How to Form an Unstoppable Team with Your Colleagues for Massive Success

Have you ever heard the tired old cliché “there’s no ‘I’ in team”? Well, it may be a phrase that makes you roll your eyes, but when it comes to group dynamics in the workplace, it pays to concentrate on improving these forces to create an unstoppable team.

What Are Group Dynamics and How They Are Important to Team Cooperation

A phrase coined in the 1940s by Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist, group dynamics ^[1] refer to the roles and behaviors people take on when they work in a group—and how those factors affect the team as a whole. Group dynamics affect everything from productivity to morale, and for a team to be to be successful, it’s important for these dynamics to be positive and supportive, rather than toxic and disconnected.

Some of the most well-known roles people often take on in a group setting can quickly deteriorate communication and stymie creativity. Some people take on the role of the aggressor, constantly disagreeing with others who speak up. Variations on this stereotype are those who are constantly negative and critical, or constantly try to seek recognition for themselves. Others take on the opposite role: remaining as quiet and passive as possible, contributing as little as possible.

Teams with poor group dynamics also often fall into groupthink—defaulting to one way of thinking because it’s easier than proper communication. Groupthink kills innovation and creativity, and is often spurred on by poor leadership.

How Your Team Can Benefit from Applying the Concept

The benefits of good group dynamics are massive. Team members who can trust one another are more likely to support or question ideas based on their own thoughts and feelings, rather than on what the group as a whole thinks, leading to greater innovation and creativity. Morale is generally higher in teams with positive group dynamics, leading to improved productivity and employee retention. Team members may actually start looking forward to meetings instead of dreading them!

There really is no downside to improving group dynamics, but doing so does take some work. You can’t implement changes and immediately expect them to work—it’s a process that takes time. However, it’s well worth the effort to bring the team closer together.

6 Effective Ways to Promote Positive Group Dynamics

Now that you know how important positive group dynamics are, it’s time to take action. Here are some tips for bringing your team closer together and reaping the benefits!

Understand Your Team

Different personalities on your team will heavily influence the group dynamics that naturally occur. Start by observing the different skills and traits your team members bring to the table so you can leverage those skills in the group. Introverted team members may have great ideas but don’t speak up much, and may need a little coaxing, for example.

Set Expectations

Don’t let your team meetings be a free-for-all. Set up expectations for each team member’s role, the meeting itself, and the format it will take. Amazon’s CEO^[2] has set up an unusual practice for getting thoughtful input from all team members: each meeting starts with every member reading the meeting’s agenda for 20-30 minutes before making comments. Shaking up the traditional PowerPoint and uneven input of a traditional meeting can lead to great results. Get creative with your meetings to ensure that everyone has a voice!

Distribute Delegation

Knowing your team is important when delegating new projects. Distributing delegation based on each employees’ skills, interests, and drive is very important for leveraging all the talent on your team and improving overall equality.

Promote Diverse Viewpoints

Part of this tip involves bringing a diverse workforce^[3] on your team if at all possible. People with different backgrounds bring something new to the table, and can help the team avoid groupthink. Different age groups, ethnicities, and experiences can all help breathe new life into group dynamics, so it’s important to encourage everyone to contribute.

Use Team-Building Exercises

Team-building exercises^[4] may make most people roll their eyes, but there’s a reason they continue to see use: they can help build trust on a team. Trust falls may have fallen out of fashion (and that’s not a bad thing!), but there are so many exercises you can use to help improve group dynamics and welcome new members into the group.

Don’t Allow Problems to Fester

If you start to notice hostility or toxicity within the group, it’s crucial to address it right away. This is where emotional intelligence^[5] is very helpful—use your empathy and put yourself in the shoes of your team. Why are problems popping up? How can you solve them before they get worse? Allowing problems to work themselves out is rarely effective—you need to promote good communication and deal with problems before they undo all the progress you’ve made toward positive group dynamics.

Reference

[1]	^	MindTools: Improving Group Dynamics
[2]	^	HarvardBusinessReview: Introverts, Extroverts, and the Complexities of Team Dynamics
[3]	^	University of San Francisco: 5 Ways Managers Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
[4]	^	Lifehack: 5 Team Building Ideas For Millennial Offices
[5]	^	Brandeis University: The Key to Successful Leadership

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Don't Focus on Happiness. Focus on Self Actualization

As a child, whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always replied, “The happiest person in the world.” Adults probably saw me as either someone starting too early on a path to self-actualization or as just a really strange kid.

Most of us are in pursuit of happiness, yet most base happiness on conditions. For example, many envision they will be happy if they were wealthy.

I have met some of the wealthiest people yet they suffered from depression, loneliness and anxiety.

I have traveled across the poorest countries and met some of the most impoverished individuals. Yet, they frequently laughed and seemed to enjoy life, despite owning almost nothing.

True happiness is never in pursuit of happiness. It is a state of existence, irrespective of circumstances and this is what focusing instead on self-actualization will empower you to do.

What is self-actualization?

The psychologist Abraham Maslow created the Hierarchy of Needs ^[1] theory, which depicts a five-tier pyramid of human necessities. It begins with the most basic needs at the base and progresses to the top tier.

The model consists of:

Tier 1. Biological and Physiological needs – food, drink, air, shelter, warmth, sleep.

Tier 2. Security needs – protection from elements, safety, security, job, stability, freedom from fear.

Tier 3. Social needs – love, family, friendship, intimacy, belonging, affection.

Tier 4. Esteem needs – achievement, accomplishment, self-worth, self-respect, respect from others.

Tier 5. Self-Actualization needs – self-fulfilment, personal growth and peak experiences.

What are the characteristics of people who have experienced self-actualization?

• Unafraid of the unknown; they accept and embrace it.
• Instead of following what society dictates, they remain true to themselves. They are not sheep, but they do not reject everything like the average rebel.
• Despite being unconventional, they are not deliberately so in a way to shock or cause a reaction.
• Accept themselves as they are, along with their flaws. They, however, recognize and work towards changing negative habits.
• Not dependent on the company of others. They are self-sufficient and can be happy being alone.
• More interested in the pursuit of deeper and more meaningful connections. As a result, they have deep relationships but only with a few people. That said, they have affection for all people and are not judgemental.
• Instead of lamenting about problems, they focus more on finding positive solutions.
• Practice gratitude and appreciate the smaller things in life.
• Have a strong moral sense of right and wrong.
• While most people focus on the lower tiers in the ‘Hierarchy of Needs,’ they are more focused on personal and meaningful growth.
• Not driven by social pressures or superficial needs.
• Search for a deeper meaning of life.
• Despite it all, they are not perfect and they are happy with that.

What are the benefits of self-actualization?

Our society is governed by pressure and competitiveness which are exacerbated by TV, newspapers, magazines, movies, billboards, the Internet, friends, family, etc. on an hourly basis.

By striving for self actualization ^[2], you can positively manage your life, happiness, and dreams. Your anxieties, stresses, and worries will be recognized for what they are: man-made fears, which mostly exist in the future. Anything that hasn’t yet happened (or may not happen) is not worth worrying about.

How to achieve self-actualization

Stop comparing yourself to others

Don’t measure your worth based on what other people are doing.

Maybe one of your friends became a high-flying lawyer and another friend settled into the perfect married life with children. And perhaps you haven’t found your dream career or partner yet, but maybe that gives you the freedom to go travelling. Something neither your lawyer friend nor married friend would be able to do.

Remember that everyone’s path is different and everyone has days where they feel the same as you.

Stop using social media

A study revealed that 25% of participants ^[3] who used social media for an average of an hour a day, showed very high signs of depression.

Social media promotes depression and jealousy. It creates indirect peer pressure. People feel inadequate by how others are (seemingly) over-achieving. They then feel pressured to validate how happy their lives are also by updating statuses or photos accordingly. It becomes a never-ending cycle where no one is ever truly being himself or herself.

Don’t log in as often or if you are truly strong, delete it. Those who are your real friends will know how to stay in touch.

This too shall pass

No matter how stressed or worried you feel, remember that it is temporary and nothing ever remains the same.

Be true to yourself

Follow your own sense of purpose and love yourself (even your flaws).

And you can still keep adopting positive habits, for instance, if you have been trying to become fitter or to stop smoking.

Experience life in the here and now

Sometimes it may feel like you are driving in the dark, with no brakes or lights. But one of the most beautiful things about life is its unpredictability. In that darkness, you never know what person, place or moment you may encounter with each turn.

Be open-minded and welcome that darkness because even if the ride is bumpy, it’s still ok because you are still moving forward.

Realize you can be happy now

Many people think they will only be happy when they become wealthy, have the perfect partner, or the successful career. But they may make millions and still have anxiety. They may find “the one” and still feel depressed.

The only one capable of making you happy is you. Don’t sabotage your own happiness by imposing conditions on it.

Practice gratitude

It is easy to forget the beautiful things to be grateful for. Maybe there is a breathtaking full moon outside your window or someone did an unselfish act of kindness for you this week.

Have integrity

We all know right from wrong yet sadly, not everyone will choose to do what is right. You are responsible for not only your actions, but also for how those actions will affect those around you–positively or negatively.

Self-development

Practicing mindfulness and meditation. Meditating for as little as twenty minutes a day will inspire changes to your physical, emotional and mental state.

Final Thoughts

Did I grow up to be the happiest person in the world? Sometimes I think I did. For the times I think I did not, I think that is still ok too. Life is meant to challenge us, and there is still beauty in that.

Did I grow up to fulfil my own self-actualization? Sometimes I think I did. For the times I think I did not, I think that is still ok too. I will still keep striving to grow, learn and evolve into the best “me” that I can be. Life is the best unwritten script we can get; never underestimate where the adventure of those pages might lead to next.

Reference

[1]	^	The Pursuit of Happiness: Abraham Maslow
[2]	^	Operation Meditation: How to reach self-actualization – Maslow’s 8 proven methods
[3]	^	UPMC: Social Media Use Associated With Depression Among U.S. Young Adults

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A Disorder That Many Famous People Have and Makes Them So Different from the Others

People with Schizoid Personality Disorder are typically detached from social relationships for long periods of time. They have difficulty expressing their emotions, have a minimal desire for intimacy, and will avoid close relationships with others at all costs. Albert Einstein and Bill Gates are two well-known individuals who had Schizoid Personality Disorder.

The Common Symptoms

• Neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family
• Almost always chooses solitary activities
• Has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person
• Takes pleasure in few, if any, activities
• Lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives
• Appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others
• Shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affect (emotion)

The Causes

What causes Schizoid Personality Disorder is unknown, however genetic and environmental factors, specifically in early childhood could possibly play a part in the development of the disorder.

If a person has a parent or another close relative who has schizophrenia or another similar mental illness, they may be at a greater risk of developing schizoid personality disorder.

When a parent repeatedly ignores the emotional needs of a child who is sensitive, they run the risk of causing long-term damage to that child’s social and emotional development, which can lead to the development of schizoid personality disorder later on.

The Diagnosis

If a person exhibits behavioral patterns and symptoms of this personality disorder, a doctor will do an evaluation. This includes getting their medical history and possibly a physical exam.

Unfortunately, lab tests that can be done to diagnose any type of personality disorders, a number of different diagnostic tests can be done to eliminate physical illness as the cause of symptoms.

At the end of the evaluation, if a doctor finds no signs of physical reasons, he or she may refer the patient to a psychiatrist or a psychologist, who are specifically trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. The two are able to use specially designed interview and assessment tools that will help in diagnosing a personality disorder.

The Treatment

It’s not uncommon for those with this personality disorder to not seek treatment. Their thoughts and and behavioral patterns typically do not cause them any type of distress.

However, when a person does seek help, it is through a form of counseling called psychotherapy. Their treatment will mainly focus on increasing coping skills, improving their social interactions, self-esteem, and communication.

Trust is a very important component of therapy, which can make treatment extremely challenging for a therapist simply because people with schizoid personality disorder find it very difficult to form relationships with others.

As for medication, it is generally not used to treat the disorder itself. Medications may be prescribed if the person also suffers from something like depression.

The Possible Complications

People with this disorder will rarely become violent with others because they prefer to not interact with people at all. But the main complication of schizoid personality disorder is the lack of social interaction.

The Patients’ Outlook

Even though they have behaviors that might seem odd to others, people with schizoid personality disorder are generally able to function in everyday life. However, it’s not likely that they will form meaningful relationships or have families of their own. Studies show that some may experience social, financial and work disability.

You’re going to be okay!

Having schizoid personality disorder isn’t a lifelong death sentence. You can make an effort to improve your current situation. As you grow and get older, things will become harder. Start making some of those necessary changes now. Everyone has challenges throughout life, look at this as a unique one. It will allow you to learn things about yourself. Do your best to push yourself to try new things and live your life to the fullest!

Featured photo credit: Robert and Talbot Trudeau via flickr.com

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How I Get Things Done with Only Half of the Time Others Need

Professionals and entrepreneurs today lead extremely busy lives. Despite the abundance of gadgets, tools, and other technology that can improve productivity, people today are working longer hours^[1] than ever – resulting to excessive stress and reduced performance over time.

Whether you’re doing work for a client or pursuing your own projects, you need to be smarter with how you handle tasks to thrive in this competitive world. For this, you need to adopt strategies that can help you stay productive^[2] and be efficient with your available resources. Most importantly, always remember that your mind is your greatest weapon – so keep it collected, focused, and organized.

What Is Critical Path Analysis and How It Can Keep You Sharp And Focused

Simply put, Critical Path Analysis (CPA) is a technique that can help you ensure the timely accomplishment of important tasks. In this process, a big goal is broken down into a set of smaller objectives. Afterwards, you must determine the time it takes to accomplish each task and the relationship between them.

In the much simpler method of using a network diagram, you specifically need the earliest start time, latest finish time, and the appropriate sequence in which the tasks must be done.

By gathering these pieces of information, CPA allows you to calculate the maximum amount of time it takes to complete the entire project. This, along with all the tasks required to accomplish the overall goal, constitute what’s known as the critical path. In case a shorter plan is available, it will also enable you to identify tasks that can be delayed or “slacked” on while still staying on schedule.

How You Can Benefit from Using CPA to Tackle Your Daily Complex Tasks

Project managers use CPA all the time when managing and tracking complex tasks, but it can also be applied by everyone in almost any field. All you need to do is to understand its model, know how it works, and learn how to map your CPA diagram. In doing so, you can take advantage of the following benefits:

• As a product manager or a leader, utilizing CPA allows you to stay focused over the course of a project. It helps you stay aware of exactly what everyone needs to do to stay on the right track.

• With the right approach, CPA is an effective risk and cost management^[3] tool.

• The timeline determined through CPA can be the basis of future decision-making.

• CPA helps you spot opportunities to make tasks shorter while still accomplishing the same end results. Adjustments can be made by pumping more budget, building a bigger team, or implementing automation^[4] and other time-saving strategies.

• Identifying work that can be done simultaneously to eliminate delays in the critical path.

• A fully-plotted CPA diagram will give you a complete bird’s eye view of a sophisticated project.

Even Though CPA Is a Powerful Tool, You Should Be Aware of These

While CPA can be highly beneficial to any endeavor, it isn’t without a few flaws:

• Plotting projects without sufficient data will force you to depend on assumptions.

• Large-scale projects require you to examine many dependencies, paths, and tasks – making CPA a time-consuming process.

• Even with CPA, you need to be flexible and develop contingency plans.

The Step-by-Step Instruction to Apply the Critical Path Analysis

Below are the important steps for leveraging CPA in your next big project:

1. Enumerating Critical Tasks

Before everything else, you need to identify all the things you need to do to accomplish your goal. For example, if you plan to start a new online store, below are some of the objectives you may need to hit:

A. Pick and research a niche – 1 day

B. Do keyword research – 2 days

C. Conduct surveys for product research – 10 days

D. Conduct online product research – 3 days

E. Build the site (install WordPress, set up web security, etc.) – 4 days

F. Create content – 10 days

G. Develop and optimize product pages – 20 days

2. Determining Dependencies

Next, you need to map out the sequence of all activities by determining their dependencies. Start with the tasks that must be done first before all the other tasks that lead to the finish line.

For example, you need to do A (pick a niche) first before you do B, C, or D. You must also do E (build the site) first before you begin task F and G. For now, enumerate the dependencies required for each task as they are needed for the next step.

3. Creating a CPA Diagram

The conventions in creating a CPA diagram requires three components – a node, activities, and durations.

A node is usually represented by a circle. It includes the earliest start time (EST), latest finish time (LFT), and an activity number:

In a CPA network, tasks are indicated by arrows, which connect nodes to determine dependency. Take note that the arrows—not the nodes—represent the tasks you’ve identified earlier. Don’t confuse the activity number with the specific task.

Here is an illustration to help you understand this:

Looking at the example above, task A (pick a niche) is in-between nodes 1 and 2, while task B is in-between nodes 2 and 3. To make sense of the sequence, indicate the task description below the arrow.

Finally, the duration can be included on the opposite side of the task description. The positions of the description and duration can be interchanged freely.

4. Calculating the EST

To determine the EST, you must first lay out the activities from start to finish:

Remember that the EST denotes the earliest start time for the next task. To calculate this, you must add the total duration of all the previous tasks.

For example, since task A (pick a niche) has no activity before it, the first node’s EST equals 0. Succeeding task B (do keyword research) will have to wait for task A’s maximum duration. Thus, the next EST equals 1.

Since task B has a maximum duration of 2 days, then the third EST equals 3 – which is the total duration of tasks A and B (1 day + 2 days). This is because tasks C or D will have to wait for both of A and B’s durations.

Filling in the EST for the rest of the tasks should look like:

Take note that, in case there are two preceding tasks in an activity, the one with the longer duration will be used in the critical path. For example, since task C (conduct surveys) has a longer duration than task D (conduct online product research), its duration of 10 days will be used for calculating the next EST. In other words, it will be added to the total duration pool along with the next task’s duration – 3 days + 10 days + 4 days = 17 days.

After this, you should be able to plot the critical path, which should have the longest possible duration:

5. Calculating the LFT

Once you have identified the EST for all nodes, you can proceed to calculate the LFT. This time, you need to start from the left and subtract the previous task’s duration from the total.

Always remember that the last node should always have an LFT that equals the total duration of the project, while the first node should always have an LFT of zero. To calculate the next LFT, simply subtract the duration of the previous task from the right node’s EST. Since task G (develop product pages) have a duration of 20 days, and the EST of the last node is 47, then the LFT of the next node to the left will be 20 (47 days – 20 days). If you continue doing this along all paths, you’ll notice that the EST and LFT will be different in points where two or more possible tasks are introduced:

Remember that when calculating the next LFT, the smallest possible difference will always be used. In the diagram above, the difference between two tasks are 3 (13 EST – 10 days) and 5 (8 EST – 3 days). Since 3 < 5, then the value of the next LFT would be 3.

In short, it means you need to use the values from the critical path, which will enable the first node to have an LFT of zero.

6. Calculating the Float

The float denotes the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the timeframe of the entire project. This can be calculated with the simple formula: LFT – duration of previous task – EST of previous node.

In the example above, the LFT of task D (conduct product research) is 13, its duration is 3 days, and the previous node has an EST of 3. Applying the formula would yield:

13 (LFT) – 3 days (Duration) – 3 (EST) = 7 days.

This means you or your team can delay task D for up to a week without affecting the overall duration of the project. Take note that if you apply the same formula to a task within the critical path, you will always get zero because those tasks cannot be delayed.

Spend A Little Time In Advance, Save Much More In The End

Ready to take control of your goals? Creating a CPA diagram can be tiresome, but once you have a full view of your project’s timeline, you will feel a wave of motivation and enthusiasm. For your next step, try to use CPA diagram tools like Lucidchart^[5] or learn more project management tactics from this post^[6] . If the lessons above helped you gain some results, feel free to share your experience in the comments!

Reference

[1]	^	U.S. Department of Labour Bureau of Labour Statistics: Are Managers and Professionals Really Working More?
[2]	^	Lifehack: 13 Strategies To Jumpstart Your Productivity
[3]	^	WhatIs: Cost Management
[4]	^	Refine: The How and Why Marketers Need to Bring AI Into their Digital Strategy
[5]	^	LucidChart: Critical Path Maker
[6]	^	Lifehack: 6 Project Management Apps No Contractor Can Do Without

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Having No Sense of Humor Is Worse Than Being Boring

Do you ever find yourself in a room full of people laughing at something someone said, only to realize you’re the only one apparently not in on the joke? It’s an interesting problem to have, and one not many people are aware of.

I’ve always been a smart-alec, it’s just in my blood. But I’ve definitely felt weird before when I say something clever and everyone laughs except one person. Did I offend them? Did they just not get the joke? Sometimes it could be that person doesn’t have a sense of humor.

Maybe you don’t find people to be all that funny. That’s okay. But studies have shown that having a sense of humor and laughing often can extend your lifespan. In fact, having a good sense of humor increases your chances of reaching retirement age. But after 70, those benefits can decrease. So until then, get to chuckling!^[1]

Laughter really is the best medicine!

It turns out that old cliche is an accurate one! In fact, learning to laugh more and loosen up can actually alleviate stress. Letting go of anger through laughter can help you release all that pent up anxiety and help you to be more balanced. This doesn’t just mean laughing at other people’s lame jokes or forcing yourself to smile when someone says something they deem witty; it also means laughing at yourself.

In today’s world it can be so challenging to just let things roll off our backs and keep our heads up. But learning to laugh at our own mistakes can go a long way in helping us in our happiness.^[2] When I feel stressed, I like to find a good pun, like this one:

When you laugh at yourself, you radiate positivity.

In 2011, a study was conducted to determine if laughing at ones self impacted character perception. Sixty-seven undergrads decided to rate their ability to laugh at themselves and had a couple witnesses come up with their own ratings. The undergrads essentially tricked the witnesses, as they took pictures of them as they filled out a questionnaire. The participants were shown numerous pictures later, including their own which had been wildly distorted and stretched. The photos were so distorted, in fact, that the participants didn’t recognize their own faces. While they rated the photos in terms of humor, they were filmed so the researchers could analyze their reactions to determine genuine happiness and smiles.^[3]

Although 80 percent of participants flashed a genuine smile at least once on seeing their own distorted image, it was those who claimed to be able to laugh at themselves, and whose peers agreed with this verdict, who showed more frequent and intense smiling and laughter in response to the distorted self-images, and fewer signs of fake smiles or negative emotion.

While no real correlation was determined between the ability to laugh at ones self and the amount of laughter triggered by the funny images of other peoples’ faces, there does seem to be evidence that proclivity for laughing at ones self really is a distinctive trait. So basically, don’t be so hard on yourself! You’ll like yourself more and be more enjoyable to others!

There are actually many types of humor.

Laugh-at-life humor. So far, we’ve really focused on the ability to laugh at yourself and at life. This is a specific type of humor that is usually related to not taking life too seriously. If you have this kind of humor, you probably know when to take a deep breath and let stress and anxiety melt away. There’s also a good chance you’re the friend people turn to for some positivity and motivation ^[4].

Sarcastic humor: This is me. 100%. And if you’re also sarcastic, you have a dark, biting sense of humor and you’ve probably been told before that someone found you offensive. Sarcasm is usually associated with being quick-witted, and that can make it dangerous to speak without thinking. When people understand your brand of comedy, you’re golden. But when it comes to getting to know people, or wording an important work email, think before you speak/type.

Self-deprecating humor: This is a lot like laugh-at-life humor, but you’re basically always the root of the joke. You like to be the class clown, but too much of it can make people a little uncomfortable. There’s a line between dark and funny and dark and depressing.

The giggles: A case of the giggles is typically suffered by kids and teens, but adults can certainly find themselves wheezing with laughter. Usually this is caused when something is so funny in a trifling way that you laugh and just can’t stop! This tends to happen to me pretty regularly, and I’m often the only person who thinks it’s as funny as it is!^[5]

Highbrow/witty humor: I love having conversations with people who have this brand of wit. Basically, your jokes show intelligence. You catch on to the subtle allusions in movies and books and you’re careful to be witty but not a know-it-all.

Bathroom humor: If you’re anything like me, you have a friend who sends you the poop emoji way too often. That friend has bathroom humor! If it’s gross, gory or mildly taboo, they think it’s the funniest thing they’ve ever heard. While these kinds of jokes can be hysterical, there’s a time and a place for crude jokes. Take it easy.

Jokes at others’ expense: You like to pick, prod and tease other people. This kind of humor walks a very fine line. After all, saying something bordeline cruel isn’t okay just because you say, “I’m kidding!” afterward. It’s okay to be sarcastic and give a friend a hard time, but make sure it’s not going to hurt them emotionally.

Healing humor: This one’s important. This is the kind of laughter that is shared with someone, not aimed at them. When we laugh with others, we release frustration and stress. This can be a transformative experience and so very healing.

Dry humor: This is one of my favorite types of humor, and I am so envious of those that have perfected it. Dry humor means having the ability to say something outrageous and funny but in an expressionless, matter-of-fact kind of way.^[6]

Everyone has their own brand of humor, you just have to find it.

Unfortunately, you can’t just develop a sense of humor overnight, but luckily there’s a good chance you already have one. You may just not know how to allow yourself to laugh. Once you’ve determined what your brand of humor is, or at the very least believe you think you know what you want it to be, the tips below can help you grow your funny bone and get you giggling.

• Laugh at others, but not in a hurtful way. When you laugh at something, it can sometimes be a domino effect. Allow yourself to laugh at any and everything you want, just avoid cruelty ^[7]!
• Actively look for jokes every day! I know, I know, it sounds like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. So much humor is all around you if you’re only willing to look for it. If you can force yourself to be actively aware of all the silliness you encounter 24/7, soon you will be able to laugh passively ^[8].

• Recognize the difference between being funny and having a sense of humor: If you’re funny, you can express humor. But if you have a sense of humor, you can laugh with others, too!
• Take cues from those around you: What makes your family laugh? Your best friend? Try watching moves with all kinds of different humor to determine what makes you smile and laugh. And remember, the idea is to learn from people, not copy them.
• Practice self-love. If you love yourself, you’ll be able to joke at yourself. Good-humored individuals embrace all their faults, and even openly laugh about them. If you can accept yourself for all the good and the bad, you’re that much closer to having a great sense of humor.^[9]
• Stay Healthy: Humor is beneficial both physically and emotionally. If you develop a better understanding of humor, you’ll be better at coping at everything from dealing with pain to easing your own stress. Giggling can actually stimulate organs and improve your immune system. Again, it really is the best medicine!

Images courtesy of Kicking Cones

Reference

[1]	^	Science Daily: A sense of humor helps keep you healthy until retirement age
[2]	^	Don Connelly: Learn to Laugh at Yourself when It Is Called for
[3]	^	Research Digest: The first ever experimental investigation of laughing at oneself
[4]	^	Lauren Ware: The 10 Different Types of Humor
[5]	^	Psy Central: 7 Kinds of Humor and What They Mean
[6]	^	Daily Writing Tips: 20 Types and Forms of Humor
[7]	^	http://ift.tt/2aG0MfM
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Why Should We Hire You: The Best Answer for This Common Interview Question

You crafted the perfect resume. You landed the interview. You’ve got a stellar work history and education supporting you. You’ve knocked out home runs on every question the interview pitches your way. That job is as good as yours…

…as long as you can tell the interviewer why they should hire you over the other equally qualified applicants.

And that’s exactly where many people fail to close the deal.

Why It Is So Hard to Answer This Common Question

It’s a common question, but it’s also one of the most challenging ones to answer. Shouldn’t your accomplishments speak for themselves? Isn’t your resume a good enough indicator that you’re the perfect fit?

For many people, it isn’t easy to talk about or brag on themselves. And that’s exactly what you’re doing when answering this question. You have to convince the interviewer you are better than every other prospective candidate.

But here’s a little secret: What you say when answering this question is just as important to how you deliver your answer.

They want to see how you can balance confidence and humility. They want to know how you articulate your best qualities without reducing those of other people. And they want to see how much you believe in yourself.

Why It’s Important to Prepare for This Question

You don’t want to sound rehearsed in the interview (because let’s face it, good interviewers can tell a memorized answer from one that comes from the heart). But you also should know that this question WILL be asked, and it doesn’t hurt to consider how you will answer it.

What many people don’t realize is that this particular question is your pivotal moment to differentiate yourself from the stack and sell them on YOU. Not your resume, not your cover letter, not your references. Just plain YOU.

And how you answer this question could win you the job, or send you back to the job board.

5 Essential Tips on How to Answer ‘Why Should We Hire You’

There is no one-answer-fits-all solution because our talents and experiences are all unique. But be aware there is a basic formula you can follow to know how to give a solid answer that will knock socks off and push you to the top of the resume stack:

Listen for hints from the interviewer.

During the interview, pick up cues about what the company is looking for in a candidate and find a way to link those needs to your own unique offerings. If you listen closely enough, the interviewer will essentially arm you with the “right” answer. It’s also a good way to show them you were paying attention to them.

For example, if the company has emphasized its focus on customer service, you could include a concrete example of how you went above and beyond for customers at your old job, like this:

“My role as customer experience manager in my last job allowed me to get creative for our customers on a daily basis. I would make courtesy calls to see how they like their purchase, give them real demonstrations, and spend as much time as needed to help them make the right decision. I feel your company can benefit from my customer-centric mentality.”

Choose 3-4 top reasons for your closing statement.

You don’t want to rehash your entire resume, so pick a few key skills or accomplishments that put you in a positive light. Remember, this is your final chance to sell yourself and close the deal, so make sure you end strong.

You could talk about your experience, awards, skills, accomplishments, or anything else that you think other candidates can’t offer or might not talk about. It’s crucial to differentiate yourself in this question; otherwise, if every candidate’s answer sounds the same, it does nothing to help the hiring decision for the recruiter.

The following statement is far from a canned response, plus it also relates how the candidate plans to benefit the company:

“My ability to create and foster strong relationships with clients, my drive to always do something better than someone else, and my creativity in solving problems can contribute to taking this company skyward in its revenue and reputation.”

Prove your worth.

Companies want to know they are making a good investment by hiring the right person. You could reiterate specific achievements from your previous jobs that could be beneficial to their company, such as your influence in sales increases, new ideas that brought in more customers, or ways you saved your company money:

“For example, I found a bookkeeping error in an account that had been overlooked for 3 years, which in turn generated an extra $500 a month for our company. Being money-conscious and resourceful comes naturally to me, and I find I’m often looking for ways to keep costs down. It’s my attention to detail, even when others have searched for and haven’t found anything amiss, that sets me apart from others.”

Tailor your answer to the company.

One of the detrimental side effects of crafting your answer beforehand is that it isn’t specific to the job you are interviewing for. You don’t want to present a generic answer, so make sure you include some cues that are relevant to the job and the company.

Here’s a good example if you are truly familiar with the company you’ve applied with:

“As a long time [company name] customer, I’m already quite familiar with your products and the benefits they provide [name a few products and benefits for example]. You offer products that I feel comfortable standing behind and recommending to customers. Because I’m also a customer, I can speak not only from training materials but also personal experience, which could help in providing deeper connections with customers.”

Tie in the company culture to your answer.

Hopefully you checked out the company website before your interview (and shame on you if you didn’t). The website can give you a good impression of the company’s culture and mission.

One thing that interviewers look for when they hire someone is how that person will fit with the company culture. If you have solid accomplishments, education, and all the other requirements, you should highlight how you can fit in with their core environment.

“Looking at your website photos of your company outing at [name of place] reminds me of a similar group event I coordinated for my last company [give a few details]. In addition to the skills and accomplishments we’ve already discussed, I feel like I’d fit right in as part of the family here. It looks like your company keeps a sense of humor around the clock and truly has a passion for serving your customers, which is exactly the type of environment I thrive in.”

5 Don’t for the Why Should We Hire You question

• Don’t get cocky, but don’t be too humble. Remember, this is a balancing game of confidence and humility, and you want to demonstrate a fair amount of both.
• Don’t be generic. Saying things like “I have great qualities that will benefit your company” says nothing about what makes YOU the best choice. Other candidates may also have great qualities that can benefit the company, so be unique.
• Don’t sound desperate. Recruiters will not take pity on you if you need the money or have 4 children or just lost your job because you got sick. Rather, this is your chance to make them feel your value.
• Don’t tell them you want to work there because you live close by. Companies aren’t concerned if you want the job out of convenience. They want you to know how much success you can contribute to the company, and that you have a strong desire to do so.
• Don’t focus too much on yourself. This question, as much as it sounds like it’s about you, is more about what you can do for the company.

Summary

Even if you prepare ahead of time, thinking how to answer “Why should we hire you?” can prove nerve-wrecking. But with a little practice, you can trust yourself to say the right thing at the right time and earn the job you deserve.

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