You think you are ready to wow your client with your impressive new knowledge of the future issues they are going to be impacted by? Maybe you plan on asking them how new technologies are going to be impacting the future of their business. Maybe you have a list of tech like Big Data, AR,…
Can you describe the process in plain language?
To test whether you really know something, try to explain it to someone with no knowledge of the process at all. If you can explain it to a 6th grader, you’ve got it down. Some people pride themselves on the ability to explain things to other experts and do not care to explain it to…
Real Estate is the link. What are the chains it is connecting?
Commercial Real Estate sits in the middle of everything a business does. With that said, every business leverages their real estate differently. Some treat it as a financial cost center, others as an operational lynchpin, some have real estate floating out as its own thing, and still others as a hybrid between these. There is no…
How well do you incorporate design into your work?
CNN has a great article up about how Finland is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Fiskar’s iconic design of scissors. It’s a fascinating story that I had not heard before. I knew that Finnish companies were strong at design generally but this one blew my mind. It gave me a great opportunity to think about…
For long-term success, it’s better to have a great team than a few strong individuals.
There’s a fine line required for team chemistry when balancing short-term and long-term success. Short-term success is driven by concrete and measurable actions. You can achieve short-term success through individual heroics. Long-term success is dependent upon a strong team. Over any defined period of time, you can do everything you want by trusting in a few…
Never believe that something “must” happen. Failure is always an option.
It’s easy for us to believe that something must happen. The “or else” is usually unspoken but implied. Surely, if someone is required to do something, they’ll do it. If their inaction will lead to team failure, they have to do it. Failure is always an option. Not everyone understands the situation as you do….
You learn the most from the people least like yourself.
No one is ever wrong 100% of the time. No one is ever right 100% of the time. There is no one with the wisdom and knowledge of the whole world. It is our differences that make us better. You will never be the best by having a team full of clones. When everyone thinks…
Making the job look easy is often the hardest thing to do.
The best managers I have ever worked for made the job look easy. As a rule, they did not fly around from one emergency to the next. They calmly went about the job in front of them. However, they always had one eye toward the future, keeping their team ahead of the next crisis before…
Just because it doesn’t hurt, doesn’t mean it’s not a problem to fix.
I come from a background where problems are big, hairy, obvious things that need to be fixed with a hammer. I was brought in only when a problem was obvious and fundamental. A solution that solved it would be both noticeable and verifiable. Recognition is often part of solving the big, hairy problems. Less sexy…
Selfishness is not always a bad trait
There are times in life where it is important to be selfish. We all have limits that once passed force us to break down ourselves. Just because others want us to occasionally push past those limits, doesn’t mean we should actually do it. Know your boundaries and set limits appropriate for you. Be selfish about it….