Category: culture

Unique personality

FabrizioLeave a comment

In whatever you do that matters to you, make sure to put a touch of your own unique personality.

When you apply for a job, when you write a blog post, when you deliver a speech, when you interact with others, when you are in a meeting, when you are bringing your boss up to speed, when you are out with your kids or talk to your parents. In every single situation there are many rules that have but one job: to make things predictable and dull.

Rules are important, and you should follow them. Few people are happy when all of their expectations are disregarded.

But remember to add a touch of your own unique personality. Few people are happy when all they see around is predictable and dull.

It is a difficult balance to strike. Just don’t forget who you are and what you stand for.

Easing

FabrizioLeave a comment

Sometimes we get annoyed at people and situations merely because they are not where they want them to be.

We might have spotted potential in someone, or we might just have grown sensitive to a behaviour that repeats over time.

We might have envisioned a better world, or we might just have had enough of a culture where we feel we don’t fit.

Easing into what is will give us and the others the opportunity to change, to grow closer, to eventually meet in a place where we are better and they are better.

That’s true improvement.

Little future

FabrizioLeave a comment

Remember to balance your ability to get things your way with the fact that, on the other side, there is somebody who has just lost the trust in the relationship and their capacity.

You can push, you can order, you can yell, you can bypass, you can threaten, you can boss around. And you’ll eventually make it happen exactly how you wanted it to be.

There’s little future after that though.

Commit to delivering

FabrizioLeave a comment

What do you value most?

Being right or getting things done?

If you spend time proving you are right, searching for evidence to argue against others, making sure everyone understands and recognizes your contribution, hoping that others will fail, things will be slow.

If on the other hand you are committed to delivering, being right becomes a nonproblem. You accept things and let go of things for the sake of a greater purpose.

It won’t take long to realize you can’t have both.

Written exchanges

FabrizioLeave a comment

As most of the interactions with colleagues, peers, and managers happen nowadays in written form – chat, email, articles -, this study provides a good guidance on how to avoid that a conversation will turn awry.

Being direct, starting with “you”, and focusing on facts are sure ways to make an exchange heated. On the other hand, being polite, using opinions, and expressing gratitude will keep an argument on track.

Kindness pays off.

Even when writing.