Melissa Williams-Gurian

01Aug 2017 by melissa No Comments

The Way to Cultivate Confidence

Article

Confidence is what allows us to do our work even when we know critics might question it. It is what allows us to take risks with our shoulders back and our head held high. And it is what helps us decide to do the right thing, even when others are pressuring us otherwise. We’re more likely to take advice and accept leadership from a confident person. We all feel shaky sometimes. In those moments, we can work to cultivate more self-assurance. Confidence comes from knowing what you stand for, and the beliefs and values that drive your actions. When you feel wobbly about a decision, or worry too much about what others think, find your bearings by recalling what you stand for. If you’re in the process of sorting out…

17Jul 2017 by melissa No Comments

How to Make Judgment Work For You

Article

Merriam Webster: Judgment: the process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing; careful judgment of the odds Zen Buddhist thought: My best teachers are my attachments and my judgments. My attachments show me all of my egoic desires and my judgments show me the level of separation that still exists between myself and others. Common psychological phenomenon: If you spot it, you’ve got it Good judgment is a much-coveted skill for people in all sorts of jobs, from artists to business leaders. To be able to discern the right, celestial color of blue for a painting of sky, or to choose the best way to approach a difficult problem with a new product idea—this is where our sense of judgment does its best work. On the other hand, I…

23Jun 2017 by melissa No Comments

Three Engaging Summer Reads On Current Workplace Topics

Article

Looking for a beach (or back porch) read for summer that is thoughtful as well as entertaining? I recommend the following three books because, while they aren't business books, they address topics that are currently buzzy workplace issues with wisdom, while also being engaging. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn Many businesses are incorporating mindfulness into their workplace culture. Perhaps more of us are searching for how to be in the here and now and be connected with one another in this hectic era? Kabat-Zinn’s book, published in 1994, has sold over 750,000 copies, and today there is a lot of research supporting the benefits of mindfulness meditation as a way to increase focus, lower stress, and otherwise benefit our lives. Kabat-Zinn’s…

13Jun 2017 by melissa No Comments

Do You Need to Be Liked As a Leader?

Article

Machiavelli posed the question several centuries ago: is it better to be loved or feared? Leaders have debated the issue ever since. The Florentine politician himself came down on the side of fear. It is very difficult, he said, to be a leader who is both loved and feared, so if you have to choose one, fear is the safer choice. I don’t believe that fear-based leadership is successful long-term. On the other hand, I find that a need to be liked—or loved—can impede a leader’s decision-making. In fact, some research indicates that the most highly-successful leaders don’t invest much energy in being liked. These individuals can withstand criticism and even bold resistance if they believe they are making the right decision. In a January 2017 article in Entrepreneur, Do…

26May 2017 by melissa No Comments

Take the Leap With Self-Reflection

Article

What is it you really believe? What is it you really want? What is it you are here to do? When was the last time you asked yourself questions like these? Many high school and college students about to graduate are quizzing themselves like this right about now, as they stand on the threshold of a new life stage. This kind of wondering can stir up a mix of emotions—excitement about the future, hope, and self-doubt. But it’s not just students who find themselves reflecting on life this time of year. As others witness a threshold moment like graduation, we might find ourselves also thinking about who we have become since our last big moment of change. Have we met our goals? Do we have new ones? Are we still…

19May 2017 by melissa No Comments

Use These Lessons To Create A Powerful Team

Article

If you’re a fan of team sports, you know how varied the styles of even great players can be: flashy or modest, balletic or bulldozing, comfortable in a supporting role or always seeking the limelight. If these disparate types are playing together successfully, there's likely a balance of types on the team, and a coach wise to the ways of bringing the best from individuals within a group. The same applies to business teams, and now, researchers Suzanne M. Johnson Vickberg and Kim Christfort have taken a deep dive into the science behind bringing out the best in a team. The researchers used brain chemistry and molecular biology research as background to create an assessment of business-relevant traits and preferences of individuals at work. The assessment has been completed by more…

05May 2017 by melissa No Comments

A Cheat Sheet for Warm Leadership

Article

A few months ago, I wrote about warm versus strong leadership. Spoiler Alert: "Behavioral research suggests that people may comply with the demands of a leader who is not warm, but privately are less likely to feel motivated to perform well for such a person than for a leader who, for instance, validates feelings, asks about others, and uses more open gestures." If you suspect you need to warm up your style, I created the following cheat sheet to help. I suggest a liberal sprinkling of warmth in email, in person, and on the phone. Especially if you're someone who shows up strong and sometimes brusque, warmth can help draw your team closer together, motivate your employees, and inspire loyalty. Examples of cold and warm questions and comments: Cold: Did…

27Apr 2017 by melissa No Comments

To Reach Goals, Accentuate the Positive

Article

A few months ago I wrote about expert tricks for helping stick to our goals. Now that we’re several months into the year, some of us may be feeling those New Year’s Resolutions slipping through our fingers. If that’s happening for you, I’ve found one more trick that just may help. Recent studies conducted by University of Chicago behavioral science researchers Kaitlin Woolley and Ayelet Fishbach suggest another way to get yourself to keep working towards your goal: enjoyment. The researchers tracked participants who had set goals—such as advancement in career or improved health—and followed up after two months to learn how successful those people were staying the course. They asked questions such as how much enjoyment the individuals had while pursuing their goal—did they have any fun in the spin class?…

16Apr 2017 by melissa No Comments

Great Leadership Requires These Three Things

Article

1. Great leadership requires immense vulnerability. The etymology of the word vulnerable lies in a Latin word, vulnus, which means “to wound.” To be vulnerable is to allow yourself to be open to the possibility that you’ll be touched by the slings and arrows of life, and might not come out of every day without some scrapes and scratches—mostly of the emotional or intellectual kind, I hope. Just as in love, athletic feats, and great works of art, real success as a leader does not come without taking risks. 2. Great leadership requires honest conversations. Whether that is a conversation that lets someone know you're unhappy, or one that offers praise for great work, leaders bring their thoughts out into the world, take conversational risks, and take the time to connect…

05Apr 2017 by melissa No Comments

How Nature Can Help Us Work Better

Article

Doing our best at work takes a lot of effort. But I recently learned that there's also a way to become better at work tasks like problem-solving and decision-making that doesn’t actually take much effort at all. The answer, according to a raft of new research, is to spend more time in nature—even if it’s just time spent in our backyard, or a neighborhood park. That’s one lesson I learned from reading journalist Florence Williams. Her book, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative, explores what science has to say about the health effects of spending time in nature. The research she cites finds benefits not just for our physical health, but for our mental and cognitive health as well. In fact, some pediatricians are…