Navigate away from toxic leadership with these 7 steps (your career will thank you): Earlier this week, I posted about positive vs. toxic leadership. As part of my research, I found that 56% of employees report having "toxic" workplace leaders! * That is wild! Toxic leadership can cast a long shadow on workplace culture. Recognizing toxic traits is the first step towards illumination: ➟ Arrogance and Self-interest ➟ Lack of Confidence and Incompetence ➟ Inconsistent Expectations and Discrimination ➟ Overemphasis on Hierarchy and Ignoring Feedback The fallout is real—workplace bullying, unproductive behavior, psychological distress, and more. Here's how you can deal with it: 1️⃣ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: ↳ Attempt to help rather than passing judgment. It can transform perspectives. 2️⃣ 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: ↳ Stay composed. Controlling your reactions preserves your professionalism. 3️⃣ 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: ↳ Keep records. It’s your safety net when memory fails or disputes arise. 4️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: ↳ Draw clear lines. Professional boundaries protect your mental space and well-being. 5️⃣ 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲: ↳ Engage in honest conversations. Candidness can be the catalyst for change. 6️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: ↳ Clarify expectations and instructions. Misunderstandings breed discontent. 7️⃣ 𝗘𝗴𝗼 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲: ↳ Focus on the job. Invest your energy in your work, not in clashing egos. We spend a significant slice of life at work; don't let toxicity darken it. Steering clear of toxic traits and handling challenging leadership with grace can light up your path to career success. Have you ever faced toxic leadership, and how did you navigate through it? * From a research study by workplace consulting firm, Life Meets Work ______________

Strategy and plan are different terms: Strategy is logic and planning is a process. The confusion typically arises from how we use the term "strategy." Sometimes, we talk about specialized areas like "strategic finance" or "strategic marketing." Other times, we casually refer to our goals with phrases like, “My strategy to improve my grades is to study 10% more daily.” However, in business, strategy has a more specific definition. If every action plan was considered a strategy, it would lead to confusion. The main difference lies in these points: ➟ Strategy is the core logic behind creating and capturing value in an organization. ➟ Planning is the process of carrying out the strategy. To simplify: ➟ Strategy sets the vision, while planning outlines the path to achieve it.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently completed the first brain-scan study on ChatGPT users, and the results are surprising. Over four months, participants had their brains scanned while using ChatGPT. 83% of users couldn’t remember a single sentence they had written just minutes earlier. In contrast, people writing without AI had no problem recalling their work. Brain activity dropped by 47% in those using AI, and this low engagement continued even after they stopped using it. Their writing was technically correct, but educators described it as robotic and lacking depth. ChatGPT made users 60% faster at completing tasks, but reduced the mental effort required for learning by 32%. Interestingly, the group that performed the best started without AI and only added it later. They showed stronger memory, brain activity, and overall performance. This study suggests that while AI can help us move faster, it may also make us think less. The key is to use tools like ChatGPT to support our thinking — not replace it. MIT’s early research reminds us that how we use AI matters more than ever. hashtag#AI hashtag#ChatGPT hashtag#MIT hashtag#FutureOfWork hashtag#Learning

You want to become a paid speaker? Here's why so few people achieve that goal: Most people in those early stages have the right intentions, but focus too much on their topic and not enough time understanding how the business of speaking works. Because it is a business. They write a talk. Update their social profile that they're a keynote speaker. Post some of their ideas for others to see. Tell their friends and colleagues that they're a professional speaker. Maybe there's a couple early wins, but there's no real momentum or sustainability. Here’s what successful speakers actually do: They treat this like a business, not a hobby. Let me show you the difference: 👎 What most people do: – Create a talk without knowing who it’s for – Talk about a topic or their own story, but don't solve a real problem for the audience – Ask their network of connections for stage time – Post vague content hoping someone notices 👍 What real speakers do: – Start with the market, not just their idea – Study what’s already working – Position themselves with clarity and confidence – Build proof, then momentum, then income Here’s how to get out of your own head and into the game: ➡ Go to a speaker bureau site like WSB, BigSpeak, or Gotham ➡ Click on a category like AI, culture, sales, or innovation ➡ Filter by fee range ➡ Look at taglines, bios, and pricing ➡ Ask yourself: Is my topic truly unique? What marketing assets do they have in place (website, video, social profile)? Do I actually bring something different to the table? Are others getting booked for this topic? Could I eventually charge what they charge? And most importantly… Do I feel excited after this exercise — or intimidated and drained? You don’t need to be the only one in your lane. With others in that market category, it validates that there is a category. Stop wondering if you can do this. Start studying the game strategically to really understand how it works.

"Small creative tweak = 30% more sales. Would you think to change this one simple thing? Two ads, one difference: eye contact. The comparison in this image isn't just aesthetic. It’s a case study in conversion psychology. So how do you know whether eye contact will work in your campaign? Here's the rule all the best marketers follow: If the product is aspirational 🧥 (Think fashion, lifestyle, anything that sells a dream outcome) Use models looking away. This creates immersion, so it's easy for people to put themselves into the story. If the product is functional 🛠️ (That's tools, services and anything that solves a practical problem) Use models looking at the camera. This gaze creates trust, so you're signalling with intention. We often get caught up tweaking ad copy, Headline formulas, or design tweaks, But here’s the real breakthrough: The right signal for the right product can transform your ad performance. This is why we isolate variables before we scale. This is why systems outdo hacks, every time. Sometimes the breakthrough isn’t what you say. It’s what the image makes them feel.