/ writing

Writing

Writing Is Worth the Extra Minute

· 2 min

Today, we communicate through writing more than ever. Both remote and on-site employees collaborate in work chat, wikis, and project management platforms, where face-to-face conversation used to do the job.

The larger percentage of our day spent writing rather than speaking isn’t all bad. It gives us time to communicate more thoughtfully than the stream-of-thought pace of conversation allows. The downside is that writing can feel like a time sink, and there’s a temptation to minimize the effort we put into it.

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Give Thanks, Not Kudos

· 1 min

In your organization, just say thank you when somebody deserves praise. Not kudos. Not a shoutout. No recognition. Just thank you.

Kudos and the alternatives are just corporate speak to avoid saying what really should be said. Don’t communicate like a PR firm, saying “I apologize” rather than “I’m sorry” to deflect. These abstractions just tell people you don’t quite mean what you said.

We don’t teach kids to say “kudos” as part of manners in response to a favor. That would be silly. Please and thank you.

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Engagement Is A KPI

· 1 min

Engagement is a subtle KPI of the health of your organization’s culture.

As a leader, it is your duty to have the emotional intelligence to be attuned to engagement levels and dig until you get to the root cause. When employees smile sparingly, rarely express enthusiasm or passion, take little initiative, or avoid giving feedback, you can’t explain it away as having hired mild-mannered, boring people. Observe those same people in their personal lives and you’ll see the opposite of all those qualities.

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Always Carry Perfect Change

· 7 min

People pay with cash less and less these days, particularly with change. Transactions under twenty dollars can be worth paying in cash, to me. The finality of the transaction is refreshing. Additionally, small local businesses prefer cash because they don't have to absorb the processing fee.

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<p>I often just hand over the most efficient bank note and put the change in a container for
a future CoinStar trip. But paying for small transactions in cash, and having the
perfect change to do so can be very satisfying. There's no detritus left over
from the transaction and you don't have to reimburse a middle-man (credit card issuer)
at some point in the future. It's so final.</p>

<p>The problem with carrying around coins is the weight and fiddly nature of them
when trying to rush through the transaction. Luckily there is a way to have the
minimum amount of coins that can still pay for any amount between 1 and 99 cents.
That way you carry the least amount of weight and have to pilfer through the fewest
amount as well.</p>

<h3>Perfect change consists of</h3>
<ul>
  <li>3 quarters</li>
  <li>1 dime</li>
  <li>2 nickels</li>
  <li>4 pennies</li>
</ul>

Everyday Carry

· 3 min

I like to think of the EDC (everyday carry) concept as prepping light. It’s the first small step towards being prepared for different situations.

There are endless forums for seeing people’s kit but this page aims to give some context to the decision making behind the items rather than just a consumerist show off. My kit is in a constant state of flux the page will be updated as changes are made.

Read more