What if your biggest work problems aren't about ability or experience, but all the unwritten rules forcing you to be someone you're not?
If you're exhausted from second-guessing every decision, tired of feeling like an imposter, stressed by endless meetings that could've been emails, or done with pretending to be "professional" while your motivation tanks, you're not alone. Through groundbreaking research and insights gleaned from consulting thousands of teams and leaders worldwide, Kirsty Hulse reveals why work feels so much harder than it should and shows you what you've suspected all along: there really is a better way.
Whether you're a CEO or new graduate, team leader or freelancer, Don't Swear at Work covers everything you need to succeed on the job. Learn how to:
Present without dreading it
Build genuine connections
Get that huge to-do list done without the stress, and
Lead with genuine self-belief.
Packed with actionable techniques, real-world stories and just enough swearing and chaos to keep it interesting, Don't Swear at Work is your practical guide to stop playing by rules that were designed to make you fail, and start creating a career that's right for you.
Introduction
Our professional lives are a minefield of unwritten rules
Robots can’t hug
We are here to break (and rebuild) The Rules
Chapter 1 – THE RULE: Stop doing that
Legit changing your life through start motivation
Actions win!
How to cheat code new habits
What gets celebrated gets repeated
Integrating your growth
Chapter 2 – THE RULE: Be professional
"Be professional" is inherently sexist, racist, and exclusionary
“Be professional” makes us worse at our jobs
Ambiguity will always be perceived negatively
Chapter 3 – THE RULE: You’re not on the playground
The opposite of play is not work. The opposite of play is depression.
What is play and how can we do more of it?
Life play
Day-to-day play
Humour
Chapter 4 – THE RULE: Just give me the facts
You are a messy, irrational hot mess
Understanding (and using) the power of emotions
Modeling emotions
A quick “vibe check” exercise
The TFAR framework
Chapter 5 – THE RULE: Never let them see you scared
Emotional suppression doesn’t work
When are emotions positive
You are great at your job BECAUSE...
Emotions are Information
Chapter 6 – THE RULE: Because I said so
Feedback sucks
You are not listening
Stop telling people what they should do
Chapter 7 – THE RULE: You're an idiot
Practical self-compassion
Everyday growth mindset (that actually works)
Building growth mindset teams
Chapter 8 – THE RULE: People are the worst
Why we "other" others
Empathy, but not as you know it
Dealing with toxic situations and people
You are being seen anyway
Making networking less awful
Chapter 9 – THE RULE: Don’t waste time
Staring out of the window is a valuable use of your time
The shit middle
Busy-ness and self-esteem
It is not the volume of work, but the way we work
Away-state motivation
Chapter 10 – THE RULE: Nobody likes a showoff
Most of us struggle with confidence
Why your internalized idea of confidence is a dumpster fire
Confidence is not a fixed trait
It is not binary
It is not “loud”
Confidence is a habit
Chapter 11 – THE NEW RULE
Secondary Gains
REFERENCES
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