1. Follow the Other Person’s Lead

Think of conversations as a dance where both parties set the rhythm. If you sense that the other person is giving short or vague answers, it might signal that the topic is off-limits for them. Instead of pressing further, gracefully pivot to another subject.

Tip: Watch for body language and tone. If the other person seems closed off or uncomfortable, it’s best to respect their boundaries.

2. Avoid Hot-Button Issues

When you’re just getting to know someone, it’s best to steer clear of controversial topics like politics or religion. While these subjects can spark passionate discussions, they can also lead to discomfort or conflict, especially in initial conversations.

Tip: Focus on neutral topics that allow for open dialogue. Questions about hobbies, interests, or recent experiences can create a more relaxed atmosphere in which both parties feel comfortable sharing.

3. Notice Your Assumptions

We all have unconscious biases that influence our perceptions and interactions. These biases often manifest in our questions—making them potentially intrusive. It’s crucial to interrogate your own assumptions before firing off a question.

Tip: Instead of jumping to conclusions, frame your curiosity in a way that invites discussion without making assumptions. For example, instead of asking, “Why do you think that?” you might say, “I’m intrigued by your perspective; could you share more about how you arrived at it?”

4. Listen Actively

One of the most powerful tools in your arsenal is listening. It’s not just about waiting for your turn to speak; it’s about genuinely engaging with what the other person is saying. Active listening encourages the other person to open up and share more, creating a natural flow to the conversation.

Tip: Show you’re listening by nodding, making eye contact, and providing verbal affirmations like “I see” or “That’s interesting.” When they see you engaged, they’ll be more likely to share openly.

5. Clarify and Ask Follow-up Questions

If something piques your interest, don’t hesitate to ask clarifying questions. However, ensure your follow-up questions are relevant and respectful, confirming your genuine interest rather than an attempt to pry.

Tip: A simple “Could you elaborate on that?” or “What led you to that conclusion?” can open the door for deeper conversation and show that you value their perspective.

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Curiosity is a fantastic tool for building relationships—when used appropriately. By following these tips, you’ll not only enhance your ability to foster connections but also create an environment where others feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences.

Remember, it’s all about balance; being curious without being intrusive is key. With practice, you’ll find that these conversations become richer and more rewarding for everyone involved. Next time you’re in a conversation, be mindful of your approach.

If you want to take your communication skills to the next level, we offer training that focuses on effective relationship-building strategies. Check out our services here!

Creativity is an incredibly powerful tool that has the potential to unlock solutions and new ideas in any workplace. After spending my early professional years steeped in the creative world, I came to law firms and was shocked by the fear, reluctance, and lack of credibility surrounding the creative process. All too often, traditional “linear” workplaces prioritize more logical, analytical thinking over creative approaches—leading many professional employees to feel like their creativity is not valued. Today, we are talking about how introducing creative thinking into a linear workplace can provide a massive benefit to businesses and employees. We’ll explore the positive outcomes of creative thinking and strategies for introducing it into a more structured environment. By tapping into the power of creativity, any organization can unlock new possibilities and create an environment where employees feel valued and inspired to do their best work. And the best part – no jazz hands required!

What do we mean by a “linear workplace”?

A linear workplace is one in which organization and decision-making take place along traditional, predictable lines. It typically involves a strict hierarchy, with decisions being made from the top down and with little room for creativity or deviation from existing rules. In this environment, employees are expected to follow instructions precisely and conform to established structures without room for innovation or creative expression.

OK, so how do we define creative thinking?

Creative thinking is a type of problem-solving process that involves generating, exploring, and testing ideas. It entails the use of imagination, intuition, divergent thinking skills, and out-of-the-box solutions to come up with original ideas or solve complex problems. Creative thinking encourages employees to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions that can help the organization. Unlike linear thinking, which is more analytical and follows a structured process to reach a solution, creative thinking allows employees to come up with ideas without any predetermined parameters or restrictions. It encourages employees to be open-minded and think of unconventional solutions that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.

Most organizations benefit from a healthy mix of linear thinking (prediction logic) and creative thinking (creation logic) from their employees, but many still lean into one or the other. Organizations can gain advantages and unlock new possibilities by utilizing both types of thinking in the workplace. We have partnered with countless clients who have utilized the improvisation skills and the design thinking process taught in our Fringe workshops to bring creative thinking to their linear leaning teams, and the results have been phenomenal!  Here’s why…

Benefits of Creative Thinking in a Linear Workplace

Increased motivation and morale

By introducing creative thinking into a linear workplace, employees can feel more inspired and motivated to do their best work. Creative thinking encourages employees to explore new ideas, test different approaches, and come up with innovative solutions. This allows employees to feel empowered in their work as they are given the opportunity to use their imagination and creativity. It also helps spark collaboration among employees as they can work together to brainstorm ideas and come up with creative solutions. When employees are given the freedom to think creatively, it creates an environment where they feel valued and inspired to do their best work.

Improved problem-solving skills

Creative thinking can also help improve problem-solving skills in the workplace. By introducing creative thinking into a linear workplace, employees are encouraged to use their imagination and come up with solutions that may not have been considered before. This helps employees develop new problem-solving techniques and become better equipped to tackle complex situations. Creative thinking can also give employees the opportunity to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions that can benefit the entire organization. This helps employees stay ahead by introducing new ideas or approaches while helping them become better problem-solvers. With improved problem-solving skills, organizations can be more agile, efficient, and productive.

Enhanced collaboration among co-workers

Creative thinking can also help enhance collaboration among co-workers in a linear workplace. Encouraging employees to think outside the box and develop innovative solutions allows them to work together to brainstorm ideas and collaborate on projects. This helps foster teamwork, communication, and trust (psychological safety FTW!) among employees as they are allowed to voice their opinions and work together to develop creative solutions. Creative thinking also helps create an open and supportive environment where employees feel more comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions without fear of criticism from their peers or superiors. This encourages collaboration between different departments, allowing them to collaborate better on projects and come up with creative solutions that can benefit the entire organization.

Increased creativity and innovation

Finally, I know this one may be obvious, but introducing creative thinking into the workplace can help increase creativity! Encouraging employees to explore new ideas and come up with unconventional solutions helps push boundaries and introduce new ways of thinking. This can help open up opportunities for an organization in ways they could never have imagined before. Creative thinking also helps foster a culture of innovation, where employees are encouraged to come up with creative solutions that can benefit the organization in the long run.

Hopefully, you’re on board by this point. So let’s tackle how to implement creative thinking into your linear workplace!

Tips for Implementing Creative Thinking in a Linear Workplace

1 – Encourage collaboration between co-workers

Collaboration is key when it comes to introducing creative thinking in the workplace. Open up communication between employees and encourage them to work together to brainstorm ideas and come up with creative solutions. Creative thinking requires employees to think outside the box and explore new ideas. Encourage employees to research and brainstorm together to come up with creative solutions to problems. Reward teams who work collaboratively to find unique or innovative ideas to ensure that employees feel valued and encouraged. Celebrate the WE, not the ME.

2 – Create an environment that encourages creative thinking 

Create an environment that is conducive to creative thinking by encouraging open communication and collaboration between employees. Make sure to provide resources and training for employees so they can stay up-to-date with the latest problem-solving techniques and become better equipped to tackle complex situations. This also means creating space for people to be creative, a real obstacle in most fast-paced organizations. Creativity isn’t linear, so it doesn’t follow a standard pattern. Be sure you create the space needed to solve your gnarliest problems and don’t rush those timelines!

3 – Provide opportunities for employees to practice free-form expression of ideas

Give employees the opportunity to express their ideas freely during meetings and brainstorming sessions. This will help them become more comfortable exploring new concepts and expressing their creativity without feeling judged or criticized by their peers. It can also lead to greater collaboration between departments as they can work together to come up with creative solutions.  One simple technique we teach is to make sure that all voices are heard in each meeting where brainstorming is taking place. Leaders, ensure you set this expectation at the top of the meeting, and if you haven’t heard from someone, invite them to share if they have anything to add.

4 – Establish a culture of innovation and risk-taking

This one can be scary for my more risk-averse friends. But, I promise, there are areas in your organization where taking small risks will have a positive impact on procedures and internal affairs and little impact on the bottom line. Creative thinking requires taking risks and exploring new ideas. Encourage employees to step out of their comfort zone and suggest unconventional solutions that could benefit the organization in the long run. This will help foster a culture of creativity and innovation, which is important for any successful organization. Make sure that employees have the necessary resources and training to come up with creative solutions. This can include providing access to technology, books, and other materials to help them think outside the box.

Creative thinking can be a powerful tool when it comes to increasing motivation, morale, and collaboration among employees. It helps open up opportunities for an organization as it allows them to explore potential markets or develop innovative products that can set them apart from their competitors. Furthermore, creative thinking helps foster a culture of innovation, where employees are encouraged to come up with creative solutions that can benefit the organization in the long run.

Organizations looking to introduce creative thinking into their workplace should encourage collaboration between co-workers, create an environment that encourages creative thinking, provide opportunities for employees to practice free-form expression of ideas, and establish a culture of innovation

If you’re looking for a way to spark creativity in your workplace, check out Fringe PD’s interactive workshops! Our experienced team of professionals will help your team create an environment that encourages creative thinking and collaboration among co-workers. With our customizable packages, you’ll be able to develop a plan that works best for you and your organization. Contact us today for more information!

When recruiting and interviewing candidates, the goals are simple: find the best people for the job as efficiently as possible, with an accepted offer at the end of the process. Often, however, we spend so much time focusing on trying to find the best people that we forget the critical steps that will get us there. Recruiting is an expensive and time-intensive process, so here are three areas that, with a little planning and intention, can go a long way toward ensuring that your organization is making the right hiring decisions the first time. 

Top Five Items to Prepare for the Interview

Successful interviewees usually spend days, if not weeks, preparing for their interview. Yet, too often, interviewers have the candidate’s resume and no other guidance or resources to prepare. While interviewers often say they feel confident in their interviewing skills, many organizations have no clear way of measuring an interviewer’s skill in the recruiting process. Ensuring interviewers are just as prepared for the interview as the candidates sets the entire process up for success.Here are some steps to take to make sure your interviewer has everything they need.

1. Define Candidate Success

Far too frequently, reliance on a gut feeling determines our belief in whether a candidate would do well in a role. But, our guts are unreliable and tend to entrench biases. Usually, someone passes the “gut test” if they seem similar to the interviewer or to folks who are already in the role. Relying on the “gut test” means candidates with diverse experiences are often passed over, and homogenous cultures emerge.

The first step to breaking free of the “gut test” is to specifically define success for the role. Identify the core competencies that someone would need to demonstrate in order to perform at a high level. Once those are identified, get even more concrete. Specify the actual behaviors that make up each competency. For example, if pro-active ownership is a core competency for the role, behaviors to look for are examples of the candidate taking on projects that were outside of the scope of their assigned work or of identifying an issue and proposing a solution before being asked. These behaviors, also known as success indicators or positive indicators, define success in the role and give your interviewers and decision-makers a road map of what to look for.

2. Write Impactful Questions

Interviewers are often left on their own regarding what questions to ask. This can result in interviewers asking candidates to repeat information already contained in their resume or asking candidates obscure questions (the infamous, if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?) that illuminate little about potential success in the role.

Once core competencies and positive indicators have been identified, give your interviewers questions designed to elicit the behaviors you’re looking for. Behavioral interview questions (e.g., Tell me about a time when…) will bring you to the heart of the candidate’s experiences. Their answers will either demonstrate that they’ve engaged in desired behaviors or not and will give you a much better baseline to judge potential success than knowing that this person sees themselves as a sugar maple.

3. Listen Carefully

Asking great questions isn’t the only role of the interviewer. They also need to listen to the answers. And this is where our brains often trip us up. Our brains are designed for interpersonal communication through storytelling. We love a good story! And asking behavioral interview questions results in hearing a lot of stories. But unless we’re interviewing for the role of a professional storyteller, we want to resist the urge to get sucked into a story. Someone might tell a riveting and entertaining story that exhibits none of the positive indicators we’re looking for. If we aren’t careful, we might move them through to the next step because we had such a great time listening to them. With each question, the interviewer should have a list of key success indicators they are listening for and check them off as they hear them. This keeps the focus on the skills needed for success rather than on entertainment value.

4. Capture the Feedback that Matters

Conducting an interview takes time, and the last thing an interviewer wants to do after the interview concludes is complete an onerous feedback form memorializing their experience. But if feedback isn’t captured shortly after the interview, the specifics get lost, and we’re back to relying on our memories and (oh no) the gut.

Ideally, interviewers should be checking off success indicators as they move through their prepared questions, which makes feedback collection significantly easier and more effective. The feedback now directly answers the question of whether the candidate demonstrates behaviors that indicate success in the role instead of whether the interviewer “liked” the candidate. The feedback should also include a few quantitative questions asking the interviewer to rate the candidate on key core competencies and a few open-ended questions so that the interviewer has the opportunity to include any other relevant information. The feedback form should take at most five minutes to complete, and the interviewer should be required to submit it within one hour of interview completion.

5. Make Cleaner Recruiting Decisions

Finally, we get to the point we’re all waiting for – making a hiring decision. This is where having objective information about a candidate’s potential success in the role makes all the difference. If interviews were conducted using questions designed to elicit behaviors that indicate success in this role and feedback was collected from each interviewer in a timely fashion, the decision-makers are set up well. But there are still a few pitfalls to avoid.

First, groupthink is real. An interviewer might come out of an interview with a very strong opinion, but once they hear that their colleagues have opposite views, suddenly that opinion goes right out the window. Be sure to capture folks’ conclusions before they have the opportunity to confer with each other. Set the expectation that the feedback form should be completed and submitted without speaking to anyone else involved in the process.

Second, resist the urge to ignore the success indicators. It can be all too easy to let a candidate’s lack of positive behaviors slide once the hiring group gets together and reminisces about how “cool” the candidate was or “how much fun” they had during the interview. When hiring conversations head in this direction, hold firm to the positive indicators. Those are the road map for success, so don’t throw it away and let the “gut” take over at the last minute.

Third, remember that the skills and behaviors that lead to success in the role occur independently of one another. Even if a candidate was really strong in one core competency, it doesn’t automatically mean that they have the full package. If you’ve previously determined that this set of core competencies is key, don’t let a high score in one reduce the importance of another. Assess each candidate holistically on the metrics that were agreed upon in advance.

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Ultimately, to ensure that the right hiring decision is made and the best candidate is chosen for the job, it is essential to be intentional about the interview process. By defining success and using carefully crafted questions and corresponding feedback forms, the recruiting process is more likely to be based on facts and evidence rather than on memories and gut feel. This will not only ensure that the right candidate is chosen for the job but also provides a much more systematic approach to identifying potential high performers. With the right tools in place, you can have confidence that you’re making the best hiring decision possible.

Interested in training for your interviewers or a total overhaul of your interviewing process? Schedule a meeting with us today to learn how our team of trainers and consultants can make your recruiting process more inclusive and effective.

Here’s some good news – we don’t have to leave team dynamics to chance. As a leader, we have the ability to determine how our teams function and how people feel as part of them. By engaging in some key behaviors, collectively known as inclusive leadership, we can help ensure that we’re creating a great team atmosphere for everyone involved.

Inclusive leadership is a way of leading and managing where every team member feels motivated, valued, and like they belong. Not only does this create positive feelings and a sense of cohesion, but these are also the conditions needed for people to feel motivated and able to do their best work.

So what are some of the things that inclusive leaders do differently? Here are a few key practices:

Increase your self-awareness to increase your leadership.

Most of us don’t wake up in the morning with the intention of being jerks to our teammates. But we all have moments when we’re not at our best – when we’re stressed, tired, or feeling underappreciated. And unfortunately, we can take those feelings out on each other – often unintentionally. The first step in being an inclusive leader is to become more aware of the impact of your behavior and how it may not align with your intentions. (Check out this tool to quickly gain some insight into how others view you.) Once you know how others perceive you, you can adjust your behavior to be more in line with your goal of inclusivity.

Be curious about yourself and leadership.

If we want our teammates to feel understood and included, we need to make an effort to understand them. The easiest way to do this is to get curious and ask folks questions. Not only will this help you understand them better, but it sends the message that you value their opinions and experiences. Catch yourself when you make assumptions or judgments about others, and instead, get curious and ask some questions, instead.

Engage with the whole person.

Often when we’re at work, we see our colleagues very one-dimensionally. We are the star of the movie, and our colleagues are supporting actors, only as deep as we need them to be to fulfill their role in our story. In reality, our colleagues are just as complex and complicated as we are. And if we don’t see that, we risk alienating them and making them feel like they’re not valued as individuals. Instead, take the time to get to know your colleagues as people – what are their interests outside of work? What motivates them? What makes them tick? When we engage with the whole person, we create a much more inclusive environment.

As team leaders, our behavior disproportionately impacts the team dynamic. So if we want to create great teams, it starts with us behaving in ways encouraging everyone to feel motivated, valued, and like they belong. When we do that, we set the stage for teams that can achieve anything.

And for those who don’t lead teams, don’t think you’re off the hook! By engaging in these behaviors yourself, you can help move the needle not just on how your colleagues feel but also on how you feel about your team. We all have the ability to lead, no matter our title!

For more leadership development tools, be sure to follow this blog. If you’re looking for support for yourself or your organization, the Fringe team is here to help. Check out our suite of tools, or get in touch to see how we can advance inclusive leadership in your organization!

What counts as incivility?

Incivility can be hard to define, but, like a Supreme Court Justice once said about porn, we know it when we see it. Incivility is rudeness, disrespect, and a general lack of caring for others. It’s the kind of behavior that makes you grit your teeth and boggles your mind. Incivility might be something as small as someone dropping you from an email chain, or it could be something much bigger, like having a boss or colleague scream at you from down the hall – yes, that’s a real example. Regardless of its size, incivility is always annoying and often frustrating. We’ve all been the victim of incivility at one time or another, and we’ve all been guilty of it as well. But what exactly is incivility? And why does it bother us so much?

Why focus on civility?

Some experts believe that incivility is on the rise. With the advent of social media, we’re more connected than ever before. But this increased connectivity has also led to more opportunities for rudeness and disrespect. When we’re not face-to-face with someone, it’s easy to say or do something that we wouldn’t normally do. This applies to hybrid work as well. Trust me, we love working remotely, but it is important to find time to humanize your colleagues virtually if you aren’t spending time with them IRL because anonymity can breed incivility. In addition, our fast-paced lives can lead to impatience and frustration, which can manifest as uncivil behavior. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that incivility is a growing problem.

Make an impact, look within.

So what can we do about it? For starters, we can try to be more aware of our own behavior. When we’re feeling rushed or frazzled, we tend to engage more freely in uncivil behaviors. Bob Sutton would call this being an occasional asshole.  Stress is a part of life, but that doesn’t mean it has to take over. When it comes to managing stress at work, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, take a step back and assess the situation. What is causing the stress? Is it a deadline, a difficult project, or something else? Once you identify the source of the stress, you can develop a plan to address it. Second, stay organized and focused. This may mean setting up a better system for tracking deadlines or taking a break every few hours to clear your head. Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Make sure to schedule time for relaxation and exercise, and eat healthy meals to help reduce stress levels.

Step in and interrupt incivility the moment it occurs.

We can also encourage others to be more civil by speaking up when we witness rude behavior – especially for those of us who hold power and influence in our organizations.  It can be tough to know how to respond when someone is being rude at work. After all, you don’t want to make the situation worse. But at the same time, you don’t want to just let the rudeness slide. So what’s the best way to handle it? The key is to stay calm and assertive. Don’t let the other person provoke you into an argument. Instead, simply state your feelings clearly and directly. For example, you might say something like, “I’m feeling disrespected right now.” Once you’ve said your piece, walk away if possible. This will diffuse the situation and allow you both to cool down.

And finally, we can lead by example. By being more civil ourselves, we can set the tone for those around us and create a more positive workplace environment. So as we head into the home stretch of the year, let’s all commit to being more civil in the workplace. It’ll make our jobs easier and maybe even help us get along better with our coworkers. And who knows, we might even have a little fun in the process. So go ahead, sit with us. We promise to be civil.

It’s a dangerous fallacy to assume that the employees you sent home in March 2020 are the same ones coming back into the office, even part-time.

For most people, the pandemic has changed us. We’ve experienced shared trauma. We’ve borne sustained levels of sky-high anxiety. We’ve gotten up close and personal with our core values, confronted our life choices, and have had nowhere to escape for even mild reprieve — except for maybe into our wine glasses.

Meanwhile, the transition to virtual work has allowed people to develop norms of near-unlimited connectivity and productivity. I’ve heard from more than one client that they’ve been billing at or beyond capacity (like way beyond capacity) for the past year.  

We’re working all the time, flying around with multitasking fervor, as we juggle not just our work responsibilities but also family obligations and things like, well, showering. So, sure, we’re making it work, but we’re burning out fast. Adding a daily commute, childcare logistics, and the insult of nonelastic pants might just send us over the edge.

These new patterns of behavior and thoughts can’t be dismissed as temporary. They’re here to stay and must be thoughtfully considered as employers plan for office reopenings.

How To Make It Work

There’s no universal or perfect solution to this post-pandemic problem. But I’ve been offering the following three steps as a starting place for professionals in the Fringe network: 

• Talk to your people. Spend time gathering data, either in one-on-one conversations, small groups, or an anonymous survey. Listen to your employees’ needs and goals. Help them articulate their emotional limitations, which may exist just beyond their sphere of self-awareness with their already overburdened cognitive loads. Don’t assume they know exactly what they want — asking them to make all the decisions may just be one more stressor for some people. Find the balance between unwieldy flexibility and rigid structures.
• Educate your leaders. Our day-to-day experiences so often hinge on the unique style and personality of our team’s manager. This was true before COVID. But the pandemic has increased this dependency, giving individual leaders the power to make or break not only an employee’s career but also their spirit. Leaders who continue to ignore the human needs of their employees will contribute to staff departures that will be hard to fill in a competitive marketplace. This moment is critical for organizations to commit to more leadership and management training and also to create the systems of accountability they’ve talked about for years. The jerk boss of pre-COVID times cannot be allowed to run amok when the demand for talent is so high. People will simply leave.
• Consider the power dynamics. Keep in mind that preferences for re-entry protocols may break down on generational lines that mirror organizational hierarchies. Employees in the Boomer generation are more likely to be empty nesters with a fondness for in-person interactions and a learning curve with technology. Gen Xers and Millennials may be more likely to have children at home, favor the work-life balance afforded by remote work, and feel comfortable with new technology. This generational divide can feel unbalanced, given that Boomers are also more likely to be in senior management positions, making the decisions about re-entry, while Gen X and Millennial workers are on the front lines, farther from the decision-making. With the annual attrition rate already sitting at 18% among law firm associates, these disparities will be critical to consider when developing your company’s approach to re-entry.

I hope these strategies help your team navigate the challenging time ahead. Please let me know how it goes, and share your own experiences! Fringe PD is also planning a candid conversation about the retention dilemma ahead:

Register for The Great Resignation & The Legal Industry today.

I have been using four key steps to help my ambitious clients avoid burnout in this situation. Use this exercise to help yourself visualize — and achieve — a thriving work life that balances your physical and mental health with those rockstar career goals.

Step 1: Define success. Understanding your personal definition of success is foundational to this entire exercise. Is being nonstop busy the ultimate goal? (I doubt it.) Or is it a temporary means to a glorious end? (More likely.) Get curious about what will satisfy your long-term desires and goals. For ideas, look at the people you admire most in your network or industry. Talk with them, if possible, to see if the view from the outside is as accurate closer up. Then, set your sights on this big vision for yourself as you chart a thoughtful path to get there. 

Step 2: Ensure value-alignment. Even when working toward your dream career, your values and priorities must be in sync in your day-to-day experience for you to sustain your hustle long enough to reach your goal. Check in with yourself to see if your daily work routine is serving you in this fundamental way. If you place high value on connection with others, for example, then an isolated workday is unlikely to keep you motivated for the long term. If you care most about personal accountability and you often have to cancel plans with loved ones to finish work assignments, then you’ll likely grow dissatisfied or resentful of your job.

Step 3: Set clear boundaries. Boundaries are especially important for the overachievers among us, who like to do all the things all the time and put enormous pressure on ourselves to perform. Without smart boundaries, our schedules can quickly go from open to booked, our workloads from reasonable to overwhelming. To keep these natural tendencies in check, consider finding external systems to help nudge you in a healthier direction. Examples include setting an alarm for the end of your workday, adding “delegate at least 1 task” to your daily to-do list, or using innovative apps and tools to help you focus on the high-priority tasks without interruption.

Step 4: Communicate. The final — but arguably most important — step is to vocalize your plans to the other people in your everyday environment. This will help manage their expectations when interacting with you, plus it might help you instinctively feel more accountable to yourself. You can then refer to this conversation when a boundary or expectation isn’t met, so that the gap is clear without surprises or hurt feelings. If repeated attempts to set boundaries with a colleague are unsuccessful, then consider ways to respectfully create distance with this person, if possible.

Prioritizing your long-term wellness can be tough when the day-to-day pressure to keep hustling is high. But taking a moment to reflect on what matters to you most and setting a plan in motion will help keep you thriving in your career and in your personal life. 

To learn more about how Fringe PD helps high-achievers navigate the systems they work in to achieve their goals, visit www.fringepd.com/services or get in touch.

To ensure that our team here at Fringe can always provide exceptional client service at the highest levels, we have implemented an email hours policy. Outside of emergency situations, which we will use only when absolutely necessary, we will communicate via email during the hours of 9 am – 6 pm Monday through Friday. During those time periods, you can always expect a 24-hour response turnaround. We know that this will keep our team at the top of their game and we hope it encourages your well-being as well.