Brenda Bailey Hughes

I use personas when I design curriculum. Then I can imagine how certain content might FEEL to different learners in the room. I eliminated an exercise in a cross-cultural class asking students to describe their family's "arrival" story to the USA (where I was teaching.) I realized that story is unknown, or worse, traumatic, for many, and so I found an alternative assignment to accomplish the same learning outcome.

I have a course in the LI learning library with 21 ways to stay focused on the positive. My favorite is keeping a gratitude journal where I daily write 3-5 things for which I am grateful. I find myself looking for journal entries all day--thus staying focused on the positive all day! I invite you to watch the course and share your favorite! https://www.linkedin.com/learning-login/share?forceAccount=false&redirect=https%3A%2F%2F1.800.gay%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Flearning%2Fbeing-positive-at-work%3Ftrk%3Dshare_ent_url%26shareId%3DqZYcKsAGQSabbry4bCuERA%253D%253D

Given that "being coachable" is critically important to employers, I would encourage you (hard as it may be!) to say, "Thank you for the feedback," and try to learn from it. Reframe the assumption that your supervisor is being "constantly critical," to your supervisor is being "constantly helpful." A VERY common complaint from interns is that they don't get ENOUGH feedback--you don't have that problem!!

Maintain a collaboration not competition mentality! View all of your "competitors" (people working in thes same space) as potential collaborators, mentors, coffee-and-brainstorm partners. The more I get to know interesting people in my field, the sharper my own skills and the more motivated I am!

Networking-type events (at conferences, for example) are this introverts NIGHTMARE. Two strategies have helped: 1. I assume a "role." I help people walking in find the name tag table or the drink station. I make it my role to find anyone standing alone and chat with them. Having a role makes me feel better about being there. 2. I set measurable goals to meet before I allow myself to leave: For instance, "Meet three people who know something about AI and communication," or "Share my new LinkedIn course title with at least four people." Good luck!

When colleagues or administrators are the skeptics (and your creative teaching method requires their buy-in), run a pilot. I tested a new technology with two sections of a class using the new tech and two using the traditional approach. Demonstrating an 80% increase in student engagement with the new method instantly faded away that early resistance.