Lindsey Pollak’s Post

Cultural markers are a fun way to define generations, but I prefer to define generations in terms of when people started working. For example, I’m a Gen X and I started my career in the late 1990s. I believe that has more impact on how I work than what year I was born. For example, my very first job in high school was working…at a video store. You can’t get more Gen X than that. What was your first job, and – if you’re comfortable sharing – what year did you first start to work?

Is there anything more satisfying than checking things off of a to-do list? I didn’t used to think so. I’m not sure anyone loves a to-do list more than I do. I have bought special graph paper notebooks to make my lists even neater. I have bought countless apps that promised productivity nirvana. I’ve been known to put things on my to-do list just to check them off. But I recently decided to kill my to-do list obsession—and this is why you might want to ditch yours, too. As my life has gotten busier, I’ve had to admit that the tasks on my glorious to-do lists just weren’t being completed. So I made a change. Instead of putting tasks on a list, I started to schedule action items on my calendar. For example, instead of having “review Q1 profit and loss statement” or “edit speaking proposal” on a to-do list, I scheduled 30-minute blocks on my calendar to actually get those tasks completed. All of a sudden, every task had a place, and things were getting done. The strategy is so simple that I can’t even remember where I first learned about it. Do you already use this method? If not, would you consider trying it? What other productivity hacks are your favorites?

Self-advocacy is a *critical* skill for women and the brilliant and empathetic Julie Ketover, JD, PCC is offering a free webinar on 4/25 to help. Please register and share!

According to a study from BetterUp, employees across all generations who find work highly meaningful are 69% less likely to plan on quitting their jobs within the next six months. That's a great stat, but what exactly does it take for an employee to find their work meaningful? I believe it comes down to three words: Thank you: Tell people their work is appreciated. Because: Explain why tasks and projects are being assigned and what their effect will be. Why: Explain your own purpose to the people you manage. And talk frequently about the greater purpose and mission of your organization. Work is meaningful when you feel acknowledged and valued for your contribution and you know how you fit into the bigger picture of your organization. – Interested in more advice on thriving in a multigenerational workplace? Join other leaders who read my monthly insights here: https://lnkd.in/e-ij66vi.

Hot job alert! 🔥 Phenomenal opportunity to work as Head of Client strategy with brilliant and visionary founder Cari Sommer at Raise Communications Group. Please share with anyone who is interested!

This is a first: a love match was made at one of my speeches! 💘 Recently, I received an email from Andrew Colletti, who attended one of my talks at Carthage College. He shared a beautiful story of how he met his partner at my speaking event! While Andrew was there seeking entrepreneurial advice, his partner admitted that she attended for the free food. Despite their differing motivations, they found themselves seated together and sparked a connection instantly. In his words: “We had no idea that your talk--and accidentally (if you believe in accidents, which I don't) sitting at the same table--would result in such a beautiful, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually fulfilling relationship.” Two years on, they're still going strong, mapping out their future adventures together. As I reflect on their experience, I'm reminded of the countless meaningful interactions we can create in our professional and personal lives as soon as we open ourselves up to it. Just show up and you never know what will happen! Thank you to Andrew for sharing this with me. I am truly honored to be a part of your story!

One thing many may overlook in the workplace is something I like to call “micro-mentoring.” Micro-mentoring might come from a person, a LinkedIn post, listening to a podcast or sitting with a new group of people during your lunch break. Micro-mentoring takes the pressure off finding one single person – “the one” – who is supposed to give you brilliant advice and change the entire course of your career. If you have a mentor, that is fantastic. If you don’t, it’s okay. I think in today’s diverse, multigenerational, global environment, we should aim to learn as much as possible from a wide range of people. We can do this by simply starting conversations with our peers or soliciting advice from those who come from a different generation or background or function or level. By doing this, we open ourselves up to learning in a wide variety of ways, way more than one mentor could ever teach us. – Interested in more advice on thriving in a multigenerational workplace? Join other leaders who read my monthly insights here: https://lnkd.in/e-ij66vi.

Welcome new followers from WE@Hearst Health! I've made my LinkedIn Learning course MANAGING A MULTIGENERATIONAL TEAM free for you and anyone else who is interested. Just click on the link below. It was such a pleasure to join you today to discuss strategies for thriving in the multigenerational workplace. Thank you to Denielle G. deWynter, Cori Godeke and all who attended. #linkedInlearning #generationaldifferences #teammanagement