First Thing Monday #37
This week we future-proof our careers, dream of the next Star Trek film, and learn the power of clear communication 🧑💻🌌💬
🌅 Glad to be back at FTM after a few weeks off! Thank you to the new subscribers who’ve joined us!
☑️ FTM is a weekly newsletter that includes a recap of all the news you need to know to make better career decisions. Each issue also includes four tips for developing better relationships in your workplace. Weekly issues come out on Monday mornings!
❓ Have a work question or topics you’d like us to discuss? Drop me a line 📱 simply reply to this email or leave us a comment below!
I’m Jon Cochran, a workplace sociologist with over 15 years of experience leading sales, marketing, and product development teams and working with brands like J.Crew, Hilton, and Mattel. I want to provide resources to help you take control of your career and maximize your satisfaction in the workplace.
⏰ What to read before your first meeting:
AI could make the four-day workweek inevitable (BBC): AI is emerging as a key driver of the four-day workweek, boosting productivity by automating tasks like scheduling and data analysis. For instance, in recruitment, AI can save time on candidate outreach through email automations, allowing teams to find and hire talent faster. With a lighter workload, employees can potentially enjoy a compressed workweek. Ultimately, the shift to a shorter workweek hinges on a combination of AI advancements, a culture of innovation within companies, and forward-thinking leadership.
The Big Work Lie: Being Indispensable Will Save Your Job (The Wall Street Journal): There are mixed feelings when it comes to how workers and bosses view indispensability in the workplace these days. For some workers, being indispensable can give a sense of job security. That job security sometimes looks like knowledge hoarding, though, which can ultimately hurt the team. But with recent widespread layoffs, the reality is that even if you’re irreplaceable you might get axed anyway. The focus for workers is shifting towards developing well-rounded skills and building strong networks to stay adaptable and marketable in today's uncertain job market.
AI growth driving demand for soft skills (Nairametrics): Studies by Deloitte, BNG, and LinkedIn all point to a rising demand for soft skills in the global workforce. As AI continues to evolve, human capabilities like empathy and critical thinking become even more valuable. These skills are essential for success in remote work environments and also complement AI's limitations. Deloitte predicts that jobs requiring strong soft skills will surge by 2030, growing at a rate 2.5 times faster than other occupations. This trend signifies a shift in the global job market, where soft skills are becoming central to both getting hired and thriving in the face of technological advancements.
The 24-Hour Rule of Celebration and Mourning (
): I always admired Pat Summit, the legendary women’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee. The rule of thumb for her team was to limit any jubilation after a win or sadness after a loss to 24 hours after the game. The quick turnaround forces players to shift gears fast—there's a sweet spot between celebrating wins and getting ready for the next game. There's value in acknowledging a win or loss, but dwelling on it for too long shouldn’t be in the game plan. A day or so to process emotions is healthy, but then it's back to work, focused on what's ahead.Managing a Colleague Who Doesn’t Like You (Harvard Business Review): Not everyone is going to like you as a manager. While some advice focuses solely on managing a dislikeable coworker, this article goes further. It offers valuable guidance on self-reflection and navigating tough conversations, equipping you to build a more positive working relationship. Before addressing the situation, consider if your management style or unclear expectations might be contributing factors. Are you consistent in how you treat members of your team? You might have approved a process one day, and changed your mind about it the next. Reflect on how you show up before you hit refresh on any tense work relationship.
🚰 The Water Cooler
After finishing The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams, I’ve had Star Trek on the brain over the last two weeks! I am excited to see Paramount announce “Untitled Star Trek Origin Story,” to be released in 2025.
Another passing of the fashion guard happened recently, as it was announced that Roberto Cavalli died at the age of 83. Did you know Cavalli was responsible for Beyoncé’s yellow dress in Lemonade?
It was 2018 when I visited the Whitney and Jeffrey Gibson’s work struck me for the first time. He brings his gay and Native American masterpieces to this year’s Venice Biennale.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been riveted by the Drake-Kendrick-J.Cole rap beef. At this point, my money is on Drake!
📖 Reflections for this week:
For yourself: As technology continues to reshape the workplace, the skills needed for success are transforming. The first step towards a future-proof skillset is self-assessment. Identify your existing strengths. Are you a natural collaborator? A clear and concise communicator? Additionally, consider areas for improvement. Do you struggle with complex problem-solving or managing folks who are of a different generation? A communication course or participation in additional training could be beneficial. Take the initiative to assess your skills, identify areas for improvement, and explore ongoing learning opportunities.
For your boss: A supportive boss can be a valuable partner in advocating for skill development. These managers understand the evolving workplace and recognize the value of employees who continuously develop their skillsets. Open communication about a desire to learn new skills can lead to opportunities like attending relevant workshops, online courses, or even conferences focused on technology and its implications for your field. However, not all managers prioritize employee development. If your manager seems hesitant, come prepared with solutions: this could involve researching cost-effective online courses on AI or demonstrating how newly acquired soft skills could benefit specific projects, showcasing a proactive and value-driven approach.
For your direct report(s): One of the biggest hurdles to skill development is often a lack of dedicated time. While proposing an additional class on AI data analysis or communication might overwhelm team members with their current workload, there are alternative solutions to consider. Encourage your direct reports to propose their own learning initiatives; you should be willing to consider their suggestions and their learning styles. When they have a plan you want to support, you can offer them accommodations to help them like flexible work hours or reduced workload while they’re taking a course.
For your co-workers: Taking the initiative to learn together as a team can not only enhance knowledge but also strengthen bonds with colleagues. Where does your team talk to each other? If there’s a moment when you’re all in the office, schedule an office hours-style meeting to share and discuss new technologies, industry trends, and their implications for your work. If you’re mostly hybrid or remote, do you use a chat program? The same kind of conversation could happen there, too. Discussing skill development goals and offering encouragement throughout the learning process can foster a sense of teamwork and shared purpose.
⚡️ And one last thing…
It seems counterintuitive – with all these well-being programs and team-building exercises – that so many employees still feel lonely and disconnected at work. This is especially true for remote and hybrid workers–there have been times where I haven't stepped outside my house because of work meetings all day! A recent study struck me – loneliness-related absenteeism costs US employers a whopping $154 billion a year.
Another report I saw said nearly 80% of white-collar employees feel lonely because of their jobs. The loneliest time of the day for 43% of those surveyed? Being at work. And 75% believe employers have a responsibility to address this. It makes sense – Emily Killham, a research director at Perceptyx, says feeling unsupported, like you're not part of something bigger, or just not knowing where you fit in, is a recipe for workplace loneliness.
Here's the thing: the solutions we're offered often feel hollow. "Create community" or "inspire a positive workplace" sound great on a PowerPoint, but what do they really mean? This reliance on buzzwords and jargon creates a barrier for communication because the phrases can feel empty or meaningless. It's like we're speaking a coded language that makes it harder to connect, especially with new colleagues.
Think about it – how do you feel after a day with limited meaningful interactions? A psychologist, Brian Clemente, says you likely come home drained, unmotivated, and disconnected from your loved ones. That ripple effect can be tough on everyone – spouses, kids, even pets. The disconnect at work bleeds into everything else.
While some workplaces offer support resources, they often miss the mark. A recent study by an Oxford researcher found company-sponsored mental health resources like meditation apps didn't have a significant impact. It seems like a lot of corporate well-being approaches act as bandaids rather than addressing root causes of loneliness, especially after the pandemic. Sometimes, the answer isn't just throwing money at a problem.
What if the solution is simpler than we think? Ditching the jargon and therapy-speak for clearer communication could be a game-changer. Instead of struggling to decipher work speak, imagine if we just said what we meant. Honestly, wouldn't that improve our work relationships?
We can all start by being more mindful of how and why we rely on certain communication styles. Maybe that well-intentioned jargon we use isn't having the desired effect. The less jargon we throw around, the easier it is for people to connect.
For example, instead of saying, "Don't forget to surface that when we touch base, but only after we put a pin in it for now," how about just, "Remind me about that later?" It's so much simpler, and everyone understands. Dr. Hope Wilson, a language expert, says there's no shame in using jargon, but we need to be aware it can leave people confused and excluded.
The same goes for therapy terms. Words like "trigger" or "gaslighting" can have different meanings outside a clinical setting, and sometimes come across as negative or even patronizing. Therapist Esther Perel argues that the overemphasis on "self-care" can actually make us lonelier because it focuses on the individual, not the give-and-take of relationships.
Clichés and platitudes are just as bad. Let's leave the whole "work family" thing behind. It can feel fake and create unrealistic expectations. Lara Cullen, author of a book on interpersonal skills, says she saw this firsthand at a previous job. Management used the "family" rhetoric when it suited them, but when there were problems, the "family" bond disappeared.
The truth is, how we communicate with others at work can have a big impact on how connected or isolated we feel. All most of us want is to be treated with respect, as human beings. If we can strive for clarity and respect in our communication, it can make a world of difference, not just at work.
Have a wonderful day!
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we're so back!!
Thank you for the Star Trek book rec. I think I'll try both of them!