Disproportionate responses
Whenever I react to a situation with anger, frustration or hardness, I always feel afterwards that it was a disproportionate response, regardless of how warranted it felt at the time. .
Leading a horse to water
I have a gripe with the saying: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” It suggests that people will ignore opportunities presented to them, but I believe there’s a deeper truth. The real value lies in simply knowing where the “pools” of opportunity are. In my years of career […]
Make big asks in-person
During your career, if you have a big ask of someone, do so in-person (where possible, of course). In this digital age, it can be tempting to send a message or pick up the phone. But there is great power in showing the person how much they mean to you by holding the time and […]
Reading between the company lines
I worked with a client this year who applied for a job and was then asked by the CEO of the company for a meeting. They weren’t sure what it meant. I explained that senior executives of companies would not give their time to endeavours that weren’t highly valuable. So if the CEO was taking […]
What I quit and gained in 2024
I quit meat and dairy, and gained energy. I quit alcohol, and gained connection. I quit coffee, and gained freedom. .
Your business inside a business
Many professionals in their 20s & 30s seek me out for coaching because they want to run their own businesses. This is usually a long-held ambition, though they don’t have the clarity to take meaningful action. One of the first exercises I run them through is to understand their opportunity set as a career professional. […]
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
When someone wants to get something off their chest with you, be it at work or at home, I recommend this powerful exercise. Give them your full attention as they download everything. When they finish and look to you for a response, don’t respond with your perspective. Instead, ask this: “Is there anything else you’d […]
Team agreements
Here’s a simple exercise that will improve how your team works together. Invite every team member to think of three values that are important to them. Write these values down separately on post-it notes. Allow everyone to share their values with the team. Group the post-it notes that overlap. Choose the categories that the team […]
Time is passing quicker than you realise
If you want to do something in your career but you’re holding off on going after it, you must have a very good reason for waiting. Because time is the most valuable thing you have, and the cost of inaction may be greater than the cost of action. .
Neverending Catch Ups
Every Friday morning I get a reminder on my phone: 🔔 The Neverending Catch Ups (Week Debrief) This was originally a Friday coffee catch up that Bec and I wanted to continue when we were friends. A lot’s changed since then. We no longer catch up at the same cafe every Friday morning at 6:30am […]