CliftonStrengths’ Post

From the Idealist: Coming out at work can, in fact, be beneficial for yourself and your organization. If you're struggling with whether to come out to your colleagues, here are some points to consider.

Meet Lucy Welsing, MA HRD, SHRM-CP, an amazing HR leader who faced significant professional turmoil and emerged stronger than ever. Lucy’s Story: Lucy reached out to me during a challenging time in her career. She needed someone who truly saw her potential and could push her towards her goals. Here’s what happened next: 📌Understanding and Strategy: From day one, we crafted a strategic plan tailored to her unique situation and aspirations. 📌Challenging Perspectives: I challenged her way of thinking, pushing her out of her comfort zone with love and support. 📌Community and Support: Lucy joined a community of like-minded women, all striving for similar goals, providing mutual support and encouragement. 🎉The Results: Lucy successfully navigated difficult professional situations and became more intentional about her impact. She’s now cherishing her inner strengths and is more confident than ever. Check out what Lucy had to say: "𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢 𝘏𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦! 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘳𝘶𝘯, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬, 𝘵𝘰 𝘒𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢'𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘣𝘰𝘹. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵!" Inspired by Lucy's journey? Please join me and congratulate her in the comments.

We know that most of the women we work with on Making Work Work are not active on LinkedIn. They are embarrassed not to be working; they think their former colleagues will judge them; they want to switch career path and don't feel their network will support them; they no longer identify with their former professional self; they don't want to be cold-approached by recruiters... The reasons are numerous. 51% of the women we work with are over 45 - many just don't see social media as a place to find a job. If you know a woman in Edinburgh who needs a boost following a career break, show her this. She may have taken the break previously, she may be on it now. The reason for the break doesn't matter. We are recruiting for our last cohort for 2024. Help make 2025 the year of empowerment and a new role for a woman in your life or professional network. The Challenges Group

Many of us have faced situations where we felt excluded due to biases or discriminatory practices. These experiences can deeply impact our mental well-being, job satisfaction, and career growth. This can make work really hard and affect how we feel and do our jobs. It’s important for companies to notice these problems and work on the matter to make sure everyone feels included and respected. Every individual deserves to feel valued and respected at work. Let’s support each other and push for workplaces where everyone feels welcome. 🌸

The young men and women entering the workforce are some of the most talented and innovative new team members joining my team. Their fresh perspectives and out-of-the-box thinking have pushed our organization to explore new ways of doing business. However, despite their potential, many of these new team members are not receiving the support they need from more experienced team members and leaders. This article sheds light on the need for experienced team members to do a better job of embracing and mentoring these young professionals. By investing time and effort into their growth and development, we can create a more diverse and innovative workforce. This is a call to arms for my generation and the one before mine to ensure that the future leaders of the workforce have the tools and support they need to succeed. https://lnkd.in/eaDXkHpJ

So dishearteningly pervasive in our culture. https://lnkd.in/g2ryJgK3

Companies can make work a little more fun and engaging by simply being more empathetic. How? - Diversity: Not just by hiring more females but by imbibing feminine values - nurturing careers, sensitivity in projects, emotion led conversations, modesty in achievements - Speak up: Encourage open ended 1-on-1s about outside work interests, start-up incubation, discomfort in current professional life, overall career conversation and so on - Recognition: Celebrating small wins. I remember only one appreciative email would make my day. If someone's done good work for you, drop them a positive note without expectations. It'll cheer them up - Freedom with responsibility: Give young folks 'what' is to be done and empower them to figure out the 'how'. You'll be surprised at the creativity coming out

Diversity is not just a buzzword for younger generations in the workforce; it’s a fundamental requirement that shapes their career choices and expectations. Consider these 3 tips to drive DEI in your organization.

I've been struggling to find words since the first article about Cara Kizer, Amanda Stewart, and the NY Philharmonic came out (a more recent article from the New York Times is linked in the comments). While part of me questions whether it's my place to add my voice to the conversation about a profession that is not my own, there are many discussions and takeaways we can and should apply to all workplace cultures. - These events provide an opportunity for us to continue to be introspective around the ways our organizations do or don't embody transparency, psychological safety, and belonging for our colleagues. - Additionally, many of us play roles outside our jobs where we have influence and responsibility to communities and the human beings in them. Are you on a Board or Committee, a Volunteer? You may not be a direct employee, but you are an important stakeholder who can ask tough questions and impact cultural change. - Are you a people leader in your profession? Are you providing space to listen to your employees grappling with these events and issues that could be personally affecting them in ways beyond your knowledge? You don't have to be an expert in counseling or do it "right." Simply being willing to hear and checking in can be game-changing.

This African proverb, “Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter,” speaks volumes about power dynamics and representation. In the context of corporate work culture, it can be quite relevant. In many organizations, those in positions of power (the “hunters”) often control the narrative. They decide what successes are celebrated, whose contributions are recognized, and how the company’s story is told. Meanwhile, the “lions”—employees who may not have as much power or visibility—often have their stories and contributions overlooked or undervalued. This proverb highlights the importance of giving everyone a voice and ensuring that diverse perspectives are included in the corporate narrative. It suggests that for a more balanced and fair representation, organizations need to create opportunities for all employees to share their experiences and contributions. How do you see this playing out in your workplace? #fair #opportunity #workculture #insights