All posts by Mark Jacobsen

The Culture Code

Just finished reading “The Culture Code” by Daniel Coyle, and have to say that I would highly recommend it especially to anyone in a management or leadership position. You can find the 3 parts and some recommended actions below.

  1. Build Safety
    • Overcommunicate your listening
    • Spotlight your fallibility early on – especially if you’re a leader
    • Embrace the messenger
    • Preview future connection
    • Overdo thank-yous
    • Be painstaking in the hiring process
    • Eliminate bad apples
    • Create safe, collision-rich spaces
    • Make sure everyone has a voice
    • Pick up trash
    • Capitalize on the threshold moments
    • Avoid giving sandwich feedback
    • Embrace fun
  2. Share Vulnerability
    • Make sure the leader is vulnerable first and often
    • Overcommunicate expectations
    • Deliver the negative stuff in person
    • When forming new groups, focus on two critical moments (1st vulnerability & 1st disagreement)
    • Listen like a trampoline
    • In conversation, resist the temptation to reflexively add value
    • Use candor-generating practices like AARs, BrainTrusts and Red Teaming
    • Aim for candor; avoid brutal honesty
    • Embrace the discomfort
    • Align language with action
    • Build a wall between performance review and professional development
    • Use flash mentoring
    • Make the leader occasionally disappear
  3. Establish Purpose
    • Name and rank your priorities
    • Be ten times as clear about your priorities as you think you should be
    • Figure our where your group aims for proficiency and where it aims for creativity
    • Embrace the use of catchphrases
    • Measure what really matters
    • Use artifacts
    • Focus on bar-setting behaviors
Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

How to Achieve Work-Life Balance in 5 Steps

If you don’t want to read the entire article because Time’s website is so overrun with ads, here’s the summary…

  1. Everything is not equally important. Do fewer things and do them well.
  2. Decide what your values are — and which ones take precedence.
  3. Do the things that get disproportionate results.
  4. Focus on the things only you can do.
  5. Do the important things which must be done now.
Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

The top business-killing habit: silos

And, this is applicable for more than just the sales and marketing teams if you ask me…

“Put everyone on as few systems as possible, discourage fiefdoms of data, and you’ll win far more than you’ll lose.”

Read the full article here

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

This Is How You Speed Up Your Morning Routine (and Get More Sleep) #1aDay

Here’s the rundown, but read the whole thing…

  1. Figure Out When to Go to Bed Based on When You Have to Get Up
  2. Set Your Clothes Out
  3. Don’t Check Facebook
  4. Get a Quick Breakfast
  5. Eat Lunch at Work
  6. Shower the Night Before
  7. Brew Your Own Coffee

This Is How You Speed Up Your Morning Routine (and Get More Sleep)

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Announce the Reason You Are About to Look at Your Phone

I kind of like this idea. Even if you just announce it to yourself I think it’s a great mindful practice.

Announce the Reason You Are About to Look at Your Phone

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Collecting | The Minimalists

“Clutter is in the eye of the beholder.”

Podcast 118 | Collecting | The Minimalists

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

12 Rules for Life: A Solution to Suffering

Some hard truth here…

312 – Jordan B. Peterson: 12 Rules for Life: A Solution to Suffering – Altucher Confidential

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Stop Asking Your Kid About Their Day

It probably wouldn’t hurt for me to remember this. My goal is for them to want to talk to me when there really are important things weighing on their minds, and I know I did and still do tend to shut down just as described when treated the same way.

Stop Asking Your Kid About Their Day

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Alexander Hamilton’s Deep Advice

It may seem ridged but I like the concept of how this guidance would help instill discipline while also establishing a routine with good intentions. Note also that it doesn’t say there is no possibility of deviation, but that changes should be highly considered before hand – perhaps by talking it through with someone more experienced and wise.

Alexander Hamilton’s Deep Advice – Study Hacks – Cal Newport

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

The Confidence Gap

Job #1. Try to instill confidence in my girls…

Success, it turns out, correlates just as closely with confidence as it does with competence.

Read the full article here

Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date!

You or someone you know looking to buy or sell?
Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...