FieldNotes
Our daily Field Notes email is just the kind of jumpstart you need. A fast read. Maybe less than a minute. Because sometimes it just takes one insight to change the trajectory of the day.
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The Situation Never Speaks
A well-known surgeon was asked about his reputation for harsh and critical words for the teams that assisted his work in the operating room. These eruptions often occurred at critical moments when his instructions and actions depended on everyone executing flawlessly. The surgeon replied, “Everyone knows that’s not me speaking. That’s the situation speaking.” Leaders
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Suffer the Rejection Personally
Had the original Apple iPhone shipped to customers with a plastic screen rather than the Gorilla Glass made by Corning, perhaps the world would be less enthralled with smartphones. The story of how this glass came to be used on iPhones offers an important — but less obvious — leadership lesson. Prior to launching the iPhone, Steve Jobs called
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Track Your Incremental Progress
When attempting to make personal change, it is essential to be patient with yourself. This is not to say it is unimportant to hold yourself accountable for the commitments you’ve made. But the lag time between introducing a new practice and the outcomes we desire is not measured in days or weeks. Change, especially lasting
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Turn Values Into Everyday Companions
Instinctively, leaders know what they stand for in life. Even without recognizing they are doing so, leaders base decisions on their values all of the time. But there is a marked difference between knowing your values and becoming a value-driven leader. In our experience, all the best leaders are value-driven in everything they do. Value-driven leaders
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Resolve to Read Complex Stories More Often
Making a resolution to read more and scan less will pay dividends throughout the year. Even reading fiction increases a leader’s empathy, as they get to imagine how other people and characters see and experience things. So, read deeply and read a lot. In the words of author Fran Lebowitz, it is a good policy…
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Job One: Restraining Self-Interest
Too often, the positions others take on depend on how they will benefit from the outcome. Self-interest is normal but taken too far, it can get in the way of sound decision-making and can undermine trust. Self-interest crosses the line when our advocacy for what benefits us comes before what is best for the team
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‘Talent Instantly Recognizes Genius’
When an average thinker suggests that you’re exceedingly bright, you view the comment as a compliment and take it in stride. But when someone you believe is exceptionally smart suggests you are highly intelligent, the comment lingers and bolsters your self-esteem for hours, even days. Similarly, when someone creative tells you how innovative you are,
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Weak Leaders Prefer the Silence
In political circles, speaking truth to power is always in vogue. In the spirit of Mandela, King, Gandhi, and Scholl, those with strong convictions are encouraged to call out the false or biased assumptions held by those with higher status. This act of courage is seen as virtuous and necessary to prevent those with power
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The Maladjusted Lizards of Leadership
We have all worked with leaders who are emotionally unpredictable. Their reactions swing wildly based upon what has happened to them in the last few minutes. Their moods go up and down faster than the stock market, as they carry forward every interaction into the next one. When we chose not to engage them or
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Do You Detest Making Small Talk?
Finding common ground in new relationships is an essential first step for creating rapport and building connections. With strangers and those we don’t know well, this means making “small talk,” an idea that can bring grown men and women to their knees in fear or repulsion. Most people detest making small talk because it is