It would be nice if decisions were always straightforward. But, a drive for clarity can actually be distracting when you’re trying to set priorities. Sometimes it’s helpful to be imprecise.
Management & Leadership
Become a More Valuable Employee
Getting ahead isn’t about kissing up to the boss. It’s about proving that you’re valuable. Here are three ways you can boost what you bring to your organization:
Starting a Business? Skip the Plan
Not all entrepreneurs need a business plan. Most start-ups succeed because the founder had an authentic vision and clarity of purpose, not a well-written document.
Make Sure You’re Solving the Right Problem
It may be obvious that you can’t solve a problem that’s not well defined, but many people neglect this detail. Next time you think you’re ready to go into problem-solving mode, consider the following:
Ask Your Critic to Join Your Team
Teams thrive on the tension created from diverse points of view. To get those varied opinions in your group, start by finding the biggest critics of the challenge you’re working on.
Quirky Job Perks: Surf Lessons, Free Ice Cream, Dog-Friendly Offices
What many small businesses lack in budgets, they make up for in creative benefits.
Improve Your Presentation in Real Time
It may seem difficult to evaluate the progress of your presentation while you’re giving it, but skilled speakers monitor the room.
Know the Culture Before You Accept the Job
When deciding whether to take a job or not, investigate the culture of the organization. Ask questions of the interviewer or others who know the institution. General ones like — “What’s the culture like?” or “Are people treated well?” — seldom work. You’re likely to get stock answers. Instead, ask questions that get at how the …
Debunk the Myths Holding Your Company Back
Every organization has myths about who its great leaders are, which behaviors to admire and imitate, and what customers want. These myths rarely change, even when the competitive landscape does.
Capture Your Audience Right Away
A successful presentation relies on an engaged audience, which you need to hook from the start. Open with a comment, question, relevant story, statement, or example that will get your audience’s attention. Then use the rest of the opening to define the purpose of the presentation and briefly preview your main points. You also need to
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6 Habits of Extraordinary Bosses
For the past two decades, I’ve been interviewing and observing successful C-level executives to discover the secrets of their success.
In a previous post, I documented the core beliefs of extraordinary bosses. Now it’s time …
Bring Out Quieter Voices on Your Team
In groups it’s often the non-expert, the outlier, or the person who isn’t in charge who has the most interesting idea. You need to structure ways to hear that person or you will always drown him out.
