Principle #26 – Feel stuck? Extend your time horizon. The view is different. When life feels stormy, it’s tempting to obsess over the next cloud overhead. Every setback feels permanent, every drizzle like a flood warning. But short-term conditions don’t tell the whole story. Meteorologists know this well: today’s storm often gives way to tomorrow’s […]
Feeling Stuck? Check the Long-Range Forecast Read More »
Principle #25 – Sometimes there’s one right way. Probably not this time. Tech culture loves the idea of “the one right way.” One formula to rule them all, one update that fixes everything, one perfect workflow that never fails. Spoiler: that’s not how complex systems work. In tech (and business), the “one right way” is
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Principle #24 – Prompt grassroots decision-making often. Imagine trying to grow a thriving garden but insisting every plant ask permission before sprouting a new leaf. Sounds absurd, right? Yet that’s how many leaders handle decisions—everything has to travel up the “stem” to the top before action can happen. The people closest to the soil—the ones
Cultivate Decisions Where They’re Planted Read More »
Principle #23 – Diagnose before you prescribe. If doctors worked like some leaders, they’d say:“You’re coughing? Here’s surgery. Also, take these horse pills.” Ridiculous, right? Yet in business, we do it all the time—jumping to solutions before we even understand the problem. Quick fixes feel good, like handing out aspirin for every ache. But if
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Principle #22 – Smallest changes for biggest impacts. We often think big problems need big solutions. Cue the off-site retreats, multi-phase project plans, and “transformational initiatives” that cost a fortune and take forever. Meanwhile, a small, well-aimed change could’ve solved 80% of the problem by lunch. Small changes are powerful because they’re focused, low-risk, and
Tiny Tweaks, Huge Wins Read More »
Principle #21 – Don’t get stuck addressing symptoms. Quick fixes feel good, don’t they? A problem pops up, you swoop in, and—boom—issue resolved. Cue the hero music. But then it pops up again. And again. That’s not hero work; that’s hamster wheel work. When we only treat symptoms, we accidentally feed the problem. We create
Your Quick Fixes Are Making It Worse Read More »
Principle #20 – Coauthor. More minds, more better. We love the romantic image of the lone genius: one brilliant person, one whiteboard, one lightning-bolt idea. But let’s be honest—most “solo brilliance” dies on the whiteboard. Breakthrough solutions don’t come from one perspective; they come from multiple minds colliding and refining ideas together. It’s messier, sure,
Your Lone Genius Act Is Overrated—Try Coauthoring Instead Read More »
Principle #19 – Start where the other is. Ever had a conversation where you explained your point perfectly—clear logic, solid data, flawless delivery—and they still didn’t get it? That’s because you started from your mountain, not theirs. We love to think people will come around if we just talk louder or add another chart. But
Stop Arguing From Your Mountain. Start From Theirs. Read More »
Principle #18 – Communication is more than saying words. Ever leave a meeting thinking, “I heard every word, but I have no idea what they just said”? That’s because communication isn’t just words—it’s connection. We’ve all seen it: the sales rep powering through their pitch, oblivious to confused faces. Or the manager who sends a
Stop Talking. Start Communicating. Read More »
Principle #17 – Decisions go where they belong. Ever sat in a meeting thinking, “Why am I even deciding this?” If you’re honest, you probably have. Leaders often hoard decisions like Halloween candy, believing it’s “safer” if they approve everything. Spoiler: it’s not. It slows things down, burns you out, and disempowers the very people
Stop Babysitting Decisions That Aren’t Yours Read More »