Tag: team work

Dull and easy

Fabrizio1 Comment

The stigma around topics such as failure, ignorance, inexperience makes us hide the very same seed that would allow us to grow. We do not ask the question, we do not show the weakness, we do not seek guidance. Eventually we end up being the same, if not diminished.

We are more silent when we should be more vocal.

And on the other hand, we are met with silence when we should be cheered loudly.

How often do you share just to meet an embarrassed withdraw? How often do you ask just to meet an awkward silence? How often do you open up just to meet shameful rejection?

Everything is dull and easy on the surface.

It is when you go deep, and allow the others to go deep, that things start getting interesting.

The best self-promotion tool

Fabrizio1 Comment

If you are starting in a new role, make it your first priority to talk to people who work close to you.

Your direct reports, their reports, your peers, those you will collaborate with in adjacent teams, your manager, their manager.

There is no rule for where you should stop, just do it with common sense.

And while the instict would probably push you to use the conversations to promote yourself, your background, your agenda, make it so instead that you will mainly listen. Understand who you are talking to, what motivates them, how they get measured, what success means to them.

If you do that effectively, you can’t fail. You will deliver exactly what they need, and they will be the ones promoting you and your agenda when that is needed.

Listening is the best self-promotion tool.

From the inside out

FabrizioLeave a comment

If only should be the last resource when we are trying to find a reason. In reality, we often use it as the go-to excuse when we are trying to hide.

If only the weather was good, I would go for a walk.

If only they would care, I could publish more articles.

If only my boss would get me, I would finally be promoted.

If only my partner would listen, our relationship would be fine.

Many situations are better approached from the inside out. What can you change? What can you control? What are the things you are going to do no matter what?

When you do that, if only fades away. And you will find there is more you can do to change the narrative you are stuck into.

Your winning way

FabrizioLeave a comment

This way of doing marketing does not work for everybody. In fact, it probably would not work for your company.

But it works for Balsamiq.

I guess the point of this story is the following.

Before jumping into a funnel carousel, before starting to talk about MQLs, SQLs, and SAOs, before paying an agency to figure out your business model and your brand, before running around optimizing the optimizable and hacking the hackable. Take a deep breath.

Find a way that works for your customers and for your business. A way that reflects your values, your purpose, the change you want to see in the world. A way that you are proud to promote, that your leadership is proud to promote, that your employees are proud to promote. A way that lets you build a sustainable business where you and your team are the ones defining success.

There is no other way. It’s your winning way.

Others won’t do it

FabrizioLeave a comment

If you can’t keep your word, others won’t do it for you.

If you can’t deliver your project in time, others won’t do it for you.

If you don’t believe in your strengths, others won’t do it for you.

If you can’t find it in you to show up every day and deliver, others won’t do it for you.

If you can’t be compassionate towards yourselves, and understand when you have hit a rough patch, others won’t do it for you.

If you can’t accept that most of what’s happening is beyond your control, others won’t do it for you.

If you can’t say I am sorry and take action to repair, others won’t do it for you.

If you won’t take a stand, others won’t do it for you.

If you stop caring, others won’t do it for you.

If you can’t commit to self-awareness, others won’t do it for you.

If you won’t pursue a balance in your life, some sort of contentment, others won’t do it for you.

It’s all there is.

It is you.