Make Time for Learning with Deliberate PracticeAs software professionals, we need to work continuously to improve our skills. But two common challenges are how to best work to improve, and how to find the time to learn when we’re busy. The answer is deliberate practice—practice with a clear goal and defined measures for success that pushes your usual boundaries.
The Key to Avoiding ProcrastinationIf you have a task you've been putting off, dividing it into small chunks is a good idea. But the real key to overcoming procrastination is just getting started. Once you begin, you’ve built momentum and are likely to keep going, doing a little more until you’ve made good progress—and maybe even completed the job.
The 5 Levels of Listening: Which Does Your Team Practice?The ways we listen—and not listen—are detailed in the Five Levels of Listening model, which goes from most distracted to most focused. Ideally, we’d all practice the fifth level: empathic listening, where we try to understand what matters to the person who is speaking, delaying our problem-solving and responsiveness.
The Spectrum of Negotiation: Using the Right Skills for the ContextNegotiation occurs on a spectrum, and different tactics apply in different situations. For instance, you’d treat a one-time transaction differently from an ongoing client relationship you want to nurture. Have you developed effective negotiating skills? Are you applying negotiating skills appropriate for the context?
Recognizing and Reversing a Culture of BlameA culture of blame is one in which people are reluctant to accept responsibility for things that go wrong. Finger-pointing becomes an automatic response. It's nearly impossible for one person to reverse a culture of blame alone, but it is possible to demonstrate on a small scale what appropriate behavior looks like.
The Benefits of Thinking on Your Feet—LiterallyMost articles and research about avoiding prolonged sitting and doing more work while standing have focused on the physical health benefits of periodic standing, particularly if you have a desk job. But there are also mental benefits. Standing and walking improve attention, memory, and other cognitive skills, too.
Why Smart People Sometimes Do Dumb ThingsSmart people sometimes do things that are not so smart. In fact, smarter people are actually more vulnerable to thinking errors than those who are less smart, causing them to make unwise decisions. If you’re a smart person, the smartest thing you can do may be to recognize the ways in which you are not so smart.
Avoid Overthinking and Make Decisions FasterOverthinking is not the same as being cautious and methodical about making a decision. By contrast, despite the amount of analysis overthinkers do, they may never get any closer to actually making a decision. If you’re an overthinker—or even just want to make decisions faster—try these tips to be more decisive.
