How to develop a thicker skin at work without being obnoxious

How to develop a thicker skin at work without being obnoxiousHow to develop a thicker skin at work without being obnoxiousI have been accused of many things in my life but having a thick skin has never been one of those things. In fact, more often than not, Ive been told that Im hypersensitive. I prefer to think of it as sensitive to the people around me, their needs and our shared goals.That said, Ive spent years trying to figure out how to develop a thicker skin. I admire those people you know the ones where criticism or abrasive comments leave nary a nicked or wounded ego.If you struggle with being too thin-skinned, some of ansicht tips might just helpMake your voice heardTake the time to build relationships and develop a rapport with your colleagues, advised Miriam Daniel, VP of Echo and Alexa devices at Amazon. As you get increasingly familiar with your team, dont be afraid to make your voice heard. In fact, demand that your voice is heard. Daniel said, Weve all been in meeting s where people have been talking over one another its OK to say, time out, I have something to say.Try not to take it personallyYou develop a thicker skin by changing your attitude and trying not to take things personally, said Lynda OConnor Co-Owner of OConnor Communications, a public relations firm specializing in the promotion of books and authors. I play tennis 4 times a week, and sometimes a partner says something or makes a sour face if I miss the ball. If you try your best to do something right and you fail, at least you tried, and that is better than not trying.Build up your confidenceEvery person has a unique perspective no matter your level or experience and those perspectives are valuable, said Daniel. She believes the best way to show off your thinking is preparation. When youre invited to a meeting, come to the table with data to back up the points you want to make. This will allow you to speak from a place of strength which builds self-confidence and earns credibilit y.Roll with itIf a friend or an associate says something that stings, just be like Teflon and let it roll of your body, OConnor said. And if someone is nasty, dont throw shade their way in response. OConnor advised Think about the big picture and take the long view. Getting along with people and being kind to them is better than saying something mean back to someone if they insult you. In life, we experience highs and lows, but the lows make us stronger and more compassionate.Use your brainDid you ever see James Bond cry? asked OConnor. No, when he was in a tough spot, he used his brain and got out of a tough spot gracefully, and that is what we should do. You can get weepy or feel sorry for yourself later, in the moment try to be as gracious as possible.Embrace rejectionAs for me, the biggest tip I can offer is to learn to embrace rejection.As any entrepreneur or freelancer will tell you, rejection is just a part of doing business. Sending out more pitches or introductions can help with both increasing your reach and growing your business itll also help you better deal with rejection.After all, if you pin all your hopes on a single letter of introduction, imagine your crushing disappointment when you receive no reply, or worse, a dismissive or scathing one. If you increase your outreach output, youll not only increase the odds of a positive response, you can also better gauge what will or wont work in the future. And when you get really good at it, youll start to treasure the rejection letters that home in on your skills and allow you to improve your abilities for the next round.

Managing the Diverse Workforce

Managing the Diverse Workforce Managing the Diverse Workforce Working with people from very different backgrounds can be stimulating and educational. When youre the manager of a diverse staff, the essential tools are keeping an open mind, being alert to any discomfort among employees, and developing sensitivity to cultural variations.This need not be difficult. Just take an interest in learning about the cultures your staff members come from, advises Vincent Seglior, who was the World Trade Institutes director of international training for 12 years. Its a give-and-take. Youll find out about their cultures and theyll discover more about ours.Professionals who come from other countries for a job in the United States are often very tech-savvy and may speak English well, perhaps having learned it as a second language, Seglior found. So outwardly, they seem similar to us in many ways. But deep down, their values may have been shaped by religion or their own cultural orientation. As a U.S. manager, try to find out about the values and the diverse cultures of your team. Always keep in mind that no one culture is better than any other, theyre just different, he stresses.Cultural NuancesSeglior notices some variations in business attitudes. In North America, especially in large cities, a time is money attitude is common, keeping many professionals in a frequent rush. That means Americans tend to get down to business quickly. But many countries have a different perspective, and people arent in such a hurry. They may prefer to get to know a colleague before they start working together, says Seglior, now principal of Seglior Solutions, a career-coaching company based in New York City.Teamwork is an area rich in cultural nuance. Some societies, such as Japan, have a strong inclination toward collaboration, and wanting to be part of a group. Americans are often more individually oriented, says Seglior. It may take a bit of an adjustment for someone to make that shift in orde r to be comfortable at a U.S. employer.It can feel like a different world to come and work in the U.S. Try to empathize with each employee, Seglior suggests. Be supportive. Show that youre with them. If you just listen and observe, youll start to understand their perceptions and feelings. Sometimes it helps to reframe a question the employee asks, to make sure youve interpreted it correctly. Reframing the question also signals that it matters to you to have a clear discussion.titel of Dos and Taboos Around the World A Guide to International Behavior by Roger Axtell.A very sensitive issue is different taboos around the world. Its important to be careful about certain words and gestures. For instance, making a little circle with your thumb and forefinger signals OK in the U.S., but its an obscenity in Brazil, Seglior learned. Humor is particularly delicate. Be careful what youre kidding about, he cautions. Whats considered funny in North America is not necessarily well-received or und erstood in all cultures. To become familiar with (and avoid) these potential offenses, he recommends any of the well-respected, widely available books by international marketing expert Roger Axtell, especially his classic, Dos and Taboos Around the World A Guide to International Behavior.Another vernderliche is attention to promptness. Im a New Yorker, and super-punctual, says Seglior. I show up for meetings on the dot, but other cultures even some different regions of the U.S. may be more casual about time. You may want to talk privately with a particular employee, very gently, about expectations in terms of keeping appointments for meetings or conference calls in your department.If youre moving to a new department, or getting several new employees, expect an adjustment phase. Some training companies specialize in orienting foreign-born professionals coming to their first job in the U.S. Your HR department may also be able to provide some type of assistance, if needed, says Segli or.Keep Reaching OutThe best tactic for managing a diverse staff is to keep reaching out. Talk to your team members, especially the new hires, individually. Learn about where theyre from. In the U.S., we have professionals from all over the world. Is there someone at your company who comes from the same place as your new employee? Could he or she be a mentor for your staff member, or help you understand a little about their culture? Seglior asks.He believes in holding an orientation session anytime there are personnel changes in your department. Be upfront about what to expect in the company culture, and also in the broader U.S. culture if many of your team members grew up elsewhere. Be a manager who develops open relationships with your diverse staff. Talk to them positively, both in a group and individually. If you remain curious, receptive, and open to learning about their different cultures, your staff will benefit and so will you, says Seglior.Carol Milano is an independent wr iter.No one culture is better than any other, theyre just different.Vincent Seglior, principal, Seglior Solutions

Rural Americans want a job, while urbanites want a raise Report

Rural Americans want a job, while urbanites want a raise ReportRural Americans want a job, while urbanites want a raise ReportIts a tale of two cities.Americans living in rural towns are being left behind by the current jobs boom, while their counterparts in urban areas are seeing employment gains so robust that theyre thinking of ways to negotiate a raise, according to a new analysis.The number of people filing new jobless claims dropped to 222,000 last week - the lowest figure since 1973, according to Labor Department stats cited by MarketWatch. And the number of people collecting ongoing unemployment benefits dropped by 16,000 to 1.89 million - a 44-year low, according to MarketWatch.Yet, according to an analysis by Jessica Rabe of DataTrek Research using Google Trends to track users searches across the nation, people in rural regions like Mississippi, North Dakota, and Iowa are predominantly searching for job openings while those in urban areas like California and New York are searching ask for a raise,MarketWatch reports.Our takeaway workers in large urban areas (who are statistically mora likely to have a college degree) are asking for raises, while people in more rural areas are still searching for jobs, Rabe wrote in DataTrek Researchs daily morning report email. Urban areas see tight labor conditions and wage inflation rural areas lag on both counts.Rabe added that the divide representsa two-speed job market - since the number of job openings has outpaced the number of hires by nearly a half million jobs for nearly two straight years, according to the most recently available data from August 2017.Yet rural residents continue to live in higher-than-average poverty rates.Approximately 17.2% of rural residents lived below the poverty line in 2012 - higher than the 14.9% nationwide poverty rate, according to the nonprofit advocacy groupHousing Assistance Council.In addition, rural unemployment rates have long been an issue. Unemployment rates in rural areas doubled between 2000 and2010 - according to an HAC 2012 report,Taking Stock Rural People, Poverty and Housing in the 21st Century.More Americans are in poverty in 2012 than at any time since the Census Bureau began measuring its occurrence in the early 1960s, HAC wrote, estimating that 10 million rural residents lived below the poverty line.(CreditHousing Assistance Council)Household incomes in rural areas and small towns continue to lagbehind those in suburban and urban areas, HAC added, blaming the high proportion of low-skill and low-paying jobs in rural areas, combined with lowereducational attainment levels.