My daughters are transforming from little girls into little woman before my eyes. And with the passing of time the Facebook memories and old photos and videos on our phones are becoming more and more emotional to watch. I hear those little voices and am transported to another lifetime.
Sharing disappointing work-related news with someone that reports to you is probably one of the least satisfying parts of any business leader’s job. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to anticipate the disappointment. You don’t have to have worked with that person for 10 years. And you don’t have to be a mind reader. Most leaders just know when the news isn’t “good news”.
SARS-CoV-2 is a relatively slow learner. The virus accumulates only two single-letter mutations per month in its genome. That means it changes at about half the speed of the flu and a quarter the speed of HIV. Learner is too strong a word. The virus isn’t really “learning” at all. The changes are random and most of them either make it less dangerous or have no meaningful impact on its ability to survive.
I recently got new contact lenses. Turns out the astigmatism in my right eye has now reached a point where using a proper astigmatism lens will make a big difference. So said my optometrist. I was skeptical. I’d seen this movie before - pun intended as usual - and the ending was as bad as the one from La La Land.
When I was in grade 3 my dad got a promotion that came with a transfer. So, we packed up and moved from Brixton to Klerksdorp. There were several mines in the area and where there are mines there are mine dumps. I soon discovered that some mine dumps are reprocessed. Turns out they are not all worthless. If you have the right technology, process and a favorable market price for the material being extracted, you are in business.
“They’ve really changed since they got that promotion”. I’m sure you’ve heard those words spoken around the office. I certainly have. Maybe you have even said it yourself. When we say that, we usually don’t mean change as in good, healthy personal growth. We usually mean we no longer like the way that person behaves at work.
I’ll never forget the day one of my direct reports walked into the office and apologized for being late. He casually said it was because he had to shoot an intruder in the early hours of the morning. I was at a complete loss for words, but I heard myself say “are you okay?”. He smiled and said he’s fine and explained this wasn't his first time.
My family and I enjoy watching a couple of MasterClass lessons after dinner on weekday evenings. We’re currently going through Walter Moseley’s writing and Jane Goodall’s conservation courses. These two each have a passion for their craft that is both intoxicating and illuminating.
Almost every job interview ends in the same way. The panel leader asks the candidate if they have any questions of their own. After hundreds of interviews spanning more than 20 years, I’ve noticed three main groups of job hunters…
I’m currently reading a book that explores the science behind habit creation and reformation. There is a section that deals with the power that familiar things have over us. The brain craves the familiar and this phenomenon effects what we think we like and prefer. It even plays a role in what we think is the best thing or the best course of action.
Habit stacking is so freaking powerful. It’s helped me start and stick to everything from my morning stretches to my daily meditation ritual. I've used it to run or walk every morning for the last few years and it helped me to start doing 10 minutes of strength training on weekday mornings.
