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A Harvard psychologist says there’s a personality trait that’s just as important as charisma and is easier to develop

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Some people are naturally more charismatic than others.

Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and Martin Luther King Jr. had the ability to captivate and inspire their audiences the way few other leaders could.

Yet Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy says there’s a personality trait that’s just as important as charisma — and it’s considerably easier to develop.

That trait is what she calls “presence,” and it’s the subject of her new book by the same name.

“Presence,” as Cuddy defines it, is about being attuned to and able to express your full potential — whether in an important presentation or a conversation with your boss.

During a recent talk at the 92Y in New York City, Cuddy explained the difference between charisma and presence, and why presence isn’t something that only certain people are born with:

Charisma seems to be more about the intoxicating quality that you have on other people, as opposed to presence, which is more about the self in relation to others, and how you feel you represented yourself in a situation, and how you were able to engage. So it’s less about how others see you and more about how you see yourself.  Read more...

What Do Your Employees Really Think of You?

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Trustworthiness is an essential quality workers expect from their managers, according to a recent survey that focused on workers and their managers.

 

 

Workers generally give their managers high marks on a wide variety of needed performance measures, according to a recent survey from Instructure. Overall, they feel that their bosses are effective at expressing industry knowledge and expertise, while cultivating a collaborative culture. Managers are also giving timely and constructive feedback, while establishing transparency about department and company developments. The latter point remains critical, as the vast majority of workers rank trustworthiness among the most essential qualities of managers. In addition, they value managers who are creative while taking the time to train staffers on needed job skills. The findings convey a generally positive state-of-mind among today’s professionals, as most of them feel secure in their jobs and say that all of their talents and skills are put to use at work. In addition, they say they receive recognition when they do good work, and like working for their employers. A total of 1,050 U.S. employees took part in the research.

Dennis McCafferty is a freelance writer for Baseline Magazine.

– See more at: http://www.cioinsight.com/it-management/careers/slideshows/what-do-your-employees-really-think-of-you.html#sthash.30E1jjzg.dpuf

– View slideshow

Three Questions to Ask and Answer Every Day | Leading from the Library

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By on December 16, 2015

Steven BellFinding fulfillment in the workplace is no easy task. Leaders and library workers should routinely ask three questions to create the library environment they and their colleagues will want to come to every day.

Libraries should be great places to work. We provide our communities with essential services that help them maximize their potential as learners, workers, parents, citizens, and whatever else they desire. The library is the place where great discoveries and life-changing revelations can happen every day. Most libraries offer respectable working conditions. So why do library workers and their leaders, often pointing fingers at each other, ask why their workplace is so toxic? Our libraries should be amazing places to work. It demoralizes staff and leaders alike when there is discontent and dysfunction. Whether it’s bullying, annoying coworkers, or feeling ignored or unappreciated, library workers can become cynical, disillusioned, and angry about their work environment. Like a nasty virus, the toxicity spreads and envelops the organization. Leaders at every level in the library must make it their responsibility to create the climate that supports a workplace where we all want to be.

THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK

Library workers at all levels in the organization know it’s a challenge to create the right environment where everyone is working as one in achieving a clearly articulated vision. It’s up to library leaders to share that vision in a compelling way. What can the rest of us do to contribute to the culture and working environment that enables us to create the library where we all want to work? I’m going to answer that question by sharing three questions that every library worker should ask of themselves each day:

  • Am I thinking like an owner?
  • What did I do to make our director or dean look good?
  • How did I make a difference for our community?

Here is why I think all three can help us unite as a staff to develop a truly engaging library work culture.  Read more…

12 Ways to Make a Great Impression at Work

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By Dennis McCafferty  |  Posted 2015-11-26

It takes more than technical wizardry to emerge as a standout success at work. Unfortunately, many professionals lack the soft skills—including dedication, leadership, motivation, team spirit, etc.—that are essential to get ahead. Indeed, nearly one-fifth of managers cite a lack of these skills as a key reason for not hiring job candidates. With that in mind, we present the following 12 ways to make a great impression. They were adapted from the recent book, You Did What?! The Biggest Mistakes Professionals Make (Career Press/available now). In the book, authors Kim Zoller and Kerry Preston cover everything from written and verbal communications to networking etiquette to meeting decorum to handshakes. Taken individually, you may conclude that these practices aren’t really a big deal. However, when you incorporate each one into your routine, you elevate your professional presence and position yourself for career advancement. Zoller is president and founder of Image Dynamics, a professional development consultancy. Preston is a leadership, communications, strategic planning and time management consultant. –

See more at: http://www.baselinemag.com/careers/slideshows/12-ways-to-make-a-great-impression-at-work.html#sthash.fBgE3sIn.dpufgreatimpresswork_0a

7 Things That Make Great Bosses Unforgettable

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Unforgettable bosses change us for the better. They see more in us than we see in ourselves, and they help us learn to see it too.
BY TRAVIS BRADBERRY

Author, ‘Emotional Intelligence 2.0’

IMAGE: Getty Images

Once again, Google has topped Fortune magazine’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” This marks Google’s second year in a row at the top of the list, and their sixth victory overall.

Most people assume that Google tops the list because of their great benefits and all of the fun and perks that they pack into the Googleplex. But that’s just part of the equation.

Google knows that people don’t leave companies; they leave bosses. But unlike most companies, which wait around hoping for the right bosses to come along, Google builds each Googler the boss of their dreams.

Their people analytics team starts by researching the qualities that make managers great at Google. They’re the managers everyone wants to work for. Next, Google built a training program that teaches every manager how to embrace these qualities. Once managers complete the program, Google measures their behavior to ensure that they’re making improvements and morphing into managers that Googlers want to work for……

1. Great bosses are passionate. Few things are more demotivating than a boss who is bored with his or her life and job. If the boss doesn’t care, why should anybody else? Unforgettable bosses are passionate about what they do. They believe in what they’re trying to accomplish, and they have fun doing it. This makes everyone else want to join the ride.

2. They stand in front of the bus. Some bosses will throw their people under the bus without a second thought; great bosses pull their people from the bus’s path before they’re in danger. They coach, and they move obstacles out of the way, even if their people put those obstacles there in the first place. Sometimes, they clean up messes their people never even knew they made. And if they can’t stop the bus, they’ll jump out in front of it and take the hit themselves.

3. They play chess, not checkers. Think about the difference. In checkers, all the pieces are basically the same. That’s a poor model for leadership because nobody wants to feel like a faceless cog in the proverbial wheel. In chess, on the other hand, each piece has a unique role, unique abilities, and unique limitations. Unforgettable bosses are like great chess masters. They recognize what’s unique about each member of their team. They know their strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes, and they use these insights to draw the very best from each individual.

Read more….http://www.inc.com/travis-bradberry/7-things-that-make-great-bosses-unforgettable.html