No One Tells You that Being “Eager” Can Backfire
It’s a natural assumption that if you volunteer for everything and help everyone, they will love you and see your value. Immediately, accolades and promotions will follow. You will be the office superstar, indispensable and on the fast track. This is, however, a fallacy. You need to think of the frequency of offering to jump in and help as existing on a bell curve. People who are successful with this behaviour are in the middle. Too much is just as problematic as too little. Why? Being eager is subject to the law of diminishing returns. After a while, the benefit you will gain shrinks to the point where it’s hardly worth it and can even start creating negatives. Let’s break it down. Offering Help When Someone has to Train You Isn’t Help The #1 rule of offering to help someone at work is to make sure it actually is help. That it will make their life better. That it will reduce their workload and increase the chance of their success. If you see someone drowning because they have to edit a bunch of social media posts and you have never used the editing software, offering to help them edit is a bad idea. If they have to stop what they’re doing to train you, you are not helping. You are creating more work for them. You’re better off offering to pick them up some lunch so they have a bit more time to finish. Make sure you have the requisite skills, knowledge, or network to deliver on your offer of help. We can’t stress this enough. Don’t offer to do something that you cannot deliver on your own. Yes, you may want to build a better relationship with that colleague, but don’t be so eager to help that you end up making them regret taking you up on your offer. Pair Enthusiasm with Awareness The #2 rule of offering to help is to make sure you know what’s been done. There are few things more annoying that someone who swoops in to save the day, only to produce what you finished days ago. Don’t redo work or reinvent the wheel. Find out as much as you can on your own, ask for a thirty second check-in, and confirm that what you’re planning to offer is actually useful. If someone needs help pulling numbers for a presentation, don’t rewrite the executive summary. Pull the numbers. If you want to show initiative, ask them if they would like you to write some simple code that will pull the numbers automatically every month. Another piece of the awareness puzzle: Don’t add stuff that will create work for someone else without their buy-in. Don’t offer to help Sophie by identifying all the work you can’t do and suggesting someone else. You aren’t helping Sophie by pointing her to Jeremy. It’s still work for her, and he’s going to be irritated because you’re placing yourself in the middle. If it’s Jeremy who’s in the better position to help, go to him first and share your thoughts. But be cautious, because if it’s a lot of work for him, you’re bringing him a problem. And now you’ve gotten yourself into a mess. If you can’t help him help Sophie, then don’t bother in the first place. Limit How Often You Volunteer You need to choose moments that have visibility or impact. Being selective is for your sanity as much as anything else. First, you don’t want to burn out. Second, you don’t want to lower your value by doing tasks that are far beneath your capabilities. Helping people at work is rarely altruistic (there are some exceptions, particularly with trustworthy colleagues who would help you if asked). Most of the time, you need to make sure the help offered is good for you too. Will it showcase some skills you don’t get to display often? Will it connect you with new parts of the organization, increasing your chances of finding new opportunities? Will it help you develop your professional network? Planning a team lunch offers far less exposure that helping out on an executive retreat. At a minimum, you don’t want to be doing so many tasks for other people that you run out of time and energy to do your own job. You must always be able to deliver on your own commitments first. You don’t want to be in a position where you have to ask for help because you’re too busy producing deliverables for other people. That’s not good time management or organizational skills. Your boss will notice. And they won’t be happy. Why Too Much Assistance Can Make You Look Bad Another factor: if you’re always offering to jump in and save the day, you’re actually making people feel like they can’t do their job. You aren’t a superhero, but more a villain, showing them up and exposing how awful they are. Before offering to help someone, ask yourself how you would feel if the situation were reversed. Most of us appreciate assistance during an unusually busy time or uniquely intense project. Most of us do not appreciate frequent offers of help for things that are part of our daily job routine. Plus, if you have so much time to help others, your boss might start to wonder what the hell it is you’re actually being paid to do. In conclusion When it comes to offering assistance at work, aim for the sweet spot between ‘detached, couldn’t care less about other’s struggles’ and ‘jumping in every five minutes in a desperate bid to be liked’. There is a happy medium in there. Where you provide genuine value in challenging situations. And remember, don’t be so eager that you end up creating more work for the person you are helping. That will hurt both your reputation and your ability to get help when you need it.
Power Moves: Career Courses Designed for Canadian Women Who Want to Chart Their Own Path
Power Moves: Career Courses Designed for Canadian Women Who Want to Chart Their Own Path Why Career Courses for Women in Canada Matter We’ve all wished we could just do the job we were hired to do—the tasks listed in the job description. Manage projects. Write reports. Whatever. The reality? In most roles, that’s only a fraction of what the job actually involves. Your workday also includes: Managing your boss Building relationships with colleagues Maintaining company culture Fighting for your projects Working on last-minute tasks (that were dumped on you) Scrambling to stay relevant You’re good at your core job, but you’ve got no real training for the rest of it. Because the truth is, higher education only trained you for part of the picture. No one taught you how to decode organizational rules, adapt your communication to different audiences, decide where to put your loyalty, or advocate daily for your role. You’re left to figure it out on the fly—and the stakes couldn’t be higher. This is why professional development training in Canada is so critical, especially for women carving their own paths. How Do You Chart Your Own Path? In a workplace full of competing demands, how do you decide who to connect with, which roles to pursue, and which organizations deserve your talent? How do you find the good roles and the good managers within your organization? How do you recognize an opportunity and put yourself in a position to capitalize on it? It starts with clarity: The most critical piece is knowing where you want to go, and the reality is, most of us don’t. The Problem with “What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?” From childhood, we’re asked one limiting question: What do you want to be when you grow up? Here’s why that question sets us up for frustration: 1.It assumes we know all the jobs out there. In reality, the job market is always evolving with new technologies and global realities. There are countless niche roles in organizations you’ll never hear about until you’re in the door. 2.It ignores the day-to-day reality of work. You can study the “map” of a profession, but until you’re in the “territory,” you don’t know what it actually feels like. (For example, many medical students only realize they don’t want to practice medicine once they experience the daily reality.) So instead of locking yourself into a job title, it’s more powerful to ask a different set of questions. The Questions That Really Matter To chart a career path that’s rewarding (and to avoid ending up in a place you don’t want to be), ask yourself: What does a great day at work look like? What environments make you feel energized? What kind of people do you like working with? What tasks spark your curiosity and motivation? What kind of impact do you want to have? Answering these questions honestly creates a vision of what career fulfillment looks like for you. That vision becomes your filter for every decision—from evaluating job postings to choosing professional development training. Why Professional Development Training in Canada Is Key Once you’ve defined your career vision, you can intentionally: Pursue skills that open the right opportunities Build a network aligned with your goals Take career courses for women in Canada that sharpen your confidence and workplace navigation skills Say yes to roles that reflect your values and strengths At Glass and Grit, our corporate navigation course helps you stop running from things in your career and start running toward the future you want. You’ll gain the tools to define success on your terms and communicate it with confidence. Your Career, Your Path This isn’t about following someone else’s definition of success. This is about charting your own course with clarity, confidence, and strategy. Now’s the time to live it.
The Problem with Ice Breakers
The Problem with Ice Breakers And why most of them miss the point entirely Ice breakers are everywhere. They’ve become a staple in corporate meeting rooms and off-site agendas, often positioned as a lighthearted way to get people comfortable, talking, and—ideally—connecting. But for all their ubiquity, most of these exercises fall flat. In theory, they sound promising: a fun way to ease into a session, a break from routine, a chance to “build culture.” In practice? They’re awkward, superficial, and often lead to little more than polite smiles and internal eye rolls. So why are they still so popular—and why do they so rarely lead to meaningful outcomes? Where Ice Breakers Fall Apart The core issue with most ice breakers is that they’re disconnected from the realities of actual work. They take people out of context, strip away urgency, and attempt to simulate connection without the dynamics that make collaboration meaningful. These exercises often lack the one thing the real workplace always has: stakes. When there’s no pressure, no risk, and no consequence, you’re not going to see how people truly think, communicate, or problem-solve. You’re not going to learn how they respond to stress, disagreement, or ambiguity. And those are the very dynamics team building is supposed to reveal. Take the common “build a tower out of spaghetti and marshmallows” activity. It’s novel, sure—but do you really think that tells you anything about how a team handles competing priorities, shifting deadlines, or organizational pressure? When no one cares about the outcome, the decisions people make aren’t grounded in the same motivations they bring to their actual roles. That gap is what makes these exercises feel hollow. Rethinking Team Building: Create Real Conditions If the goal of team building is to help people learn how to work together more effectively, then we need to place them in environments that mirror the real conditions of work—where timing, accountability, and pressure shape behavior. This doesn’t mean you need to manufacture stress or replicate your busiest season in a workshop. But it does mean designing experiences with some kind of tension or outcome that matters—whether practical, relational, or reputational. Some examples: A cooking class, where the team has to coordinate, delegate, and deliver something tangible. An escape room, where there’s time pressure, competing information, and a shared goal. A structured workshop—like a pre-mortem—where the team works backward from a hypothetical failure to identify risks and blind spots. These activities simulate the actual tensions and dynamics of work—urgency, uncertainty, and the need for quick, collaborative problem-solving. That’s what brings out leadership, creativity, and trust.These environments prompt more genuine reactions. They also reveal patterns: who takes initiative, who supports from behind the scenes, who communicates clearly under pressure. And those are the insights that actually help a team grow. The Case for Psychological Safety Of course, for any of this to work, there has to be trust. The best team-building activities don’t just replicate pressure—they build the foundation for how teams operate under pressure. This is where psychological safety comes in. Creating a space where people feel safe to speak up, experiment, and even fail a little is essential if you want to develop high-performing teams. Use your team-building time to foster this kind of environment. That might mean: Changing up formats to give quieter voices room to lead. Deconstructing how your team handles feedback. Using simulations or scenario planning to surface different thinking styles. The goal isn’t to turn team-building into therapy—it’s to help people show up as more useful, adaptable versions of themselves when it matters most. If You’re Stuck with Ice Breakers Anyway… Sometimes you don’t get to choose. You’re at a multi-day corporate function. The facilitator has a PowerPoint. The markers are uncapped. The ice will be broken. If that’s your reality, don’t disengage entirely. Reframe it.Ask yourself: What do I want to get out of this? It might be a better understanding of how your colleagues think. Or an opportunity to observe the company’s unwritten cultural rules. Maybe you’re trying to build rapport with one or two specific people. All of those are valid objectives—and you can pursue them regardless of the activity at hand. If you’re leading a team during these sessions, try anchoring the exercise in something real. Even a theoretical consequence (“What if this were a client problem next week?”) can shift the energy and focus toward something more meaningful. And above all, respond within your curated work persona. That doesn’t mean being fake—it means being thoughtful about how you show up. Warmth with boundaries. Curiosity without Final Thought Most ice breakers miss the mark because they misunderstand the goal. Team cohesion doesn’t come from surface-level play. It comes from shared experience, mutual respect, and a sense of purpose. So whether you’re designing your own off-site or trying to make the best of someone else’s agenda, ask better questions:What do we want people to walk away with? What behaviors do we want to see more of at work? How can we design for that? Team building doesn’t have to be cheesy or forced. But it does have to be intentional. And if all else fails, keep your cool. Your work persona can handle a trust fall.
Active Listening: The Career Superpower You Never Learned About In School
Active Listening: The Career Superpower You Never Learned About In School If you’re aiming to excel in your early career, you’ve probably heard a lot of advice about giving a stellar performance when you get a chance to take the stage. But the truth is, you can get further, faster by learning to be a spectacular audience member. Rather than perfecting how you deliver your lines, you can let others take the stage—while using your presence to elevate their performance and maximise the lessons learned from watching. It’s a win-win. They feel heard and understood, and you grow your network and get information gold. The key to rapid learning and relationship building in your first job is active listening. What Is Active Listening? Active listening is about so much more than just hearing words—it’s truly understanding their meaning and emotions. It’s about being fully present and engaged when someone speaks to you. While you might feel like you’re a good listener, active listening techniques can elevate you to the next level. It involves: Paraphrasing what the speaker says to confirm understanding. Asking thoughtful questions that show genuine curiosity. Using nonverbal cues (like nodding, eye contact, or “mm-hmm” sounds) to show engagement. Active listening is an interactive process. If you’re just sitting there silently, even if you fully understand what’s being said, the speaker may feel ignored or unimportant. Your energy in a conversation matters! It makes the difference between a conversation to build deep mutual understanding and the other person giving up frustrated (and avoiding working with you). Why Active Listening is a Game-Changer in Your First Job When you’re new to the workplace, you’ll probably spend more time listening than talking—and that’s a good thing! You have many questions and the people around you have a wealth of wisdom to tap into. Active listening helps you: Learn faster. You absorb more information when you truly focus on what’s being said. Build better relationships. People appreciate feeling heard and understood, so they’ll warm up faster than if all you do is talk. Gain credibility. When you listen well, others see you as thoughtful, professional, and engaged. They consider you more credible than if you’re always jumping to prove your knowledge. Improve your communication abilities. Oddly enough, the best communicators are often the best listeners. Understanding others helps you make yourself understood. Carl Rogers, the psychologist who pioneered active listening, pointed out that listening is contagious. When you listen first, people listen to you in return. In the workplace, there is enormous value in people perceiving your words as valuable. The Magic Behind Active Listening Active listening techniques are so powerful that in the 1960s a computer program called ELIZA fooled people into thinking it understood them—just by paraphrasing responses like a therapist would. Some users even felt a deep emotional connection to the machine! If a simple script on a clunky early computer can do that, imagine the impact on real human interactions when you genuinely listen to understand. It’s a skill that professionals in high-stakes fields—like crisis negotiators, therapists, and doctors—rely on every day. For example, FBI hostage negotiators calm volatile situations by labelling emotions and acknowledging stressors without judgment. This doesn’t mean they agree with the choice to cope with stress by taking someone hostage! But recognizing feelings helps diffuse tension much better than critiquing actions. How to Practice Active Listening (Anywhere, Anytime) Do you know the awesome thing about active listening? You can practice it all the time. Every day. In any conversation. Once you start practising, you’ll quickly experience the benefits first-hand and be hooked. Unlike skills requiring specific workplace scenarios (such as setting boundaries with your boss), you can hone your active listening skills anywhere: On the phone to your grandma: Summarize what she says back to her before responding Catching up with a friend over brunch: Ask follow-up questions to their updates to show you care Responding to a message in your apartment complex’s group chat: React with a thumbs-up on WhatsApp before replying, just like nodding in person Chatting to your partner about how their day went: Mirror their concerns before offering solutions. The more you practice, the more natural active listening will feel and the less effort it will require in the workplace. If you’re in sales, customer support, freelancing, or gig work, active listening is a must. Angry clients, difficult customers, and high-pressure situations are easier to navigate when people feel heard. Sometimes, letting someone express frustration (and showing you’re listening) is enough to calm them down. Everyone acts nicer with a calm head. Conclusion: Listen More to Talk Smarter Active listening is more than a communication skill—it’s your new career superpower. When you truly engage with others, you learn faster, build trust, and set yourself up for success. So, next time you’re in a conversation, remember: listening well is even more important than speaking well. Don’t be in your head, trying to figure out what you’re going to jump in with. Be in the moment, absorb the words you’re hearing, and watch as opportunities open up.
The Work Persona: Why the Cat is Your Spirit Animal
The Work Persona: Why the Cat is Your Spirit Animal In the jungle of corporate life, you don’t want to be the noisy parrot irritating everyone every time you open your mouth. Nor do you want to be the vulnerable sloth, ridiculed for being so limited, or the shy deer, who could disappear without anyone noticing. No, my friend. You want to be the jaguar. Sleek. Mysterious. Present, yet untouchable. The kind of creature that people admire, but never quite figure out. That’s your work persona. What is a Work Persona? A work persona is the curated version of you that you bring to the office. It’s not fake—it’s just… edited. Like a cat, you let people see what you want them to see. You are engaging, but never overshare. You are warm, but not clingy. You are competent, but don’t hustle for validation. You understand that the workplace is not your therapist’s office, nor is it a confessional booth. A work persona isn’t about deception; it’s about self-preservation. Why You Need One 1. Your Personal Life is Ammunition Anything you reveal can and will be used against you—or at least, used to define you in ways you may not like. A rough patch in your relationship? Suddenly, you’re “too emotional and likely to make bad decisions.” Someone in your family sick? Now you’re the one who’s “going to be distracted and not give it their all.” Even if your colleagues mean well, information spreads and becomes a liability. Once people start seeing you through a lens of struggle, they forget your strengths. 2. Mystique Commands Respect Think about the people in your workplace who are respected. They are confident, in control, and somehow always seem to know what they’re doing. That’s the cat energy. When you don’t spill your entire life story over lunch, people assume you have it together. And in the corporate world, perception is half the battle. 3. Office Drama is a Black Hole If you overshare, you invite others to do the same. The next thing you know, you’re entangled in someone else’s workplace soap opera, and it’s draining your energy. A cat listens, nods, maybe offers a well-placed “That sounds tough” before stretching luxuriously and moving on. Be the cat. 4. You Control Your Narrative Instead of letting your stress, struggles, or personal dramas shape how people see you, you feed them the highlights. Your weekend? “Had a fantastic brunch.” (No need to mention the existential crisis you had after.) Your vacation? “So relaxing.” (Even if your flight was delayed for six hours and you almost lost your luggage.) This isn’t about lying—it’s about keeping the conversation light and steering clear of anything that can be used to define you negatively. How to Build Your Work Persona Step 1: Curate Your Stories Prepare a handful of neutral, feel-good anecdotes to sprinkle into conversations. Your new favorite café, the book you’re reading, a small win from the weekend. Keep it light. Keep it interesting. Step 2: Master the Art of Selective Sharing When asked personal questions, answer in a way that gives just enough without opening the door too wide. “How was your weekend?”—“Great! I finally tried that new bakery, and their croissants are unreal.” End of story. No need to dive into the family drama that later ruined Sunday dinner. Step 3: Be Warm, but Not Overly Familiar Cats don’t throw themselves into anyone’s lap—they choose where to sit, and it’s always on their terms. You can be friendly and engaging without feeling the need to be everyone’s best friend. This keeps you in control of your boundaries and your energy. Step 4: Avoid Oversharing Under Stress The urge to vent can be strong when work gets overwhelming. But remember: what you say in frustration today can become tomorrow’s perception of you. If you need to blow off steam, call a friend outside the company, journal it out, or take a walk. Your workplace is not your emotional dumping ground. The Final Takeaway Your work persona isn’t about being cold—it’s about being strategic. You can be respected, liked, and even admired, all while keeping a part of yourself just out of reach. So walk into that office with the grace of a feline: aware, self-assured, and always in control of your own narrative. After all, the cat doesn’t chase attention. It draws people in. And that’s exactly the energy you want in your career.
Feedback is Your Superpower: How to Read, Use, and Benefit from It
Feedback is Your Superpower: How to Read, Use, and Benefit from It If you want to get better at anything—your job, your presentations, your relationships, even your coffee-making skills—you need feedback. Full stop. Feedback is the key ingredient to iteration, and iteration is how you get from good to great. In order to improve what you’re doing by tweaking it, and trying again, you need feedback. The problem? Most people treat feedback like a personal attack instead of what it actually is: information. And information is power. Feedback is Everywhere—If You Pay Attention Most people think of feedback as a formal review or a one-on-one chat with your boss. But that’s just one source. The world is constantly giving you feedback; you just have to be sharp enough to notice it. If your emails don’t get responses, that’s feedback on how you communicate. If people ignore your ideas in meetings, that’s feedback on your delivery (or on your audience—more on that later). If a client keeps asking for revisions, that’s feedback on your execution. Even silence is feedback. When you’re not getting the results you want, the world is telling you something. Your job is to listen. Where to Find Good Feedback Not all feedback is created equal. Some of it will be golden. Some of it will be garbage. Your job is to tell the difference. Trusted Advisors and MentorsThese are the people who have been where you want to go. They’ve seen the pitfalls, they know what works, and their feedback comes from a place of experience. When they talk, listen. Colleagues Who Get ItNot every coworker is worth listening to, but some will give you sharp, thoughtful insights that help you grow. Identify these people and keep them close. The MarketWhether you’re selling a product, pitching an idea, or trying to make an impact, the response you get is feedback. If people buy, engage, or implement your ideas, you’re onto something. If they don’t, adjust. Nonverbal CuesPeople won’t always tell you the truth, but their body language will. Watch for hesitation, eye contact (or lack of it), and tone shifts. Sometimes the most useful feedback isn’t spoken—it’s in the reaction. Good vs. Bad Feedback: Learn the Difference Not all feedback is useful. Some of it is laced with bias, personal agendas, or just plain ignorance. Before you take anything to heart, filter it through these questions: Who is giving this feedback? Do they have experience, insight, or context? Or are they just reacting?What’s their motivation? Are they helping you improve, or are they projecting their own insecurities?Is it actionable? Good feedback gives you a path forward. “This isn’t working” is useless. “Try structuring your report this way” is gold. Feedback is Not a One-Time Event—It’s a Constant Loop Life is about constant small adjustments. Your audience, your boss, your company—all of these things evolve. What worked six months ago might not work now. Staying sharp means staying adaptable. Think of feedback like a GPS. If you’re headed the wrong way, it’s not personal. The system isn’t judging you—it’s just telling you to take a different route. That’s all feedback is: a way to reroute and get to where you want to go. Final Thought: Make Feedback Your Friend You don’t have to love feedback. But you do need to respect it. The people who grow the fastest, achieve the most, and stand out in their careers aren’t necessarily the most talented—they’re the ones who listen, adjust, and try again. So don’t be afraid to ask for it. Don’t be afraid to notice it. And most importantly—don’t be afraid to use it. Because once you do, you’ll be unstoppable.