Communication
How to Write Less But Say More (via TED)
- Stop being so selfish (give your readers what they want, not what you want to give them)
- What’s the one thing you want them to remember?
- Keep it simple (length, vocabulary)
- Write like a human (conversationally)
- Make it as short as possible so you both get your time back
Decisions
Binstack: Making a maximal multi-dimensional decision (via SWLW)
This is an interesting alternative to weighted rubrics where you pick a threshold value for whether an attribute does or does not (binary) contribute to some desired goal.
Developing Employees
Designing Learning Programs for a Hybrid Workplace (via HBR)
- Holding attention. Make content engaging and relevant. Don’t read off slides. Keep learners on their toes with “pop quizzes” or random call-outs.
- Managing energy. Give 5-10 minute breaks (completely away from tech) every hour. Breakout rooms are not breaks because we’re socializing. Turn off self-view in Zoom.
- Making social elements comfortable. We don’t have good norms (how things are supposed to work) and schemas (who does what in complex activities) for virtual meetings like we do for in-person ones. Give people scripts or examples of what to talk about.
Employee Retention
It’s Time to Reimagine Employee Retention (via HBR)
This article had an interesting angle — stop focusing on hiring and instead spend more energy retaining and developing the talent you already have. “Leaders need to take action to enable their managers to keep their talent while still being able to deliver on results. Managers need help with three things. First, they need help shifting the focus of career conversations from promotion to progression and developing in different directions. Second, they need help creating a culture and structure that supports career experiments. Finally, managers need to be rewarded not for retaining people on their teams but retaining people (and their potential) across the entire organization.”
Meetings
What Makes a Great Executive Retreat (via HBR)
- Turn the audience into the facilitators. They need to be engaged and there needs to be time for real discussion (i.e., not just one-way information flow). Prepare a 1-page summary for others in the company to share highs/lows (i.e., don’t keep it secret).
- Help executives prepare and rehearse. “You can’t improvise meaningful discussions.”
- Encourage candid strategy discussions. Vulnerability is key.
Stress management
How to Recover from Work Stress, According to Science (via HBR)
- Detach psychologically from work.
- Harness the power of micro-breaks during the workday.
- Consider your preference for recovery activity.
- Prioritize high-effort recovery activities. (fx: learning a language, volunteering)
- Shape your environment for optimal recovery.