One-on-one meetings are useless. They take the quality time that could be spent on real work away from employees. That’s what you often hear about one-on-ones. But these meetings are actually crucial not only from a manager’s perspective but also from your point of view. They can help you get your career to the next …
How to organize the worst one-on-one meeting?
A one-on-one meeting, 1:1, 1 on 1, a one-to-one, a check-in, whatever you call it, it is one of the most important meetings, looking both from a manager’s perspective as well as an employee’s perspective. Unfortunately, those kinds of meetings are the subject of frequent complaints. They became the victim of corporate jokes. People treat …
The art of asking great questions
There are certain jobs that require asking questions. Lawyers, managers, coaches and journalists need to know how to ask perfectly-tailored questions to elicit precisely the information they require in order achieve what they want. A productive conversation is one of the most important tools in their toolbox. However, asking great questions is a valuable skill …
How to spot a lie at a job interview?
We’re generally not good at spotting lies Let’s agree, people fail to spot lies. Studies [1] have shown that an average adult can distinguish fabrications from the truth only 54% of the time. That’s almost as good as a blind guess. It means that an average adult is not very skilled in lie detection. A …
Why can’t we stop lying? The truth behind the lie
Ever since we were kids, our parents have been constantly drilling into us that lying is bad. They explained that it was a mark of immaturity, something immoral that should never be done. However, to our surprise it turned out that our mature parents have been lying to us as well. For instance, they used …
5 biggest mistakes you should avoid while delivering your presentation
You spot a catchy presentation topic, so you start feeling excited. Its presenter seems to be an expert too, which makes your expectations grow even higher. Deep inside you think: “Wow, that’s so awesome, I need to go to that conference.” Finally, you get there, you sit in a chair and here it goes. The …
Asking questions can destroy your professional image
In the beginning of my career, when I started out as a junior software engineer, I believed that asking a lot of questions was the only way to succeed in the workplace. I wanted to get as much information as I could because that would allow me to be effective, to become a part of …
Hollywood advice that will teach you how to talk about yourself
Before Hollywood producers invest in a movie they meet with screenwriters to find out what the plot is all about. During such meetings screenwriters have only about 3 to 5 minutes to sell their screenplay. But producers actually need less than a minute to get excited about the idea or get bored and decide against …
How the brains of introverts differ from the brains of extroverts
You come to an annual corporate party. There are lots of people you don’t even know. They’re chatting with each other loudly, making jokes and having fun or at least pretending to enjoy each other’s company. Meanwhile, you’re trying to smile but inside you’re totally exhausted. You’d rather be chilling at home. You have to …
The Peter Principle. Why is it a bad idea to promote top performers to leadership positions?
In 1969, a professor of education, Laurence J. Peter, and a playwright, Raymond Hull, published a book entitled The Peter Principle [1], which described a management concept called the Peter Principle. It discredited the model of promotion in hierarchical organizations. Laurence J. Peter observed that a person who is competent at their job will earn …