Amelia is a born marketer, with high scores in persuasive, literary, and artistic interests. She has a degree in philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis, and is a native Houstonian with a deep love of Texas culture. In her spare time, Amelia enjoys creative projects, including cooking, baking, event planning, art, and interior design. She's passionate about business, mid-century modern architectural preservation, and her pit bull, Bela.
Hiring and onboarding new employees is always a critical phase for managers as they develop their teams. A bad fit can cause frustration for everyone involved—the manager, the team, and the hire themselves. Quickly ensuring that your new employee aligns with company values and has an enthusiasm to learn the role can save you significant resources and stress in the long run.
Confidence. Commitment. Passion. Integrity. All of these are characteristics of an admirable leader. But there is one trait that may overshadow them all: self-awareness. Self-aware leaders have the ability to monitor their own emotions and reactions. Leaders that are highly attuned to their behaviors (and how others perceive those behaviors) can make a positive impact in their organization by setting the tone for maturity, moderation, and civility that others will aim to replicate.
We promote self-awareness at Birkman—it's critical for everyone's personal development, not just leaders. However, self-awareness is difficult to practice, especially when under stress.
There are three elements to self-awareness:
It seems simple, but even those of us immersed in a company culture that emphasizes the importance of self-awareness can struggle. Ultimately, in those moments when you're frustrated in the workplace, it's hard to step back, take a deep breath, and assess how you can best handle a situation.
Whether it’s about your habits at home or on the job, criticism can be tough to take. It gets even tougher if the criticism is completely unexpected and coming from a coworker or boss.
Regardless of your initial emotional reaction to workplace criticism, it’s crucial to maintain your composure while keeping a key point in mind. Expected or not, criticism can lead to personal growth. The determining factor behind that growth is how you deal with the feedback. The following tips can help you deal with criticism in a positive and beneficial manner.
