Personal Development

How to make one-on-one meetings more meaningful & productive

How to make one-on-one meetings more meaningful & productive

When your day is packed with deadlines and responsibilities, it can be tempting to push one-on-one meetings with your direct reports or manager to the back burner. But these regular touchpoints are more important than you might think. One of the top drivers of job satisfaction for employees is having a positive relationship with your manager, and setting – and sticking to – regular one-on-one meetings can be a highly effective way to build that bond.

Photo of Jessica Orika F4S contributing writer
How to make a difference: 5 powerful action steps

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. 

Photo of Kat Boogaard F4S contributing writer
Observation skills: How to improve them (starring a clown, a gorilla and some scientists)

Observation skills: How to improve them (starring a clown, a gorilla and some scientists)

Normally we begin these guides with a series of statistics related to the topic, but when discussing observation skills, statistics don’t even do it justice. Instead, something common from the mouths of parents and caregivers might work: “You were given two ears and one mouth for a reason.” The implication is that you should listen roughly twice as much as you speak, although we know from general life observation that’s not true of most people. 

Ted Bauer
How to convince people in the workplace: 8 persuasive tips

How to convince people in the workplace: 8 persuasive tips

From hiring freezes to stagnating wages,¹ many organizations are at a standstill as they attempt to make sense of these challenging times. It goes without saying that this state of inertia is preferable to periods of chaos marked by layoffs and company shutdowns. However, in a time when many leaders are stuck in survival mode, asking for what you want feels like a tall order.

Photo of Emma Noris F4S contributing writer
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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.

Photo of Kat Boogaard F4S contributing writer