Tag: communication

Broken promises

FabrizioLeave a comment

If you manage a company, a team, a project, the most you can do is managing the inputs and monitor the outcomes.

Too much time is wasted, too many promises broken, in the attempt to manage the outcomes. Outcomes are out of anybody’s control. Even those who have already succeeded in the field you are trying to master cannot promise outcomes.

And so, instead:

  • Ensure the input is aligned with what you want to achieve
  • Ensure the input is consistent over time
  • Ensure the input is promoted as success (or failure)

That’s how you keep you and your team sane.

Harmed

FabrizioLeave a comment

When a manager talks in a negative way of a team member, even one who is no longer part of the team, the only person who is being harmed is the manager.

Because others will figure out pretty much immediately that the manager does not have their best interest at heart. And they will go searching for somebody who does.

Good luck hiring and onboarding new people every few months.

Arguments

FabrizioLeave a comment

Two take-aways from this clip from the interview between Elon Musk and BBC reporter James Clayton.

  1. It does not matter who has your back, you have to be prepared. You have to know what you are talking about. You have to do your research. You have to have facts. And if you don’t, which is fair, because sometimes there’s just too much to know, just avoid the topic you are not prepared about altogether. Drop it.
  2. There’s a point when you are winning an argument where you need to check with the situation and concede something to the part that is losing the argument. If you don’t, you are just going for the kill, and nobody appreciates that.

Sharing feelings

FabrizioLeave a comment

Sharing feelings is tough, uncomfortable, often untimely, and slow.

But when somebody comes to you with their feelings, all you have to do is be thankful that they think you are a person with whom it’s safe to share.

Don’t break the trust. Everything else can wait.

Plans

FabrizioLeave a comment

How often do plans only feature the place where you want things to end? How often do plans completely disregard the place where you are today, your current resources, your needs and wants, the requests of those involved?

A plan needs some solid basis to be taking you where you want to go.