So I recently met up with an old mentor….and he had in his wallet the top tips I gave him….a laminated card! I was really surprised and thought I’d share….this is more than 20 years ago!
How To Get to the Truth
This sounds so basic….I mean, isn’t the truth about something self-evident? Often in business we have so many metrics, so many smart people’s opinions, so much expertise and openness….how can we not know the truth?
Well, the reality is that the truth isn’t always so obvious…. especially when things aren’t going well. It could be a project that’s falling behind, a surge in attrition…the problem is that there can be many reasons, but how do you actually get to the truth of the matter and what should be fixed first?
One technique I find myself using more and more is the following….
Advice to Tom Holland is So Good
I recently read this …Tom Holland’s piece of advice he got from Elizabeth Olsen….and I can wholeheartedly attest to the power of this…. it was…. Continue reading
The Most Important Math Calculations for Life
I saw an article where someone was talking about the key math calculations you need to be able to do in order to plan for retirement….but they were about things like being able to calculate interest on loans, credit card balances, etc. It got me to thinking about what calculations I do as a “sanity check”.
Full disclaimer…I cannot do math to save my life. I almost had to take accounting again in B-school but passed by 2 points. I need a calculator always. But having said that, I absolutely rely on numbers to tell me how I’m doing. The key is…what numbers? Continue reading
Lessons Learned: Post Surgical Care
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted because I’ve been taking care of someone who is recovering from surgery. As we get older, the people we love are getting older too and needing medical care…particularly people with underlying conditions. So here’s my lessons learned for those of you in those situations…. Continue reading
How To Get Rich…
I came across this article, and it really spoke to me. The concept of getting rich can seem selfish and a taboo subject. I define getting rich as being financially independent: not worrying about money all the time, being self-sufficient, and being able to financially help out others who may not have the money to deal with financial surprises. Don’t we all want that?
Saying Thank You
Basically, it’s always welcome. But sometimes you need to go above and beyond the politeness and really make the other person understand how much you appreciate them. I’ve found that consistency and the level of effort and thought drive the impact of the thank you.
35. Don’t jump to conclusions….or at least, not to wrong conclusions.
I haven’t added a new lessons learned in forever…but I wanted to add this one. This is based off the saying “If you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.” I never really got that, but now I think it’s absolutely brilliant. Continue reading
Lessons Learned Number 6
“No Substitute for In Person Talking“….this is an oldie but goodie. Interestingly, this has only gotten more relevant in our new times of zoom and remote everything. I would argue it’s even more important now….and some more thoughts on the topic.
The Impact of Time
As I get older, one of the things I’ve noticed is that the biggest problems aren’t typically “big events” but the accumulation of bad habits over time. Just like time can help (compounding!), time can hurt as well. And as you get older, you start seeing the incremental impact of all these habits…good and bad. So what are some of the lessons I’m learning?