Radical candor, as Kim Scott puts it, is what managers share with employees they care about. That might seem counter-intuitive, but it rings true over and over in my experience. The sting of radical candor can be painful at first. Then, after the initial sting wears off, candor gives way to clarity and conviction. Imagine receiving a piece of […]
The Devil’s Advocate
We were sitting in a team meeting right in the middle of the Krypton project, and we had some big decisions to make. As we discussed scenarios, someone on the team spoke up: “Well, to play devil’s advocate…” Seth stepped in before the sentence could go on, “The devil doesn’t need an advocate, thank you. […]
Less Coaches, More Social Entrepreneurs
In my work at Fizzle, I see a number of common business plans from new entrepreneurs. One of the most common is the “business coach for mission-driven entrepreneurs” or the “consultant to social impact organizations.” People with services like: Specialized coaching for purpose driven organizations and professionals looking for new outcomes. They describe themselves in terms like: Do you […]
Learning is Leadership: How In-Depth Learning Rewires Your Brain and Prepares You to Lead
Some ideas and issues are so big, they can be hard to fully grasp in a single sitting, let alone developing an informed opinion on the matter. Today, we’re more likely than ever to abandon any topic for which this rings true. More than a day’s worth of learning? Nah, that’s too much time and effort. […]
It is the Issues that Matter
In an election year like 2016, we hear so much about individual candidates. Did you hear that Donald Trump said this? Can you believe Bernie Sanders is a Democratic Socialist? Round and round the media circus goes, shaping our opinions about the candidates at every step along the way. In the process, we are completely […]
The Danger of Dogmatic Advice
You’ve read this kind of post: The 8 Things Every Person Should Do Before 8am Every Day. As you read, you become inspired. You make a list of the eight things to do in the morning. Perhaps you set a goal to do all of them every day for the next month. Maybe you even […]
Why Self Help Gets Morning Mantras Right
There’s no question about it: mornings can be a magical start to the day, if only we treat them right. For most people, the average morning goes something like this: hit snooze at least twice; get up at the last minute and take a two minute shower; tie your shoes or do your makeup in […]
Using the Navy Seal’s 40% Rule to Power Through Physical Challenges
We have no problem burning ourselves out at work. Just Google “burnout at work” and you’ll see just how big of a problem it is. With this being the case, an objective observer might expect that people regularly burn themselves out through physical activity as well. An objective observer would be wrong. (Except in rare […]
Follow Your Anger to Find Your Beliefs
Anger is a natural human emotion. We experience something infuriating and then our heart rate increases, pressure in our arteries rises, we increase production of testosterone, and decrease our levels of cortisol. In other words, we get ready to fight. But in modern times, there aren’t many situations where fighting is a legitimate option… at […]
Every Dollar Funds a Story
Scott Harrison changed the way I think about the work of nonprofits. In 2012, Scott stood on stage at World Domination Summit and shared his story. There was a very specific point when I suddenly realized that the story had shifted focus to Charity:Water, which Scott founded in 2006 after a service trip on a […]