A Young Professional’s Guide to Workplace Influence

 

Starting a new job can be exciting, and perhaps a little intimidating, especially if you’re fresh out of school or younger than most of your colleagues. The workplace can feel like a jungle sometimes, and older generations don’t always jump at the chance to embrace fresh perspectives. Despite that, it’s still possible to be a force for positive change, even as a new hire. This isn’t about pushing your way to the top; it’s about building relationships and subtly influencing how things work, for the better.

So, let’s move past the abstract and get right into some practical strategies. Some may fit your situation, and some may not. Take what you can use, and leave the rest.

1. Building Your Reputation

First impressions matter. Demonstrate you’re serious, capable, and worth listening to.

• Do Your Research: Before you bring something forward, research the organization. Understand its history, culture, what makes it tick, and what challenges it’s facing. You can’t just do this by memorizing the annual report. It’s easy enough to learn the written rules and policies; gaining an appreciation for the unwritten “way things are done” takes time, patience, and guidance. Take time to listen so that you know the context and can contribute meaningful insights rather than just throwing out random suggestions.
• Find a Mentor: Mentorship is invaluable, especially in the early days of a job or career. A good rule of thumb is to seek out someone whose work style you admire or who has expertise in an area you’d like to develop. Asking them for a simple coffee chat can be a great starting point.
• Deliver Results: Actions speak louder than words. Focus on early successes. Even small wins reflect competence and commitment. This builds trust and gets you noticed. When you consistently meet deadlines and produce high-quality work, people will start to take you seriously.

2. Suggesting Improvements With Thoughtful Advocacy

You probably have some great ideas, like new technologies or streamlined processes. However, not everyone is going to embrace your vision right away.

• Understand the Existing System: Take the time to understand why things are done the way they are. This shows respect for the organization and prevents you from unintentionally stepping on toes. Try to see things from the perspective of those who have been doing it for years. Learn the history. It’s possible that what seems obvious to you has been tried before and didn’t work. This doesn’t mean a good idea should never be tried again; exploring why it failed previously can provide guidance on how to improve it.
• Frame it: Present new ideas as enhancements, not replacements. Focus on how they can improve existing workflows rather than suggesting a complete overhaul. Highlight the benefits to the team or the organization, not just the features. One method is to suggest pilot programs to test new ideas on a smaller scale before a full-scale rollout. This minimizes risk and shows that you’re not just pushing for radical changes without considering the potential impacts.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Use data to back up your proposal. Research and case studies are powerful tools. If you can prove that your idea has been successful in similar contexts, it’s much more convincing than just giving an opinion. Embrace evidence-based arguments right away and make it a habit. This approach will gain respect quickly.

3. Bridging the Gap with Resistant Colleagues

Some people are resistant to change. This is common if they have been doing things a certain way for a long time.

• Empathy is Vital: Building consensus requires putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and understanding how they feel. In other words, empathy. Appreciate their concerns. Acknowledge their experience and validate their feelings, especially if you are asking people to step outside of their comfort zone. Active listening is a valuable tool here. Paraphrase their thoughts back to them to show that you understand them (“So what I’m hearing you say is…”). People are more receptive to change when they feel heard and understood.
• Collaborate, Don’t Dictate: Start a conversation, not a lecture. Ask for their input and actively listen to their feedback. Involving them in the process will make them feel like partners instead of passive recipients of your brilliant ideas. Look for areas of agreement and overlap. Build relationships with colleagues who are open to change and use their support to influence others. Having people on your side boosts your credibility and demonstrates that you’re a team player.
• Show, Don’t Tell (Again!): Share success stories from other organizations that have adopted similar changes. Real-world examples are far more persuasive than abstract arguments. You might be most persuasive when speaking about your generation’s preferences and attitudes, and then use data (surveys, polls, etc.) to validate your case. For example, if you have a product idea that you believe will appeal to younger generations, use your unique perspective and then reinforce it by showing where it has already been successful.

4. Communicating Technological Change Clearly

Technology can be intimidating for some. Make sure your communication is accessible to everyone, and assume that everyone is starting from a beginner level when it comes to their knowledge base.

• Plain Language: Avoid jargon. Use clear, simple language that anyone can understand, regardless of their technical expertise. You may need to explain more about what things do than simply listing tools or software in your plans.
• Show, Don’t Tell (One More Time!): Use visuals, diagrams, or demonstrations. A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when explaining complex technical concepts. Sometimes your audience may not understand until they see it in action. Lead training sessions to help people feel comfortable with new tools and processes. Hands-on training is the best way to alleviate fears and build confidence.
• Gather Feedback: Create channels for feedback. Ask for suggestions and address any concerns promptly and openly. This shows that you value their input, prioritize transparency in the process, and are committed to making the transition smooth.

5. Meaningful Change vs. Change for Change’s Sake

Not all change is good change. Make sure your suggestions are worthwhile.

• Clear Goals: Ensure that any proposed change serves the organization’s goals. This creates a shared understanding of why the change is necessary and makes it easier to get buy-in.
• Analyze the Impact: How will the change improve efficiency or performance? What problems will it solve? Clearly articulating the benefits makes your case much stronger.
• Reflect and Refine: After implementing a change, assess its effectiveness. What worked? What didn’t? Use feedback to improve your future proposals. Remember that the change is secondary to the mission of the organization, so the priority is ensuring that the change serves the correct purpose.

6. Navigating and Building Relationships Across Generations

Building relationships across generations is crucial. Celebrate the unique contributions of each generation to create a sense of teamwork and mutual respect. And, most importantly, be adaptable.

• Flexibility: Communication styles differ both between generations as well as within them. Some people prefer face-to-face conversations; others prefer email or instant messaging. To connect with your audience, find out how they would rather communicate, and make sure to use those channels to reach them.
• Communicate to Be Heard: Communication styles vary across generations. Take note of how someone from another generation may communicate or interpret your communication compared to a peer. Be mindful of body language, tone, and formality. For example, younger generations may feel that a period at the end of a text is angry or passive aggressive, but older generations tend to consider it proper grammar.
• Value Diverse Perspectives: Create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their opinions. This fosters mutual respect and understanding. Everyone has something valuable to teach you. Approach conversations with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Don’t think that you have to have all the answers, and, at the same time, have the confidence to know that you have something to offer to others.

An example:

Imagine a young employee at a tech company who notices a lack of diversity in hiring. They take the initiative to research best practices, present data on how diversity positively impacts performance, and organize workshops to raise awareness. Additionally, they use research from respected organizations to show the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to Generation Z. Through persistence and well-formed, well-researched arguments, they gain the support of decision-makers and implement changes that significantly increase diversity within the company. This shows how a single person’s initiative can create widespread positive change.

Continuous Self-Improvement

Finally, influencing your workplace is an ongoing process. While you advocate to improve your organization, commit to continuous learning and improvement for yourself as well. Regularly ask for feedback from colleagues and supervisors. This helps you identify areas for improvement and refine your approach. Attend workshops, webinars, or courses to enhance your skills and knowledge. Join industry organizations to discover opportunities and get access to trainings, and ask your coworkers for recommendations on email lists and set up news alerts to stay up to date. Also, seek out local networking groups, such as industry-specific organizations, young professional associations, or even your local chamber of commerce.

Gaining influence at work and becoming a changemaker is a journey, not a sprint. It takes patience, strategic thinking, respect, effective communication, and a genuine commitment to building strong relationships. One important thing you can do now is to share tips like these and find other ways to connect with your peer colleagues. Don’t only focus on appealing to the top brass; the bonds that you build now can be crucial to your success in the future. Your enthusiasm and dedication can be a powerful force for positive change in your organization.

When have you successfully implemented a change within your organization? Or, have you struggled to get your colleagues on board with your ideas?

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How to Merge Creativity and Business

 

Business is so much more than ROI and numbers. It is also about creativity and compassion. The truth is, you cannot run a successful business if you are not creative.

Bringing creativity into your leadership is more than just supplying the Playdough at a company retreat.  It is about fostering innovation and allowing mistakes to happen.

In the video below, I talk about a student who is both an artist and a business major. She was concerned that her creativity had no place in the business world and was unsure how to reconcile this.

Here is what I told her:

Have you noticed creativity playing a large part in your leadership? If you aren’t a leader, do you feel the leader at your organization is creative? I am very interested hear your experience with this.

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

 

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Five Tips for Effective Coaching Questions

 

People always ask me, “What exactly is coaching and how is it different from any other conversation?”

A coaching conversation is different from other conversations due to the amount of questions asked, and the type of questions asked.

In general, a coach should be doing 80% listening and 20% talking. If a coach is doing more talking than listening, then the coach is training or lecturing. There’s nothing wrong with training or lecturing, in certain situations. However, it’s not coaching. But if a coach is asking some powerful questions and then listening most of the time, you have a situation where the coachee is finding the solutions herself, instead of being told what to do. This frees up the coach to work on other projects and empowers the coachee to move forward on her own.

So what makes a good coaching question? Here are five tips to keep in mind:

1.    Keep them Open

2.    Keep them Short and Stupid

3.    Keep them Advice-Free

4.    Keep them Forward-Focused

5.    Keep them Thought Provoking

1. Keep them Open

A coach wants her coachee to determine the problem and solutions by himself. Asking open questions that start with what, who and how allows this to happen; using questions that start with did, will, have and why actually shut down a conversation. Here is an example:

Coachee:
I missed my deadline again.

Typical manager reply:
Yea, I know. Why did you do that?

Better coaching question:
What got in your way?

The typical manager reply puts the coachee on the defensive, making him defend himself. The coaching question opens up the situation, without judgment or blame. It allows the coachee to focus on what got in the way, and then eventually what he wants to be different in the future and then eventually what steps he’ll take to get there.

In my next blog, I’ll go through the other four tips for good coaching questions. In the meantime, give it a try…. when you’re next talking to an employee, student, child or colleague, practice asking questions that begin with what, who or how and see what happens. You’ll be surprised to see how the conversation opens up!

 

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It Takes Courage To Use EQ

 

Emotional Intelligence. We hear the term all the time, thinking it’s some abstract leadership model that only the elite use to improve themselves and their teams.

I’m here to tell you that EQ is real and the opportunity to use it occurs many times a day, if you’re willing to listen and use it. Here are three recent stories of how I successfully, and unsuccessfully, used my EQ in challenging situations.

Scenario 1: The Two-Minute Story Turned Tragic

I spoke at a team retreat, and although the word “retreat” might conjure up team building in a forest, these sessions took place in a classic Washington, DC corporate conference room, complete with overhead lighting, and a mammoth, glossy, wooden table surrounded by black chairs on wheels.

It Never Occurred to Me That My EQ Was About to Get Tested

While teaching a class on the 3 levels of listening, I asked an older man to share a 2-minute story about a time in his life when things just couldn’t get any better. The purpose of this exercise was for the rest of the class to listen and share what they heard at each of the 3 levels of listening, which are what you hear, what body language you observe, and what you feel energetically as you listen. I’ve used this exercise many times; it never occurred to me that my EQ was about to get tested.

As the man shared his story about taking a vacation with his wife, it was clear there was a misalignment with his words and his body language. He spoke about enjoying delicious food, meeting interesting people, and learning about new cultures, yet his voice was monotone, his mouth was turned down and his shoulders slumped. You could hear a pin drop when his concluded; I looked around the room, trying to fathom what just happened during a simple exercise.

I Was Trying to Fathom What Happened

I found out. Sadly, his wife had just passed away.

I had just unknowingly walked into an emotional landmine, where the man was clearly upset and the rest of the room was silently staring at him with tears in their eyes.

What were my options at this point?

1.    Ignore the story and say, “Who else would like to share?”

2.    Avoid the emotions of the moment and announce that it’s time for a 15-minute break.

3.    Encourage the man to continue to share his story with the group for another 10 minutes.

4.    Use my EQ.

How Should I Handle This Situation?

At a very basic level, EQ is about self-awareness (what am I feeling now?) and social awareness (how will my emotions impact the people in the room)? So while all this was happening, I had to quickly self-assess my feelings, which were sadness, embarrassment, panic, and a host of others. I then had to self-manage my emotions so they didn’t impact the rest of the training. So here’s what I did:

1.    Acknowledge the enormity of the situation by saying gently and with emotion, “I’m so sorry for your loss,” then waiting a few seconds before speaking again.

2.    Acknowledge the man by saying “Thank you for your courage in sharing this moment with all of us. I know that must have been difficult for you. You are a brave person.”, then waiting a few seconds before speaking again.

3.    Acknowledge the others by saying “I know many of you may be feeling a variety of emotions right now. Please take a moment and jot them down for yourself.”

4.    Use the moment as a learning opportunity by saying “These types of personal, emotional conversations occur at work more frequently than you think. People often have hardships in their personal life that they inadvertently bring with them to work. As leaders, you need to embrace these moments instead of running away from them. You don’t have to go into therapy with the person, yet you do need to treat the situation with humanity and dignity before moving on. They will respect you for it.”

It Takes Courage To Use EQ

This was one of the hardest teaching moments in my life. Why? Because using EQ takes courage. It’s choosing the conversation that may be uncomfortable, scary, and unfamiliar. Yet the rewards are trust, credibility, and confidence.

Scenario 2: My Appetite Ate My EQ

Now let me take you to a hip tech company, the kind of wide-open office where you might see a French Bulldog sleeping under a desk, or a few guitars laying around. Don’t get me wrong, this company is full of professionals, but they work hard to keep their culture unique, welcoming, and people-centric. The conference room I spoke in was airy and full of fresh, fun energy.

While teaching a course on energy management, I was working with a group of young, emerging leaders on setting achievable physical goals that would help them reach peak performance. We were overdue for a break and I could tell that everyone was getting antsy; my own stomach was grumbling for a snack.

I Could Tell Everyone Was Getting Antsy…

One young woman shared that her goal was to go to the gym for an hour daily, while also running 3 times a week. Since the topic was about achievable goals, I asked her how achievable it was. I meant it as a rhetorical example for the group; she took it literally and started to share that she knew she could do it. I politely suggested we talk about it after break; she persisted and wanted to share how she was going to do it. I then again politely suggested we discuss it after break and called a break for the group.

I Was Stunned

During break, within earshot of others, she told me that I was rude and disrespectful to her. I was stunned and angry; that was not my intention at all. How dare she call me disrespectful?!

I had just unknowingly walked into another emotional landmine, where I was hungry, only had 6 minutes left for break, was called rude and the rest of the group was quietly watching this encounter.

What were my options at this point?

1.    Loudly disagree with her, allowing the conversation to escalate.

2.    Dismiss her point and tell her to “Grow up; it’s just one comment.”

3.    Tell her to talk to her boss if she didn’t like the training.

4.    Use my EQ.

How Should I Handle This Situation?

Self-managing my emotional reaction was not easy because I had low-blood sugar and needed to eat; I also knew the clock was ticking and people were watching. However, looking at it from her perspective, I also knew she was right. I could have handled it better. I had failed this EQ test.

I Got an “F” On This EQ Test

So I apologized for the misunderstanding. I looked her in the eye, apologized if I had offended her, and told her my intention was not to be disrespectful. I then shook her hand and thanked her for teaching me a valuable lesson. It was challenging to do this while my emotions were still running high and my stomach was still grumbling, yet I know that although I failed the initial EQ test, I had redeemed my EQ in that moment.

Scenario 3: The Questioning Scientist

Luckily at this gig, lunch was part of the program! Specifically, I was teaching a class on coaching at a “Lunch & Learn” for a large tech company, only this time—to a room full of scientists.

Coaching skills are one of the hardest management skills to learn, especially for people who work with data and facts on a daily basis. Why? Because coaching involves watching for non-verbal cues which can be hard to quantify.

It Was Time To Move On When a Woman in the Back of the Room Said…

After completing an exercise on non-verbal cues, it was clear the group was starting to understand how to watch for, and interpret, non-verbal cues. It was time to move on to teach the next phase of coaching when a woman in the back of room said in a loud, strong voice, “I don’t see how watching someone’s non-verbal cues is going to make me a better scientist or move our science ahead of the competition.” Every eye turned to me, to see how I was going to handle this woman and her comment.

I Walked Into a Land Mine

Yet again, I walked into a land mine. We had three more exercises to do in a short period of time, the rest of the group seemed to understand the importance of non-verbal cues and I was irritated that this person had thrown me a curve ball.

What were my options at this point?

1.    Shame her by saying, “If you had been paying attention to what I had said earlier, you would be able to answer your own question.”

2.    Ignore the actual question and ask her to talk to me after the session.

3.    Redo the exercise, despite the fact that the rest of the group seemed to understand the point.

4.    Use my EQ.

How Should I Handle This Situation?

As I mentally checked in with myself, I smiled to the group and took a deep breath to help self-manage my emotions. I then said, “Great question! What do others in the room think?” Two people then explained non-verbals from a scientific perspective, which not only helped the woman who asked the question but also complemented my information for the rest of the group.

Using EQ happens daily, in real-time. Challenging or uncomfortable conversations appear at random times, unexpectedly, at work, at home, in the community and everywhere in between. Your next text message may even require the use of EQ!

Often the conversations that need EQ the most are the messiest ones. Choosing to have the messy conversation, instead of avoiding it, takes courage. But if you are willing to be in uncomfortable territory, you can look at these challenges as an opportunity to build deeper relationships and develop trust.

I would love to hear your successes and failures when it comes to EQ! It’s something we all experience.

Check out the ways to manage your energy to reduce stress with our infographic

 

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How To Manage Change At Work

 

Perpetual change is the one constant in the business landscape. Revolutionary scientific discoveries, breakthrough technologies, updated regulations, new leadership, shifting job roles, and relocation are just a few examples of major change in the professional world. The fact is, change is inevitable and necessary. Yet many employees aren’t prepared to embrace change.

Why is change so difficult? One reason has to do with our brains. The human brain is wired to scout for all that’s bad. How else would we identify a threat or discomfort? Yet Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson says the brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones. That means we have a lot of negative associations to choose from when trying to assess a new situation, or “change”. Plus, we all suffer from what is called negativity bias, when the brain reacts more intensely to bad news, compared to good news.
Knowing that people can react poorly to change, leaders need to be very adept at change management.

But what exactly is change management? It has three parts:

1.    any approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations

2.    using methods intended to re-direct the use of resources, business process, budget allocations, or other modes of operation

3.    that significantly reshape a company or organization

Freddi Donner, executive coach and founder of Business Stamina, developed a valuable tool for managing any type of change in an organization. It is based on the word CHOICE, making its principals easy to remember.

C hoice

H elp Others

A ccept

N ew Normal

G row

E mbrace Feedback

Let’s go through each letter in more detail.

C | Make the CHOICE to Participate in a Positive Way

Since our brain is Velcro to negative experiences, we will gravitate toward negative perspectives if left to our own devices. This is true for the team, and true for leadership, since they set the tone for the transition.

But how do you actually make the choice to be positive rather than negative? Is it a mind trick? Not necessarily. Here are six quick tips to help you participate in change in a positive way:

Tips For Participating Positively in Change

1.    Look for or call a role model and observe how they react to change. They may be able to provide the blueprint for you to follow as you navigate new terrain.

2.    Visualize yourself facing the change successfully without stress. Research shows that visualizing a particular situation can create the same effects behaviorally and psychologically as actually experiencing the situation.

3.    Use music. The first-large scale review of 400 research papers in the neurochemistry of music found that music can improve the function of the body’s immune system and reduce levels of stress.

4.    Laughter is the best medicine. Really! Laughing releases endorphins, the natural feel-good chemicals in our brains. It can even temporarily relieve pain.

5.    Let it out. If you’re anxious about change, or even feeling angry about the transition, tell a co-worker or manager that you trust. Sometimes things are much worse in our own minds (negativity bias); speaking your fears out loud gives us a more accurate perspective on the situation.

H | HELP Others. It Gets You Into a Positive Frame of Mind

Despite your own trepidations, help others with different outlooks than your own. Identify an issue that is real, current and changing in your department, with your client, or in work groups you belong to. Ask yourself how you will help others with this change. Here are some tips to get you started:

Tips Helping Others Face Change To Get You Into a Positive Frame of Mind

1.    Lead change rather than fight it. As champion of the change, encourage others to become authors of the change as well. For example, if a change in software is happening, proactively start discussion groups with coworkers about what to expect and how to best face the process.

2.    Bring others into the conversation and allow them to contribute to the design of the change. This motivates everyone to say yes and move forward.

3.    Point out the upside to change around co-workers. This will help both you and your co-workers get into a more positive frame of mind.

A |  ACCEPT That This Change Is In Everyone’s Best Interest, Even If You Don’t Agree

Sometimes the wave of change is headed your way full force whether you’re ready or not. You can either let the wave crash against you, knock you down and pull you under, or you can face the same direction the wave is headed and catch a ride to shore. Make the decision to ride the wave (accept the change) and plan to make it to shore gracefully (plan on success).

When there is a change of environment, people experience a lack of control, which can be very unsettling. To make things easier, don’t resist; open your mind to acceptance. Here are some tips for accepting change, even when you feel uneasy.

Tips For Accepting Change

1.    Remind your team that change is made with lots of thought, even if they weren’t involved in the process.

2.    Stay internally calm and positive. There is nothing your anxiety and negativity can do to prevent the change from happening, so you might as well avoid the stress.

3.    Let go of any bad feelings you have about the situation and you will be more open to a smooth transition. Encourage others to do the same.

N |  NEW NORMAL Needs Communication

Facing a new normal requires a lot of communication. Go beyond words when communicating—use graphs, diagrams, and before and after pictures.

The most important part of communicating is truly listening. Listen to what is being said and what is not being said, in order to uncover the fears others are experiencing but cannot express. You can do this by watching body language and asking open ended questions. Here are more tips about communicating the new normal.

Tips for using communication to adjust the team to the new normal

1.    Start a conversation with two or three people at your organization about changes that are occurring.

2.    Use open ended questions (who, what, when, where, how) to uncover resistance or acceptance.

3.    Share your positive point of view.

4.    Observe the different perspectives (both positive and negative).

G | GROWTH Is Important When Managing Change

Change provides an opportunity for your team to grow. Yet with growth comes friction, awkwardness, discomfort, and uncertainty to those around you. Remember that you are part of the story and can influence those around you by modeling what change looks like in a positive light. Here are some tips for promoting growth during change.

Tips For Promoting Growth During Times of Change

1.    Work on improving your emotional intelligence (EQ).

2.    Maintain a strong and calm leadership presence with breathing and grounding techniques.

3.    Find commonalities in the group and leverage them to develop trust in your team.

E | EMBRACE Feedback So That You Know How To Stay In The Game

When it comes to managing change, not everything will go right the first time. That’s why feedback is so important. Truly listen to feedback so you can course correct along the way. It is the cheapest and easiest way to learn and grow!

But what if you don’t agree with another person’s point of view? Don’t dismiss it. Instead, find ways to “try it on”. For example, ask yourself, “What if this were true and I am just not seeing it?” This helps develop flexibility in your perspective and helps you become a wiser leader. Here are four tips for receiving feedback.

Tips For Receiving Feedback

1.    Manage your emotions; listen objectively to make sure you fully understand.

2.    Calmly evaluate and comment if the feedback is valid and can help you improve.

3.    Listen 80% of the time and speak 20% of the time.

4.    Don’t tune out and start “your own conversation”; you may miss some important points.

Do you feel ready to ride that wave of change? It may not be smooth sailing, but you’ll end up in a better place. Remember to choose to be positive, help others face the change, accept the changes that are happening, understand the new normal, see change as a growth opportunity for all and embrace the gift of feedback.

Have you faced major change in your organization? What was the most challenging part? We can all learn from each other.

 

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

 

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