Personal vs Professional Relationships
It’s been said we have a work self and a home self. Especially so with our relationships. At work, we can be incredibly attentive with clients, but then put those we’re close to last. Or vice versa. We can be incredibly considerate with our loved ones, but put up defences around our colleagues. The question […]
The real org chart
When you join a company, nobody tells you how it works. I mean how it really works. There is a public org chart which everyone sees. But there is a private org chart which each person discovers in their own way. So rather than trying to figure it out on your own, why not find […]
Full effort, not full exhaustion
Give it your all. Give it all. There is a difference. Your career is not about emptying yourself. It’s about showing up with everything you’ve got while managing your reserves. To protect your ambition, you must protect your energy. Full effort, not full exhaustion. That’s how you build a career of impact.
How to destroy a deal
This is a real story that happened to my client. And it can happen to you too. They were being headhunted by another company It was an exciting prospect. However, the top end of their base salary range sat below what my client was currently earning. There were some long-term benefits that were appealing, but […]
No one knows who you are
You know everything about your career. While others know barely anything. Always remember this. This is even if you have a reputation that precedes you. Every time you meet someone new, you get the chance to make an impression on your terms. You get to shape your own career narrative. You may choose to use […]
People want to help you
I genuinely believe we are all driven by a desire to help others. Don’t believe me? Think about how you’d respond if someone asked you for help. Yes, it depends on what the ask is and how it’s framed. But generally speaking you would be more open than closed to supporting where you can. If […]
Keep finding an in
Most people don’t get stuck because they lack ambition. They get stuck because progress is boring. It looks like unanswered emails, slow responses and disappointing meetings. But this is how opportunities are created. The professionals who advance sustain movement until something gives. They keep following up. They find someone else to talk to. They try […]
What does a baseball umpire actually do?
Some say there are balls and strikes, and the umpire calls them as they are. Others say the umpire calls balls and strikes as they see them. And some believe there are only pitches until the umpire calls them balls or strikes. This is a cool thought exercise from The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership […]
In-person asks
The greater the ask, the more important it is to make it in person. I have flown to meet with people just to ask them one question. Doing so conveyed a sense of significance. It also demonstrated how much they were valued. And it gave me a sense of their willingness and understanding of the […]
Meetings were always broken
Most meetings weren’t engaging to begin with. Zoom just exposed us to the truth. Check out this passage from the Harvard Business Review, authored by Justin Hale and Joseph Grenny: “Let’s face it, most meetings have always sucked because there’s often little to zero accountability for engagement. When we are together in a room, we […]