In case you missed it (ICYMI), here’s the skinny on the top trending articles covering workplace culture, employee development and business. Enjoy!
Are rogue employees hurting your business?
Don’t tell HR or IT, but I’d be lying if I didn’t identify with the rogue employee. I’m always on the prowl for a faster, easier way to do stuff. And, with the rise of the BYOD working environment, I’m not the only one turning to mobile apps and free cloud-based storage systems to get stuff done. But, here’s the rub: there are consequences. Entrepreneur Magazine identified three different types of rogue employees.
- The Innovative. As the article states, “These ambitious employees will seek out workarounds to improve their performance, even if that means bending the rules. Curious workers and early-adopter types might be fascinated by the latest and greatest technology advancements and enjoy trying them out.”
- The Bad. Disgruntled employees can do a lot of damage. According to the article, “The most prevalent example of The Bad might be the Access Hoarder, who demands to be involved in as many processes and systems as possible, even ones far removed from his or her role. But as they accrue access to more and more systems, the risks they pose also add up.” Access Hoarders remind me of Knowledge Hoarders.
- The Lazy. I think we all might be guilty of this from time to time. Classic lazy behavior goes a little something like this: “Perhaps they store their usernames and passwords on post-it notes, or use Dropbox instead of a sanctioned storage and file-sharing service, because it’s all they know and they don’t want to learn something new. All the while they have no idea that their insistence on circumventing corporate policies opens up their organization to serious risk.”
7 habits of highly emotionally intelligent people
I have to confess, this article dates back to April, but I found it this week and couldn’t pass up sharing it with anyone who may have missed it. According to the Internet, emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. Emotionally intelligent people have greater job performance, are exceptional leaders and experience overall positive mental health. Let’s take a page from their book, and explore the 7 habits of emotionally intelligent people put together by Fast Company. As the article states:
- They focus on the positive
- They surround themselves with positive people
- They are able to set boundaries and be assertive when necessary
- They are forward thinking and willing to let go of the past
- They look for ways to make life more fun, happy and interesting
- They choose how they expand their energy wisely
And, wait for it… here’s our favorite:
- Continually learning and growing towards independence. The article states, “Highly emotionally intelligent people are lifelong learners, constantly growing, evolving, open to new ideas, and always willing to learn from others. Being critical thinkers, they are open to changing their minds if someone presents an idea that is a better fit. While they are open to ideas from others, and continuously gathering new information, they ultimately trust themselves and their own judgment to make the best decision for themselves.”
Bonus: 15 ways to enjoy summer when you’re trapped in an office
What? You’d rather be at a baseball game than sitting at your desk getting on back-to-back conference calls? Can’t blame you there! School is out and summer is almost here. Being stuck inside the office all day long isn’t ideal, but the folks over at The Muse put together a quick list of 15 things you can do at work to enjoy summer. Take a look!