I recently finished reading Lost Connections, by Johann Hari, and really resonated with its message. Hari suggests that the causes of depression and anxiety are all “forms of disconnection. They are all ways in which we have been cut off from something we innately need but seem to have lost along the way.” Thus, we…
Month: October 2022
Don’t do more with less. “
Don’t do more with less. We are often told to “do more with less”, which is often code for “work harder and longer”. We are spurred to do this by fear and by a scarcity mindset – if we don’t do it, they will find somebody else who will, so we will fall behind or…
Act as if you matter. “
Act as if you matter. On a coaching call today, my client felt like he didn’t have a voice, and thought that he would be taken more seriously and listened to more if he had a different seat at the table or different title. I told him to experiment with mentally giving himself a new…
Pause in the moment. “
Pause in the moment. I was discussing today the coaching idea that the client is whole in and of themselves, and already has the answers they need. Another coach was saying sometimes they don’t, and so having someone who can offer specific suggestions and guidance can be helpful. In a technical domain, that can be…
Schedule a regular 1:1 with yourself. “
Schedule a regular 1:1 with yourself. I have offered this practice to a couple clients recently, who felt that their manager wasn’t giving them the feedback and prioritization they were looking for. These clients were experienced managers, so I suggested acting as their own manager, and scheduling a 1:1 with themselves. Let’s review how 1:1s…
Investing in others is a limited risk with enormous upside. “
Investing in others is a limited risk with enormous upside. I’ve talked to a few people recently who have built success in their careers by solving problems themselves. They have repeatedly jumped into situations and made them better, and therefore trust they can do it again. As such people gain greater scope, though, that skill…
Do you actually need to do anything here? “
Do you actually need to do anything here? Many high achievers “earn” their success by jumping in to solve problems whenever they hear of a problem. This is a wonderful trait to have, as it demonstrates being proactive, and exposes them to a wide variety of contexts and people. However, as they gain more scope,…
An important skill for executives to develop is to give themselves credit.”
An important skill for executives to develop is to give themselves credit. I’ve talked to two executive clients this week who felt frustrated that they weren’t getting enough validation from others. I pointed out that comes with the role. As one moves into the executive ranks, the job shifts towards setting others up for success,…
What can you do differently to change a system feedback loop you are part of?”
What can you do differently to change a system feedback loop you are part of? One of the most powerful ideas of systems thinking is that systems deliver the outcomes they are designed to get. We may sometimes not realize that we have designed a system for a certain outcome, as expressed by the Immunity…