All in Teams
The success of whatever we do depends, without question, on our people. It's a cliche but it's true.
So it's important when formulating our teams, to make sure we have the the right "ingredients" in place - not only technically but philosophically. The wrong ingredients will ruin the entire dish, which is the topic of today's episode.
Stock splits are a funny thing.
The fact of the matter is that when they are announced, the underlying fundamentals of the company haven’t changed and, if you happen to be an investor at the time (and when they actually occur), the value of your holdings hasn’t actually changed either.
We throw around the word "partnership" pretty loosely. And often, when we do, we're sincere about it. But it's easy to talk about partnerships when there's nothing at stake.
You really find out whether you have a real partnership (or not) when problems arise. And in those moments, there's one trait that matters above all else, as I discuss in today's episode.
There’s a peculiar thing about the internet, and social media, in particular.
While it is this incredible and unparalleled form of communication, with a versatility and reach we’ve never seen before, it’s not without its issues (and material ones at that).
Central among these issues is that, while it’s ostensibly an objective and ‘fair’ medium, it also has the capacity - conceptually and practically - to set the world (or at least some relevant, targeted universe) on fire.
One of the biggest issues with high performance in any team is when folks aren't aligned. This division is a problem not only professionally but at a personal level as well. Resolving any division within a team needs to be priority number one, as I discuss in today's episode.
LinkedIn is now giving people the option of adding a career break to their profiles. Instead of having an unexplained time gap between positions, you now have the option of adding a more specific (and appropriate) description of why you were in-between (traditional) jobs.
The options range from those we might expect (Full Time Parenting and Professional Development) to those we might not (Bereavement, Personal Goal Pursuit, Gap Year, Travel and Voluntary Work).
When we’re presented with change of any material scale, it’s not uncommon for us to hesitate, to be concerned.
We wonder what the change will mean for us, how our work will be altered, what ‘price’ we’ll have to pay.
All natural and normal reactions, because change can be scary and overwhelming.
When it comes to strategy and growth in an organization, of any size, the ability to create compelling, well thought-out plan is not the issue. Those are easy enough to pull together.
No, the key is always people. Who's involved, how committed are they and how we bring them along. How we do this is the focus of today's episode.
In business environments, surprises are not a good thing, because the main thing we want is predictability.
And the only way we can ensure predictability is for us to do the work necessary. This means both listening and communicating much more than we do, as I discuss in today's episode.
There’s a perception many of us have that what we need is more choice.
It’s a perception that has filtered its way into all aspects of our lives.
When we’re deciding which college to go to, we’ll stack the number we apply to, to give us more options. I personally applied to 8 schools when I was planning on Business School, even though a couple of them I had absolutely no intention of attending, even if I got in. Why did I do that?
Whether we're selling a product or an idea, we're often faced with situations where our messages simply aren't getting through - that is, we're just not able to communicate effectively.
There are a number of tried and true approaches to improve our chances and today's episode dives into these practical tips and techniques.
Tribalism is an idea with which I have something of a love/hate relationship.
I mean, it certainly has plenty of value, delivering significant benefits if you happen to be a member. You’re with like-minded individuals who all have the same professed goal. You share a specific set of values. You speak the same language.
Email has become a necessity in today's business environment - and it's brought us plenty of value and efficiency in both our personal and professional lives.
But email can sometimes also be used as a way to avoid real conversations, to sidestep issues or frankly, to not make the effort. In the long run, this has real consequences, as I discuss in today's episode.
At first blush, it seems counterintuitive but achieving a Greater Good for a particular group requires a measure of selfishness amongst the members of that group.
But when you really think about it, there’s a sound logic to that idea.
When I was in my teens and learning to play the guitar, there was a guy I knew who had been playing for a few years and was really quite good. He knew how to play all the cool songs I wanted to learn to play, knew all the cool riffs and could play by ear. But he wasn’t interested in sharing any of his knowledge.
I specifically remember him playing Stairway To Heaven, a song I was trying to learn.
The idea of ‘secrets’ is a funny thing. I’m not talking about secrets in a personal sense but in a work related sense. Our tactics, our approaches, our tools and knowledge. Our so-called secret sauce that ‘helps’ us achieve our professional goals.
We tend to hold these secrets dearly, with the idea that they are indeed unique to how we operate and what we do. And then the idea that if they were to get out, then our ability to achieve is doomed.
Today's episode focuses on a story from Live Aid back in the mid-Eighties and a moment that set the band U2 on the path to global stardom.
But on the day, it didn't seem like it to the band - and represents a lesson about risk-taking that we can all learn from.
I went for a walk with a client today.
We were supposed to meet in a conference room at his office building and talk through our plans for 2022. But as I waited at reception with my colleague, our client came down and asked if we wanted to sit in the office or perhaps go for a walk.
I believe endurance is the most critical ingredient of success.
Conventional thinking, fueled by everything we read in the media, suggests the key ingredients are far sexier: great ideas or talented teams or plenty of funding. Those are far more ‘romantic’ ideas and they certainly make for more enjoyable water cooler conversations.
Sports allegiances are, for the most part, irrational.
When we root for a team, we do so for reasons that typically have no objective basis. And on that emotional basis, we become “supporters” - and, for those of us who take our support seriously, proceed to entrench ourselves in the traditions of the team.
