Time management is actually about priority management. There are ten things you desperately need to do. You should not be trying to do all ten. Instead you have to learn to pick three. Time management is very much about saying no to some things you want to do. More tips on time management in my recent article below.
https://www.simplifypeople.com/articles/effective-time-management
Interpersonal conflicts are something that can drain our energy and bring our productivity to a standstill. We sometimes wonder, why are people so difficult? There are techniques and methods to help us resolve conflicts. Some require a change in habit or a change in mindset. If we are able to handle conflicts well, we will be much happier in our work. And in life too. https://www.simplifypeople.com/articles/handling-conflicts .
If you struggle to get your staff to do things right, perhaps one aspect to examine is simply how you give instructions to them. https://www.simplifypeople.com/articles/iyosa-a-skill-in-giving-instructions
That's one easy way to understand organisation culture. What behaviours do you observe repeatedly in your organisation? Both positive or negative. What issues crop up repeatedly? What conflicts happen repeatedly? Are there things you know are wrong, but no one seems to be able to break out of the habit, the cycle? These patterns define your organisation culture. Changing organisation culture requires breaking the patterns. It takes courage and persistence. That's what leaders have to do. 1. Have those difficult conversations. 2. State expectations clearly. 3. Take action about behaviours you do not want in the organisation. Without leadership, the patterns will continue to repeat.
（1）冲突往往会发生在同样的议题、被同样的状况引发。没有正视问题、没有治根，同样的冲突就会重演。问题在重演，是有迹可循的。要打破僵局，首先要懂得认清在重复的事。
（2）别人的地雷：什么事会触发对方？导致事情谈不下去？不一定需要逃避讨论。可以延后处理，或要有同理心的去处理。明知道有地雷就不要一脚踩下去。
（3）自己的地雷：什么事会触发自己？自己是否可以安定情绪冷静面对？为什么这事情会让自己失衡？
这些都是冲突管理要思考的事。
(1) Conflicts ofter recur, repeating the same patterns. The same situations and topics keep triggering the same conflicts, because we never address the root causes. Notice the patterns, and break them.
(2) What triggers your counterpart and make it impossible to continue any effective discussion? You don't always have to avoid the topic, but sometimes it is better to defer the discussion, or it needs to be handled with empathy and sensitivity. Don't stomp on land mines.
(3) What triggers you? What does it unbalance you? Can you face it while staying cool and rational? Would that work better?
These are what we need to think about when navigating conflicts.
Being a speaker, presenter or member of a panel can be challenging, especially when you have a hostile or hungry audience. Being able to handle tough questions is a crucial skill. The tip for today:
Prepare numbers and anecdotes
A hostile audience likely brings preconceived notions to the room. Ready vivid stories which are counter examples. Share statistics which are counter examples. Stories address the emotional aspect. Numbers address the logical aspect.
If an audience of angry sales agents complains about how unusable the new system is, show them how one agent has successfully adapted to the new system and new processes, and utilised it to better serve customers and close more deals.
Address both heart and brain.
Being a speaker, presenter or member of a panel can be challenging, especially when you have a hostile or hungry audience. Being able to handle tough questions is a crucial skill. The tip for today: Take the offense initiative. Ask you audience questions. If you are facing an angry union demanding a pay rise, question them whether the employee performance has improved. If you are facing students demanding better facilities, question why existing ones are not being utilised. Expectations go both ways.
Being a speaker, presenter or member of a panel can be challenging, especially when you have a hostile or hungry audience. Being able to handle tough questions is a crucial skill. The tip for today:
Admit your shortcomings.
If your audience questions an area which you have performed below target, instead of being defensive and listing down the reasons (which will only sound like excuses), boldly admit that you have made a mistake or you did not manage to achieve what you had set out to do. By accepting the attack, you neutralise it. Since you have agreed to the statement, any further pressing from the person asking will only sound like whining. Admit the mistake or shortfall, and state what you will do to remedy the situation. Ask for support. This way, the conversation takes a positive turn and becomes a collaboration instead of a blaming exercise.
(1) Micro habits must be small, and too easy to achieve, so that even on your worst days, you can still keep up. (2) Micro habits allow you to exceed your target as much or as little as you want. Let's say I want to be a better leader. I'll set a daily goal of reading one page of a leadership book. Just one page a day. Not a book a week, not 50 books a year. Only one page a day. It's too easy. When I feel like it, I can read 2 pages. Or a chapter. Or half the book. When I don't have the energy, I will read one page. I will be achieving the goal every day, and that helps me build my habit. If I want to be fitter, I'll set a micro habit of 10 pushups a day. If I want to be a good writer, I'll write 50 words a day. If I want to explore a new business, I'll allocate 5 minutes to work on it every day. If I want to play the guitar better, I'll play one song every day. Too easy. Your habits define your life. What's your micro habit?
That may sound sad, as if I am a string puppet controlled by a software tool. In fact, migrating my life to Google Calendar has been one of the best decisions I've made. Yes, if anyone looks at my calendar the first thing they'll say is why are you working all the time?! Not only weekday nights but also weekends?! The thing is I have too much stuff I want to do. My calendar helps me get more done in less time. It is not giving me work. It is forcing me to NOT do some things I might have done if I were less disciplined. I timebox myself to get things done on time. Do I always complete my work on time? No I don't. If I can't catch up, it's a sign I have to discard something, and I do it. Do I make time for play? Of course. I put it in the schedule.
Google Calendar is my favourite secretary. He will never forget my wife's birthday. Not that I need him to remind me. If you find this post useful, please like, comment or share.
The S-curve has three parts. The launch point is when you are new to a role or task. You struggle and you learn slowly. The sweet spot is when you are growing quickly. The mastery point is when you've learnt almost all there is to learn, and you start to get bored.
For employees to grow professionally, they must keep going through S-curve cycles. If you are not challenging them, they will stagnate. However, beware not to have the whole team at the same stage at the same time. A team member at the launch point needs colleagues at other stages who will support him. A team member at the sweet spot and one at the mastery point complement each other well, one bringing new ideas and the other having rich experience. If you find this post useful, please like, comment and share.
"The package includes a 7-day tour worth MYR3500, a dinner event worth MYR600, a travel kit worth MYR400 and shopping vouchers worth MYR1500. The total value is MYR6000, but today we are offering this package at MYR2999 only! That's less than half price!" When you are able to convince the potential buyer how much more value he is getting vs how much he would be paying, you position your product as too good a deal to pass on.
What to do with this information:
When you are a buyer, recognise these tricks and don't let them affect you making the right decision. Don't hate marketers. It is their job to help sellers connect to their target audience. As a buyer it is your responsibility to understand the product and whether it fits you.
When you are a seller, this is a trick you can use. No matter how well you market, you must still have a good product if you want to stay in business. Do right by your customers.
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When you become the kind of person whom you need to be, success follows.
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When you ask for help, or even just advice, there is a psychological effect on the person who responds to your call for help. It may be a small thing, but when they help you, subconsciously they are telling themselves that you are a person they like. That is why they are helping you.
Don't be shy!
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"I made 1 million in sales within the first 10 months, and you can do it too. I will show you how." Sometimes marketers sell dreams. They appeal to your deepest desires. If they can do it, why not you? They may have downplayed the challenges and hardships involved and the skills needed.
What to do with this information:
When you are a buyer, recognise these tricks and don't let them affect you making the right decision. Don't hate marketers. It is their job to help sellers connect to their target audience. As a buyer it is your responsibility to understand the product and whether it fits you.
When you are a seller, this is a trick you can use. No matter how well you market, you must still have a good product if you want to stay in business. Do right by your customers.
If you find this post useful, please like, comment or share.
I am sometimes surprised at how unstructured some interviewers are. They browse your resume to pick out some interesting bits to ask about. An experienced interviewer may be able to go deeper by asking follow-up questions, but some interviewers just flutter from one area to the next without much of a plan. Preparing a standard set of questions to ask every candidate is important because it becomes your checklist. It helps you plan what are the qualities you want to probe for and what are the difficult questions you want to ask. You want to be able to compare your candidates based on the same set of challenges you issue them. Your questions are designed to help you get to know your candidates as best you can within the limited time of an interview. Don't waste your time going into an interview unprepared. You'd hate to meet candidates who are unprepared. Don't be an interviewer who is unprepared.
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Lack of exposure outside of the family business. Some 2nd generation business owners started their career in the family business right af...
