00:00:00: Introduction
00:00:33: What is supposed by “information”
00:04:09: Squiggly expertise and helpful instruments …
00:04:41: … 1: know your strengths – three-word comparability
00:11:07: … 2: you and your values – create a drive scale
00:17:31: … 3: confidence – do successful streak
00:22:15: … 4: networking – sturdy vs weak ties
00:27:22: … 5: potentialities – have a way of course
00:32:35: … 6: studying – speaking vs listening ratio
00:36:01: Remaining ideas

Helen Tupper: Hello, I am Helen. 

Sarah Ellis: And I am Sarah. 

Helen Tupper: And also you’re listening to the Squiggly Careers podcast, a weekly present the place we dive into the ins, outs, ups and downs of labor and share some insights, some concepts for motion and a few instruments that will help you take a bit extra management of your profession improvement. 

Sarah Ellis: And immediately we’re speaking about information factors that can assist your profession improvement. 

Helen Tupper: That sounds very formal, Sarah! 

Sarah Ellis: It does, would not it?  But in addition we will not provide you with a shorter title, so that is what we’re going with everyone.  It’s totally “does what it says on the tin”, I might recommend.  It’s value simply fascinated with after we say information, what can we imply?  I believe information is one thing that you would be able to monitor over time to extend your self-awareness, and that prompts actions for you.  So, nearly if you cannot monitor it, it would nonetheless be helpful but it surely’s in all probability not information.  So, I used to be actually making an attempt to consider this.  Once we have been arising with concepts, I used to be like, okay, may you see the place am I immediately, after which may you come again to it in a month’s time and be like, “Proper, nicely how has that modified?”  So, typically that can be numbers, like the apparent information that in all probability all of us take into consideration, but it surely may be someone writing one thing to you, like providing you with suggestions, it may be your personal emotions or reflections.  A few of this can be about your personal information, a few of this can be about gathering information from different individuals too.  And I believe we wish numerous totally different information factors, as a result of I believe once you put all this collectively as nicely, it paints a little bit of an image of the place you might be in your Squiggly Profession in the meanwhile. 

Helen Tupper: And I believe truly, on this planet that we work in now, I believe we have got extra information factors than ever which can be accessible to individuals, like what number of emails that you simply get versus what number of emails you ship, what number of minutes a day you spend in conferences, what number of hours you sleep.  There’s truly numerous data-capturing instruments, and I believe we’re making an attempt to go a bit past the tech and the instruments and assume a bit extra about what are you able to observe; what’s the information that typically we miss; and what instruments have we received that will help you to see and floor some insights that you simply may not pay attention to?  I believe that is the place we have tried to get to you with a number of the concepts for motion that we will share immediately. 

By way of, why hassle, why hassle to gather extra information, I am already surrounded by it, within the context of knowledge on your improvement and a Squiggly Profession, this actually, actually helps you.  In a world filled with change, the place typically you may not really feel that you’ve management of your profession improvement, as a result of it could really feel a bit ambiguous and unsure, the extra information that you would be able to acquire that’s particular and distinctive to you, the extra perception you get and the extra that that provides you readability on the way you’re working and is that the way in which you need it to work, and that readability then can provide you again that management.  So, I believe typically in a Squiggly Profession, we’re form of managing this pressure between change and uncertainty, and the will to have readability and management.  And the extra information that we will acquire to assist our improvement, the extra I believe we win that battle slightly bit. 

Sarah Ellis: I additionally assume I am fairly anti overcollection of knowledge.  I do not want my cellphone to inform me how lengthy I am on my cellphone and I do not wish to monitor my sleep, or any of these issues.  However a number of the areas of profession improvement I believe naturally can find yourself feeling a bit summary.  So, once you’re like, “Nicely, how self-aware are you?”  It is like, “Fairly; very; very self-aware”.  And I believe a few of these areas may really feel obscure, or perhaps even really feel a bit fluffy.  And so, truly placing some information round them I believe helps it to really feel extra actual and tangible, and one thing that we will do one thing with.  After I was going by means of this, I used to be like, “Oh, that is actually fascinating.  I can do one thing with that information.  It could possibly immediate me to do extra of the identical if I get actually good information that I like what I see”.  Or there’s some information that positively I received as a part of getting ready for this the place I assumed, though I maybe half knew this about myself, typically seeing one thing within the chilly mild of day with information actually makes you cease and assume, “Oh, however that is not how I wish to present up, or that is not what I wish to do”, and perhaps that is simply the nudge that you simply want.  So, I additionally surprise if it may very well be the nudges that you simply want. 

Helen Tupper: So, the way in which that now we have performed that is now we have taken the 5 squiggly expertise.  And if you do not know what they’re, the place have you ever been?  Don’t be concerned, we’ll undergo them.  We’ll undergo the 5 squiggly expertise.  After which we have additionally added one additional, as a result of we predict that the sixth talent we will speak about studying is a little bit of an enabler for every little thing.  And it is so essential that it isn’t one thing that we will ignore after we’re gathering information for our improvement.  So, we’ll undergo every a type of six areas and for every one, we’ll share a particular software that can enable you to gather information on your improvement on that individual talent. 

We’ll begin with the squiggly talent of figuring out your strengths.  And the software that we advise that you simply use right here to gather some information in your improvement will enable you to know the distinction or not, it relies upon what your information says, between your intent, so what strengths you need individuals to see and affiliate with you, and your influence, so the precise strengths individuals see and affiliate with you.  And the way in which that you simply work this out, the way in which you acquire information, to begin with, you could write down for your self what three phrases do you wish to be identified for.  After which, you wish to go and ask a few individuals, so we might recommend at the very least two or three individuals right here so you have received a bit extra information for improvement, actually the extra the higher, however at the very least two or three; the query that you’ll ask individuals is, “What three phrases would you utilize to explain me at my finest?”  And what you are doing with this information is evaluating your three phrases with the three phrases that you simply get from different individuals. 

In the event you’ve received an overlap, so similarity between your three phrases and what they are saying about you, then that is actually good.  Which means you are displaying up as you wish to at work.  And should you’ve received a little bit of a niche, so your three phrases are very totally different to the three strengths individuals affiliate you with, then that may be a little bit of a niche that you simply may wish to shut when it comes to how your strengths present up at work.  So, Sarah has performed this, she’s put this information to the take a look at very, very not too long ago in order that she will be able to see whether or not she’s received that type of hole or overlap.  What did you discover out, Sarah? 

Sarah Ellis: So, the three phrases that I wrote down, so my intent, what I wish to be identified for, have been optimistic, concepts and decided, in order that they have been my three phrases.  And I requested 4 individuals and that is what they advised me, and this took two seconds.  It was a extremely fast bit of knowledge to assemble and everyone else appeared to have the ability to do it inside, like, half a day.  Folks very, in a short time despatched this to me, so very easy factor to do to get began. 

Helen Tupper: You did not ask me. 

Sarah Ellis: Sure, I did, I requested everyone within the staff, you simply did not reply to the staff’s message, Helen!  I imply, do you actually wish to go down that path?

Helen Tupper: I am so sorry.  I believe you are nice.

Sarah Ellis: Thanks!  “You did not ask me”, oh my God, yeah, proper, positive!  That provides you an perception into the world of Superb If, would not it?!

Helen Tupper: That you simply did not want! 

Sarah Ellis: Okay, so do you wish to know what everybody else within the staff advised me however you simply did not do the motion? 

Sarah Ellis: Yeah, completely. 

Sarah Ellis: Okay, so first individual mentioned, “Motivated, pragmatic, insightful”; second individual, “Perceptive, inspiring, clever”, I used to be like, “Oh, clever!”  Third individual, “Visionary, chief, creator”; and the fourth individual mentioned, “Curious, inventive, concepts”.  And so, what stood out for me there was, “Concepts”.  I really feel like individuals do not at all times say the very same phrase that you simply use, however I believe when it is roughly in the proper space, you be ok with overlap, which I believe you wish to be constant, you need your intent to match your influence.  So, I used to be like, just about everyone sees that concept, see that type of creativity.  No one actually mentioned optimistic. 

Helen Tupper: That is what I used to be pondering. 

Sarah Ellis: However then I used to be additionally pondering, that is maybe not that a lot of a shock, since you’re very optimistic, and so I typically really feel like I haven’t got to be as optimistic at work as I’m perhaps a number of the remainder of the time.  And so I used to be like, “Oh, that is fascinating”.  And really, one individual on our staff used the phrase “pragmatic”.  I related to that phrase.  I might describe myself as pragmatic.  And the purpose about strengths is that you simply select them, you select what you wish to be identified for.  Do I believe somebody was being sort after they mentioned, “Visionary”?  Sure.  Do I believe I’m going, “I do not essentially wish to be identified for being visionary”?  However truly, pragmatism, that appears like me, that feels proper for me. 

Helen Tupper: I used to be simply pondering I can see Sarah’s phrases in entrance of me, so it is truly fairly helpful, should you’re utilizing this bit of knowledge in dialog with individuals, I truly assume it is helpful to have it in entrance of you.  Typically you possibly can see the connections that you simply may not at all times have the ability to hear when individuals have shared them.  However I type of assume the phrases “inspiring” and “visionary” hook up with the optimism. 

Sarah Ellis: Perhaps, yeah.

Helen Tupper: I type of assume the truth that you encourage individuals is since you’re optimistic about alternative.  The actual fact that you’ve got a imaginative and prescient is you are optimistic about what is the potential.  So, I see that in there, however I additionally get your level that truly, perhaps that connection is not fairly so clear in what individuals see on a day-to-day foundation, which is fascinating, is not it?  Since you may assume, if that is what you wish to be identified for, perhaps I am drowning out your optimism with my enthusiasm.  Perhaps that is suggestions. 

Sarah Ellis: Or, perhaps I am not fairly as optimistic as I prefer to assume that I’m. 

Helen Tupper: Additionally insightful. 

Sarah Ellis: Which I believe additionally may be true.  And a few individuals mentioned, “Insightful and perceptive”, and I assumed, “Oh, yeah, I can see how that reveals up within the work that I do.  And that is one thing that I used to be like, “Oh, I be ok with that”.  I imply, the opposite factor about gathering this information, that is like feel-good information, proper?  So, I received this information at the beginning of immediately and I used to be like, “I really feel unbelievable”!

Helen Tupper: Hello, clever, visionary, curious, inventive individual, how are you immediately?! 

Sarah Ellis: I am like, “Good!  Aside from the very fact my co-founder did not do the train, I am actually good”! 

Helen Tupper: She was busy constructing our enterprise. 

Sarah Ellis: I do know you have been, I do know you have been busy.  Are you aware what?  It did not even cross my thoughts that you’d do it, as a result of I clearly knew what you have been doing.  So, it is a actually good place to begin.  And what I might say is should you can ask just a few totally different individuals, you get these totally different views.  So, sure, ask individuals who work actually intently with you, however perhaps ask individuals who’ve labored with you beforehand, like earlier managers, or perhaps simply individuals in numerous groups which can be barely additional away from seeing you day after day as a result of additionally, it is at all times fascinating to see, does your intent and your influence change throughout totally different teams of individuals, or relying on how related they’re to you? 

Really, after I take a look at my LinkedIn suggestions, which I believe intent and influence, that is a really public manner of doing that, I at all times see “concepts”.  So, of every little thing, that is the one I at all times really feel most assured about as a result of I like it, individuals see it, all good.  So I am at all times like, nicely, that is the one which my power stands out and reveals up.  After which, there may be work to do, selections to make round a number of the others. 

Helen Tupper: Okay so Squiggly talent quantity two is all about you and your values, so how can we acquire some information on this?  Nicely, we’re going to borrow some brilliance from Dan Pink, who wrote a guide all about drive and has received an awesome podcast all about drive and motivation.  And he talks about three elements that contribute to how motivated you might be at work, how pushed you might be.  And we speak about values because the issues that drive and encourage you.  So, you possibly can see this connection between what he talks about when it comes to drive and motivation and our definition of values.  So, the three issues that he talks about, when it comes to how pushed are you and the way motivated are you, are your objective, so do you are feeling related, personally related to the work that you simply do, that objective aspect; mastery, so do you are feeling that you’ve the abilities to do the job that you simply’re doing; and autonomy, do you are feeling that you’ve the house to personal your function and succeed independently in what you are doing?  So, these three parts, objective, mastery, and autonomy contribute to how motivated you might be at work. 

The way you flip this into information, which is our construct on this work, is you create a drive scale.  So, for every of those parts, objective, mastery, and autonomy you wish to replicate on, on a scale of 0 to five, what sort of rating would you give it immediately?  So, as an example “objective”, for instance.  If I used to be to scale, so I am CEO of Superb If, so if I used to be to offer myself a scale, 0 to five, on objective, I would truly give myself a strong 5 out of 5.  I imply, you’d hope, provided that Sarah and I based this enterprise about making Squiggly Careers higher for everybody, you’d hope that we have been related to objective.  So, for me, when it comes to my values and taking objective as a part of that, then I am 5 out of 5 on that individual one. 

Mastery, which is fascinating, so 0 to five on that one, I might go decrease.  So, have I received the abilities I want to reach my function?  So, formally, I am CEO of Superb If.  I do not assume I spend a number of time doing what I might outline because the function of a CEO, in all probability as a result of we’re in a small firm and truly the character of mine and Sarah’s roles is we’re writing, recording podcasts, we’re designing coaching, we’re delivering coaching, we’re working with organisations on how they construction for Squiggly; there’s quite a bit to do in our job.  So, the share of time I truly spend being a very good CEO is kind of small.  So, I would truly in all probability give myself type of small on the mastery scale.  And autonomy, which is have I received the house and freedom to do my function, I would in all probability rating that fairly excessive.  I would give that perhaps — 

Sarah Ellis: Would you? 

Helen Tupper: Yeah, nicely, I might truly.  Yeah, I might.  I would in all probability give it a 4 out of 5.  The one cause it isn’t a 5 is as a result of typically there are days that I want to redesign in order that they labored for me, and I do not really feel like I can due to the quantity of issues that Sarah and I are dedicated to do.  We’re dedicated to a weekly podcast, everybody, we’re dedicated to writing books —

Sarah Ellis: I imply, whose concept was that?

Helen Tupper: — we’re dedicated to sure issues and truly, our diaries are dedicated fairly a good distance upfront due to the work that we do with corporations.  So, typically that does not give me the liberty to design my day in the way in which that I would prefer it to, however in the end I might nonetheless wish to do precisely what I am doing, I might nonetheless need the combination.  All the things I am doing, I might nonetheless select.  And so, what that lets you do is go, “Nicely, how am I feeling proper now?  By way of my motivation, my drive to do what I do, what does that appear to be; the place have I received some gaps?”  So, for instance, I would say, “Okay, nicely if I wish to be a greater CEO, if that is going to assist me be extra pushed and motivated, how do I’m going from a 3 to a 4, or a 4 to a 5?”  Any time you utilize a scale on your improvement, it actually helps you in speaking about enchancment.  Like, what would it not take for me to go from that quantity to that quantity?  And in addition, should you use 5 out of 5 on every one, then your complete rating is 15 throughout objective, mastery and autonomy.  You find yourself with like a complete rating, which is kind of helpful to take a look at that complete motivation rating as nicely.  So, fairly a pleasant, easy manner of reflecting in your type of driver motivation at work. 

Sarah Ellis: I additionally assume this might be a superb factor to incorporate as a part of a profession dialog.  So, that profession dialog may very well be with a mentor or with a supervisor.  However you have simply heard Helen describe very excessive scores, so I believe it is value saying that for many individuals, their scores wouldn’t be as excessive as that and that may positively be true for Helen and I. 

Helen Tupper: I haven’t got a supervisor, so I get to handle myself broadly.  I imply, Sarah is form of my co-manager.  However yeah I believe if I used to be feeling managed by, there’s positively been jobs that I’ve performed the place that autonomy, I may need felt related to the aim and I may need felt like I used to be fairly good at what I used to be doing, however autonomy, like do it in the way in which that works for me, can be a lot decrease. 

Sarah Ellis: So, I believe firstly, don’t be concerned should you really feel like your scores are usually not as excessive.  However I believe this might be a extremely good factor, you realize should you’re struggling to explain to someone why you are feeling such as you’ve perhaps misplaced your mojo, or you do not really feel such as you’ve received the which means, otherwise you’re not getting the fulfilment that you simply’re searching for out of your job or out of your function, that may be fairly a tough factor to explain, after which you may get a bit waffly otherwise you speak about it in a manner the place it is exhausting for somebody that will help you.  I believe truly by speaking about these three areas, if someone mentioned to me objective, mastery, autonomy and Helen, as an example, mentioned, “Oh, I am a 3 for mastery, particularly round being a CEO”, then you possibly can go, “Proper, what would it not take to get from a 3 to a 4?”  And you then get into actions, nearly collectively in that dialog.  You can begin to go, “Nicely, have you considered, have you ever thought-about this?  Which of those actions really feel like one thing you could possibly prioritise?”  So, that information then results in a call to do one thing, and I believe that is what you are making an attempt to get to. 

Now, you may not want another person, you could possibly do that your self and that is sufficient.  However typically, I believe this space, in case your scores are usually not as excessive, it is typically fairly good to have another person who can provide you that perspective and perhaps zoom out slightly bit from the state of affairs that you simply’re in. 

Helen Tupper: It is like a profession information analyst.  It is fairly good, is not it? 

Sarah Ellis: Oh, yeah, perhaps we must always discover — I am positive I might know some actually good information analysts.  And perhaps, should you’re an information analyst and also you’re listening to this podcast, get in contact with us and inform us how we will make this extra information analytic.  I assume that is in all probability the phrase they use, proper? 

Helen Tupper: Yeah, I believe that is precisely what these individuals would say, yeah!  I am positive they’re additionally like, “These scales that you simply’re saying, 0 to five, no!  There’s higher methods you could possibly do that”.  Okay, we’ll simply transfer on from that, however do get in contact. 

Sarah Ellis: And Squiggly talent quantity three is confidence, so believing in your self and different individuals believing in you too.  And this one can really feel significantly tough I believe typically to get some information for.  We talked very not too long ago about this concept of gremlins, these beliefs that maintain you again, and when these gremlins take cost, that does not actually really feel like information, that simply feels prefer it’s very tough.  Usually, you are in a knotty second that you simply wish to get out of and also you’re undecided what to do in another way.  That is after we would recommend having a go at doing a really small success streak.  So, you may need heard us speak about this earlier than, however that is the concept of on the finish of every single day, you write down three very small successes from your whole day, I believe actually essential that you simply do your whole day.  And every of these very small successes simply nudges these gremlins again in the direction of their cage, again to the place they belong.  And if you are able to do successful streak of, say, 14 days and you probably did 3 very small successes every single day, you get to 42 very small successes in two weeks.

In the event you mentioned to me, “Have you ever had 42 successes during the last 2 weeks?” I would be like, “Completely not”.  However you nearly collect it, such as you collect the momentum, and I believe you get a form of snowball impact round these successes.  And the rationale I truly like doing three, that is at all times truly what I like to recommend in workshops now somewhat than simply doing one a day, is I believe should you do three, it is a forcing operate to go small, and I believe that is a extremely good factor.  And so that you do assume, “Oh, have you learnt what?  I responded to that tough e-mail that is been lurking in my inbox; that is one.  I did get out for a stroll at lunchtime; that is one.  I’ve spent a while studying with my 7-year-old”, I imply I’m going to do this after this, I am simply pre-empting that very small success on the finish of at the present time.  And sometimes this feels actually exhausting on days one and days two, after which I believe it simply will get simpler and simpler, and also you typically get to the purpose the place you are like, “Oh, which of them do I decide?”

However you possibly can’t think about that once you first begin, as a result of even after I discuss to individuals about this train, they will be like, “I have never received one”.  And you’ll actually see individuals frowning, making an attempt to think about one thing.  However then as soon as they get going, you are like truly, it is simply that our brains are likely to skip previous them.  We in a short time transfer on from small successes, so we aren’t used to noticing them.  It is not that they don’t seem to be there, it is simply that we’re not excellent at seeing them. 

Helen Tupper: I additionally assume once you’ve received 42 small successes, you possibly can look throughout them and you actually get a way of what issues most to you.  As a result of these items that you simply acquire, you will begin to see some patterns since you’ll be like, “Is not it fascinating that half of my successes are all about effectivity [or] half of my successes are all about serving to different individuals”, and that goes proper again to your values about, what are the issues essentially that matter most to me at work and the way do I get extra of that.  So, it’s a good train on your confidence, it is a good one, and I believe significantly this one is nice once you’re in a knotty second, as a result of once you’re in a knotty second, that is when your gremlins develop, all these doubts creep in.  So, it is a actually good one to have in your again pocket for a little bit of self-belief. 

However the zoomed out view on that is, what does good work truly appear to be for me?  And should you simply seize your small successes, that stuff will begin to floor throughout these 42 ones.  So, I at all times take a look at that.  After I do my success streaks now, I am fairly retro with it.  I’ve tried tech and I do not do this anymore.  So, I simply get a bit of paper, A4 piece of paper and I divide it up.  I do 14 days down the left-hand facet after which I do three packing containers for every day, so principally a really massive grid, 42 packing containers on that.  After which, I can see all my successes on one piece of A4 and it is a actually good technique to do what I’ve simply mentioned.  So, you possibly can see your streak, you wish to fill in all of the packing containers so you do not miss a day, that retains that intention going.  However on the finish of it, you have received a web page filled with your successes, which is basically helpful to take a look at and replicate.  So, that is how I do it.  I am positive you could possibly use an Excel spreadsheet and do some semantic evaluation, or no matter, however I’m going retro with it. 

Sarah Ellis: The opposite factor, and we’re not likely speaking about this as a lot immediately, is I do surprise what number of of those workout routines you could possibly do as a staff.  We have gone, “Do these as a person”, however truly every little thing we have talked about up to now, however significantly this one, you could possibly simply all do that as a staff and all put them in the identical place so that you get to see everyone else’s alongside the way in which as nicely —

Helen Tupper: Oh, that may be so good.

Sarah Ellis: — which might be so good.  I used to be simply pondering as you have been describing that, I used to be like, “Oh, perhaps we’ll experiment with that with our staff”, as a result of I might like to see everyone’s very small successes, like three a day for a few weeks, and simply see what was there, see what all of us seen. 

Helen Tupper: So, the fourth squiggly talent is all about networking.  That is about ensuring you are constructing a group round your profession based mostly on the precept of individuals serving to individuals.  So, after we’re speaking to individuals about constructing these communities, we predict this concept that you simply simply know individuals, individuals figuring out individuals, which is type of conventional networking, is not actually that helpful, as a result of simply figuring out lots of people would not actually imply that it is significantly helpful on your improvement.  However once you’ve received this people-helping-people precept, then truly that is way more energetic, as a result of if I am serving to you otherwise you’re serving to me, that is an energetic relationship, and it is way more efficient as a result of truly individuals like serving to individuals, and it additionally creates reciprocity in a relationship.  So, if I assist Sarah, for instance, sooner or later she’s more likely to assist me.  So, that is the precept we speak about with networking. 

By way of the information, we predict that it’s actually helpful to replicate on the variety of conversations you might be having, so you could possibly do that throughout per week or a month, no matter feels best for you, together with your sturdy versus your weak ties.  And I will simply type of pause and speak about what’s a powerful and a weak tie.  We have additionally performed a podcast episode on this, so we’ll hyperlink it within the PodNote and the PodSheet for you, that are the summaries that you would be able to obtain from our web site, as a result of it may be helpful if you wish to dive into this a bit deeper.  However a powerful tie is successfully someone who may be very near your profession.  So, this may very well be since you work with them on a day-to-day foundation, this may very well be since you’ve identified them for a really very long time, this may very well be as a result of they’re very near the context that you simply work in.  They’re very near your profession.  Robust ties are good for assist, so that you positively wish to spend time with sturdy ties. 

So, for instance, Sarah is clearly my strongest tie as a result of I’ve identified her for 20 years, I’ve labored together with her for 10, and we message one another 1,000,000 instances a day. 

Sarah Ellis: I win!

Helen Tupper: Sarah wins the award of my strongest tie. 

Sarah Ellis: The strongest-tie award! 

Helen Tupper: So, she will get me, she is aware of what I do, she’s there to assist me, she is my strongest tie, which is good for my profession.  However truly the analysis reveals that an terrible lot of our alternatives come from weak ties.  So, these are individuals which can be additional away from what you do on a day-to-day.  So, these may very well be, there’s some type of connection, so it isn’t a random tie.  It is not, “Oh, I simply met somebody on the road and had a chat”, it isn’t that.  There’s some type of connection.  So, perhaps you might be in the identical alumni community since you’ve performed the identical programme, for instance, or perhaps you have been a part of the identical college, or perhaps you have each labored in the identical firm in some unspecified time in the future in time.  You may not have labored with one another however there’s some type of connection, there’s an affiliation between us that creates, “I get you, you get me, we simply do not work collectively very intently”.  And the analysis reveals that after we spend time with weak ties, we faucet into curiosity, in order that they know individuals and issues that we do not know, and also you additionally unlock alternative, as a result of they could open doorways for our improvement that we will not see or open for ourselves. 

So, you actually wish to look throughout your week and assume, “Of all of the conversations that I had this week, what share have been with my sturdy ties versus my weak ties?”  Now, it’s extremely probably that sturdy ties can be your majority as a result of they’re very straightforward, very straightforward to speak to these individuals.  They typically really feel comfy, they’re simpler to get to.  But when week after week, 100% of your conversations are together with your sturdy ties, the chance on your profession is that you simply’re working in a little bit of a bubble.  You are speaking to individuals who know what you realize and who see what you see, and your profession alternatives can be weakened on account of that.  So, if we spend time with individuals who function outdoors of that context, you are extra prone to unlock different alternatives for improvement. 

Sarah Ellis: So, I at all times discover the phrase, “Weak ties” a bit problematic, as a result of it nearly implies they don’t seem to be as helpful.  However I take into consideration this because the distinction between staying in your lane and straying out of your lane.  So, I’m somebody who may positively, as an introvert, find yourself staying in my lane, spend time with individuals I actually like, and also you get caught in that echo chamber lure that you simply described.  And so, nearly a query I typically ask myself is like, “Who am I straying from my lane with; who may assist me to get a window into a distinct form of world?”  And that finally ends up being a extremely good filter for me when it comes to the conversations that I am having, as a result of then if I am like, “Oh, I am solely having conversations with individuals perhaps a bit like me, who’ve received experiences like me, or who I might come into contact with anyway, who I simply know very well”, after which I at all times really feel like I am limiting my studying. 

So, after I do spot and see these alternatives to spend time with people who find themselves simply additional away from what we do, if something, I am extra .  In my head I am like, “Oh, they’re the intriguing individuals”, as a result of I am like, “What do they do, and the way does that work?” after which I might make additional effort, as a result of I believe these individuals are more durable to seek out.  And I believe to our level round percentages, that share will at all times be decrease, in fact it’s going to, but when that share is zero, then I believe that is when it turns into a problem on your profession. 

So, squiggly talent quantity 5 is potentialities.  So, that is about being actually curious and exploring the place your profession can take you.  So, in some methods this one feels fairly exhausting to seek out information for, this has taken Helen and I a little bit of pondering by means of, and to get began right here, you must have a way of course.  So, as we have talked earlier than, we positively wish to let go of locations and plans and being fastened to a future, however we do wish to have a really feel for, “What course do I wish to take my profession in for now?”  In fact, we give ourselves permission to alter course alongside the way in which.  And there are just a few ways in which you are able to do this that you simply want as your place to begin earlier than you may get to some information.  And Helen and I might do that actually in another way. 

I might write a work-in-progress Squiggly Profession success assertion, and that is what I do.  And it is humorous, I believe Helen and I do that bit in workshops fairly in another way, as a result of I am like, “Oh, I like this one”, and Helen’s like, “I like one thing a bit totally different”.  And so, the rationale I name it a work-in-progress success assertion is it is not more than form of 5 traces, and it simply describes, “Success in my Squiggly Profession is …”.  How would you finish that sentence?  Simply write down, you possibly can write down bullet factors, you possibly can write down sentences, it would not have to be excellent but it surely does provide you with a way of readability for what does being profitable appear to be, what is the course I wish to head in.  A few of these issues may be true immediately, a few of these issues may be lacking, however you have received one thing to match and distinction to.  So, Helen what would you do? 

Helen Tupper: I am undecided I’ve ever seen you do considered one of these, however I might do some type of a imaginative and prescient board.  I really feel like I would want a distinct phrase as a result of individuals make that sound, “No!” after they’re utilizing a imaginative and prescient board, and truly I discover that they are so helpful.  So, I’ve performed a imaginative and prescient board for this yr, for instance. 

Sarah Ellis: So long as it really works for you.

Helen Tupper: It does work for me and it is labored a number of instances for me.  So, the way in which I exploit a imaginative and prescient board to offer me a course for my improvement is I acquire a load of photos, once more, I really feel like I am actually retro in speaking about this immediately, I rip out photos from magazines.  Sure, I do know there’s Pinterest, however I exploit photos of magazines.  However as a result of I acquire them over like — I will determine I wish to do a imaginative and prescient board, so I did one in January, for instance, and I will spend a month or so earlier than that simply ripping photos out, and I do this very intuitively.  It may be colors, phrases, simply photos that attraction to me.  After which I decide a day and I set a time and I put all these photos collectively in a roundabout way, after which I form of sit again and go, “What is that this saying to me about what I need for my work?”  And really, mine typically goes a bit broader when it comes to, “And the way does my work feed my life?”  So, these two issues, I take a look at it collectively.  

I’ve performed one for this yr and I put the phrase “high quality” on the coronary heart of it and I put all these items round it.  And a number of the phrases for you and me have been like “forces for change”, for instance, was considered one of our phrases; the phrase “experiment” was in there.  And it is given me an actual sense of course for my improvement that over the following 12 months, that is what I need my work and life to really feel like, and I believe I emotionally join extra each to that course of, as a result of perhaps a bit extra concerned, I believe it does probably take slightly bit extra time; and in addition, that visible end result.  I’ve it on my cellphone, it is my screensaver on my laptop computer, I put it in my diary.  I take a look at that very repeatedly as a reminder. 

Sarah Ellis: What is basically fascinating about that’s, I like visuals and spend much more time drawing than you do, and you like phrases, as in you do much more writing in workshops, I draw much more in a workshop, and but we appear to form of reverse with regards to doing this concept of like, “The place’s our profession taking us?”  However I believe any model, no matter works for you, however that I believe in all probability will get it out of your head.  I believe that is in all probability what’s an important factor right here, is that you have not received ideas fizzing round, you are making an attempt to offer them slightly little bit of a framework, a little bit of a construction, in order that then you possibly can take a look at them, and what you are then doing is searching for information factors to assist that course. 

So, I believe that is in all probability one thing that you could possibly do as soon as a month.  On the finish of each month, I would be placing a reminder on my calendar, in any other case I would by no means bear in mind, and I reckon it is quarter-hour.  And also you’re simply wanting again over that month and also you ask your self, “What information factors do I’ve to assist the very fact I am getting into the proper course in my profession?

Helen Tupper: And I’ve in all probability gone even additional with mine.  So, I took my visible, in fact I did!  I’ve gone actually far, everybody.  So, I took my visible, I then turned it right into a month-to-month, like, “What does that month appear to be?”  So, now I’ve received a desk.  So, I’ve gone from a visible to a desk of what issues in that month would occur.  After which, I’ve received an accountability WhatsApp group the place each week, there’s three of us on this WhatsApp group, it isn’t huge, however three very dedicated individuals, each week on a Saturday morning, we WhatsApp one another about our progress.  And it is the nicest factor.  So, for instance, one of many issues on my imaginative and prescient board was about saving cash, I actually have the phrase “save” on mine.  And each week I am like, “The standard of my monetary metric continues to be lacking slightly bit”. 

However have you learnt what?  It holds me to account, it is a group that celebrates my motion in the direction of what’s form of most essential to me.  So, I’ve in all probability come again that little bit/quite a bit additional with making this one thing very data-driven to have these weekly information factors, however that is how that’s working very well for me.

Sarah Ellis: After which our ultimate one, which we have sneaked in as a result of we could not not point out studying, so we have been like, “Oh, we’ll do the 5 expertise”, and I used to be like, “We have to have studying in there”, as a result of I simply really feel like that is on the core of all of our Squiggly Careers.  We all know that we’re all unlearning, relearning on a regular basis.  Studying is now our job.  We’re all in these infinite studying loops, we wish to be studying and rising all the time.  And one very particular information level round that is your speaking versus listening ratio.  And the rationale that it is a actually good studying information level is, once you pay attention, you be taught.  So, once you discuss, you are sharing what you already know.  Sure, you may get some studying, I suppose, out of your readability from what you are saying out loud.  However truly, once you’re actually listening, that is once you take up new data, that is once you be taught new issues, that is once you problem your assumptions. 

We put this to the take a look at this week.  We use some AI known as Fireflies that principally, in a barely spooky manner, seems in your assembly as if it is an individual.  I imply, it isn’t.  It listens into your dialog after which actually does provide you with some information on your improvement.  I might say that is very unavoidable information.  And so, we have been doing a one-to-two dialog with someone in our staff, and I can inform you that the individual in our staff whose profession dialog it was, so that you’d count on them to be speaking probably the most, they talked for 50% of the time.  I talked for 32% of the time, and Helen talked for 18% of the time.  And Helen’s phrases per minute have been 217 and mine have been 221, so we’re nearly as unhealthy as one another on that principally. 

However I used to be like, as someone who is aware of that I want to get higher at listening, and I believe if I received higher at listening I might be taught extra, seeing the fact of that on slightly diagram the place I used to be like, “Oh, okay, that 32% I believe is increased than it needs to be.  I believe Helen’s about proper at 18%, and he or she’s higher at listening than I’m, and I see that, and I am form of watching and making an attempt to get higher”, however I do discover that basically useful as a result of I’ve received one other one-to-two dialog with another person in our staff in per week’s time.  We are able to use precisely the identical tech and I can purpose to cut back that quantity, and I’ll know whether or not I’ve lowered that quantity.  And I do not assume I’ve ever felt so motivated to pay attention as a result of I actually need that quantity to go down.  Now I’ve identified this earlier than, this isn’t new information to me, however I believe there’s something in regards to the stark unavoidable actuality of seeing, like I might set myself a goal, for instance, of that being 25%. 

Helen Tupper: You are not now competing with me are you?  It is not change into like a Sarah competitors to be a greater listener in a gathering?

Sarah Ellis: No, I imply, yeah, no matter floats your boat proper?!  However I truly simply take a look at it and simply assume, “Nicely that is too excessive”.  And really, have you learnt what, it is humorous, I did not go to, “It must be nearly as good as Helen”, in any other case you and I will not be talking in conferences, after which it may get actually bizarre.  So, I’m going, “Oh, I do not have to be the identical”.  However what I do assume is, 32% is simply too excessive in another person’s profession dialog.  I believe that ought to in all probability be 25% at most when it comes to the airtime I am taking on, as a result of how can I find out about that different individual and what’s essential to them if I am talking, as a result of I do not know what’s essential to them.  And so, my ambition for our subsequent one-to-two, which I believe is subsequent week, goes to be 25%. 

Helen Tupper: So, we hope that has given you perhaps a distinct mind-set about your profession improvement, and hopefully made information not appear so scary.  I typically assume information can really feel like, I do not know, we’re speaking about improvement and profession improvement is like this good factor and information feels actually exhausting.  However truly, I believe once you put the 2 issues collectively, you make it way more helpful and it turns into truly way more constructive in conversations when you need to use information as a part of them.  We are going to summarize all these totally different instruments that we have talked about to get extra information in your improvement within the PodSheet.  The PodSheet we hyperlink to on the present notes in Apple, however should you pay attention on totally different platforms, don’t be concerned, simply go to amazingif.com, go to the podcast web page on our toolbar, after which you’ll get the PodSheet there.  Additionally, little secret for you, we’re heading in the direction of episode 400 of the Squiggly Careers podcast. 

Sarah Ellis: I imply, completely meaningless.

Helen Tupper: Nicely, but it surely’s loads of podcasts, everybody.  However the cause that I am saying that’s, we’ll do one other PodBook.  So, after we get to episode 400 —

Sarah Ellis: Oh, yeah, that’s truly significant, there we go.

Helen Tupper: — yeah, that is thrilling. 

Sarah Ellis: Perhaps I am not that optimistic.  I do not know what I used to be pondering, saying I am optimistic. 

Helen Tupper: What have been you pondering?  Miss pragmatic!  No, however anyway, the PodBook, everybody, is a group.  The final 100 episodes every have a PodSheet and we’ll pull that each one collectively into one principally tremendous, free guide of actionable assist on your Squiggly Profession.  Just be sure you’re signed up for PodMail as a result of that would be the first folks that get entry to that.  Hyperlinks to all that stuff is on our web site as nicely.

Sarah Ellis: So, that is every little thing for this week.  We might be actually fascinated to know should you discovered this handy speaking about information on your improvement.  We each discovered it actually fascinating and we really feel like that is perhaps the beginning of one thing.  Perhaps we may take into consideration staff instruments and information for groups for his or her improvement.  Perhaps we may visualize a few of this.  So, we may take a few of this a bit additional, however we thought we might begin it out, experiment, see what you assume.  And so if this has been significantly useful, you possibly can e-mail us, we’re helenandsarah@squiggycareers.com or simply join with us on LinkedIn and simply ship us a message as a result of we at all times actually respect figuring out how we’re doing, what gaps we have got, what you would like extra from us on and what you’d additionally like much less. 

However that is every little thing for this week, thanks a lot for listening and we’ll be again with you once more quickly.  Bye for now. 

Helen Tupper: Bye everybody.