#ThirstyThursday Issue #170

The Assist Newsletter
February 12, 2025
A cartoon of a love-struck tennis player with heart eyes holding a racket, next to the text, "Why don’t relationships ever work out with tennis players?”

Click the image for the punchline 👆.

Today’s Checklist: 

    • Handling a toxic boss
    • Communicating in a male-dominated industry
    • Leadership predictions for 2025
    • Newest discovery in gut health

QUICK LINKS

🕶️ Enhance your career with VR soft skills training and stand out in the workplace.

🎁 Need a Valentine’s gift for him that isn’t whiskey? These thoughtful ideas have you covered.

📊 Boost your efficiency with these 50 Excel shortcut keys to master spreadsheets in 2025.

🍸 Shake things up with these Valentine’s Day cocktails full of spirit and romance.

WORK

A woman with dark hair and a nose ring speaking to the camera, with text that reads, "Handle a TOXIC boss.”

How to Handle a Toxic Boss

 

Takeaways:

  • Remind yourself their word doesn’t define your value and have courage to stand up to them.
  • Write down the toxic behaviors and traits they’ve shown and how they’ve negatively impacted you and your work. Take that list to a coach or mentor to discuss and collaborate to create a script that seems unbiased and professional.
  • Another way to protect yourself is to grow your leadership network; schedule a 1:1 monthly with their manager so you can showcase your accomplishments and build a personal relationship.

Hear all 5 tips on TiKTok.

RECRUITING TOOL

A screenshot of a text conversation discussing the benefits of using the Greenhouse software for hiring. The replies highlight improved hiring processes, collaborative features, and customizable tools, with responses like "super" and "amazing" emphasizing satisfaction.

My BFF Swears by Greenhouse for Recruiting

 

Recruiting the right talent is one of the biggest challenges for any company. Between posting jobs, sorting resumes, and scheduling interviews, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—especially when it comes to managing feedback across hiring managers. Building a strong team should start with an efficient, collaborative, and data-driven recruitment process.

When I asked my best friend (who’s been in recruiting for years) about Greenhouse, she wouldn’t shut up about how awesome it was—the text pictured above was part 1 of many gray bubble responses.

She told me Greenhouse makes hiring way more collaborative—giving managers access to the platform so everyone’s on the same page for scheduling and feedback. Plus, the customizable scorecards for interviews make gathering actionable feedback super easy.

And if you’re into optimizing (who isn’t?), the data you get from the platform is a game-changer. You can see the types of applicants coming in and tweak your search strategy in real-time.

TL;DR: If you’re looking to cut down your hiring time, improve collaboration with managers, and get deeper insights into your talent pool, Greenhouse is a must-have.

circle image of Joanna, Co-Founder of TA

Joanna (TA Co-founder)

COMMUNICATION

A speaker in a gray suit on a stage with a dark blue background, with text that reads, "How to command respect every time you speak" and "male-dominated industry.”

Advice for Women in Male-Dominated Fields

 

Takeaways:

  • To help amplify your message and get a voice in meetings, focus on vocal and physical presence.
  • Increase vocal presence, more authority with body language, and take up more space.
  • Relinquish the false notion that doing so is “bitchy”.

See the powerful LinkedIn reel.

LEADERSHIP

A pastel-toned graphic with green and black text that reads, "Leadership is shifting this year—here's how to stay ahead." Below, bullet points list challenges from 2024, and a bold statement warns that 2025 won't be easier, but leaders can be ready for it. Decorative plant and eye illustrations frame the design.

What You Need to Lead Smarter in 2025

 

Takeaways:

  • 2024 was brutal for leaders often times filled with more work, fewer resources and constant change but 2025 will be no different.
  • Prepare by setting non-negotiables now and creating boundaries while also learning to hone your emotional intelligence to stay composed under pressure and communicate with clarity.
  • We’re all craving real conversation and skill-building experiences that actually help us grow. So, leverage that to choose opportunities for you and your team that provide practical tools, not fluff.

Read the IG carousel.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

 

Illustration of a woman working at a neatly organized desk with a computer, calendar, and office supplies. She is typing on a keyboard with a cup of coffee beside her, surrounded by notebooks, stationery, and a desk lamp, creating a warm and productive workspace.

Take Control of Your Projects Before They Control You

 

Every leader knows the struggle—too many tasks, shifting priorities, and a team juggling deadlines without a clear roadmap. The result? Bottlenecks, miscommunication, and stalled progress.

Lack of structure kills momentum. When updates are buried in email chains and feedback is scattered across tools, you waste time chasing answers instead of driving results.

Wrike changes that by making project management seamless, with smart automation, real-time tracking, and centralized workflows—so you can lead proactively instead of reacting to chaos.

How to Fix Common Project Management Pitfalls in Wrike:

  • 🚦 Overwhelmed team? Assign clear ownership with Wrike’s custom dashboards so no one is left guessing.
  • 📅 Slipping deadlines? Set automated dependencies so task delays adjust dynamically—without manual updates.
  • 📩 Too many status check-ins? Use real-time progress tracking and shared workspaces so updates happen automatically.
  • 🔁 Slow approvals? Build automated workflows to route approvals instantly—no more chasing signatures.
  • 📊 Scattered feedback? Keep all comments, files, and revisions in one place—right alongside your projects.

Great leaders don’t just keep projects moving—they create flow. Wrike makes it easy.

 

WELLNESS

A close-up of a man speaking, with bold text that reads, "Do YOU want to UNLOCK the Secret to a Healthier GUT?" and the word "SCIENTIST" below.

The newest discovery in gut health

 

Takeaways:

  • Researchers discovered Akkermansia, a fascinating gut bacterium that produces GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid).
  • GABA is a calming neurotransmitter, similar to the effects of Valium, that tells your brain’s receptors to calm you down and relax you.
  • When you have the right bacteria in your gut, your brain is able to better regulate your nervous system and they’re finding links to how solve depression with this new research.

Watch the Facebook video.

STAFF PICKS

Stuff We’re Loving This Week

 

🌙 This overnight mask works while you sleep, so you wake up with hydrated, happy skin.

🕵️‍♂️ Keep your personal info yours with Incogni—less spam, fewer scams, more privacy.

💆‍♀️ Tension headache? Pop on this ice cap and let the relief kick in.

🖱️ Upgrade your workspace with the Logitech Lift—because your wrist deserves better.

JUST FOR FUN

A video still of a jazz band performing indoors, with a caption that jokes, "The trombone player must be the 'somebody' that Whitney Houston wanted to dance with.”

SPILL THE TEA

Take Our Poll

TA Poll ThirstyThursday #170

Have more feedback? 💌 Reply to this email and tell us.

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