...As I reflect on my evolution in leadership, I can’t help but think of the early days; back when I had “no clue what I was doing”. What stands out is the troublesome perception of leadership that I started with, extracted from pattern-matching the “leaders of our day”...
...Leverage is everywhere. You felt it as a kid shooting peas across the room with a spoon. Or when you first used a calculator, and wondered why your teachers made you do long division by hand for 3 years...
...In the spirit of multidisciplinary learning, Seeking Wisdom is a compendium of ideas from biology, psychology, statistics, physics, economics, and human behavior...
...Chatter consists of the cyclical negative thoughts and emotions that turn our singular capacity for introspection into a curse rather than a blessing. It puts our performance, decision making, relationships, happiness, and health in jeopardy. We think about that screwup at work or misunderstanding with a loved one and end up flooded by how bad we feel. Then we think about it again. And again. We introspect hoping to tap into our inner coach but find our inner critic instead...
...Instead of focussing on making our work bigger, we focus on making it work harder. Instead of aiming to maximise our impact, we aim to minimise our waste...
...Dinner is easy when I can use ingredients typically found in my fridge and pantry...
...Regardless of how the options may change, the effectiveness of this framework and exercise seems to endure. I hope you leverage this approach for yourself and to talk through career or work moves with your team, your leader, your friends - anyone who is looking for some structure in their thinking...
...The empty part of the drawer is what makes it a useful tool...
...When you hold an option and the world moves with you, you enjoy the benefits; when the world moves against you, you are shielded from the bad outcome since you are not obligated to do anything. Optionality is the state of enjoying possibilities without being on the hook to do anything...
...An unmotivated student is unlikely to learn much at school. But there’s a wide range of opinion on what parents and teachers can do to instill that motivation. Some swear by rewards and prizes. Others lavish praise or dole it out judiciously...
...Tribal Leadership focuses on two things, and only two things: the words people use and the types of relationships they form. You can move forward only by bringing others with you...
...While we all hold an opinion on almost everything, how many of us actually do the work required to have an opinion?...
...Every week I try to serve a new healthy fish. With its fresh dill and delicious panko bread crumb herb crust, this dish with mild tilapia is a winner...
...Most approaches to time management make things worse. Start by acknowledging your limits...
...Simpler solutions are generally better than more complex ones and can help us hone in on what really matters by blocking out the noise and more effectively capturing the underlying structure of a given situation...
...This is an answer we’ve heard before — after all, most leaders wax over the stories of their careers with a thick coat of grit and determination. And whether it takes the form of an inspirational quote splashed across a striking stock photo or an encouraging blog post about the startup grind, discipline is always cast as a recurring character when entrepreneurs talk about success...
...While finding “the right time” to prepare for change can be difficult, there are myriad ways to get started. The author presents four steps leaders can take to prepare their organizations to thrive amid constant change...
...That one square in the waffle that’s the most loaded with butter and syrup...
...Too often, we imagine life to be like the hero’s journey, and leave out its crucial last step: letting go...
...Make the rub by mixing together the cocoa powder, chipotle powder, salt, garlic powder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne and black pepper in a small bowl. Generously sprinkle the steaks with the rub and set aside..
