At Microsoft we have implemented a habit called the “check in”. This habit consists of two primary questions “what am I feeling?” and “what might be distracting me?”
Often, we include a third question, but it always changes depending on the context and owner of the meeting.
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There is a tool that I use when I am trying to keep my mind open about something. It is especially useful in brainstorming sessions.
The tool is a simple question.
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This week both Microsoft and Amazon announced massive layoffs. This is never easy. It can feel soul crushing for those laid off and painful for those still with the company to see incredibly talented and capable colleagues being forced back into the position of having to find a job.
As I have read posts on LinkedIn from those let go, I’ve noticed a cool pattern, but first a quick detour.
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My daughter plays soccer and she loves to play defense. She practices kicking hard so she can clear the ball out whenever it gets to her side of the field. Recently she played in a tournament where it was indoor soccer on a field not much larger than a tennis court.
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A tool is a device or implement used to carry out a particular function. To become a better leader, we must use tools (not physical but mental tools) to make progress in our life.
I want to share with you a simple tool called the 10-Day Experiment. It is so simple it is almost hard to call it a tool, but it goes like this.
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Learning something new is hard. In college I struggled because much of the focus was on reading textbooks and then taking a test to ensure I understood the content. Textbooks can be a powerful way to learn, and we can elevate our learning with a few small tweaks.
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It is only appropriate that I report back on my becoming list for 2022 and then share the new list of what I would like to become.
Rather than goals I want to strive to become something. My actions are a reflection of who I am and who I am becoming.
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Nearly a year ago I wrote about finding your purpose and I have iterated on my own and even have a stronger frame in which I would create a purpose statement.
My new purpose statement is this
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Carla Harris of Morgan Stanley came to Microsoft and shared some insights on leadership. There was one thing in particular that she shared with us that stuck with me.
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Before COVID seems like an easier time. It likely was not, but it feels that way. The amount of complexity that surrounds us is tremendous and we as leaders must find a way to navigate today and the uncertainty that is yet to come.
The only true way to figure out how to navigate complexity is to experiment. Jean-Philipee Courtois (JP) shared one specific experiment he ran as his role went from managing sales for the country of France to managing sales for all of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
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I teach and invite people to act. Proud husband, father and amateur pizzaiolo