Month: January 2021

Effective communications – The Why, What, and How

On By AlfonsIn Getting things doneLeave a comment

Effective communication is one of the most important skills as we advance in our careers and lives. The more senior we become, the more we need to achieve things through others. To do so, we first need to convince them to follow our lead. Even if we’re not on the brink of a CEO promotion, we need to convince our peers, managers, or spouses of our ideas.

Communication happens in many different channels, in writing, in meetings, or in 1:1 conversations. The principles of effective communication are always the same: 1) active listening, 2) maintaining a laser-focus on the topic, and 3) a clear thought structure that our partner(s) can follow along.

Today I want to talk about 3) – structuring our thoughts and communication in a way that makes it easy for the recipient to digest, follow along, and buy into our logic. The magic is to always explain the Why, What, and How – in that order!

The Why, What, and How are critically important to convey any idea or suggestion. In presenting ideas, we need to remind ourselves that while we have all the context, causation, and details, our communication partners most likely don’t. Don’t assume everyone has as much context on the topic as you do! – If they did, they would have brought up the idea to you, not the other way around.

If you don’t re-create the full thought context with your communications partner, you cannot expect them to come to the same conclusions that you came to or to agree with your proposal.

The Why

This is also affectionately called the ‘So What’.

Everything starts with this. Tell me why I should care to listen and follow your thoughts. Why does this matter? Why does it matter to me? Why is it important, and why should I care?

If you can establish why a particular topic is important or why a problem needs to be solved, you have already won have the battle. On the flip side, if you don’t have a Why it will be hard to gain support for your idea – there are so many things that already have a strong Why established and thus will take priority.

The What

Ok, you got me with the Why. I know that I need to pay attention, now tell me what needs to be fixed or created.

Don’t get ahead of yourself; don’t jump to solutions. I’m not yet ready for that. I’ve signed up for your cause. Now let me know where I need to direct my attention. If you can get me focused on the right what, you have practically won, and I will crave to learn what I can do for you.

The How

NOW is the time to get to what you wanted to start with. Not a second earlier. For you, this is a long build-up to something that is crystal-clear to you – for me, it’s essential for being able to follow your thoughts.

How can we solve the issue we identified in the What and established as a priority in the Why. Tell me what you want to do and where I can help. What is your plan, where do you need input, where can I help. Be specific, precise, and concise.

Well…?

Let’s put some meat to the theory with an example. Let’s say you want to sell the idea of establishing a weekly metrics review meeting for Ops tickets (totally made up).

A bad communication would be:

“Hey, I want to identify key metrics for the ticketing systems. We should change some of the ways we measure them and then have a weekly review meeting with the Ops team.”

Most likely, my (unspoken) reaction as a recipient would be either “???”, or “sure, now leave me alone, I have important work to do”.

A better Why/What/How approach could be:

“I noticed that we are really slow with certain tasks while onboarding new employees. Often they don’t get proper access to their systems for more than two weeks. That delays their onboarding, and we’re practically wasting their resources for the first month.

I looked a little closer at the process, and it seems that Ops tickets are a key contributor to those delays. However, we don’t have good metrics for tickets right now, and so we can’t really diagnose where the problem lies or how to fix it.

What I would suggest is to establish a consistent way to measure the performance of such tickets. With that, we can identify key bottlenecks, brainstorm potential improvement areas, and measure if those improvements have the desired impact over time. What do you think about establishing key metrics and reviewing them with Ops leaders every week?”

You would have caught my attention on the second one, as no one likes employees who are eager to contribute but are constraint by systems or processes.

Bonus tips for emails

  • Spend time and energy on formatting – White spaces and paragraph breaks emphasize the structure and flow of your thoughts! Nobody wants to read a solid blurb of text and re-engineer the logical structure.
  • Re-read your message twice – Put yourself in the recipient’s shoes. If you have no context at all, does what you wrote still makes sense?

Did you like this post? Want to read more?

Check out our book for more thoughts and a week-by-week guide to make strategic changes to improve your health, career, and life purpose:

Put on your oxygen mask first - book cover

Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
A practical guide to living healthier, happier and more successful in 52 weekly steps
By Alfons and Ulrike Staerk
ISBN 9781077278929

Find it on Amazon: Paperback, Kindle

If you like what you’re reading, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. If you don’t like it, please tell us what we can do better the next time. As self-published authors we don’t have the marketing power of big publishing houses. We rely on word of mouth endorsements through reader reviews.

The Five Whys

On By AlfonsIn Getting things doneLeave a comment

Often when we’re faced with a problem, we want to jump to a solution right away. We’re fantastic problem-solvers after all, and that’s what we’re hired for, right!?

Well, not so fast. Usually, it’s better to pause for a moment and to take the time to reflect and investigate what the actual problem is. Rather than fixing the symptom, we want to address the root cause.

The “Five Whys” model was developed by Toyota to provide a framework for structured problem-solving and root cause analysis. Its core idea is to ask “why” five times when confronted with a problem. Each “why” and its answer gets us one level deeper and one step closer to the root cause.

Of course, five is an arbitrary number – some times you get to the root cause in three steps, sometimes it might be seven. In reality, you stop when you aren’t able to find a deeper cause anymore.

To apply the “Five Whys” framework to a problem, instead of jumping to a solution, you ask yourself (or the team), “Why did this happen?”. When you get an answer, you apply the same investigation again, “So why did that happen?”. Eventually, you will get to the root cause that requires your attention. You will not treat the symptoms but rather cure the root cause.

Here’s an example of how this could work:

Problem: “We are spending a lot of time and resources on getting computers connected to the network.”

  1. Why – “Because we need to go to user’s workplaces and computers to configure their systems.”
  2. Why don’t users do it themselves? – “Because networking settings are too complicated for users to set themselves.”
  3. (Why) what makes them complicated for users? – “Because they don’t understand IP settings and are afraid to change them.”
  4. Why do they need to understand IP settings? – “Because we haven’t upgraded to automated settings through DHCP yet.”

Root cause and solution: Invest in deploying DHCP, rather than scaling up helpdesk staffing.

This is a trivial example and almost too simple to ask four whys. However, often simpler makes it clearer.

For more historical context on the model, you can read up on our trusted source Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys.

Did you like this post? Want to read more?

Check out our book for more thoughts and a week-by-week guide to make strategic changes to improve your health, career, and life purpose:

Put on your oxygen mask first - book cover

Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
A practical guide to living healthier, happier and more successful in 52 weekly steps
By Alfons and Ulrike Staerk
ISBN 9781077278929

Find it on Amazon: Paperback, Kindle

If you like what you’re reading, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. If you don’t like it, please tell us what we can do better the next time. As self-published authors we don’t have the marketing power of big publishing houses. We rely on word of mouth endorsements through reader reviews.

Regaining a sense of control

On By AlfonsIn Tai ChiLeave a comment

I had a few discussions with different folks over the last months on stress and anxiety due to all the uncertainty that we are all thrown into with COVID. Plans need to change quite dynamically and for good reasons as we try to find ways to keep our business going while operating as safe as possible. Work is less plannable than it had been in the past, and there is less time for the things we need to do. On top of that, there is the ever-changing environment of public school plans and childcare, and some sobering numbers on national and state COVID trends to make things more interesting for us.

Uncertainty and perceived lack of control is one of the main drivers for stress and anxiety, and there is a LOT of uncertainty (and has been for a long time now) due to COVID. So what can we do about that uncertainty?

Plan your white spaces

Start by freeing up space for the projects you need to drive. Don’t hope for free space during the week – block it ahead of time. Get in control.

Free space will always fill. Always. If you don’t block project time on your calendar – and defend it – you will end up getting worried and stressed out because you fall behind on your project plans and deliverables.

Yes, other demands on your time will come in, but are they truly more important than your project, given the grand scheme of things? Understand impact, priority, and urgency and make a conscious decision before you give up the project time that you need. Communicate that decision!

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror.” – Michael Jackson

This is where we need to take action to manage our own lives.

Communicate early and often

“Don’t do unto others what you don’t want done unto you.” – Confucius

As much as you hate for your plans to be changed and randomized, others feel just the same. If you know of something that will impact others’ plans – a delay in your deliverable, some work you need them to do, a change in schedules – let them know early!

Communicate early and often. Don’t keep knowledge of changes to yourself but rather help others plan ahead and adjust their work while they still can.

The more advance notice you give others, the more you help them plan and organize their work, the more you will lower their stress levels.

This is where we need to help our coworkers.

Accept changes and adapt

“No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” – Helmuth von Moltke

Most times, things will work out as we had planned (well, at least often they will 😊).

Don’t spend time feeling bad when they don’t. Take a deep breath, accept the changed environment, adjust your plans, and move forward.

If you do that, you will remain in control, and you will feel MUCH better!! If you allow yourself to feel like a victim, you won’t be happy.

We are not always in control of what the universe does, but we are always in full control of how we react to those external triggers!

Here’s the last quote for today. My dad had it hanging over his office desk, and I thought about it from childhood on. It’s one of the quotes that keeps coming back to me again and again:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” – Serenity prayer

Did you like this post? Want to read more?

Check out our book for more thoughts and a week-by-week guide to make strategic changes to improve your health, career, and life purpose:

Put on your oxygen mask first - book cover

Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
A practical guide to living healthier, happier and more successful in 52 weekly steps
By Alfons and Ulrike Staerk
ISBN 9781077278929

Find it on Amazon: Paperback, Kindle

If you like what you’re reading, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. If you don’t like it, please tell us what we can do better the next time. As self-published authors we don’t have the marketing power of big publishing houses. We rely on word of mouth endorsements through reader reviews.

If you touch something, improve it along the way!

On By AlfonsIn Getting things doneLeave a comment

This headline must sound strange – let me explain what I mean…

I’ve been in previous organizations, where people would forward almost everything, and they would do it with a very ‘helpful’ and crisp “FYI”. There was no gating and selection of what’s useful and should be shared further, nor was there any explanation as to why the content might be relevant. Just forwarding a lot of emails seemed to be a sign of competency in itself. Likewise, attending (not contributing to) as many meetings as possible was a badge of honor.

The lesson I took away from those experiences is that you should try to add value and refinement to everything you touch. There are three scenarios that stick out specifically to me:

Forwarding information without qualifiers

If you received important or useful information, and you have already spent the time to digest it yourself – pay it forward and share that added insight and value. Don’t just forward the information. Rather add your thoughts as to why you think it’s valuable and what the key takeaways are. Share the insights you gained as you were processing the information and add that value to the email you touched.

At the same time, if you didn’t find the information useful enough to parse and process it yourself, don’t forward it at all. Why should others spend the time digesting the information if you already deemed it not important enough to invest your own time in it?

Cryptic answers to requests

Did you ever ask for information, only to get back a “Here you go” with a file attached that you don’t know how to interpret? I certainly have been in that situation many times.

Make it easier for the person who needs information from you. Unless you KNOW that raw data is all they need (and sometimes that’s exactly what the other person needs and asks for), provide the pre-processing and initial explanation. If you provide the data to the answer, you usually also know what it means and what the most important takeaways are. Provide those Cliff-notes, don’t let the recipient re-invent the wheel and re-create the subject matter expertise that you gained over time.

Attending meetings without contributing to moving the topic forward

We all know the meetings where half of the attendees are quiet and seem to be focused on their emails. We all have been that person in a meeting at one point or another. It’s even more tempting now that we are all on the phone for all meetings.

Don’t be. If you already decided to invest the time to attend a meeting – share your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Your time is invested already. As we all know, multitasking doesn’t work, so you will not make much progress on other side tasks during the meeting anyway. Instead, make your time and energy count, and contribute ideas to the meeting, moving the topic forward. Don’t be shy, your ideas matter, that’s why you were invited to the meeting.

Pro tip: Turn your video on. It will make you more present to others in the meeting and also increase your engagement as you know that others are ‘watching’.

If you think there is nothing you can contribute, don’t attend the meeting in the first place, and instead spend your time on other tasks that matter more.

There is room for improvement across all organization(s) at all levels, and the best way to improve is to role-model the right behavior. And I want to invite you all to help me role-model those behaviors.

If you touch something, make it a point to improve it before it moves along!

One minute invested this way often scales to ten minutes saved for the recipient.

Make your time and energy count – add value every time you touch something.

Did you like this post? Want to read more?

Check out our book for more thoughts and a week-by-week guide to make strategic changes to improve your health, career, and life purpose:

Put on your oxygen mask first - book cover

Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
A practical guide to living healthier, happier and more successful in 52 weekly steps
By Alfons and Ulrike Staerk
ISBN 9781077278929

Find it on Amazon: Paperback, Kindle

If you like what you’re reading, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. If you don’t like it, please tell us what we can do better the next time. As self-published authors we don’t have the marketing power of big publishing houses. We rely on word of mouth endorsements through reader reviews.

Start the new year from a position of control

On By AlfonsIn Getting things doneLeave a comment

This week started with a flurry of meetings and requests for all of us. That’s just what you would expect for this time of the year: everyone comes back from vacation and rest with a wealth of new ideas, and a new year is always a natural point for clean-up and changes.

While this is all normal and good, it also bears a risk: humans have such a strong tendency to continue doing what they are doing. Inertia is a powerful force in the Universe. As we all started our first week by reacting to tactical requests and fixing small fires, it’s way too easy to get caught in the hustle of those day to day activities. Being busy is just so easy, and the associated instant gratifications are tempting, to be honest.

It’s easy to be busy, but it takes commitment and energy to be impactful.

Right now, as we are all refreshed and the new year is still to be defined by us, it’s even more important to have your story straight on what matters most.

Take a break from getting all tactical and request-driven, and give yourself the time to reflect on what matters most. Then ensure that you take those priorities into action. Block enough time and energy for those activities. Define checkpoints and review regularly if you are progressing at the right pace against those priorities. Adjust your plan, behavior, and days if you see a gap opening up between what matters and what you’re doing.

The important thing is NOT how busy you are. What’s important is the impact you have. For that, it’s much less important how much you do, but it’s crucial that you do the right things.

I happened to stumble upon an (older) article this morning that is very related and provides excellent ideas on how to stay focused on what matters most: https://hbr.org/2019/05/when-life-gets-busy-focus-on-a-few-key-habits. Happy reading!  😊

Time must be your primary unit

On By AlfonsIn Getting things done, Healthy habitsLeave a comment

Most, if not all of us, measure success and what we strive for in the unit of money. Even if we tell ourselves we don’t think it’s the most important thing, we subconsciously do, as we think about what money allows us to do.

Be aware:

Your primary unit of measurement defines how you think about your priorities.

While we all believe (or hope) to think about money only as a proxy and a means for experiences, it will become our master if we treat it as the primary unit. There can never be enough of it – it’s the thing that supposedly enables everything else.

As I was just reminded by reading ‘Digital minimalism’ by Cal Newport the other day, we need to think about time as our primary unit. Time is the thing that doesn’t scale. Time is limited. Time is what we cannot get back. Time is when experiences happen and where they live.

Following ideas that are as old as society, we must start from time. We need to figure out how much money we need to optimize our time, and limit our money-creating to that – not the other way around!

The more material stuff we have, the more money we need to keep it up. When we focus on getting a lot of money to support amazing experiences, we might end up not having enough time left to actually live those experiences.

Here is what Thoreau tells us:

“If I should sell my forenoons and afternoons to society, as most appear to do, I am sure that for me there would be nothing left worth living for…. I wish to suggest that a man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting his living.” – Thoreau in ‘Walden’

And as always, the Chinese knew it a long time ago already:

“Those who know they have enough are rich.” – Lao Tzu

Get your primary unit straight and optimize for it!

Did you like this post? Want to read more?

Check out our book for more thoughts and a week-by-week guide to make strategic changes to improve your health, career, and life purpose:

Put on your oxygen mask first - book cover

Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
A practical guide to living healthier, happier and more successful in 52 weekly steps
By Alfons and Ulrike Staerk
ISBN 9781077278929

Find it on Amazon: Paperback, Kindle

If you like what you’re reading, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. If you don’t like it, please tell us what we can do better the next time. As self-published authors we don’t have the marketing power of big publishing houses. We rely on word of mouth endorsements through reader reviews.