The questions from job seekers during Glassdoor Chief Worklife Expert Adam Grant’s Hot Seat revealed that many are stumbling or struggling to navigate the current work world. While Grant, best-selling author and organizational psychologist, confidently tackled their burning questions, he also made it clear that he’s not perfect.
He opened up about early pitfalls of his career – from getting poor reviews from his first class with leaders to throwing out the 102,000-word draft of his first book. But the best part? Grant let workers know that it’s okay to start over.
That vulnerability, paired with the success he has had since, was evident in the advice he offered workers for overcoming challenges. From knowing how to recognize burnout to tips for spotting a toxic company, Grant’s expertise left community users with a playbook for handling some of the trickiest work situations.
Here are the three most surprising tips from the conversation.
- Check your feelings to tell the difference between stress and burnout.
If you’re struggling to decide if that pit in your stomach is normal stress or a symptom of burnout, Grant said, pay attention to how you’re feeling.
“The key differences [between those two] lie in whether the feeling of exhaustion is (1) persistent and (2) impairing. Ordinary stress subsides and doesn't interfere with your ability to function. Burnout is enduring, and it undermines your well-being and relationships.”
- Ask questions to get more from your mentor.
One user questioned the value of mentorship. Do you really even need one? The answer lies in what you’re looking to get out of the relationship. “[Are mentors] necessary? No. Helpful? Yes,” said Grant.
“A good way to recruit a mentor is to ask people you respect for advice. As Katie Liljenquist's research has shown, seeking guidance makes potential mentors feel valued,” he continued.
When it comes to getting started, Grant recommends starting with a question that:
- They're uniquely qualified to address, and;
- Won't take them a lot of time
“Follow up a few weeks later to let them know how their input made a difference, “ he added. “Over time, if you continue making it easy for them to help you, a mentoring relationship might form.”
- Gauge workplace toxicity by assessing how widespread the challenges are.
Whether you’re new to your role or you’ve started at a new company, Grant spoke to some telltale signs of a toxic workplace.
“I've seen more than a few organizations encourage individual resilience instead of fixing problems in leadership, culture, and structure,” said Grant.
Grant added that toxic cultures are often difficult for individuals to describe and encouraged providing feedback focused on leader behaviors to drive change.
“The more people are struggling, the more the responsibility lies on the organization rather than the individual… I'd recommend highlighting how it's affecting others, not just you -- and offering to be part of the solution.”
Want more advice on making work not suck (as Grant puts it)? Follow him on Glassdoor Community.