In virtual teams, communication can be challenging, and getting people to comply with requests can be even more so. However, there is a simple but effective tactic that you can use to influence your virtual team and get them to comply with your requests. This tactic uses the word "because." The Xerox Study: The Power of "Because" The Xerox Study conducted in the late 1970s is a classic example of the power of the word "because." In the study, researchers wanted to find out the best ... Read More
Write Better & Faster Business Comms – Introducing “ChatGPT for Nonfiction Authors”
I'm excited to announce the release of my latest book, "ChatGPT for Nonfiction Authors!" If you're struggling to find the time and energy to write your next book, this is for you. The book shows you how to use ChatGPT (the revolutionary new chatbot) to write better, faster, and more effectively. Although the book is geared toward authors, the concepts in the book can be used by anyone who writes anything related to business communication. The tips can be applied to: The ... Read More
200+ Fun Ice Breaker Questions for Virtual Teams [The Ultimate List]
Ice breaker questions are a great way to help colleagues who work in virtual teams to get to know each other. They can be used in both remote and in-person settings, and they can help break the ice when meeting someone for the first time, or when trying to build relationships through team-building games. This post gives you a list of over 200 ice breaker questions that you can use with your team. The questions are categorized into different buckets, so you can find the questions that will ... Read More
Give Sun Tzu Type Directions to Communicate Better
In 500 BC, King Helü of Wu had a problem. He had a small army, and a neighboring enemy could invade his state. So he asked for help from one of the most famous military strategists at the time: Sun Tzu. When Sun Tzu assessed the situation, he assured King Helü that he could defeat the more powerful and larger invading army. King Helü was skeptical of Sun Tzu’s claim that he could turn anyone into a fighting soldier, so he challenged him with the task of turning the palace women (“those ... Read More
Use Stories to Sell Olives
“Try one. They taste great.” Or “You know how Italy is shaped like a boot? And the boot looks like it’s kicking an island? That’s Sicily. On the west side of Sicily is a small town called Castelvetrano that has the perfect climate conditions. Warm days. Cool nights. Humidity is just right. The town is blessed with the right combination of soil, elevation, heat, and water to make the perfect olives. The olives are so good that they named them after the town ... Read More
Mitigate D-Day’s Cliff-Climbing Risk
On D-Day, a group of U.S. Army Rangers focused their assault on Pointe du Hoc, a strategic position along the Normandy coast. They planned to arrive early on June 6, 1944, to secure the 100-foot cliffs before the Allied invasion started later that day. The mission was challenging for two reasons. First, the Germans knew the strategic importance of the cliffs. So they had installed a robust defense system with 155mm guns that could flood the surrounding beaches with artillery ... Read More
How to Lead a Hybrid Team [Podcast Interview with “Conquer Local”]
I was recently interviewed on the "Conquer Local" podcast about Hybrid Work Management and best practices on how to lead a hybrid team. Click play above to listen. Here are some takeaways from the episode with the host, George Leith (you can read the full transcript here). Selected Excerpts of the Episode George: We mentioned in the intro about the nine books and we wanna specifically talk about book number nine, which thank you for sending the manuscript through. I had to read ... Read More
Avoid Being One of the 5 Monkeys (A Simple Phrase)
The phrase “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” is a red flag when analyzing business processes. Here’s a classic story about monkeys that explains why. As part of an experiment, researchers placed five monkeys in a large cage. A ladder stood in the middle of the cage, and a banana hung from the ceiling, floating just above the ladder. When one monkey attempted to climb up, the researchers sprayed all the monkeys with ice-cold water. This discouraged the monkeys, but one of ... Read More
How to Lead a Successful Project Kickoff Meeting [Podcast Interview with “This Project Life”]
I was recently interviewed on "This Project Life" about Project Kickoff and project closure best practices. Click play above to listen. Here are some takeaways from the episode as highlighted by the host, Jeff Plumblee. Summary of the Key Takeaways from the Episode Hassan explains the 18 steps of a project kickoff meeting. Hold an internal kickoff meeting before the client kickoff meeting. Follow up with an agenda. After the meeting, follow up on action items. Preparation is ... Read More
How to Motivate Using the Henry Kissinger Way
Henry Kissinger was known for being an uber-perfectionist politician, especially when it came to writing speeches. He believed every word in a speech counted and didn’t consider one done until it was revised 20 times. He also demanded the same level of perfection from his staff and colleagues. Here’s the story of Ambassador Winston Lord handing Kissinger a report (from Walter Isaacson’s book Kissinger: A Biography): One oft-told tale about Kissinger . . . involved a report that ... Read More
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