While running BrainGain I liked to have monthly “State of the Union” style meetings to have a comprehensive overview of what we accomplished throughout the month. These meetings often went well for the most part, but there was a key ingredient missing. Ideation. I found that my teammates just didn’t have ideas to contribute. OR, … Continue reading How to encourage inclusion and ideation at work
Controlled Confrontation – The art of handling difficult conversations
The vast majority of people I meet are averse to confrontation. They fear an argument. They avoid it with all of their willpower. People often look at arguments and confrontations as a BAD thing. If people are arguing, something is wrong. And for good reason - who wants to spend their day locked in heated … Continue reading Controlled Confrontation – The art of handling difficult conversations
If you’re hard on yourself you’re probably hard on others
I’m someone who is very hard on myself. I hold myself to high standards. I expect myself to perform at my best at all times. When I don’t, I become frustrated. When I do, I barely even notice my good performance because I’m too focused on the future and overlooking the present. Unfortunately, while this … Continue reading If you’re hard on yourself you’re probably hard on others
How to become less reactive and more emotionally stable
Whether you’re studying Stoicism, Buddhist Meditation, Mindfulness, or simply practicing How to Not Give a Fuck, the underlying principle remains the same – How to become less reactive and more emotionally stable. How to cultivate a healthy indifference. Note that this is different than avoidance or non-reactivity. The goal here is NOT to become an emotionless … Continue reading How to become less reactive and more emotionally stable
Top performers rise to the surface
I don’t believe that job interviews work. They are outdated. Why do I say this? Good communicators can talk their way into a position and then perform poorly. Poor communicators (who could have been great at the job) don’t speak well in the interview and get passed on. Interviews don’t accurately demonstrate who will perform … Continue reading Top performers rise to the surface
Give people the opportunity to surprise you
Goal setting is an important part of your business, but not for the reasons that you think it is. There’s a famous study (that I can’t find right now but you probably can) in which they found that people who exercised for only 5 minutes per day were more likely to build a habit than … Continue reading Give people the opportunity to surprise you
Friends and family are the worst people to pitch your business ideas
When starting a business the first people we (usually) jump to for feedback are friends and family. They are the quickest and most reliable people to get feedback from. Easiest way to get people to try your potential product. However, I think that this is dangerous. I believe that friends and family are not reliable … Continue reading Friends and family are the worst people to pitch your business ideas
Why you should give more hugs
When you give a hug to someone, have you ever paid attention to the way that you FEEL while giving it? Have you ever tried to notice if you’re tense, uptight, resistant in some way? Not fully relaxed? I know I was when I first started paying attention to this. In Brazil, people are big … Continue reading Why you should give more hugs
How to become a better listener
I’m a horrible listener. Like truly horrible. If you’ve ever had a conversation with me, you’ve probably noticed what I like to call “Squirrel Syndrome”. You said something that had the effect of a dog seeing a squirrel and then running off to chase it. That’s what happens in my mind when someone gives me … Continue reading How to become a better listener
Cut yourself some slack
For the last few years I’ve experimented a lot on myself. I’ve experimented with diets, exercise routines, work schedules, creative scheduling, you name it. When it comes to improving my life in small ways, I’ve become very disciplined with implementing new habits. I’m also proud to say that I have had fantastic results and these … Continue reading Cut yourself some slack