To young leaders. Audience multiplies the message. Almost always – deliver criticism privately, deliver praise publicly. If you slip up, no big deal. Apologise to the one and repeat the praise of the other in front of their peers. We are all works in progress. […]
A note to young leaders. Stop blaming yourself for the weather. That’s not something you can control. The problem is never with the weather, but with the clothes you are wearing. Recently, I was visited by an entrepreneur-friend. He was lamenting that he was losing more revenue than he could replace. Customers, he said, were […]
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A note to young leaders. If you have to choose between great ideas, great strategy or great execution – choose great execution. Execution may not be glamorous but it’s by far the biggest differentiator in business. And an essential part of great execution is getting the job done … fast. I recently delegated a task […]
Read More… from Why Speedy Execution Beats Great Ideas and Strategy
A note to young leaders. Most of us are fish, only a few are dolphins. Only occasionally and with great effort do we get to jump outside the zeitgeist we swim in. To be an innovator, be a dolphin. Dolphins have more fun […]
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A note to young professionals. Be wary of words like “positive”, “strong” and “prospective” – because labels often mean different things to different people. This is a lesson I learned from the late, great John Caldon – former Deputy MD of Macquarie Group. Recently, I received an update by text: “Positive chat with XYZ investor, […]
Read More… from Why Clear Numbers Beat Vague Words in Business Communication
Note to self. When the audience is large, be careful not to over-estimate its knowledge (on average). When the audience is small, be careful not to underestimate its knowledge. In late June 2020, in the midst of Covid lockdown, my daughter asked me to tell her a bedtime story (not one of my recognised talents). […]
Read More… from Tailoring Your Message: Know Your Audience’s Knowledge Level
A note to young leaders. I recently sat next to a dementia carer at a dinner party. Dementia is a debilitating mental disease. What’s less known, she told me, is that dementia is also very detrimental to the patient’s physical well-being – and if it occurs at a young age, it severely curtails life expectancy. […]
Read More… from The Link Between Memory, Purpose, and Survival: Lessons from Dementia
A note to young leaders. My father would often say to me: “Remember, life is sinusoidal. It’s a wave, not a straight line.” I’ve forgotten the number of times dad said that to me. The count must run in the hundreds. Life is seasonal, business is cyclical. Once you understand that “to all things there […]
Read More… from Life and Business Are Cycles: Embrace the Sinusoidal Rhythm
A note to young leaders. The economy is currently going through a liquidity squeeze. Some businesses will fail and new business will be harder to secure. But there’s an upside for those who have built a great team and a great culture – the friendships forged in the heat of battle. Nothing accelerates a friendship […]
Read More… from How Tough Times Forge Stronger Teams and Friendships