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Refreshing and Recharging

Beatrice Wake • Jan 17, 2023

Welcome to 2023 and welcome back to the office – you’re a whole new refreshed and recharged you! Or, at least, you’ve resolved to be. If your resolution is to be more effective and efficient at work or to learn something new about people and history, you’re in luck: We’ve got a cheat sheet that shows you a little bit of everything.

 

Give a few of these suggestions a shot and you’ll be on your way to nailing those resolutions and learning more about yourself and others. Enjoy!

 

1.    1TV 2 | All That We Share – YouTube

 

We live in a time where we quickly put people in boxes. Maybe we have more in common than what we think? Introducing All That We Share, a social experiment from Denmark that brings light to the fact that, on the inside, some of us are more similar that we may realize.


One of my co-workers shared this clip during our most recent “Lunch & Learn” and I found it too eye opening and beautiful not to share. It's a brilliant concept to visualize the divisions based on physical and perceived differences and most importantly, it's great how it makes the point of uniting everyone together. We're just one big family regardless of race, gender, belief, or sexuality.


All That We Share Video

 

2.    Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

 

Will Guidara’s hospitality extends beyond those who dine at his restaurant. With Guidara’s guidance and expertise, his own team has learned to deliver praise and criticism with intention. This book answers the question of why some of the most pernicious business dilemmas is to give more, not less, and highlights the magic that can happen when a busser starts thinking like an owner.

I have read many great books over the last 3 decades. But only the best of the best make it into my core book list, and the best of those become core values. Unreasonable Hospitality is one of those core value books. I consumed this audible book in hours and then bought the hard copy for myself. My book club is doing a professional book study that works to apply the principles and lessons we learn to create an even better “Unreasonable Hospitality” in leadership development for ourselves that will spill over in what we do at work. I have a big (dare I say, “unreasonable”) goal for our group like the author did for his and know that applying “Unreasonable Hospitality” to it will help make it happen in 2023!



3.    Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. – Brené Brown


In this book, Brené Brown uses research, stories, and true-to-life examples to answer questions in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to admire. Brown writes,

 

“One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.”

 

Whether you’ve read Daring Greatly or Rising Strong, or you are new to Brown’s work, this book is for anyone who wants to step up an take on brave leadership.

 

4.    Barracoon – Zora Neale Hurston (Author), Robin Miles (Audiobook Narrator)

 

I’ve wanted to read this book for a long time. Two other co-workers of mine have read this and told me that they both learned a great deal. It is very short read (just under 4 hours if you like audible) telling story of Cudjo Lewis’s hardships during his kidnapping from Africa and transport to post-bellum America. His journey included a long stay in the barracoons before boarding a large ship for an illegal trans-Atlantic crossing into slavery. Lewis’s story depicts the violence and racism faced by the Africans who struggled to make their home in America. There are several appendices at the end of the book, some including African folktales as related by Lewis to the author from his childhood. Do not miss the essay by Alice Walker, Finding Zora Neale Hurston, which is re-printed in its entirety. This moving piece adds so much texture to Hurston’s last years.

 

I hope that these suggestions allow you to dive into something new and enlightening in 2023. It is always a positive to share new perspectives and experiences with others, so don’t be afraid to share enlightening books, articles, performances, and opportunities that you have found with your networks in the New Year!

Mid-Year Business Update

By Greer Campbell • 04 Sep, 2024
The job market, quiet quitting, uprise of the digital age, and the decline of DEI? The professional world moves quickly, and it’s easy to get lost in the conundrum of new news. Here is your mid-year update. AI is Updating…Surprise Surprise Generative AI is updating their experience from transactional to a more personal approach. Individuals use of the internet will change, implementing 2-way conversation and solution focused models allowing users to get a more catered response. These updates will grant users a deeper understanding, and companies a more “human-like” vision of the brand. The New Future of Planning The concept of tradition has been molded, shifted, and completely torn apart in the past decade. Most of these shifts are seen as positive, yet some pose greater challenges than not. The rise of cost of living and cost of consummation has individuals adjusting their priorities. The global pandemic also threw a wrench in the ways of planning, pushing organizations to shift focus on fluidity and flexibility to ensure retention and growth. The Not So Quiet Quitting Quiet Quitting is a term that has been frequently thrown around since the pandemic. Commonly coined by social media, the act of quiet quitting refers to an employee doing the minimum requirements of their job, lacking effort, creativity, and excitement. According to a Gallup survey of workers taken in June 2022, quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce. This act can be avoided by managers and organizations through regular check ins, employee surveys, and attention to creating a work-life balance. Technology in 2024: Helpful or Overwhelming? Tech advances are happening so rapidly, many feel that it’s become almost impossible to keep up. The advancement of technology is meant to make life easier, however some feel it’s doing the opposite. In addition to user error, technology is also playing a major part in mental health deterioration and wellbeing. The battle for attention, the pull of creativity, and most importantly – the brain rot. Are we letting this go too far?

Interview Questions Your Team Should Avoid

By Greer Campbell • 04 Mar, 2024
Growing your organization requires the right team. Hiring the right team requires the right approach. Vetting and getting to know potential hires is key to building an effective culture. Interviewing candidates is your first chance to understanding applicants, their skill sets, their professional goals, and more. But just as you are vetting applicants, they are vetting you. The interview process allows applicants to gain a better understanding of your organization’s goals, culture, and needs. Setting the right example and perspective on your company begins with your interviews. One wrong or controversial question, and that could break a potential beneficial business relationship. See below for examples of questions to avoid asking candidates in interviews, and why. Are you planning to start a family soon/Are you planning to expand your family soon? While this seems like an obvious conflict, many companies are still asking this to potential employers. This makes the applicant feel like that would make or break their candidacy. Mothers and fathers in business want to feel support from their employer, an unspoken sense of support. Starting a family or having a family does not dictate a candidate’s professional abilities, therefore there is no reason to ask. What are your religious, political, and sexual stances? Again, these are personal attributes that do not affect a candidate’s ability to perform professionally, therefore can be seen as inappropriate and reason for termination of consideration for candidacy. Where are you originally from? While on the surface this may seem like an innocent question, it is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 making it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of national origin. If you ask, you could be accused of discriminating against them. You can, however, ask if the candidate will be able to report to the position location required by the job opening. How old are you? It is illegal to ask someone’s age, you are only allowed to confirm the candidate is of legal age to work full time, being 18 years old. What salary did you make at your previous role? Many states have implemented a salary transparency law, enforcing job postings and descriptions must portray the salary range for the position. Even if your state does not have this law, it is safe to avoid asking a person’s salary history. Instead, share the salary range and confirm the candidate’s expectations are within the range. As the market continues to be competitive and ever changing, engaging a 3 rd party service like Diverse Talent can greatly benefit in finding your organization’s right fit based on our industry expertise.
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