Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

How to Identify the Next Hot Trend in 2013

There’s no better way to ensure your value  than to identify a trend and capitalize on it before your competitors get to the table.  But how do you do this without a crystal ball or a time machine?  Here are some suggestions for honing your sense of what’s coming next in your field.

Notice Systems That Are Broken

If a broken process or system affects enough people, they will start to complain – and loudly.  When the noise gets too deafening, someone enterprising (hopefully you) will inevitably step in to fix the problem.  A current example is online plagiarism.  Right now, we can’t seem to stop people from copying the work of others and posting it on their own websites without attribution.  Writers are getting pretty ticked off, and I think it’s reasonable to expect that within the next five years, a solution will be developed to prevent this type of fraud.

More advice on finding the next big thing in 2013 is available at the Fast Track blog.

Imagine That You Are Free

When my grandfather passed away over the summer, he left me a book called The Seth Material by Jane Roberts.  Without going into too much detail here, the book is about an intelligent consciousness that has survived death and uses Roberts to share the universe’s secrets with living humans.

One of Seth’s messages is that we create our own reality.  Apparently, this notion is supported by quantum physics, which suggests that physical reality is created by and differs for every individual.  20^th century Nobel Prize-winning physicist Max Planck had this to say about man’s effect on matter:

“There is no matter as such.  All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together.  We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind.  This mind is the matrix of all matter.”

I have touched on the idea before that changing our thoughts can improve attitudes at work.  And if consciousness is really the birthplace of physical reality, then we can also create situations by believing in them.  Here are some ways to get started on the right path.

If you could spend your time doing anything in the world, what would that be?  Think about where you would be right now if you were unencumbered by your current financial or familial constraints.  Jot down how you would use your expertise to benefit society if you weren’t held back by mitigating factors or extenuating circumstances.  Imagine that you are free.

Over at the Fast Track blog, I talk more about how to create your own reality and happiness.  I hope this can be my gift to you this holiday season.

Holiday Laziness is Not the End of the World

I have a confession to make.

I have not been as productive as usual lately.

I have set aside 35 hours a week to work, and I’ve written articles, consulted with clients, developed presentations, and done media interviews during approximately 25 of them.  That means that I’m spending 10 work hours a week doing…not much.

I’ve never considered myself lazy.  But well, here we are.

According to my friend Leo Babauta at Zen Habits, however, this is not the end of the world and I shouldn’t feel too guilty about it.   “Lazy means that your body and mind are tired and want to rest. That’s a sign that you should actually rest. When you ignore these signs, it leads to burnout. So rest, and feel good about it!”

Babauta also suggests that one can work all day in a flurry of frenetic activity only to get a little done that actually matters.  On the contrary, one can do a few things that take a few hours but lead to lasting achievement.  You might do less, but the time you spent counts for more.

This last point, which is like a sensible distillation of Tim Ferriss’ early work, has become my new mantra.  But I do think it’s easier said than done.  After all, if everyone could be more effective working a few hours a day, we’d all be doing it.  For some of Leo's ideas, which I've been trying to employ myself, have a look at the Fast Track blog.

 

Coming Up with the Idea is Only Half the Battle

Life in a large organization isn’t always easy for people who want to solve problems.  Usually, the issue isn’t coming up with a solution.  Rather, it’s convincing other people that the solution is viable and should be implemented.  And whether you’re sitting on a blockbuster idea yet or not, now is the time to consider your strategy.

Build Your Reputation in Advance

In order to diminish the perceived risk of an unusual or out-of-the-box idea, the person proposing it has to be a proven entity.  That means that you’re established at the organization and have done well there.  Your boss trusts you and you are on the short list of employees with whom everyone wants to work.  You are known as the one who pitches in during a crisis, and the one who is a champion of smart internal initiatives.

For many more ideas on selling your ideas to the higher-ups, read the full post on the Fast Track blog.

Hold on to Your Power

When I was in third grade, my teacher took the twenty-two kids in my class to wilderness camp.  My friends and I stood in a circle and held hands.  Someone had to stand in the middle blindfolded, and then fall backwards.  She had to trust that the people in the circle would catch her and she wouldn’t get seriously injured.

At eight years old, we were already being taught to depend on other people.

In the business world, I don’t necessarily believe this is the best idea.  Think about it – there are already numerous circumstances about your job that you can’t control, like your company’s financial health, your boss’ state of mind, and whether or not your department has layoffs.  So when it comes to your daily responsibilities, I feel that you should keep the power in your own hands whenever possible. 

For recommendations in that vein, I've written a post on Fast Track I'd love you to review!

Help! My Colleague is a Mooch!

Picture this scenario from a reader:

Recently, a new colleague has joined my team. My boss has instructed us that we have to work very closely together as a team to deliver on goals, but whenever there is a brainstorming session on she never fails to say, “I don’t know,” and I end up being the one coming up with all the ideas. I tried bringing this up with my boss, and she said I’ll have to iron this matter out with my new colleague. Is there is a way of politely telling my new colleague that she can’t always give an “I don’t know” answer and needs to pitch in and do her part?

For answers from four career experts (myself included), check out the Fast Track blog.

Do You Understand Your Business?

No matter your role or industry, understanding your business will help you succeed more quickly in your job.  Here are some tips for acquiring this knowledge without breaking a sweat:

Pretend You’re Preparing for an Interview

If you were heading over to your company to meet people there for the first time, you would do your research in advance.  You would want to know current details on the business’ mission, vision, and goals, as well as its operations and challenges.  As an outsider, you might check out the website, the most recent annual report, financial and product press releases, and your favorite business news outlets.  You would skim industry and trade publications online.

As an insider, you may have access to the firm’s strategic plan, which you should try to get a hold of if you can.  This document will usually list key goals as well as development, communications, and staffing plans, and you do not need to be a highly-placed executive to map it to your daily responsibilities.  And the more granular you can get, the better.  If you work with the marketing department, for instance, ask for a copy of its individual annual plan and budget, competitive analysis, and any status reports it regularly delivers to the CEO.

For more advice where this came from, read the full post on the Fast Track blog.

Too Much Honesty Can Come Back to Haunt You

Olivia had been working in what she termed “offensive” corporate environments for over 10 years, and she was at her wits end.  While working for one consumer healthcare giant in particular, Olivia was criticized for wearing clothing to cover a disability and pulled out of a major client account because her boss wanted it for himself.

Since the company’s HR department spent a lot of time and money developing a new employee survey, Olivia decided to be honest when she received it.  The intention seemed earnest enough, after all, and Olivia thought her feedback would help the company reach its goal of increased employee engagement.

In the comments section of the survey, Olivia noted the lack of empowerment among junior staff as well as the overly critical eye of management.  She cited examples of inconsistent expectations and unkept promises.

Although the survey was not anonymous, Olivia never imagined she would be called out for being insubordinate.  She received a “talking to” from her boss as well as her Group Head and was treated like a naughty child until the situation was so intolerable Olivia felt she had to leave.

The Truth?  You Can’t Handle the Truth!

It’s tempting to use company evaluations, your own performance reviews, or others’ performance reviews to express your true opinions about the organization or its people.  I urge you to use discretion, because blatant honest comments – especially when your feedback is negative – can wreck havoc on your career if they fall into the wrong hands.

For guidance on how to avoid getting in trouble due to too much honesty, have a look at my post on the Fast Track blog.