In this edition:
- Thursday Thoughts – Quality Sleep for Quality Decisions
- Weekly Top 5 – The Evolving EA Role, 5 Signs to Move On, 4 “Right Fit” Questions, Audible Memberships, & Exploring Fractional EA Careers
- Language of Business Series – Strategy & Decision Making
- Reading Recommendations – Thinking, Fast and Slow, Clear Thinking, & 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think
THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Benjamin Franklin said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man [person] healthy, wealthy, and wise.” And, sleeping on it may just help you solve your next big challenge.
As leaders and Force Multipliers, we don’t usually get to see the good stuff. By the time something lands on our desk or in our inbox, it’s very often because it was a problem that someone else in the organization couldn’t solve or needed additional resources to figure out. But whether it’s deciding who to hire, whether or not a layoff needs to occur, how to manage hybrid work schedules, how to respond to a confrontational email, whether or not to revise your revenue model, if you should merge with another company, and more…
Quality sleep can be your competitive advantage to solving large problems and making the best decisions for yourself and the organization.
We’ve all been there, when the stakes and emotions are high. We’re being pressured (whether internally or externally) to make decisions, take action, or give our thoughts and opinions about a possible solution. Leaders and Force Multipliers are known for being able to think on their feet and problem solve effectively on the fly. But, that’s not always the best course of action for the company.
Gaining clarity and perspective is.
Pausing and assessing the situation is imperative.
Slowing down in order to ask questions, gather information, and then decide is key.
And sleeping on the decision may be just what you and the organization needs in order to make the most effective high impact decisions.
Click here to continue reading: Want to Make Better Decisions? Just Sleep On It.
And remember, quality sleep and quality decision-making go hand in hand. Sleep may not solve everything, but it can help you solve a lot. When in doubt, just sleep on it.
WEEKLY TOP 5
- On this episode of Career Growth Story, you’ll hear from Rachael Bonetti, a former career Executive Assistant turned educator, corporate consultant, international speaker and Forbes Australia contributor. If you’ve ever wondered how the EA profession is evolving or how you can evolve alongside it, Rachael’s story offers a powerful perspective.
- Ever heard the saying, “Good is the enemy of great?” I believe it was Jim Collins who said that and it’s true! I know, I know, I could google it. But where’s the fun in that!? 🙂 When it comes to our careers and living into our full potential, “good” is not good enough. The Quiet Rich shares 5 signs that it may be time to move on from your current role (even if “you don’t mind it” or “it’s not that bad”).
- Speaking of “good enough”. What if you are too good at your job to notice it’s not the right fit? At Ask a Chief of Staff, Monica Rheingold, a Chief of Staff and operations leader, shares four questions to ask yourself if you’re trying to tell whether you’re just in a phase or if a job truly isn’t the right fit for you. In a Force Multiplier role, slowing down feels impossible. But if something doesn’t feel quite right, it’s worth it to pause (just for a moment!) to assess.
- I read and listen to about 100 books a year. Yes, reading is my only hobby and books are my greatest love (after my husband and dogs, obviously). But, Audible makes it so much easier. There are several different plan options. Get one audiobook a month starting at $8.99/month all the way up to the annual Premium plan, which includes 24 credits/year. Happy listening!
- Ethan Bull, Co-Founder & President of ProAssisting, is hosting a free webinar: The Role Isn’t Dying, It’s Being Rebuilt on September 30, October 1, or October 3. Topics include how to describe your value as an Executive Assistant, why EA roles are being cut right now, and how fractional EA businesses work. If you’ve been thinking about becoming a fractional EA, then you’ll want to join this webinar to learn more.
LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS SERIES – STRATEGY & DECISION MAKING
- Why Strategy Fails (And How to Make It Real) [Thriving Leaders Podcast] – You’ve strategized the perfect plan. Now what? This episode will help you challenge familiar assumptions about strategy, leadership and collaboration. And it will examine what may be lost when judgement and decision-making are increasingly handed to automated systems.
- The Strategic Planning Process that Works (And Why Most Cascades Fail) [Chief of Staff Network] – Great strategic planning session? Check! Now, it’s time to execute. Read on for four things that usually break an otherwise solid plan.
- Research: How Curveball Questions Can Surface the Insight You’re Looking For [HBR] – You know I love a question! They are a leader and Force Multipliers superpower. So, a curveball question? Yes, please!
- Decision Protocols Under Pressure [Chief of Staff Network] – Join Trevon Mayers of Mayers Studio New York for a practical session introducing a six-part Decision Protocol designed to help you clarify pressure, decisions, ownership, escalation, timing, and follow-through. Free on October 1!
- Navigating Decision Fatigue for Force Multipliers [FFM] – CEOs, leaders, and founders aren’t the only ones who experience decision fatigue. As their right-hand partner, Force Multipliers can suffer from decision fatigue right alongside their leaders. Click on the link to learn how Force Multipliers can navigate their own decision fatigue.
READING RECOMMENDATIONS
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman | In this book Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives―and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble.
- Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results by Shane Parrish | You might believe you’re thinking clearly in the moments that matter most. But in all likelihood, when the pressure is on, you won’t be thinking at all. And your subsequent actions will inevitably move you further from the results you ultimately seek—love, belonging, success, wealth, victory. Clear Thinking gives you the tools to recognize the moments that have the potential to transform your trajectory, and reshape how you navigate the critical space between stimulus and response. Through stories, mental models, and more, Parrish offers the missing link between behavioral science and real-life outcomes. The result is a must-have manual for optimizing decision-making, gaining competitive advantage, and living a more intentional life.
- 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest | “101 Essays” is a collection of Wiest’s most beloved and widely-read pieces of writing, assembled into a single volume that covers the full terrain of what it means to think well and live consciously. The pieces range across purpose, passion, happiness, cognitive bias, emotional intelligence, shadow psychology, relationships, solitude, creativity, daily routine, and the gap between what we think we want and what we actually need.
“Some decisions are consequential and irreversible — one-way doors — and these decisions must be made methodically, carefully, slowly, with great deliberation and consultation.”
Jeff Bezos
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When someone understands the language of business, they can connect their work to: revenue, profitability, growth, efficiency, risk, priorities, customer experience, organizational goals, and strategic tradeoffs. We aren’t talking about memorizing corporate jargon here! But we are talking about understanding how businesses function, what leaders care about, how decisions get made, and how work impacts the bigger picture.
For the rest of the year, each newsletter issue will focus on one key area of business fluency: financial literacy, customers & sales, marketing & brand, strategy & decision making, operations, people & organizational dynamics, and leadership.
From articles and podcasts, to book recommendations, courses and conferences, and insights and advice, we’ll dive into one key topic each month.
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