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Primer to Self-Advocacy in the Workplace

June 14, 2025

Let’s be real: the modern workplace isn’t kind to quiet achievers. And for those who don’t fit the traditional mold, whether because of race, gender, background, or personality, it can feel even more taxing.

The better news? You don’t have to keep playing by those rules because you have one incredibly powerful asset that can change the game: your voice.

In this post, we’ll break down how to make your voice matter through practicing self-advocacy at the workplace.

What is Self Advocacy?

Self-advocacy in the workplace indicates your ability to communicate your needs, preferences, and boundaries to others — your peers, superiors, or clients. It’s about speaking up for yourself, professionally and proactively, so your contributions don’t get overlooked or undervalued.

Let’s face it: not every workplace is designed to give every voice equal airtime. Statistically, women are 14% less likely to get promoted because managers are more likely to underestimate their potential.

“Women get progressively lower potential scores relative to their actual future performance as we rise up the corporate ladder.…

What is Weaponized Incompetence and How to Deal with It in the Workplace

May 9, 2025

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It’s your usual day at the office. You’re minding your tasks when Jamile pops up at your cubicle, pleading to show how you’re “doing your magic in Salesforce” because he’s totally desperate. Why not help, right?

A week goes by, and the situation virtually repeats itself. The same colleague keeps asking for your help with this or that because “he’s just not good with tech.” When such behaviors become the norm, it’s not just laziness or genuine ineptitude — it may be weaponized incompetence.

Never heard the term? We’re diving into what this behavior really means, how it shows up in professional settings, and what you can actually do about it.

What is Weaponized Incompetence?

Derived from psychological studies and amplified by social media, weaponized incompetence is an attempt to avoid responsibility by underperforming or downplaying one’s skills instead.

In most cases, it’s not about a genuine lack of skill or training — it’s a strategic move to take advantage of someone else’s good graces, shift workload, and otherwise dodge accountability while still reaping the benefits of “team effort”.…

Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: Definition, Benefits, and Ways to Develop

June 25, 2024

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In 1995, Daniel Goleman, a trained psychologist and science journalist at the New York Times, released a book titled “Emotional Intelligence”. Twenty-five years later, his ideas remain as relevant as ever, although still not fully understood.

If you’re wondering what emotional intelligence (EQ) is, why it’s constantly dubbed more important than IQ and technical skills, and how to develop it, this guide will provide you with an exhaustive answer.

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence stands for your ability to appropriately recognize and manage emotions, plus influence the emotions of others. Quoting Daniel Goleman:

Emotional self-awareness is the building block of the next fundamental emotional intelligence: like being able to shake off a bad mood.

Emotionally intelligent people don’t let negative (or positive emotions) overtake the rational mind in personal and professional settings. For example, instead of engaging in a heated public argument with a colleague who thinks they’re better than you, you try to understand where their superiority complex is coming from and try to deal with the situation privately. …