5 ways to get others on board with your ideas

If you have a co-worker who consistently misspells your name or you feel they are slighting you in some deliberate way, Brittney Maxfield recommends getting clear on your own story before addressing it: are you making yourself a helpless victim and them the villain? After reframing the situation so you feel empowered, you can approach the conversation calmly because you realize, as Maxfield writes, "[M]ost people need and deserve the opportunity to hear feedback and act on it."

Put it into practice: Pointing out an error or slight to a co-worker in a relaxed manner doesn't usually result in them resenting you, Maxfield writes and may give you a chance to create a stronger relationship and help you speak out more often. "Speaking up will also serve you because what we don't talk out, we act out."

Research from University College London suggests that a half hour of moderate to vigorous exercise and at least six hours of sleep can enhance a person's cognitive performance the next day. The research, involving adults aged 50 to 83, found that each half-hour increase in physical activity led to a 2% to 5% improvement in memory scores, while more sedentary behavior was linked to a decline in memory.

The annual Geminids meteor shower is due to peak at the end of the week, and "observing by radio might be the best way to track what they are doing," Space.com columnist Joe Rao notes. An open frequency on a sensitive FM radio can transmit pings -- the audio representation of the meteor shower -- and while they "usually aren't strong in signal strength and sometimes don't even last a second ... if you're fortunate, you can hear bursts known as 'trains' that can exceed a minute in duration," RadioWorld's Nick Langan writes.

I am an expert at avoiding uncomfortable conversations. As a leader, though, we often have to engage in them, whether we like it or not. I love the tool that Brittney Maxfield brings up in her article: Master My Story.

If we bring one of three mindsets into a conversation -- victim, villain or helpless -- we're guaranteed "to bring resentment, emotion and a whole lot of assumption into the conversation -- none of this will serve you well," Maxfield writes.

We're a victim when we take things personally, which can make us feel helpless to change things, especially of we see the other person as a villain who is treating us poorly on purpose. Instead, we can reclaim our power by seeing ourselves as a contributor to solving the problem, trying to see the situation from the other person's viewpoint and seeking the best path to move forward.

Remain calm during the discussion and stay focused on the one subject you want them to correct, Maxfield advises. If the behavior you're trying to correct continues, you may need a deeper conversation or take it to a supervisor to correct. Be sure to document the conversations you do have!

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