Tag: fear

Doing nothing

FabrizioLeave a comment

If you want to get everything done today, you will most likely end up doing nothing.

If you keep your queue open to the latest request, you will most likely end up doing nothing.

If you force yourself to do a task when you are just not in the right mindset, you will most likely end up doing nothing.

If you put yourself at the center of a mass distraction, you will most likely end up doing nothing.

If you are asked to explain what you do as you do it, you will most likely end up doing nothing.

There are plenty of ways to do nothing, and arguably just one to actually achieve something.

Take control of your attention.

Holding back

FabrizioLeave a comment

Fear can hold you back, and it can hold back those who look at you for guidance.

As parents, more often than not our own fears fuel the “don’t do that”, “don’t go there”, “that is not safe”. Our kids won’t climb the tree, won’t walk to the grocery shop by themselves, won’t try that stunt with their bikes, won’t go in front of the whole class to present an idea. They are marginally safer, infinitely more anxious and fearful.

And since parenting and leadership are strongly linked, you look at managers and you see how much of their fears dictates their behavior and that of their teams. Better play it safe, please upper management, don’t say when things are wrong, praise everybody, and keep communication to a minimum.

Fear is an important feeling when we label it as such. When instead we avoid it, pretend it’s not there, morph it into reality, then it becomes a blocker for our progress and for the progress of those we care about.

It’s just not worth it.

Slow down

Fabrizio2 Comments

We have gotten used to fast.

We want the world to move fast, we want change to happen overnight, we seek shortcuts and opportunities behind every corner.

We lose sight of the 99%.

And when that feeling is stronger, the only real thing we can do is look inside and ask how we can slow down.

Sleep.

Exercise.

Meditate.

Connect with those you care about.

Put technology aside.

Get rid of dopamine hits.

Trying to change the speed at which our world spins is pointless.

Trying to change the way we perceive such speed is wise.

Culture is alive

FabrizioLeave a comment

Culture is not a statement.

It’s not a nice quote on the wall, a deck, or the list of principles on your website. It is not something you can decide in a meeting. It is not something you can survey. It is not something you can benchmark.

Culture lives in what you do. In the habits of the day to day, in what your leadership says, in the things that get rewarded. It’s in all the meetings, in the 1-1s, in the informal chats by the coffee machine. It’s in what you communicate, what you focus your attention on every time you stand in front of the camera and broadcast to the whole company. It’s in the details. It is there when nobody is watching.

Reach out

Fabrizio1 Comment

When you are down, reach out.

Even if you don’t feel like it.

Even if you have nothing to say.

Even if you don’t know.

Even if your instict tells you not to risk it.

Even if you are sure nobody would understand.

Even when it’s pouring.

Even when you have been rejected before.

Even if they don’t care.

Connection might well be the single thing that will keep us afloat. Seek it and cultivate it. Even when you don’t feel like it.