6 Solid Pieces Of Career Advice To Start Your Week

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It’s Tuesday, which means there are three long days left until the glorious weekend. But don’t despair / eat your emotions in the form of leftover office birthday cake. In an effort to make the work week slightly more inspiring, CreativeLive is delivering a roundup of our favorite career advice from experts in every field –– including Amy Poehler (her musings are a must-read). Whether you’re embarking on a new career or happy in your current one, we all need the occasional words of wisdom to get motivated. Check out the tips below!

Value Your Community

“People so often think that having a community means giving up control over their brand or opening themselves up to criticism. And in some cases, those things do happen and are necessary. But allowing different voices in (with parameters firmly in place) allows the conversation to go beyond your community. From a management standpoint, you can help it along by encouraging participants. People want to interact with you and the people who work with you, so give them the opportunity to do just that! Contests, articles and live chats are all great ‘catalyst events’ that can grow the community but don’t rely on members too heavily.” –– Maren Hogan, Chief of Marketing at Red Branch Media

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Leadership Hinges on Fortitude

“Effective leaders are the calm in the storm during the bad times, and they stay grounded in the midst of the good times. They are the shock absorbers of their organizations, tempering both the highs and the lows. Leaders with fortitude also know how to take criticism with a grain of salt. And let’s face it; there’s always criticism. But they won’t let it to keep them from taking action, nor will they allow it to cloud their vision or sour their optimism.” –– Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., President and CEO of TIAA-CREF

Strike The Success Balance

“Your work has to be inspiring and aspirational but you must convey valuable information, too. Success lies in the balance.” Michael Kors, designer

Take Life By The Horns (or, In This Case, Claws)

“I see life as like being attacked by a bear. You can run, you can pretend to be dead, or you can make yourself bigger. So, if you’re my stature, you stand on a chair and bang a pan and scream and shout as if you’re going to attack the bear,. This is my go-to strategy.” –– Amy Poehler, actress / author

Stay Curious

“First, love what you do. Learn how to motivate people. Listen and learn from others around you. And, ask lots of questions. My favorite question is what Eisenhower asked me, “What do you think?” Another one is, “Why?” You’ll be surprised at the answers and how it will help you make the right decision.” –– Bill Marriott, Executive Chairman of the Board, Marriott Hotels

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Simple, But Effective: Be Nice

“Advice that I would give based on my own experience: Work hard. I know it sounds trite and silly. And be good to other people! You’re unlikely to have the kind of life you want if you don’t work hard. And you’re also unlikely to have the kind of life you want to have if you aren’t good to other people.” –– Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Slack and Flickr

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Mehera Bonner is a freelance lifestyle and entertainment writer. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and two children.