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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
(And why 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,…
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…
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…
About 10 years ago I was thinking about moving on from my job at the time. There was nothing ‘wrong’ with the job, I was pretty good at the work, and I liked the people I worked with. But I had a sense that I…
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…
We can be good at many things. But what does it take to be great? In his book ‘Outliers’, Malcolm Gladwell states that it takes 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” to become world-class in any field. I recently came across the purest expression of the…
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.…
I’m continually reminded that clarity is a fundamental element of great organisations, relationships and, ultimately, a great life. When we have clarity, we are more fulfilled as individuals and our organisations and communities thrive. Method 1 Do you know what you want to do and…
A plan is only as good as its outcomes. Here’s how to track progress and ensure your strategy is delivering results. It’s easy to feel good about a strategic plan when it’s fresh. But the real test is whether it delivers results. How do you…
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…