Better Ways
of Working

Starting each day with the assumption that everyone is trying their best, will ensure you are doing your best too. Even in error, most people aren't trying to hurt or damage you.

When someone shares an idea, just say 'yes, and' then build on their idea. The simple act of instead replaying someone's idea (whether adding a positive or negative note) and finishing with 'but' means you're killing the idea and that person's confidence.

We default to asking people the same generic questions they tend to ask us at work (‘how are you doing?’) and we tend to get the same replies (“I’m good” or “I’m busy”).

Programme time for thinking into your next meeting agenda around key points and simply ask, "before we all answer, let's jot down our thoughts."

The goal of a meeting matters. It can be easily derailed by dominant people and unrelated conversations. At the beginning of your meeting say that you'll politely interrupt anything unrelated to the meeting goal and go back to it if there is time.

If your email isn't super time-sensitive, consider scheduling it for later and resolve to not send emails outside of business hours.

Convert your meetings into walking ones. Outside and face-to-face is great or even just inside via a phone. The key is to get moving!

There are always more ideas and insights you can find with others. After key points in conversations or meetings ask "whose perspective haven't we considered?" or "who haven't heard from yet?" or "who else should we speak to?".

Make your messages clear and quick to read. Use the BLUF communication technique (“Bottom Line Up Front") to make your messages clear and quick to read. Put the most important details first rather than burying the call to action in the middle or end of a message.

End one-hour meetings after 50 minutes. Book in an hour, but never go over 50 minutes,  It leaves you and others 10 minutes to breathe, stretch out and have a break.

Things during your day can make you feel low, and cause self-doubt or low self-esteem. Well don't let it bring you down...you're great! To help you remember this, create a reminder to write down three things that you like about yourself every day.

We send a lot of emails and it takes time and effort to respond to them. Try responding to all emails with five sentences or less (it’s a thing).