How to guides Archives - Page 16 of 30 - Soft Skills

5 Stress Management Techniques for Successful Executives

by Lei Han

Stress can be a killer to your self confidence and productivity. Even the most accomplished executives must learn how to manage stress in order to be effective all the time. When you are not stressed, you can be at the top of the game. However, when destructive stress sets in, it can suck up all your energy and render you sub-optimal. This is why it’s important to learn and practice stress management techniques early in your career. Stress will only increase as you climb the career ladder. ... read more

5 Simple Ways to Improve Communication Skills

by Lei Han

Good communication skills are a key factor in every aspect of your career; from being hired, closing a sale, working well within your organization or earning a promotion. Even if you outperform in every other area. If you’re marked poor in communication you’re less likely to advance in your career. Practicing good communication skills on an ongoing basis can help you develop professionally and reach your business goals. ... read more

How to be Successful at Work – 3 Questions Answered

by Lei Han

The most frequently asked question I receive from readers is some version of how to be successful at work or in my career. Below is the latest question I received in this category. Ying, a Chinese immigrant working in the US used the Ask Me Anything tool inside the Soft Skills Gym to send me the following questions. I want to share my response to also help others in similar situations. ... read more

How to Prepare for a Graduate School Interview – 4 Tips

by Lei Han

Learning tips early on how to prepare for a graduate school interview will give you an advantage. Applying to graduate school is a stressful and busy process. From choosing the programs you’re interested in to polishing your resume, securing references, and writing essays, there’s just a great deal to keep track of. But in the whole process, one of the trickiest steps is going through interviews with admissions officers. ... read more

How to Get a Promotion – Top 5 Questions Answered

by Lei Han

Even since I launched the first group coaching call on Insider Tips to Getting Promoted, I am pleased to received many great questions by email related to how to get a promotion at work. Here are the top 5 most common questions and my perspective. Overall, you will see a theme. Besides being a good at your job, you need to have great soft skills such as managing upwards, leadership skills, skills to deal with office politics etc… in order to increase your chances for promotion. ... read more

Good News – Some Stress is Good for You

by Lei Han

If you are feeling stressed at work, I may have good news. Some stress is good for you! According to research done by Elizabeth Kirby from UC Berkeley, we are actually not optimal or happy unless we have a moderate amount of stress in our life.

Too little stress leads to boredom and even depression
Too much stress leads to overwhelmed, feeling incapacitated and ultimately a meltdown

Many of us are familiar with the latter point and try our best to reduce stress. This study is telling us however to have balance. This explained a lot to me. Prior to getting a full time job last year, I was working as a contractor for 6 years. It was a great lifestyle but at times I was pretty bored. I wondered during that time why I wasn’t happy. I had everything I wanted, it seemed. Now it all made sense. I may have made enough money,and had all the flexibility to have a family, but I wasn’t challenged enough. My brain was not happy. ... read more

In a Tough Situation? 3 Pop Songs to Inspire You

by Lei Han

Do you ever notice that kids can learn pop songs overnight? Luckily my kids are gravitating toward the inspirational ones rather than the racy ones. They have been singing 3 songs on the top of their lungs for the last few months. Coincidentally, these 3 songs are exactly what I needed to hear. ... read more