The 4 Fastest Ways to Pick Up New Skills in Your Current Role - The Muse

The 4 Fastest Ways to Pick Up New Skills in Your Current Role - The MuseThe 4 Fastest Ways to Pick Up New Skills in Your Current Role Whether youre looking to land a new gig, angling for that big promotion, or wanting to be better at your current job, theres no better way to rev up your resume than by adding new skills. From coding to communication, from SQL to spreadsheets, learning something new can give you a leg up on the competition.Start by establishing your goals. If you want to move into a different department, identify the skills youll need in bestellung to contribute to that kollektiv. If youre interested in climbing the ladder, work with your manager to figure out what you need to know in order move to the next step.And once youve settled on what you want to learn? Here are some of the fastest ways to add those tools to your current toolbox.Meet a MentorOne of the best ways to spielblttchen up a new skill is by learning from an expert, and one of your senior colleagues or someone in your network may be a perfect fit. Reach out to a few people with a polite email asking for 30 or so minutes of their time. Explain that youd love to learn from them and outline a few goals you have. Remember to come with a clear plan of action and be mindful of their time. Then, continue to build the relationships over time? and see if you can turn one of them into a more formal mentorship or learning arrangement.And dont forget that your mentor can be a key player in your network. He or she can likely make valuable introductions or pen recommendations that can help you take the next step in your career.Shadow Another TeamIf youre looking to learn a skill thats outside of your current role or department, spending time with another team is key. If, say, youre in marketing, but youd really like to transition into product management, why not make an effort to shadow the product team? If your boss is cool with it, reach out to a product manager and ask if you can be a fly on the wall during their next sprint. Once theyre ready to begin work on a new product or feature, be a silent participant in their planning meetings, and listen in to their daily or weekly status updates. (Just remember youre still responsible for your day to day work on your current team, too)Shadowing another team will give you critical insight into how that team works, who does what, and what additional skills youll need to pick up in order to contribute. Then you can make a plan for how youll learn those skills in the coming months or year. Then again, you might find out that product development isnt the career for you. You may be surprised by how much you can learn just by listening.Take a CourseOnce youve settled on one or two key skills youd like to add to your arsenal, why not follow the tried-and-true route and take a course? Some companies offer in-house courses, so check with your organization to see what they may have. But there are also a ton of options online via resour ces like General Assembly, MediaBistro, Code Academy, Coursera, and Udemy. Costs and time commitments vary, but theres so much out there that youre sure to find a course that fits your needs- and your schedule. Forbes has an exhaustive list of online course providers here.General Assembly, MediaBistro, and others also offer in-person courses, which can be a great way to meet like-minded professionals and grow your network. And dont forget about the universities and community colleges near you. They may offer courses in the subjects youre looking for, too.Read UpOne of the oldest methods of learning might just be the perfect solution for todays most hectic schedules. Thats because reading eliminates all the dependencies that come with other ways of learning. You dont have to accommodate anyone elses schedule or be anywhere at a certain time. You can pick up a book or read an article online whenever your calendar allows. Plus, you can learn at your own pace, even if thats just a few p ages per day.If youre setting out to learn something completely new, build yourself a reading list. Start with titles that provide high-level overviews of a given subject, and pick up books that let you get more granular as you progress. As hard as it might be, resist the temptation to start with a deep-in-the-weeds book. You might find yourself in over your head, and that may lead to frustration and stagnation. Treat it like college- master the 101 info before you tackle the hard stuff.Your best bet? Combine all four of these approaches. When taken together, mentorship, shadowing, instructional courses, and self-directed learning can help you add new weapons to your arsenal fast. It may take time and effort, but when you land that big promotion, youll be glad you put in the work.

5 pieces of post-grad career advice that are totally bogus

5 pieces of post-grad career advice that are totally bogus5 pieces of post-grad career advice that are totally bogusTheres no doubt recent college grads receive plenty of career advice after they toss their caps in the air and head out to the real world. But while people mean well with the guidance they dish to people just starting out, that doesnt necessarily mean its the best advice out there.Five professionals weigh in on some of the treasured words of wisdom they heard as grads that they found to be totally bogus when they got into the workforce.1. Stop focusing on outside interestsWhen she graduated from college, Harper Yi, an associate marketing manager at Remezcla, welches told to stop pursuing unusual interests like cartoons and toys in favor of more practical specialties, a piece of advice she ultimately didnt follow.While its important to gain skills that are critical to your field (and softer skills that will work across fields and in non-work life), there is nothing wrong with deeply and passionately pursuing your interests, she said.Not only do her other interests make her a stronger candidate, she explains, but they also help her stay mentally sane, too.2. Use the ordnungsprinzip already in placeWhen she first got to Washington, D.C., American Security Project Chief of Staff Maggie Feldman-Piltch was told to acknowledge how things were done in the current system and focus on moving up the ladder the correct and established way.Luckily, a mentor gave her a different piece of advice that she ended up taking You can do things the Washington way, I am going to do things the Elle Woods way.She quickly found that creating her own path was far more rewarding.3. You need to have a job lined up before graduation - or elseDuring her senior year of college, Digiday Marketing Assistant Danielle Sorensen was scrolling through LinkedIn when she saw a post telling seniors that they had to have a job lined up before graduation day or they were doing something wr ong, an idea she found silly.I was told to start applying for jobs all yearwhen really I should have been focusing on building connections and relationships all year and then really focusing on specific job opportunities within 1.5 months of graduation, she said. This idea that I was racing against my peers to have a job by the graduation day finish line was unnecessary stress added.Besides, many industries dont even consider applicants unless theyre able to start immediately a college senior applying to a job three months out would already be at a disadvantage.4. You have no right to be picky about your first jobCollege seniors and recent grads with limited work experience are often told they should just take what they can get, but LaunchPoint Resume Founder Lauren Hamer has found that this line of thinking does more harm than good.Youve paid a lot of money for a degree youre (hopefully) passionate about and are knowledgeable in some sort of specialty, she said. Figure out what tha t is and apply for those jobs. Theres nothing worse than feeling trapped in a job you hate. It will affect every other aspect of your life.5. Stick any job out for at least a yearYouve probably heard this advice before regardless of what you end up doing after graduation, you need to stay there for at least a year, or else youll seem like a job hopper (cue the scary music).But blogger Kris Stoff says that can be bad advice for one important reason Why be miserable if its not a good fit?Obviously, you dont want to quit every job thats not great after a couple of days, but if there are other things you want to be doing, why wait an arbitrary 12 months to leave?Listening to the advice of people whove been where you are is always a good thing, but understand that you can always take it with a grain of salt.

How to Use Metaphors Correctly and Avoid Cliches

How to Use Metaphors Correctly and Avoid ClichesHow to Use Metaphors Correctly and Avoid ClichesWhen used correctly, metaphors are effective fiction writing tools. They are one way to vary language and liven up prose. Also, like shorthand, they can convey a picture or a meaning instantly, with few words. Of course, like most literary devices, metaphors bomb when used incorrectly, confusing the reader or drawing attention to the writers lack of skill. The two most common traps to be aware of when using metaphors are the clich and the mixed metaphor. Clichs Expressions like the calm before the storm, Mother Nature, or hes a rat, have been used so often that theyre now considered clichs. Unless theyre important to the tone of your work, its usually better to avoid clichs. If you cant come up with the more original language, its often better to forego the metaphor and opt for straightforward description. Mixed Metaphors Another common problem with regard to metaphors is the tende ncy to mix them or overwork them, usually from careless thinking or over thinking. The result brings together two prestiges that simply dont make sense together. In Examples of Metaphors, I give the example Our keyboard will teach your minds eye to play by ear. Here, the speaker has mixed two metaphors, leading to nonsense. A minds eye cant play anything, and certainly not by ear. In Rules for Writers, Diana Hacker gives the example, Crossing Utahs salt flats in his new Corvette, my father flew under a full head of steam. She explains that flew suggests an airplane while full head of steam suggests a train. A little thought and a small edit results in a clearer, more satisfying sentence Crossing Utahs salt flats in his new Corvette, my father flew at jet speed. The book English Made Simple provides a particularly muddled example. Notice your own reaction as you attempt to read this paragraph The age of the atom has transfigured man, but the transfiguration has been from spirituality to materialism, exactly the reverse of the counsel of the ancient prophets. Today, man surges forward in his march of mind, but his soul is mired in an abyss of false yearnings. In splitting the atom, man has split his own being and lost the unity of his molecular whole. Its hard to get through, isnt it? As the authors explain The writer begins with an interesting image - transfiguration - but shortly afterward loses it in an unrelated figure about a march of mind. Furthermore, he gets his metaphors tangled when he gets a soul mired in an abyss. Finally, he returns to the atom, but the original image of transfiguration has now entirely disappeared, and the reader wallows in the murky depths of molecular whole. Notice how much easier it is to focus on this selection The atomic age has halted mans spiritual development. Intellectually, he has surged forward, but his ideals and his values have stood still. If mans moral being regresses, atom splitting may prove an illusory advance. If youre ever in doubt as to whether or not youve pulled a metaphor off, its better to nix it altogether. Used improperly, youll wind up looking foolish and distract your reader. Remember, your overarching goal is to communicate. Sometimes this means putting aside your ego in favor of plain speaking.

Your Companys Image

Your Companys ImageYour Companys ImageHaving the right image will give your company increased value in the eyes of your customers. Every experience your customer has with any aspect of your geschftlicher umgang will affect your image. The design of the logo, the name of your company and even the way you answer the phone will shape the way customers view your business. The name of your business should be succinct and make a lasting impression. Any sort of slogan or description of your business should be brief and appealing to your target audience. Get professional business cards that give people a number of ways to get in touch with you (phone number, fax number, e-mail, beeper, and web address). Give your employees titles that reward them with feelings of importance theyll be more invested in the company and will project an enthusiastic image. Participate in community service programs to project a sense of caring. Even though your business may be small, there are ways to create an im age that is literally larger than life. Shine a spotlight on any partnerships or joint ventures your business has with identifiable companies in the marketplace. If you are working with people in different locations, show that you have a presence in different regions, thus making your company appear more substantial. Produce a Web site for your company that explains your business and offers your customers the option of purchasing your product or service online - media and technology have the ability to transmute a small-time operation into a something much larger in the eyes of the viewer. Print hats, coffee cups, and T-shirts to give to both employees and customers. Although your business may be small, a larger-than-life image can help it grow to the next level. What do you want the image of your business to be? What image will your target market most readily identify with? What will be the reason consumers choose your product or service over others in the marketplace? How can you project and improve the image of your business?

All About Resumee

All About Resumee What is Really Going on with Resumee Our elegant selection of free resume schablones are the perfect pick for people with lots of work experience already under your belt. Picking the correct font can look to be an impossible undertaking, especially because there are dozens and dozens of choices out there. Feel free to bring a good look at our newest styles given below. Follow the URL to locate a multitude of resume examples in a selection of fashions. Again, you wish to make certain that your resume is readable. Before we go any further, I would like to stop you at this time. Just dont forget, its about short and sweet. Well, it is, but only as long as you understand what youre doing. Resumee - Is it a Scam? When applying for employment in a big company that you may find they use specialized software to help weed out candidates. Make certain its tailored to not merely the position, but the provider too. Constructing a resume is an intimidating task shoul d you do it alone. If you are in doubt, its worth your time to get hold of the agency and ask which would be most suitable for the position. Our resume builder is the quickest approach to create a resume that will allow you to get your fantasy job. Add some private branding to your resume. When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you require a resume template which you can inject a little more personality into to make it pop. First off, we must determine what type of job seeker youre. Whether or not you take advantage of a CV or resume, you must thoroughly edit your document. Resume objectives can be a little controversial. Lets start with a fast overview of resumes, as they are more familiar to the majority of American writers than CVs. The functional resume is utilized to concentrate on skills that are particular to the kind of position being sought. Create a master resume that will do the job for an assortment of positions. While all re sumes should offer information on your work and education experience, and your abilities and accomplishments, there are various ways to present this info. Its also an excellent format for highlighting well-developed abilities and talents which are connected to a particular position. Details of Resumee These templates are designed to be clean-cut and right to the point. Our creative templates let you stick out from the crowd. Elegant and contemporary template to stick out from the crowd. Take a look at our selection of contemporary templates and get started creating an effective resume immediately. The mixture of our templates and your eintrag is likely to make your resume fly to the peak of any pile. Fortunately, weve completed the research that will help you strike the perfect chord with your resume. But first, we must figure out what kind of resume format you will need. When you format your resume you need to be certain your leave enough margin space to permit for printing . The Basic Facts of Resumee Possessing a strong resume will permit you find quite a few great jobs. In a CV, by way of example, if youre asking for work in education, you may want to place your teaching experience at the very top of your CV. 1 advantage for employers to internet resumes is the substantial cost saving in comparison to traditional hiring methods. Zetys resume templates are made with the assistance of recruiters and stick to the best practices in HR. Job seekers deserve to locate decent content quickly. Its vital that you dont simply apply unterstellung resumes verbatim. Resumes might be organized in various ways. They can be used for a variety of reasons, but most often they are used to secure new employment. Just make sure, whichever format you pick, which youre targeting it for the job that youre applying to. But some formatting in these types of documents may not operate in the USAJOBS resume builder. Organizing your resume is at least as crucial as form atting it. Have a peek at these examples to choose which format is right for you. Our easy resume builder service does not demand advanced technical understanding, which means that you can concentrate on spending time sifting through your great achievements as you decide what things to include, instead of on attempting to work out the way to use our new program. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. However much or what type of work experience youve got, theres a resume format that is likely to make your qualifications shine. To save a whole lot of heartache down the road, be certain you use our resume builder to create a document that could be easily transferred to different job applications. Its possible to use our resume building software to create your own from scratch. With more than 20 templates which have been custom built for our resume builder site, youre bound to discover the ideal match. This website uses cookies to make s ure you acquire the very best experience on our site.

Partner QA with JobAdder - Spark Hire

Partner QA with JobAdder - Spark HireWere very excited to announce that a Spark Hire and JobAdder integration is coming soon Utilizing the upcoming integrated solution, JobAdder customers can reap the benefits of Spark Hires video interviewing solutions from within their applicant tracking system. Not only are we pumped to soon offer this integrated solution to ur customers, but were also happy to be working with agreat team of peopleled byBrett Iredale, CEO of JobAdder. To help our customers learn mora about Spark Hires newest partner, we did a QA with Kaitlin Olson, Marketing Executive at JobAdder. EnjoyWhat is JobAdder?JobAdder is a comprehensive, cloud-based recruitment management platform. Were an easy-to-use platform that is used by over 800 companies daily.How did JobAdder get started?JobAdder started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. Director, Brett Iredale, had years of experience in recruitment and recognized a need for a simple, easy-to-userecruitment solution. JobAdder then l aunched in 2007 as a job board posting solution, and has since grown into a comprehensive recruitment management platform.Where is JobAdder located?JobAdders headquarters are located in Sydney, Australia. In early 2014, we expanded to the United States with the launch of our new office in Lower Downtown Denver.How many employees work at JobAdder?JobAdder currently has 15 employees in its Sydney office, and 13 employees in its Denver office.Who is the typical customer at JobAdder?JobAdder focuses primarily on Staffing Agencies. While Staffing Agencies are our main focus, JobAdder delivers a comprehensive platform suitable for recruitment professionals of all shapes and sizes.What is a great customer success story youd like to share?Aspect Personnel was one of our clients that was recognized in both the SEEK Annual Recruitment Awards and the Recruitment International Awards. Theyve seen great success over years and JobAdder is proud to have them as a client.What are some products and services you offer that your customers love most?All of JobAdder The simplicity, affordability and customization of JobAdder makes our product an excellent solution for recruiting professionals.If a potential customer wants to learn more about JobAdder, what should they do?A potential customer can learn more about JobAdder by requesting a demo online or by emailing our team at hello(at)jobadder.com. From there, one of our team members will guide you through a short demo. The JobAdder Blog also serves as a good resource for general company and product updates.What are JobAdders goals for 2015 and beyond?Our goal for 2015 is to continue our expansion in North America and Asia Pacific. In addition, users can expect even more product updates in 2015 as we continue to grow our development team.If youre interested in learning more aboutthe Spark Hire and JobAdder integration, contact us today

Spotting political calculus behind some acts of corporate charity

Spotting political calculus behind some acts of corporate charitySpotting political calculus behind some acts of corporate charityOver the past few years, I have teamed up with fellow economists Marianne Bertrande, Matilde Bombardini and Francesco Trebbi to look into one underappreciated way that businesses may attempt to influence politicians corporate philanthropy.We found that what we call politically linked charities get more money from corporate foundations in general. We also find that when politicians gain leverage on issues tied to a companys interests, charities in their districts get more gifts from that companys foundation. For example, a nonprofit is more than four times more likely to receive grants from a corporate foundation if a politician sits on its board.This means, in our view, that some corporate giving may influence members of Congress in both major political parties to a degree indirectly bending laws and regulations in ways that boost profits ratherbei than s erve the publics interests.Political charityWhy would businesses rely on charitable donations rather than, say, campaign funds or lobbying efforts, to influence government? One big reason is that there are limits on campaign contributions, but effectively no limit on what corporations may give to charity.And it appears that corporate charity is deployed in ways that look a lot like influencing.Second, companies may support nonprofits that serve the voters of individual politicians districts thereby indirectly helping him or her get re-elected. For example, an investigation by The New York Times of former Democratic Rep. Joe Baca of California concluded that he used his family foundation and its generous giveaways to run something akin to a permanent political campaign. But much of the foundations largesse was funded by local companies and major corporations that have often turned to Mr. Bacas Washington office for help, not by his family.First, companies may give to politicians pet charities. For example, as detailed in a recent New York Times article highlighting our research, the foundations of ATT, ConAgra Foods, General Electric, Goldman Sachs, Medtronic, Merck, Monsanto, Nationwide Insurance, Principal Financial Group and Rockwell Collins all contributed to either the University of Northern Iowa or the Partnership for a Drug-Free Iowa. Perhaps not coincidentally, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is a trustee of one of these organizations and an honorary board member of the other.Then there is the stealth factor. Its relatively easy to look up how much investment management giant BlackRocks political action committee, or PAC, gave Rep. Carolyn Maloney, in the 2016 election cycle. According to the Center for Responsive Politics OpenSecrets database, the New York Democrat got US$10,000. Thats because federal law has required all such donations to be publicly disclosed since the 1970s.Its harder, however, to connect the dots between BlackRocks charitable givin g that indirectly benefits Maloney and her colleagues who have New York Citys financial service businesses as their constituents.Striking patternsTo uncover potential links between corporate donations and legislative interests, we looked at the grants provided by the foundations of companies in the SP 500 and Fortune 500 lists that comprise many of Americas largest companies. Because these grants must by law be disclosed on tax returns, we could link most donations to specific nonprofits. That, in turn, meant we could pinpoint in which congressional districts the nonprofits were located.As the Grassley and Baca examples indicate, it is ritterlich to say that corporate foundations are more likely to give to nonprofits tied to politicians if those lawmakers belong to committees that matter to the company.We also have also found that companies foundations give more to nonprofits in districts represented by politicians who also get campaign cash from those same enterprises. That suggest s that corporate giving does double duty as a form of stealth campaign finance.What can be done about itCorporate charitable contributions totaled nearly $18 billion in 2014, the most recent year that we analyzed in our data. My colleagues and I estimated that 7 percent of them were politically motivated about $1.3 billion. At that level, the political donations delivered through charity may be as important as more easily observable channels of influence.For example, corporate PACs spent less than $500 million in 2014 while lobbying expenditures amounted to $3.3 billion.In light of our findings, we believe that corporate-funded activities of all kinds should require more disclosure, including the donations companies give to charity.This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

New study shows everyone prefers to work with men

New study shows everyone prefers to work with menNew study shows everyone prefers to work with menA new MSN poll for Business Insider found that the majority of men and women still prefer the company of men at work.And its not just men supporting their own gender One in five men and women said they would rather work with a male colleague.Perhaps this male confidence also stems from believing in their own success.Most men in the MSN poll believed that the gender gap is an issue of the past. 40% of men surveyed said that women are treated very fairly in the workplace while only 17% of women believed the same. This reinforces a separate study that found58% of U.S. men in the workforce believed that all obstacles to gender equality are gone.Thats what researchers found in studies on confidence in the workplace men are mora confident - almost unquestioning- in their abilities and mora confident that when things go wrong at work, its their gender, and not their performance, thats to blame . As Ladders has previously reported, male leaders have an advantage and are better liked - across generations.Millennial men believe men make better leadersMultiples studies got the same result men are very confident in their abilities- so confident that they suspect discrimination when they dont get the job. Out of the8,000 millennials aged between 18-34 that Qualtrics and Accel surveyed, 33% of millennial men believed that they had faced frequent gender discrimination at work, compared with the 21% of millennial women who felt the same way.Moreover, millennial men were 50% more likely to believe that their gender was affecting their career opportunities, although Qualtrics didnt say whether the men believed the effect was positive or negative, meaning whether the men believed they received better or worse opportunities because of their gender.Meanwhile, women were more likely to believe in gender equality at work, with 41% believing that men and women are judged by the same crit eria in the workplace.The Qualtrics study also showed vastly different views between young men and women on what makes a good boss or leader.For instance, millennial men are more likely than their female counterparts to believe that men are more effective leaders, with 38% of young men saying that compared to 14% of young women.And, while millennial men and women both mostly had no preference for their bosss gender, they tend to favor strictly gender-limited workplacesTwo-thirds of millennial women and 72% of men prefer to work with people of their own gender, Qualtrics found.Confident that theyre rightResearchers have found that the reason that men feel that gender discrimination may keep them from jobs is that that theyre more openly confident about their abilities. In other words, men are more likely to believe that if they didnt get the job, something was wrong with the process rather than a flaw in their own abilities.One study found that in self-assessments on individualcompet ence, men graded themselves higher than women. In fact, theyre so confident in themselves that a 2016 study found that men were more likely to be their own topexpert on any subject. Looking into two decades of data on academic citations, researchers found that men self-cited themselves 70% more than women. Men are, in fact, their own consultants.These beliefs in fairness and confidence are particularly interesting because they dont hold up to reality as measured by a plethora of studies that show women are more likely than men to be discriminated against for their gender in the workplace.The Financial Times surveyed 50 of the worlds largest banks and found that women inthese positions wereless likely to be promoted than men. Only 25.5% of senior bank roles in 2016 were held by women.The workplace isnt a fair battleground for men and women when it comes to wages either. Four studies found that when women negotiated for higher pay, they weremore likely to be penalized for it from both men and women. The people on the other side of the negotiation said they would be less inclined to work with a women who negotiated, more likely to call her a bad fit to the company.The main takeaway from these studies, which show self-image thats contrary to reality, may be that more workplaces should train employees on how to fight their own subconscious biases on men and women in the workplace.

The nice boss, the tough boss A fairytale

The nice boss, the tough boss A fairytaleThe nice boss, the tough boss A fairytaleFairytale mindsets create a powerful lens through which we view leadership. Do you let them affect how you act as a leader? If so, you may be leaving a piece of your potential effectiveness on the table. (And live less happily-ever-after.) The stories of goodness and evil we were raised on predispose us to see leaders along a mental continuum. At one end dwells the classic tough boss. This boss is demanding, brimming with strong opinions, fearless, scheming, and wants (badly) to win. She brooks no fools, and is perceived as difficult to interact with.Think of the gruff and coercive Beast early in Beauty and the Beast You will join me for dinner. That is not a request. Or how mean monsters crawl into closets and spook children at the departure of Monsters, Inc, bottling the resulting screams to power their city, Monstropolis.On the otherbei end of our good vs. evil leadership continuum lives the lovable leader. This person is highly caring, fun, has time to listen, and is quick to wink, encourage, and thank. He relishes strong relationships, and often has a good sense of humor to boot. Think Prince Simba early in the Lion King as he wanders off to savor a carefree life with his (many) friends in the wild. Simbas discomfort with flexing his muscles or being strong is palpable, so he chooses a life of nice.Where do you need to dwell on this leadership continuum?As a boss where do you sit on this continuum? (Or more importantly, where do your direct reports and colleagues think you are?) Is your big challenge figuring out the optimal place to hang out on this Tough Guy vs. Nice Guy scale?Absolutely not.Your challenge is to dismiss the whole scale. To recognize that it is a problematic fairy tale itself that doesnt serve you or your teams. The worlds most effective bosses realize that they can be very very tough AND very very caring during the saatkorn workday, or even during the same conversation. They defy physics by living on both ends of our described scale simultaneously.Just think back to your favorite boss. Chances are, she challenged you to jump high and didnt always make popular, easy decisions. However, you knew she genuinely liked and supported you, and as a result you were fiercely loyal.Diagnosing your current approachHow do you know if youre dishing up enough love but not enough tough edge? Or enough toughness, but not enough love?The best place to start is with feedback from your team. Ideally confidential 360 feedback collected through a 3rd party. This will give you a candid view of how your direct reports, peers, boss, and others at work view you.In my leadership and coaching programs, I work frequently with individuals who find via 360 feedback that they need to shore up one side or the other of their tough AND caring equation.For example, one recent client (well call him Beast for now) was universally viewed as super smart, fiercely competi tive, able to make tough decisions, and fast movingyet others didnt trust him and didnt feel he had their best interests at heart. He had what they labeled rough edges. Several team members said they would leave his group the moment another viable work option materialized.Another recent client (well call her Simba) was very well-liked. She provided lots of flexibility, was a good listener, and had an endearing sense of humor. But her team didnt feel successful, and their collective results were flagging. They didnt feel they were learning from her or growing professionally, as much as they enjoyed her and all the leeway she gave them.Can we really bust out of this tough vs. nice myth?Luckily a number of my clients have proven via their 360 results - either with or without conscious efforts to change that it is possible to be seen as strong, demanding, caring, and fun all at once. Those who proved this typically ran the most successful operations as measured by profitability, growt h, employee retention, and client satisfaction.But arent tough and caring tricky to bring together?Once upon a time, the poet Walt Whitman said Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes.Leaders must cultivate their own unique multitudes of emotions and behaviors. And avoid casting themselves as one-dimensional (but comfortable) leadership stereotypes.Eventually our fairy tale characters Simba and Beast got their happy endings. They dug deep in themselves to find their own multitudes. They broadened their approaches. Prince Simba realized that he needed his strength (as well as his kind heart) to help his fellow creatures. And Beast softened, learning how to better connect not just with Beauty, but the rest of his world.So may your leadership happily ever after periodically involve an honest, active quest to identify and cultivate whatever you most need at the time be it greater strength, or greater heart. It will serve you well.TH E END.