23 hours agoKindness is about the recipientFor years, I thought that a key to being a good leader was to treat your staff with kindness. That’s not wrong, but research into various personality profiles (such as enneagram and DISC) have shown me that “kind” is different depending on who you’re talking to. An old business coach…2 min read
2 days agoThe secret to Google search: RedditI’ve been doing something on Google quite a lot lately, and I’ve come to find out it’s part of a larger trend. When I search for something, say “best electric lawnmower”, I’ll stick the word “reddit” at the end of it and search for “best electric lawnmower reddit” instead. …2 min read
2 days agoCool Heads Can Beat CourageI shared a few weeks ago that being calm can be contagious. If there is a hectic situation, your ability to keep calm will be seen and felt by others, and will hopefully inspire them to do the same. Related is the idea that keeping a cool head is generally…1 min read
3 days agoBeing kind doesn’t mean you’re a pushoverWe could all stand to see a bit more kindness in the world but I think it’s often seen as the opposite of “toughness”, even though the two…1 min readBeing kind doesn’t mean you’re a pushover----
4 days agoIs your decision a one-way door or a two-way door?We face a lot of decisions in life, and putting a framework around them can be helpful. Some decisions need to be carefully thought through, where other decisions only require a moment’s thought. It’s like Chidi’s famous constant in the show “The Good Place”: An episode of “The Long…2 min read
5 days agoMoving from Roam Research to ObsidianOver the past few weeks, I’ve been moving my primary notes database from Roam Research to Obsidian. It’s a move I’ve long known I was going to make, but I’ve been waiting for Obsidian to add a few more features to help me get there. …4 min read
6 days agoIf we spam you, please be polite to usI recently came across a fascinating thread on LinkedIn where salespeople were frustrated by being “ghosted” by potential clients. They’d reach out, and simply get no response. Ghosting someone isn’t generally a nice thing to do, but there was a big difference with this thread — almost everyone in there…3 min read
Jun 23Alternative facts come from a lack of detail“Alternative facts” are a real thing, at least to some degree. Here are two quick examples. First is this image that has been shared around quite a bit: The second are the facts that Chick-Fil-A is mathematically the fastest drive-thru restaurant, but they’re also mathematically the slowest drive-thru restaurant. Both…2 min read
Jun 22You’re not really selling timeA common way to price your offerings is with an hourly rate, but that’s not generally the best way to go. It can certainly help frame what price point might be appropriate, but even if you charge by the hour, your clients aren’t really just “buying your time”. In a…1 min read
Jun 21Saying “no” is intellectually lazyAs you are growing your business, developing the ability to say “no” more frequently is a great thing. No to unnecessary meetings. No to clients that you don’t fit with. No to things that waste your time. In many cases, though, the answer should be a bit more nuanced. It’s…2 min read