Nicholas Thompson’s Post

Our relationships at work, school, and home depend on the right ratio of praise to criticism—but positive feedback must also be delivered the right way. Break the conventional patterns from time to time, moving beyond other people’s appearance and performance. One quality people rarely compliment—but should—is what the psychologist Rhett Diessner calls “moral beauty,” a characteristic that is reflected in acts of charity, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, courage, or self-sacrifice. With his co-author, Rico Pohling, Diessner finds that witnessing such beauty elicits moral elevation, which is experienced as “pleasant feelings of warmth in the chest, feeling uplifted, moved,” which in turns leads to being more “optimistic about humanity.” Moral beauty is deeply praiseworthy, yet we easily let it pass unremarked. In a complicated and conflict-filled world, saying “Nice tie!” or “Good job!” is fine, I suppose. But making a habit of recognizing and complimenting true acts of love and kindness can help us all get more of the uplift we need. #productivity #feedback #internalcommunications #corporatecommunication #executivecommunication #employeeengagement #hr #motivation #compliment #publicrelations #criticism #kindness #personalitydevelopment #publicspeaking Sushant Chopra

This is not for those who find comfort in finding good excuses Once on a while I find myself in situations where I start withholding my opinions. Usually this comes after my previous opinions were not well received so it just seems easier to optimise my efforts. Sometimes it's wise. Most times is not. When we start to keep our thoughts for ourselves we are stepping away from that relationship. For all relationships (work, friendship, work, family) it takes two to relate...and each have 100% responsibility of doing so. So, if we do value that relationship we need to find ways of continuing to express ourselves whilst bridging differences of opinion. Withholding opinions will just lead to internal frustrations and act as a way of reinforcing our beliefs because we would unconsciously focus on what validates our frustration. ❗This is important as well at company level where decision making processes have to be consciously designed to: 👉Create a culture where people feel safe to speak. 👉Adopt ways of gathering opinions that give equal opportunities of contributing to those concerned. 👉Be proactive in managing confirmation bias so that "contrarians" can really contribute. "The biggest concern for an organisation should be when the most passionate employees become quiet" (Tim McClure)

Compliments are powerful tools for nurturing our relationships and boosting morale. Yet, how often do we fall back on generic praise that lacks authenticity? In this week’s column, I explore the art of giving compliments that truly resonate. Discover how to craft praise that’s sincere, meaningful, and capable of uplifting those around you. Let’s move beyond the usual “Nice job!” and recognize the deeper virtues that deserve our admiration. https://lnkd.in/gzv3WnHa

This article is worth downloading and referring to and of course practicing….another great way to practice Be the Sun, Not the Salt

Recognize the limitations of your knowledge and the complexity of situations: - Don't form opinions or make judgments about something or someone without having sufficient knowledge or understanding. - Avoid making assumptions or jumping to conclusions based on limited information. - Be open-minded and willing to learn more before making a judgment. By doing so, we can: - Avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications. - Foster empathy and understanding. - Make more informed decisions. - Cultivate a more nuanced and accurate perspective. Remember, it's okay to say "I don't know, I will get the details" or "I need to learn more" – it's a sign of wisdom and a willingness to grow! #thoughtfulthursday #HRinsights #professionalism

Took the words out of my mouth - being direct I find is clear communication less people walk away confused, however the upset ones are not because of the style of communication rather they don’t like or agree with what’s being communicated. If you look at the communication from a positive perspective rather than a negative one you will start to understand.

"The goal is not blindness but insight for equity." Noise: a flaw in human judgement, book quote. #JudgementNoise Putting aside the use of blind here as a euphemism for unknowing (passable) or ignorance (ableist)... ... has DEI focused too much on bias, ignoring how irrelevant circumstances and unwanted variability in judgement also factor into this work and achieving more equitable outcomes? The latter two examples are described as noise in the book quoted above. The book goes into some detail about how we need to understand both bias and noise for better judgment. 🌟 Today is another social Saturday and on days like this I like to talk about seemingly anti-social topics. ⚡ The noise, irrelevant factors, influencing our decisions can be anything from our mood, if we are hungry and our own status and the status of the others... 🛑 Consider a recruitment interview where we are actively evaluating a person based on what we observe and often our perceptions and biases. Biases such as affinity and proximity bias and halo effect. The last being how positive first impressions, ( often based on proxies such as high confidence, articulacy and the candidate having worked at a well-known and respected company, as examples), can be viewed favourably and form a fixed ideal of that person (halo), which often leads interviewers to not ask deeper questions and even ignore other relevant information that counters this positive first impression as the interview continues. Now add in a factor such as we are interviewing before lunch and are hungry and you might just get a harsher judgment than if the same candidate was interviewed after lunch... Now there are lots of other factors here, so people should not now rush off to ask for interviews post lunch to avoid this supposed harsher evaluation and judgement. But those interviewing do need to understand what else might be influencing them, other than bias, so that this insight leads to fairer and more equitable outcomes. 💬 What do you think are factors influencing your decision making? #Bias #InsightandEquity #SocialSaturday Two pink and red overlapping circles set against a square red fading to pink background, text in black stating Identify judgement noise, not just bias, for more equitable decisions...

Disagreement doesn’t need to be disrespectful. In fact, 68% of employees say respectful disagreement leads to better and more creative solutions at work. Everyone has different opinions and the best ideas come from different perspectives coming together. But often, it gets personal. There are some basic dos and don’ts of respectful disagreement: Do: ✅ Highlight positives in others’ ideas to find common ground. ✅ Listen and ask questions to understand all viewpoints. ✅ Use facts and data. ✅ Recognize valid points across different views. ✅ Normalize giving considered feedback. Don’t: ❌ Make it about the person; keep it about ideas. ❌ Use dismissive language or tones. ❌ Make assumptions; ensure you understand. ❌ Interrupt - it shows disrespect. ❌ Hold grudges; Move forward positively. Diverse perspectives don't just add value—they spark innovation. Do you agree? Side notes: If you are exploring job opportunities, try out this website >> https://lnkd.in/e5pFbJyv

*AWARENESS!!!* There are certain behaviors that may seem acceptable on the surface but can negatively impact your professional image in a deeper context. Failure to recognize these may lead to challenges in achieving success. Consider the following guidelines: Professional Address: Avoid using informal terms like "my dear" or "hello dear" when addressing others, as it may come across as disrespectful. A more appropriate greeting is "hello sir or madam." Tone of Communication: Be mindful of your tone when speaking. Words such as "can" and "will" can sound commanding. Instead of saying, "I will like you to tell me more" or "Please can you tell me more?", opt for a softer approach, such as "If you have time, could you kindly share more information?" Kindness costs nothing but creates a positive atmosphere. Job Opportunities: Even if you are currently employed, do not dismiss new job offers outright. Politely inform the potential employer of your current employment status, maintaining the relationship for future opportunities should your circumstances change. Respect for Colleagues: Treat all colleagues with equal respect, regardless of their position. Avoid the tendency to show favoritism toward influential individuals while neglecting others. A toxic work environment driven by disrespect or intimidation damages both professional relationships and your reputation. Reflect on your behavior before it forces a change. Maintaining Professional Integrity: Never compromise your body for career advancement. Doing so puts you in a vulnerable position and subjects you to ongoing exploitation. Remember that talent and skills are far more valuable than compromising your integrity. If you found this message insightful, feel free to share it with others. #positivity #bepolite #benice

The top reason they left was relational. This is what McKinsey & Company discovered in their research. In a 2021 study the McKinsey Team asked managers why their employees were quitting. “Most of the managers believed that people were leaving to get more pay.” Yet when surveying the employees it was discovered it was relational. “They didn’t feel recognized and valued by their mangers and organizations. They didn’t feel seen.“ People are relational beings. The people we work with. The people we employ. The people we are employed by. At some level the key motivator is being seen for who we are, not what we do for an organization. People want to be seen. “There is something in being seen that brings forth growth. If you beam the light of attention on me, I blossom. If you see great potential in me, I will probably come to see great potential in myself,” writes David Brooks in his book, How To Know a Person. With the importance of relational connection in all areas of life, how might we develop such a relational skill set? See life from the perspective of others. “Life goes a lot better if you can see things from other people’s points of view, as well as your own.” Everyone sees life from a different view point. This is built on how one is raised, culture, and experience. Never assume someone sees things as you do. Seek to understand them. Avoid making it your life’s work to bring them around to your side. Make the attempt to know what a person views as affirmation. What you may see as affirmation, the other person may see as indulgence. When interviewing for an Excutive Assistant I asked the applicants, “How do you feel affirmed and appreciated?” Whomever I hired I wanted to make sure I could value them correctly. Ask for their opinion. You want to value someone? Value what they think. You don’t have to agree with them, but you do need to REALLY hear them. Genuinely thank them for the work they are doing. There is something very motivating knowing you are genuinely appreciated.