For my first attempt at Ask Alison Anything, I’m opening this thread.
For now, I’m opening AAA to all subscribers, free or paid, until I get a system that works.
Full disclosure, I’m not really sure what a thread is but I think it allows you to post and comment. So let’s see if this gets the conversation rolling.
Just imagine that we’re sitting here, drinking coffee and chatting—as friends do.
The rules are simple:
You post any and all questions to me, and I will answer them in a video post two weeks from now.
Happy to address any socially appropriate question on your mind, whether it relates to career success, work/life happiness, tips for efficiency and sanity as a parent, or anything else that will empower you to live your best life.
Not everyone needs to ask a question, but if everyone is a spectator there will be no questions for me to answer. So don’t hold back!
Starting on a high note here… We’re living and working in an age of gloom. Last year, happiness among working adults in the US hit an all time low. One in three adults self report they live with depression and/or anxiety. Burnout at work is on the rise and, by some estimates, it costs the global economy cost $1T annually. What is driving this rise in unhappiness and who is most affected? What are some research-backed strategies leaders and managers can use to combat unhappiness and burnout on their teams.
Hi Alison. You clearly travel regularly. What packing tips do you have? I’m asking less about packing cubes and more about any smart strategic outfit and shoe choices you make to maximize options and space. Thx
I am very interested in your perspective on company culture, specifically how to tell if a company has a good culture that aligns with your values (vs just blowing smoke), how best to impact culture, and generally how the best cultures are formed (company and otherwise).
Can you go into depth about trying to grow your corporate career AND have young children simultaneously? I am 33 and have a 1.5 year old and he is everything to me - and being a mom is the best - but DAMn that was a hard 1.5 years. Now, i'm thinking about timing for number 2, i feel like i should wait because my career has been feeling "stuck" for about, oh, 1.5-2 years...(what a coincidence) and i feel ready to pivot, grow, and do more to get on the path to senior leadership (currently sr. manager). I worry if i do find something, to get pregnant right away could feel like a setback, but also i dont want to delay our growing family and child's age gap due to this fear. I know our lives are long and there are seasons for everything, and many women find success later into their 40s and 50s for this exact reason, but i would love some real, raw insights into how your journey was for you, any ways you wish you had done it differently, and how you weighed the family vs work BIG decisions and seasons. Thank you <3
also, being a mom is the greatest superpower. yes i require a little more flexibility but i feel sharpened and motivated and ready to do the best work of my career. how to highlight this to people around me instead of dealing with concerns that i'll be "taking time off" :/ curious how you position this to colleagues and prospective employers and can show up authentically.
I am in the high power low status situation you wrote about. How can I help myself? I'm beginning to feel like I am in a lose-lose situation and looking for other opportunities. How do I make sure I don't land in another similar situation in the future?
Hellooo! Loved a recent article in WSJ by Callum Borchers about post-achievement careers. It really focused on financial success as a prerequisite. Here’s my q: can you just decide you’re post-achievement without having reached a professional pinnacle?
I am writing my first book about the power of patience during seasons of transition. I want it to resonate with as many people as possible and act as a "safe space for introspection". But I'm hardwired a little differently than most - rarest personality type, particularly in women, AND an Aquarian - so stuff gets weird. I keep going back and forth between getting too ethereal and turning people off to the message versus staying aligned with what I'm being called to say. Is there a balance? Or should I go in full-throttle and unapologetically?
Did you run into this while writing your book? If so, any advice?
Alison, what's a successful negotiation strategy to be paid for successful sales growth leading to increased revenue for the company you're working for? The current pay structure I'm working in is a fixed salary with a fixed bonus based on overall performance of the company, but not everyone does sales.
How do you approach salary negotiation as a junior in a fixed salary band role where the company does not really do negotiations once they release the annual compensation package?
Starting on a high note here… We’re living and working in an age of gloom. Last year, happiness among working adults in the US hit an all time low. One in three adults self report they live with depression and/or anxiety. Burnout at work is on the rise and, by some estimates, it costs the global economy cost $1T annually. What is driving this rise in unhappiness and who is most affected? What are some research-backed strategies leaders and managers can use to combat unhappiness and burnout on their teams.
And where can we learn more?
Hi Alison. You clearly travel regularly. What packing tips do you have? I’m asking less about packing cubes and more about any smart strategic outfit and shoe choices you make to maximize options and space. Thx
I am very interested in your perspective on company culture, specifically how to tell if a company has a good culture that aligns with your values (vs just blowing smoke), how best to impact culture, and generally how the best cultures are formed (company and otherwise).
How to pivot into a career in organizational Psych? What was your journey?
Can you go into depth about trying to grow your corporate career AND have young children simultaneously? I am 33 and have a 1.5 year old and he is everything to me - and being a mom is the best - but DAMn that was a hard 1.5 years. Now, i'm thinking about timing for number 2, i feel like i should wait because my career has been feeling "stuck" for about, oh, 1.5-2 years...(what a coincidence) and i feel ready to pivot, grow, and do more to get on the path to senior leadership (currently sr. manager). I worry if i do find something, to get pregnant right away could feel like a setback, but also i dont want to delay our growing family and child's age gap due to this fear. I know our lives are long and there are seasons for everything, and many women find success later into their 40s and 50s for this exact reason, but i would love some real, raw insights into how your journey was for you, any ways you wish you had done it differently, and how you weighed the family vs work BIG decisions and seasons. Thank you <3
also, being a mom is the greatest superpower. yes i require a little more flexibility but i feel sharpened and motivated and ready to do the best work of my career. how to highlight this to people around me instead of dealing with concerns that i'll be "taking time off" :/ curious how you position this to colleagues and prospective employers and can show up authentically.
I am in the high power low status situation you wrote about. How can I help myself? I'm beginning to feel like I am in a lose-lose situation and looking for other opportunities. How do I make sure I don't land in another similar situation in the future?
Hellooo! Loved a recent article in WSJ by Callum Borchers about post-achievement careers. It really focused on financial success as a prerequisite. Here’s my q: can you just decide you’re post-achievement without having reached a professional pinnacle?
I am writing my first book about the power of patience during seasons of transition. I want it to resonate with as many people as possible and act as a "safe space for introspection". But I'm hardwired a little differently than most - rarest personality type, particularly in women, AND an Aquarian - so stuff gets weird. I keep going back and forth between getting too ethereal and turning people off to the message versus staying aligned with what I'm being called to say. Is there a balance? Or should I go in full-throttle and unapologetically?
Did you run into this while writing your book? If so, any advice?
Do you have any tips for an overachiever that is great at thinking of business ideas, but never follows through? #fearoffailure #wheretostart
What are the 1-3 questions to ask a prospective employer to quickly learn the truth about their culture?
I ask because I’m exhausted from learning about the misogyny, discrimination, and dishonesty AFTER I accept the role.
What are the magic questions?
Alison, what's a successful negotiation strategy to be paid for successful sales growth leading to increased revenue for the company you're working for? The current pay structure I'm working in is a fixed salary with a fixed bonus based on overall performance of the company, but not everyone does sales.
How do you approach salary negotiation as a junior in a fixed salary band role where the company does not really do negotiations once they release the annual compensation package?