Bias, Bias why are you here?

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image from BING043015

Writing can be an incredible mindfulness practice.

Jon Kabat Zinn

Earlier today,  the following Blog was Published by LinkedIn.com/Pulse, under my name as a LinkedIn Publisher.  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bias-where-you-jo-ann-m-radja. It was originally published under the title, “Bias, Bias where are you?”

I’ve modified the title for this careermanagement blog to, “Bias, Bias why are you here?” and added the above quotation from Jon Kabat Zinn.

“We move forward, pause, and keep on going. Yet, bias judgments of other people, bubble up, unexpectedly. Addressing these comments is not a simple task. Gossip is insidious. When it is spread by those who hold a position of authority, people believe it is true when it is not. Damage can occur when the gossip impedes your ability to work through your day, under stress.

Among other considerations, Mindfulness provides a stepping stone that gives you the support you need to handle the bias judgments. You will come to your own realization of how to handle the gossip. Stepping stones to handle the gossip have been handed down to us from present-day thought leaders, family members, educators and sages in past centuries.

Many people take the first step of speaking to the gossiper. Be prepared for an outburst; be calm and remember – this other person has a problem. Since you do not want to control the gossiper, take the first step to control how You Want to be Known As. You are responsible for your own actions in any conversation you have. Conventional wisdom tells us that gossipers are unhappy people who seek attention and who may be self-sabotaging themselves to gain some notice or popularity.

We all have an innate knowledge of what is right for ourselves (ethics) and how we want to be treated in situations that occur in our Careers. This understanding is the basis for my By-Line shown above, Choose Who You Want to be Known As. It can be subjective for you personally (considerate, pensive, hard-working, enjoys good humor), or objective as your actions with others are known to be (ambitious, collaborative, thoughtful, good listener, team-oriented).

It’s the last day in April, 2015 in your Career. Here’s an anagram for you to consider:

E nvy crept into the conversation

T he moment she couldn’t hide

H er feelings.

I t was unbecoming and noticed by the group.  It

C ontinued as her professionalism wained – although unwittingly,

S he set an example of what not to do as a leader.©Jo Ann M. Radja

Have a great month of May, 2015 when it begins tomorrow!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Executive & Career Management Coach

http://www.wordpress.com/disclosures

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa

3rd Day of Christmas

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It’s the 3rd Day of Christmas and I hope you enjoy one or more of the following links:  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/pictures/141220-reindeer-animals-christmas-science-cultures-herders/

https://www.google.com/search?q=state+of+illinois+christmas+images+of+lights&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zsmeVIuaJY31yATL-YCgAw&ved=0CB8QsAQ&biw=1018&bih=501&dpr=0.92

http://thefancy.bandcamp.com/

Enjoy!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent

http://www.wordpress.com/disclosures

 

2nd Day of Christmas 2014

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Chicago Children’s Choir 2014 from FoxChicago

It’s the 2nd day of Christmas and I wanted to share with you a few links you might enjoy.  Greetings from the Midwest!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/augustturak/2014/12/24/a-christmas-parable-on-leadership/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/trulia/2014/12/17/13-holiday-party-hacks

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent

http://www.wordpress.com/disclosures

REACHING and HOLIDAY GRAB BAGS…

thPJJN3LD1WPimage fromBING121514I hope you enjoy a Blog I wrote today.  The Social Media platform of LinkedIn published it early this afternoon at:  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/grab-bag-reach-%22jo-ann%22-m.-radja.  Here it is for you to read:

Is a Grab Bag a REACH?

We’ve all experienced being a member of a holiday grab bag at the office.  Often times we opened a package and received what we wanted; othertimes, we did not.   Personally, I like to be surprised because the grab bag is really a sharing event:

*  Price is limited –

*  Ingenuity comes into play –

*  Shopping time to research where to find the item –

*  We allow someone else into our lives to learn about us –

*  We learn a bit about the other person –

*  Our unconscious bias tugs at us if we are disappointed how our request was interpreted –

*  We may have lost sight about what the grab bag was really all about; and

*  The culture of your team or department may also strongly influence whether grab bags are even permitted at the office. 

Engagement and appreciation is what everyone strives for in an office. This time of year offers options and opportunities for creativity if your office grab bag has lost its luster or meaning.   Even if grab bags don’t happen at your place of work, there is a cultural office tradition during this holiday season Since every employee benefits by at least one day off for during this holiday season we share equally in the culture of the holiday. 

What can you do to reach out to someone to include them in your office culture tradition?  How open are you to understand why it may be important for another employee not to participate in the office tradition?   What form of engagement or appreciation are you expecting during this holiday season?

As You Choose Who You Want to be Known As during this holiday season, consider reaching out to understand – to engage – to appreciate someone else at the office and it will come back to you, when you least expect it.

Have a great career week!

‘Jo Ann’ M. Radja, Career Management Coach and Change Agent”

http://www.wordpress.com/disclosures

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/