How to ask useful questions
The better we get at asking questions, the more useful the answers we’ll receive. The problem though is that many of the questions we ask are not designed to produce effective answers. If you want to understand the mistakes we make with our questions, and also understand what makes better questions, read this article by […]
Surprising your customers
Everyone enjoys a nice surprise, and when done well they can foster loyalty and generate positive word-of-mouth with your customers. The best surprises are small yet thoughtful considerations that enhance the experience of the purchase. Steer clear of grand gestures, particularly if they are unrelated to the product or service being provided. This can make […]
90%
Sometimes we feel that if we’re not giving 100% to an initiative then we’re inviting failure. But success over the long-term is all about applying yourself sustainably. It’s no good pushing beyond 100% if that keeps causing you to fall back to 50%. Yes, there will always be peaks and troughs with your energy. But […]
Happy to be here
Our newborn Amelie is sick. Which means she’s not sleeping well. Which means Bec and I aren’t sleeping well. Though whenever Bec is jolted awake, she picks up Amelie and says “Hello Amelie, it’s good to see you and I’m happy to be here”. It’s amazing how much this expression creates a positive mindset and […]
Enhancing your approach to career progression
When looking for jobs early in your career, the standard approach is applying for advertised positions by yourself. The more jobs you apply for, the better you get at writing a resume and having interviews. The problem though is that this approach will serve you up to a point. If you keep seeking higher positions, […]
Putting it off
The longer we leave a task, the more difficult it feels to do it. We then rationalise why we’re putting it off, which makes us defer it even further. But when we finally get around to attempting the task, it doesn’t take as much time and effort as we thought it would. And once it’s […]
Failure invites more reflection than success
When things go wrong, you may feel disappointed but appreciate that your focus to improve will strengthen. And when things go right, you may feel great but appreciate that your focus to improve may weaken. .
Second-order commitments
Your commitments don’t happen in isolation. Whenever you commit to making a change in your life, you are also asking others to commit to changes in their lives that will result from your actions. This means that if you want to succeed with your commitments, you must be mindful of what commitments you’re asking of […]
Starting meetings with traffic lights
Ongoing meetings are more effective when people are aware of each other’s states. Rather than guessing how people are feeling, here’s a simple way for each person to share where they’re at. At the start of the meeting, have people share if they’re green, orange or red (just like traffic lights). Green indicates you’re in […]
Lifespan of your degree
A university degree, like any study, is an investment. You invest a certain amount of time and money to get the degree, and after you graduate you hope to earn a return that makes the investment worthwhile. It’s very likely you will change careers at some stage in your life, so it’s vital to consider […]