“I asked a smart question. My work here is done!"
Whoa there, not so fast. The hard part is just beginning.
There’s so much dialogue about why it's important to ask questions, but not enough talk about the flip side: why you should answer questions despite working with imperfect information.
One day, Seth was making lunch at the office for the team. Guess what was on the menu? Scallops. I haven't liked scallops since I was a kid.
I said, "That looks great! I'm not a huge fan of scallops. I'll pass, thank you."
I've responded that way dozens of times over the years. It was habitual at that point to say no to scallops.
He said, "Really? Give them a try. They're fresh caught from a boutique grocer in Chelsea Market and they are delicious. Just cut a tiny piece and see if you like it. If you don't, I'm sure Alex or Willie will eat it."
Read MoreHere’s a litmus test for whether you should continue reading (or scrolling or watching a video).
Read MoreYou might think your career arc should be a straight upward line. Maybe you’ve noticed by now it’s more of a non-linear squiggle.
I used to have a strict plan for what I wanted to do in my career and how it would look. Over the years, though, I’ve changed my thinking of what it means to take risk. It’s opened the door for lots of opportunities I never would have found otherwise.
Read MoreAh, sunk costs. We all know we should ignore them. It's harder said than done, like most things in life.
I want to share a framework/mental model I've found helpful to think differently about sunk costs:
It's called: "new situation, new decision."
Read MoreEvery time I have to explain a process to new team member, I search in my Google Drive first. Why?
I’m a documentation and playbook nerd. If I’m repeating the same conversation more than three times, I create documentation—it saves time and energy for all parties involved.
At moments like this when I find my own notes, I say, "Thanks Past Wes! You just saved me an hour."
Read MoreAs a changemaker and entrepreneur, your work probably involves writing as a way to inform, persuade or connect with your audience.
Read MoreNo one is coming to save you.
[Cue panic and running around in circles.]
I remember the first time I realized no one knew the right answer. It was simultaneously alarming and liberating.
Heck, I sat ten feet away from the most famous marketer in the world.
One day, we were discussing growth strategies. He stopped and said, “Wes, you should decide. I don’t have the answer. If I did, I’d just tell you."
Read MoreIf you are pitching ANYTHING–getting funding, getting a meeting with a decision maker, getting picked to win an RFP…
You should assume that your audience is skimming your note. When your memo arrives, most people are busy doing something else.
They are feeling dull, distracted, or cranky. They are scrolling through their phone. They have 15 browser tabs open and running late.
Most of us say we want feedback. That is, until we actually get it. Then we get a little defensive:
“Well, actually, what I meant was…”
“I see what you’re saying, but you misunderstood.”
“Really? Because you’re not great at that either!” (A classic.)
These are all ways of saying, “Thanks for your feedback, but you’re wrong." You know how to give feedback... But how good are you at taking it?
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