Saturday, March 14, 2020

5 of the biggest motivation myths

5 of the biggest motivation mythsActivate your potential for success Seize the day Everything is right there waiting for you Motivational slogans can be very appealing. They tug at our best selves, suggesting that theres a positive, productive human being just waiting to break free if we can just coax it out the right way. That sounds great, in theorybut in reality, a lot of this motivational-speak just doesnt cut it. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Lets look at some of the bigger motivation myths floating out there that dont really work as well as they promise.Myth All you need is the right motivationMotivation is greatits also not the only thing. If you want to be more productive and successful in your career, its important to make sure youre building up your skills and experience in addition to doing those mega-positive self-affirmations in the mirror each morning. A positive outlook is great, but you need the goods to back it up if i ts going to propel you to doing great things.Myth Just do your best.This is one we likely all heard as kids. Just try, and youll be great. While that works well for little kids, as an adult, it doesnt do anything to push you beyond your level. As a professional adult, do your best is kind of like a participation trophy. If you truly want to motivate yourself, try to go beyond this is what I think I can do if you want to build ambition. In theory, youre doing your best anywayhow does this motivate you to push yourself higher?Myth Visualize what you want.Planning and goal-setting is a great way to get ahead. But if youre just visualizing the end outcome (you standing on the Olympic podium, singing along with the national anthem), youre missing out on the process it takes to get there (cut to a training montage of you sweating, swimming, drinking kale smoothies, and running up stairs, Rocky-style).Myth You need to reward yourself to achieve your goals.I will forever defend the idea tha t a little treatyoself is a necessary part of life. But you shouldnt be setting your career goals and working toward them just because of the personal rewards or incentives you attach to them. And theres the fact that it just doesnt always work. Look at salespeoplemost sales jobs have built-in commissions or incentives to perform well. Yet if rewards were all that are necessary to build motivation to achieve goals, then every salesperson would be performing at top capacity, all the time. Again, your career is a process, and incentives dont always motivate you to do your best.Myth Dont think about setbacks.Setbacks are disappointing, but they can also be good motivators. If you understand why things went wrong, and take from it that crucial knowledge about what you can do better or differently the next time, that gives you motivation to make improvements and show that you can bounce back.The thing about motivation is that its totally unique to youso platitudes only go so far. If your e doing careful planning and embracing a high level of self-awareness, youll find what specifically works for you as you build your career and reach toward your goals.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

9 Small Companies That Are Making Big Waves For Women And Hiring Like Crazy

9 Small Companies That Are Making Big Waves For Women And Hiring Like Crazy Sometimes the best things come in small packages. At least thats what women who work at these companies say.Working at a small company has some major benefits. Your presence is valued, youre given more one-on-one attention, theres less bureaucracy, and theres more space for you to progress.If youre looking for a job where you can grow with a team that knows you, you can stop looking. These five small companies that women love are hiring right now.1. AsanaAsana is a software that helps teams coordinate and manage their work. But thankfully, this company doesnt need any team-management help on their end. According to employees, working at Asana means being part of a great support system that has really high standards when it comes to treating their employees equally.Asana offers flexible hours, generous parental leave, on-site mothers rooms, executive coaching for all employees, fertility benefits, employee re source groups, and more.It was named a Glassdoor Best distribution policy to Work in 2017 and 2018, one of Inc.s 2018 Best Workplaces of 2018, and an Entrepreneur Magazine Top Company Culture. Basically, you cant get better than this.2. Jaunt VRWomen who work at Jaunt VR, a company that provides solutions for creating and distributing immersive content, cant stop raving about the company.Jaunt offers unlimited vacation, Infertility Treatments, transportation reimbursements, catered breakfasts and lunches, a competitive 401(k) and childcare and elder care subsidies.We also have a group focused on improving diversity at the company, and making an impact in our community, one anonymous reviewer on Fairygodboss wrote.3. Mercer AdvisorsAccording to women who work there, wealth management firm Mercer Advisors involves the best of both worlds. When it comes time to be off the clock, FGBers say this is an employer thats supportive of your life outside of work. And when youre on the clock, y oure given the opportunity to have a deep impact on meaningful work.Mercer offers fertility treatments and mentorship programs. And over 40 percent of its client-facing staff and advisors are female.4. Pariveda SolutionsPariveda Solutions, a technology strategy and solutions consulting firm, is a company that challenges and supports you to become your best self but also values healthy work-life balance.They make career growth expectations and opportunities very clear with their Pariveda Expectations Framework, that lays out how promotions are earned at every level. Likewise, they offer a transparent pay scale based on cohort level that ensure pay equity across the company.On top of clear expectations, Pariveda has several systems in place to help you meet them. They offer a mentorship program, a womens forum (Espirit de Femme), professional trainings, and executive coaching. Its no wonder they were voted a great place to work by Glassdoor, Fortune, Consulting Magazine, and Computerw orld.Ninety-eight percent of women who reviewed NCC Media on Fairygodboss say they believe their CEO (whos a woman, BTW) supports gender diversity at the company. NCC Media offers 5 weeks of paid vacation, comprehensive fertility benefits, competitive maternity and paternity leave, and meaningful care-taking benefits.NCC is the best place to work in this industry, one reviewer wrote. The women here encourage other women to succeed and climb the ladder.6. QualtricsQualtrics, an experience management software company, is highly rated by women who work there. Why? The company offers paid paternal leave, paid adoptive leave, fertility benefits, commuter stipends, generous PTO, and comprehensive insurance and retirement plans. Plus, the company offers its employees plenty of fun perks, including catered lunches, dog-friendly office spaces, and more.7. Snap Inc.Snap Inc. has its sights set on reinventing the way we binnensee (and use) cameras, and women who work there seriously love being a part of that mission. When asked whether they would recommend Snap to other women, one FGBer who recently returned from maternity leave gave a resounding, all-caps YES. Her reasoning? My managers and HR have been incredibly supportive and helpful with everything, which has made my time as a new mom so special. I am incredibly grateful to work at a company that values family so much.Plus, they offer some really fun perks. Catered lunches, free gym memberships, and transportation reimbursements? Sign me up.9. HashiCorpHashiCorp may be a small company, but it has a big mission harnessing the power of not one or some of us, but the strength of all of us. They know this happens by making each and every employee feel valued, and women at the company are reaping the benefits.HashiCorp puts their money where their mouth is when it comes to building an inclusive organization, one anonymous reviewer wrote. You see this in daily interactions and in tenured or new employees.With 75 percent o f HashiCorp employees working remote, inclusive networking opportunities, and paid parental leave, its easy to understand why women are so impressed with the companys initiatives. What a big step for workplace equality.However, your compensation doesnt stop at your salary. Striders are also provided flexible working options, floating vacation days, competitive health and dental benefits, and 401(k) matching that vests immediately.11. Columbia University Information TechnologyWorking at Columbia University Information Technology (CUIT), you support mission critical technology for over 40,000 faculty, staff, and students. But you also have the support of a team that values you and your work. CUIT offers flexible work arrangements, tuition benefits for you and your dependents, generous PTO, and useful retirement plans with employer contributions.without sacrificing a family-focused culture.