Kat Boogaard
Kat is a freelance writer focused on careers, self-development, and the world of work. With a bachelor's degree in communication and a minor in journalism, she's written for a variety of software companies like Atlassian, Culture Amp, Loom, Miro, MURAL, Wrike, and Trello. Her byline has also appeared in many well-known publications like The New York Times, Fast Company, and Business Insider. When she's not behind her computer, you'll find her hanging out in the backyard with her family, which includes two young boys and two crabby dogs.
Elon Musk’s leadership style: Brilliant or reckless? 🤔
Think of history’s most impactful leaders - Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg, Bill Gates - and Elon Musk stands out for sparking both admiration and heated debate. Through PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla, he's redefined not just leadership but what's possible in business. Yet his demanding, unconventional style raises a critical question: Is his approach brilliantly effective or dangerously unsustainable?
Create your 5-year plan: A step-by-step guide to success 🎯
What could your life look like in five years? Let's move beyond daydreaming and create a clear, actionable 5 year plan that brings your aspirations to life. Here's your practical guide to mapping out meaningful goals.
Attention to detail: Why it's vital and how to improve yours
Attention to detail is a critical skill that separates the exceptional from the ordinary. Whether you're an ambitious professional seeking career advancement or an organization striving for operational excellence, mastering this invaluable soft skill can be the key to unlocking new levels of success. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into attention to detail, exploring its definition, significance, and practical strategies to develop and showcase this essential skill.
Leading by example: the role it plays in great leadership
Anyone can be a leader, regardless of their role within an organization. That's because the best leaders lead by example. Their actions, rather than their position of power, motivate others.
What is executive presence (and why do you need it)?
The best leaders are the ones who can command the attention of a room and immediately draw you into their vision. But is there a name for this special skill or characteristic? Some call it executive presence. While it’s a common buzzword in leadership development training, it’s truly a trait that can set you apart from others and help you establish a reputation of respect and knowledge.
Strategic leadership: What it is and why it matters
Great leaders can be hard to come by. In fact, Gallup's research shows that only about 10% of people have the natural talent to manage others and only 22% of employees strongly agree their leaders have a clear direction for their organization.
How to start journaling (and stick with the habit)
As a child, you might have had a journal where you wrote about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It may have been an outlet to turn to when no one else could understand what you were feeling or going through.
How to be brave: 8 strategies to have more courage
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
How to stop worrying: 9 tips to stop anxiety and stress
Most of us have worries or will experience anxious thoughts from time to time.
What are self-managed teams (and how do they work)?
Collaboration is here to stay in the workplace. That's unsurprising, considering it has many benefits.
Self management: What it is and how to improve your skills
Ever wonder how some people seem to get it all done and stay on top of every aspect of their lives? Do you feel like they must possess some secret skill that you haven't figured out yet?
4Â Qualities of visionary leadership & how to develop them
Visionary leaders possess unique qualities that inspire and motivate others to achieve remarkable things. They can see possibilities where others see challenges and guide their team toward a future goal. In this article, we'll explore the four essential qualities of a true visionary leader and provide actionable tips on cultivating these traits within yourself. Unlock your leadership potential and become a visionary in your field.
How to address your career aspirations in a job interview
Picture this: You’re interviewing with a hiring manager for an open position. So far, you’ve nailed every single question and are feeling confident that the interview is going well.
How to deal with angry people: 10 strategies to try
Running into people who are angry or upset is unavoidable-whether it’s an angry customer at work or a loved one whose emotions are running high.Â
6 ways to improve your collaboration skills
"Collaboration skills" is a workplace and resume buzzword that isn’t going away anytime soon. This is mostly because collaboration is deeply integrated into the job roles and workflows of most organizations. Whether you love collaborating or hate it, it’s part of how work gets done. Nobody works in a vacuum.
What the collaborative leadership style is—and why it works
Why the collaborative leadership style worksÂ
How to get promoted: The do's and don'ts
You’ve been in your job for a while and feel you’ve mastered every aspect of your job duties. Now, you’re ready for that next step up: a promotion. But, it’s not as easy as asking your boss to move up the ladder. So, what do you do?Â
Learn to say no: How to turn things down (without feeling guilty)
It may not come naturally, but learning to say no is a crucial life skill to master.
Is Jeff Bezos’ leadership style good or bad? It’s complicated
Summing up the essence of the Jeff Bezos’ leadership style in one sentence is difficult.Â
How to build self esteem: 8 tips to think more positively about yourself
Knowing how to build self esteem is the key to positive mental health and well-being.
How to Deal with Stress at Work: What’s Normal and What Isn’t
If you're wondering how to deal with stress at work, you're not alone. It’s no secret that our jobs are stressing us out.
Take on diffusion of responsibility (develop personal power)
Do you feel responsible for others and are quick to intervene? Or, is it difficult for you to insert yourself into situations, especially when other people are around?
What is psychological well-being (and how to improve yours)?
Psychological well-being is when you’re mentally healthy and feel positive overall about your life.
How to set life goals that lead to happiness (with examples)
We all have dreams and desires for our lives—things we want to accomplish, the type of lifestyle we want to maintain, or experiences we want to soak in.Â
What is personal integrity and why is it important?
When you hear the word “integrity” it can feel weighty and a little bit ambiguous. You might know it’s a good thing to have but aren’t exactly clear on what personal integrity is or how you can demonstrate that you have it.
The 8 proven characteristics of a transformational leader
What makes up the true characteristics of a leader? It’s a question that everybody wants the answer to — especially when you consider that research from Gallup states that only one in 10 people actually have the natural talent to manage others.
How to find a life coach (that's perfect for you)
Let’s face it: Life can be hard. Really hard.
11 leadership styles (and the one that rules them all in a crisis)
Think of all of the different leaders that you’ve interacted with, and you’ll quickly realize that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all mold for leadership.
Democratic leadership style: What it is and why it's the best in 2024
If you’re looking to be the type of leader who creates a team where employees are passionate and innovative in their work while producing solid results, a democratic leadership style might be the first step to get there.Â
5 ideal team player skills you need to thrive at work
It’s no surprise that team player skills are vital to building a company culture that is productive and positive. In fact, more than 80% of employers say the ability to work in a team is a key attribute when searching for candidates in the hiring process.
How to make a difference: 5 powerful action steps
When you ask most people if they want to make a difference in the world, the answer is almost always, “yes.” How to do that, however, isn’t quite as obvious—and many people can become discouraged if they feel like they haven’t fulfilled their purpose or made an impact. The world is a big place and it can be hard to know where to start.Â
What is a bias for action (and how do you build it)?
Many times throughout your career, or even your life, you might find yourself in analysis paralysis asking the question, “Should I do something about this?”Â
Finding your work-life balance as a remote employee
More people than ever are working remotely and riding the waves of the work-from-home life. There are the highs (like increased productivity and reduced stress levels) and the lows (like feelings of loneliness and inconsistent communication).
Hire for attitude: what this means and why it works so well
You may have heard the phrase “hire for attitude, train for skill” but what does that actually look like in reality?Â
What is the human relations theory (and why should you care)?
Imagine that you're an employee of Company A.
What is my leadership style?
You don’t have to search too hard to find some frightening statistics about leadership.
The participative leadership style: what it is and why it works
Think it’s your job as the leader to make every single decision yourself and hand down marching orders to your team? That’s not always the case—especially when it comes to a participative leadership style.
Are you detail-oriented? Common traits & ways to improve
Are you the type of person who notices the little things that others miss? Do you pride yourself on your ability to spot even the smallest errors or inconsistencies? If so, you might be detail-oriented. But what exactly does it mean to be detail-oriented, and how can you sharpen this skill to unlock your full potential? In this blog post, we'll explore the key traits of detail-oriented people and provide practical tips to help you take your attention to detail to the next level.
Set up to fail: How to do know if your boss does this to you
You’ve stepped into a new role as a manager of a team. You have little to no familiarity with your team members, so you’ve reviewed previous performance reviews to get a sense of what you can expect from each of your new direct reports.
What was Steve Jobs’ leadership style?
There are a number of things that Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, is remembered for. His signature black turtleneck, his drive for constant innovation, and undoubtedly, his leadership style.
22 exit interview questions to get the most helpful feedback
It was the news you didn’t want to hear: One of your employees is leaving.Â
Startup success: How to predict it and avoid failure
Entrepreneurs are some of the most driven people on the planet, but they all started from the same point: with a passion for their product and no idea if their big idea would be a huge win or lead them straight back to the drawing board.
Jealousy at work: The telltale signs and how to deal with it
You’re in a meeting at work when it’s announced that one of your colleagues has been promoted. They have a new, important title (and you’re guessing a bigger salary too).Â