Invoice ASAP
It is very good practice to request payment from others as soon as practically possible. This doesn’t just apply to services rendered or products sold, but also to settling balances on a personal level. There will always be a lag between when you request payment and when money is received, and you don’t want to […]
Focus
It’s interesting when people describe focus like a dial in relation to their goals, like something that can be turned up or down. “I’m not getting the results I want because I’m lacking focus right now”. Or “I’ll start getting the results I want once I get more focused”. But focus is really a constant. […]
Conflict in conversation
Whenever you find yourself in a heated exchange, it’s easy to get caught in a downward spiral. If you can maintain awareness in these moments, it can be really helpful to stop the decline by considering the source of contention on either side. Basically, what’s the actual issue? Do you/they need to feel acknowledged? Do […]
No outcome can be a good outcome
I recently provided guidance to a friend who received a takeover proposition for their business. It was something they had not actively considered and they wanted to gain clarity about the best path to take. On the one hand, they were very open to exploring a deal and this opportunity was certainly interesting. On the […]
Going pro
From The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: Someone once asked Somerset Maugham if he wrote on a schedule or only when struck by inspiration. “I write only when inspiration strikes,” he replied. “Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.” – That’s a Pro.” .
George Clooney
When I decided to buy and run my own business, my lawyer gave me a piece of advice that’s stuck with me since. “Ben, you need to be like George Clooney. He’s always cool. You never see George Clooney upset. He’s always in perfect control. Just stay cool Ben. Be like George Clooney”. While I […]
Write what you would say
It’s always kind when someone shares a nice comment about these blogs, but many compliments are laced with the sentiment of wishing to write well too. While I will say that writing is like any skill that is developed with time and practice, there is one practical concept that I’ve found really helpful and I […]
The rule you don’t know you know
Here is a cool unwritten rule that we all use with language but I’ve only just discovered. This is from the book The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth, but this particular passage went viral in 2016 from a tweet by Matthew Anderson. Here’s the rule: “Adjectives in English absolutely have to be in this […]
Frequencies
Here is a rolling framework that Bec and I use to balance our short term and long term aspirations. What would I/we like to do: Each day Each week Each month Each quarter Each year We find that focusing on these different frequencies allows us to appreciate the experiences we want to sustain in our […]
Your voice on LinkedIn
Are you keen to have a more active voice on LinkedIn but aren’t sure how to do so in the context of your organisation? I recommend subscribing to the fortnightly newsletter from Roger Christie at Propel. They’re awesome at helping people understand how to manage and enhance their digital reputation, especially on LinkedIn. I’ve also […]