Overcoming the fear of using your phone as a ... phone

When you have a flexible mindset and a plan, you can handle unexpected events better, especially if you have learned from past surprises, are financially prepared and have the support you need, writes Steve Keating. There are eight areas you should pay attention to, notes Keating, including honing your problem-solving skills, staying informed about your industry and being proactive about potential risks.

Put it into practice: You can practice being flexible by changing your routines or exploring new experiences or ways of thinking about things to get in the habit of reacting in different ways, Keating advises. "By improving these strategies, you can improve your ability to handle the unexpected."

There's a common belief that actually talking on the phone wastes time when email and texts are available, but consultant Marlene Chism busts those myths and outlines five ways to have an efficient and effective phone call by preparing for the conversation ahead of time, setting boundaries and being mindful of the other person's time. "The phone no longer works alone but works best in tandem with text and email," Chism writes.

Put it into practice: If the person on the other end gets too chatty, there are ways to politely interrupt and get back to the purpose of your call, Chism suggests. "Here's how to do it: 'I'm so sorry to interrupt, but as I mentioned, I have a hard stop at 2:00.'"

Boost collaboration, communication and productivity during weekly team meetings by starting with a non-work-related topic, catching up on accomplishments, spending time in team problem-solving mode and clarifying after-meeting actions and responsibilities, writes executive leadership coach Lolly Daskal. "These meetings can become something your team looks forward to, serving as a platform for growth, collaboration, and collective success," Daskal concludes.

Put it into practice: Always make time to discuss your team's long-term vision and objectives, Daskal writes. "This reminder helps reinforce a sense of shared purpose and keeps everyone aligned with the team's overarching goals."

Don't lie and do your job. The top frustrations noted are lying (40%) and not doing assigned work (39%) either by overtly opposing it or passive-aggressively not complying with instructions. The question for you leaders is why are your people lying to you or not complying with doing the work you're assigning them? Are they afraid to tell the truth and deal with consequences? Are they avoiding rules or standards that hinder them doing their job well? Are they not well enough trained or equipped to do the work? Are your instructions unclear? Do they lack the context for why their work is important?

It's easy to look at your subordinates and highlight which of their behaviors frustrate you. It's harder to take a step back and ask how you might be doing things that contribute to them demonstrating those behaviors. Take a moment and have an open conversation with them to understand what's driving these dynamics. You might be surprised to find that their behavior is being driven by yours.

-- Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS, which includes TITAN -- the firm's e-learning platform. Previously, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He is a West Point graduate and author of three leadership books: "One Piece of Paper," "Lead Inside the Box" and "The Elegant Pitch."

Women need an infrastructure of support to succeed in the C-suite, says Coco Brown, CEO and founder of the Athena Alliance, who obtained her first role as vice president at age 28. "You need an ecosystem around you that coaches you, that writes your bio for you, that helps you figure out your next stage strategy, that networks you to those right roles," Brown says.

Fossilized grape seeds in Peru, Panama and Colombia indicate that dinosaurs' mass extinction allowed the fruit to thrive, possibly as long ago as 60 million years, researchers write in Nature Plants, hypothesizing that the lack of large dinosaurs led to denser forests that were friendlier to vines and other climbing plants. In addition, mammals and birds that also diversified in dinosaurs' absence could have spread the grape seeds.

Change is truly the only constant thing in life. What was true today may not be tomorrow, and what was tradition today can be quickly swept aside by the powers that be, a worldwide pandemic or an industry or societal shift.

It's easy to get swept up in negativity, especially if the changes adversely affect your business or your personal life. But as Steve Keating advises, maintaining a positive outlook, even if the future seems bleak, can help "you stay calm and think clearly under pressure." That clear-headed thinking is what will pull us through even the most devastating changes, along with being proactive in the face of an ever-shifting landscape.

One of the most important things to have during changing times is strong relationships, not just with family, friends and colleagues but with those with whom you may disagree. We may not be able to influence the more significant shifts in our industries and societies directly. We can, however, have a positive impact on those within our professional and personal sphere. If we remain resilient, helpful, compassionate and strong, even as the tides begin to shift, we can serve as beacons of hope and strength.

This is how real leaders act in the world: They reach out to those around them who may be most affected by the changes, and they support them. They find ways to minimize the impact, and they take the actions that they can to bring about change that helps everyone, not just those who may selfishly benefit from them.

Leaders, as Keating notes, have both the skill and the will to "turn unpleasant surprises and potential challenges into opportunities for growth and improvement."

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