Longevity &amp; Performance

Longevity &amp; Performance Archives

Longevity &amp; Performance | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

While I love the convenience of smartphones, I don’t love how accurate my phone’s data collection is because I can’t unknow my dire screen time stats. I check emails incessantly, I’m always trawling socials for ideas, cat videos never lose their entertainment value and I’ve usually got around 20 WhatsApp chats on the go. When a press trip opportunity arose to go on a safari in South Luangwa, Zambia, I was tempted, but I froze while reading the remote bush camp description. No Wi-Fi. No cellphone signal. A return to the Stone Age, albeit in luxury tents.



“Is this like a ‘we encourage you to get offline’ vibe?” I asked the public relations rep, the recent season of The White Lotus coming to mind.&nbsp;



“No, there’s no way to get online,” she explained, brightly informing me that at least some of the fully offline days would fall over a weekend. Great.&nbsp;



The lure of South Luangwa, a park I’d never been to, was stronger than my concerns over disconnection, so I agreed. My Outlook had a meltdown the day before I left, leaving me with unreliable email syncing and a broken out-of-office function. I arrived in Mfuwe convinced I’d return to a tanked writing career.&nbsp;







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trading-notifications-for-nature-nbsp">Trading notifications for nature&nbsp;</h2>



After driving several hours into South Luangwa, we arrived at the Bushcamp Company’s <a href="https://bushcampcompany.com/bilimungwe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bilimungwe</a>. Back at Mfuwe Lodge (which has limited Wi-Fi), one of the managers has our next-of-kin contact details. Our guide, Suzyo Zimba, will radio her at the end of each day to confirm we’re safe, and she’ll then update our families.&nbsp;



I anticipated addict-like withdrawals, but other than a couple of muscle-memory moments, where I whipped out my phone to open my camera and checked email by default, there was no magnetic pull to the device that ordinarily runs my life. With around six waking hours each day spent on game drives, I was otherwise occupied. And when we weren’t driving, we were chatting around the fire or stretching out on the provided <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-ways-yoga-today-will-make-you-better-tomorrow/">yoga</a> mats.&nbsp;



If a travel writer sees a leopard but can’t share on socials, did she really see it? After seeing just two leopards in my entire life, I saw eight in a single week. We saw herds of buffalo crossing rivers, elephants mud-bathing right in front of our chalets, fish eagles circling for prey and lion prides surrounding our vehicle. Even in moments of stress, like an elephant’s mock charge or when two leopards fought over a kill within yards of us, I felt calmer than I have in ages, throwing into sharp focus just how much “noise” my connectivity causes.&nbsp;



The absence of hours on social media was blissful—I couldn’t feel guilty about how much I’ve neglected my LinkedIn presence when posting an update was impossible. I couldn’t investigate a new workout trend that I saw on Instagram because my only exercise was safari walks while looking out for hippos. The absence of news of any kind was like a deep exhale.



After the morning game drive, we’d have brunch with fresh produce grown on <a href="https://bushcampcompany.com/the-farm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Farm</a> and then a siesta. Surely, daily downtime would be when the tech withdrawals hit hardest? Instead, I napped—something I never do. I shared an outdoor shower with baboons high in the trees overhead, pelting me with squishy fruits and twigs. “The elephants were right outside the patio again,” the PR, Cecilia, told me later. “I just couldn’t tell any of you because the message couldn’t be sent.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-says-so">The science says so</h2>



Researchers during a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39967678/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">monthlong trial</a> looked at how removing constant internet access on smartphones <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/should-social-media-be-regulated-surgeon-general-warning-social-media/">impacted psychological functioning</a>: 91% of the participants improved on at least one of the following measures: mental health, subjective well-being and ability to sustain attention.



After a few days, we moved to the newly revamped <a href="https://bushcampcompany.com/chindeni/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chindeni</a>. Management organized a satellite Wi-Fi area that we could connect to if we chose. I opened my connection settings, ready to enter the password and then froze. Looking at the sprawling deck, propped over the oxbow lagoon, the mountains reflecting in the still water, I imagined entering the password and seeing hundreds of notifications exploding across my screen, instead of appreciating the beauty of my surroundings. Scarcely believing my own movements, I took a photo and then slid my phone into my pocket, unconnected. While this satellite option was temporarily on offer, being offline was a choice I wanted to make. Like the subjects in the study, I felt better.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-surprising-side-effects-of-disconnection">The surprising side effects of disconnection</h2>



I didn’t anticipate that being offline would make me more <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-get-creative-like-salvador-dali/">creative</a>. Back in my home office, I often find myself staring at my laptop, willing the ideas to flow. Out there, I couldn’t stop them, my notes were full. Most were related to my work, article ideas or newsletter topics, but others were broader. Should I start watercolor painting lessons? Is there <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/container-gardening-tips/">room on my patio for a herb garden</a>? If I move to the coast, how difficult would it be to strap a kayak to my car? 



Our second game drive each day included scenic sundowners, though none quite so spectacular as when the team set up camper chairs in the river. They tended a coal-fire barbecue, grilling chicken wings and kebabs. The water was warm, streaming around our calves as we sipped Amarula on ice, laughing about the day.&nbsp;



That research study showed that participants’ improvements are linked to how people spent their disconnected time—socializing in person, exercising and being in nature. Check, check, and check.&nbsp;



After a week of no connection, it felt strange logging in at the airport hotel. It was a notification bombardment: unread DMs, emails, WhatsApps, app notifications, calendar reminders, the works. I started with messages from loved ones, the people I’d missed most. “Your ‘last seen at’ was a week ago—are you OK?” a text from a friend read. The thing is, I was better than OK. I felt rested, focused and creative—something that’s not always a guarantee, even after longer vacations. This was a working press trip—I was interviewing and taking notes constantly. We woke at 5 a.m. each day. It should have been exhausting, but I felt fresher than I have in years.&nbsp;



The beauty of the nature around me was one part. The sheer joy I felt on safari was another. The prolonged lack of connectivity was, strangely, the biggest contributor. My time in the remote camps of South Luangwa made me realize just how “on” I am in my daily life—constantly accessible, constantly communicating, constantly… constant for everyone else. The reprieve, brief though it was, felt like adding a charged battery pack to my mind and body.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-the-bush-home-with-me">Bringing the bush home with me</h2>



Now that I’m home, I’m trying to keep the momentum of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-right-to-disconnect-movement/">disconnectivity</a> going (although, sadly, leopards being part of the daily routine is not an option). I’ve set up new focus modes on my phone, allowing only the most crucial notifications during my working day. I’ve reduced the time limits I had on apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, my phone notifying me when I’ve scrolled too much. I try to check my email only twice daily, rather than disrupting tasks each time a new one comes in.&nbsp;



When I make a cup of coffee, I don’t scroll or reply to messages. I drink it without distraction, looking out my window. I engage in basic grounding techniques, thinking about what I can taste, the birdcalls I can hear, the shades of green I can see on the grass outside my office and the scent of the lemongrass candle. When my cats jump up on my lap, I stop writing and spend a few minutes snuggling them. Few things are so urgent that they can’t tolerate a 10-minute delay.



I follow the study’s findings—cut down on online time, but also socialize in person, exercise and get into nature. Instead of messaging a friend who lives in my city, we make plans to meet up for a walk in a week. Each element on its own feels small, but the cumulative effect makes a difference.



My week on safari in Zambia was a much-needed reset, but the little habits it inspired allow me to tune out more often at home. Sure, there’s no thrill like seeing a leopard in the wild (and I did immediately post a pic when I was back online), but the next best thing is creating intentional space in my day to appreciate the beauty of my ordinary life. And, for future trips, I welcome the chance to unplug so I can recharge again.



Photo courtesy of Tayla Blaire

Learn how this one journalist went off-grid on a safari and came back with renewed clarity, calm, and focus.

Going on a Safari Helped Me Rest and Reset My Mind | SUCCESS

I Went Completely Off-Grid for a Week on Safari in Zambia and Returned With Greater Calmness, Creativity and Focus

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Tayla Blaire is a South African freelance journalist and copy/content writer for business and lifestyle brands. She enjoys helping new writers find their feet in the world of freelancing, thanks to her background in education. Find her at www.taylablaire.com

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Tayla Blaire

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Professional Growth

Professional Growth Archives

Professional Growth | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

More companies are seeing the benefits of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/job-applicants-video-submissions/">video-based job applications</a>, whether it’s a one-way recording or a live digital panel for the interview. According to research from LinkedIn, <a href="https://news.linkedin.com/2021/march/linkedin-and-microsoft-skills-commitment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">79% of hiring managers</a> believe that video introductions have become more important when vetting applications, so being comfortable on camera is now an essential skill. Unfortunately, it’s also a skill many applicants don’t naturally possess.&nbsp;



Generative AI could offer a solution as a real-time, personalized feedback tool. Professionals are already seeing the benefits of using AI for helping to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-optimize-your-resume-for-ai/">optimize their resumes</a> and cover letters, and recently AI communication coaching has become an integral part of video interview preparation.&nbsp;



Here’s how to knock your next video-based job application out of the park. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-your-first-impression-on-camera-count">Make your first impression on camera count</h2>



Communication and confidence coach Kelli Thompson recommends thinking of video as a first impression for a recruiter or hiring manager. “Think about presenting [yourself] in a quick and efficient manner,” she says.&nbsp;



To combat the absence of energetic exchange, where we can see another person nodding along and reacting with facial expressions, Thompson has three tips to appear more natural on camera:



1. “Look at the camera—it mimics that eye connection—versus looking down at your notes.”



2. “Have pictures of people (if it helps) propped up around your camera so it feels like you’re talking to someone.”&nbsp;



3. Finally, she recommends incorporating your humanity and personality into your video. “Don’t just robotically read the answers into the camera. Tell stories. Give anecdotes. Just because a human isn’t sitting there doesn’t mean that you can’t respond to the questions like you would a real human.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-best-ai-video-application-tools-for-real-time-feedback">The best AI video application tools for real-time feedback</h2>



Thompson suggests using <a href="http://yoodli.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yoodli.ai</a> for instant feedback on how often you rely on filler words and what your storytelling skills are like. It’s not without limitations though. “It still can’t replicate a real conversation… that banter back and forth,” she says.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Cheryl Laidlaw is a web designer and AI strategist who also vouches for Yoodli’s video interview support. Additionally, she suggests experimenting with various AI video interview coaching platforms, like <a href="http://interviewsby.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">InterviewsBy.AI</a>, which tailors mock interviews to the job description and suggests stronger sample answers. <a href="http://huru.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Huru.ai</a>, which creates role-specific interview simulations and scores your performance, is another option. Finally, there’s Google Interview Warmup, which offers a simple (but free) option to transcribe your answers for review.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-use-chatgpt-claude-or-gemini-for-ai-job-interview-practice">How to use ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini for AI job interview practice</h2>



If you’re more comfortable with a typical generative AI platform like <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-use-chatgpt/">ChatGPT</a>, Claude or Gemini, you can still use them to support your video application preparation. Laidlaw recommends always opting for the pro versions of your AI of choice, regardless of your industry. She also emphasizes the importance of training your AI extensively in your tone of voice, your style of writing, vocabulary and preferences—long before asking it for job application support.



Here are some prompts she recommends to get started:



1. General interview simulation prompt



Act as an experienced interviewer for the role of [insert role]. Ask me 5-7 realistic <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/8-ai-related-job-interview-questions/">interview questions</a> based on the following job description or skills:



“[Paste job description/key skills].”



Ask one question at a time. After each of my responses, give feedback on how I could improve my structure, examples or confidence level. End with an overall summary and my top three areas to work on.



2. Behavioral or competency-based interview prompt



You are an expert behavioral interviewer trained in the STAR method. Conduct a mock interview for [job role]. Focus on behavioral questions such as teamwork, leadership and conflict resolution. After each of my answers, evaluate whether I covered Situation, Task, Action, and Result clearly. Then rewrite my answer in a more compelling and concise way.



3. Video or on-camera simulation prompt



Simulate a one-way video interview (like HireVue or Sonru). You will ask me a series of questions. I have 30 seconds to “prepare” and two minutes to “respond.” After each answer, give feedback on content, delivery, tone and video presence (eye contact, energy, body language). Conclude with a summary of what I could improve if I were on camera.



4. Presentation practice prompt



You are part of a hiring panel for a senior role. I’m delivering a 5-minute presentation on [insert topic, e.g., “How I would grow your brand using digital strategy”]. Create a realistic brief, ask clarifying questions before I begin, then simulate the panel’s reactions and follow-up questions. Afterward, critique my presentation structure, storytelling, engagement and clarity.



5. Curveball or stress-test scenario prompt



Act as a slightly challenging interviewer. Ask me tough or unexpected questions that test my composure, such as: “Tell me about a time you failed,” or “Why should we hire you over someone more experienced?” Occasionally interrupt or ask for clarification, just as a real interviewer might. Then assess how well I maintained professionalism and composure.



6. Group or panel interview prompt



You are a panel of three interviewers, each with different priorities. The HR rep cares about culture fit, the manager about delivery and the director about ROI. Ask questions from each perspective and let them occasionally disagree. Afterward, tell me how effectively I addressed each stakeholder’s concerns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keep-the-human-touch-in-video-interview-prep-with-ai">Keep the human touch in video interview prep with AI</h2>



“[AI] forces you to think bigger, but it needs to be within your parameters and [reflect] your personality,” Laidlaw explains. She encourages taking the time to experiment. “If you’re really desperate for the job and you want to practice and put the time and the effort in, then definitely check out [several tools and prompts].”



Laidlaw believes, with time, we’ll see a return to in-person interviews. “I think we will start craving human face-to-face [connection]. It will do a full circle… we’re not in that full circle [yet], but I know it will come back around. So at the moment, we just need to bring our personalities across as much as possible.”



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Learn how AI tools like Yoodli and ChatGPT can coach your video interviews, boost confidence and help you impress hiring managers.

Learn how AI tools like Yoodli and ChatGPT can coach your video interviews, boost confidence and help you impress hiring managers. | SUCCESS

How to Use AI to Coach Your Next Job Application Video

How to Use AI to Ace Your Next Job Application Video | SUCCESS

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A leader inspires discretionary effort in his team

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Leadership

Leadership Archives

Leadership | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

Every employee brings two things to work: what they have to do and what they could do, if they’re truly <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-inspire-growth-in-others/">inspired</a>. Discretionary effort is the gap between these, and it involves both meeting the basic requirements of your job description and going above and beyond.&nbsp;



But according to leadership expert <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelljustice/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell E. Justice</a>, discretionary effort isn’t just about putting in more hours or working harder. Justice has spent five decades applying his background in engineering and behavioral science to help leaders create a “want to” culture in their workplaces—and it’s simpler than you’d think.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-discretionary-effort-is-and-isn-t">What discretionary effort is (and isn’t)</h2>



Discretionary effort, by definition, involves providing <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/effort-quotes/">extra effort</a> beyond what’s required by your role. But Justice takes this idea a step further by looking at the difference between “have to” and “want to.” 



“Every person comes to work every day with a pocketful of discretionary effort,” he says. “They don’t have to spend it. They can do their job without it and go back home.” Discretionary effort is used in our personal lives all the time—when we sign up for our kids’ PTA or volunteer to organize a friend’s bachelor party. At work, some employees go the extra mile, while others do exactly what’s needed to keep their jobs and nothing more.



But it’s not about who stays in the office longer or who takes on extra responsibilities. “Folks that exhibit [discretionary effort] act [like] they have two jobs, not just one,” he adds. “Job one is how to do it the best-known way today. Job two is to find a better way to do it tomorrow.”



When leaders crack the code, they create a different atmosphere, one that results in a greater sense of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/8-tips-to-improve-team-collaboration/">teamwork</a>, a visible sense of pride and shared ownership of results that trickles down. It’s even physical. “You can actually see [enthusiasm] in the physical appearance of people,” Justice says. “They’re more innovative, more cooperative.… We’re changing the chemistry inside of our people, and you can see it on them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-leaders-miss-the-mark-nbsp">Why leaders miss the mark&nbsp;</h2>



In his book, <a href="https://abatechnologies.com/this-is-what-leaders-do" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This Is What Leaders Do</a>, Justice explains the ABCs of leadership: antecedent, behavior and consequence.&nbsp;



“People do what they do because of what happens to them when they do it,” he says. “We tend to spend all our time on the A, the antecedents, the things that come before behaviors, trying to get people to do things, trying to motivate them.”



However, that’s the issue. The key to changing behavior instead lies in what happens afterwards. “Leaders spend… time on the front-end, the antecedents, and not nearly enough time on the consequences,” he continues, “which is the ultimate thing that will determine whether behaviors happen or not.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-spark-want-to-in-your-organization">How to spark “want to” in your organization</h2>



Leaders often say that they want <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/business-leaders-seeking-reinventors/">engaged employees</a> but don’t necessarily follow through on the conditions that foster that level of engagement, beyond financial compensation.&nbsp;



To help with this, Justice suggests several practices that leaders can implement to spark a culture of “want to” instead of “have to”:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-performance-immediately-visible">Make performance immediately visible</h3>



The first step is to ensure that your employees’ hard work can be seen in real time, not weeks later in an accounting report. As an example, extra effort is displayed immediately on a scoreboard that’s visible to players and the crowd during a sports match. The workplace isn’t so different.&nbsp;



“We have to have feedback, information about how we’re doing during the game, so we can change the outcomes,” Justice explains. “Scoreboards have to be in the language of the front line, the workforce. The language of senior leaders is dollars.… The language of middle managers, primarily, is percentages.… [And] the language of the frontline is usually counting.… So we’re looking for those kinds of scoreboards out there.”&nbsp;



When Justice worked with American Greetings, employees walked into work each day on a roll of paper that signified how many feet of wrapping paper the company had produced the previous year. Beside it was a roll of paper that represented what had been produced the previous week, with the company-wide goal of increasing the feet of wrapping paper produced per dollar spent.&nbsp;



“And then there's a third row of the goal for this year,” he adds. “So they’re actually walking in on their piece of paper—and that, of course, makes them want to make that piece of paper longer.”&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overtly-recognize-and-celebrate-your-people">Overtly recognize and celebrate your people</h3>



Justice also advises <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/employee-recognition-6-ways-to-praise-your-team/">in-the-moment recognition</a>. “People are looking to see, ‘Are you going to recognize what I’m doing or not?’” he says.&nbsp;



A heartfelt gesture goes a long way, he believes. This is as simple as giving someone a pack of Life Savers with a note explaining how their action “saved” you.



He also recommends real celebrations that will have a tangible impact on your workforce. No two organizations will have an identical notion of what makes the perfect celebration, though. He cites an example where sales reps with the highest improvements in their conversions were given a trip anywhere in the country to a golf course of their choice—with their supervisor as their caddy. “You can imagine what that did to sales,” Justice laughs.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-be-consistent">Be consistent</h3>



He also cautions against shiny object syndrome, a trap that leaders often fall into each year. To avoid this, they should “maintain constancy of purpose.” 



“[Leaders] can’t keep changing the focus all the time,” he says. “One of the biggest destroyers of success is annual planning, where, because the calendar flipped over to a new year, we come up with a new set of things to do.…They get seduced by the latest thing that's come along instead of being faithful to the thing that they’ve already committed to.”



The change doesn’t always have to start at the top, though. “Major changes begin at the grassroots,” he continues. “You have so much success there that it spreads contagiously throughout the organization.”&nbsp;



Often, the reaction to improvements at a lower level is to report success to upper management, but Justice recommends another approach. “What we’re going to do is do such a great job here that [corporate] can’t ignore it. They’re going to come to us,” he says. “That’s the way it’s happened for me through the years. It spreads contagiously from a pocket of interest.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leaders-are-conductors">Leaders are conductors</h2>



Justice believes that every leader has to orchestrate improvement. “You can have the greatest musicians in the world,” he says, “but as long as they don’t know the song they’re going to play, it’s [just] noise.” This is why leaders have to step up and show the way. “Then, everybody can play their instrument to make some beautiful music. The job of the leader is to orchestrate and prove they become that conductor.”&nbsp;



When leaders get discretionary effort right, employees don’t just play their instruments—they make music.



Photo by Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com

Learn how leaders can inspire discretionary effort and motivate their teams to go above and beyond basic requirements in the workplace.

Learn how leaders can inspire discretionary effort and motivate their teams to go above and beyond basic requirements in the workplace. | SUCCESS

From "Have To" to "Want To": How Leaders Can Inspire Discretionary Effort

From &#8220;Have To&#8221; to &#8220;Want To&#8221;: How Leaders Can Inspire Discretionary Effort

How Leaders Can Inspire Discretionary Effort | SUCCESS

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A sponsor using a digital tablet to discuss information with a younger colleague in a modern business lounge

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<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-find-a-mentor/">Mentors</a> offer insight and encouragement, but if you really want to level up, you need strategic advocacy—and that means finding a sponsor.&nbsp;



“Sponsorship is that X factor…” says career strategist Kimberly Brown, founder of <a href="http://brownleadership.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brown Leadership®</a>. “Sponsorship [is]... who can pick you up from where you are and put you where you rightfully belong because they have influence and power… [Sponsors] advocate for you in a room you’re generally not privy to be in.”







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-visibility-is-your-responsibility">Visibility is your responsibility</h2>



Many employees don’t pursue sponsorship because they believe their managers have their backs, but there’s little point in being what Brown terms a ‘stealth mode employee’: well-known for being reliable, efficient and skilled, but you don’t get any credit or exposure. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/connecting-with-people/">Building strategic relationships</a> allows you to start advocating for yourself and, in turn, encourage a sponsor to advocate for you.&nbsp;



“Most of the professionals I work with are in… the ‘magic middle’… that honestly does all the work and gets none of the glory,” Brown says. She helps her clients ensure their visibility strategies are sound. “Is [your work] actually visible, or is it happening in this smaller, contained area where only one or two people know your magic?... How do we understand where the power is and where the influence is in your organization?”



If your manager is not the source of that influence, you may need to work around them. “Don't allow your manager to be the be all and end all for your career,” Brown says. She also encourages looking into professional associations, to spread your circle of influence beyond the workplace and into your industry. “We need to make sure that <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-build-your-personal-brand/">people know who you are</a> outside of your company.” 



Brown believes that being over-mentored but under-sponsored is an issue that disproportionately faces women, particularly women of color, where representation at higher levels of leadership dwindles. “There's not a lot of women who are in those super high roles… and I believe a lot of that is due to [a lack of] sponsorship.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-sponsorship-actually-looks-like-nbsp">What sponsorship actually looks like&nbsp;</h2>



A common misconception is that sponsorship requires the same time and energy as mentorship. “It's kind of heavy to ask… ‘Will you be my sponsor?’... People may say no, or they say they may not have the bandwidth… because there's this weight and expectation of how much time you're asking [for].”&nbsp;



While mentorship may involve monthly meetings, sponsors are likely higher-up and busier, Brown says, so touching base twice a year or annually is sufficient. “[Ensure] they’re up to date on what you're doing [and] your goals,” she adds, so that sponsors can help mobilize your work and make others aware of your achievements.



Then, when an opportunity presents itself, it’s time to make the ask—a specific request for an action from your sponsor. “I'm currently up for this role. Would you be willing to send so-and-so an email just talking about my experience, talking about getting to know me, and that I'd be a great fit for this role?”&nbsp;



Brown suggests providing any necessary information your sponsor may need, like key elements of your experience, to help streamline the process. Your sponsor will likely add to your outline, but it speeds up their timeline. “That's why we love ChatGPT, because [it] will give us the starting ground, and then you customize it, so be ChatGPT for your sponsor to make it easy for them to advocate for you.”



Brown says that once those relationships are in place, sponsors may well reach out to you. “[They’ll say] you need to apply for this if you haven't already and I'm gonna tell them that you'd be a great addition to that team.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-build-a-connection-first">Build a connection first</h2>



If you’re nervous about starting a connection with a sponsor, Brown suggests putting in the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/reframing-your-relationship-wit-networking/">relationship capital over time</a>, sometimes years, before making the ask. “[That way], even though you may be nervous… it's not going to seem like you are reaching,” she says.&nbsp;



While it may feel like imposing yourself, sponsors are often excited to help. “When I was a senior leader… if I saw someone young in the organization who was doing something really great, I would reach out with, ‘Hey, how can I help you?... Do you need an introduction?’” Brown says. “Senior professionals… get a lot of joy out of helping the next generation.”&nbsp;



She has also been on the receiving end of sponsorship, where she reached out to an influential figure in her field on LinkedIn and stayed in touch for several years, checking in and attending conferences where they were speaking. “I did that for a few years and then a role opened up… and she reached out to me, prepped me for the interviews… I ended up moving over.”



Sometimes the hesitation to seek out sponsorship stems from the myth that sponsors expect something in return. “You ‘giving back’ is doing great work. You ‘giving back’ is hook, line and sinking every opportunity that person rallies for you. The only way you give back is by making that person proud,” Brown says.



Photo by marvent/Shutterstock.

Although mentorship has been seen as a fast-track to career progression, learn why sponsorship is the overlooked engine behind real advancement.

Although mentorship has been seen as a fast-track to career progression, learn why sponsorship is the overlooked engine behind real advancement. | SUCCESS

Mentors Give You Advice, Sponsors Can Change Your Career

Mentors Give Advice. Sponsors Change Your Career. | SUCCESS

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Business &amp; Branding

Business &amp; Branding Archives

Stay ahead in business: strategies and insights for success

If you’re stepping down as your company’s leader but still want to be involved in some way, you have options. Below, experts share insights on negotiating different types of involvement as part of your <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/succession-planning/">succession plan</a> and strategies that can help ensure both you and your company flourish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-start-early">Start early</h2>



There are multiple ways to contribute to your company without leading it. A year or two before you leave, reflect on which path will best fit your own needs—as well as your company’s. “Have open conversations early on,” says Trina Aguirre, founder and CEO of Executive Exit Plan. “People are sometimes fearful or guilty about leaving. But a lot of times, companies will want their advice.”



David Radin, creator of Time Management in the Age of AI and CEO of Confirmed, agrees that making decisions in advance and getting everyone on the same page is essential. As a Dale Carnegie consultant, he coaches clients with succession planning and works with founders and executive teams. In his experience, “If you wait until a company changes hands, it’s too late.”



While you’re still in your role, you can make an impact on your company by creating processes to help it operate easily with new leadership and go in the direction you envision once you step down. Developing these processes includes procedural documentation and cultivating the skill sets of people who will assume new responsibilities, says Radin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consider-your-options">Consider your options</h2>



One way to step down without stepping away entirely is to serve on the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-select-board-of-directors/">company’s board</a>. “If you’re a CEO or already on the board, you can negotiate continuing to be a board member or becoming a board member if you’re not one already,” says Aguirre.



Some people, often retiring CEOs, choose not to be on the board. Instead, they might coach and hire their successor. “If you’re leaving on good terms and know you’re leaving 18 months in advance, you can train someone in the company or search for the person to replace you,” explains Aguirre. As a former payroll director turned career transition strategist, she helps high-achieving professionals—especially women—<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/future-ready-leadership-succession-planning/">build profitable exit strategies</a> from corporate careers. She encourages her clients to specify how long they will train successors, how long they will be available to their successors after leaving, and what they will receive in exchange.



Retiring individuals might also negotiate a contracting or consulting role with their company to wean themselves into <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-plan-for-retirement/">retirement</a>. In this case, you should start negotiating your compensation 18 to 24 months in advance and secure a written contract.



Depending on your preferences, you might choose to volunteer after stepping down from your role. You can volunteer to train other leaders, help with fundraising or remain involved in initiatives that you implemented within your organization, Aguirre suggests. If you are leaving your company in the middle of a campaign, it’s likely the board will offer you compensation for staying to finish the campaign.



Maintaining ownership by owning the stock but handing over leadership to someone else is another option, says Radin. A final possibility is becoming a brand ambassador who attends public events on the company’s behalf. If you have pre-existing relationships with business leaders and politicians, this role can be especially compelling for you and your company.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-present-your-case">Present your case</h2>



Whichever route you choose, you’ll need approval, so start documenting your contributions to the company so that you can present an offer the board can’t say no to. Be strategic when explaining how your involvement is in the best interest of the company, Aguirre recommends. For instance, if you want to be a brand ambassador, don’t say, “I don’t want to leave. I’m attached.” Outline the benefits for the company. You can say, “I have relationships already from being the face [of the company]. I’ll leverage those connections to advance our mission.”



HR is not the decision-maker if you want to be a brand ambassador, Aguirre says. “Talk to the highest person in the company, or talk to whoever is taking over—whoever is perceived to be the decision-maker and can advocate for you.” You will probably present to the board too.



Remaining on the board after leaving the company also requires the board’s approval. Come to this meeting with a proposed succession planning contract, including the specifics of how you want to stay involved. “Highlight [the] incentive of [an] orderly transition,” Radin says. “They might only say yes if they think you add value that they don’t have or if you’re decreasing their risk.”



In cases where your company is being acquired, identify who is in control. “Sometimes high-level employees are decision-makers. Sometimes there’s an acquisition team,” Radin explains. If you want to stay involved, you need to talk to whoever is actually negotiating the deal. “It’s in both parties’ best interest for you to be as involved as they need you to be involved,” Radin says. “So you can ask the person you’re negotiating with, ‘What role do you want me to play?’”



If you’re interested in coaching, contracting, consulting or leading a campaign, hammer out the details in a written contract at least a year before your departure. Compensation for your time and assets should be part of this conversation. “[It should] never just be a verbal agreement,” says Aguirre. “Sometimes smaller firms don’t run by the book and do verbal side agreements because they’re friends, and that usually doesn’t work out… you need it in writing to have leverage.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-in-without-overstepping">Step in without overstepping</h2>



Self-reflection is required throughout this process. “Why do you want to be involved?” Radin asks. “There are compelling reasons, like you don’t want to retire, you want to support the mission, you want to support people succeeding you or you have a package where you’re still compensated. But you need to ask yourself this.”



Knowing your reasons for staying involved will help you be careful about what you’re offering, Aguirre says. You should ensure that your proposed involvement is really what you want to do and that it aligns with the goals you have after leaving your company.



Mentally preparing to not be in charge anymore is important too. “You’re in control of the company in your mind, and when another leader takes your place and you still want to help, it’s not easy to let go,” Aguirre says. “The lines are blurred unless there’s a clearly defined plan for what you’re doing, for how long and what results you are delivering.”



She recommends finding someone to confide in, such as a therapist, as leaving a high-ranking leadership role can be challenging. “If you’re a CEO, that role is tied to your identity, so stepping down can be like mourning a loss,” she says.



Of course, stepping down also offers new opportunities and the potential to remain involved in some way. “If you believe it’s possible, it can happen,” Aguirre says. By starting early and developing a strategic way to present what you would like to do, the succession planning process can be incredibly rewarding.



Photo by hxdbzxy/Shutterstock. This article originally appeared in the July <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/subscriptions/">issue of SUCCESS+ digital magazine</a>.

Retiring doesn't mean disappearing. Learn smart ways to stay involved as a board member, coach or consultant without overstepping.

Retiring doesn't mean disappearing. Learn smart ways to stay involved as a board member, coach or consultant without overstepping. | SUCCESS

How to Stay Involved After Retiring From a Company

How to Stay Involved After Retiring From a Company | SUCCESS

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Man holding microphone giving a presentation to collogues

Confident Businessman Giving a Speech at a Networking Event

“Lifelong learning” is more than a buzzword. It’s an ethos embodied by the world’s best leaders, constantly looking for ways to challenge themselves and inspire their teams. These are the top online leadership courses available now.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-success-leadership-lab">1. SUCCESS® Leadership Lab</h2>



The <a href="https://offer.success.com/leadership-lab">SUCCESS® Leadership Lab</a> is an 18-day virtual course combining expert-led lessons and live coaching curated to help you become more confident, goal-oriented and influential. The live labs offer peer and facilitator-led sessions so you can put your new knowledge into immediate practice. Learn how to handle tough conversations, build trust, thrive under pressure, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/8-tips-to-improve-team-collaboration/">bring out the best in your team</a> and create a company culture that makes a genuine impact. It’s ideal for those who are seeking to upskill in multiple leadership areas but don’t have the time to commit to a year of training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-stanford-lead-online-business-program-nbsp">2. Stanford LEAD Online Business Program&nbsp;</h2>



<a href="https://grow.stanford.edu/browse/stanford-lead-online-business-program/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford’s LEAD Online Business Program</a> is a year in length and requires five to 10 hours weekly. It’s led by the same faculty from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business MBA program and is focused on equipping students with the skills to fast-track careers and create lasting change. After completion, there are plenty of opportunities to stay in touch with alumni.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-harvard-business-school-online">3. Harvard Business School Online</h2>



<a href="https://online.hbs.edu/subjects/leadership-management/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard Business School Online</a> offers several courses in the leadership and management track, including some that focus on <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/master-the-art-of-negotiation-with-fotini-iconomopoulos/">negotiation</a> as well as transforming customer experience. They range in duration, from four to eight weeks, requiring anywhere from four to nine hours per week. Each course is a flat rate, allowing you to pick and choose the leadership track that you think you need most.&nbsp;







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-berkeley-execed">4. Berkeley ExecEd</h2>



Berkeley’s ExecEd courses in leadership and communication are mostly held in person, but their <a href="https://executive.berkeley.edu/programs/leading-strategy-execution-through-culture-program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leading Strategy Execution Through Culture Program</a> is a three-day online intensive. Their next intake is in November 2025. The focus is helping executive business leaders learn how to foster a positive company culture to reach loftier goals.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-wharton-online-university-of-pennsylvania">5. Wharton Online, University of Pennsylvania</h2>



The <a href="https://online.wharton.upenn.edu/leadership-and-management-certificate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">leadership and management certificate online program</a> is self-paced and comprises courses on modern leadership, managing talent, growing global opportunities and strategic management. These courses (each four to six weeks long) can either be taken individually or bundled together and are aimed at mid- to senior-level managers with five to seven years of experience.&nbsp;



Photo by miniseries/iStock.com

Looking to develop your leadership skills from home? Then check out our top 5 recommended online leadership courses to take you to the next level.

Looking to develop your leadership skills from home? Then check out our top 5 recommended online leadership courses to take you to the next level. | SUCCESS

The 5 Best Online Leadership Courses in 2025

The 5 Best Online Leadership Courses in 2025 | SUCCESS

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<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-5-best-podcasts-for-personal-growth/">Podcasting</a> has soared in popularity over the last decade. In <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/audio-and-podcasting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2013, only 7%</a> of the United States population ages 12 and over listened to podcasts weekly, compared to 2024, when 34% are tuning in to a podcast each week. Alice Draper, the founder of <a href="https://hustlingwriters.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hustling Writers</a>, helps her clients land podcasting opportunities since they’re in such high demand. “[Podcast guesting] cuts through the attention economy because people scroll very quickly on social media… and you have at most two seconds of people’s time,” she says. “Podcasting builds trust in a way that other media doesn’t. People really get to sit with you for a long time and hear your stories, your expertise.”







You know the basics: steady Wi-Fi, a good mic, a quiet space to minimize background noise… but what else sets an excellent podcast guest apart?&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-here-are-five-insider-tips-to-help-you-shine-as-a-podcast-guest">Here are five insider tips to help you shine as a podcast guest</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-know-your-host">1. Know your host</h3>



There’s a good chance that whoever is listening to the podcast is a fan of yours and will go where you go, listening to new podcasts just because you’re a guest. However, there’s also the opportunity to tap into brand-new audiences who aren’t familiar with you and your work, and that’s a great motivator to land podcast appearances. In these instances, the listener isn’t a fan of yours—yet. That’s why doing your homework about the podcast and the podcast host matters.&nbsp;



Leadership coach <a href="https://www.kelliraethompson.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kelli Rae Thompson</a> has appeared on almost 100 podcasts and panels, and she prepares for podcast appearances by reading the podcast’s description, as well as scrolling through previous guests and topics to gauge what the host likes to talk about and who they speak to. She then listens to several episodes to get a sense of their style. “A lot of podcast hosts do a rapid fire at the end… if you just zoom to the end… you'll know if they have a signature question that you can prepare for.”



It’s easy to feel intimidated, especially if you’re new to podcast guesting. Your confidence may not be on par with the host, but they also make <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-common-podcast-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/">mistakes</a>. “I’ve been on plenty of podcasts where the podcast host isn’t perfect,” Thompson explains. “They fumble… they go down a weird line and even… tell their technical people [to edit something out]. So, just know that in all of your pressure to be perfect on a podcast, it’s highly unlikely that the host is going to be perfect. Let yourself off the hook.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-know-your-audience">2. Know your audience</h3>



When pitching yourself, look at who’s been interviewed before to get a sense of what listeners are interested in. Draper appreciates it when guests on her podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/my-rejection-story/id1765721680" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">My Rejection Story</a>, chat with her in the green room beforehand, mentioning several of the stories they have in mind and asking which stories Draper’s audience is most likely to enjoy. However, Draper advises only doing this after spending time researching the podcast. “[Say something like] I’m assuming your audience is people who want to grow their business, or whatever it is, and then [the host] can correct you [if that’s inaccurate].”&nbsp;



Peruse the podcast’s reviews to see what listeners have to say about it, like which episodes they’ve loved. Browsing the host’s social media can also be useful to get to know the listeners by looking at the comment section. “[You have] 30 to 60 minutes to make a good impression to a complete stranger who knows nothing about you,” Draper says.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-don-t-go-for-the-hard-sell">3. Don’t go for the hard sell</h3>



While growing your audience to sell your book or course may well be the reason you pitched yourself as a podcast guest in the first place, you should never hard sell. “Put yourself in the shoes of a listener,” Thompson suggests. “When you’ve listened to a really valuable podcast, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this person is amazing.’ And then you Google the person, and then you [take action by buying a book or course, etc.]”&nbsp;



Draper agrees. “The best selling you can do is to just be a great guest.” She also recommends preparing a lead magnet that reflects the content of your pitch if you’re looking to harness your podcast appearance to grow your audience and mailing list. “[The best performing lead magnets] speak to a very specific pain point that the audience faces.”



Both Draper and Thompson advise saving the “<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/podcast-advertising/">sell</a>” for the end and having a polished (but brief) pitch prepared that makes it easy for someone to seek you out. “I can’t think of one where the podcast host didn’t ask me, ‘Kelli, where can people find you?’… That is your opportunity,” Thompson says. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-prepare-but-don-t-overprepare">4. Prepare, but don’t overprepare</h3>



There’s no need to listen to 20 episodes, nor should you take the list of questions (if the host sent them in advance) and prepare lengthy answers.&nbsp;



“People can detect if you sound like you’re reading a script. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t prepare,” Draper says. She advises having several stories in bullet-point form beside you, along with key statistics or research references that are applicable, easy enough to glance down while chatting in a natural way.&nbsp;



Thompson agrees. “[It works] against you to memorize because [it] may sound rehearsed. So, instead, a better tip that just gives us a little bit more flexibility and freedom, is… remember [your] key bottom lines… four key points that [you] want to make.”



Podcast guesting is also a great way to hone your messaging. You might feel uncomfortable initially, but by the time you’ve done a few, you’ll have a great sense of what stories resonate. And if you feel nervous, that’s OK! “When you feel doubt and nerves before you… go on a podcast, that’s a good thing because it means that you actually care about your audience,” Thompson says.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-remember-it-s-a-conversation-not-an-interview">5. Remember it’s a conversation, not an interview</h3>



Remember that the listener may be a big fan of the host and wants to hear them too. “As a host, it’s really awful when a guest talks for 10 minutes because you know you’re losing the listener at this point,” Draper says. “Keep your answers two to three minutes; [otherwise] you’re losing that conversational essence.”&nbsp;



The best way to keep the conversation going? Active listening. “The best thing that you can do is just be a great listener.… Focus on connection over perfection,” says Thompson.



Draper also suggests not holding back anything juicy. “The thing that really will hook people in is hearing your story… [as well as] data, research, learning new things and then blending that with actionable tips.”



If you’re nervous about your public-speaking abilities, Thompson advises using an app like <a href="https://yoodli.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yoodli</a> to practice key stories and iron out errors. She also advises podcast guests to relax, provided it’s not a live show. “They edit all [stumbles and errors] out.”



Photo by Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

Want to shine on-air? Use these 5 expert-backed tips to become a podcast guest your host and audience won’t forget.

Want to shine on-air? Use these 5 expert-backed tips to become a podcast guest your host and audience won’t forget. | SUCCESS

5 Tips to Be a Memorable Podcast Guest

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What does your boardroom meeting have in common with a platoon of Navy SEALs dropping into a war zone?



Apparently, more than you’d think. Both involve the fear of the unknown, and both require a mastery of that uncertainty to succeed.



We sat down with Rich Diviney, a retired Navy SEAL commander turned entrepreneur and thought leader, to learn how to walk confidently into the unknown, whether it’s a major life decision or the next stage of your career.



<div style="height:25px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



Don't miss: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/leading-with-heart-purposeful-leadership/">From the Editor: Leading With Heart</a>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-combat-to-corporate">From combat to corporate</h2>



Diviney completed 13 overseas deployments—11 in Iraq and Afghanistan—and served as the officer in charge of selection. In 2017, he set aside his combat boots, and in 2020, he stepped into different shoes as founder of <a href="https://hub.theattributes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Attributes</a>, where he teaches leadership workshops and delivers keynote speeches.



Working with the likes of Google, American Airlines, the San Francisco 49ers, Zoom and the Bank of America, he transforms organizations using the same lessons he picked up during his time in the SEALs. Turns out there’s not a whole lot that’s different when it comes to leadership, whether it’s in a war zone or an office—at least, from a neuroscience perspective.



“Leadership is fairly ubiquitous in the way it’s done,” Diviney explains. “High-performing teams exist everywhere…. They’re certainly on the battlefield, they’re in sports arenas and they’re in the business world.”



Excelling when things are going well isn’t the measure of a high-performing team. The key is to look at how a team handles pressure in the worst circumstances. This close examination drew Diviney into his current role when transitioning from his Navy career.



“As a Navy SEAL, there were certain distinctions… that allowed us to do what we did: our ability to drop into chaos and perform, our ability to do what most people think are fairly amazing things,” he explains. “It became very interesting to me to try to dissect what those elements about us are—and were—and then see if I could translate that into regular, everyday life.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-master-uncertainty">How to master uncertainty</h2>



What sets those who make the cut as Navy SEALs apart, other than the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65724065" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">70–85% attrition rate</a>?



Physical prowess is certainly part of the picture, but Diviney explains that Navy SEALs’ minds function differently. It’s about how they handle fear, a topic he delves further into in his latest book, <a href="https://amzn.to/45F8WDw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Masters of Uncertainty</a>. 



Fear isn’t inherently bad, despite how we tend to perceive it. Diviney describes fear as a “human risk assessment tool,” referring to research conducted by Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, Ph.D.



“Fear is simply a combination of two things… anxiety plus uncertainty,” he explains. “What’s happening in that environment is that your frontal lobe—your conscious, decision-making brain—is starting to take a back seat to your limbic brain, your emotional aspect at the extremes. This is called autonomic overload, or amygdala hijack.”



And that’s where we stay, unless we try to master it. “Uncertainty exists in our brains when three aspects of our environment are not present… duration, pathway and outcome (DPO),” he adds.&nbsp;



But there’s a way to get back in the driver’s seat. “One of the tools that we as Navy SEALs, or any top performers, use to step through those environments is… creating our own DPOs,” he says. “This is done through a process that I call ‘moving horizons.’ In other words, we pick something to focus on.”



Diviney explains this using the analogy of running for hours while carrying heavy boats in the middle of the night. Instead of focusing on getting through the entire night, Diviney moved the horizon. “I remember thinking to myself… ‘I’m just going to focus on the end of this sand berm…’ As soon as I… created that DPO and picked that horizon, I created a goal in my head,” he says. “And so, when I got to that end of that sand berm, [my brain gave me] a dopamine reward… [allowing] me to come back and do it again and say, ‘OK, what’s my new horizon?’”



If you’ve ever done something similar, you’re actualizing your neurology, according to Diviney. “We’re bringing our frontal lobe online, and we’re beginning to chunk our environment in a way that creates these DPOs and allows us to step through these environments,” he adds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-attributes-matter-more-than-skills">Attributes matter more than skills</h2>



This approach is transferable to just about every challenge, including major decisions like <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/succession-planning/">succession planning</a>—though it goes even further than that. To choose the right leader, you need to look past skills and zero in on attributes, the character traits that come out in high-stress situations. 



“[Our] attributes show up the most visibly and viscerally during times of stress, challenge and uncertainty,” Diviney explains. “It’s because in those environments, [our] attributes tell us who we are at our most raw.”



“Skills tell us what is. Attributes tell us what could be. Skills show the ‘now,’ and attributes show potential,” he adds. “We angle toward skills because they’re easy to see, easy to measure… so we often overindex on what skills are required. That’s when most people get in trouble with the hiring or succession process: They hire the best, most skilled person, and that person turns out not to have… the qualities that are required for actually doing the job.”



Diviney and his team have come up with 41 attributes that are innate to all people, though our levels of each attribute differ. “We have an assessment tool that stacks your attributes from your top one all the way down to your bottom one,” he says. “[But] your top five attributes [and] your bottom five attributes [are] not strengths and weaknesses. Your success as a human is as much because of your top five as your bottom five.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolving-leadership">Evolving leadership</h2>



Diviney explains that it’s crucial for leaders to consider what a company needs to get to the next level, rather than what’s worked thus far. Appointing someone just like you, for example, might be the wrong choice for reaching this goal.



“We all know that in the startup entrepreneurial phase, what got a company through the first five years is not necessarily what’s going to get that company from year five to year 15,” he says. “Oftentimes, the leadership has to change because it takes a different leader to play the long game.



“Now, you might need someone who’s a little bit more patient,” he adds, “someone who might be more discerning, someone who might be more deliberate… someone who’s perhaps more persistent.”



Regardless of who they select, the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/future-ready-leadership-succession-planning/">best thing leaders can do</a> during a time of succession is to keep their team in the loop as much as possible. “I think transparency and communication [are] the key to helping people through uncertainty, challenge and stress,” Diviney continues. “[In] SEAL teams, everything… was about communication. We communicated seamlessly.”



Selecting the right attributes for leadership is daunting, especially since attributes are, by their nature, dynamic and can be altered—though not without considerable effort. Diviney explains that adjusting the levels of any attribute requires the knowledge that it’s lacking, the desire or motivation to develop it (because it’s not always necessary) and finally, the effort to seek out environments that test the lacking attribute, like driving in traffic or choosing the longest lines in the grocery store on purpose to test their patience.



“Human beings in any environment are constantly dialing up or dialing down our attributes,” he says. “The key is it takes conscious thought for us to do that.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-constructing-an-attribute-dream-team">Constructing an attribute dream team</h2>



<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/everything-you-need-to-know-to-become-a-great-leader/">Good leadership</a> should understand that altering an attribute isn’t always feasible. If this is too difficult, Diviney suggests a much easier alternative: Rely on teammates with attributes that are opposite to yours. By constructing a leadership team with varied attributes, you can cover all your bases, no matter what is thrown at you.



“We are faced with uncertainty, [the] challenge of stress, every single day, and it’s really about generating that habit of introspection with ourselves and our teammates and helping them understand and figure that out for themselves,” Diviney explains.



“If we do that together as a team, one of the superpowers of the SEAL teams—or any high-performing team—is, ‘I don’t only know my attributes, I know the attributes of my teammates as well,’” he adds. “And now you’re clicking, because now you know exactly how [and] when you’re going to lean on people, when they’re gonna lean on you, and you’re fully transparent and fully vulnerable about… strengths and weaknesses, and the team begins to run at super, super high levels.”



As we continue to endure uncertain, high-pressure situations, the ability to navigate them with confidence is a necessity. Surviving chaos is one thing—but <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-embrace-uncertainty/">thriving in it</a>? That’s where the magic happens.&nbsp;



If you’re ready to fine-tune your leadership skills, <a href="https://offer.success.com/leadership-lab/">register for the SUCCESS® Leadership Lab</a>, where Diviney presents “Define Your Leadership Identity,” which will help you clarify your leadership vision, style and strengths. Diviney is one of 10 experts in this 18-day virtual course for rising leaders who want to lead with clarity, influence and confidence. The hybrid experience combines expert-led lessons with live coaching to provide you with practical tools to build trust with your team, navigate chaos and crises, shape a healthy, driven work culture, and more.



This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of <a href="https://offer.success.com/success-plus/">SUCCESS+ digital magazine</a>. 



Photo courtesy of Rich Diviney

Retired Navy SEAL commander and entrepreneur Rich Diviney unpacks how the lessons he learned in war zones can apply to business too.

Retired Navy SEAL commander and entrepreneur Rich Diviney unpacks how the lessons he learned in war zones can apply to business too. | SUCCESS

Rich Diviney on How Mastering Uncertainty Leads to Effective Leadership

Mastering Uncertainty: The Key to Effective Leadership | SUCCESS

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Culture &amp; Workplace

Culture &amp; Workplace Archives

Culture &amp; Workplace | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/8-resources-to-improve-communication-and-collaboration/">Communication</a> isn’t just about making yourself heard—it’s about hearing others, and that’s a lot more complex than it seems. Top-performing teams have communication down to an art, but it’s not an innate skill. <a href="https://www.assessments24x7.com/jen" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jennifer Larsen</a>, vice president of training and instructional design at Assessments 24x7, has built her career on helping teams improve communication, largely through DISC assessments. Over the past decade, she has developed a robust training component, ensuring that businesses can understand, interpret and act on assessment results.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-disc-assessment-and-why-does-it-matter">What is a DISC assessment and why does it matter?</h2>



<a href="https://www.assessments24x7.com/assessments/disc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DISC</a> stands for our different primary personality styles. Dominance (confident and results-oriented), influence (enthusiastic and relationship-focused), steadiness (dependable and cooperative) and conscientiousness (detail-oriented and analytical). “DISC assessment is one communication tool that helps people to understand why we communicate, either similarly or differently from others,” Larsen says. “It gives us some insight into what drives our behaviors, why we do what we do and how we do them.”



Larsen was drawn to the potency of the DISC assessment thanks to its simplicity (four profiles make for easy memorization) and its cross-cultural applicability. “Doesn't matter what language you speak, we can see behavior everywhere,” she says.&nbsp;



Larsen also appreciates how, even when she was working at the University of Phoenix, she could see how readily it made a difference in building a mutually beneficial relationship. “I got to see firsthand how effective it could be in any relationship, environment or situation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-behind-team-tension-nbsp">What’s behind team tension?&nbsp;</h2>



While every team has a unique set of challenges, the same communication setbacks tend to arise. The biggest issue that Larsen encounters is that we assume everyone will think, act and behave just as we do, which feeds into how we interpret others daily, whether it's their tone, how fast they speak or work, the amount of detail they provide, the behavior or emotions they express and more. Our perception doesn’t necessarily align with their intention, and that leads to miscommunication.&nbsp;



“If you are breathing, you have a personality, and if you have a personality, you’re likely to have personality conflicts,” Larsen laughs. “DISC is one element of our personality that can help us to understand what we’re about…. The most common tensions we see are often created by a distinction or a disparity in pace or priority.”&nbsp;







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-knowing-your-style-nbsp">The power of knowing your style&nbsp;</h2>



Fortunately, there are plenty of success stories after teams start to understand that conflicts aren’t personal; it’s just <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/disc-activities-team-building/">DISC structure</a>. Larsen relayed an anecdote about a team whose communication patterns shifted remarkably after an organizational shift initially sent the team into disarray.&nbsp;



“We looked at building a structure where everybody could have their voices heard, where the quick decision makers were able to sit through a thorough and deep discussion to reveal risks and questions,” she says. “We made sure that every team member had a voice. Even if there was nothing that could be done about it, they were able to share their perspective and ask questions.&nbsp;



“Every voice was then heard, even if there wasn’t an agreement, and every team member felt valued for being able to predict and or to provide their perspective on their role,” she says.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-great-communication-doesn-t-happen-overnight">Great communication doesn’t happen overnight</h2>



The real strength of determining communication styles is in the long game. Larsen explains how that same team, several weeks later, shifted again. This time they weren’t just looking at making all team members heard but also focused on actively leveraging the strengths of each member. “Not only did they start to see that there was diversity, they started to value the diversity in the room rather than fight against it,” she says. “And that was a huge win.”&nbsp;



The results speak for themselves. “One client that I recently worked with told me that, as a result of our session, they had seen a 20% decrease in project delays simply because people had communication tools to be able to work through miscommunication and misunderstandings in ways they couldn’t before. Another client had a 30% drop in internal conflict reports.”&nbsp;



That doesn’t mean that Larsen is free from encountering skepticism regarding the DISC assessment. However, the skepticism tends to be geared toward resistance about appearing vulnerable rather than about the process of the assessment itself. “Most people recognize that there’s a benefit in strengthening relationships, which is definitely what DISC is all about: understanding of self and then knowing how to interact and work more effectively with others.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-best-leaders-prioritize-good-communication-nbsp">The best leaders prioritize good communication&nbsp;</h2>



Larsen advises leaders looking to improve their team’s communication to get curious first and foremost, even before they look to tools like DISC assessments. “Ask a lot of questions, invite candid feedback, really listen and practice empathy and compassion, even if you can't change anything,” she says. “Be aware of what’s going on with the people around you, offer support in whatever ways you can, but be open to creating a space of curiosity that is safe. When leaders can create a space of curiosity where people can speak openly and they feel like they’re genuinely heard and acknowledged, communication starts to naturally shift.”



As for what makes a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-communication-skills-that-will-make-you-a-better-leader/">good communicator</a>? “The best communicators don’t just express themselves well. They listen and they adapt to how others prefer to connect,” Larsen says. “They’re vulnerable and they show humility. They ask questions, they engage in curiosity rather than judgment. They pay attention and they want to understand how to build their great communication to even greater [levels], and I think, while DISC is an amazing tool to help foster and create those relationships… I think [the best communicators] remember that we’re all just people trying to figure it out.&nbsp;



“The world is messy and complex and fascinating, and people are all of those things, too,” she says. “There’s no one right way to get it done. What DISC does is… it gives us a common language to be able to share what’s important to us in a way that works with the others around us. So it’s not about who’s right. It’s about what works.”



If you’re ready to become an influential leader, join the SUCCESS® Leadership Lab, where Larsen presents “Communicate to Influence,” a lesson in the DISC framework, your default communication habits and developing the flexibility to meet your team where they are.&nbsp;Larsen is one of 10 experts in this 18-day virtual course for rising leaders who want to lead with clarity, influence and confidence. The hybrid experience combines expert-led lessons with live coaching to provide you with practical tools to build trust with your team, navigate chaos and crises, shape a healthy, driven work culture and more. Click <a href="https://offer.success.com/leadership-lab/">here</a> to register.



Photo courtesy of Jennifer Larsen

Learn why DISC assessments are beneficial for workplace teams according to Jennifer Larsen, vice president of training at Assessments 24x7.

Learn why they're beneficial for workplace teams according to this VP.

How DISC Assessments Help Teams Thrive | SUCCESS

It’s Not Personal, It’s Behavioral—How DISC Assessments Help Teams Thrive

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jen-Larsen-profile.jpg

Learn why they're beneficial according to the VP of training and instructional design at Assessments 24x7, Jennifer Larsen.

Concentrated,Female,Student,Sitting,In,Library,With,Modern,Interior,And

Truly transformative leaders are shaped, not born. Because of this, the SUCCESS Leadership Lab was created to help leaders take an active role in developing their skills.



Check out these eight Leadership Lab speakers and the books they’ve written to learn how you can shape yourself into a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/values-of-a-good-leader/">better leader</a>, too.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-rich-diviney">1. Rich Diviney</h2>



As a retired Navy SEAL commander, Rich Diviney knows a thing or two about <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-manage-stress-at-work/">handling stress</a>. In <a href="https://a.co/d/fJ0aSE7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Masters of Uncertainty</a>, he explains the essential strategies for finding opportunity in the chaos, keeping cool under pressure and turning your team into a high-performing unit.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Masters-of-Uncertainty-733x1024.jpg" alt="Cover of &quot;Masters of Uncertainty&quot; by Rich Diviney" class="wp-image-86967" style="width:247px"/></figure>



Masters of Uncertainty by Rich Diviney



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-jennifer-larsen">2. Jennifer Larsen</h2>



Jennifer Larsen, Assessments 24x7’s VP of certification, is an expert in developing people. In <a href="https://a.co/d/0XXsqId" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Makes Humans Tick?: Exploring the Best Validated Assessments</a>, she demystifies the world of assessment tools so you can make the best decisions for your team.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/What-Makes-Humans-Tick-679x1024.jpg" alt="What Makes Humans Tick? book cover" class="wp-image-86968" style="width:247px"/></figure>



What Makes Humans Tick? by Jennifer Larsen



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-chip-massey-and-adele-gambardella">3. Chip Massey and Adele Gambardella</h2>



Chip Massey (a former FBI hostage negotiator) and Adele Gambardella (an entrepreneur and top DC publicist) co-wrote <a href="https://a.co/d/1gCoGop" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Convince Me: High Stakes Negotiation Tactics to Get Results in Any Business Situation</a>. This is your guide to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/communication-skills/">communication</a>, whether it’s bringing your board members around to your point of view, inspiring your team or de-escalating conflict.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Convince-Me-683x1024.jpg" alt="Convince Me by Chip Massey and Adele Gambardella" class="wp-image-86970" style="width:257px"/></figure>



Convince Me by Adele Gambardella and Chip Massey



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-fred-reichheld">4. Fred Reichheld</h2>



Business strategist Fred Reichheld wrote the book—literally—on customer loyalty. <a href="https://a.co/d/3wfNlEp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Winning on Purpose: The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers</a> takes the Net Promoter System, which countless companies worldwide have adopted, even further.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Winning-on-Purpose-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-86971" style="width:247px"/></figure>



Winning on Purpose by Fred Reichheld



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-courtland-warren">5. Courtland Warren</h2>



Mindset strategist and speaker Courtland Warren packs a punch in his bite-sized book, <a href="https://a.co/d/c4jQvb7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Massive Action: How to Move from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be</a>. It’s a quick read that will help you shift from complacency to your first steps toward something greater.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Massive-Action-791x1024.jpg" alt="Massive Action book cover" class="wp-image-86972" style="width:247px"/></figure>



Massive Action by Courtland Warren



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-rocky-garza">6. Rocky Garza</h2>



<a href="https://a.co/d/h0O2QLQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Be Confident: A Pocket Guide to Killing Doubt and Building Conviction</a> outlines Garza’s approach to self-confidence, starting with getting to the root of your self-doubt stories. In this short book, you’ll learn how to grow your confidence through vulnerability.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Be-Confident-by-Rocky-Garza-731x1024.jpg" alt="Be Confident by Rocky Garza" class="wp-image-86973" style="width:246px"/></figure>



Be Confident by Rocky Garza



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-james-whittaker">7. James Whittaker</h2>



James Whittaker, host of the Win the Day podcast, co-wrote <a href="https://a.co/d/4xPvdV6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andrew Carnegie’s Mental Dynamite: How to Unlock the Awesome Power of You</a>. In it, Whittaker annotates key leadership lessons like learning from defeat, self-discipline and more, based on booklets originally written by Napoleon Hill.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mental-Dynamite-682x1024.jpg" alt="Mental Dynamite by Napoleon Hill" class="wp-image-86974" style="width:247px"/></figure>



Andrew Carnegie’s Mental Dynamite by James Whittaker



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-frederik-pferdt">8. Frederik Pferdt</h2>



<a href="https://a.co/d/eOhxGSf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What’s Next Is Now: How to Live Future Ready</a>—written by Google’s first chief innovation evangelist, Frederik Pferdt—unpacks how to tackle future challenges, with an emphasis on making what happens next rather than bracing for it.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Whats-Next-Is-Now-678x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-86975" style="width:247px"/></figure>



What’s Next Is Now by Frederik Pferdt



Photo by GaudiLab/Shutterstock.com

Check out these eight books by SUCCESS Leadership Lab speakers to learn how you can shape yourself into a better leader.

Check out these eight books by SUCCESS Leadership Lab speakers to learn how you can shape yourself into a better leader. | SUCCESS

8 Must-Read Books by SUCCESS' Leadership Lab Speakers

8 Must-Read Books by SUCCESS&#8217; Leadership Lab Speakers

8 Must-Read Books by SUCCESS’ Leadership Lab Speakers | SUCCESS

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image of a pool deck at The Peech Hotel in Johannesburg in South Africa

Lifestyle

Lifestyle Archives

Elevate your lifestyle for success and happiness

With South Africa being so vast, it can be tough to decide where to stay. Whether you’re looking to splurge or <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/budget-friendly-travel-tips-to-make-getting-on-the-road-easier/">keep it simple</a>, these hotels are primed to offer you the best of the best while making memories down south.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saxon-hotel-in-johannesburg">Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg</h2>



Book a stay at the <a href="https://www.saxon.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saxon Hotel</a> in South Africa for an ultra-luxe experience. Renowned for its extensive wine cellars, the hotel is a haven for the finer things in life, especially after its interior design facelift by the talented Nelson Kubheka. After a cocktail in the Olive Bar, head to <a href="https://www.saxon.co.za/restaurant/qunu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qunu</a>. Qunu is the hotel's in-house restaurant for fine dining (the smoked lamb won’t soon be forgotten, nor will the Steak Diane, with wagyu prepared by a chef tableside) and ensure you opt for the wine pairing. The <a href="https://www.saxon.co.za/spa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saxon Spa</a> remains a favorite of both locals and visitors. The Saxon Spa is under the guidance of Tanya Lopes. Lopes is on the pulse of the latest and greatest treatments, with a core focus on wellness and healing.



The hotel’s green efficiency program is visible in all of the 53 rooms. But if you can, stay in the <a href="https://www.saxon.co.za/stay/nelson-mandela-platinum-suite/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite</a> steeped in South African history—it’s where the man himself finished his book, Long Walk to Freedom, after his release as a political prisoner. During your stay, book one of their curated tours to suit your interests, whether it’s art, history, safari or exploring Joburg’s hidden gems. Sprawling grounds, serene gardens, ample conference facilities and an ideal location make the Saxon the perfect Joburg spoil. Visit in 2025 to celebrate their 25th anniversary with them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-peech-hotel-in-johannesburg">The Peech Hotel in Johannesburg</h2>



Alternatively, choose the family-run boutique hotel <a href="https://thepeech.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Peech Hotel</a>. Located in the leafy suburb of Melrose, The Peech is mostly frequented by international visitors, many of whom are return guests. The hotel is a heritage building. It was built in 1950 and bought in 2002 by James Peech, a Brit who fell in love with Johannesburg. Over the years, the hotel’s popularity has resulted in its expansion, while still maintaining its private, intimate ambience. Amble past peach blossoms and indigenous gardens to one of the 32 rooms, as well as a bigger family villa.



The rooms are thoughtfully crafted, blending botanicals with industrial touches, like commissioned steel-cut artworks. The Peech has Fair Trade in Tourism accreditation, uses borehole water, and has a solar power project underway. Guests have the option of dining at The Peech restaurant or <a href="https://basalt.restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Basalt</a>, a fine dining spot with resident chefs, changing every so often. Currently, James Diack is at the helm with an ever-shifting seasonal menu. Ask the hotel staff for recommendations of what to do in the area and they’ll be happy to organize excursions for you with trusted local operators, if you can bear to leave the tranquility of the hotel.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-oyster-box-hotel-in-durban">The Oyster Box Hotel in Durban</h2>



South Africa’s east coast is often passed over, but those in the know make their way to Umhlanga’s <a href="https://oysterboxhotel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Oyster Box Hotel</a> where luxury isn’t out of reach at a fair price point. A national treasure, opened in 1947, the hotel boasts pastel suites and candy-cane striped loungers, backed by panoramic views of the iconic promenade and lighthouse. Clang the dolphin bell on the patio if you’re lucky enough to see one of the many pods of dolphins that play in the surf close to shore.



The Oyster Box is a South African favorite, with plenty of locals as well as international guests (Prince Harry, Bill Gates and Nelson Mandela have all called The Oyster Box home for a few nights, likely in the opulent <a href="https://oysterboxhotel.com/presidential-suite/presidential-suite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Presidential Suite</a>).



The breakfast buffet remains a guest highlight, enjoyed with the sun rising over the east coast. Sip a mimosa and load up on oysters, smoked salmon and pastries as well as classic English breakfast options before laying a towel on the pool deck. The long-serving staff are impeccable, some of whom go back decades with the hotel.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ocean-terrace-at-the-oyster-box-hotel">The Ocean Terrace at The Oyster Box Hotel</h3>



Relaxed dining is available at the <a href="https://oysterboxhotel.com/dining-and-drinks/the-ocean-terrace" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Terrace</a> (don’t miss the curry buffet), with finer dining options in the Grill Room. Enjoy a live pianist at the Palm Court for high tea. Or, for a quiet moment, visit the Clock Library for its collectors’ items. The Oyster Box hosts weddings in a garden pavilion. Receptions are held in a banquet hall with glass sliding doors that open to a large patio with ocean views. Plentiful conference facilities are available with the opportunity to unwind in the hotel spa and hammam.



Head to the rooftop <a href="https://oysterboxhotel.com/dining-and-drinks/our-bars" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lighthouse Bar</a> for sweeping sights of the Umhlanga promenade and whalebone pier. Families love the facilities, and pets are even welcome in the garden units. The hotel cat, Skabenga (isiZulu for ‘vagabond’) meanders around, meowing grouchily. With 86 rooms to choose from, you can opt for garden-facing quiet or the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean from your patio. Explore the bustle of Durban and safaris with concierge-curated tours, if you want to wander.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ellerman-house-in-cape-town">Ellerman House in Cape Town</h2>



If you’ve ever fantasized about staying in an art gallery, <a href="https://www.ellerman.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ellerman House</a> is your dream hotel. Tucked on the slopes of Bantry Bay, the 1906 Cape Edwardian mansion is the perfect place for an indulgent holiday in <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-best-digital-nomad-cities/">Cape Town</a>. Ask for a guided art tour around the hotel, and grab a snack from the walk-in pantry on your way.



For premium privacy and ultimate luxury, choose one of the <a href="https://www.ellerman.co.za/villas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">villas</a>. Perfect for bigger groups or families, the villas are separate and have everything you could need. Adorned with incredible local art (villa one has a crystal hanging piece that will take your breath away) and unparalleled views of the Atlantic coast, enjoy the talents of your private chef and recline poolside to while away the day.



Chat to the concierge about making the most of your Cape Town stay. Options include a trip to Antarctica, as well as local art, food and wine tours. Speaking of wine, the Ellerman House cellar has 9,000 local bottles tucked away in a cellar that’s equal parts art and storage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dorp-hotel-in-cape-town">Dorp Hotel in Cape Town</h2>



For a different vibe (they are self-described ‘oddballs’), book yourself into <a href="https://dorp.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dorp Hotel</a> (dorp means ‘village’). The Dorp Hotel is a delightful compound of buildings clustered around a magnificent garden. Each room is charmingly eclectic. Its larger suites are available with kitchens and cozy fireplaces. With spectacular mountain views, try to score a room where your tub overlooks the mighty Table Mountain. Their in-house restaurant, The Salon, serves simple, homestyle dishes that guests rave about. It’s packed with bookshelves, plants, rugs and plush sofas, with arched windows overlooking the city’s twinkling lights.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-royal-malewane-in-the-greater-kruger-national-park">Royal Malewane in the Greater Kruger National Park</h2>



Located in the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa, the ultra-luxe <a href="https://www.theroyalportfolio.com/royal-malewane/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Malewane</a> is known for its highly experienced guiding team, whom you’ll join for twice daily game drives in search of the Big Five and more. The intimate hotel blends safari classic decor with pops of color and vivid patterns. Though, you can access a greater level of privacy by opting for one of the villas, like the <a href="https://www.theroyalportfolio.com/royal-malewane/accommodation/waterside/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Waterside</a>. Conservation is naturally a core focus, with various opportunities to support local initiatives. When not on safari, spend some time in the renowned spa. Or, work up an appetite by playing a round of golf after taking a helicopter to Leopard Creek, a course designed by Gary Player.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-samara-karoo-reserve-in-the-karoo">Samara Karoo Reserve in the Karoo</h2>



The Great Karoo isn’t known for the Big Five—but it should be. The award-winning <a href="https://www.samara.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samara Karoo Reserve</a> sits on born-again wilderness crossing five biomes. It accommodates just 40 guests at a time to keep things intimate. Sustainability is a key concern with the luxury Karoo Lodge using wastewater recycling powered by renewable energy. For the traveler seeking a truly unique safari experience, opt for the <a href="https://www.samara.co.za/experience/cheetah-wilderness-trail/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samara Cheetah Trail</a>. It’s a three-night, four-day guided slackpacking hike where you’ll step into the shoes of a tracker and learn about the exquisite cheetah and its habitat. And, you can sleep under the stars.



You’re still luxuriously looked after by expert guides, with all meals and drinks included, staying off-grid in luxury tented Plains Camp and in a mobile fly camp. This is the perfect option for the safari-lover seeking something completely different. Seeing a cheetah from a game vehicle is wonderful; tracking them on foot is unparalleled.



Photo courtesy of The Peech Hotel

Discover the seven best hotels to stay at in South Africa that offer a relaxing experience, fine dining and safaris during your next trip.

These top seven offer a relaxing experience during your next trip.

The 7 Best Hotels To Stay At In South Africa | SUCCESS

Where to Stay in Style While Touring South Africa

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Discover the seven best hotels to stay at in South Africa that offer a relaxing experience during your next trip.

image of Deborah Collier - founder of Digital Skills Authority

Future of Work

Future of Work Archives

Future of Work | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

Planning for the future is all in a day’s work for Digital Skills Authority president <a href="https://www.futuristleader.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deborah Collier</a>. She has been doing it for decades, using her extensive background to create implementable strategies for businesses and governments for more than 30 years.



Collier’s first role in the early ’90s was as a technical support engineer at the UK Ministry of Defense, initially on the help desk while studying a computer science degree in the evenings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-e-commerce-to-marketing">From e-commerce to marketing</h2>



After a five-year career in IT at companies such as <a href="https://www.jpmorgan.com/global" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">J.P. Morgan</a>, she started her own digital e-commerce and marketing agency, completed her master’s degree in business information systems and worked for a management consulting company leading workstreams and advising marketing directors and partners on launching new online initiatives. But she didn’t stop there.



“My next venture was [at] an e-business consulting and marketing firm for 10 years,” she says. During her tenure at the firm, Collier developed business management and digital marketing programs with certification components.



“I later invested these constantly updated certifications into the new dedicated awarding body, <a href="https://www.digitalskillsauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Digital Skills Authority</a>, with growing content and training delivery by a team of experts,” Collier recalls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-rise-of-digital-skills-authority">The rise of digital skills authority</h2>



With the growth that Digital Skills Authority has enjoyed comes the need to get—and stay—ahead of the curve. Collier, as a digital tech entrepreneur and futurist leader, considers this a core competency.



“I need to see what ideas will sink and what we’ll need in the future,” she explains. This skill enabled Collier to <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-plan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">develop a content strategy</a> and engagement course she describes as the “first public classroom course training ever developed and delivered to brands such as Skype and Warner. It later became the foundation of a core component of our marketing and management certifications.”



“I then created the first ever e-business management program in 2009,” Collier continues. “It’s about being cutting-edge. That’s what draws clients toward us.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digital-skills-authority-course-offerings">Digital skills authority course offerings</h2>



Deborah Collier: I built Digital Skills Authority from the ground up with limited resources, developing the business plan, marketing, digital, tech and growth strategies and the Certificate in Online Business series. I’m leading the global expansion, including appointing and directing regional leaders who will collectively lead our future growth, standards and operations. 



SUCCESS+: What does Digital Skills Authority offer? Who should look at the courses available and why?



DC: Digital Skills Authority is the industry’s global awarding body for advanced digital and digital business skills. Aside from product development, quality and measurable impact, we’re focused on multi-user subscription licenses through international partners and are seeking governmental backing or other strategic partnerships to deliver <a href="https://www.digitalskillsauthority.org/powerful-e-learning" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">e-learning subscriptions</a> at scale internationally. This boosts economies and enables digital innovation and business.



Through our e-learning platform, we offer digital interactive media subscriptions as well as on-site consultative programs and public courses delivered by future licensed training providers. We’re approached by corporations looking to upskill their teams or startups looking to build a team. We’ve written the recipe. We know what they need to do—the skills and activities required to take the next steps. It’s the strategic development of skills and education, created by pioneers in the industry who have done this for many, many years.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digital-skills-authority-s-notable-clients">Digital skills authority's notable clients</h2>



S+: Some notable companies have chosen Digital Skills Authority. Can you tell us more about your client base and elaborate on some of the success stories?



DC: Some of our more well-known clients are leaders and teams at Procter &amp; Gamble, Ernst &amp; Young, Mars, Schneider Electric, <a href="https://www.loreal.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">L’Oréal</a>, Delta Air Lines and several international post offices, banks, insurance companies, government ministries, stock exchanges [and] telecoms companies, as well as startups and <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/smallandmidsizeenterprises.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SMEs</a>. We also sometimes have individuals wanting to boost their careers, start a business or who are job seeking.



We’ve seen people take our courses and then be promoted shortly after. One national post office reported that our training enabled them to implement a professional presence. Another client, a national retailer, informed us that their year-end stats revealed an increase of several million in their sales that year, after learning about merchandising products with us. We had staff from an airline on a consultative course [that] ended up reporting to their teams in real time to update their website and make things more navigable to drive more sales.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comprehensive-tech-marketing-strategies-and-the-use-of-ai">Comprehensive tech marketing strategies and the use of AI</h2>



S+: What does a well-rounded <a href="https://www.insivia.com/7-key-marketing-strategies-technology-software-companies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tech marketing strategy</a> look like?



DC: Tech marketing is all about data, so any tools that can analyze and provide insight into audiences’ advertising performance and competitors are vital, as well as automation. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/best-ai-tools-for-business/">Artificial intelligence</a> will continue to support businesses with their marketing strategies.



S+: As a futurist leader of the Digital Skills Authority, which skills do you see becoming increasingly critical for the future of work?



DC: I think we’re going to need a mixture of human skills, management and machines. Selecting, monitoring and managing technologies and tools will be crucial, including emerging technologies, such as <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/from-the-editor-ai-innovation/">AI</a> and spatial computing—that mix of reality and augmented reality because we can now extend our worlds. 



I also think we need more strategic development, leadership and governance, with a focus on ethics—<a href="https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/types-of-corporate-social-responsibility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmentally and socially responsible businesses</a>. Creativity and innovation will continue to be important. [Also], as well as other human skills like communication, collaboration, empathy, people management and teamwork. Tech is taking care of the mundane, repetitive tasks, but we need to be skilled to do something with those technologies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-industry-trends-of-tomorrow">Industry trends of tomorrow</h2>



S+: Are there any industry-specific trends you foresee?



DC: Depending on our government’s actions today, our culture will either be heading toward enlightenment that is more socially conscious and ethical or it’s going to be a dystopian future fueled by a lack of ethical governance, extreme conditions in wealth and opportunity and lack of meaningful education.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enhancing-digital-security-for-businesses-across-the-united-states">Enhancing digital security for businesses across the United States</h2>



S+: What recommendations do you have for improving digital security in the United States?



DC: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/cybersecurity-threats/">Cybersecurity</a> is something I’m extremely passionate about, especially corporate espionage and the protection of citizens’ and directors’ information. Hacking puts entire businesses at risk, which on a broader scale, has the power to collapse economies. The future battles of this world are going to be less about guns and boots on the ground and more about information warfare and cyberattacks.



Governments have been quite late in catching up with the fact that content needs to be heavily regulated in some ways. Robots need to be monitored. Citizens must be equipped to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-cloud-security-tips-business-owners-should-follow/">protect their content and their computers</a>. There should be someone on every board of directors equipped at a reasonable level regarding cybersecurity. This will become more important in the future.



This interview originally appeared in the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/magazines/the-tech-integration-iss/">July issue of SUCCESS+ Magazine</a> and has been edited for length and clarity. Photo courtesy of Digital Skills Authority.

Learn how Deborah Collier built Digital Skills Authority to provide tech strategies and resources to prepare businesses for the future.

Learn how Deborah Collier prepares businesses for the future.

Future Digital Skills: Deborah Collier Preps Businesses | SUCCESS

Digital Skills Authority Future Proofs Leaders and Businesses

Digital Skills: Deborah Collier Prepares Businesses | SUCCESS

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Digital Skills of Tomorrow: Deborah Collier Preps Businesses | SUCCESS

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Personal Development

Personal Development Archives

Personal Development | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

When choosing our education paths and subsequent profession, we know that having multiple jobs in our careers is likely—<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/nlsoy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">12 by the time we’re 55</a>, on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, according to the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/05/workers-multiple-careers-jobs-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Economic Forum</a>, we should also expect to have multiple careers—not just multiple jobs. The urge to pivot may arise from financial considerations, seeking greater earning potential, personal motivation, pursuing a passion or a greater sense of work–life balance. Whatever the purpose, a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/career-reinvention-after-divorce/">career pivot</a> can be an intimidating prospect. 



We spoke to five people who have undergone significant pivots in their careers, asking them how SUCCESS® readers can prepare for pivots of their own.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-justin-jones-fosu-from-store-manager-to-business-speaker-and-author-nbsp">Justin Jones-Fosu: From store manager to business speaker and author&nbsp;</h2>



Justin Jones-Fosu was on the corporate ladder and managed a team of 50 at Target, but he felt something was missing. This led him to a series of career pivots that got him closer to where he is today. Along the way, he launched his own company, <a href="https://workmeaningful.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Work Meaningful</a>, now in its 17th year. He delivers keynotes and workshops around mindset, purpose and performance, as well as diversity and inclusion, authoring several books along the way. Jones-Fosu believes every position he has held has offered a lesson. “There’s always something we can learn from our last place,” he says.



Jones-Fosu advises people considering a pivot to connect deeply to their why. “There’s a reason why you pivoted. My ‘why’ kept me going in moments when I was challenged,” he says. Jones-Fosu’s first pivot led to a drop in salary, but importantly, it offered exposure to the area he wanted to pivot to, and the new position provided a greater quality of life. “It gave me my peace,” he says. He also advises potential pivoters to embrace the unknown and develop a great support system.



Jones-Fosu saw his return to university as something he chose to do, rather than something he had to do, achieving an MBA in leadership and organizational learning. “I took it upon myself to continue to grow and learn. There’s a wealth of knowledge I felt I needed. I’m a formal learner,” he says, talking eagerly about his plans to pursue a doctorate and conduct another pivot, this time within his business. “<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-upskill-yourself-to-earn-more-money/">Upskilling</a> is just who I am.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genevieve-beyleveld-from-journalist-to-pilates-studio-owner">Genevieve Beyleveld: From journalist to Pilates studio owner</h2>



Genevieve Beyleveld started a career as a journalist, working in various media houses and launching a successful travel blog that unfortunately suffered when the pandemic hit. After moving to Miami, she and her husband decided to purchase retail space in Bay Harbor and renovate it.



They found a run-down Pilates studio for sale, but the condition was to keep it as a Pilates studio. Beyleveld decided to run with it, renovating and rebranding the studio as <a href="https://www.reformingpilates.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reforming Pilates</a>, and within months, the studio had both a waitlist and celebrity clientele. “We thought, ‘We’re onto something, so let’s expand,’” she says, and the studio opened branches in South Beach and Fort Lauderdale, with Boca Raton opening soon—and still others in the pipeline, including a studio in New York. She aims to have 50 locations by 2029.



“It was less about Pilates than about business. If you can sell anything, you can sell everything,” she says, recalling examples from her younger years when she launched dating agencies and sold hair extensions to her university peers. Beyleveld’s marketing strategy was to exceed expectations at every touchpoint, from aesthetics to customer service to the quality of instructors. “I looked at the small things rather than the big picture,” she says.



Her advice to anyone considering pivoting is never to say no. “Don’t close yourself off to anything; networking is the most important thing you can do. Every person you sit next to is a potential client or investor. Say yes to everything in the beginning and be more picky as you go along.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tucker-cottingham-from-lawyer-to-tech-founder">Tucker Cottingham: From lawyer to tech founder</h2>



Tucker Cottingham studied classics in university and developed a passion for working with disabled people in various capacities, even working for Neil Young’s Bridge School for children with cerebral palsy. Cottingham’s frustration with systemic battles faced by disabled people led him to study law, and he worked in a litigation firm for several years.



“Looking back, there are some threads you can see that make it seem more cohesive than it felt at the time,” he says. While working as a lawyer, he enjoyed working on the plaintiff’s side. “I liked that we were meeting whistleblowers in the back of pizza restaurants. There was an entrepreneurial aspect to it that I enjoyed,” Cottingham says.



During his time at a law firm, he met hundreds of startup founders and became one himself when seeking a system to simplify documents. Nothing existed, so he co-founded Lawyaw with a Google engineer, and the duo were accepted by Y Combinator. “I didn’t appreciate the complexity and how hard it was going to be, but I felt like I knew it would work,” he says.



<a href="https://www.clio.com/draft/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clio Draft</a> acquired Lawyaw in 2021, and Cottingham is now managing director. His advice when considering a pivot is to bet on yourself but also identify your own strengths and weaknesses. “You know the feeling deep down,” he says. “Have a clear line of communication with yourself… because then you can say ‘I trust myself in this decision.’ That internal feedback loop [made me] feel like I wasn’t jumping off a ledge.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noreen-nguru-from-doctor-to-wellness-travel-consultant">Noreen Nguru: From doctor to wellness travel consultant</h2>



Noreen Nguru worked with the National Health Service in the United Kingdom until she was hospitalized from severe exhaustion and burnout during COVID-19—though she was already struggling before the pandemic, describing herself as being in survival mode and working 80-to-90-hour weeks consistently. “I realized this isn’t sustainable, and I have to make myself a priority,” she says.



Her passion for travel led to her creating a business where travel could be prescribed deliberately for its therapeutic benefits. Nguru is currently seeking investment for <a href="http://www.whatthedoctorrecommends.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">her startup</a> to help companies and medical boards encourage their staff to make the most of holidays from a wellness perspective.



“It’s taken a lot of self-education and skill development, immersing myself in the field of coaching, travel consultancy and entrepreneurship, as well as networking, mentorship and practical experience,” she says, discussing her work in CBT stress management and mindfulness practice.



“Listen to your intuition and follow your passion fearlessly,” she says, advising those on the verge of a pivot. “To gain that confidence, take practical steps—surround yourself with mentors who have taken that leap. Every experience, whether success or failure, is a valuable lesson that will shape your journey.”



Nguru also cautions against being too tied to degrees, thinking they’re the only way to be taken seriously. “There are many ways to hone and transfer your skills. You don’t need a batch of new degrees to feel validated to do something new.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-justin-hardy-from-personal-trainer-to-ai-marketing-funnel-consultant-nbsp">Justin Hardy: From personal trainer to AI marketing funnel consultant&nbsp;</h2>



Hardy was all set to pursue a fitness career, studying kinesiology at university and working as a personal trainer. However, he soon grew frustrated with the limitations of the profession. “I was tired of trading my time for money and having to be there in person, but I liked coaching people. It was just a ton of work for the amount I was making,” he says.



Around the same time, he started seeing <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-be-a-responsible-digital-nomad/">digital nomadism</a> pop up online, and he started looking into remote work and what people were doing in that space. “It lit something up in me—I’d stay up through the night studying how people were doing it.” He decided to start out with content creation around fitness and applied to every position he could find for remote work.



He got his break with Alex Hormozi and Gym Launch, after which Hardy worked in various roles before founding his own company as a<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhardy4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> marketing funnel consultant</a>. With the surge in AI, Hardy incorporated it into his offering, helping businesses apply AI to their funnels.



His advice is to harness everything freely available online. “With AI online courses and videos, there’s so much free, good information out there. It may sound cliché, but you can do almost anything you want to do nowadays, and there are so many opportunities out there,” he says. He also encourages resilience and tenacity during the tough times. “You’re probably a lot closer to a breakthrough than you think.”



Careers are far from fixed. For some, returning to university is essential, while others opt to harness self-directed learning through online resources. The common thread is identifying opportunities and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-science-of-gut-feelings/">leaning into intuition</a>, hopefully with support along the way. The path to success might be a straight line for many people. For others, it’s a series of pivots, getting you closer to where you want to be.



Photo by SeventyFour/Shutterstock

Read 5 inspiring career pivot stories and get expert advice on how to navigate and succeed in major professional transformations.

Read 5 inspiring career pivot stories and get expert advice on how to navigate and succeed in major professional transformations. | SUCCESS

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Power of Reinvention: 5 Major Career Pivot Stories | SUCCESS

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Author Adam Markel in signing a copy of his book, Pivot, in front of a bookcase.

A career pivot is one of the most intimidating things you can do, especially when you’re considering leaving a career in which you are firmly established. Perhaps you’re not even sure if pivoting is the right move, or if it is, you’re not sure how to prepare for it or what bumps you’ll encounter along the way. Here’s how to make a successful career switch, according to experts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-you-know-if-you-need-to-pivot">How do you know if you need to pivot?</h2>



The first hurdle is identifying whether a career pivot is the right step to take. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-samuels-williams/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Business psychologist and coach</a>, Nicole Samuels-Williams, has undergone a career pivot of her own, from marketing into her present space. In her practice, she has seen clients experience the same feelings she did: stagnant, bored and a sense of having plateaued. “That is definitely an indicator that we need to grow.”



<a href="https://adammarkel.com/pivot-book/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adam Markel</a>, keynote speaker and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pivot-Science-Reinventing-Your-Career/dp/1476779473" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pivot</a>, has also switched careers several times, with a change from law to his current role, describing his previous career as feeling like “[his] heart or soul was dying as a result of what [he] was doing with [his] days.” He advises self-diagnosis, looking for the symptoms and what your body, mind or heart might be telling you. “It might be agitation, anxiety, trouble sleeping, anger… how does that all make you feel? Are there signs that something is… not the way you want it to be?” Markel explains that you can’t become unaware of those issues once you know they are there.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-can-i-prepare-before-making-a-career-pivot">How can I prepare before making a career pivot?</h2>



A pivot is seldom something undertaken overnight. There’s a great deal of preparation required to make a smooth transition. Samuels-Williams advises a deep <a href="https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/job-market" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">assessment of the market,</a> evaluating trends and looking for emerging opportunities, then crossing that with a consideration of personal strengths in terms of qualifications, skill sets as well as genuine interest and consulting your internal compass.



“You don’t want to pivot and do something you’re passionate about, but nobody’s going to pay you for it,” she says. She also encourages using other people to identify your strengths, even if you cannot see them within yourself. “If… people are coming to you for advice or… to solve a particular problem over and over… maybe they’re seeing something in [you] that [you] don’t see in [yourself].”







Markel recommends looking before leaping, unless you are in an <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/7-red-flag-phrases-that-scream-toxic-work-culture/">abusive workplace</a>. “Plan your pivot… your Plan B. Don’t leave your Plan A until Plan B is up and running. That means you have to work Plan B simultaneously with Plan A for some [time].” For him, that meant balancing both for a period of almost two years, but it was ultimately worth it.



Samuels-Williams also encourages learning and development and investing in upskilling. She explains that formal academic education isn’t necessarily the solution. Rather, she encourages experiential learning, such as apprenticeships or internships. “There’s always formal education, but try to link up with somebody who you can shadow to see how it really works.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-problems-can-i-expect-during-a-career-pivot-and-how-can-i-handle-them">What problems can I expect during a career pivot and how can I handle them?</h2>



Markel says fear is inevitable while making major life changes and uses an analogy of a car driving at night with headlights. “You can’t see a mile ahead of you. You can only see a certain distance and you’ve got to be OK with that… you have to have faith that the road will reveal itself… that you won’t run off a cliff. The worst of our imagination comes to life in our fears.”



Samuels-Williams believes the key is learning to reframe things not going well as data points, rather than failure. “Here’s another thing I now know does not work, so I’m just adding to my wisdom box… there’s a very steep learning curve.” She also cautions against our nature as creatures of habit, where we are tempted to go back to what we know we’re good at. “In those moments of uncertainty, the easiest thing is to go back rather than push through.”



Experiencing naysayers is likely an inevitability, so Samuels-Williams advocates <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-books-on-failure-to-build-your-resilience/">fostering mental resilience</a> and surrounding yourself with like-minded people. “You need to have other people around who have gone through the same thing to say ‘Hey, it’s just a phase. Keep moving, keep going.’ [Have] the humility and courage to ask for help.”



Markel also emphasizes resilience, describing it as the “common denominator in outperforming problems…&nbsp; mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. The most important work we do [is done] in the privacy of our own hearts, so it’s an inside-out solution… you will make better decisions and ultimately things will change for the better.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-i-know-if-my-pivot-was-a-success">How do I know if my pivot was a success?</h2>



Samuels-Williams believes tracking progress is essential and advises those pivoting to identify milestones or KPIs before making the pivot to ensure you’re working toward what you deem success to be, especially since success looks different for everyone. For some it’s financial, for others it’s having more autonomy or being more creative. She explains that when we make a career pivot, we are designing more than just a job; we are designing a life at the same time, deciding what lifestyle we’re truly pursuing.



Markel says the best way to assess the success of a pivot is to complete the same symptom check described above and determine if you feel physically and emotionally healthier. If it feels difficult to assess, external help may be key, such as a therapist rather than friends or family, since sometimes we don’t get the best advice from those closest to us. “Sometimes people don’t want people to change because of the fear around it… because that creates unknowns for them as well.”



Markel also says it’s important to not regard every pivot as the final one. A pivot may be enough to get you from Plan A to Plan B, but Plan C may be the eventual goal. “You pivot throughout your life,” he says.



Photo courtesy Adam Markel

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Digital nomading marks a shift in how professionals are approaching careers and work-life balance. The number of self-described <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/digital-nomad-journey-checklist/">digital nomads</a> skyrocketed post-pandemic. Here’s a look at 2024’s digital nomad statistics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-digital-nomad">What is a digital nomad?</h2>



For much of the workforce, the days of being tethered to a desk in the workplace are gone. Work is what—and where—digital nomads make of it, bouncing from place to place, country to country.



Anthropologist and digital nomad expert Dave Cook, in his 2023 paper “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078055.2023.2190608" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Is a Digital Nomad?</a>” defines these travelers as those who “use digital technologies to work remotely[.] [T]hey have the ability to work and travel simultaneously, have autonomy over frequency and choice of location and visit at least three locations a year that are not their own or a friend’s or family home.”



Olga Hannonen, in her 2020 paper “<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40558-020-00177-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In Search of a Digital Nomad</a>,” <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/digital-nomad-what-you-need-to-know/">describes digital nomadism</a> as “a novel mobility type that is a result of the incorporation of mobile technologies in everyday life and different types of work settings. This growing lifestyle undermines traditional sedentary perspectives and attachments to home, work and even nation-state.”



Here are some stats regarding the current status of digital nomading:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>MBO Partners reports that as of 2023, there are <a href="https://www.mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">17.3 million American workers who currently describe themselves as digital nomads</a>—a 131% increase from pre-pandemic numbers.</li>



<li>11% of workers from the United States described themselves as digital nomads at this time.</li>



<li>Digital nomads are also varied in the workforce. <a href="https://buffer.com/state-of-remote-work/2023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Buffer reports</a> that 53% of the 3,000 remote workers polled described themselves as employees, while 43% are instead independent consultants or freelancers. Just 4% described themselves as business owners with at least one employee.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-are-digital-nomads-from">Where are digital nomads from?</h2>



A <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/whats-next-for-remote-work-an-analysis-of-2000-tasks-800-jobs-and-nine-countries" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McKinsey &amp; Company analysis</a> states that the pandemic has played a crucial role in this shift by “[breaking] through cultural and technological barriers that prevented remote work in the past, setting in motion a structural shift in where work takes place, at least for some people.”



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The digital nomad trend does appear to be concentrated, at least in part, by nationality. Data from <a href="https://nomadlist.com/digital-nomad-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nomad List</a> shows that 45% are American citizens, 7% are from the United Kingdom, and 5% are Russian.</li>
</ul>



“It’s mostly countries from the global North,” Cook explains. He also notes that a high proportion of American digital nomads travel domestically. “They’re able to cross time zones and get into different climates without crossing a border.”



That may well be easier, given the tax implications for digital nomads, who need to control their tax residency and closely monitor exactly how many days they’re able to remain in each location to meet the terms of their visas. “If you’re traveling internationally, there’s an extra level of bureaucracy and expertise you need to develop to make it work for you,” Cook says.



The rising interest in the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-be-a-responsible-digital-nomad/">digital nomad</a> lifestyle has led various countries to develop and offer digital nomad visas, which allow visitors to stay longer and enjoy the economic benefits of longer-term spending without drawing on state resources. There are often requirements put in place to regulate this, like minimum earnings per year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digital-nomad-job-satisfaction">Digital nomad job satisfaction</h2>



However, these visas may contradict the core concepts of digital nomadism: short-term stays and frequent movement. The “Digital Nomad Visa Whitepaper,” written by Lily Bruns and Leanna Lee, elaborates on the complexity of digital nomad visas and how they often offer a year or more, limiting the ability to move freely. Cook notes that there are increasingly blurred lines regarding nomadism as a form of tourism, migration or immigration.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Despite those issues, remote workers seem happy, with 98% of respondents in Buffer’s “State of Remote Work 2023” report indicating that they’d “like to work remotely, at least some of the time, for the rest of their careers.”&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>22% said the greatest benefit of remote work “is flexibility in how they spend their time, for 19% it’s flexibility in where they choose to live, and for 13% it’s the flexibility to choose their work location.”</li>
</ul>



“Escapism and adventure are the ‘pull factors’ for digital nomadism,” Cook says. “The ‘push’ factors are rejecting the nine-to-five, micromanagement, commutes to the office and the traditional idea that we need to be physically located near the places we work.”



Bruns and Lee’s whitepaper also details the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/digital-nomad-companies/">perks of digital nomadism</a>, including opting for countries where the cost of living is lower to save money, increased purchasing power and improving one’s standard of living.



Despite the stereotypical image of a digital nomad on a beach, cocktail in one hand and laptop in the other, it’s not always idyllic. “Trying to develop a client network or business while traveling can lead to overwork, and adventure and leisure sometimes get sidelined,” Cook says. “Work-life balance can be a struggle, and moving every few weeks is disruptive.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digital-nomad-demographics">Digital nomad demographics</h2>



Some digital nomad parents handle these challenges by opting for the “slowmad” route: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-best-digital-nomad-cities/">changing locations</a> at a slower pace and visiting fewer places than other digital nomads. This allows for more stability for their families.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>MBO Partners found that 53% of digital nomads polled “are married or living with a partner,” and 24% “report traveling with their children.” The agency notes that digital nomads cite traveling with kids as being difficult due to additional expenses, health and safety concerns, a lack of routine, educational challenges and socialization worries.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>As for age, digital nomads tend to be younger. Nomad List shows that 59% are in their 30s, and 11% fall between ages 24 and 29.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>“It skews to a millennial trend, though it’s also becoming a Gen Z trend,” Cook adds. MBO Partners’ data shows a similar pattern, with 58% of digital nomads falling into the millennial and Gen Z groups.</li>
</ul>



The landscape is also shifting. “One of the things I’ve seen post-pandemic is coworking spaces becoming more collaborative,” explains Cook, citing his research in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where people affected by Silicon Valley layoffs in the last year were banding together. “They had taken their redundancy packages and were working together in teams to create startups and minimum viable products.”



Work and travel blur together for digital nomads, reshaping the traditional understanding of careers and mobility. It’s an evolving landscape, but that suits them just fine. It’s what they’re used to, after all.



This article originally appeared in the May 2024 issue of <a href="https://mysuccessplus.com/">SUCCESS+</a> digital magazine. Photo by tonkid/Shutterstock.com.

For many people, being tethered to a desk is a thing of the past. Here’s a look at digital nomad statistics in 2024.

For many people, being tethered to a desk is a thing of the past. Here’s a look at digital nomad statistics in 2024. | SUCCESS

Work and Wanderlust: Digital Nomad Statistics in 2024

2024 Digital Nomad Statistics | SUCCESS

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SD24_MAY_FOB_GETTING_STARTED_WORK__WANDERLUST.jpg

next generation leaders around a table in an office

Next generation leaders are set to shake up the workplace as we know it. Gen Z are <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/11/15/early-benchmarks-show-post-millennials-on-track-to-be-most-diverse-best-educated-generation-yet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more educated</a>, with early benchmarks showing that post-millennials are enrolling in college at a significantly higher rate than millennials did at the same age. They will also comprise <a href="https://www.zurich.com/en/media/magazine/2022/how-will-gen-z-change-the-future-of-work" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">27%</a> of the workforce by 2025, and that number will continue to climb as its members graduate and settle into their careers. But what do members of this generation value, and what will their leadership look like in the workplace?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-generation-leaders-are-more-interested-in-face-to-face-contact-than-you-d-expect">Next generation leaders are more interested in face-to-face contact than you’d expect</h2>



Gen Z grew up with screens. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-tips-to-set-up-your-social-media-for-success-in-2022/">Social media</a> was commonplace by the time they reached their teenage years, and hard-copy encyclopedias were mere curiosities on their parents’ bookshelves. One may assume this means that next generation leaders have a natural proclivity for online working, preferring to operate <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/remote-work-gen-z-isolation/">remotely</a> as many of them did during high school and university when the COVID-19 pandemic required it.







However, despite this familiarity with working digitally, Gen Z craves human contact. <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bamboohr-study-post-covid-workplaces-are-slow-to-return-to-normal-301409378.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BambooHR</a> discovered that only 27% of Gen Zers were interested in full-time remote work, compared to 41% of Baby Boomers. Nearly half of Gen Zers polled believe they will be more productive in an office, with 52% describing interaction with colleagues as a driving factor.



Amber Gerdes, founder and lead strategist of <a href="https://saltandlightsocialmedia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Salt and Light Social Media</a>, describes how her remote Gen Z team members expressed a desire to start working together twice a week since they are all based in Milwaukee.&nbsp;



Gerdes, a member of Gen Z herself, was surprised at the outcome. “Since doing that, we’ve become so much more productive, our team is bonding, we’re creating better work, we’re collaborating better, and they tell me every week how much they value it. We’re even looking into getting some office space.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gen-z-leaders-are-prioritizing-mental-health-more">Gen Z leaders are prioritizing mental health more</h2>



<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/sustainable-inclusive-growth/future-of-america/how-does-gen-z-see-its-place-in-the-working-world-with-trepidation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McKinsey &amp; Company’s research</a> indicates that 55% of Gen Zers studied reported having been diagnosed with or having received treatment for mental illness, echoing <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/addressing-the-unprecedented-behavioral-health-challenges-facing-generation-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previous research</a> that showed the importance of addressing the mental health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.



McKinsey also found that Gen Z is more likely to report receiving treatment or mental health diagnoses, but they’re also the most likely to report not being able to afford mental health services. Lack of access to affordable mental health services is regarded as a major barrier to their well-being. Companies with robust <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/mental-health-first-aid/">mental health policies</a> will likely have an easier time attracting Gen Z talent as a result, but next generation leaders are already taking matters into their own hands.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flexibility-and-transparency-matters">Flexibility and transparency matters</h2>



Gerdes worked in corporate before starting her own business, and her previous position allowed for mental health days as a benefit. However, most workers didn’t take them due to the stigma present in company culture.&nbsp;



“I felt like I couldn’t take one without people worrying about me,” she explains.



Now, in her own business, she makes a point of telling her team when she’s struggling. “It creates transparency for them to do the same when they need extra support. If people are well-rounded, taken care of, feeling their best mentally, physically and spiritually, I think it reflects in the work they do.”



Gerdes also allows her team flexibility in their workday structure. “I need my team to meet their responsibilities, but I don’t care when they do their work. If they want to get it all done in three days and take two days off, go for it.”



Gen Z leader Maya Vertigans, founder of <a href="http://www.plannerbeeva.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Planner Bee VA Services</a>, does the same with her team.&nbsp;



“We provide flexibility to the team in their working hours, helping them establish work-life balance,” she says. “I want my team to feel supported, like they can come to me with issues, and I can give them space to learn and grow from mistakes. I try to lead from the front with that, sharing if I’m stressed and building an open culture.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diversity-and-sustainability-aren-t-just-buzzwords-for-gen-z-leaders">Diversity and sustainability aren’t just buzzwords for Gen Z leaders</h2>



Next generation leadership has a watchful eye on equity practices. Diversity matters to them, and not just in terms of race and gender.&nbsp;



Jackie Handy, <a href="https://jackiehandy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">an inclusion and belonging specialist</a>, says we can expect Gen Z to speak up much more than previous generations. “They will challenge systems, processes and leadership. If something isn’t suiting them, I don’t think they’ll just roll over,” she notes. “Yes, they will speak with their feet, get out of there and find an environment that will value them for who they are and offer the growth pathways they’re looking for… but I don't think they will go quietly. They’ll speak with their voices as well. Organizations should ignore it at their peril.”



Handy suggests organizations be meaningful in the implementation of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/bringing-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-into-the-workplace-with-dr-tina-opie/">diversity, equity and inclusion</a> practices. A poster on social media for Black Lives Matter or an event for International Women’s Day isn’t going to cut it.&nbsp;



“Inclusive organizations will have policies and processes that serve all representation in their workforce, whether these people are in the company already or not,” Handy says, citing examples like menopause policies, gender transition policies and adoption policies that transcend heteronormativity. “You can’t just run a one-time workshop about unconscious bias and then move along and forget it. You have to work hard day to day, visibly, to represent society across your organization, providing equitable, fair opportunities for everyone to progress in that workforce.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-issues-and-next-generation-leadership">Social issues and next generation leadership</h2>



Sustainability is also a key focus for Gen Z, and they know greenwashing when they see it. For some businesses, like Vertigan’s VA business, sustainability is crucial. “Being ethical and prioritizing people and the planet are our key values,” she says.&nbsp;



She acknowledges that sustainability sometimes takes unexpected shapes and seldom appears as a company that makes green products. “We offer virtual assistance to sustainable and ethical businesses. They take many forms, but they’re always run by purpose-led people, doing their bit in their own way.”



<a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/understanding-generation-z-in-the-workplace.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deloitte</a> found that Gen Zers need their employers to highlight efforts to be good global citizens, demonstrating a commitment to addressing sustainability, climate change and hunger.



Deloitte also believes it’s worth noting that salary alone is insufficient to lure next generation leaders in. While it’s regarded as the most important factor for them, they seemingly value salary less than previous generations. When presented with the choice between higher pay but a boring job, compared to interesting work that doesn’t pay as well, Gen Z was evenly split.



So, what’s the winning combination? A competitive salary, face-to-face collaboration, prioritization of mental health and visible inclusive policies with a focus on sustainability seem to be good places to start. A clearer picture will continue to develop over the next few years as more Gen Z leaders assume positions of power.



Photo by fizkes/Shutterstock.com

With more Gen Zers assuming places of power in the workforce, a clearer picture is emerging of what next generation leaders will look like.

With more Gen Zers assuming places of power in the workforce, a clearer picture is emerging of what next generation leaders will look like. | SUCCESS

What Does the Next Generation Leader Look Like?

What Do Next Generation Leaders Look Like? | SUCCESS

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Tbilisi Georgia, best digital nomad cities

We did our own research for the best digital nomad cities and rounded up five destinations around the globe that get high marks for several top-of-mind factors for digital nomads, including affordability, agreeable weather and more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cape-town-south-africa">Cape Town, South Africa</h2>



Digital nomad and PR expert Alice Draper believes Cape Town is the most scenically beautiful city in the world. “For digital nomads earning Western currencies, it’s extremely affordable, and you can enjoy a fantastic standard of living,” she says. “The weather is superb, there’s a rich cultural history and South Africans are famously friendly.”



Draper recommends staying on the Atlantic Seaboard for an active <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/together-we-win/">social life</a> and being close to other nomads, as well as being near Table Mountain with world-renowned wine regions just a drive away. Music and food festivals are frequent, and there’s no shortage of nightlife.



<ul>
<li>Average monthly costs: $2,000-$2,500 for a family of four</li>



<li>Weather: Summers are warm and dry, while winters are cool and wet. The temperatures range around 48°F in winter and 76°F in summer.</li>



<li>For community: Check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1535417433393446/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cape Town Digital Nomads</a> Facebook group.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with children: Check out <a href="https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/cape-town/top-schools-in-cape-town" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this list</a> of international schools in Cape Town.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with pets: Read up on pet-friendly accommodations and restaurant options on <a href="http://bringfido.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bringfido.com</a>. There are lists of dog-friendly beaches, and Draper says there are plenty of cafes in the Atlantic Seaboard area that allow dogs. If you’re bringing pets into South Africa, make sure their pet passports and vaccines are in order.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-canggu-bali-indonesia">Canggu, Bali, Indonesia</h2>



Canggu has become an immensely popular digital nomad city destination, likely thanks to the beautiful beaches, historic temples and paddy fields. Georgie Darling, travel writer and business strategist, prolonged her stay in Bali. “Post-work time includes anything from surf trips and scuba diving to sunset coconuts and mountain treks.” Her favorite areas in Bali are nearby Pererenan for a quieter atmosphere, Bingin Beach near Uluwatu for surfing and Penestanan just outside Ubud for a dose of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/tap-into-spirituality-to-enjoy-abundance-with-cathy-heller/">spirituality</a> and all the yoga classes you could ask for. As for getting around, scooter taxis are affordable and easier than getting a permit for motorbikes.



<ul>
<li>Average monthly costs: $2,000-$2,800 for a family of four (with and without rent)</li>



<li>Weather: The wet season is November to March and the dry season is April to October. The temperature throughout the year averages between 75°F and 89°F.</li>



<li>For community: Check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalnomadsinbali/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Digital Nomads Bali</a> Facebook group.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with children: Check out <a href="https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/bali" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this list</a> of international schools in Bali. Depending on your child’s age, you can also explore Boundless Life, which has a branch in Bali. Darling notes that, unless you have a car, you’re likely transporting your child on a motorbike in traffic. She recommends staying in Uluwatu with kids, where the roads are better and traffic is less hectic.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with pets: Darling notes that Bali has had problems with rabies, making it tough to bring animals to the island. There have also been more stringent requirements with bringing pets to Bali overall since the pandemic, so be sure to check the latest government rules and regulations before you go.</li>
</ul>







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tbilisi-georgia">Tbilisi, Georgia</h2>



Tbilisi is considered extremely affordable for digital nomads. Draper raves about the affordable data packages: “It was so fast; you could do a Zoom call from the top of a mountain.” There are plenty of activities to keep you occupied in your downtime, like soaking in the sulfur baths, visiting museums and galleries, wine tasting or admiring the exquisite architecture. Draper says the Old Town is popular with digital nomads since it’s on the doorstep of tourist attractions like the Narikala fortress and is close to quaint coffee shops, wineries and bars. The Mtatsminda district is also a hit due to its centrality and city atmosphere. For apartment blocks on a grander scale, footpaths and leafy green spaces, check out Vake. Alternatively, you can save on rent by living further out and using public transport or walking. “It’s extremely safe and walkable,” Draper says. “Getting from one end of the city to the other doesn’t take long, so it’s easy to meet up with people.”



<ul>
<li>Average monthly costs: $2,280-$3,160 for a family of four (with and without rent)</li>



<li>Weather: Summers are warm while winters are cold and icy with snowy mountains just 30 minutes away. The temperature throughout the year averages between 28°F to 88°F.</li>



<li>For community: Check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/tbilisidigitalnomad/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tbilisi Digital Nomads</a> Facebook group.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with children: Check out <a href="https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/tbilisi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this list</a> of international schools in Tbilisi.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with pets: Read up on pet-friendly accommodations and restaurant options on <a href="http://bringfido.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bringfido.com</a>. Draper describes Tbilisi as very pet-friendly, with plenty of cafes allowing canine companions, though you should look up the necessary pet passport and vaccination requirements. She also notes an abundance of street dogs who are fed and looked after by locals.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lisbon-portugal">Lisbon, Portugal</h2>



Digital nomads in Lisbon love the weather. “With around 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s a top spot,” Darling says. “Lisbon’s prices have risen in recent years, but it’s still more affordable than elsewhere in Western Europe.” She recommends staying in Bairro Alto to be in the heart of the action or Santos for a quieter, picturesque neighborhood.



“With brightly colored tiled walls, incredible food and a constant variety of events for digital nomads, a stay in Lisbon ticks all the boxes, especially during shoulder season,” she says. For day trips, get out of the city and visit the beautiful castles in Sintra or soak up the sun in the seaside town of Cascais.



<ul>
<li>Average monthly costs: $2,800-$4,100 for a family of four (with and without rent)</li>



<li>Weather: Summers are warm and dry while winters are mild but wet and windy. The temperature throughout the year averages between 47°F and 83°F.</li>



<li>For community: Check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/532696873566509/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lisbon Digital Nomads &amp; Expats</a> Facebook group.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with children: Check out <a href="https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/lisbon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this list</a> of international schools in Lisbon. Depending on your child’s age, you can also explore <a href="https://www.boundless.life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boundless Life</a>, which has a branch in Sintra, just outside of Lisbon.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with pets: Read up on pet-friendly accommodations and restaurant options on <a href="http://bringfido.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bringfido.com</a>. Darling notes that Lisbon is pet-friendly and people are often out jogging with their dogs. She says it’s relatively easy to bring animals in with their pet passports and vaccines.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-medellin-colombia">Medellín, Colombia</h2>



Medellín’s popularity as a digital nomad destination has surged in the last few years. In the heart of the Andes mountains, Medellín is sometimes referred to as the “City of the Eternal Spring,” with mild weather all year. Due to its affordability, especially for those earning dollars, digital nomads enjoy a high <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-quality-of-your-life-is-determined-by-the-quality-of-your-questions/">quality of life</a> while staying in Medellín.



“It’s well-loved for its impressive Wi-Fi speeds, great array of co-living spaces and their artsy, cultural scene,” Darling says. She recommends staying in Laureles if you’re a coffee lover or heading to Belén for a more residential option. For nature lovers, the nearby hikes are unmissable.



<ul>
<li>Average monthly costs: $1,900-$2,500 for a family of four (with and without rent)</li>



<li>Weather: The climate is warm and overcast year-round, with temperatures averaging between 62°F and 78°F.</li>



<li>For community: Check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalnomadsmedellin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Digital Nomads Medellín</a> Facebook group.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with children: Finding an international school in Medellín could prove difficult. You could look into exploring Bogotá instead, where there are some international schools.</li>



<li>If you’re traveling with pets: Read up on pet-friendly accommodations and restaurant options on <a href="http://bringfido.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bringfido.com</a>. Darling says that Medellín’s parks come alive in the evenings with dog walkers and families strolling around Parques Del Rio, with pets treated as part of the family. Ensure you do your homework regarding pet passports and vaccines.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



This article originally appeared in the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/subscriptions/">May issue of SUCCESS+</a> digital magazine. Photo by monticello/Shutterstock.com

With high marks for affordability, weather and other factors, these locales take the prize as the 5 best digital nomad cities in 2024.

With high marks for affordability, weather and other factors, these locales take the prize as the 5 best digital nomad cities in 2024. | SUCCESS

The 5 Best Digital Nomad Cities in 2024

The 5 Best Digital Nomad Cities in 2024 | SUCCESS

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/best-digital-nomad-cities-Header.jpg

People don’t necessarily set out to monetize hobbies. Sometimes a hobby becomes costly, and earning some cash is a way to offset the expense. In other cases, we’re approached by people who wish to purchase the fruits of our free-time labor. Often, getting paid for your hobby feels like a low-barrier route to making more money while combating the rising cost of living. A path to profit materializes, and before we know it, the hobby that used to help us unwind has become work.



Clinical psychologist Marianne Trent, DClinPsy, says we must consider hobbies’ original function. “The pursuits that give us pleasure… allow us to decompress… take a breath, [and] be more mindful…. [They help us] regulate the damaging effects of our stress hormones on our body.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-risk-of-losing-passion-when-you-monetize-hobbies-nbsp">The risk of losing passion when you monetize hobbies&nbsp;</h2>



Cake designer Nina Kamal spent her free time baking beautiful cakes as a hobby. “The more you do something by hand, the more you want to do it better the next time, and it just turned into an obsession of mine…. Then people said… ‘You should actually do this as a business. It looks like you could make money out of it.’  It was also getting expensive to do it as a hobby, [so it made sense].”



However, the more successful Kamal became, the more the baking-related stress increased too. “You lose the passion, and that’s when it becomes just a task that you’re doing [for] external motivation. It started becoming more about [achieving]... sales targets rather than about… baking and craft.”



Jason Yee, an accountant, used to love photography and initially shot with film before moving on to digital photography. After the recession hit, he saw the opportunity to monetize this hobby and dreamed of becoming a fashion photographer. “I thought that… [it was] going to be glamorous [doing fashion shoots] and it’s going to be a lot of fun,” he says. When that didn’t take off the way he had hoped it would, he opened a photography accessory shop and studio and moved to Los Angeles. “Almost immediately, it stopped being fun,” he says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preserve-your-downtime-to-avoid-burnout">Preserve your downtime to avoid burnout</h2>



Running a business requires organization and time management, as opposed to a hobby’s free-flowing nature. Scheduling your downtime could diminish the sense of fun and add a work-like dimension.



Trent backs the importance of preserving downtime. “[These hobbies become] evening work and weekend work, but… [non-working time is] really, really important…. To stay the best [for others], we need to often have time for ourselves as well. Often, [when monetizing hobbies], the [first] thing that gets squeezed [out] is the time for oursel[ves]. So that [makes us] more stressed out and more burned out as a result.”



It shouldn’t come as a surprise that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35971651/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">leisure activities promote positive mental health</a>, so it makes sense that turning leisure time into work could compromise well-being. Trent says it’s important to keep an eye out for early warning signs of <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-recover-from-burnout/">burnout</a>: “a sense of apathy [or] disconnection, [the feeling that you’re running] on autopilot… feel[ing] like your thoughts are racing [and] that you aren’t able to… feel excited about the tasks [you have] ahead of you.”



She also notes that looking for things that numb “feeling states” could be a cause for concern—such as an increased level of dependence on nicotine, caffeine, alcohol or cannabis.



If you’re experiencing these feelings after monetizing a hobby, it’s vital not to ignore the signs. “Talk about them, give [those feelings] space [and] speak to a therapist or trusted colleague or friend about what you’re experiencing,” Trent says.



For Yee, the mounting pressure grew to be too much. Eventually, Amazon priced him out of the accessory market. Additionally, area developments led to rent doubling, which made Yee unable to afford his photography studio space, despite hiring it out to the likes of Snoop Dogg and Queens of the Stone Age.



These days, Yee works as an accountant, and his photography hobby manifests as he runs a Facebook group to stay in touch with local photographers and works as a second shooter or photography assistant once a year or so. He’s managed to hold onto some of his love of photography by directing his efforts to street photography, though not as a business.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stop-monetizing-your-hobby-if-it-negatively-impacts-your-life">Stop monetizing your hobby if it negatively impacts your life</h2>



Taking a step back from a hobby you’ve monetized can be tough, but it’s an important choice to make when it’s clear that the negative consequences are impacting your life. “[It’s fine to say], ‘It worked for me for a time, I’m very thankful… but I’m choosing now to focus my life in a different direction,’” Trent says.



Unfortunately, pivoting away from something you’re talented at often evokes well-meaning commentary from others who will try to convince you to stay. “We are the main players in our own lives,” Trent explains. “We can’t keep making decisions just because they make other people happy. You’re allowed to drive your own bus and decide how you want your life to look. And if it stops serving you, it’s okay to step back from that.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enlist-others-help-so-you-can-focus-solely-on-your-hobby">Enlist others’ help so you can focus solely on your hobby</h2>



Kamal was able to preserve her love for baking, despite burnout. “The only thing that kept me going was just my commitments to those couples… how personal it is and how I connect with people [and hear their stories],” she says. “[I’d worked too] hard on this… to let [it all] go… [so I] pitch[ed] the idea to investors… [for] financial support…. We got investors and my husband joined [the business], and from then, things started to change.” Delegation was key to retaining her passion. “Now I am on that path where I can… focus more on the things that I enjoy, [leaving others to handle sales targets] and all of those things.”



Now Kamal is more protective when it comes to her other <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/a-defense-of-hobbies-because-not-everything-should-become-a-side-hustle/">hobbies</a>. She loves spending her downtime reading up on psychology. “[Just] last week, [I was] looking into postgraduate [psychology] courses… [but I] know where that leads. I know. I’ve been there.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-know-when-to-stop-trying-to-monetize-hobbies">Know when to stop trying to monetize hobbies</h2>



There is nothing wrong with monetizing a hobby, provided the activity remains enjoyable and it doesn’t contribute to burnout and elevated stress. Once the passion starts to die and your mental health takes a hit, it may be time to let it go or do things differently—or risk losing your initial love for your hobby.



Photo by Davor Geber/Shutterstock.com

You may want to think twice before you monetize hobbies. Getting paid for something you love to do may sound great, but there are downsides.

You may want to think twice before you monetize hobbies. Getting paid for something you love to do may sound great, but there are downsides. | SUCCESS

Why You Should Think Twice Before You Monetize Hobbies

Should You Monetize Hobbies? | SUCCESS

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Michelle Perez standing in front of her Turo car rental fleet

Turo is steadily growing as a household name. The world’s largest car sharing marketplace is available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and France, allowing people to sign up as hosts and rent out their cars to those who need wheels. <a href="https://turo.com/us/en/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turo's mission</a> is to “put the world’s 1.5 billion cars to better use.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turo-car-sharing-as-a-side-hustle">Turo car sharing as a side hustle</h2>



Colorado stay-at-home mom, Michelle Perez, had a car that spent most of its time in the driveway. After starting her family in 2011, her circumstances rapidly changed when her 18-month-old son was diagnosed with autism. At the time, both Michelle and her husband were working fulltime and started investigating in-home therapy options. Before long, they were burnt out from balancing new parenthood, full-time work and therapy visits. Something had to give, leading Michelle to resign and step into a new role as a full-time, stay-at-home mom.



In 2022, Michelle finally found herself with spare hours in her day and began her job search in earnest, searching for a position that would allow her to contribute to the family financially while still providing her with enough time and flexibility to look after her son. “I always had the feeling I could do more to help out my household,” she says. A friend of hers told her to check out Turo <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-side-hustle-handbook/">as a side hustle</a> for her 2020 Toyota 4Runner that was left in the driveway most of the time. She listed the car on Turo and, in the first month, earned enough to cover her family’s groceries. “This was earth-shattering for me after over a decade of being out of the workforce,” Perez says. “I quickly gained experience on how to grow my business on Turo and now earn enough each month to cover our mortgage.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scaling-and-managing-the-business">Scaling and managing the business</h2>



Since then, Perez has scaled her business by adding four additional cars to her fleet through financing and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-scale-your-business-a-guide-for-new-entrepreneurs/">developed a business</a> entity, Ausome Rides LTD, a pun to include her autism activism with her business. In 2023, she earned $56,000 before the holiday season, which traditionally results in a business boom.&nbsp;



While the earnings from her business help her own family significantly, every mile counts for others, too, thanks to her autism advocacy.



Perez donates a portion of her profits to charity, helping non-verbal autistic children, like her son, find their voice through the use of technology.



“My son is considered non-verbal, and although he’s had speech therapy since he was a toddler, today he speaks in two- to three-word phrases,” she says. “He uses an iPad with an AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) app to communicate with us when he cannot find the words. Many years ago, we were lucky to receive a grant for my son's first AAC device, and it has helped us on his speaking journey in more ways than I can ever explain.”&nbsp;



Perez and her husband wanted to pay it forward and give other families a chance at being able to communicate with their kids who have autism, so she sets aside a portion of the earnings from each booking to purchase&nbsp; talking devices for&nbsp; families who can’t afford them..&nbsp;



“I work directly with my son's [therapy] offices to help find families to whom I can donate,” she explains.&nbsp;



Perez’s biggest challenge in balancing caring for her family and her Turo business is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/why-is-time-management-important/">time management</a>, since it can be tricky delivering cars to guests at their locations if she has a therapy session scheduled with her son at the same time. She says Turo’s support team has been helpful in this regard, though. “Turo is always coming out with new tools and updates on the app that are easy to use and makes running my business so much more convenient,” she explains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advice-for-starting-a-car-sharing-business">Advice for starting a car sharing business</h2>



After a year of working with Turo, Perez credits her personalized approach as the reason behind her success. Treating guests as if they are visiting family members has earned Perez dozens of five-star reviews.



“I personally detail, clean and maintain my vehicles to make sure each trip is an Ausome Adventure, as I like to call it. I also carry free medical alert seat belt covers for any families with special needs,” she says. The wording on the seatbelt reads: Person with special needs. Please be aware they may not respond, resist and run away, be non-verbal, be unaware of danger.&nbsp;



Perez also likes to provide small amenities in her cars. “One of my favorite free perks that I offer is the Colorado State Park Pass, which allows my guests to visit any of Colorado's beautiful parks by car, bike or foot entry at any time of the year,” she says.



Perez isn’t done growing the business yet and she knows she is completely in the driver’s seat when it comes to how much growth is possible. While she has several cars on her Turo profile, she plans to grow her fleet to 20 or more. While initially nervous about getting back into work after many years away, Turo provided a soft landing pad. “Turo has given me the opportunity to be a homemaker while providing for my family in many ways I haven't been able to before,” she says.



Photo courtesy of Michelle Perez.

A Colorado stay-at-home mom started an unconventional business using Turo car sharing to rent out her car.

A Colorado stay-at-home mom started an unconventional business using Turo car sharing to rent out her car. | SUCCESS

A Stay-at-Home Mom Drives Autism Advocacy with the Turo Car Sharing Marketplace

Turo Car Sharing Helped This Mom Start a Business | SUCCESS

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Smiling woman in the sun who understands the heliotropic effect

Ever heard the expression that some people light up the room when they enter? As it turns out, there’s a name for that! It’s called the “heliotropic effect,” and when practiced, it could be the key to better business and a brighter life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dr-harry-cohen-applies-the-heliotropic-effect-to-business-in-his-new-book-be-the-sun-not-the-salt">Dr. Harry Cohen applies the heliotropic effect to business in his new book, Be the Sun, Not the Salt</h2>



In “<a href="https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/83261/leadertoleaderarticle.pdf?sequence=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Five Keys to Flourishing in Trying Times</a>,” University of Michigan Professor Kim Cameron defines the heliotropic effect as “the tendency in all living systems toward that which gives life and away from that which depletes life—toward positive energy and away from negative energy.” Just as plants turn to the light, people do too.



Fellow University of Michigan alumni, psychologist and executive coach, Dr. Harry Cohen, simplified it further: “Be the sun, not the salt,” a mantra that became the <a href="https://amzn.to/3TTvCcW">title of his new book.</a> 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Not-Salt-Harry-Cohen/dp/0578412225?crid=3GUT1L6HNY9YW&amp;keywords=be+the+sun+not+the+salt&amp;qid=1701895138&amp;sprefix=be+the+sun+not+the+salt%2Caps%2C223&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=li3&amp;tag=successmaga06-20&amp;linkId=b5c42ec2aa91616fd34cffbf7a463771&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=0578412225&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=successmaga06-20&amp;language=en_US" alt=""/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Be the Sun, Not the Salt is available on <a href="https://amzn.to/485Dmg5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon</a>.</figcaption></figure>



It’s simple enough to implement. A heliotropic person looks for any opportunity to be a positive influence and, most importantly, acts on it. “When you see someone who needs assistance, offer them a hand,” Cohen says. “It’s a practice. How can you lift someone up? Make their day? Say a kind word? Think of the best coaches, the best friends, the best teammates, the best strangers. It’s a mindset but it’s also a way of life.



“Being dependable is a quality we like in other people. Authenticity—we like it when people are real. We like it when people are <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-practice-gratitude/">grateful</a>. There are endless opportunities for us to practice these qualities. By doing so, [the results are] immediate. We feel better, and other people around us feel better,” Cohen says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-the-heliotropic-effect-show-up-in-leadership-and-business">How does the heliotropic effect show up in leadership and business?</h2>



Cameron’s research indicates the most effective companies have the highest numbers of heliotropic leaders. “Your organization will be more successful on every metric from customer retention to employee engagement and profitability,” Cohen says.&nbsp;



Leaders need to be aware of their impact. “Leaders have to be ‘on,’ and that doesn’t mean happy all the time. They just need to be <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/emotional-intelligence-in-leadership/">deliberate in terms of their emotional contagion</a>. They know the power of their words, and they use their words deliberately to bring out the best in their people, so [those] people bring out the best in their other people and their customers.”



However, the heliotropic effect isn’t a switch that can be turned on or off on a whim. A key tenet of being heliotropic is complete authenticity rather than toxic positivity. “You can’t fake any of this,” Cohen says. “Get this into your culture. It’s heliotropic to desire to be better, for continuous improvement in how we really care about our customers and our employees. This will drive performance.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-we-identify-and-recover-from-salt">How do we identify and recover from ‘salt’?</h2>



A heliotropic person bites their tongue when it comes to expressing anything that wounds and looks for opportunities to make something better or, at the very least, not to make anything worse. Salt, in the extended metaphor of the heliotropic effect, is what causes our roots to shrink, making us wither.



“Salt is unkindness, incivility, disrespect, poor listening, selfishness and inauthenticity,” Cohen explains. “Little snarky ways we communicate at work, like ‘as per my previous email.’ We are short with people. We are impatient. We are unkind, disrespectful or rude. We make people feel stupid. Salty behavior comes in different forms, and it’s the subtle ones that are probably the most damaging because we think they don’t matter. And all of this is salt on our roots.”



When it comes to leadership, it matters even more. In business, we want to energize customers and colleagues, which can’t possibly happen when leaders are perceived as volatile.&nbsp;



How do you tell if your leadership falls under this category? According to Cohen, it’s when co-workers and colleagues whisper things like, “What mood is he in? Don’t say the wrong thing. You’ve got to be careful around him or her.” An environment like this doesn’t inspire psychological safety.&nbsp;



“You want to feel safe to bring up <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/time-for-a-tough-talk-at-the-office-remember-these-5-steps/">difficult conversations</a> and challenge a boss or a colleague in a way that isn’t going to be met with defensiveness and friction,” Cohen says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heliotropic-effect-leadership-strategies">Heliotropic effect leadership strategies</h2>



If you’re trying to be heliotropic in a work environment that has experienced nothing but salt, Cohen offers five ways to do so without veering into toxic positivity territory:



<ol>
<li>Know you’re not crazy. If you’re reading up on a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-recognize-and-prevent-toxic-work-environments/">toxic, negative, salty environment</a> and you see your work environment described, you’re not wrong.</li>



<li>Find a colleague or confidant to talk to and help you figure it out, gain perspective and think through strategies. Make sure you’re in the best possible shape to endure a toxic environment and find allies.</li>



<li>Don’t succumb to the temptation to go to the salty side. When you hear talk from people going down that toxic road, don’t join in the fray. Stay quiet.</li>



<li>Stay true to yourself and your values. Watch how it affects your confidence and make sure you’re not suffering from it emotionally or physically.</li>



<li>If all else fails, make your plan to leave. It may take a while, but start to formulate a plan. If you can’t make it a better, healthier environment, you can’t change it. If you can’t influence the players to change, find another place to work.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-one-do-damage-control-after-spreading-salt">How does one do damage control after spreading ‘salt’?</h2>



“When you say something negative and lose your temper, you have to immediately do the next right thing and apologize well,” Cohen explains. “You need to clean it up and not make any excuses. ‘What I said was inexcusable and I want to make amends.’ You have to want to [become heliotropic].... You have to over-index on the positive. You're never supposed to make people feel bad.” In <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4QUp6tuo-E&amp;list=PPSV&amp;ab_channel=TEDxTalks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cohen’s TED talk,</a> he concludes by asking his audience to focus on producing an “afterglow, rather than an aftertaste.” A heliotropic person has others basking in their warmth. Aspiring to bring more sunshine into our daily lives may sound idealistic, but the proof is there. Worth a try, isn’t it?



Photo by mavo/Shutterstock.com

Dr. Harry Cohen, author of "Be the Sun, Not the Salt," discusses the heliotropic effect in business and leadership.

Dr. Harry Cohen, author of "Be the Sun, Not the Salt," sits down with SUCCESS to discuss the heliotropic effect in business and leadership. | SUCCESS

The Heliotropic Effect: The Power of Extending Kindness and Authenticity to Everyone In Your Path

Be the Sun, Not the Salt: The Power of the Heliotropic Effect | SUCCESS

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