11.12.2024
TECHNIQUES TO SPEED UP YOUR PERSUASIVITY
Successful people are not necessarily smart, but they must be persuasive. It's amazing that everyone has to do this all his life - get mom to buy him a toy, then dad to allow a sleepover, then get his wife to let him go fishing, get his boss to give him a promotion... And few manage to master the art of persuasion so that it serves them without fail.
The right word is really an art because there is a lot of talent in persuasion that some people have innately. However, there are also techniques that can be mastered with a little more effort.
Experts say that in order to be persuasive, the first and irrevocable condition is to radiate confidence. The second is to be well prepared, believable and very clear about what you want to achieve, because today everyone is overloaded with information and attention is a precious resource. Then there are rules to follow when speaking.
How important is grammar
A study by the Pratt Sociological Institute found that the way sentences are constructed can prompt people to take action and make decisions. Researchers have done surveys asking essentially the same question in two different ways: "Will you go to the polls" and "Will you become a voter." The second formulation received twice as many positive responses. People probably say yes, driven by the need to belong to a group. The noun "voter" reinforces their inner identity, the scientists say.
"Numbers" from psychology
A number of studies prove that when you expect someone to disagree with you, you should speed up that part so that they don't have time to process the information. Conversely, when you're presenting your strongest point, slow down. This way you provide time for it to be fully understood.
A study shows how such a technique works. A man stood on the street and asked passers-by to fill out a survey. Those who heard a police whistle during the crossing agreed to waste some time and fill out the survey. Their cognitive resources at such a time are occupied with thoughts of potential danger, and only a small part of the brain evaluates the request made, explain social psychologists.
Summarize with expressions like "as we all know". Deep down, your interlocutor wants to be part of the know-it-all group, the winning team. Satisfy his need by emphasizing the obvious.
Surprise and entertain, make people look at something familiar with new eyes, make it look different and intriguing.
Attack base attitudes by including, where appropriate, a plot that will arouse affection - a story about small children, a few puppies and kittens.
Carefully follow your interlocutor - he subconsciously likes you to repeat his posture, gestures, facial expressions as if in a mirror.
Logic, though
And some tricks from other sciences
09.12.2024
EMPLOYERS CAN TRAIN THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH FUNDING UNDER THE "NEW SKILLS" MEASURE UNDER THE "HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT" PROGRAM
Employers can include their employees in training under the new "New Skills" measure, which is funded by the European Social Fund+ through the "Human Resources Development" Program. The operation has a budget of over BGN 74 million, which will support the development of new skills, qualification and retraining of employees in order to adapt to the modern requirements of employers, caused by new technologies. Employers can apply with project proposals, with the exception of organizations that are spending agencies with a state or municipal budget. It is expected that over 50,500 employed and self-employed persons will acquire professional qualifications, and 25,250 participants will keep their jobs after training under the measure.
Under the "New Skills" measure, it is permissible to organize training for the acquisition or improvement of professional qualifications, tailored to the individual characteristics of the specific employee and the specifics of the workplace. Beneficiaries may organize specific trainings related to the specific workplace, including for acquiring specific digital skills, upgrading the business skills of the management team, etc. Trainings for acquiring "soft" skills are eligible. The employment of at least half of the employees who have undergone training should be maintained for a period of 6 months after the completion of the project. Only employees who are employed in the applicant enterprise at the time of submitting the project proposal may be included in trainings.
Projects require co-financing from the applicant, which is in line with the size of the enterprise. For large enterprises, co-financing from the beneficiary is 50%, for medium-sized enterprises - 40%, and for small and micro enterprises - up to 30% of the project value. If a disabled or disadvantaged employee is included in the training, the co-financing from the beneficiary is reduced by 10%. The minimum amount of European support for one project is BGN 20,000, and the maximum is BGN 5,867,400.
The full set of documents and the Conditions for applying under the measure "New Skills" are published in the Information system for management and monitoring of EU funds in Bulgaria 2020 ISMM.
The deadline for submitting project proposals by employers is March 5, 2025.
06.12.2024
WHICH MEDICAL DEVICES DOES THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND PAY FOR?
For most people, even the names of most medical devices sound a bit daunting and are difficult to pronounce: pacemaker, cardioverter defibrillator, heart valve, stent graft, joint prosthesis. But they are life-saving when we need them.
What is important to know about medical devices?
In outpatient care, some of the most popular devices are test strips for self-monitoring blood sugar, insulin pumps, sensors for measuring glucose levels, bags and accessories for patients with stomas, and others. And in 2025, the National Health Insurance Fund will also pay for special dressings, bandages, gels, and antiseptic solutions for the treatment of moderate and severe chronic and complicated wounds.
In hospital care, some of them are heart valve prosthesis, vascular prosthesis for thoracic and abdominal aorta, stents, joint prostheses for hip or knee joint, cochlear implants, pacemakers, devices for the treatment of brain aneurysms and stroke, spinal stabilization, neurostimulation implants, "artificial heart" and others. NHIF is expanding the scope of medical devices that it will pay for, and next year it will start paying for innovative closed systems for automatic insulin delivery, intratectal system for the treatment of spasticity, ureteral stents, stents for upper respiratory tract, capsule endoscopy system, pump consumables for precisely controlled therapies and others.
Does the National Health Insurance Fund pay for all medical devices?
The National Health Insurance Fund pays for medical devices in both outpatient and inpatient care.
The medical devices that the National Health Insurance Fund pays for in outpatient care can be dispensed by any pharmacy in the country that has signed a contract with the National Health Insurance Fund. The devices are dispensed on the basis of issued electronic prescriptions (prescriptions), and for some of them it is necessary to issue an electronic protocol, which is certified by the National Health Insurance Fund or the Regional Health Insurance Fund. They are included in a list published on the website of the National Health Insurance Fund, at the following address: https://www.nhif.bg/bg/medicine_food/nonmedical
Some of the medical devices are given to patients in hospital. The National Health Insurance Fund pays for them only if they are included in the algorithm of the relevant clinical pathway or procedure by which the patient is treated, and which one it will be, is decided by the treating doctors. Some of the medical devices that the National Health Insurance Fund pays for are included in the price of the respective clinical pathway or clinical/outpatient procedure. Another part of the devices is paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund outside the cost of the clinical pathways or procedures.
The medical devices that the National Health Insurance Fund pays for in hospital care outside the cost of the clinical pathways and clinical/outpatient procedures are published on the website of the National Health Insurance Fund, at the following address https://www.nhif.bg/bg/medicine_food/medical, from where each patient can familiarize themselves with the specific models, as well as with the cost that the National Health Insurance Fund pays for them.
Important!
In certain cases, the National Health Insurance Fund pays for the relevant medical device up to a certain value. These devices are included in the “List of medical devices by groups that the National Health Insurance Fund pays under the conditions of hospital medical care, and the value up to which the National Health Insurance Fund pays for each group, compiled in accordance with the procedure of Art. 13, para. 2, item 2, letter “a” of Ordinance No. 10 of 2009”. When the price of the device is higher than the value indicated in the list, the patient must pay the difference.
The medical devices included in the “List of medical devices belonging to one group and used in hospital medical care, which the National Health Insurance Fund pays in full on the basis of Art. 13, para.2, item 2, letter "b" of Regulation No. 10 of 2009", are fully paid by the National Health Insurance Fund and the patient does not owe any co-payment for them.
Important!
In some clinical pathways there are medical devices that the National Health Insurance Fund does not pay for, such as an eye lens, for example, in the treatment of a "curtain" of the eye. Such medical devices are at the patient's expense and their payment is not covered by the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund.
All groups and subgroups of medical devices that the National Health Insurance Fund pays for in full or in part in hospital care can be seen at: https://www.nhif.bg/bg/medicine_food/medical
Does the patient receive the money for the medical device he needs?
Even if the medical device is paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund, the funds for it are not received by the patient, and the National Health Insurance Fund transfers them to the relevant medical institution or pharmacy.
The type of medical device required is determined by the attending physician. The patient's co-payment depends on the device that is needed specifically for his case. If the patient has to pay for a medical device, he gives an amount that represents the difference between the price of the device and the amount paid by the National Health Insurance Fund. The hospital or pharmacy must issue documents (including a receipt, invoice) indicating what the patient paid.
The National Health Insurance Fund does not reimburse funds paid by the patient. The Fund is in contractual relations with medical institutions - providers of hospital medical care - for medical devices paid under the conditions of hospital medical care and retailers of medicinal products (pharmacies) - for medical devices paid under the conditions of outpatient medical care.
The medical institution is obliged to announce in a prominent place the agreed clinical pathways and the prices that the National Health Insurance Fund pays for them, as well as the types of medical devices and expensive consumables, and the prices up to which the National Health Insurance Fund pays for them.
Which medical devices do patients most often need?
Hip joint
The hip joint is implanted within clinical pathways No. 217.2 and 218 “Operative procedures with alloplasty of the hip and knee joint”. The National Health Insurance Fund pays the providers of hospital care for all medical activities, including: examinations, preoperative preparation, anesthesia, surgery, treatment in the hospital with an appointment for up to two follow-up examinations within 30 days after discharge, which must be recorded in the epicrisis, in the same medical institution for hospital care.
The fund pays the hospital the cost of the hip prosthesis, separately from all activities.
Stent
The National Health Insurance Fund pays for stents, but it is necessary to know exactly what kind of stent will be placed, because there are different types, subtypes, sizes with different prices. In the Lists of medical devices belonging to one group and used in hospital medical care, which the National Health Insurance Fund pays for, in group 4 and its subgroups, all types of stents and balloons that the National Health Insurance Fund pays for and their values are included. The lists are published on the website of the National Health Insurance Fund, section "Medical devices and dietary foods" - sub-section "Medical devices used in hospital medical care".
Ocular lens or "Eye Curtain" surgery
Cataract treatment is paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund and is performed under outpatient procedure (APr) No. 19 "Operative cataract removal", which includes procedures for removing cataracts from the eyes and inserting intraocular lenses. The National Health Insurance Fund pays hospital care providers for the surgical activity, the necessary clinical and diagnostic examinations and procedures, for medications and consumables. In outpatient procedure No. 19 it is explicitly mentioned that the expensive medical devices for carrying out the treatment - ocular lens and viscosubstance, are not paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund, i.e. they are paid for by the patient.
05.12.2024
10 INVISIBLE BUT CUNNING BOSS TRAPS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
I'm listening to your suggestions, says the boss, leaning back in his chair. You, his subordinates, are expected to take the initiative and give ideas on how the new task can be carried out more effectively.
To shine, colleague X immediately takes the floor and says things that will make it difficult for the whole team. The boss just listens, doesn't dismiss the lunatics. You can't stand it, you come into conflict with colleague X and a heated argument begins.
This is an example of how the boss sets an invisible trap that can have quite unpleasant consequences. It doesn't matter why he does it - whether it's because he believes that in controversy comes truth, as the popular cliché goes, or because he likes competition among his subordinates, even in such a crude form. What is important for you is not to fall into the trap of aloofness, worsen your relationship with your colleague and spoil your professional reputation.
Keep your cool, don't antagonize X. First, it's not your job, it's the boss's. Second, the fact that he is silent does not mean that he agrees with the proposals. Maybe he gives everyone a chance to voice their opinions, then he'll make decisions and announce them to the team. So speak your mind without getting into a confrontation with X. Otherwise, although you oppose him in the interest of work, you may gain a reputation as a conflicted person who is unable to listen calmly to others.
There are bosses who like to play democracy not only by brainstorming and listening to all kinds of opinions. This other kind leaves their subordinates to negotiate potentially explosive issues on their own. For example, how to distribute unpleasant tasks or who should go on vacation when.
In general, a good manager should not act like this when he knows that his people may strain their relationship. Creating an organization is one of his primary job description functions. Yours is clearly not one of the good ones, but don't fall into his pseudo-democratic trap. Suggest that your colleagues each write down their holiday preferences, for example. And let the boss make a schedule. In this way, it will be clear who to be angry with and the collegial atmosphere will not be spoiled.
Such a boss very often tries to avoid decisions in which he is not sure, in order to avoid responsibility in the event of failure. He presents himself as a leader who is a master of delegation. Does not control every step of the team. It sets a goal and is interested in the end result, while allowing employees to take initiative and determine how to get the job done.
Delegation is commendable if it is not a trap that the boss sets to make his subordinates guilty. In fact, he is a dishonest person. Usually, such a management style is not tolerated for long when there are superiors above him. But if there are none or they are far away, try to protect yourself by asking for specifically formulated responsibilities, rights, instructions, approval from the manager for everything you do. It's best to have them in writing and keep them to yourself. Otherwise, the so-called being delegated by a dishonest boss will stunt your career.
In this regard, be careful with a leader who is subject to impatience. At first glance, it seems very good not to have long meetings. But if the issues are not clarified to them and everyone starts doing whatever and as much as they understand, the risk of the work getting stuck is very high. Without going into too much detail, find a way to check that you have correctly understood exactly what is expected of you.
The fifth trap is to have a boss who does not want to shirk responsibility or is not in a hurry, but is not the pinnacle of communication. The guy just doesn't know how to explain well enough for his employees to get clear direction about the work and the end results they are expected to achieve.
Excellent communication skills are usually an important criterion for choosing whether an excellent professional can also be an excellent manager. But it happens that the consideration prevails that he knows how to make the team productive, and his subordinates will somehow learn to understand him. Well try to do it. One way to deal with a vaguely verbal boss is to say, "Let's sum up what we should do," and repeat succinctly what you think he ordered.
An imperceptible trap is set by a boss who forces subordinates into partnership roles. That sounds great, but it's bad when he assumes that employees have as much information as he does and that they see the big picture. Very often this is not the case for a variety of reasons, including the fact that a leadership position gives a much better knowledge of the goals of the entire company. So try to make your tasks as clear as possible without worrying about appearing incompetent. However, you and your boss are not partners, you have very specific places in the company's hierarchy.
The situation is similar with a manager who is overly focused on accessibility. His door is always open because he does not experience himself as a big boss. You know that you are not his equal, but you are tempted to make the most of his experience and every hour you run to consult him.
The trap here is that you are not used to making independent decisions at your level. As much as you benefit from the boss's experience, so does the damage to your development. And remember, you're probably making a bad impression. Approachable, approachable, but he's your boss, not your nanny.
A risk-averse boss is, in a sense, convenient. On the trodden paths of caution, he and his team do their work and achieve the expected results. But with such a boss, you will not conquer dizzying successes. Also, you won't learn how to make bold decisions from it. Which is not very promising for your professional development.
A leader is a double-edged sword when he is in the grip of modesty. He does not promote himself and does not belittle the contributions of his subordinates. But at a higher level in the company, this unwillingness or inability to step into the spotlight can lead to an underestimation of the merits of the entire department he leads. Because of the art of self-promotion, other directors give the impression that they and their people have given much more to the overall success, which brings the corresponding material bonuses or praise.
There seems to be nothing to object to the principle that governs the boss. Naturally, a good leader must be honorable, fair, have values and morals. Without making compromises with them, however, he also needs flexibility. A key skill for a manager is the ability to adapt his management style to different conditions and circumstances. Too much linearity can be harmful because it prevents him and the team from adapting to change.
Sometimes it is also dangerous for relationships. At first glance, straightness makes the boss predictable to his subordinates and is a guarantee that he treats them equally. But it can also lead to the point that people never admit their mistakes, because the principle of the boss is always to punish. Flexibility means forgiving a mistake that a subordinate has made unintentionally or with good intentions but poor judgment. In such a case, it is much more important to draw the right conclusions so that the mistake is not repeated than to impose a punishment.
For the last three traps, the advice is the same - look around to see if there's room for a boss who likes challenges more, can sell better, and isn't rigidly straight-laced.
04.12.2024
ANGER MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES WHEN YOU'RE VERY ANGRY AT WORK
Maybe you've had a lot of anger at work lately because an unpleasant manager fell on your head. It's not that others don't have them every day in their work, but you think that with you "on assignment" occasions are more than usual.
Big topics to think about are why you think this person is unpleasant, is he really a bad manager, and if so, what to do to get out. But while you are thinking and deciding, it is imperative that you learn to manage your anger in order not to derail your career. It doesn't matter who is to blame for the situation that annoys you. Maybe it's the boss, but the anger is born in you and you're the ones who shouldn't let it. If you blow up, you show weakness. And what's worse is that you'll probably have to apologize afterwards.
There are coping techniques and it's a good idea to apply them as soon as you feel rage.
o The good old "Count to 5" rule really helps. Count very slowly. If you're still angry, go ahead - and 10 is a good number.
o Take 5-6 slow deep breaths, concentrating on the breath itself.
o Shift your body weight onto your left leg. Count to 5 and transfer it to the right one.
o Imagine that in this situation it is not you, but someone else. You are a bystander. This gives you an opportunity to distance yourself from your feelings. In many cases, you will come to the conclusion that it is not worth getting so attached.
o Rate your level of irritation on a scale of 1 to 10. Be aware of whether you are angry, angry, or on the verge of a tantrum. What to do next? Nothing. By the time you've been thinking about exactly where on the scale to place your feelings, you've already calmed down.
o Repeat to yourself as a mantra something that gives you self-confidence. Example: "I'm a calm person. I'm confident in myself. I have a good life and a wonderful family. And this will pass."
o Carry a "stone of patience" as critical situations often occur that can throw you off balance. Any object pleasant to the touch is suitable. If it doesn't make an impression, better. For example, choose a "soothing" pen that you naturally bring with you to meetings, or a smooth marble egg that you keep on your desk. Whenever you feel anger, touch your "patience stone". It helps magically.
29.11.2024
COMPANIES IN OUR COUNTRY ARE REQUIRED TO APPOINT WOMEN AS BOSSES
33% of all director positions, both with and without executive functions, on the management and supervisory boards, respectively on the boards of directors in companies listed on the stock exchange, to be held by members of the underrepresented gender, which is most often women.
This is provided for by changes to the Law on Equality between Women and Men, which have been put up for public discussion. Their share must not exceed 49%. A deadline for achieving the goal is set - June 30, 2026.
Requirements are introduced for public companies to report information on whether they are achieving these goals. In their corporate governance declarations, which they currently submit every year, they must provide information on the number of men and women in their management bodies, among executive directors and non-executive directors, on the measures taken to achieve the goal and on the reasons in case the goal is not achieved (the "comply or explain" principle). A deadline for the first reporting is set - in 2026 for the reporting year 2025.
Companies must publish in a visible place on their website by May 15 of the current year the information for the previous year.
The Financial Supervision Commission is obliged to publish by June 30, 2026 on its website a list of public companies that have achieved the set goal, and to update it annually, providing it at the request of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy.
Those who do not publish such information will be fined.
A requirement is introduced for public companies that do not meet the set quantitative goal to adapt the procedures for selecting members of the management and supervisory boards, respectively the board of directors, by ensuring:
a comparative assessment of the professional qualifications of each candidate;
clearly formulated, neutral and unambiguous merit-based selection criteria, which are applied in a non-discriminatory manner throughout the selection process;
giving preference to the candidate of the underrepresented sex when the selection identifies candidates with equal qualifications, competence and professional results.
This will not apply when the selection gives greater weight to other diversity policies that provide an advantage in favor of the candidate of the other sex.
It also introduces a requirement for companies to disclose the selection criteria, if requested by the rejected candidate, as well as the specific considerations providing an advantage. When challenging the selection of members of the management and supervisory boards, respectively of the board of directors of a public company, the rule of reversed burden of proof, which is regulated in Art. 9 of the Protection against Discrimination Act, shall apply.
Public companies will be obliged in the invitation to hold their general meeting, when an item is provided for the election of a member of the management or supervisory board, to publish information on the requirements regarding the provisions on the quantitative target for balanced representation of women and men, the selection procedure with a view to achieving the target, as well as the applicable measures and sanctions in case of non-compliance.
The Minister of Labour and Social Policy will be the body for promotion, analysis, monitoring and support in relation to gender balance in the management bodies of public companies. He is also responsible for reporting to the European Commission on the implementation of the Directive. In this regard, a mechanism for exchange of information is provided by providing information to the body by the Financial Supervision Commission and the Commission for Protection against Discrimination.
28.11.2024
HOW TO LIVE WITH A JOB YOU DON'T LIKE - ADVICE FROM COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGISTS
You hate your job. Eight hours five days a week is torture. But for some reasons you can't leave. Then the only thing left for you is to somehow try to hold on.
This is bad because it is scientifically proven: You love your work - you live longer. But your problem is not unique. Many people are in a similar situation and experts advise what to do.
The first piece of advice is to figure out what exactly bothers you and look around to see if there is another position or department in the same company where you will feel better.
If so, think about who to talk to. This could be your boss if the tasks you are performing have become boring to you. It could be another manager in the company or an employee from the Human Resources department. You don't have to dramatically admit that you hate your job. Tell him what you would like to do to regain your motivation and passion.
By sharing your career concerns and desires with the right person, you're taking the first step toward change, says cognitive psychologist Art Markman. State in plain text that you hope to change your position when an opportunity presents itself. Very often this turns out to be a useful move, because so far no one in the company has suspected that you no longer like your job. And by sharing, there is a chance that you will also receive valuable recommendations - what competencies you need to acquire and develop in order to achieve your goal. When you set out to achieve them, your daily tasks will begin to seem less unpleasant because you now have hope of getting out of them.
It's a rosy scenario. It is possible that there are no other suitable positions for you in this company or that you do not want them. Then try to make the time you spend in the service more bearable.
There is always at least one colleague with whom you will enjoy communicating. However, do not turn the contacts into drama - you complain to him and he to you. To some extent, this is relieving. But it will be much more beneficial for both of you not to deepen your dissatisfaction with the job by telling each other how bad everything is, there is no hope on the horizon, etc. If you have nothing nice to say about work, talk about things outside of it. The goal is to lighten up, not burden yourself.
In fact, maybe it's not the job you hate, it's that you don't like your co-workers and can't find any likeable ones. Learn to gracefully distance yourself from them and what they are doing.
Focus on your own tasks, stay away from anything you find unproductive and off-putting, such as gossip, advises career development consultant Loli Daskal.
Be very careful not to get depressed. One of the worst things that can happen to you in such a situation is to let negative thoughts take over your mind. Purposefully cultivate a positive mindset by focusing on your work and ignoring all the negativity around you, Daskal emphasizes.
An unconventional salvation can be to take under your patronage a newly arrived colleague and help him enter the work. Mentoring will be refreshing, especially if you have a youngster who looks up to you. That way you will have someone to communicate with. Naturally, don't show the new colleague how much you hate your job. You're ruining your mentor halo. Moreover, it is very discouraging for a young or newly hired employee to learn such a fact. It's like he can see his future.
The third tip is to be sure to find meaning elsewhere, outside of your immediate duties. You can devote yourself to civic causes or a hobby. Investing time in such activities will connect you with like-minded people. Communicating and feeling like you are part of something bigger will give you satisfaction. In addition, new contacts can open new doors for professional development, points out Art Markman.
However, both he and Lolly Daskal advise that you carefully consider how far your limits extend to endure the torture of the hated job. But first of all, admit the fact and look at it from all sides.
"When you analyze the circumstances that make you feel trapped in your workplace, you discover opportunities you didn't realize existed before. Instead of looking at a career change as some abstraction in the distant future, think about the concrete actions, that you need to take to make it a reality," says Art Markman.
"Prepare an exit strategy. It's never too late to look for a better environment that will allow you to do your job to the best of your ability. Then look at this unpleasant period of your life as a valuable experience that taught you to recognize the things you don't have to put up with at work," adds Lolly Daskal.
------ Company ethnographer or salvation to go beyond the job description
Any job can become boring or even hateful if you don't want to love it. You can always find someone else to blame it on - the nasty boss, the unpleasant co-workers, the bad corporate culture, etc. However, the bitter truth is that people very often have their own fault for not liking their jobs. This is how they predetermine their failure in their career and the bigger trouble - their unhappy life. Because no one lives happily if they spend most of their waking hours doing something hateful and at the same time find no opportunity or strength to get out of the trap.
Experts say that going beyond your job description will have a huge impact on both your job satisfaction and your success at work. In many professions, this document must be startlingly long if it were to list in detail all the rights, responsibilities, rules, etc. Often, in his professional daily life, the employee does dozens of things that are not officially in the so-called characteristic.
There are even cases where the basic duties described play a relatively minor role and are not particularly important to career success. What and how employees do is largely determined by their professional knowledge, experience and common sense.
You must, of course, perform your main duties. But if you find something else that fits into your work, matches your abilities and interests, go for it and you will feel much more satisfied. You'll even stop hating your job.
For example, you can enrich your job description as an accountant by not just registering invoices, but analyzing them. Thus, you will conclude that your company's sales are increasing in the Montana region, say. The managers of every company want their employees to give their best, and you will impress them. That you look below the surface will be a step towards a positive evaluation of you, towards bonuses and promotions.
Another useful strategy is to become a company ethnographer of sorts. Basically, ethnography studies the customs, traditions, lifestyle and culture of different groups, regions and countries. In this case, cognitive psychologist Art Markman uses the term to advise observing company culture and the relationships between individual employees, managers and executives.
It's easy to isolate yourself from your colleagues and not pay much attention to what they're doing, especially when you don't like them or are overwhelmed with your own duties. But the more you pay attention to the work of others, the better you will know which people in the office spend the most time working on tasks that match your skills and qualities.
When you develop a good understanding of the overall culture and structure of your workplace, you will be able to look for a position that will allow you to be successful and satisfied.
Also, identify the "stars" in the team - the people who have achieved significant success at work, enjoy authority and seem to be the happiest. When you talk to these people, you can find out what skills they use in their daily lives that have elevated them to their position and their self-esteem.
27.11.2024
DO YOU REALLY WANT A HIGHER POSITION AND HOW TO REFUSE A PROMOTION
The question do you really want a higher post may sound silly only at first reading. True, in almost all companies and institutions, a higher position brings more money, prestige, power, opportunities, etc. Only in this world
nothing is free
and all this comes with more responsibilities, work, challenges, stress, etc. The result is less peace, free time, pleasures, communication with family and friends. So be careful what you wish for - if a raise won't make you happier, you don't need one.
This is the first question you need to answer yourself - would you be happier if you had a higher post.
Only then comes the second - do you want a promotion.
The third has variants. It could be how to achieve it. Or it might be how to turn down a promotion if your boss offers it without damaging your career. You may also get only the most tempting extra - a higher salary.
You can take a week off to decide. It is a good time to think. You have freed yourself from the usual workload, you have gone out of the everyday rhythm, you have changed the environment, you have relaxed and your head works better. But most importantly, you feel the value of paying attention to yourself and your family.
Analyze the possible new post with what responsibilities it is associated with. If you will have to be on a business trip very often, is there someone who will take over your obligations to the family, how much will it cost him in terms of effort and will he manage without risks to himself and others. And are you personally ready to often miss your children's school celebrations, let's say because you are somewhere far away.
If you and your family are going to be miserable because of it, will most of the money you get compensated enough. With them you will afford a great weekend, but can it balance the sacrifices in the other 5 days.
Money is an important point, but it's probably not just about money. Everyone needs to grow in their profession, and a promotion is usually just such a step. You have gained enough experience, you want to do something different, you need new challenges. The very step up the hierarchy is an assessment of your abilities and efforts, counts as success and therefore brings satisfaction. It will increase your self-esteem and also the opinion of others about you. This is also not to be underestimated when you think about how you will feel.
There are probably many more facts, circumstances and probabilities to analyze. If the account shows that you will still be happier, then
it's your turn to judge if you can handle it
with the new job. There is no way it will be the same as the one you have been doing before, because that means there is something wrong with your company's job characteristics.
In the higher position, you will have to make decisions, take initiative, be inventive, lead a team. In order to successfully cope with everything, you will need to acquire more knowledge, acquire new professional qualities, develop leadership skills. In short, at the same time as most of the duties, you will also need to study. You also need to find time for that, and it should make you happy.
The last stage of the analysis is
to draw the line
and with a great deal of certainty you can tell yourself that you will be successful in your new post.
Otherwise, you risk your career. Better to excel further down the hierarchy than fail after the promotion. Indeed, from every failure many valuable lessons can be learned for the future, but right now even the most philosophical person feels unhappy. And some cannot recover for a long time.
The worst thing is fear itself
to take on new challenges, but by doing a good amount of preliminary thinking, the answer to the second question - do you want a promotion - comes quickly.
Once you want it, it's time to make a plan to get it. There are many and specific details depending on your profession, the company you work for, the situation in your department, and the like.
It is basically what is needed
to show your boss three things.
First, that you have a desire to develop in your career, to grow, to take on new responsibilities and challenges. If he doesn't feel this, you may not come to his mind as a candidate at all, even if there is a vacant higher position in the company.
Second, whoever your promotion depends on must be pretty sure (there's never a 100% guarantee) that you'll do as well as you do in your current position. No boss is willing to risk the good results of the company. And his own career because he promoted the wrong person. It's up to you to show him you're ready by finding a way from your current position to demonstrate the qualities and skills needed for the next step up the ladder. Be sure to signal that you have already started learning new skills so that nothing can hinder you in your new post.
If the position is management, it will be useful for your boss to see that you are one of those people who are not only excellent at working in a team, but also at organizing, leading, motivating, inspiring, appreciating your subordinates.
The third is to show unequivocally that the new work will bring you satisfaction, that you will do it with pleasure, which will help you achieve high results. Every boss knows that happiness is the most effective motivator.
How to decline a promotion
The result of mental work well done may be that you don't want a promotion. Reasons many, exactly the opposite of those for which you consider yourself ready for a higher post.
However, it is delicate how to refuse it if it is likely to be offered to you. This also needs a good plan.
It is commonly believed that every soldier wants a marshal's baton. And suspiciously, he refuses to take it out when offered to wave it around. The boss has evaluated you, makes an offer, and you pull yourself together and give him bad thoughts - that you plan to leave and go to the competition, that you have your eye on an even higher position (his) or that you are a person without ambitions develops. These and other similar assumptions are still not in your favor in the current position in which you want to stay.
Honesty is a good approach, but not quite. By declining, you can communicate that you appreciate the offer and that you really have the skills to handle the new position. You are ready to learn more and take on challenges. But you're fully aware that more responsibilities will cut into your free time, and right now that's not good for your family. You don't have the opportunity to travel, for example.
You need to be persuasive and carefully choose what arguments you make so they don't sound fake and drive down your price.
It's not good to say that you won't put in the effort to acquire new skills - this will still be necessary at some point in your current position. It will be misconstrued that you value your free time because you prefer to go fishing or on trips with girlfriends instead of negotiating with foreign partners on the weekend. It's bad to admit that you won't feel happy leading people because you hate conforming to others. With children or with elderly parents, you can justify yourself, but if it is with a healthy and upright, but capricious woman, it will turn out that you are under a slipper.
A really good promotion waiver plan can allow you to reap dividends. If the management has decided that you are fit for a higher position, then it values you. Deftly offer to get something to your current one - for example, a higher salary or some other extras. Naturally, not for nothing, but by using your abilities and increasing your duties to a tolerable degree.
21.11.2024
YES AND SUCCESS IS A HABIT
You have heard a thousand times that after failure you should not wallow in suffering, but coolly analyze why it happened to you. It's the same after success.
Celebrate, of course, but remember that after the initial euphoria, you need to honestly analyze why it happened to you. It is useful because success is also a habit.
More precisely, the right habits lead to success. If you read the interviews or books of people who have achieved something significant, you will notice that they pay special attention to the things that lead them to success. Sometimes these things seem cliché to you. That they are optimistic. That they are focused on their goals. That they are not afraid to take risks after weighing the risk. That they know each other's strengths and weaknesses. That they are not worth their efforts. That the most resilient wins - the one who doesn't give up.
All of this sounds painfully familiar indeed. But it's painfully true. And the question of how to implement it at home is painfully difficult.
You can't buy a formula for success, you have to find it for yourself. Ultimately, success depends on identifying the beneficial actions and building habits that help you be productive, personal development experts say.
Imagine it like this. You want to lose weight. You try 5-6 diets recommended by experts, colleagues, neighbors. The seventh turns out to be effective. You lose weight. When next spring you decide to lose a few kilos, you won't waste your time with those 5-6, you'll go on the seventh diet again, won't you?
So it is with success. Once you have achieved this, it is quite logical to realize which of your actions have generated positive results. When you realize them, you will repeat them. Gradually, you will create the right habits that work for you and help you achieve your goals.
In practice, it's not that simple, because there are always new circumstances to consider. But still the first is self-knowledge. Strategic selection is the second. And it won't work without the first one.
Elementary example. There are people who can think and talk at the same time. Others are stronger when they organize their thoughts in writing. Let's say you're one of the latter. If you realize that it is because of this feature of yours that you have achieved your current success, then you should try to act in the same way in the next task.
It is a matter of strategic selection to choose a job that allows you to utilize this strong point of yours. Obviously, occupations or positions with many situations where you are required to think and speak at the same time are not for you. For example, you don't become a politician or a boss. But when you find yourself in the right place and have developed the right habit of coping, your chances of success increase manifold.
Probably sometimes tactical selection will also be necessary – i.e. to decide how to get out of a situation where you don't have time to organize your thoughts in writing. But it won't be too often, once you've done the main thing - you have self-awareness of how you succeed and, according to him, you've made a strategic selection of your goals and actions.
Therefore, after every success, the question "why" is key. And maybe every time you will discover something new for yourself - an action that you will develop as a habit and it will lead you to further success.
No matter how strange it is, a person always thinks he knows himself, but throughout his life he discovers new things about himself. You may not have had to bargain before, in this task you did it for the first time, and precisely because of your persuasiveness you achieved an excellent result. By realizing it, and in the second case you will act in a similar way, you will improve the offer that the partners offered you and save costs for the company. And that will mean bonuses for you.
Also, a person changes with age and experience. Were you not successful because you came to work early in the morning and were much more efficient in a quiet office? Until now, you thought that you were not from the so-called larks, but here the good ones have done something to you.
"Achieving self-knowledge is not easy, because the human personality is not static. If you want to know yourself well, you must constantly make a purposeful effort to renew your idea of your own identity. This is extremely important for achieving success in any sphere of life, since without the necessary self-knowledge, a person can easily become a victim of thoughtless decisions and the pursuit of a wrong goal," the experts point out.
No one else knows what is best for you. The opposite statement may be acceptable, and only to a certain extent, for children at that period of their lives when parents bear the entire responsibility for their well-being. But when it comes to building a worthwhile career, the probability of success is directly proportional to the amount of actions that you yourself think are right. The most important thing is to listen to yourself and learn to cooperate with your own intuition.
However, the pursuit of self-knowledge is an often overlooked ingredient of success. Maybe because it sounds kind of philosophically hijacked.
At the expense of this, the advice is compulsively repeated, for example, to keep learning. "It is absolutely true that one should never stop learning, improving and developing. It is prudent to contact people who are smarter and better than oneself in order to 'buy' from them - say the experts. - But it's completely irresponsible if you don't learn from your own victories. Look for clues and evidence of success, get to know what works for you, make it a habit and nothing will be able to stop you."
And if it does happen to stop you? Well, then you get into that other "why" - finding the action that led to the negative results and not repeating it.
Such is life, and the only consolation is that along the way up and down you gradually develop a "sixth sense" - the habit of intuitively feeling what to do and what not to do.
----- Banalities don't help -----
When you succeed, you have every right to be proud. But when analyzing why you achieved it, beware of banal explanations. They're a must if you're giving a public speech - that's what people expect to hear from you. When you talk to yourself, they are completely useless.
o "I worked a lot". It must have been, success is seldom achieved with little work. But unless it happens to you for the first time, this general finding has little practical meaning. Try to recall your actions step by step to find what made a decisive contribution to victory and turn it into a habit.
o "I believed". Undoubtedly - if you didn't believe, you wouldn't fight for success. However, your task is to find the roots of your confidence and carefully water them in the future.
o "I risked". The risk was probably measured. By tracking how you weighed the pros and cons, you'll build a pattern. Assessing risks correctly is also a habit.
o "I was lucky". A favorable confluence of circumstances helps in any work. But luck is only important in lotto and lottery. In most other cases, it comes with good preparation.
20.11.2024
THE ANTIDOTE TO WORKPLACE TOXICITY
Think about the last time you had a conflict with a colleague. It doesn't have to be so dramatic that it involves screaming at the top of your lungs or throwing objects. This might be a time you noticed a passive-aggressive hint from a colleague during a team meeting.
The discussion surrounding "toxicity" and how it relates to workplace culture has been heated in recent years. This toxicity in question can take a myriad of forms. According to a 2023 survey by the American Psychological Association, 19% of employees said their workplace was very or somewhat toxic, and those who experienced workplace toxicity were more than three times more likely to report an impairment of their mental health than others who enjoyed a healthy work environment (52% vs. 15%).
The evolving dynamics of the workplace and increased awareness of toxicity is a reality that employers must face. One way they do this is by investing in employees so they develop "toxicity-proof" skills such as emotional intelligence.
What is a toxic company culture?
At one point or another, we've all been through unpleasant situations with our supervisor or colleague. But are all these moments representative of toxicity? What if the negativity or anxiety the employee is experiencing is not direct or intentional aggression from a colleague? What exactly are the conditions under which a company culture becomes toxic?
According to Business Leadership Today, a toxic workplace culture "is one in which conflict is common and the work environment is negative due to unethical behavior, lack of inclusion, and disrespect." Let's take a closer look at this definition:
First, the qualifier that workplace conflict must be a “common” phenomenon suggests that one or two adverse incidents are not necessarily indicative of a persistent culture of toxicity. Employees are human and as such can be guilty of lapses and poor judgment from time to time - especially in a work environment full of daily pressures and differing views. Labor conflict even has the potential to lead to healthy growth and build a stronger foundation of mutual respect if all parties approach it with the goal of resolution.
The other key part of this description of a toxic workplace culture relates to another important qualifier: that the work environment is negative because of certain behaviors or intentions. The employee's dissatisfaction with the lack of daylight in his office cannot fall into the category of complaints of the type of "unethical behavior" and "disrespect". But what if the employee simply asked his supervisor if there was a workstation available that offered more sunlight? And what if the boss retorts that the employee is being paid fairly and should be happy with the job he has, and then mocks him for months for having the audacity to ask for a sunnier job? In these cases, a strong argument can be made for the presence of a toxic workplace culture.
What is emotional intelligence and how can it help fight toxicity?
One of the root causes of building a toxic workplace culture can be the relative lack of emotional intelligence (EQ) among company employees. Lower levels of emotional intelligence in an employee can even create toxicity and worsen workplace culture. So what is emotional intelligence and how do workers with higher levels of emotional intelligence help foster a healthier work environment?
Emotional intelligence is a person's ability to identify, understand and manage their own emotions as well as those of those around them. If this sounds ambitious and complicated, especially in a work environment, that's because it is complicated and ambitious. A high level of EQ is not easily achieved and must be constantly refined and reassessed against the backdrop of a changing workplace. But in the end, the effort is worth it. The World Economic Forum ranks emotional intelligence as one of the top skills needed to gain a competitive edge at work. Additionally, McKinsey claims that the need for social and emotional skills will grow at a faster rate than the need for cognitive skills.
Work often creates a fast-paced, high-stakes environment for employees, who naturally tend to have an emotional response to this environment. Real-time processing of these feelings is at the heart of emotional intelligence. Basic research has led to the cascade model of emotional intelligence, which suggests that strong EQ is characterized by a progressive sequence: 1) emotion perception, 2) emotional understanding, and 3) emotional regulation and management.
By observing and practicing this consistency, employees—and especially supervisors and managers—have the ability to change the work landscape by better managing conflict, navigating interpersonal relationships, strengthening teamwork, building resilience, and promoting customer satisfaction. High levels of EQ in customer service have even been shown to help improve customer retention rates over a longer period of time.
How to avoid a toxic culture and create a healthy work environment
Now that we understand toxic workplace culture, its potential consequences, and the importance of emotional intelligence in combating toxicity, how can companies apply what we know to build healthier, more stable, and ultimately more rewarding workplace environment? Here are three solutions:
Historically, determining the emotional intelligence of job applicants and existing employees has always involved mostly guesswork—if it was considered by employers at all. Organizations now have the ability to measure EQ through psychometric assessments. In one case, workers with the highest and average job scores scored higher on an emotional intelligence assessment, and those with higher EQ made more calls, had more conversations with prospects, and were able to convert more sales calls.
EQ assessments can help hiring managers and HR departments identify red flags of candidate toxicity. Emotional intelligence exists on a spectrum, so a company shouldn't necessarily reject an experienced and qualified candidate based on a single negative metric. But EQ assessments can help organizations build more accurate holistic profiles of job candidates, avoid costly hiring mistakes, and create a more inclusive and supportive work culture.
Employees do not have to remain low on emotional intelligence. Although some people may inherently have a greater ability to manage their emotions and connect with others, it is possible for an employee, if they want to, to develop their EQ through training and achieve tangible and lasting results.
Until the world becomes fully populated with self-aware, empathic, and well-adjusted people, there will be levels of toxicity to be found in almost any work environment. But with an understanding of individual emotional intelligence, the role of EQ in the workplace, and tools to optimize workforce emotional intelligence, organizations are now empowered to identify and address toxicity and build a company culture that prioritizes respect, productivity and employee satisfaction.
