The following is notes and tips I've applied recently in my successful job search. Mindset via Podcast In 2013 I was lacking in a social life and had trouble adapting to a new country and new dynamic as a father. I simply went onto iTunes top ten podcast and stumbled upon the School of Greatness by Lewis Howes and The One You Feed. These two podcast substituted for my lack of community, and provided refined mindset and positivity to keep a sustainable attitude. If you are the average of your 5 closest friends, you can also mold your mindset to be the average of the 5 podcast you listened to. The people in my group may repeat themselves and keep it cheery, but who wants a Chicken Little. Trust me I’ve worked with a Chicken Little, once that’s shit is airborn it changes direction and comes your way, and that’s an itch you don’t want to scratch. Standout 2.0 I picked this up at Dubai airport on a lark, and this book had a great impact on my growth. There was a colleagu...
I meet people, feed off their good energy and immediately start observing. I want people to achieve their potential, and help reduce the resistance they face along the journey. The other day I met a duo (let’s call them Pete and RePete) operating a small business in Paris. You can immediately see they complement each other which is ever so valuable. But, I noticed one thing. Pete was working the back of the house when my wife commented how great his presence was at the front of house. Thanks to my exposure to Bedros, I watched his youtube video about the 5% rule. Summarizing the Giant Leap, the 5% rule is to identify your zone of genius, your zone of competence and your zone of incompetence. Pete’s Zone of genius was the front of house, even though his business needed work in the back of house, this would not be maximizing Pete’s genius. Thus, can’t RePete step in, yes but I’m not sure if his genius involves back of the house either, therefore the best solution is to delegate if you have capable staff. Jim Kwik summarized this nicely, how successful people, Mark Zuckerberg, for example, will ask themselves “ Is this the best use of my time right now”. Of course, you can always jump in and help out, but this is at the sacrifice of something else (opportunity costs), and perhaps is even a diversion for something important (procrastination). So, if you are paying the staff X amount of dollars, Pete’s time worth X? By working in the back of house, he might be worth more but as that task can be substituted in a task that doesn’t require genius he is forgoing another area which could probably serve the business better.
Over the summer I traveled to London for some private consulting. I particularly like small firms, because the outcomes can be controlled and guided with fewer moving pieces, emotions and politics. So as I observed a charismatic founder, I was reminded of the passages of Whale Hunting, which predict how growth will stall. In this instance, the acquisition of larger targets proved too tall a task for a small team and small marketing division. Big fish require multiple players with key strengths, and its hard for an industry leader to continue as a gladiator. If there are 4 people at your meeting, you better have at least 2. Another trouble for passionate founders, the wandering monkey mind (thank you Tim Ferriss for this adjective). Recently I found the magic bullet, RocketFuel. In the book, the authors outline the requirement of a process focuses Integrator to accompany a Visionary. Classic examples play throughout history. So if you are at a company with a CEO who fits the bill, but the company drifts when he is traveling, its evident you need a COO.
So, for Christmas, these are the 10 books I would send my clients.
1. The One Thing
2. Work the System
3. Whale Hunting
4. Rocket Fuel
5. The Goal
6. The Big Leap
7. The Effective Executive
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