Problem-solving is a tough skill to learn. We think it’s easy because we were taught “Solve for X” but it’s not that easy (even if we do show our work). The best problem solvers, keep it the focus on the issue, the core and work on that and only that. They push out all the symptoms and noise so they can focus on the core. It’s not that the symptoms don’t matter, it’s that they…
How many How To Guides or tutorials do you need to read before you do the work yourself? How many tutorials will you need to follow? You can keep following tutorials and guides you’ll definitely become an avid learner, but at some point you’re going to need to take the leap and go out on your own. Set the number or the last one you’re going to buy, then put it on you to get…
How would you generate revenue for your product? What’s the value it would deliver? How would you pay your employees? How would the company grow? If you have a great idea for an app and the money side ends with “Oh and we’ll sell ads” – you’re missing the most important part of what your product could be – the value it could create. Don’t end a great idea with ads (unless you’re an advertising…
No one sets out to make something “Good Enough.” When asked for our best work we never said “I’ll make it Good Enough.” Work gets to “Good Enough” when we lose energy in what we’re doing – maybe we’re tired, frustrated, or even bored with what we’re doing – so “Good Enough” becomes the yardstick for what we want to deliver. But we’re giving up when we do this, we’re lowering the bar and dropping…
Season Finales set up the next season. Their magic is in taking a break and creating that tension between the end and the new beginning. I was recently reading Patrick Stewart’s Make it So, where he pointed out the Borg cliffhanger that left many of us young Star Trek fans, waiting, patiently, very patiently, running through scenarios as to what would happen when the series began anew. We don’t have season finales in our work…