Manage your time in thirds
Irish people, myself included, often struggle with their ‘t’s and ‘th’s. If I need to say the word ‘tree’, my brain will want to say ‘three’, and vice versa. As I approach the dreaded word, I almost have to stop talking, organise the words in my head, and then say them. Thirty-three and a third […]
Read MoreThe time management myth
I was a participant at an online conference last week. During one of the sessions we were put into breakout groups for a discussion activity. I did not know the other people in the breakout group well, and some not at all. One of the group, unaware of the fact that I specialised in what […]
Read MoreWhich list is best?
I recently flew to Dubai for my first international client engagement since the pandemic put an end to our travels a couple of years ago. It is not an understatement that it was a bit daunting, but I was very keen to ensure that the trip ran in a safe and uneventful way. One of […]
Read MoreBe explicit about deadlines when requesting work
Myself and my partner Vera went to the movies recently, and as always, had a little laugh at the start of the movie. In the local cinema we go to, a big sign comes up on screen just before the movie starts that says: Please bring your glasses back to the bar This always makes […]
Read MoreIt’s time to cut a few corners
I don’t know about you, but I find the Ikea store layout devilishly clever but a bit frustrating. They have designed a one-way route that takes you past every department, every display and every product. Which is fine when you want to browse and are not sure exactly what you want. But I have often […]
Read MoreBe disciplined in planning your week
When I was a boy, my dad had a bit of a control thing going on and would not let me touch any of his tools or do any of the practical ‘handyman’ jobs around the house. I guess he worried that I would not do the jobs properly, and he always went by the […]
Read MoreZooming in and out of focus
Zooming in and out of focus I am currently researching the content and topics for my next book, which will focus on what the most effective senior leaders do differently to the rest of us to maintain productivity in such busy roles. One of the things I notice effective leaders doing differently is managing their focus and attention. Much like rubbing their stomach and […]
Read MoreI want to help the future
I want to help the future. The past is past and was busier than I would have liked. The present is upon us and is full-on. But the future has yet to happen and can be influenced by what we do now. Anything I can proactively do ahead of time to make my future, and […]
Read MoreWhen you don’t have your camera on
Something that I experience a lot, and hear my clients talk about, is online meeting participants not turning their camera on. Now, I know that with remote working, it can be hard to have what is happening behind us on show in a meeting. We might be forced to work from our bedroom, have kids […]
Read MoreElite meeting mindsets
A good friend of mine had a high-profile career at the very top level of AFL football administration. We were talking recently about what it means to be an elite player in a football team. Whilst any player who has made it into a top-level footy team is going to be a good player, he […]
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