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Giving Feedback the Right Way: Balancing Empathy and Accountability

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Feedback is an essential part of employee development and productivity. However, leaders often struggle to strive a balance between accountability and empathy, when giving feedback. Should they be direct and risk coming across as harsh and discouraging? Or should they be kind, which may lead to complacency at the expense of progress? This dilemma often leaves managers frustrated, employees disengaged, and workplace cultures strained. Empathy is as important as accountability when giving feedback. Research suggests that positive feedback delivery that incorporates empathetic concern increases positive affect among employees. The key to maintaining balance in today’s feedback-driven work environment is to integrate both. When employees feel supported and respected while being held to high standards, it fosters motivation and increases employee engagement. Impact of Balancing Accountability and Empathy: Higher Employee Engagement Increased Productivity and Job Satisfaction Higher Ret...
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Battling Burnout in the Work-from-Home Era

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Remote work has become a standard for many in the post-COVID world. Not only does it help us gain flexibility in our daily routine, but it also brings several undeniable perks like getting to avoid stressful commutes, an enhanced work-life balance that comes with getting to spending more time with family, or simply the freedom to work in our pyjamas. However, let’s be real, working from home has its hidden challenges as well. The same space where we relax and unwind ends up as the space where we tackle deadlines, attend meetings, brainstorm and solve problems. Suddenly the dining table serves as an office desk and the evenings that were once for binge-watching your favourite shows get interrupted by work. The line between work and personal life often gets blurred in the work from home model. For many, the workday stretches into the night without a clear end, compounded by the absence of usual office interactions - no casual conversations, coffee breaks, or even a simple "How are...
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How can Managers Improve Employee Engagement

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Picture this: you’re in a meeting, leading it, and with genuine excitement, you announce a new initiative to boost engagement. But as you look around the room, instead of seeing the enthusiastic faces you had hoped for, you see a blend of faint smiles, polite nods and that one team member who looks like they’d rather be somewhere else. Managers often have the best intentions when introducing these initiatives and they aim to create an environment that’s enjoyable and motivating. But often these well-meaning ideas fall fat. Employee engagement goes beyond fun activities or perks – it’s about understanding what truly motivates employees and building a work environment where every individual feels heard, respected and valued. Managers therefore need to use practical strategies to move beyond superficial “employment programs” and transform those into initiatives that foster genuine employee engagement.   Image by Freepik What exactly is employee engagement? Employee engagemen...
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The Rarest Personality Types

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Do you sometimes wonder why your approach towards life is a little different from others? You may have noticed sometimes that your friends thrive in social settings, whereas you feel more energised after a quiet night in. Or perhaps, when everyone seems stuck on the details, you are the one who sees the bigger picture. A lot of it can be traced back to your personality type – and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment has a great way of explaining it. MBTI is based on theories put forward by Carl Jung, and it classifies people into 16 different personality types. Each personality type has a unique combination of traits – while some are quite common, few are extremely rare, and only a small percentage of people worldwide share them. In this article, we will be delving into the five rarest personality types, and I’m curious to know if you identify with any of these! Be sure to leave a comment below and share what it's like for you. Image by Freepik This assessment is desig...
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Dark Triad at Work

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In the early 2000s, psychologists Delroy Paulhus and Kevin Williams coined the term ‘Dark Triad’ which refers to three types of personality traits: Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy. The first things that may come to your mind when you think about these personality traits are movie villains or callous CEOs, but you’d be surprised to know that individuals with these traits exist in our everyday work settings, hiding behind affable faces, and sometimes, even the demurest coworker can have an underlying shady side to them which others might be unaware of.  Well, it’s all a part of the intricate tapestry of human behaviour at the end. Understanding of how these Dark Triad personality traits play a role in workplace dynamics can help deal with the challenges posed by these personalities. Recognising these traits can help foster a more positive and healthy work environment, which will provide a place for collaboration and cooperation to thrive. It’s important to remember th...
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The Chameleon Leader: Adapting Styles for Success

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Leadership. The word alone can conjure images of corner offices, power suits, and boardrooms. Leaders create a vision of the future and then align people by communicating it, establishing direction, and inspiring them to overcome obstacles. People often look for the “best” leadership style. However, evidence suggests that leadership styles are not one-size-fits-all. Effective leaders are adaptive – they adapt their leadership style to meet the demands of specific situations while ensuring that their subordinates’ needs are not overlooked. Image by Freepik What is Leadership? Leadership isn’t just about having a fancy title or giving orders—true leadership is about inspiring, guiding, and making a real impact. House and Shamir (1993) define leadership as:  "the ability of an individual to motivate others to forego self-interest in the interest of a collective vision, and to the collective by making significant personal self-sacrifices over and above the call of duty, willingly...
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