Andrew’s Podcast: 50 WAYS TO SUCCEED AT WORK

E2/S2 GRAPEVINE AWARENESS - Run a mile from taking part in rumour and gossip

This podcast begins with a short playlet in which CEO Mason demands that his people start to travel economy class to save overheads.  But a nasty rumour soon circulates suggesting that he still travels business class. Unsure what to do about it Mason consults the company's head of Public Relations who suggests a strategy for killing off the rumour by circulating a new one which seems to do the trickAndrew  then explores three issues that people tend to have about organisational grapevines:
“What is a company grapevine, and how does it work.”
“Can I trust what I hear on the organisation’s grapevine?
”How do I deal with rumours and gossip at work?” 
He ends the podcast with three practical actions you can take to deal with rumours and gossip at work. He offers a final takeaway:TAKEAWAY
At least 70% of all organisational communication comes through the grapevine. Strangely, most employees consider it trustworthy. Avoid gossip and rumours and preserve your reputation.
 
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book 

E1/S2 ASK AWAY - Be sure to ask enough questions and avoid the worse mistakes.

In Series 2, Andrew reaches for more depth in the 50 Ways to Succeed at Work.Many episodes are like mini playlets as Andrew conveys what produces success at work.Andrew identifies the three main questions that research suggests people have about this particular topic. 
What are the right questions to ask at work?
What questions should I ask on my first day at work?
What questions should I ask my co-workers?
He offers practical suggestions of what to do about each of these questions,
The episode ends with three main action points, along with a highly practical Takeaway.
 
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book 

EPISODE 50 (50) INTEGRITY WINS - showing integrity is a sure way to build your reputation

Integrity means that you live by a set of ethical and moral principles. These are so important that they cause you to do the right thing, no matter the circumstances. In this final Podcast in the series of 50 weekly episodes, Andrew explains why integrity is so critical to your success at work.Integrity is the best of you. It never gets lost, though it sometimes goes AWOL (absent without leave). When your integrity goes missing it means that you have lost sight of your moral compass. You get it back when you’re on the right path. It can be challenging to manage something as slippery as integrity at work. It’s one reason people may not talk much about integrity in even the best organisations.  So, how do you make sense of integrity? The source says Andrew, is using your values to define what integrity means to you. They also mean taking responsibility and being accountable for your actions. That includes respecting yourself and others. 
Most people you meet at work will be familiar with trust, honesty, and doing their best. So, feel free says Andrew to talk about them without feeling inhibited or worried that you're causing trouble.  If you can’t talk about them, then integrity, yours and others are at risk. 
As  usual Andrew offers you three simple actions you can take to pursue integrity at work and he concludes with the takeaway:Integrity is the most critical behaviour you can show at work; it will build your reputation and personal brand and aid your search for success.
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book
 

EPISODE 49 (50) HORN BLOWER - show how you add value and why modesty can backfire

At work, should you boast or blow your horn like Muhammad Ali? Is that the best way to make people realise what a valuable contribution you’re making? Or is boasting at work wrong, even obnoxious?
Andrew starts this week's Episode on boasting at work with a reality check. He says, if you don’t tell people what you’re doing or the great work you’re achieving, how are they supposed to know?
Suppose a task needs your attention outside of regular working hours.  Will your supervisor know that you’re doing this he asks? 
Unless you share what’s happening, your senior colleague may never realise the extraordinary effort you’re making.  It can therefore be a mistake and harm your chances of succeeding at work by not revealing that you’re going that extra mile.
Incidentally, if you haven’t already heard it, visit the Podcast website and listen to episode 37 on The Extra Mile. Its Ad free, and you may find it helpful.
Early on, we learn to refrain from boasting. Instead, we’re encouraged to be modest and urged not to blow our own horns. Widespread disapproval of self-praise may stem from a cultural bias.  For example, Sweden is one of the most innovative countries globally. Yet its business culture deplores showing off. Sweden believes in “Keeping boasting to a minimum and finding a consensus, so everybody is on the same page." 
That tells us something useful about the whole practice of blowing your own horn. There’s good boasting and unacceptable boasting. When or whether to blow your own horn needs to be carefully calibrated.
What makes boasting acceptable is when as human beings, we have an urge to be recognised and rewarded in some way for our efforts.
Most big achievements at work come from a team effort. This seldom depends on one talented individual. It can take a whole group working in concert to get something important done.
Sensible boasting at work is, therefore, best based on joint celebrations. Nobody claims more than their fair share of credits. It’s humanity rewarding itself with uncontrolled and heart-warming bragging about their achievements—something everyone can enjoy.
On the other hand, isn’t there something obnoxious about a colleague walking around with a smirk and a ‘know-it-all attitude? There’s a big difference between bragging and informing and between celebrating and boasting.
Bragging is talking yourself up, like a walking advertisement. You insist th
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book
 

EPISODE 48 (50) CUSTOMER CARER - focusing on customer service is a sure way to gain confidence

Andrew tackles this issue head-on and wonders why as a species able to put a human on the moon, create the Mona Lisa and invent vaccines we find it challenging to deliver outstanding customer service, 
Even if you’re not in retail or selling, you need to think of yourself at work as someone there to give customer satisfaction, urges Andrew in today's podcast. He explains that your “customers” could be co-workers, another department or a demanding boss who wants everything by yesterday.
If you think of yourself as giving customer care, he says, you’re in the right place to burnish and grow your brand. That is, improve your work impact and build how others view you. 
Providing excellent customer care is a terrific way to enhance your work profile. It can enable you to stand out from the crowd and help you move towards your goal of success at work. 
Why does thinking of yourself as a customer carer help you achieve that goal? Because this kind of thinking rapidly makes you aware that an essential part of your work depends on people wanting more of what you do.
One aspect to which Andrew draws attention is how coming across well to your “customers” depends on developing reliable writing skills. 
Everyone knows about spell checks. Yet most people, especially those starting work or having worked for a short time, often fail to apply them? Too often, that means shoddy documents, full of poor grammar and weak presentation.
Yet if you’ve come across Grammarly or Hemmingway Editor, you have two excellent writing tools at your fingertips. 
Using one or both regularly can transform your performance. If you’re humble enough to know you should improve your writing skills, these two free programs alone can help build your brand.
Another customer service communication touchpoint is your impact on the phone and in virtual or real face-to-face meetings. 
It’s easy to assume that you’re already good at these. When next you use Zoom or its equivalent, such as MS Teams, Andrew suggests that you click on the “record” function. Then check out how you come across. 
Do you look interested in what people are saying? Or are you an expr
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book
 

EPISODE 47 (50) UNDEFENDED - why being approachable can underpin your success at work

In this week's Podcast, Andrew explains that being approachable is critical to building good relationships with your colleagues. He explains that it underpins long-term success.  
An approachable person is undefended. That means you are happy to break down barriers and build an environment of trust.  
What exactly would that look like, asks Andrew? For instance, what would you see or not if you saw an undefended person? For a start, no grumpy looks, lack of eye contact, failure to smile, or show impatience. 
You probably know the basics of being approachable. Still, Andrew takes you through the seven main indications to be sure: 
Number 1 is you smile at people no matter their level in the organisation and invite them to interact with you.
Number 2, you make eye contact and encourage people to approach you. 
Number 3, you show positive body language by being angled towards and not away from the other person.
Number 4, you look up from your work, desk or screen and give the other person your full attention.
Number 5 is you remain still rather than fidgeting, which sends negative signals.
Number 6, you often nod to show the other person they have your attention
Lastly, Number 7, you convey your positive outlook and readiness to engage.
Two other ways to be undefended are also worth your attention: showing empathy and compassion; and the technique of mirroring. These will be dealt with later in Series 2 of 50 Ways to Succeed, starting soon.
If you want to be a hit with your colleagues, says Andrew, some key personality traits can make you likeable in the workplace.  These include being positive, approachable and having a sense of humour.  
The evidence suggests that two out of three workers feel disliked people struggle to get ahead at work.
 As with all Andrew's weekly podcasts, this one ends with him offering you three action points you can pursue immediately. Together they can help you to become more approachable at work.
You'll also learn how to obtain the relevant e-learning mobile unit to consolidate your learning further.All 50 Ways podcasts end with three actions you can take today to do better.COMING SOON!
 Customer Carer: Focusing on customer service is a sure way to gain confidence.
Horn Blower: Demonstrate how you add value and why modesty can backfire. 
Integrity Wins: Showing integrity is a sure way to build your reputation.
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book
 

EPISODE 46 (50) TRASH TALKER - bad mouthing may boomerang back and leave a nasty taste

Rudeness pervades organisations, reports Andrew in this week's podcast on Trash Talking. More than half the employees (57%) in a Fortune 500 survey reported trash-talking happening every month in their organisation.
Trash talking used to mean slagging off competitors. Now there's a general trend of rudeness and less respectful attitudes towards others. Cultural factors partly explain this change. 
Becoming a victim of someone badmouthing and saying unpleasant things about you is a terrible experience. It may even occur in front of your boss. When it happens, you may lose sleep and dream about revenge. 
Trash-talking victims may become highly motivated to seek revenge but may become less cooperative. So, this kind of behaviour disrupts and reduces performance, especially when tasks need creativity and divergent thinking. 
Trash-talking is competitive incivility. It includes boastful comments about oneself or insulting someone else. If you want to succeed at work, avoid this sort of rudeness. 
Once you start trash talking, others may soon view you as a rival. You may even be unwittingly promoting the use of unethical behaviour. 
With a genuine opponent, trash-talk may prompt them to perform better. But if you make uncivil remarks to a teammate, you may cause them to perform worse.  The point is you never really know the impact such talking sets in motion.Manipulative language comes in many guises.  It can sometimes appear harmless. Yet it can be dangerous and further perpetuate the oppression of women and the disadvantaged. It is just another form of racism.
Trash-talking now pervades social media. Nasty postings have an uncomfortably long-life span and may return to haunt you.
If trash-talking is frowned upon in your organisation, it's certainly not going to boost your chances of success. 
If you’re caught bad-mouthing someone, be sure to apologise at once.  Explain that you were venting frustration, and that’s not how you feel about them. Then give two examples of what you like about the person.
And tell a senior person or your team leader what happened before your co-worker does. If they file a complaint, you will have removed the possible source of shock. 
Just tell your senior colleague: “Look, I messed up and didn’t mean it. I have already apologised, but I wanted you to know if it comes up again.”      If you’re a victim of trash-talking at work, you can’t quickly punish the other person. But you can take steps to tackle it.  If you stay silent, you may make the
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book
 

EPISODE 45 (50) PAY RISE - how to get one and will it make you a success?

In this episode, Andrew starts with a personal story of attempting to win a pay rise and how that went wrong.Pay is only a crude way of keeping the score when it comes to success, says Andrew.  How well you’re doing in pay terms seldom says much about how successful you are. 
Nor does your working pay connect to how much you deserve to be paid. It's far more to do with market rates for the job. And how hard it would be to replace you.
Naturally, you think you need a pay rise. After all, prices are rising and seem destined to continue upwards for the foreseeable future. 
Also, you work hard and consider that it’s time you were rewarded better for what you currently do. Yet none of this matters much to those who pay for your time at work. 
Most employers are reluctant to offer pay rises. They may do so if you’re about to leave and you’re hard to replace.  Or if your performance is essential to the work of a team, or your contribution can’t be replicated with internal candidates. 
But pay seldom represents true success. For example, money may not be enough to compensate for a terrible commute, bad relations with work colleagues, an overdemanding boss, or stressful work conditions that threaten your health and wellbeing. 
Still, at some point after you have started work, you may wonder if you're underpaid relative to your talent. So, what are the signs of you being underpaid and the signs that you are not?
Start by talking to recruitment agencies. If they tell you about other local jobs with similar responsibilities, paying a lot more than you’re currently earning then you may be underpaid.But if those same agencies suggest jobs with pay, much like you're earning now with worse travel and hours or fewer benefits, then you are almost certainly not underpaid.
Next, check out the salary survey sites. Is the average pay for someone with your responsibilities and experience much higher than yours? If so, it’s time to negotiate for a pay rise. 
You're underpaid, explains Andrew in this latest podcast, if you could easily find a new job with a better-paying one. But if others in your area do the same work for more money, you're not, or if there are seldom any new job openings.
Another sign you are not being underpaid is if you have practical knowledge, such as using statistics yet don't ever use this know-how in your job. 
What would be your perfect pay increase in funding your vision of a “comfortable” life, asks Andrew.  
In 2018, a UK study reported that most people’s
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book
 

EPISODE 44 (50) FEEDBACK FRIENDLY - dealing well with negative feedback

EPISODES (50) 44 FEEDBACK FRIENDLY--dealing well with negative feedback.
Negative feedback, says Andrew, could be one of the most radical ways for you to become a success at work When it comes to negative feedback, Andrew asks, can you roll with the punches, not just out? Feedback at work sometimes hurts. Your bruised ego suffers and may make you feel shame.  
Think of a time when you received some unpleasant feedback suggests Andrew.  How would you rate your response to that unpleasant feedback? Did you welcome it, thank the person for being honest, and reflect on what you intended to do about the feedback?  Did you do something active to apply what you heard in real life? 
Learning through feedback is a potent mechanism. It’s almost certainly a way to build your chances of success at work, by embracing such feedback. 
Even the most confident person may struggle to handle negative feedback well.  You may be fine with straight criticism, or even what passes for constructive criticism.But what about those destructive remarks about you and your work performance? Not so easy, is it?
Negative feedback can touch a nerve. It can trigger your brain into a defensive state from which it’s hard to emerge feeling improved or inspired.
Rating your response to negative feedback works can be an antidote to the poison that such information administers to your whole being. 
Another valuable approach to embracing negative feedback is the “Grain of Truth” tactic. This is a mental aid to convert your reaction from pain into curiosity. 
The Grain of Truth method It that you're interested in discovering just two per cent of the truth of such awful feedback. Start by thinking:
“Yes, I’m hurt and angry. But could there be something in it? Perhaps  two per cent of what the other person tells me has something I should think about?”
The Grain of Truth tactic helps get you over the threshold of discomfort. You defuse its emotional power by reframing the criticism into a search for meaning. 
Your search for the elusive two per cent can prevent feelings from swamping your ability to extract something positive from the information.  To uncover this grain of truth you pay close attention to what was said. You take it apart with questions such as:
 “Can you be more specific about what you mean by that?”
“What examples can you point to that lead you to say that?”
 “Could you explain a bit more why you think that?
Andrew makes the poin
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book
 

EPISODE 43 (50) ASSIGNMENT ADDICT - rarely if ever refuse an assignment

Andrew introduces this tricky situation you may face at work-to accept or refuse a new assignment.While you could be the exception, most people find it almost impossible to refuse a work assignment from a senior person. Yet those responsible for handing out assignments know that a potential recipient may refuse for various reasons. Andrew suggests your first step is to analyse the possible new assignment in this way: 
What are the opportunities or threats of this new assignment? 
What benefits will its completion give the organisation? - viewing the assignment in this broader way can help clarify its importance or urgency. 
What benefits will you get from it-this may sound selfish, but if you don't look out for your interests, who will?
Will the new assignment provide you with tangible benefits? It may, for example, even distract you from your core work, on which you will ultimately be judged.  Accepting a new assignment may be worth it if it 
Showcases your talent or ability to contribute 
Strengthens relationships with your team
Offers a learning opportunity
Presents you as a can-do person
Provides valuable new contacts 
Unleashes your underused creativity
Does not undermine your core work on which you will be judged
Hopefully, these wins will emerge when you analyse the assignment.Later in the Podcast, Andrew reviews when, why and how you might refuse an assignment.All 50 Ways podcasts end with three actions you can take today to do better.You'll also learn how to obtain the relevant e-learning mobile unit to consolidate your learning further.COMING SOON!
Feedback friendly Dealing well with negative feedback. 
Pay rise—how to get one, and will it make you a success?
Trash Talker: Bad mouthing may boomerang and leave a nasty taste.
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow-through material which you can find for each episode at
www.myhappinessatwork.com/reading/categories/research-reading
and
www.myhappinessatwork.com/watch.BOOK:The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts. It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years. Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
www.myhappinessatwork.com/book