blog will help you establish yourself and assert your credibility in a field. You will notice that many high-level expat jobs are specialist jobs, and managers are always on the look out for specialists online. Just don’t write about your co-workers. 7. Learn to deal with doubt Nothing will come out as planned. Get used to it. You can plan your career abroad to the smallest detail, and it will not happen that way. I always ask the same question when I meet a new client ‘tell me how you got where you are’. The most interesting and successful expat professionals answer ‘it’s a long story.’ There is no plan. Instead of planning, learn to deal with doubt in your life. Acquire skills to live with that little voice which wakes you up at 3am wondering if you will get a promotion/job abroad. The best tool to deal with doubt comes from judging situations and finding opportunities when they arise. Become a great decision maker rather than a planner. 8. Learn the language Once you have set your sights on a specific country, start learning the language. You do not have to be fluent but being able to shop at the local store and get directions, are a must. You will be overwhelmed during the first weeks of your arrival, learning the local language as well as local customs and cultural dos and don’ts will go a long way in decreasing this stress. 9. Prepare your exit Earlier I told you not to plan your career but this is one thing you know will happen. You will leave your current job and move to another one. Sooner or later you will have to do it if you want your career to grow. Please tell me you don’t still believe you can climb the career ladder in the same firm for the next 30 years? Ah! Good. Do not wait to be frustrated, fed up and angry with your current boss or job to do this. Prepare a professional letter to your boss, meet and explain why you are leaving. Stay courteous until the end of your notice period. 10. Choose wisely Just because the posting is in a foreign country it does not mean the rules go out the window. A lot of times these days we are pressured to find a perfect career, defined as the job you would do even if you didn’t get paid. This is insane. Looking for an expat career with this mindset means you will look for a long time. It is totally impossible to simply do ‘what you love’. Rather focus on doing what you are. Do something that caters to your bright spots. Related: CV vs. Resume: Whats the Difference and Who Uses Which? John Falchetto  works with professionals who want to grow their career overseas.  With 17 years both as an expat employee and employer he can help you make your dream career become a reality by defining your personal brand, and applying strategies for long-term success abroad. Top image credit: Shutterstock

7 Ways To Get Back On Track

7 Ways To Get Back On Track I wrote this post on the flight  home  from WI to FL, two days after finishing the  Chicago half marathon. With sore, stiff muscles I felt myself going into recovery mode but it doesn’t take an athletic endeavor to make us feel taxed or “off” track. It could be a major change like a new home, new job, relocation, new baby, new boyfriend, breakup, or something we can’t put our finger on, (which is when I usually like to “blame” the weather). Whatever the reason for your un-centered feeling, here are 7 ways you can re-connect with yourself. None of these actions costs any money, just your time and consciousness. 1. Terrain. Take your shoes and socks off and let your feet feel the earth. Studies show that this helps you feel more grounded and connected to the planet. Gently wiggling my toes, I let the cool Wisconsin grass massage my swollen feet. 2. Sun. Make like a yogi and do a few sun salutations. Watch a video if you do not know how. Feel the sun on your skin and the sensation of your body stretching. Think of creating space in your body and opening your heart to the universe. 3. Play. Head to the dog park with your favorite pooch and delight in their sense of excitement and play as they socialize with other dogs and chase tennis balls. 4. Friend. Ask a friend what is going on in her life. If she has a little one, holding her newborn baby, bring your awareness to the sound of his breathing/baby snores and feeling of rest. Welcome him to the world and your friend to motherhood by sharing your time and learning the details from  their new chapter. 5. Smile. Say something kind to the next person you see or offer a funny story. When I visited my nieces, my goddaughter, a first-grader asked me “Aunt Kelly, do you have a boyfriend?” Smiling, I said, “No I don’t right now.” She pressed on, “Why not?” Laughing, I said, “ That’s a good question. I’m going to be with someone REALLY special and giving. Someone just like Kristoff in Frozen- don’t you love Kristoff?” She thought about it for a moment and nodded her agreement that Christof is indeed boyfriend-worthy. 6. Slumber. Naps are restorative. Make time to rest and feel an energy boost upon waking. 7. Savor. Relishing each and every aspect of your day can lower anxiety. Fewer distractions will help you feel more aware and more united with whatever you are doing â€" even if it is just sitting down and breathing. Watch the steam wisps on your cup of coffee. Sing your favorite song from The Sound of Music in the shower. Visit with family and stow your phone in the other room for an hour as you partake in family traditions. Be in it. How do you get back on track? Share  @MsCareerGirl Columnist Archive Kristoff  Nap  Game