Valuing your energy, identifying energy-draining activities, and finding ways to make necessary tasks more enjoyable can significantly increase your productivity and satisfaction. Ask yourself, “What would make it exquisite?” to find ways to optimize your time and tasks.
The importance of trust
Fear and anger can lead to poor decision-making as the brain often overexaggerates the situation. Providing feedback, even if it causes discomfort, is necessary for growth. Staying level-headed and rational when dealing with difficult decisions and situations is crucial for success.
Trust is crucial in any relationship, and starting from scratch after a lot of effort can be difficult. Fear can impact different aspects of life, but adopting a Stoic mindset can help navigate these challenges.
One-on-one interactions
- Engage in one-on-one interactions with people you already know to feel more comfortable and grounded. Separating decision-making from implementation can help when making difficult choices. Use a rubric to identify fear and prioritize constituents to make decisions easier.
- When letting someone go, taking their financial security and feelings into account is crucial. As a manager, aim to help them find a position that aligns with their strengths and career goals. Treating them well and offering support can not only ease the trauma of job loss for them, but also improve morale among your remaining employees.
Hiring the right candidate
- To hire the right candidate for the job, conducting a topgrading interview and speaking directly to their former managers is crucial.
- Anti-sell the job to see if the candidate is still interested and sell the job by getting to know their dreams, fears, and concerns.
- Addressing concerns with their partner and showing excitement about hiring them can ensure not only good performers but also committed employees are hired.
- Trust your gut when it comes to hiring, as your initial reaction to a candidate in the first few minutes of meeting them can be a strong indicator of whether they’ll be a good fit for your team.
- Don’t be too quick to dismiss candidates who may be young or inexperienced and focus on building connections with past managers when checking references.
Effective communication
A combination of written and verbal communication is essential for effective communication. Meetings with pre-written content and advanced submissions lead to deeper discussions and ensure all voices are heard.
Repeat what was shared to ensure full understanding, and written documents allow for future reference. Accountability is necessary to ensure everyone participates.
Setting dedicated time to plan
Taking action and following through on commitments is essential to achieving our goals. By setting aside dedicated time to plan and note our objectives, committing to a timeline, and having someone hold us accountable, we increase our motivation and sense of responsibility. Overcoming obstacles and turning conversations into action items is crucial for success as an individual or organization.
Hurtful comments can impact our emotions deeply, even if we practice Stoicism. It’s important to recognize and unpack our emotions, express our pain, and set boundaries to resolve conflicts more effectively.
Accountability
Accountability is key to success and can be achieved by tracking progress and completing tasks in a positive way. Having someone present, even if they’re just reading a book, can make unpleasant tasks more bearable and less stressful.
This method may be approached differently by introverts and extroverts, but can be effective for all with the right support.
Letting go of unfit employees
Take the time to understand the reasons behind negative behavior and find solutions that benefit everyone. If an employee is uninterested or unfit for their role, it may be necessary to let them go. When recruiting, evaluate and sell the job to minimize time with unqualified candidates and find the right fit for each individual to maximize potential.
Fear and insecurity
Fear and insecurity can prevent us from finding meaningful relationships, but taking risks and trusting ourselves is crucial to developing fulfilling connections with others.
Overcoming fear is essential for success. Avoid focusing solely on minimizing downside risks, as this approach, driven by fear, can limit progress. Instead, focus on optimizing upside potential.
Overcome fear
To overcome fear and take control of your life, set specific goals and take actionable steps towards achieving them. Hold yourself accountable and regularly revisit your goals.
When it comes to dating, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take specific actions like joining a dance class or organizing a group dinner. Remember to write down your goals in a visible place to stay motivated and focused.
Learn to say NO
Valuing your energy, identifying energy-draining activities, and finding ways to make necessary tasks more enjoyable can significantly increase your productivity and satisfaction. Ask yourself, “What would make it exquisite?” to find ways to optimize your time and tasks.
Learning to say “no” to commitments that don’t align with your priorities and delegating tasks can help conserve energy and focus on what matters most. Pre-written agendas and pre-read comments can make meetings more efficient. It’s okay to prioritize your own goals and responsibilities, even if it results in blowback.
