Winning together: conflict resolution tactics for startup founders

On July 12, 2017July 13, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn co-founders, coaching, Communication Skill Building, conflict resolution, education, entrepreneurs, executive coaching, female leaders, founders, goal setting, grit, growth, growth mindset, peak performance, performance, productivity, professional strategies, relationships, san francisco, silicon valley, solution strategies, startups, teamwork, Uncategorized, work strategies

As a executive coach I support startup founders, CEOs, senior executives and other tech leaders in their pursuit of entrepreneurial success in Silicon Valley. Their leadership development goals prioritize enhancing emotional intelligence, improving interpersonal communication and honing conflict resolution skills for managerial effectiveness. The startup life is often grueling as co-founders face high pressure, high stakes decision-making during the rapid growth of their company. Harjeet Taggar, former Y Combinator partner, once wrote, “The relationship between co-founders is usually the single biggest risk to a startup in the earliest stages, it’s certainly the most common reason for failure we see at YC.” According to Paul Graham, founder of Y Combinator, successful conflict management requires skillful self management, and the ability to separate self-interest from winning solutions “You have to be prepared to see the better idea when it arrives. And the hardest part of that is often discarding your old idea.”

Seasoned entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley recognize that it’s not just the idea, product or timing of a startup that sets the stage for success, but arguably the founders’ ability to work together to tackle emerging problems as a company scales. It means working through differences aligned in partnership rather than at odds with one another. Just like the honeymoon phase of romantic relationships, early startup success can mask a lack of effective conflict management skills between founders. When things are going well, it’s tempting to believe that major conflicts can be avoided. While the gambling spirit is worn like a badge of honor among successful entrepreneurs, this is one gamble they can’t afford to lose. Without practicing conflict resolutions skills early and often, they risk losing time and resources battling each other instead of leveraging their collective strengths when they need them most. Gary Tan, former partner at Y Combinator shared with TechCrunch “Successful co-founders actually embrace conflict, and are constantly in the process of resolving it. If you can’t argue and arrive at the best solution, you’re not doing the work to actually have a real, healthy working relationship.”

So what works? Evidence-based strategies like those developed by psychologist John Gottman are applicable beyond marital relationships, and have been successfully utilized by other respected startup coaches in Silicon Valley. Gottman’s research has a proven track-record for both relationship success as well as predicting relationship failure with scientifically rigorous precision.

1. Aspire to ‘win’ as a team, not as individuals.

When your team is busy arguing over every minor detail your competitors are busy winning, and your company is busy failing.

There’s a saying in Silicon Valley that it’s better to have an A team with a B idea, than a B team with an A idea. Dedicate yourself to operating as an A member of an A team. Each member of your A team has lived their life aspiring to win on an individual level, using tactics that work best for them as individuals. The hardest part of submitting to a team is accepting others’ differences and shortcomings gracefully, and carrying on with your best work ethic and respect for others regardless of who’s slowing company progress. You think “I never would have made that mistake! This problem could have been avoided if they’d listened to me.” When oversights, insufficient planning, unclear communication, failed efforts, personal problems, and fatigue set in, they can lead to setbacks in your combined efforts to succeed as a team. Adopt the mental framework that ‘winning’ is modeling cooperation and flexibility, ‘losing’ is fighting to get your way all the time. Winning is practicing humility and accepting constructive feedback because it sets the best stage for improvement. Are you using tactics to succeed as a team or are you using tactics that are better suited to individual success? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to make progress as a team?

2. Recognize that company success is tied to your team’s willingness to trust one another. By working as part of a founder team, you are acknowledging you are better off working together versus alone. If you agree to build something with someone you are agreeing to rely on them, and you must also be reliable.

Founders of a company are gambling on each other, and there is no way to gamble without trust. Partial trust begets mistrust.

Can you trust that your cofounder has the best interest of the company at heart? Are you both committed to making the relationship work and the company successful? If you are not all in, you introduce risk to the foundation of your company. Trust functions to give team members a “reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” By agreeing to work with and rely on one another, you’ve accepted that each person adds important value, unique insights, and specialized abilities that compliment yours. By giving this to one another you maximize the time and attention you have for your own contributions instead of using your energy to raise doubts or second guess others’ work.

3. Attempting to track and keep score of who’s working harder or contributing more ‘worth’ wastes time, fosters animosity and reduces positive synergy.

Everyone’s best effort looks different, so spending time making comparisons rarely produces progress for the relationship or the company.

According to University of Illinois psychologist Brian Ogolsky and Texas State University’s Christine Gray, people who keep score in their relationships damage their potential for healthy relationship maintenance because the very act of counting implies a lack of trust, rigidity, and negativity. Co-founders and team members should aim to delegate responsibilities based on ability and expertise, and if a continual imbalance in the workload emerges, plan to discuss this as a team to solve for more efficient allocation of tasks that factors in individual strengths, resources and availability. Avoid placing blame when ever possible, and focus on actionable solutions that are tied to current circumstances. The potential for success is maximized when everyone’s strengths are being efficiently utilized in real time.

4. Create space for differences in opinion- exploring these differences will generate the most ingenuous solutions. Aim to facilitate a wide range of possibilities, and take an objective approach to problem-solving.

Even if you don’t agree with a particular solution, it’s more effective if everyone shares their vision how this solution could result in success or failure.

This style of debate fosters constructive involvement and reduces power struggles. If you oppose a decision, it’s not sufficient to point out a suggested plan’s low probability of success. Research and prepare an outline of alternative action-oriented solutions to share with the team.

5. Pay attention to people’s feelings. Conflict will naturally give rise to emotional expression that can work in your team’s favor. Strong emotional overtones are bound to emerge during a heated debate- take this as a sign that people care deeply about the work, about the team’s success, and that everyone at the table wants to avoid pitfalls. Identify what people are feeling and why. Let their answers inform how to proceed based on the expressed ideas. If the discussion doesn’t lead to an agreed upon direction, rely on people’s primary areas of expertise as a guide for who has the most insight for the final call. If the plan doesn’t work as out, take part in supporting a change in course quickly to minimize stalled productivity.

6. Ignoring reoccurring bad vibes between team members will only lead to bigger problems- resolving conflict is one problem startup founders CAN control. The sooner you address them, the sooner you can get back to business.

Lastly, if all diplomatic efforts fail, agree to seek outside advice. I always recommend that founders and executive teams establish a range of outside resources (experienced mentors, business advisors, legal counsel) to give your team the insight it needs to resolve conflict. Having an outsider broker your disagreement will end the gridlock- it’s like couples therapy for co-founders. This might be what saves your startup from sinking. Your team should agree in advance to take the advice with the goal of moving past this stage with finality.

And don’t lose your sense of humor! At fast-growing startups, the sheer magnitude of work should be complemented with some light-heartedness. Laugh in solidarity at the crazy, silly things that you face together as a team- it will help lighten the mood. When you look back at this time in your life, those are the things you’ll remember with a sense of gratitude and character-building strength.

Smart solutions when productivity stalls- perspective is everything

On June 8, 2017June 8, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn artificial intelligence, career development, coaching, executive coaching, goal setting, growth, growth mindset, optimism, peak performance, performance, performance anxiety, Positive Psychology, productivity, professional strategies, san francisco, silicon valley, technology, Uncategorized, work strategies

You know that feeling when you’re stalled by something that needs to get done? Even the most efficient people face roadblocks in their productivity from time to time. This is especially frustrating for people who are used to completing challenging tasks with relative ease. I recently met with an accomplished young gaming engineer for executive coaching to support his exploration of new work opportunities in Silicon Valley. He revealed that he’d struggled for hours to complete a cover letter email, and this left him feeling baffled and weary about the whole process of interviewing for new employment. We used the session to get to the root of what was creating this stall in productivity, and generated smart solutions based on his personal strengths. Strategy and perspective makes all the difference.

Working with the Bay Area’s talented tech community has taught me this- the smartest people take it the hardest when their performance and results don’t meet their expectations! Many have grown accustomed to things coming easily to them and have quickly advanced in their chosen career trajectory. Early giftedness in STEM can sometimes lead to people develop an identity centered around being ‘brainy and capable’. It may come as a shock when something as simple as creating a cover letter sidelines them and deflates their sense of efficacy.

Why does this happen? Over time, our strengths get reinforced as our primary means of solving problems because they get us from point A to point B quickly and easily. Since these same strengths are also tied to our sense of identity and self worth, we become less willing to set them aside and use other methods of ‘solving’. Tasks that force us to operate outside of our comfort zone trigger feelings of frustration because we aren’t as effective as we’re used to feeling, which stalls our productivity. A guy who’s honed skills as a talented engineer, fluent in the most sought after programming languages will probably not be as adroit at English writing composition and will likely need to give himself more leeway in completing a thoughtfully composed cover letter.

Apply a smart solutions formula when your productivity stalls:
1. Conscious self-awareness. Identify the evidence in your life (historically and currently) of how and when you have leveraged your personal strengths to achieve good outcomes. How did your strengths allow you to perform optimally? Result outcomes might be found in academic, career advancement, kinesthetic/athletic, social/interpersonal, emotional, musical, aesthetic, experiential, operational or other realms of functionality.

“I can recognize times in my life when my skills and abilities have allowed me to make progress, overcome obstacles, and reach important goals that have led me to where I am now.”

2. Balanced self-acceptance. Scientific advancements in human cognition and intelligence reveal that all people possess strengths and weaknesses relative to their overall functioning. To expect to function only by means of our strengths is unrealistic. Sometimes we must be willing to step back from our most comfortable mode of operating and acknowledge certain tasks don’t call for our ideal skill set.

“This task calls for specific skills that I don’t practice as often (e.g. writing English composition). I can’t rely on my core strengths to complete it. I must be willing to feel uncomfortable if I’m to make progress. So what? That’s true for everyone sometimes. If I let this slower pace of progress demoralize me it could stop me from getting from point A to point B. Any pace will do, as long as I’m trying to move forward.”

3. Realistic expectations. Plan to break down larger goals into chunks that are achievable and utilize breaks to regain energy. Attempting to complete a difficult task in one fell swoop doesn’t lead to efficiency, it’s a set up for failure. When you’re using your brain to work in less familiar ways, expect to take breaks before your mental energy begins to stall so your overall motivation remains strong. This way you avoid feeling demoralized and progress remains steady.

4. Shift perspective. Pay attention to how you’re evaluating yourself- when we only measure our progress based on ‘results’ rather than ‘performance effort’ we can end up feeling ineffective or lose our sense of purpose. Another coaching client of mine works in a highly specialized area of machine learning/artificial intelligence (AI). While there has been genuine advances and exciting new applications here in Silicon Valley and other tech hubs around the world, the field remains experimental, and it still requires time-consuming, exploratory research. Even the most brilliant minds working together face a sense of disappointment when big breakthroughs don’t happen, especially with constant media hype fueling the AI frenzy. If you are working on the cutting edge of new scientific discovery, it may be difficult to quantify progress and demonstrate measurable value compared to an ever-changing larger community. While it’s natural to want to make comparisons, track and measure your contributions by ‘showing your work’ rather than evaluating yourself on outcome results alone. By documenting your steps in the scientific process, generating strategic hypotheses, testing them critically through observations and experiments you are creating a useful path of ‘knowledge’ as you arrive at Type 1 or Type 2 errors, etc. Find value in documenting how you’ve made progress to better direct your future paths of discovery.

5. Prepare to use trial and error. If one particular process of completing a task isn’t coming together, try a different plan of action. Step away from a task and let your brain absorb the learning and develop new insights. Go back with fresh eyes in regular intervals and adjust accordingly, and practice applying new insights. According to the latest neuroscience, researchers have discovered that moments of creativity take place when the mind is at rest rather than directly working on something. Since creative approaches are so crucial to success, be sure to give yourself space from your work efforts.

Bringing it all together: Discover optimal productivity methods based on your personal strengths and challenges. Practice applying a perspective that takes into account all the moving parts and your abilities before comparing your pace to others. Remember that everyone hits roadblocks from time to time; taking this mindful approach and using smart solutions will help you overcome them as efficiently as possible.

Are your dating skills ruining your love life? 4 dumb dating habits to drop.

On May 24, 2017May 29, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn Bachelorhood, coaching, Communication Skill Building, dating, empowerment, executive coaching, goal setting, growth, growth mindset, inspiration, optimism, performance anxiety, Positive Psychology, professional strategies, relationships, san francisco, sexual development, sexual health, silicon valley, social groups, social media, solution strategies, Uncategorized, women4 Comments

Most accounts of modern dating describe finding lasting love as more elusive than ever. Thanks to mobile dating apps, dating has evolved into a finger-swiping game of ‘matching’ with people whose real intention for long-term dating is nearly impossible to determine. Being an executive and dating coach in the San Francisco Bay Area has given me a front row seat to this phenomenon with an inside view of the good, the bad and the ugly. The highly competitive tech scene here is also known for having an awkward dating culture where both men and women can develop some dumb habits that thwart their long term relationship goals. I feel it’s my duty to share them publicly, air out the gender themes I see, and hopefully shed some light on the issue so more people are successful in their dating endeavors.

My clients are bright, healthy, charismatic people who bemoan their dating struggles as real a ‘pain point’ in their life. In my last article on learned optimism, I outlined the rationale for viewing problems through a positive, solution-focused lens, and how to hold yourself accountable for your role in a problem. When a client tells me “I’d like to meet someone and settle down into a long-term relationship but I’m having a tough time finding them.” I’ll ask “What strategies are you using to meet eligible people? Tell me, what are you currently doing to build a long-term relationship with someone?” This is when the storyline starts to reveal dating habits that can be major roadblocks to developing a lasting romantic relationship.

A 30 year old male client of mine shared with me how Season 2 of the Netflix hit series Master of None,(episode ‘First Date‘) struck a chord with him. In this episode, Dev (Aziz Ansari) meets a myriad of women and for various reasons, experiences failure to launch towards a meaningful relationship with any of them. In 2015, Aziz Ansari and sociologist Eric Klinenberg co-wrote Modern Romance: An Investigation, a book that examined the evolution of dating patterns and coupledom. The concept of ‘overchoice’ in dating, an idea first introduced in Alvin Toffler’s 1971 book Future Shock, and later explored in Barry Schwartz’s 2004 book The Paradox of Choice has become a mainstay in modern dating culture. Ansari concludes that while having access to more potential mates might be enjoyable up front, it eventually makes the process of choosing and investing in someone much harder, and can ultimately lead to less romantic fulfillment.

Dumb dating habit #1: Going on a never-ending cycle of first dates, waiting for that ‘love at first sight’ feeling to signal when it’s time to finally pursue someone for a long term relationship.

First impressions are often not a good predictor of who’ll be a good fit for a long term relationship. In my observation, guys need to take initiative and figure out how to emotionally invest in the process of dating if they want a long term relationship. A lot of men are stuck in a conundrum when they’re looking for a girlfriend- they feel safer with more options, but more options leads to low emotional investment, which leads to a sense of emptiness, which they fill with more creating more options. It’s a vicious circle! Men, start by figuring out what you need to do to care more about the person you’re meeting for a date.

Males are commonly raised to avoid vulnerable emotions, and learn to keep a safe distance from their feelings, especially in matters of the heart. As a result, they can miss out on developing emotional intimacy with someone because they fail to take an active role in building it. In movies, men are portrayed as reluctant participants in intimacy – cinematic stereotypes such as the manic pixie dream girl archetype evolved in order to protect masculine identity in the face of falling in love.

REBOOT: If you don’t work to get inside your feelings and figure out how to genuinely invest in caring about the person sitting across from you, these feelings will not mysteriously emerge on their own. I know you believe you just haven’t met someone who’s attractive enough, smart/accomplished enough, humble and supportive and interested in YOU enough. If this storyline is sounding a lot like you, it’s time to see it for what it is – you’ve got to rise to the occasion and take initiative. Make a real effort to be curious, listen, absorb and relate. Look at it from an economic perspective- wise investments of all kinds pay off big!

Dumb dating habit #2: You’re using dating as a way to compete with your friends- in this game the last one to get off the single train wins.

You’re struggling with choosing someone because you’re too busy rounding out your dating options for more bragging rights with your friends. A proud 20-something year old guy once told me that he and his male roommates had a world map in their house with colored pushpins in it to represent the countries of origin of women they’d each slept with. Why? Because it made them look cool to all their friends, duh! But do you really want to be the last one who still cares about playing this game? It’s like you’re that last guy in your middle school friend group who still cares about who has the most/best Pokémon cards.

Dude at some point, it’s not that crucial anymore! Eventually, most guys want to be with someone that will stand by them when life gets hard, someone to enjoy private moments with, who will honestly be there for them through the thick and thin of their life. Meanwhile, do you want to still be scrolling through your phone contacts looking for someone who actually cares about what happens to you? (besides your family! Not your ex either, she’s probably happily married now with a baby on the way.)

REBOOT: The price tag for a real relationship is steep, and you need to be willing to pay the price. Commitment, vulnerability, giving FOMO a grown ass man smack down, and dealing with someone’s shortcomings because they have to put up with yours. When was the last time you heard of getting something worth having for free?

Dumb dating habit # 3: Not noticing when your mind magically fills in the blanks in someone’s potential instead of accepting the current reality as it stands. The problem with this is that your brain gets caught in a vicious cycle of unrealistic expectations. This can lead to feeling mad and resentful when the person falls short of your version of them.

Sometimes women can get ahead of themselves while dating, and lose track of the difference between what is reality and what is wishful thinking. This happens when they fail to notice that someone isn’t demonstrating a consistent investment in getting serious with them. When you fantasize a million steps ahead about how your next dates will play out together it can lead your brain to believing it should and it will, and then when it inevitably doesn’t, you feel shortchanged and frustrated, but keep hoping things will improve. Unrealistic expectations can also lead people to cut things off prematurely which is sabotaging your #relationshipgoals. Confirmation bias is a form of faulty thinking with plenty of scientific evidence supporting people’s propensity to believe something is true because they would like it to be true. Motivated by wishful thinking, individuals will stop gathering information when the evidence gathered so far confirms the views (prejudices) one would like to be true.

REBOOT: DO NOT GET AHEAD OF YOURSELF. If someone isn’t consistently making an effort to set concrete plans with you, showing a genuine interest in connecting with you, stop giving him your mental attention! Be ready to harness some discipline because old habits die hard. You’re perfectly rigorous about keeping your diet paleo, you’re awesome at limiting your drinking to the weekends, but you let your mind go on a wild goose chase over every text thread in your phone! You know you’re in trouble if the guy inside your head is always more fun to think about then the same guy whose text messages rarely extend beyond 3 words and you never quite know where things stand between the two of you. Be honest with yourself. Why would it make sense to want a relationship with someone who’s hot and cold towards you? Inconsistency and unpredictability beget failure in building anything of value. Open your eyes to the people who are making it clear they value you and want to spend time with you.

Dumb dating habit # 4: You over-rely on dating apps and forget that prospective dating partners are everywhere! Your attention is buried in your phone and you never (ever, ever) initiate conversation with a stranger for social purposes.

Pretty much everyone is guilty of digital social isolation these days. You’ve heard this before from those of us who evolved as human beings before the digital era. By limiting yourself to socializing through online/text consumption you are actually limiting yourself to a communication method with WORSE social aptitude results not BETTER. The quality of enjoyment, depth of expression and opportunity to build lasting relationships has evolved over billions of years through face to face communication. Digital communication on the other hand has existed for a fraction of a mili-second and the jury is out if humanity would even survive if we continue to depend on it with today’s enthusiasm. It’s not that I think people shouldn’t enjoy all the latest dating apps, follow each other on social media for entertainment, ease and efficiency, but aim to keep practicing your real life social skills. Every single client who’s taken me up on my encouragement in this area has come back glowing with newfound empowerment and shock, really. Like “I cannot believe I initiated a social conversation with a total stranger (sober, mind you!) AND DIDN’T DIE ON THE SPOT FROM ANGST. I CAN DO ANYTHING NOW!!!” YES! That is the best feeling!

Improve your health and performance with Learned Optimism and you will win at life

On May 21, 2017May 30, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn abundance mindset, anxiety, bay area, career development, coaching, Communication Skill Building, dating, depression, empowerment, executive coaching, female leaders, goal setting, grit, growth, growth mindset, inspiration, optimism, performance, performance anxiety, Positive Psychology, professional strategies, psychology, relationships, solution strategies, Uncategorized, work strategiesLeave a comment

What is the difference between someone who consistently performs to the best of their ability and someone whose performance is unpredictable? What allows someone to effortlessly tap into their peak performance and reach their goals and what compromises a person’s ability to access and sustain it? One word- outlook. Martin Seligman‘s groundbreaking research on learned optimism reveals how being optimistic is consistently related to improved health and longevity. A US study of nearly 100 000 students found that people who are optimistic are less likely than those who are pessimistic to die from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or from any other cause over an eight year period. On the other hand, pessimism has been linked to chronic stress and poor health functioning such as high levels of inflammation, a weakened immune system, increased pain perception, and other signs of physiological and mental dysfunction. Optimistic people appear to manage stress more efficiently than others so that their stress disappears at a faster rate than those who don’t utilize optimism in their outlook.

Seligman developed a test to help people identify their outlook style (which you can take here.) If your base level of optimism isn’t very high, don’t panic. In fact, it means that you are at the level where learned optimism can be the most beneficial!

Executive coaching can be an effective way to learn and adopt optimism to improve your overall functioning and sustain peak performance in all areas of your life. I typically work with high-achieving young adults in the tech community of the Bay Area/Silicon Valley. Working with a coach is great for healthy people who are motivated to change what isn’t working, but need some guidance on how to execute strategically and efficiently.

The following tactics outline the basic tenets of Learned Optimism. Keep in mind that our first reaction to something will always be automatic and happen instantaneously – that’s normal and to be expected! We can acknowledge our initial reactions to an event without this becoming our permanent outlook on the matter. That’s where Learned Optimism comes in. We can cultivate this skill by identifying our first reaction, clarifying how this first outlook might impact our overall ability to problem-solve and perform, and challenge ourselves to adjust our outlook in order to optimize our performance and goal achievement. With practice, we can improve our mental toughness, which is what helps a person cope with difficult situations, persevere and succeed at a high performance level.

Our outlook is shaped by our individual explanatory style, a psychological attribute that indicates how people explain to themselves why they experienced a particular event, either positive or negative. There are three components to this:

The permanence of an event – how long someone thinks it will last
The pervasiveness or scope of an event – whether the person sees the event as specific and contained, or global and all-inclusive
Personalization of an event – whether the person views the event as something that was caused entirely by oneself, others or external factors

Learned Optimism tool # 1 – Adjust TIME outlook for an event.

Find ways to view a negative event as temporary:

“The next fiscal quarter will be better.”
“This is a short-term setback.”
“I’m having an off day today.”

Find ways to view a positive event as enduring and reflective of personal ability:

“I’m on a roll now, because I’ve worked hard, practiced, and now have a winning strategy.”
“I know I can handle challenging things because I’ve already overcome so much.”
“I’ve created opportunities for myself in the past, and am capable of creating more.”

Learned Optimism tool # 2 – Adjust SCOPE of an event.

Find ways to view a negative event as specific and contained to one situation:

“The next event will work out better because of what I’ve learned this time around.”
“I won’t let this personal rejection or difficult co-worker get in my way or stop me from reaching my goal.”
“Things at my company are rough right now, but my personal life is going well.”

Find ways to view a positive event as global:

“Earning this promotion has gotten me on the right path to developing as a leader in the company.”
“My management style is more effective since I’ve made an effort to be more approachable and generous with my time.”
“Taking social risks has been challenging but I’ve learned that overall, people respond well to me when I reach out first.”

Learned Optimism tool # 3 – Adjust PERSONALIZATION to contain one’s responsibility, recognize which personal strengths were utilized, and which external circumstances influenced the outcome of an event.

For negative events, identify your personal accountability, then factor in others’ contributions and the role of external circumstances:

“I can see how I contributed to the fight my spouse and I had. I want to clarify my expectations and work on finding some middle ground so the next time this issue comes up we can avoid a blowup.”
“I reacted without communicating beforehand with my team members, which led to a break down in our overall progress. I will suggest a few temporary solutions until we can figure out a more inclusive strategy.”
“My company is going through major layoffs, and in spite of the contributions I made that demonstrated real utility, I’ve been informed it’s time to find my next position.”

For positive events, recognize which personal strengths you utilized to bring this event to fruition:

“I stayed focused on my goals and was willing to work harder when other people were frustrated and fed up, which helped me move forward and achieve in spite of facing real adversity.”
“I’m more comfortable and experienced speaking in front of others than my co-founder, so I took on the responsibility of pitching our idea to investors and now our startup has seed funding.”
“I’ve worked on building up my tolerance for discomfort in social situations, which I believe gave me the confidence to ask out someone I’ve been interested in for months. Even if it doesn’t work out, I feel good about stepping up and taking initiative.”

Bringing it all together- learned optimism is a winning strategy to get through challenging or unfair situations by shining a spotlight onto where there is opportunity for improved coping, positive progress and effective solutions. Our initial response to a situation may not be the most effective way to navigate it successfully. The key to adopting an optimistic mindset is to acknowledge the inherent choice we have in our response. Learned optimism is not an exercise in avoiding responsibility or ignoring dire circumstances either. Adopt an outlook that encourages personal accountability, and supports your performance growth in every area of life. From your education to your work to your health, it is your outlook that predicts your level of success above all else.

Make coming out as gay about you, not them in 3 simple steps

On February 13, 2017May 30, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn Coming out gay, Communication Skill Building, Gender Issues, homosexuality, LGBTQ, sexual development, sexual health, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It’s 2017, and you’ve decided it is time to tell some folks the truth about you: you’re gay, you’ve BEEN gay, and you’re tired of hiding it in both big and small ways. If you’ve been agonizing about exactly how to tell people you’re gay let me say this first: the most important part of this exchange is YOU. Your needs, your feelings, your future, and your lifestyle. This conversation can be short and sweet.

Convey your message in simple language so no one gets it twisted:

“Hello? It’s me. I was wondering if you knew that I’m gay. Yes? You suspected already? Ok great just checking, I thought I’d officially confirm it. M’kay bye!” (Hang up phone and start belting out lyrics to your favorite power workout song.)
“Hello? It’s me. I was wondering if you knew that I’m gay. No? Ok well glad I checked because I am. Hella gay. Happy to share with you some ways you could support me, if you’re interested. If not, we can talk about something else now.”

This is an exercise in getting something off your chest for you, about you. Maybe the person you’ve told has questions about ‘how sure you are’, ‘if this could be a phase’, or feels compelled to wonder out loud if ‘maybe you just haven’t met the right person yet.’ If the person you’ve just told you’re gay responds with doubtful comments and questions you can respond like this:

2. Convey you do not have doubts about your sexuality. If they have difficulty believing you are in fact, gay, they should work through those feelings on their own. Maybe they need some professional support and/or expertise to become better informed about how sexuality works.

“It seems like you’re having a hard time believing that I understand my own feelings and my own sexuality. What if I were asking you these same questions about your sexuality? I don’t want to debate my sexuality, just like I’m sure you don’t want to debate yours.”
“It sounds like you could use some time to think about what I’ve just told you, based on your comments and questions. I’ve already thought A LOT about it, and I’m done now. I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m gay. There’s nothing else to think about- I’m gay, the end. When you’ve reached that place too, you’ll feel at peace with it, just like I do.”

3. Convey you have choices about how you live your life, and the people in it. Make it clear that while you’d like your personal and professional relationships to remain unaffected by your sexuality, the fact is some people will have a hard time accepting this. The best thing you can do is surround yourself with people who respect and support your goals and are willing to treat you fairly regardless of your sexuality. This will be a lifelong endeavor, but worth the effort so that you can live your best, happiest, most fulfilled life.

“I understand there will be people who won’t like me because I’m gay. That’s not really any different than people who might not like you (or anyone for that matter) because of things they can’t change about themselves. If someone doesn’t like me because I’m gay that’s their problem not mine.”
“Maybe it’s not obvious, but I’d rather not have to deal with people treating me unfairly or excluding me from opportunities or even basic rights because I’m gay. The best thing I can do is pursue personal relationships and professional opportunities that allow me to be myself, grow, and pursue fulfilling goals. It would be great if you could support me. If not, I understand that’s your choice. You should understand it’s my choice to build a support group of people who accept me.”

The health toll of having these conversations should not be underestimated. Many people feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the prospects of sharing news about yourself that may not be well-received. This is a good time to invest in regular self care activities and connect with people who accept and support you as you are.

Telling people you’re gay need not be a long, complicated, agonizing conversation. You do not have to allow anyone to make you feel like you’re wrong, unhealthy, or unlovable. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that this is your life, and no matter what your sexuality is you can find a way to pursue happiness, love, fulfillment and success. We can’t control how people feel about sexual diversity, but we can take strides to protect ourselves from feeling negatively judged by limiting the air time we give them, and focus our attention on building a life of positive self acceptance.

5 winning strategies to improve your likability at work and why it matters

On January 29, 2017May 30, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn career development, coaching, Communication Skill Building, Friendship, growth, inspiration, peak performance, san francisco, silicon valley, social groups, technology, work strategies2 Comments

“Likability” has become the X factor that distinguishes people’s success at work as the American workforce grows increasingly competitive and diversified. Demonstrating a high level of likability goes beyond popularity, and is often cited as one of the most influential reasons behind promotion selection and leadership advancement within a company. The ability to come across as likable can lead to why co-workers and managers align with some people but not others. Likable people are more apt to be hired, earn a high level of trust and support from colleagues, and have their mistakes forgiven without injuring their credibility and reputation. A study of 133 managers at the University of Massachusetts found that if an employee is likable and gives a well-organized argument, managers tend to comply with their suggestions, even if they disagree and the employee lacks supporting evidence.

On the other hand, unlikable people are often unaware of how toxic they feel to others, seem to provoke a combative response in others, and over time, develop a reputation of being ‘hard to work with, or hard to work for’ even if they consistently demonstrate a high level of technical skill in their work role.

The ability to manage your emotions and remain steadfast and positive in stressful situations has a direct impact not only on your performance, but how likable you are to others. As tempting as it can be to find fault in others, taking on a non-confrontational problem-solving approach encourages people to work in tandem and collaborate with you rather than react in defensiveness and go into attack mode. A wise, highly successful manager once said to me “it’s never effective to make people feel wrong, even if they ARE wrong. Shaming people wastes time and energy and reduces morale- causing people to withdraw or retaliate rather than work to improve themselves.”

TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people, and found that 90% of high ranked performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of conflict in order to remain calm and in control. One of the greatest talents of likable people is their ability to neutralize difficult, unlikable people. They use their well-honed interpersonal skills to help disgruntled people feel supported, valued and useful to a team’s success, motivating them to cooperate with others. If left unchecked, poorly managed conflict and employee grid-lock will sink a company’s success rate fast.

There are various strategies that likable people use to win their co-worker’s trust, appreciation, and support at work. “Likability isn’t something you are born with, like charisma. It’s something you can learn,” says Ben Decker, chief executive officer of Decker Communications, San Francisco, a training and consulting firm. To establish lasting, positive connections with people (whether you like them or not), you’ll need an approach that feels authentic to your interpersonal style. Many clients in my executive coaching practice come in to elevate their emotional intelligence skills to complement their highly developed STEM technical skills. In the beginning, taking a different approach to interacting with others can feel difficult or artificial, but over time becomes easier to employ once you see the positive impact it has on your work relationships. Engaging in stable, positive interactions at work will always be easier to maintain than constantly navigating awkward or tense work relationships.

Actionable strategies to increase your likability at work:

Aim to communicate empathically with others. Negative, unlikable people can be draining when they exhibit hostile emotions without regard for how they’re affecting others. They aren’t focused on solutions because they feel unheard, and want someone to pay attention to their complaints. You can avoid coming across as insensitive or unconcerned by offering a few short, empathic statements to demonstrate you’ve listened. Help them see they’ve made an impact on your understanding of the issues they’ve raised, and you value their opinion. This form of active listening increases your likability because you’ve demonstrated an ability to tolerate other people’s emotional expressions without negating their experience. Even if you do not agree with them in the slightest, you’ve helped them move away from seeing you as personally contrary or combative. Their complaints are not being made to generate solutions at this moment in time, but rather to be heard by anyone who will listen. Refrain from sharing differences in opinion, which will only trigger a combative response style. Use phrases to help that person feel understood before ending the exchange amicably.

“This does sound like a big problem. I imagine it won’t be easily solved without some planning. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the situation, it’s helped me get some new perspectives. I’ll spend some time thinking about how to get the ball rolling in the right direction.”
“I think this is a really important issue too. I want to give it the time and attention it deserves. Now that I’ve heard your take on it, I feel like I can see how it’s affecting people differently.”
“This problem has been hard for a lot of people, but especially you, based on what you’re saying. It seems like you’re doing the best you can, given the circumstances.”

If ultimately it’s your job to generate actionable solutions to the problems they’ve shared with you, it’s better to give yourself time to strategize, gather information, resources and support to optimize your plan of action rather than to engage in a reactive dialogue that won’t generate lasting solutions, and likely only provoke negative responses.

2. Make time for small talk. Positive relationships are born from sharing benign personal details. Showing genuine interest in others makes you likable. As someone who’s naturally chatty (with a personality style well suited to being a highly interactive coach versus a traditionally unobtrusive psychotherapist) I always enjoy helping people learn and practice the art of small talk. Likable people make time to exchange simple personal reflections on topics that most people can relate to- favorite past times or culinary tastes, seasonal or local happenings. Small talk is a time to compare mutual commonalities with the intent of learning something new about a person. Sharing parts of yourself through small talk helps people feel familiar and comfortable with you and develop a sense of who you are outside of your work role. I believe there are a few basic rules of thumb to successfully initiate and respond to others during small talk conversations. These mini exchanges (think 5 -1o minutes) build upon each other over time, and eventually can segue into more in-depth conversations that are mutually interesting and enjoyable.

Be willing to initiate a circumstantially relevant conversation (for example seeing someone enjoy a cup of coffee/tea is a good time to ask what they prefer, then share some small personal details about your own caffeine habits, add some novel experiences if you can to keep it from being too mundane). Pay attention to the amount that they share and aim to match it, then expand a bit more. Find out if there’s anything you can learn from them based on what they share.
Be responsive to people when they make an effort to begin a small talk conversation with you, and be inclusive of others whenever possible. Even if you’re having a hectic day, take time to convey you appreciate their conversational gesture and try to refrain from saying how busy/rushed you feel. If you really are counting on every spare minute that day, let them know you want to come back to chat with them a bit later, and make a point to follow up in some small way the next time you see them.
Ask a few people who know you well (family members, room mates, close friends) how they’ve seen you engage in small talk and ask for candid feedback. What have they observed in your conversational style that works well? What might be misinterpreted? Consider any reoccurring themes with the intention of ongoing improvement so that others have easy, enjoyable exchanges with you.

3. Pay attention to what tends to lighten people’s mood, what puts a smile on people’s faces or brings people out of their shell. A few seconds of generosity with your energy can instantly warm people and makes you endearing to others. I’ve had clients tell me they struggle to connect with people they have very little in common with, especially across genders. If you’ve ever paid close attention to someone who’s incredibly likable, you’ll see their charm often comes from a willingness to admit to not knowing much about something that someone else has a talent for- they’ll make light of this difference and find a way to joke about being less fashion savvy, less gadget knowledgable or less organized than a fellow co-worker. Complimentary teasing, when done subtly and with genuine appreciation for someone else’s strengths is a fun, positive way to connect to others and increase your likability.

4. Keep close tabs on your mood, and get in the habit of making micro-adjustments to sustain your comfort, stamina, peace of mind, and sense of humor. Top performers understand how even the smallest differences in our mood can shape our response style and influence our ability to be creative, proactive and solution focused, and patient with unlikable people and complex problems. You’ll want to aspire beyond healthy eating and good sleep hygiene and understand what additional influences can tip your mood in the right or wrong direction. I recently sat next to Silicon Vally venture capitalist Tim Draper during a fundraiser luncheon for non-profit organization BizWorld.org. He shared with me a few secrets to his success, including the importance of understanding and managing what influences your mood and energy level, taking extra precaution before going into high stakes meetings, public performances, or making paramount decisions with long term consequences. By learning what helps you sustain your best mood, you’ll not only increase your likability and performance level, but serve as an inspiration to others who see you gliding through life with more ease and less stress.

create a varied and personalized list of self-care strategies and implement them routinely into your daily schedule. (The list should range by category, e.g. time required, ease of access, supplies needed)
learn when to pass on extra curricular activities, social events and spending time with people that drain your energy and mood during times you’ll need to rely on your best performance ability
invest in resources that help you streamline domestic tasks that take up precious time and energy- whenever possible and affordable outsource tedious household chores so you can invest your time and energy on making career gains and positive social developments.

5. Keep your eyes on the big picture and don’t sweat the small stuff. The most likable people find a way to not let minor annoyances become obstacles to their success, and train their brain to notice positivity, hope, generosity, kindness, improvement and teamwork. They are comfortable using trial and error, steer clear of perfectionistic or overly-idealistic expectations, keep their goals realistic, recognize growth and gains in themselves and others, and manage to find the silver lining in the most challenging circumstances. Practice. Then practice some more. These are all tactics that take time to develop and can become staples in helping you become more likable and effective in your life and work goals.

Trump style slurs: you don’t have to get your feelings hurt.

On November 11, 2016May 30, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn empowerment, Gender Issues, Masculinity, Men's Health, psychology, social groupsLeave a comment

With the Trump administration ahead of us, many Americans will witness or receive hate-filled comments meant to devalue, belittle and shame anyone who is demographically different. The major uptick in hate crimes dates back toward the end of 2015, which corresponds with Donald Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. Since the presidential election results came in, national news and social media sites have already begun documenting a new surge of confrontational hate-mongering behaviors aimed at racial/ethnic/sexual/religious minorities. Generally speaking, the most important response to hate mongering is to ensure one’s physical safety first and foremost. This article is not meant to provide guidance on physical or legal protection tactics, but rather outlines the most accurate and effective way to emotionally immunize yourself to this type of ignorance. You don’t have to get your feelings hurt. You don’t have to feel the blow of belittlement when ignorant remarks are flung at you. You don’t have to feel insulted or devalued. In fact, when someone says or does something racist/misogynistic/etc, it’s an instant opportunity to recognize the disposition and circumstances surrounding the offender. You will know immediately that this person is experiencing one or more of the following:

People who feel compelled to point out their categorical superiority to others based on race/gender/religion/sexual orientation differences often do so because they feel a deep sense of resentment about not feeling good enough about themselves. (They will vehemently argue that nothing could be further from the truth, but there is something called the subconscious (part of the mind of which one is not fully aware but which influences one’s actions and feelings) and it is working furiously in overtime to correct low self-worth.) By actively engaging in a game of “I’m better than these people” (through various verbal or behavioral acts) they can give themselves a short-lived burst of much-needed self confidence. It quickly dissipates, so they often choose to surround themselves with like-minded people so they can commiserate and boost each other up through mutually insulting group outsiders.
People need to blame and find fault in whole categories of people out of fear: when older regions of the brain dominate a person’s cognitive style, more complex intellectual processing is superseded, limiting more complex comprehension of circumstances surrounding their perceived ‘problems’. Attempting to solve one’s problems by persecuting a whole group of people in a scapegoat fashion is usually a tell-tale sign of shortsightedness that does not result in lasting solutions. Failed solutions often leads to increased blaming and anger. It’s a vicious cycle which some people remain stuck in, and then pass on to others as a narrow worldview.
The bottom line is, people who are effective and successful in pursuing their life goals, feel a sense of personal resourcefulness, and are benefiting from genuinely loving relationships do not need to actively engage in hate-mongering and devaluing/disrespecting whole groups of people. There is no need to assert oneself as superior at the expense of other’s basic rights, to the contrary, they enjoy embracing a spirit of generosity because they can afford to give and share without feeling threatened. Being chronically unhappy does not give way to hate-mongering behaviors, but there’s a good chance they are prone to certain habits that perpetuate their own unhappiness.

That said, people who feel compelled to a seek momentary boost of self-importance through hate-mongering in the name of Trump support or otherwise, are likely doing so because they don’t feel adequately important enough in the world, prefer to indulge in overly simplified, fear-based solutions to their problems (or are less intellectually equipped or compelled to grasp more a complex understanding), and see anyone different than themselves as a threat to their well-being and/or way of life. The last thing you should feel is slighted by someone else’s irrational fears and ignorant solutions to protecting and improving their station in life. Recognize the pattern as something that has ensnared them, not you.

Move forward by choosing to focus on the positive aspects of your own life rather than toil in the negativity that someone else is stewing in. Stay true to your core beliefs and values. You may feel discouraged and understandably frustrated with the influence of Trump’s hateful rhetoric that has emboldened some people to lash out against America’s longstanding value of inclusion. The point is, you need not allow those people’s efforts to bring you down and keep you there.

Donald Trump: defining toxic masculinity and how healthy, happy men diversify

On October 10, 2016May 2, 2018 By drchristinavillarrealIn anxiety, celebrity mental health, Donald Trump, Gender Issues, Masculinity, Men's Health, psychology, sexual healthLeave a comment

I want to begin this piece by sharing how challenging it can be for me to understand the underpinnings of American masculinity as an American woman of color. I feel stumped sometimes in helping men navigate their career development and enhance their interpersonal relationships, particularly as it relates to their masculine identity. I have a deep sense of curiosity and motivation to understand the perspectives of all my clientele. Public figures can also also stir my intellectual curiosity, especially when similar issues are cropping up among those I’m helping in my coaching practice. I write as a way to synthesize the research and consultation I do with professional colleagues and members of various social groups to increase my understanding of people. By improving my understanding of how men operate within their gender framework, I can more effectively support their goals for happiness and professional achievement while respecting their values and world view.

Donald Trump’s entire public life provides a rich opportunity to examine how male gender expression, at it’s extreme, can lead to a toxic crisis in masculine identity. In this article I’d like to set aside drawing conclusions about his potential to effectively lead as President of The United States of America. Why? Just imagine for a moment, what it would be like to work alongside Donald Trump. You see, as difficult as it may be, his colleagues must aim to reserve judgment in order to collaborate and meet professional goals along side him. If we can we understand Donald Trump’s masculine identity, surely we can learn something about the gender confines that men face in getting their needs met as they strive for fulfillment and achievement. Why is this important? Trump reflects the toxic side of American masculinity, and if we don’t take a close look at how and why toxicity develops and festers within male culture, we can’t begin to stop it from infecting others in small or large ways in men everywhere.

Imagine for a moment, a four way street intersection, where gas fueling stations are housed on each of the four corners. At each fueling station, you can ‘fill up your tank’ on:

Physical Aggression/Strength/Athleticism
Money/Influence of Financial Wealth
Control/Influence Upon Others (at work or in personal relationships)
Sexual Prowess and Virility/Sexual Satisfaction

These four fueling stations can be seen as representing the most traditional, socially acceptable, even socially celebrated opportunities for men to fuel their sense of masculinity. Whether or not you personally agree with this, the vast majority of American men are measured by others against these four standards of traditional masculinity at various points in their life. While men also aim for other forms of achievement (e.g. intellectual development, family life development, practice of religious faith) those strivings aren’t typically seen as embodying strength of masculinity in and of themselves. Traditional masculine-affirming pursuits do not have to be at the expense of other’s rights, take on a quality of malicious manipulation and oppression, or require a man to rely on them as his sole means for fulfillment. Masculine identity serves men best when it allows space for them to thrive in these traditional areas should they choose, but also allows them ample space to enrich their lives through other areas of fulfillment and connectivity.

Some men whom I’ve worked with appear to be ‘stuck‘ in the relentless pursuit of boosting one or more of these traditional areas of masculinity in the hopes of achieving lasting happiness in their professional and personal life. The theory of masculine overcompensation dates back to Sigmund Freud’s notions of ‘reaction formation‘ and ‘defense mechanisms‘. Some men respond to having their masculinity questioned by emphasizing their expression of traditional masculine traits. In 2013, a group of sociologists put this theory to the test. In Overdoing Gender,” a study for the American Journal of Sociology, men were given feedback suggesting they were ‘feminine’, which led to an increased support for war, homophobic attitudes, interest in purchasing an SUV, support for, and desire to advance in dominance hierarchies, and belief in male superiority. Research from The American Journal of Men’s Health and a host of other studies conclude that the expression of traditional masculine traits can be hazardous for men’s health functioning. William Ming Liu, editor of the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity describes toxic masculinity as providing a very limited way for men to relate to each other- when boys are socialized to avoid feelings and weakness it increases their overall psychological stress.

Would it benefit men to consider seeking fulfillment from a wide range of areas in their life? Particularly for those who’ve already experienced objectively high levels of achievement through these traditional areas, and are still unhappy/unsatisfied. Why not pivot and diversify? See if some other areas of personal development could help you feel better/more fulfilled for the long term?” Toxicity can take root in a man’s masculine identity if he gets stuck searching for fulfillment from these 4 traditional areas of masculinity. In Donald Trump’s case, he keeps going back for more and more – all of his accomplishments are no longer getting him that desired high, so he keeps upping the ante. This particular phenomenon of toxic masculinity is socially destructive when public figures like Donald Trump effectively normalize misogyny, sexism, racism and xenophobia.

donald-trump

While many American men aspire to experience some degree of his accomplishments in the areas of wealth, power, influence, access and opportunity with beautiful women, it’s important to underscore that these gains alone may very well NOT lead to the level of fulfillment and happiness one might imagine. Encouraging a more well-rounded sense of masculine identity, one that allows room for pursuits that go beyond the traditional male gender constructs will increase men’s opportunity for lasting and balanced happiness. Research by Levant reveals healthy aspects of masculinity might actually protect and improve men’s health. These healthy aspects of masculinity include:

Self-Reliance
Responsibility (personal, familial, societal)
Emotional maturity/emotional intelligence
Investing in making a positive impact on society/the environment that is personally meaningful

Aiming to grow and diversify oneself in these key areas can help men achieve lasting personal fulfillment beyond traditional masculine pursuits for success. Each are common goals I work on with the high-achieving men in my executive coaching practice. Many have shared with me how rewarding it feels to build upon what they’ve already mastered and thrive in these important life aspirations.

How to kill it at your new job- proven strategies for getting ahead in a cutthroat culture

On August 4, 2016August 4, 2016 By drchristinavillarrealIn career development, coaching, Uncategorized, work strategiesLeave a comment

So you recently landed a job that lines up well with your career goals. You’re feeling confident. Maybe you already have a great track record of achievement- top SAT scores, a stellar graduating GPA, glowing letters of recommendations from past employers. Your time to shine has finally arrived! But after settling into your new role, you realize this new work climate is no easy read. Communication with your boss or co-workers leaves you feeling unsupported, and you start to worry that taking this job was a mistake. What should you do? You’d like to avoid moving on prematurely so your resume stays on track. The following tips will help you kill it at your new job with some proven coaching strategies, even in a cutthroat culture.

Working with an executive coach is a great way to skillfully steer this situation back in your favor. One of the first things I ask my clients to do is to describe their personal career vision to me. Outlining one’s career goals helps to pinpoint the various skills and experiences that are necessary to achieve this vision. Does this job afford you an opportunity to make these gains? (In all likelihood yes,which is why you sought out and/or accepted the position in the first place.) Some jobs require you to change more than others- a process which is often unpredictable and frustrating as you figure out how to succeed there. An executive coach can help you prepare mentally and strategically for this. Together you will generate lasting and effective solutions to keep you on your personalized track to success.

Reframe how you’re thinking about the ‘problems’ you’re experiencing at work. Learn to embrace this job as a purposeful choice you are making for the sake of experience and skill building rather than an oppressive situation that is happening to you. Remember no one is holding you hostage there. Ask yourself “Am I ready to adapt to a different way of thinking and operating?” No one said changing perspectives would feel easy, or that you wouldn’t face major obstacles along the way. Either stay in the game and take ownership of the experience, or prepare to move on.

Rise to the occasion: successful leaders search for ways to improve and strengthen themselves in difficult situations, inspiring others to do the same. They are often unflappable and well respected, even in hostile work climates. That’s what makes them so effective in senior positions and invaluable to a company or organization.

What personal strengths do you have that helped you overcome past obstacles? What did you do to persevere? Some of my younger, especially gifted and fortunate clients have moved through life with relative ease, so dealing with an uncontrollable work environment can feel especially demoralizing. Others have come through relative adversity, but realize past coping strategies are no longer sufficient. If the cultural climate of your new job seems unwelcoming, petty or even combative, you may find yourself avoiding interactions altogether. I encourage my clients to see this as a chance to learn how to read, respond to and handle a variety of people. The more versatile and challenging, the more prepared and effective you will be in handling future challenges.
Anticipate people’s behavior so you can prepare to respond with efficiency rather than let negative emotions take over. For example, instead of allowing others’ tardiness to be a constant source of frustration, learn to use this extra time to your advantage by completing simple tasks while you wait, organize your schedule or review to-do lists. Does your boss constantly place blame on others or set unrealistic goals? Learn to respond with positivity and an eagerness to improve and support.
Aim to view other people’s behavior as a reflection of the setting and their ability to cope with it rather than taking it personally. Criticism is often a relative opinion. It doesn’t matter that you were your boss’s favorite employee at your past job. Learn to view criticism as an opportunity to better understand what others expect instead of getting defensive.

Learn to predict and manage your emotional style so that you are not just reacting, but thoughtfully responding to difficult people and situations with strategy. You’ve heard some people described as ‘running hot and cold, moody, or unpredictable.’ That’s rarely a good thing in work settings. Anyone who’s served in a leadership role will tell you that managing difficult people or emotionally charged situations is a necessary part of the job.

You’ll find that working with others is much easier if you are well liked – which means you will be more successful during your time there. I encourage my clients to step outside their comfort zone and find ways to show interest and demonstrate kindness towards others they might avoid in their personal life. Almost without exception there will be people we don’t like that we need to work alongside. Whether or not they are truly reprehensible is irrelevant: not ‘liking someone’ can quickly erode your working relationships and productivity, and get in the way of your professional goals. People we don’t even like are not worth that sacrifice!

Identify your emotional and social style, and zero in on what tends to trigger you during times of stress. How can you build upon this style so that you remain better balanced under pressure? It’s not uncommon for people to become rigid and/or less effective in their emotional style when distressed. Rational-leaning people who are valued for their even-keel disposition and logical problem solving may become hyper-rational and avoid attending to emotional information even when necessary for resolving conflict. Emotionally sensitive people who are skilled at reading others and interpreting social climates can become overtly emotional and lose track of logical solutions when overwhelmed.
Appreciate your natural interpersonal style and how it affects others, and challenge yourself to practice more versatility in your social interactions. Soon others will experience you as highly perceptive and effective in your role. As a general rule of thumb, be patient and observe social patterns before jumping to conclusions, avoid gossip, and express gratitude and appreciation for others whenever possible.
Respect other people’s seniority regardless of how effective you deem them to be in their role. You can always ‘be right’ silently in your own head (but beware of resting bitch face!) Take care to demonstrate flexibility and supportiveness and pay attention to how problems are resolved among others.

Maintain a safe distance between your work identity and YOU. You are a multi-faceted person who exists with needs outside of your career. Take a break, catch your breath. The learning curve of new jobs can be draining, so self-care is crucial to your long term functioning.

Taking care of yourself is easier if you adopt a consistent pattern of paying attention to your needs, even if it’s with small gestures. Doing so will have a cumulative effect which will allow you to get back in the game with endurance and motivation. As time passes, you will develop increased resiliency, perseverance, emotional self control, and things will seem more manageable.

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Remember this job is a finite experience, it’s not forever. These days it is very respectable to stay in any given position for a year or more before moving on to garner other experiences.

Track and summarize what you are learning and how you are growing as a person, not just for the sake of your career. No one is going to do this for you. Check in and swap stories with people outside your place of employment. Commiserating with others is a good reminder you are not isolated nor the only one going through mine fields. Only the strong survive!!!

Muhammad-Ali-Quotes-I-am-the-Greatest-Even-Before-I-Knew

#Squadgoals for grownups: how to build your social crew with confidence

On May 25, 2016May 30, 2017 By drchristinavillarrealIn coaching, Communication Skill Building, empowerment, Friendship, growth, Overachievers, relationships, san francisco, social groups, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Bay Area is home to a large number of people who relocate here for improved work or educational opportunities. After settling in, most find themselves wanting to establish new local friendships, set up a social community, and increase their sense of group inclusiveness. Many could benefit from developing their social crew with confidence, a.k.a. #squadgoals for grownups. For some, building new friendships in an area brimming with overachievers in tech can feel intimidating, and lead to a sense of social isolation and loneliness. Others who feel more comfortable in high achieving social contexts may find networking for professional purposes easier, but feel uncertain about how to read social cues outside of structured work settings.

One of the first things people can do is aim to understand the role they typically take on in group settings. Most people can look back to childhood and notice re-occurring patterns in their social lives. What influential experiences or people shaped your beliefs about friendship growth? How did you come to understand yourself in comparison to others in a group dynamic? Taking historical inventory can help people better understand and reflect upon their unique social development. Why did some groups feel enjoyable and easy, whereas others felt uninteresting or even toxic? Here are a few examples of young millennials working through social challenges:

29 year old Jason “I’m bummed that some friends who said they’d do a 10k with me a few months ago ended up flaking- it felt pretty rude. One person basically said they’d go if another mutual friend was going, but not if it was just me. I feel like my social value in the group is lower than I thought, and now if I don’t go, it just proves I don’t have much influence.”

25 year old Sunako “I feel nervous in group settings, even when everyone in the group is a friend of mine. I get worried that I don’t have anything interesting to contribute to the conversation, and I feel like everyone is smarter and funnier than me.”

28 year old Kiaan “I haven’t found a group of friends like the ones I had in NYC- I used to have a group of friends I could just hit up for random stuff, you know, grab a drink or a bite, shoot some hoops, whatever. I can do that with work people here, but it’s just not the same, you know? I don’t really connect with people here in the same way.”

Around the same time I decided to pen this article on #squadgoals for grownups, my daughter (who’s in the 3rd grade) hosted a sleepover for ten of her friends. There’s nothing like watching a group of kids resolve social predicaments over and over as a way to examine the social nuances of group functioning. As someone who’s well liked by her peers, makes new friends easily, and has successfully welcomed newcomers into her friend group, I wanted her to weigh in on what can help people feel confident in social situations. I was hoping she’d give me a few basic points of reference to build upon how and why friendships grow stronger, and how to best enjoy social groups. (The secret is out- multi-tasking parents are not opposed to having our kids do our work for us whenever possible!) She offered the following tips in plain language, pointing out the most important tenets of developing friendships and navigating social groups. These universal concepts are timeless, and I truly believe apply to all ages and social strata. As we get older, we can overcomplicate things, take things too personally, and assign unnecessary value to social roles that undermine our confidence and ability to enjoy others.

If you’re feeling shy but would like to make new friends, it helps to remember: no one wants to play alone. Everyone likes the feeling of being included. By being part of a social group you can enjoy things differently than when you’re alone. A group is only fun if people in it are getting along well. How you can help this happen? There are different ways you can be included in a social group.
If you want to build a leadership role within a group, you have to gain other people’s trust that a suggestion you have is going to go well and be fun. Some people really like coming up with new ideas for the group, and other people like to add their opinions to a new idea. A good leader pays attention to other people’s opinions and preferences when they’re coming up with suggestions for the group.
Everyone feels good when their idea is used for a group activity, so it’s good to take turns and let other people suggest ideas. Be enthusiastic about their idea, and pay attention to how they’d it to go. They’ll probably invite you back to do stuff with them again.
Move on from an activity that isn’t working well and don’t take it personally. Focus on paying attention to what people find fun, and accept that some times an idea doesn’t go as planned. Just let it go, and do something else.
It’s ok if you don’t enjoy coming up with ideas for the group- other people will still really like including you because you make a point to enjoy their suggestions. They’ll keep including you because by participating you add to the fun of the group, and you’ll become closer friends with others that way.
Sometimes you might want to do an activity that other people in your group don’t want to do. You have to decide what’s more important to you in that moment – doing the activity you had in mind, or doing something with the group. If other people aren’t interested in joining you for this activity, you should focus on the reasons unrelated to you to that have probably influenced their decision. You should not take it personally. Just move on and stay focused on having fun, what ever you decide to do with your time.
If you decide to do something different than the group, you can always meet up with them later, you don’t have to feel like you’re not part of the group anymore. By getting together with the group another time, you get a chance to do different things, and other people can do the same. If people in a group get mad anytime someone wants to do something different for a change, it’s probably not going to feel as much fun in the long run. The best groups should still be able to have fun when people come and go at different times.
Most new friendships are established and reinforced because people enjoy doing the same types of things- even doing them alone these activities are fun, but by sharing the experience with other people, it adds to the fun. In the beginning maybe you don’t feel that close to someone new, but as you do an activity with them, you end up feeling more comfortable and closer to them. Before you know it you’re very close friends.

She makes it sound pretty simple, right? 🙂