We all bring biases to the decisions we make which can cloud thinking and lead to unnecessary mistakes. Common pitfalls include being overconfident, overemotional, and generally using information that suits our interests while downplaying information that doesn’t. In “Decisive,” their book on how to make better decisions, Chip and Dan Heath have created a four-step process …
Distraction can be destructive. It wastes time and saps energy. When we’re distracted it’s hard to do our best work, spend quality time with family, and generally enjoy ourselves. While focus is the antidote for distraction, it can be difficult to master. The good news is it can be developed over time. Here are six …
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by goals. You can’t help but wonder sometimes if you’re way in over your head. It’s a normal feeling. But how we react to that feeling is what makes all the difference. Dan Waldschmidt, author of EDGY Conversations, has studied how ordinary people achieve success against all odds. EDGY is …
Since 1997, Netflix has become famous for its precision and consistent growth. The video streaming giant now has 17 million subscribers and a market cap of $61 billion. A big part of its success is driven by its focus on creating what it calls a great workplace. A great workplace is not free lunches, lavish …
Three years ago this month, Sheryl Sandberg the COO of Facebook released her trailblazing career manifesto for women – “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead.” With hundreds of thousands of women turning out for Women’s Marches all over the country yesterday, I felt it timely to revisit some of Sandberg’s key points …
The most successful managers today don’t really manage. They coach. Great coaches give people direction, feedback, and ongoing support. Great coaches keep things simple. They keep feedback brief, and they also tend to ask more questions. Michael Bungay Stanier’s book, “The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever” maintains …
Being persuasive is a vital skill for successful personal and business relationships. Whether alone or in groups, with friends or with strangers, at work or at home, we are often called to share a vision, an idea, and a plan for putting something into action. Maybe it’s the launch of a new product or service? …
The start of a new year is a natural time to pause and reflect. It makes sense to assess progress over the past year, and to think about the goals of the new year. Kevin Daum, a regular contributor to Inc. magazine and seasoned entrepreneur, wrote recently about the power of self-reflection. He recommends asking the following questions …
A short poem for the day, from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth, good will to men. I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along th’unbroken song Of …
We all know the story, nearly by heart. We know the scary parts, the funny parts, and the tender parts. Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” has entertained – and haunted – generations for over 173 years. Except for the Nativity story itself, it may very well be the best-known story of the season. Bob Welch, …
