Why you may not want to be the office rock star

It may feel good if you're the "indispensable" rock star on your team, but that status could be limiting your abilities and career development, writes executive coach Deborah Grayson Riegel, who recommends talking with your boss, documenting your processes and training others on your team to take over when you're not there. "Focus on your future by developing yourself with new skills and competencies so that you're not stuck in your role," Grayson Riegel writes.

Put it into practice: Don't just train others how to do your job, Grayson Riegel advises, but be open to learning from them because they may have ideas you still need to consider, and you both learn new things. "This will also give you experience as a mentor and coach -- both of which can help boost your profile and career."

Remember to grant yourself compassion, writes executive coach Massimo Backus, especially if you're the type of leader who may be used to being seen as unapproachable or aloof. By embracing awareness, acceptance and accountability, all leaders can learn to practice self-compassion, boost employee engagement and realize "the full potential of their teams," Backus notes.

Put it into practice: The practice of self-compassion by leaders can have a profound effect on organizations as a whole. "When leaders model self-compassion, they create a culture of psychological safety within their organizations," Backus writes.

Respectful communication topped the list of the most essential workplace manners, according to a survey by Monster, with half of survey respondents ranking it as the top piece of etiquette. Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster, said priorities shifted after the COVID-19 pandemic: "With so many workers in fully remote or hybrid situations, professional dress codes have become less important on their etiquette list whereas communication in all forms is of utmost importance."

Put it into practice: Leaders can reinforce the importance of etiquette at the workplace by setting clear expectations. "They can establish rules, communicate them and lead by example," Salemi said.

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman credits his professional success to a daily practice of acting on his goals by using the mantra "You aren't who you are, you are what you do" to break down big goals into small tasks to build confidence and momentum. Additionally, Huffman has learned to reframe stress as a privilege, saying, "I have my dream job, and it's hard. And so if I didn't have that stress, what's the alternative? I'd be bored."

Bands like The Beatles or The Crickets have got nothing on earthworms and millipedes when it comes to helping scientists identify healthy soil, say researchers who use super-sensitive microphones to listen for underground critter activity, whose vibrations (or lack thereof) denote either good or degrading soil. When degraded soil is detected, researchers are also using "ecoacoustics" to send sound into the ground to see if they can stimulate organism growth and help the ground get its groove back.

Cheryl N. sent in this photo of Coco, who joined their household during COVID-19 when Cheryl was mainly working from home. At first, Coco was small enough to fit in Cheryl's lap while she worked, but now she lounges in a bed by Cheryl's home office chair. Coco is nearby for online meetings, but "fortunately, the laptop mics don't pick up her snoring," Cheryl notes! When not snoozing on the job or watching Cheryl work, Coco enjoys short walks and being "the best couch potato partner for binge-watching HGTV."

Thanks for sharing Coco with us, Cheryl. What non-human companion keeps you company in your home office or greets you when you return from work? Share their photo and story with us!

We are indeed our worst critic. We all have that voice in our head that tells us we're not good enough, smart enough and nobody likes us. When we believe that voice, we damage not just ourselves but those around us because we cannot be at our best as a leader, friend or family member.

The cure for the inner critic is self-compassion, writes Marlene Chism, by cutting ourselves some slack. Having compassion for ourselves doesn't make us weak. Instead, it helps us bring out the best in ourselves.

Chism offers three steps: Becoming aware of critical thoughts and emotions, acknowledging our limitations (and that we all have them) and holding ourselves accountable by living up to higher internal standards but being kind to ourselves when we fall short.

I have a mean inner critic who says things to me I would never say to another human being. The trick I use is to think of how I  would talk to a friend who was facing the same emotions I'm feeling at the moment. I would certainly not call them "stupid" or any other derogatory name. Instead, I would have compassion for them and help them see that everyone falls short of their standards sometimes. Instead of beating ourselves up for it, self-compassion invites us to know the situation at hand is a learning experience -- a chance to try again.

As Chism notes: "Leadership is not about being perfect; it's about being human. It's about recognizing that our imperfections are not weaknesses but rather opportunities for growth and connection. By embracing self-compassion, we can lead more effectively, build stronger teams and create organizations that thrive in the face of challenges."

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