The 80/20 rule is one of the most useful mental models that I’ve picked up in my life. Also known as the Pareto principle, this rule captures the observation that roughly 80% of good outcomes come from just 20% of our efforts. You can use…
This quote has been living rent-free in my head for the past few weeks: People don’t think what they feel, don’t say what they think and don’t do what they say. David Ogilvy, advertising tycoon I think it’s true. Often, our genuine thoughts and feelings…
Updated: 1 October 2024 In 2004, English gambler Ashley Revell sold everything he owned and bet $135,300 on a single spin of a roulette wheel in Las Vegas. Despite the odds being slightly against him, the ball landed on red, and Revell doubled his money.…
Here’s what to do: First: Assess your engagement at work. If you’re measuring engagement in your team, check out your own results in isolation. Otherwise, schedule a self check-in once per month to rate how you’re feeling out of 10. Pay attention to any trends.…
Here’s the number 1 thing managers should do with their team members. It’s common sense, but not common practice. What is it? Set quarterly goals with each team member. It’s a straightforward exercise, but rarely done well. Usually because managers simply haven’t been taught how…
Most managers have one on ones with their teams. But here’s what separates the best from the worst 👇. Average managers organise one on ones from time to time. Highly effective managers schedule them in advance. And stick to them. The least effective don’t have…
One of my favourite questions to ask in one-on-ones is: “What’s one thing I could do differently to better support you?”. Or you can unpack it further by asking, “What’s one thing I could stop or start doing? Or change how I do it?”. The…
The book in a paragraph ReWork makes the case that many of the traditional approaches to work and entrepreneurship are wrong. In traditional workplaces it is common to see overplanning, excessive meetings, growth for growth’s sake, and entrenched bureaucracy. This can all be avoided through…
Overload is something I’ve struggled with at work, particularly in management roles. Here’s a fairly typical situation for me. I’d find myself running 7+ projects at once. Some were just kicking off, and others were close to being finished. Some of them were ‘paid’ projects…
Dear Guide: My boss and I have different views on the best strategy to advance our objectives. I’m proposing a new approach that will add cost, but I believe it will deliver greater revenue. He sees it as a cash flow black hole. I believe…
Do you have an everyday management or leadership dilemma that you’re grappling with? Our new advice column – The Guide – coaches readers through the ordinary difficulties of leadership life. in each edition, we will answer a reader’s question about a management problem, big or…
When we take on more responsibility, many of us respond by working more hours. This isn’t much fun. But it’s also dumb. Because adding more time isn’t a scalable solution. And it stunts our growth. First, it turns us into super individual contributors, not better…
I used to love saying, “if you want a job done properly, do it yourself”. But what that really said was, “I’m a terrible delegator”. And I was. When we first move into management roles, we’re typically bad delegators. We’ve often been promoted because we’re…
You can’t be a kind person and criticise someone, right? And you definitely couldn’t sack them, right? Wrong. You can be a kind manager and still: Take criticising someone as a common example. Some managers criticise people and they are unkind. Some managers criticise people…
ChatGPT has blown everyone’s mind with the many cool things it can do. And – more than just being impressive – it can save managers time and help them do a better job. So, here’s 10 simple ChatGPT prompts you can try today: Where to…
I make this error all the time (most of us do). You’ll probably recognise this scenario: you’re faced with a choice in (even slightly) unfamiliar territory. And getting it wrong feels like it will have some cost or pain (perhaps only minor). What do we…
Are problems on repeat in your organisation? Is it like a game of whack-a-mole, where you fix one problem, only for another to pop up? This happens when organisations are stuck in a firefighting death loop. Gaps between organisational capabilities (in systems of work, people,…
It’s been 15 years since I first managed people. And, when I look back at my past self, I cringe at the way I thought and went about some things. It’s uncomfortable. But I think that’s a good thing. Because it means I’m growing. If…
The book in a paragraph Algorithms to Live By explores human algorithm design – the use of algorithms for solutions to life’s everyday challenges. Algorithms are not just the domain of computer scientists – they are any sequence of steps used to solve a problem.…
The difference between management and leadership is confusing. They’re distinct, but related disciplines, which overlap with one another. There are no hard fast rules, but here’s five differences to help you distinguish the two. 1. Leadership leans to vision and purpose. Management is more goals…