Category Archives: Work

Getting good at something

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This applies to many things, however, the core of this premise is its applicability to your work, no matter what it is.

Be so good that your colleagues, clients and bosses have to take notice of the work you do.

It might be the way you do it. The level of quality that you are reaching every time you send an email, for example. The style of your communications. The way you listen.

Or it could be a technical proficiency. Something you’ve honed over many years of practice and repetition.

Whatever it is, work as hard as you can on making it a little better every day.

It is not wasted time. The effort will stand up under pressure.

Sometimes this stuff is drowned out by the policiticans that inhabit every workplace. The game-players. The ones who will burn anyone to get what they feel they deserve.

In general – and I have seen this play out over time – those with the skills become dependable, reliable, and essential to leaders when they’re making their picks.

I know which camp I’d rather be in.

Computerworld interview – my career journey

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My career journey has been an interesting one.

My mate Matt has got the best out of me here and dug a bit deeper than the usual stuff these videos contain.

Lots of good stuff in here if you’re on the path to a cyber career, or really any kind of new career and find yourself in transition.

Know your shortcomings

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It helps to know the things you’re not so good at. The things you should work on. The things you know you should deal with.

They have a tendency to get ‘lost in the fog.’ Piles of paper cover those lists of once important and urgent tasks you wanted to get done but never got around to.

It may not feel comfortable to write these things down. Seeing your weaknesses, your blind-spots, on the page can be challenging.

It’s in this type of awareness that opportunities for growth live.

They could be learning opportunities. Skills you could brush-up on, or new ways to pass the time.

But they be complete attitude shifts, or changes to ways of working. The recognition that you talk too much at certain times could, for example, open up a new line of thinking and action.

The benefits on a daily basis may not be immediately visible or measurable. Be consistent and they soon will be.

Conferences get a ‘yes’

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Showing up at a well-put-together conference and participating with a plan can be one of the best investments you can make in yourself.

You meet the right kind of people.

You learn something new.

You could make friends with like-minded people, who share the same interests as you.

I went to one this week with a plan to push the boundaries of introversion a little.

I thought about how I was going to approach the day and it worked out well.

I started a few conversations I would have ordinarily shied away from.

I stayed upbeat, enthusiastic, and open to anyone who wanted a chat.

I slowed down. Rather than tearing through the expo, I wandered around.

I saw more. I took it all in.

I’ve never been a conference fan. This experience, plus my attitude towards it, may have changed that.

On expertise

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Pick your one thing as early as you can and become an expert at it.

There’s an example I heard of a top tax lawyer being very happy with the way their life has worked out after a couple of decades or more working in a narrow, perceivably dull, area.

Go deep and narrow. There will always be good things going on there the longer you stay in the space, learning and evolving.

The tax lawyer will be satisfied at the end of their working days once they retire, financially secure, with a legacy earned from a raft of loyal clients.

They may have built their own practice or just be a well-known expert in the space in high demand.

Assume you can do this for yourself and work hard to achieve it in your space.

Pick a thing and do it

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To-do lists are killers. We pile up task after task, creating this list that never ends.

Ever created a list with just a couple of things on it, like a shopping list of stuff you pick up from the store? The satisfaction when you tick everything off is a dopamine hit.

When we make a massive list, never getting to the end of it, we never get that hit. The nervousness builds knowing we have a pile of stuff that’s growing instead of reducing.

I try and get three things done a day. I get the biggest thing done first, and then the next biggest, and so on. If I clear the three things, I’ve achieved something small but normally meaningful to me based on what I have on my plate.

I have a long to-do list, but I see it more as a stockpile of possibles for my three task list that I attack every day. This way, the stress is reduced. I know I’m ok if those three things are done. Tomorrow is another day to attack the rest.

Reduce the friction

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The less friction there is between thought and action, the better.

Logging in? Picking a different device? Turning on a keyboard? All slows me down when it comes to writing something, for example.

This can apply to most things we want to do that carry the ‘hard’ label, requiring some thought and effort.

The chances of producing something new reduces once the ‘thinking about how to do it’ procrastination process starts.

The fast, simple route is the good one here.

Three new books incoming

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Placed an order yesterday for some new insights:

Daniel Kahneman – Thinking, Fast and Slow: I’m aware of economic theory but it’s a long time since I took steps to go a little deeper. This will be my jumping off point on that one.

Scott Galloway – The Algebra of Wealth: Personal finance strategy affects us all but most of us spend hardly any time thinking about what we are doing, let alone taking action.

The First 90 Days – Michael Watkins: I’m starting a new job in a couple of weeks. I like to go into anything with some kind of plan, however rudimentary. Similar books of this kind are on my shelves and this one could add a new angle.

(I don’t do affiliate marketing and don’t want to automatically send anyone to Amazon so this is why there are no links.)

Training resource for AI learning

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Came across this excellent learning resource for all things AI, focussed on busy professionals looking to get ahead of the crowd quickly and efficiently.

Section – the business behind the training – is backed by best-selling author, NYU Professor of Marketing and podcaster Scott Galloway.

His work stands out in the world we live in today as forward thinking, a challenge to the status quo, and a call to action for people glued to their screens looking forward to little more than minimum wage work (and lots of it) for years to come.

Upskilling and lifelong learning are more than just buzzwords. They’re the way to stand out, get better opportunities and earn more over time.

Get involved. It’s never too late to start.

Don’t be mean

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Sydney Harbour

Being on the end of someone teeing off via instant messaging is not pleasant.

It’s not hard to be nice to people. Saying cruel, nasty or mean things in comms channels is a dumb move.

It’s the bigger person who can control their emotions and step back, think, before firing off another message.

The context to any situation doesn’t always come through. There could be mitigating factors, bad things happening that either side is unaware of.

This is no excuse to say bad things, or act like the schoolyard bully.

Keep doing it and that bad karma piles up.

Keep an account of your ‘human capital’. Think of it like a cash account at the bank.

Act like a dick, down goes the balance. Be nice to someone, treat people well (especially your colleagues at the office), and the balance increases.

Start each day as if the balance is nil and your main goal in life is to build it up.

This type of keyboard warrior will always be around. Find a way to make the effects of their nastiness wash over you. Their angst and rage is rarely your fault.

Be interesting

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You’re sat next to someone on a flight.

They ask good questions, listen to your answers carefully, and you build a great conversation together.

You find that you’ve got some shared interests. You get a good feeling while talking to them.

Has this ever happened to you?

They’re interested in other people. They allow them to talk, rather than feeling the need to share their own life story at the earliest opportunity.

They make you feel heard, understood.

When it’s their turn to speak, they’re open about their own experiences. They have stories to tell and they’re happy to tell them but they don’t drone on and on.

They keep the ball moving. The balance between listening and speaking is just right.

They’re the interesting ones.

It takes patience and practice to develop this skill, but it’s a valuable one.

Make an effort to be interesting and the investment will pay off over time.

Move the ball

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Each day, we all show up for work. The job is the constant, whether we like it or not.

Move the ball forwards. Even a small amount, just move the ball.

There are two balls here – mine and the one belonging to my employer. Whoever pays my cheques.

Each one needs that daily movement.

This is how you stay employed and employable. Both balls moving means you are learning. You are doing your job and devloping your skills.

Move each ball. Apply effort and time to it. It doesn’t fail as a long term strategy.

Break out of the pack

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Here are six ways you can increase your personal impact, no matter what you do.

They’re taken from a 2014 Tom Peters slide deck I printed and bound because it was so useful. I pick it up and walk through it periodically. Even time I open the pages, the words pop off the page. They never get old.

  • Outwork ’em
  • Outread ’em
  • Outlast ’em
  • Show up
  • Listen
  • Keep an open mind

I’ll also add another one – master politics. If you can understand how politics works and the role it plays in all aspects of our lives, you’ll have an advantage over the majority of people you work and play with.

Which one are you going to start working on first?

Tackle your problems head-on

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It takes guts to stand up to bad people. The same applies to problems of any kind.

The insecurity we feel when we realise what’s going on, the nerves about what will happen, begin to build. We go through every “what if…?” scenario at 100 mph.

Some people in this spot decide to hide away, playing in the shadows. It gives them a chance to cover their tracks, hoping this is enough to kill the scent.

But it never is.

You’ve gotta own up and face the problem head on. Your weaknesses are obvious to all at this point. Vulnerability here is the path to strength.

Be humble. Admit you’ve made a mistake if that’s the case. Admit you don’t know what to do. Ask for help and listen when the feedback arrives, no matter how tough that might be under the circumstances.

Get the job done. Then go find another one. Use the improvements from this episode to reach new levels.

Onwards, always to better things, with a chunk of learning about yourself in your pocket.

Scrolling away productivity: how social media is eating away your day

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Scrolling is a death spiral. Anything you’re working on disappears from your mind. The plot gets lost.

All that replaces the work is someone else’s life or a product you don’t need. Those best bits of the lives of others, served up in that never-ending fire hose of content.

We all get blasted by it. Anyone who says they haven’t – they can deal with it, it’s under control – is not being truthful. It’s like being on a water slide. All that can stop you once you take off is the smash into the pool at the bottom.

The remorse after any amount of time spent scrolling is hard to take. I put Instagram back on my phone about one month ago. Already I can feel its hooks are firmly embedded. I’m in, posting a little and consuming a lot, just they way they like it.

And, boy, do those five minute blocks add up. Between YouTube and Instagram I’m averaging nine hours a week. The waste of that amount of time is tangible. It’s painful to see the facts, whatever level of control I imagine I have.

The challenge is to now do something about it.

Take your own audit of how the scroll affects you. The results might spur you on to some positive changes. If you can go from consuming to producing content, for example, putting those scrolling hours to good use, things could be different.

Be ready for the call: get the skills you need to go places

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When the call to the big leagues arrives, you want to be at your best. Your skills in whatever you do for a living will get you to the top eventually. They can, however, also work against you if you’ve not got them primed and ready at all times.

Do you want to be more efficient than your colleagues? Are you struggling to stand out in your team and get ahead? By learning skills we all use every day to a proficiency level beyond the basic, it won’t be hard.

If you open Excel every three months, you’ll be rusty at best for the first few minutes. If you need a pivot table or some conditional formatting, you’ll be browsing YouTube for tips. The clock will be ticking. Stress will build.

Instead, do a bit of research. What are the top ten things you do everyday that you can improve at? Do you open PowerPoint occasionally but often need a deck in a hurry? Is simple business writing a big part of your job, proof reading and rewriting reports, or sending emails about emails?

Think about what you can work on that will increase your output speed or improve your overall skill level. (Business writing excellence, by the way, is a lost art, so if you make this your goal, you’ll be in high demand.)

We build muscles by training. The same rules apply here, too. Make a plan to practice often by using mini-projects (writing blog posts, maybe?) and having the apps you need open, or the tools close to hand, all the time. Sharpen that sword with regular effort. The benefits will compound over time.

When a project kicks off and the call goes out for a skillset that the team is lacking or doesn’t have in depth, you’ll be ready. Put your hand up and you’ll get the chance to shine. Your contribution will stand out. You’ll deliver at speed with little stress because you’re in control.

And next time the need arises, who’s name will be top of the list? You’ll be remembered for volunteering, for doing an excellent job, and for being efficient – a most-wanted skill when the pressure is on.

Take a few courses. Watch a few YouTube videos. The notes you make and that handful of shortcuts and practice presentations hiding on your hard drive could get you more than you bargained for.

Negativity spreads quickly and will take us all down

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I was chatting to someone at the office the other day. We got deep quickly on the topic of a mutual coworker – someone with a few issues in their life.

They are bleeding all over the rest of us with their sighs and “it’s all too hard…” comments about the job, leading to some poor performance. The slack created has to be picked up, of course, so no-one’s happy about it.

The chat goes downhill fast. It becomes a pile-on. Within minutes, we’ve gone way beyond anything uplifting or light and down into the murky waters.

By the end of it, we’re all stirred up. Our own productivity levels drop through the floor. The blame for this is clear, too – definitely nothing to do with us… we’re perfect!

But we are to blame.

The chat is gossip that takes us downhill faster than a black run. The decision to avoid the idle banter and stay focussed on the job sets those who get stuff done apart.

Step away. Do something else. Don’t take the bait. Stay in a positive frame of mind rather than taking the easy path and teeing off on someone who could be in real trouble.

It never ends well for those who love this kind of behaviour. The gossip kings and queens are not the ones to hang out with. Build a relationship with them, as with everyone at work, but don’t join them when the sourness takes over.

Rise above it. Be the one who leads the team in the right direction.

Don’t add fuel to the fire. Let it burn out.

Be interesting and interested

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This much-used sentence is one that I heard a long time ago but still resonates with me on an almost daily basis. It’s a rare skill but it stands out like wearing bright colours or dying your hair pink. It gets you noticed.

Being interesting is something that those who have travelled the world or have years of experience can rely on – sometimes a little too much. Their stories can become repetitive. That time they swam with sharks in the Bahamas or wrestled a bear in the Dagestan mountains was a jaw-dropper the first time around, but, after a few more mentions, its impact is lost.

All it takes to be interesting is to know what you’re about and be prepared to talk about it. It’s about standing for something and having opinions. It’s having an identity and being able to explain what it means to anyone in basic terms.

The interested part is about asking questions and actually listening to the answers. It’s about your follow up questions to go deeper and find out more. It makes conversations flow and lets people focus on their favorite topic – themselves.

I always remember the people who ask me questions. They’re normally the ones with an interesting background. Isn’t that funny? Maybe they’ve worked this game out.

Get things done using these steps

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1 – Hold your hand up and own whatever it is that you want to work on, fix or change.

2 – Make a simple plan with a start, a middle and an ending.

3 – Find people who can help you and form a team.

4 – Do the things you need to do and none of the things you don’t. Distractions will kill progress.

5 – Don’t stop until you’re finished.

Unfulfilling work

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We all have work of some kind to do. When this work drains you and leaves you thinking ‘Why?”, over and over each day, you’re on a slippery slope.

I mowed lawns to help my Uncle out when I lived with him and his family. I was in my 20’s and had never thought about what made a job satisfying. It was simple work – we cut grass and took it away on the back of a truck – but it symbolised something bigger that I didn’t realise until much later on in life.

Turning a messy lawn into a tidy one is a cathartic process. As we drove away, we could see the difference our work had made. There was no deep-and-meaningful sense of amazement and wonder at what we had done – it was as simple a job as anyone could have, after all – but seeing the result of your work gave immediate, tangible feedback at the transformation.

Most of us spend our days pumping out emails about emails and attending meetings on everything and anything. Craftsmen and women are still around but in much smaller numbers today. Hitting ‘send’ time after time, rather than cutting grass, building a brick wall, or servicing a bike and handing it back to its owner, does not have the same effect on a human.

Knowledge work – the ‘keyboard warrior’ stuff done by the majority in our world today – has to be fulfilling or it can drain us of positive energy. All work types can be repetitive and monotonous at times and this can be hard to avoid. The challenge is to add meaning of some kind in a personal or organisational sense. Helping employees to achieve this can go a long way to keeping them engaged and away from the vacancies of your competitors.