Top 10 Reasons why Constant Complaining in the Workplace is so Toxic - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Top 10 Reasons why Constant Complaining in the Workplace is so Toxic - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Years ago when I was still a software developer for a small consulting company in my second job out of university, I had a boss that was shall we say unpopular. My co-workers and I hated his guts and we complained ceaselessly about him. It got to the point where we couldnt start a meeting, have lunch in the cafeteria, or even go out for a beer without spending half an hour complaining about him. We whined about his attitude, his stupidity, his meddling, his spinelessness hell, even his dress sense came under fire. But then again, he is the only manager who has ever interviewed me wearing a narrow 80s-style purple, fake-leather tie. But did we ever tell him? Nooooooo! While we were bitching and moaning to ourselves, he blithely went on as usual because no one ever complained to him. Which mightve made sense when you think about it Looking back, Im not sure that complaining to him would have worked I think he was incorrigible but one thing is for damn sure: Out bitching about it, fun though it may have been, did not improve things one little bit. Because that kind of chronic complaining, justified or not, in the workplace leads to no good. In fact, in can be downright toxic and can make a department or even a whole company a terrible place to work. Heres why constant complaining is so bad: 1: It makes things look worse than they are When people complain, they focus only on whats wrong. Things may be mostly fine in the company, but complainers only talk about the problems, annoyances and peeves they perceive. If things in a company are 80% good and 20% bad and you spend most of your time thinking and talking about the bad 20% the situation will look a lot worse than it really is. 2: It becomes a habit The more you complain, the easier it gets. In the end, everything is bad, every situation is a problem, every co-worker is a jerk and nothing is good. The more you focus on the negative, the harder it gets to switch into a positive mindset. 3: You get what you focus on According to Wikipedia, Confirmation bias is: a tendency to search for or interpret new information in a way that confirms ones preconceptions and avoid information and interpretations which contradict prior beliefs. In other words, what you already believe influences your perception of everything around you. Thats why constant complaining makes you see everything in a negative light, because your subconscious mind tries to make new observation fit with what you already know. 4: It leads to onedownmanship A complaining session might go something like this: The other day, my boss came in 5 minutes before I was leaving and asked me to finish two huge projects for him. I had to stay two hours and missed my football game. Yeah, well my boss told me to work this weekend AND the next. Hah, thats nothing! My boss This type of interaction rewards the person with the worst story who can complain the loudest. Not healthy! 5: It makes people despondent Not only does constant complaining make you see the workplace as worse than it really is, but because youre constantly hearing stories of how bad things are and how theyre constantly getting worse it also destroys all hope that things can get better. This of course makes people less likely to take action to improve their situation, because everybody knows its doomed to fail anyway. 6: It kills innovation Because the situations looks so hopeless, people become less creative and innovative. Whats the point of coming up with ideas and implementing them its never going to work anyway. Also, chronic complainers are the first to shoot down any new idea. 7: It favors negative people The way to get status among complainers is to be the most negative. To be the one who sees everything in the most negative light. Any attempt to be positive or cheerful will be shot down and optimists will be accused of being Pollyanna, naive and unrealistic. 8: It promotes bad relationships People who complain together unite against the world and can create strong internal relationships based on this. But these relationships are based mostly on negative experiences. Thats not healthy. It also means that you can only continue to be a part of the group if you can continue to complain, miring you even deeper in a complaint mindset. 9: It creates cliques Being positive, optimistic and appreciative makes you more open towards other people no matter who they are. It becomes easy to connect to co-workers in other departments, projects or divisions. Complaining, on the other hand, makes people gather in cliques with their fellow complainers where they can be critical and suspicious of everybody else. 10: Pessimism is bad for you Psychologist Martin Seligman showed in his groundbreaking research in positive psychology that people who see the world in a positive light have a long list of advantages, including: They live longer Theyre healthier They have more friends and better social lives They enjoy life more Theyre more successful at work We sometimes think that pessimists and complainers have the edge because they see problems sooner but the truth is that optimists not only lead better lives, theyre also more successful because they believe that what theyre doing is going to work. The upshot Constant complaining in the workplace is toxic. It can drain the happiness, motivation, creativity and fun from a whole company. Wherever its going on it must be addressed and handled properly. Im NOT saying that we should never complain at work quite the contrary. If you see a problem in your workplace, complain to whoever can do something about it. What we should avoid at all costs, is constant bitching and moaning, where were always complaining about the same things, to the same people, in the same way, day in and day out. So what can we do about it? Well first of all, each of us can learn to complain constructively. This means learning to complain in a way that leads to the problem being fixed rather than to more complaining. Heres my post on how you can How to complain constructively. Secondly, we can learn to deal with the chronic complainers we meet at work. Unfortunately, our traditional strategies like trying to cheer them up or suggesting solutions for their problems dont work because complainers arent looking for encouragement or solutions. Heres my post on how to deal with chronic complainers. Finally, you can train your own ability to be positive. Just like complaining can become a habit, so can being appreciative, optimistic and grateful. You could declare today a positive day, you could take a few minutes at the end of every work day to write down five good experiences from that day or you could praise a co-worker. Try it and let me know how it goes! Your take But what do you think? Do you know any chronic complainers at work? What is their impact? How do you complain, when you see a problem? Please write a comment, Id really like to know! Related Here are some related posts about workplace complaining: A real-life story on how being positive helps at work Go complain. Right now! Some negative phrases to avoid Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Network for success - dont be a bumper car -

Network for success - dont be a bumper car - I try to practice what I preach, so Ive been making an effort to attend in-person networking events. Every time I go to these events, I learn something! This weeks lesson: dont network like a bumper car. Many networkers at the event seemed to spend their one-on-one time in pursuit of their next contact. You know the type: shifty eyes, impatient body language and unfocused conversations. I found it difficult to connect with these networkers, as it seemed that they were much more interested in the next conversation than in the current one! In watching them interact during the night, they reminded me of bumper cars, haphazardly moving around the room, without any direction or focus. Maybe, incidentally, this type of networker will bump into someone and have a valuable interaction, but it seems more likely that this style would prevent meaningful interactions. After all, who would be interested in someone who doesnt seem very interested in them? On the flip side, I had several excellent networking conversations that reminded me how easy it is to form a connection with a stranger. I spoke to one person, a painter, for some time. Obviously a skilled networker, he asked about my work and talked to me about his business. Throughout the conversation, he was very focused on what I was saying, his eye contact focused on me (not his next target), and his responses to my questions were on point. During our conversation, I felt that I had a strong sense of his professionalism and business philosophy. When we were finished speaking, I made a mental note to give him a call when I was ready to move forward with some painting projects Ive had in mind. Incidentally, his background and personal network turned out to be very related to my own networking goals, as he is very connected to the HR and recruiting world. So, in addition to the opportunity to learn about him and his business, he may be able to provide some valuable contacts for my business. This is another example of the fact that you cant judge a book by its cover! Focus on each person you encounter when networking (and even when you are not officially networking. You never know what you might learn and how it will propel you toward your goals! Need help networking? Im here to teach you what you need to know! Contact me to discuss how we can work together. photo by whatdavesees

Your Medical School Resume Needs to Be Consistent

Your Medical School Resume Needs to Be ConsistentMany people want to know what they should put on their medical school resume. Even though many individuals are willing to move a few years into their career, a full two or three years from now is quite a long time away. There are some things that you will need to be sure to list on your resume. Read on for some of the items you will need to include when you are putting together your resume.The first item you will need to list is a summary of your education, including education from the secondary school level through your undergraduate degree. This includes any required coursework that must be completed before you can proceed to your Bachelor's degree or your Master's degree. If you have been working in a hospital, this is required by the hospital. It is also a good idea to list the details of any additional work experience that may have led up to your degree, such as volunteer work or internships.As you progress through your career, yo u will become more focused on your career goals and develop professional board certifications. They will include certifications such as CNA, OT, Physician Assistant, and Nurse's Assistant. You will also develop certifications for your personal practices.Although you did not get a Bachelor's degree in Nursing, many universities and colleges will still expect you to list a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. In addition to being listed on your resume, a Bachelor's degree in Nursing can sometimes lead to employment. Some of the other options include certification for Nurse's Assistant, LPN, Certified Nurse's Administrator, and RN to BSN to CNA. This is a good time to include a Professional Certification for Health Education. Often times, hospitals will place a particular emphasis on certification that will require you to graduate from a particular institution before you begin your career in the health care field.The length of time that you have been in the health care field will give you the opportunity to evaluate your career path. If you want to continue in your current position, you will have to make some changes. For example, if you have made it this far in your career and have found that you enjoy working with individuals, you may want to consider becoming a registered nurse. This may entail you completing the same amount of education as a Bachelor's degree, but there are several benefits. Being a registered nurse will give you the responsibility of providing a greater level of services to the public. Along with your role in the patient's medical care, you will also provide education for health educators and even help train residents in advanced care.Many healthcare facilities require all employees to be certified. Even though you may not have the salary to sustain the expense of going back to school, it can help you advance your career and be an asset to the facility. Even if you do not believe that a career change is in your future, it is important to consider t aking the time to prepare yourself for the future.As you review your medical school resume, you will be able to decide if you want to continue your education at the college or university that you attended. After all, you are the one who needs to decide what career path you want to take. A high school education is helpful for people who want to go to medical school but may not be financially able to finish their education.

Including Communication Skills on a Resume (Examples and Tips) - ZipJob

Including Communication Skills on a Resume (Examples and Tips) Spread the loveCommunication skills are important for almost any position.  The ability to communicate effectively with your team, customers and managers is essential. Including communication skills on a resume could be tricky. Well cover exactly how to include communication skills on a resume along with some examples.Should you Include Communication Skills on a ResumeYou should be including communication skills on your resume but it should be done indirectly.Including  phrases like Excellent written and verbal communication skills serves little to no value on a resume. Its likely to annoy a hiring manager more than anything.Here are some other common resume buzzwords that annoy hiring managers.  Here is a list of common communication skills phrases used on resume. Do NOT use these:Excellent written and verbal communication skillsExcellent Communication SkillsConfident, articulate, and professional speaking abilities (and experience)Empathic listener and persuasive speakerPublic Spea kingSpeaking in public, to groups, or via electronic mediaExcellent presentation and negotiation skillsCommunication and other soft skills  dont add a whole lot of value to your resume.Here are some other common soft skills that hiring managers hate seeing on a resume:Team-PlayerResults-drivenDetail-OrientedGreat CommunicatorYou can include a few soft skills but its always more effective to include hard skills that are relevant to the position youre targeting.Whats the difference?The big difference is that “hard” skills are objective and “soft” skills are subjective.We wrote a good post on skills to include on a resume to ensure you stand out.So how do you include communication skills on a resume indirectly?How to Include Communication Skills on a ResumeYou should include your communication skills indirectly and this is best done through achievements. You would usually only focus on this if the position requires strong communication skills. Remember that you should always in clude information on your resume thats relevant to the position youre targeting. Including information thats irrelevant will usually get your resume rejected.If the position asks for good communication skills There a number of ways to  this effectively.Presentations and Public SpeakingDid you give a presentation or speak publicly at an event? If so, this is a great way to show communications skills.You can list public speaking under a professional development section.NegotiatedShowing that you negotiated something also shows good communication skills. You do need communication skills in order to negotiate something successfullyJobhero has a good example:Negotiated sales price and other fees for HAFA short sales to ensure maximum proceeds for the bankManagementManaging a project or team also requires good communications skills. Try to include quantifiable achievements that show you communicated with staff, customers or manager.For example:Managed a team of 5 web developers and deliv ered  the project 20% under budget.You could pretty much include any achievement which shows that you used communication skills. You should also begin each description with a strong action verb.For example:ManagedDevelopedNegotiatedImplementedPresentedModeratedClosing thoughtsCommunication skills on a resume are certainly important but you need to mention them indirectly. Including soft skills like Excellent Communication Skills will only do more harm than good.  Most hiring managers and recruiters cant stand seeing  these buzzwords on a resume.Anyone can say they have good  communication skills what you need to do is show those skills indirectly through relevant achievements.Always keep the information on your resume relevant to whatever position youre applying for.Best of luck with your job search. Including Communication Skills on a Resume (Examples and Tips) Spread the loveCommunication skills are important for almost any position.  The ability to communicate effectively with your team, customers and managers is essential. Including communication skills on a resume could be tricky. Well cover exactly how to include communication skills on a resume along with some examples.Should you Include Communication Skills on a ResumeYou should be including communication skills on your resume but it should be done indirectly.Including  phrases like Excellent written and verbal communication skills serves little to no value on a resume. Its likely to annoy a hiring manager more than anything.Here are some other common resume buzzwords that annoy hiring managers.  Here is a list of common communication skills phrases used on resume. Do NOT use these:Excellent written and verbal communication skillsExcellent Communication SkillsConfident, articulate, and professional speaking abilities (and experience)Empathic listener and persuasive speakerPublic Spea kingSpeaking in public, to groups, or via electronic mediaExcellent presentation and negotiation skillsCommunication and other soft skills  dont add a whole lot of value to your resume.Here are some other common soft skills that hiring managers hate seeing on a resume:Team-PlayerResults-drivenDetail-OrientedGreat CommunicatorYou can include a few soft skills but its always more effective to include hard skills that are relevant to the position youre targeting.Whats the difference?The big difference is that “hard” skills are objective and “soft” skills are subjective.We wrote a good post on skills to include on a resume to ensure you stand out.So how do you include communication skills on a resume indirectly?How to Include Communication Skills on a ResumeYou should include your communication skills indirectly and this is best done through achievements. You would usually only focus on this if the position requires strong communication skills. Remember that you should always in clude information on your resume thats relevant to the position youre targeting. Including information thats irrelevant will usually get your resume rejected.If the position asks for good communication skills There a number of ways to  this effectively.Presentations and Public SpeakingDid you give a presentation or speak publicly at an event? If so, this is a great way to show communications skills.You can list public speaking under a professional development section.NegotiatedShowing that you negotiated something also shows good communication skills. You do need communication skills in order to negotiate something successfullyJobhero has a good example:Negotiated sales price and other fees for HAFA short sales to ensure maximum proceeds for the bankManagementManaging a project or team also requires good communications skills. Try to include quantifiable achievements that show you communicated with staff, customers or manager.For example:Managed a team of 5 web developers and deliv ered  the project 20% under budget.You could pretty much include any achievement which shows that you used communication skills. You should also begin each description with a strong action verb.For example:ManagedDevelopedNegotiatedImplementedPresentedModeratedClosing thoughtsCommunication skills on a resume are certainly important but you need to mention them indirectly. Including soft skills like Excellent Communication Skills will only do more harm than good.  Most hiring managers and recruiters cant stand seeing  these buzzwords on a resume.Anyone can say they have good  communication skills what you need to do is show those skills indirectly through relevant achievements.Always keep the information on your resume relevant to whatever position youre applying for.Best of luck with your job search.

Make Sure This Part Of Your Resume Is Flawless - Work It Daily

Make Sure This Part Of Your Resume Is Flawless - Work It Daily Of course, your entire resume deserves your full attention, and the extra time and scrutiny you give to your Summary section will pay off. RELATED: Need to write a resume? Watch these resume tutorials! What’s so important about that part of your resume? It’s the first place all readers look, and as they skim that section, they’re making a critical decision: continue reading or not? Readers make that decision based on their assessment of three questions: Is this resume relevant to the position I’m seeking to fill? Is the content compelling and captivating? Does it give me data, metrics, and outcomes, so that I know what this person can deliver? Most people think their resumes should represent them and their experience, and that’s true, but it’s only part of the truth. The whole truth is that resumes must demonstrate that the person is a fit for the target position by highlighting relevant details about the candidate’s experience and training. As you approach your Summary with the intent of demonstrating fit for the position you’re seeking, keep these tips in mind. Nail The Keywords Keywords are vital in the Summary. Take a look at the job description and highlight the keywords. Look for repeated and emphasized words, and weave those terms into your Summary. Use the exact terms that are used in the job description. For example, if the job description says “meeting facilitation,” don’t use “team leadership,” particularly if you’re submitting to an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that is likely set to detect keyword match. Write To The Future, Not The Past Make sure your Summary represents where you’re going professionally, not just where you’ve been. I often hear from clients that they’re resistant to the idea of listing themselves as an “Expert” or “Specialist” in their headlines. My recommendation is to claim your expertise, and recognize that if you have a degree in a subject area, you can declare with certainty that you know your material. In fact, if you’re just coming out of a degree program, your knowledge may be more current and cutting edge than people who have been mired in one dimension of your industry for several years. Include Metrics And Data If someone reads your Summary, and doesn’t recognize your unique thumbprint, it’s too bland. If it is packed with generic descriptions like “analytical” and “detail-oriented,” you’ll never stand out. Where can you include data and numbers to represent your deliverables? Even if it’s the number of touch-points you have each day with customers, you can quantify that as “50 positive interactions with customers daily.” Emphasize Accomplishments And Outcomes When a recruiter, human resource professional, or hiring manager reads your resume, they want to know whether you can deliver if they place you in the position you’re seeking. Make it clear that you’ll come through by exceeding their expectations. “Able to multi-task” becomes “juggles multiple tasks simultaneously amid frequent interruptions and chaotic environments to ensure project completion and superior client satisfaction scores.” Customize, Customize, Customize Even if you keep the remainder of your resume intact, make sure your Summary is specific to every position you seek. It’s definitely worth the extra few minutes to review the job description and answer three questions as you revise your Summary: What is the most important dimension of this position? What are the keywords I need to include? How am I a strong fit for this particular position? If readers skim your Summary and can’t identify your responses to those questions, go back and revise because they will not continue reading the remainder of your resume. Your Summary is your portal into each position you’re seeking. Make it work for you by letting your personality and your strengths shine. Related Posts 3 Great Activities To Keep Your Job Search Moving 10 Tips To Staying Positive While Looking For A Job Moving? 3 Helpful Tips For Your Relocation Job Search Maggie Graham | Coach Career coach Maggie Graham banishes Credential Gremlins in her forthcoming book Skip the Next Degree: Career Change without Debt and Despair. She points mid-career professionals in the direction of their next steps and defines a road map to take them there. Job seekers will find an ally when they seek support for landing their next positions.   Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

6 Ways to Bounce Back After a Major Work Mistake

6 Ways to Bounce Back After a Major Work Mistake Mistakes happen. We spend a lot of time at work, so it goes without saying that a lot of the mistakes we make in our lives will involve the workplace. Though your first instinct may be to panic and hide your mistake or to just run away acting while under duress can cause mora harm than good. What matters most is how you behave in the aftermath of messing up. Everyone makes mistakes eventually, but not everyone handles making them well. Here are six ways to bounce back from a major work mistake without ruining your reputation.1. Try to fix the problem.Before you confront the necessary party about your mistake, ask yourself if there is a way for you to responsibly correct it on your own. If your mistake is minor enough that no one else has to know about it, start there but only if you are certain repairing it on your own wont cause mora harm than good. If you still need to bring your mistake to someone elses attention, have a couple o f different solutions in mind for how to move forward.2. Apologizeonceto necessary parties.Dont grovel. When we make mistakes, a first instinct can be to demonstrate how sorry we are by apologizing repeatedly. Unfortunately, though this idea may come from a good place, it can cause more harm than good. Having to reassure someone that theyre forgiven over and over can feel exhausting for the other party. So deliver one heartfelt yet dignified apology. Then, keep moving.3. Take responsibility.While you should absolutely tell the whole truth, avoid bringing other people into the issue. Throwing someone else under the bus will not help your case it will just earn you office enemies. Assuming responsibility demonstrates strong leadership skills that may even boost your reputation with bosses in the future.4. Accept the consequences.Mistakes often have consequences. Maybe you have to stay late every night for a month to double check data or call hundreds of clients and explain that an e rror was made thats being corrected. Whatever you have to do to right your wrong, do it humbly and without complaint. This shows that you take your mistake seriously more than repeatedly apologizing ever could. Moving forward positively can be a major way to show your bosses and coworkers that youre a team player who has the companys best interest in mind.5. Dont hide.Though you may initially feel embarrassed depending on the severity of your error and how many people know about it, showing shame will only make the aftermath worse. After youve apologized to the appropriate parties, dont hang your head about it. Dont seclude yourself in your office or opt out of giving ideas at meetings.6. Practice self-compassion.Easier said than done, right? If you find yourself replaying your mistake over and over, try to focus on how many things youve done correctly and pat yourself on the back for handling this error so well. Remember that mistakes are important teachers, and youre walking away from your mistake all the wiser.--Kayla Heisler is an essayist and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet. She is a contributing writer for Color My Bubble. Her work appears in New Yorks Best Emerging Poets anthology.

The Upside to Resume Writing for Religious Position

The Upside to Resume Writing for Religious standort Where to Find Resume Writing for Religious Position You will never regret maximizing the capacity of your resume Past performance is a superb prediction of future performance. In the competitive area of education, youll want your resume to be noticed, and highlight your capacity to learn and grow in the present atmosphere. If you believe you might want to include personal info on your resume, research standards in your industry to be certain youre including the mandatory information. The Argument About Resume Writing for Religious Position There are plenty of differences among a standard resume and the kind of resume you need to submit when hunting for ordained employment, especially in terms of which sections to include or exclude. One means to do it is to include keywords in your resume from the work listing. There are various ways to organize your resume. In regard to the layout, its very important that every task list ed is visually separate from the others. So How About Resume Writing for Religious Position? If youre short on community involvement, do what you can to obtain an organization to become involved in not only for the interest of your resume, but for contributing to the neighborhood community also Sure, but be sure each story stands on its own and shows a special element of your leadership. Be certain to include achievements that you are able to take pride in on your resume since they will demonstrate your Christian faith in how hard you worked to accomplish your objectives. A sample resume is the secret to writing a good resume. Again, it is a good concept to coincide with your resume to the ad, selecting keywords that show up in the work listing. Unprofessional Email Address There isnt any excuse for not having an expert email address whenever you are applying for jobs since there are a lot of completely free email service provider and itll take you less than 2 minutes to make a new email address. Instead, be sure to list your LinkedIn profile and personal site or blog if youve got one. Resume Writing for Religious Position Explained Cover letters are an essential add-on to any resume, since they enable you to individualize your strengths and attributes based on the organization and position youre applying for. Deep wisdom and comprehension of Philosophy and Theology. Submitting a resume to reveal youre a valuable education leader is essential to securing interviews. Whenever feasible, address the letter to a particular individual, preferably the one whos very likely to create the employment choice. Last, get a person to proofread your letters. If youre able to specifically display to employers which you have a history of successes, you will grow to be that far more attractive to them. You will need to begin with the all-important resume. Several organizations receive hundreds of resumes every single day. So when the hiring company hasnt p rovided a salary for work, we look at salary data from related businesses and locations to think of a fair estimate for what it is possible to expect. Thus, your job application should be adjusted for each specific job youre applying for. What you made in previous jobs isnt necessarily pertinent to what you are able to make in your next job. Never distribution policy your reasons for leaving work on your resume.