A friend recently asked – hypothetically – what advice I would have given to Australian Olympic breakdancer, Raygun. I don’t know anything about breakdancing (beyond it being artistically and culturally complex) or elite competition. But I would encourage anyone to be sincere, try their best… What Olympic breakdancing teaches us about being ourselves
When was the last time you apologised for something at work? If you can’t remember, consider: are you perfect, or are you not apologising for some other reason? I’ve noticed that some people in management roles don’t like to apologise. But this approach is dead… Apologising doesn’t make you weak
The word ‘leadership’ is thrown around so often that it sometimes feels like it is losing its meaning. We see it everywhere: in job titles, on LinkedIn profiles, in performance reviews. But what does it really mean to be a leader? Has the term become… Has ‘leadership’ lost its meaning?
This cartoon nails it! (cartoon credit: Kendra Allenby, The New Yorker) It’s a common dilemma. One that many of us face at some point in our careers. After years of honing our (usually technical) skills, we’re presented with a crossroad: the only way up seems… When the only way up is into management
The more senior we get, the more tempting it can be to play not to lose. (As opposed to playing to win). I’ve noticed this trend amongst some leaders (and in myself sometimes). The more senior we get, the more conversative we become. At a… Bad culture punishes mistakes more than it celebrates success
You know all those amazing people who seem to have their sh!t together? Well, they all have (at least) one thing in common with you… I used to get intimidated by the many capable people I work with. Especially if they were older and more… Nobody has it all together
Writing is one of the most powerful tools you have. Whether you’re running a business, leading a team, or simply trying to get a message across, the way you write can make or break your impact. Yet, most people don’t give it the attention it… Great writing is your secret weapon for impact
Is there such a thing as too much praise at work? Some managers think so. Here’s why they’re wrong. “You can’t hug your kids too much”. That’s what I told one of my colleagues when talking about encouraging our teams. Here’s why it matters. There… Is there such a thing as too much praise at work?
Here’s what they get wrong: ❌ Taking months to finish the process❌ Distracting their already busy team with endless ‘planning days’❌ Drowning in analysis before even starting the plan❌ Spending a fortune on strategy consultants The truth: ✔️ You can create a solid strategic plan… I get frustrated when I see leaders overcomplicate their strategic planning
Interviews are some of the more anxiety-inducing experiences related to our careers. The situation is nothing like most of us experience in our day-to-day work. It involves: It should be no surprise that most of us struggle to bring out our best. Compounding this challenge:… Want to nail your next job interview? Mock interviews are the game changer.
You’ve probably heard of AMRAP in workouts – As Many Reps As Possible. Let’s apply this to your to-do list. Enter AMTAP: As Many Things As Possible. AMTAP goes against a lot of the conventional wisdom around productivity. Instead of prioritising your work using the… AMTAP: As Many Things As Possible.
I’ve let people go.I’ve said “no” when someone really wanted a “yes.”I’ve told my team that the business was struggling. It’s natural to want to delay delivering bad news. We put it off because we care. Because we don’t want to hurt people. But the… I’ve had to deliver plenty of bad news at work – it always sucks
Multitasking is common in our increasingly connected world. We’re paying attention to an increasing number of sources of incoming information. Sometimes we do it as a conscious attempt to get more done. More often, we do it without thinking – we’re just scanning our environment… Five ways to get your focus back
You’ll want to say things like “they just weren’t a good fit for our team” or “they didn’t live up to their resume”. I know I’ve said things like this. But the best leaders take accountability for their hiring decisions. Here are three things to… When you make the wrong hire it’s tempting to blame the person you hired
Inconveniently, leverage works in both directions, positive and negative. The people you bring onto your team can be the driving force behind your greatest successes or the source of your biggest problems. Bringing in the right people will elevate your team’s performance and make the… Hiring is one of the highest leverage activities for a leader
Here are some of my favourites: No shame if you use these. I do too. They can be handy shortcuts. Once I got past the vagueness, I found most of them useful. My top piece of business jargon? “Organisation Strategy” Here’s why: So, what is… Businesses are stuffed with vague, pretentious-sounding jargon
I thought this was pretty funny when I saw it the other day. Like most good jokes, it has a strong hint of truth to it. Because sadly, a lot of managers are not OK. A recent study by The Workforce Institute surveyed 3,400 workers… Is my boss OK?
(And you should still do it) Conventional wisdom suggests that goal-setting is fundamental to success at work. But there’s a growing trend against goal-setting. Some business leaders, like 37signals CEO Jason Fried, avoid setting goals altogether. I understand the sentiment. Goal-setting can be counterproductive, and… Goal-setting matters less than you think
A daily review is one of the best habits you can build to increase your impact. For nearly a decade, I’ve been honing and fine-tuning my daily review practice, alternating between periods of consistency and adjustment. Over the past 18 months, I’ve made a deliberate… My most impactful daily work habit
To create exceptional work, learn from the Japanese art of flower arranging, Ikebana. Ikebana exemplifies elegant simplicity. It is all about keeping things simple. Less is more. Practitioners focus on removing extra elements, understanding that what is left out is just as important as what’s… Ikebana at work