Jerry Seinfeld on Mastering Life

Any Seinfeld fan knows that Jerry’s character is well-versed in being “Master of His Domain.” Now, real-life Jerry Seinfeld is passing on words of wisdom about “mastering life,” particularly when it comes to putting in the work (whatever ‘the work’ may mean to you), and why so many of us avoid it through chronic procrastination.

In a new article featured on Inc.com, Jerry’s wisdom has been combined with the science behind procrastination. It turns out, it is associated with our brain’s limbic system, which scientists believe is one of the oldest parts of the human brain. The limbic system controls our behavioral and emotional responses to our primal instincts. Are we cold? Cover up. Are we hungry? Eat. Are we in danger? Run. It is an expert at dealing with the present moment, which is why procrastination is one of its best tools. Ultimately, your limbic system is asking your brain; “Will this cause pain or discomfort? If so, let’s just put that off for later.” It’s the reason why we stay in bed instead of getting up to exercise. The reason we put off cold-calling instead of hearing yet another rejection. The reason we don’t assertively ask for that raise, even though these things would be the best for us. As Seinfeld has termed it, it’s “The Confront”.So how do we re-wire our brains to take on “the confront” every day? Turns out, our limbic systems can respond to a little reboot.

First, shift the focus from the future to the present. As mentioned, the limbic system responds to the now. Take the difficult task (the confront), and try to make it as enjoyable as possible. If exercise is your goal, find something you actually enjoy doing. Walking in nature, golfing, swimming, etc. can be great alternatives to slogging through another treadmill session. If your goal is work related, make a checklist. Ticking off those little boxes gives a dopamine rush that will satisfy the most stubborn procrastinators. Second; change the goal. Take a larger goal and scale it down to something that is manageable on a daily basis. Here, Seinfeld gives the example of his early career, when his goal was to write one joke every day. When he did that, he would mark off the calendar so he could see his progress. Pretty soon, that old limbic system starts to understand that these “confronts” aren’t so scary. And lastly, use the 5-minute rule. Make a deal with yourself to do at least 5 minutes of the project. Once on a roll, you’ll likely get a lot more done than just the 5 minutes you bargained for.

Check out the full article here for more wise words and real-world examples of a limbic system reboot, and how to “Master your life”.

Working Smarter

We’ve all heard the adage “work smarter, not harder.” There is a lot to be gained from such a simple statement, but it’s not always easy to put it into practice. How, exactly, does a team go from inefficiency into maximizing the collective skills and intelligence each individual brings? This is the subject of Wharton’s newest Nano Tool for Leaders, featuring Wharton’s own Adam Grant. In it, Grant uses three simple steps to get your team to maximize each individual’s best assets.

First, says Grant, choose the correct leader. All too often the most confident one of the group gets put in charge, when actually this person is less likely to be able to inspire others to do their best work. Look for the person who puts the mission above ego. This may be the person pointing out the problems, not the one glossing over issues. Second, use Brainwriting, not Brainstorming. The difference, is that brainwriting is done solo, and brainstorming is done in a group setting. Studies have shown that the group setting can be intimidating for some team members, and in order to conform, some may not speak up with ideas that could ultimately benefit the business. Third, create a lattice hierarchy rather than a ladder or a matrix. While a ladder gives employees only one way to go in the case of problem-solving with higher-ups (and a matrix offers several bosses or managers), a lattice framework offers multiple paths of problem solving. With this framework, employees are encouraged to seek help both across levels and between teams, ultimately leading to a more diverse pool of ideas. Examples of this, plus real-world examples of how leaders use this tool can be found in the full article. Give it a read here, and see what Mr. Grant can do for you this week.

Strategic Planning and Vision Boards

Strategic planning is something that likely everyone in business is familiar with. Its value in the corporate world has been known for years, and there are countless firms and consultants for hire that will help a struggling business find their footing. One of these consultants, Mr. Rainer Strack, has extrapolated this strategic planning from the corporate world into the lives of individuals. The purpose? To create the lives we want to be living.

As Strack explains: “Life strategy is an integrated set of choices that positions a person to live a great life.” By using tools from the corporate world, his method helps people find answers to the questions below so individuals can make better decisions that ultimately lead them down the paths they would ideally choose to walk. Basically, Strack and his team broke down the questions they pose to a business:

1. How does the organization define success?

2. What is our purpose?

3. What is our vision?

4. How do we assess our business portfolio?

5. What can we learn from benchmarks?

6. What portfolio choices can we make?

7. How can we ensure a successful, sustained change?

…and adapted them for individuals:

1. How do I define a great life?

2. What is my life purpose?

3. What is my life vision?

4. How do I assess my life portfolio?

5. What can I learn from benchmarks?

6. What portfolio choices can I make?

7. How can I ensure a successful, sustained life change?

With this method, users can examine which areas of their lives need improvement (positive emotions, relationships, vitality, etc.). They can then get into some self-reflection on what makes them tick, what their skills and values are, and will come out of this step with a statement of purpose and vision. In an even deeper level of self-examination, Strack and his team have users actually break down how much time they spend on common things in the 168-hour week. Everything from health and wellness activities, to time-wasters like excessive social media use are on there. Once those are quantified, users can decide on which of these areas actually need the appropriate amount of time, and which things they can kick to the curb. As Strack explains in the accompanying video, some users actually uninstalled their social media apps from their phones during the consulting process once they realized how much time they were spending on things like Instagram and TikTok.

This incredible approach to self-reflection will take a few hours, but in the end, it’s possible you’ll end up with a single page summary of what you want your life’s plan to look like. There’s even a printable worksheet to go along with it that can be filled out to help the process along. Check out the full article here and get ready to strategize your life in a whole new way.

The Benefits of a "Cheat Day"

The new year is here and it’s everyone’s favorite time of year to dream about what’s to come. Whether you like to call them goals, resolutions, or projects for the coming year, they all have the same thing at heart: growth and development in our lives. Many of us make these resolutions concerning our physical and/or mental health, financial well-being, and professional development. Research shows, however, that many of us abandon these resolutions within the first two months of the year. Before spring has even sprung, we have given up on growth, and slipped back into old habits. Luckily, Marissa A. Sharif, assistant professor of marketing at Wharton, has some insights on how to hold yourself accountable.

Sharif’s research centers around the idea of “emergency reserves”. This is the idea that you may not be able to achieve your goals every single day, week, or month of the coming year due to extenuating circumstances. Simply put, budget in some “cheat days”. For example, if you set a goal to lose 20 pounds, one action steps may be to workout 6 times each week. This is all well and good until a work project comes up and derails all good intentions. All too often this type of unforeseen circumstance results in people abandoning these goals entirely. Instead, says Sharif, factoring in some emergency reserves allows one to keep eyes on the prize while still juggling the demands of life. Instead of a rigid “6 workouts per week” approach, try a flexible “6 workouts per week with 2 emergency reserves”. Then, if a work project or a common cold pop up, no one has to feel guilty about not sticking to their plan.

There is a balance that must be struck, however, when factoring in emergency reserves. Self-control is just as important in maintaining a commitment to goals. Going back to the example of 6 workouts per week, knowing that only 2 of them can be compromised can be a good wakeup call about time management. Say a work project or illness does crop up, it’s great to use a cheat day. If, however, you just didn’t get enough sleep and don’t feel like hitting the gym, maybe it’s not the best time to use your cheat day. Instead, take a good long walk to get your heart rate up, and think about how to do better tomorrow. Check out the full article here for more information on how cutting yourself some slack can make you better in the long run.

Eight Qualities for Successful Leadership

Over the years there have been thousands of articles, scientific studies, and speculation about the commonalities among those who lead. While some identify the classic “Type A” as those ambitious enough to rise in the ranks, others have found that communication skills and the ability to listen are what make leaders truly great. According to Harvard Professor Linda Hill and a new article out of HBR.org, none of the above qualities are what one really needs to be an effective leader.

Hill, an authority on leadership and author of Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation, claims that what truly makes a leader great is the willingness to enter into uncomfortable situations. Situations in which we have to adapt, learn, and grow in the moment are ultimately what develops confidence and the ability to inspire others.

From these experiences, Hill has identified eight common qualities that stand out more than others.

• The first up in the list is authenticity. Showing up as your true self is essential if you plan on asking others to follow you. As Hill states; “Your competence is not enough; people need to trust your character and connect with you, otherwise they will not be willing to take risks with you.”

• Second, curiosity. One trait that has been studied more often in leadership is the love of learning. Maintaining a state of curiosity, soaking up knowledge and having a willingness to explore uncharted territory ultimately aids in decision making as these individuals tend to have a broader world view.

• Third, analytical prowess. When it comes to tough decisions, it’s about more than strong intuition. Great leaders will always stay informed and up to date on analytics, although they must walk the fine line and remain “data informed” instead of “data driven”.

• Fourth, Adaptability. With the world changing faster than ever, this is a quality that everyone must possess, not just leaders. It is, however, especially important for those at the helm as it allows them to succeed when new challenges arise.

• Fifth in line is creativity. When having to innovate or solve problems, Hill explains that often the best leaders are able to come up with solutions or ideas that are “adjacent possible”, meaning just outside of what is immediately in reach.

• Sixth, comfort with ambiguity. This may be the most challenging as it is outside of the comfort zone of many of us. Maintaining confidence in the face of competing priorities or information may feel like “navigating through the fog”, as Hill states, but is essential to inspire others.

• Seventh, resilience. Weathering the storm and adjusting to changing environments is essential, plain and simple.

• And lastly, empathy. The ability to connect with others and truly understand their point of views is perhaps the most important of all. Developing emotional intelligence will not only make a better leader, but a better person as well.

Give the full article a read here for more information on developing these skills and growing as a leader.

Intentional Networking

Keith Ferrazzi once said "The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity." Even in the current age of post-pandemic semi-separation that we still find ourselves in, networking is a fun and essential part of business at all levels. In the latest installment of Wharton’s incredible Nano-Tools for Leaders series, Marissa King, PhD and Professor of Management at Wharton has shifted the focus to the power of networking. In particular; networking with intention to shape your current group to unlock its potential.

Outside of peer advisory boards such as Vistage, current research shows that the vast majority rarely if ever works on our own networks. Shameless promotions aside, almost no one makes adjusting their personal network a priority. In most cases, however, these groups can have a profound effect on mentorship, promotions, pay, etc., so it seems like they are worth the investment. Here, King points out that less can be more. The quality of your connections far outweigh the quantity of numbers in that digital Rolodex.

The first step in making your network intentional is identifying the type of network you have:

• Expansionists (larger groups, influential): create value by connecting contacts to one another, but are at risk of generosity burnout.

• Brokers (diverse groups, collaborative): create value by building bridges between contacts that would not otherwise happen, but are at risk of having to mediate disagreements that may arise between very different industries.

• Conveners (smaller, closed groups, supportive): create value by connecting only those they support and trust, but are at risk of becoming monotonous echo chambers.

Once you have identified which type of network you exist in, the next step is to consider that answer in relation to your current needs and career stage. Keep in mind these categories are by no means mutually exclusive. As King points out “you can call upon different parts of your network depending on the situation”, so combine them or switch fluidly between them as you see fit. Check out the full article here for a deeper dive and to read up on some real-world examples of how leaders put this nano tool into action.

Creating a Culture of Trust

When Stan Moss took over as CEO of investment firm Polan Capital in 2012, he made it part of his mission to create a workplace culture of trust amongst his team members. From his perspective, psychological safety is the pinnacle of workplace trust, and to get there, leadership must take this concept from words to actions. Back in 2012, Moss and his team began by reading Dr. Carol Dweck’s best seller Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, all about growth mindset. Believing that an individual, team, or business can continue to thrive in the face of challenges and failures innately empowers people to both collectively share their ideas, and feel comfortable challenging the way others think.

In order to foster this environment, Moss and his team adopted the practice of giving and receiving real-time constructive feedback, or what they call "radical candor”. It is not possible to maintain a growth mindset when feedback is received from a source deemed untrustworthy. No one enjoys having these difficult conversations, but if the receiver knows that the giver has their best interests at heart, and wants them to grow and thrive in their shared environment, it becomes a lot easier to hear constructive criticism.

To turn these abstract ideas into actions, Polan Capital first made David Horsager’s book Trust Edge a firm-wide mandatory read (they then went on to have Horsager give a keynote speech to the company), highlighting his eight pillars of trust. Every month, one of the eight pillars of trust got its own deep dive, and employees would nominate colleagues they believed embodied that trait. Through this, Moss believes, Polan Capital has ended up on the Pensions & Investments’ Best Places to Work in Money Management list seven years straight.

Establishing this bottom-up approach to trust has also empowered the leadership team to become “radical receivers”. Moss and his team regularly solicit feedback from those working directly with them, and they are committed to holding themselves accountable to it. Asking questions, and remaining open to others’ ideas are key ways in which higher-ups can avoid becoming defensive during these sessions.

As with any cultural shift, this did not happen overnight. It took years of commitment, continued education, and personal growth to get to where they are. But, ten years later the folks at Polan Capital are still thriving in the culture of trust that has been created. Check out Moss’s full article here for more real-world examples of how he and his team walk the walk of psychological trust in the workplace.

Maximizing Productivity Using Your Circadian Rhythm

This past Sunday marked the end of Daylight Savings Time in most states. For some, this means mourning the loss of the extra hour of daylight in the evening. For others, this means the celebration of light in the morning hours and a return to the internal clock (or circadian rhythm) that our evolutionary biology is attuned to. And yet for others who truly don’t care what the clock says, it just marks the artificial change in the time that leads to more heart attacks, strokes, and adverse health conditions for the population (despite where you may land on this issue, the science is clear; standard time is healthier for our bodies, and it’s not just about the changing of the clocks - sorry, DST lovers).

So now that we are back on Standard Time and our bodies are able to adjust to the natural circadian rhythm and amount of light this time of year, Wharton’s newest Nano Tool for Leaders has impeccable timing. This brief but powerful article teaches leaders how to harnesses the power of our internal clocks to become more productive in ways that make sense to our bodies.

Most of us go about our days largely on autopilot: check emails in the morning, schedule some meetings, check ins, followed by a mad dash to tie up any loose ends from the day. After years of following this model, these habits are hard to break. Time to reexamine these habits to see if they are leading to the most efficient work environment! Assuming a work day is eight hours long, this tool recommends dividing the day into four 2-hour segments to tackle different categories of work. These categories are:

• High Intensity/High Impact: solitary tasks that require a large amount of energy, brain power, and effort. Preparing a presentation, board details, etc. fall into this category.

• High Intensity/Low Impact: mentally demanding tasks that usually impact someone else’s day. This could be team check-ins, running a meeting, etc.

• Low Intensity/Low Impact: easy tasks that affect your workload and that of others; answering emails, or other things that are mainly done on autopilot.

• Low Intensity/High Impact: easy tasks that have a bigger impact on the day, such as planning and maintenance.

The creators of this Nano-Tool recommend sitting down and writing out all the tasks you are responsible for each week and dividing them into one of these four categories. Next, examine your energy levels throughout the day. Are you someone who likes to start the day slowly, with less demanding tasks scheduled for the morning while you sip your caffeine? Or are you an early bird go-getter who likes to manage the difficult tasks first so you can relax later? Depending on how your mental and physical energy levels wax and wane throughout the day, decide which order of things is best for you.

Each of us has our own particular cycles of energy throughout the day, depending on our sleep habits, what we eat, and the general demands of our lives outside of the office. This tool allows each leader to decide the pattern that best fits. Give the full article a read here for more information and real world examples of leaders putting this tool to use.

Connecting Employees to a Noble Purpose

In today’s business environment, it is more important than ever before to have a noble company purpose. Beyond simply making a profit and satisfying consumers, the companies that stick out and succeed today largely have a mission to do something good for the world. Hubert Joly, former CEO of Best Buy and senior lecturer at Harvard Business School has recently published an article on HBR.org detailing how best to connect every employee with your company’s purpose.

Joly believes that to find a company’s noble purpose, leadership must look to the intersection of the following four criteria:

• The human needs the company would like to address

• The company’s unique capabilities

• What the company’s employees are passionate about

• How the company can create economic value

Exploring these four areas isn’t as simple as a quick survey of the C-suite. Input and analysis must be gathered from every level of employee and and engage the broadest range to be effective and inspirational. For instance, when the Ralph Lauren Corporation was seeking to define their purpose, they conducted a year-long study in stores around the world from team members, customers, long-term employees, and of course, Ralph Lauren himself. The purpose that they were able to put into words after that year was “Inspiring the dream of a better life through authenticity and timeless style.”

Joly goes on to lay out a few points of advice for those in leadership looking to dive deeper into their own company’s inspirational purpose. First, he says, take it slow. Make sure the prerequisites to finding your purpose are in place before the process of discovery begins. If the foundation of the company is in tatters, fix those obstacles to success. Once the fundamentals are in place, only then should a company move forward on evaluating its goals.

Second, the company’s culture must support the purpose. Remember that actions speak louder than words and that every level of the company must reflect this inspiration. Here Joly uses the example of Microsoft since Satya Nadella has been at the helm. Transforming what was once a cut throat environment into a supportive and empathetic one has been a massive shift and didn’t happen overnight. Now meeting leaders end each session by asking the question: “was this a growth mindset meeting?” to get to the root of this mission.

The third and fourth points are intrinsically tied together. Joly suggests that leaders must translate the purpose from the abstract to the practical, while also keeping it simple. Spell it out in a few short sentences that really get to the heart of the issue. Starbucks has communicated their purpose by laying out each and every group they aim to support in their mission. From stakeholders to employees (called partners within their corporation), to customers, and perhaps most importantly, to the farmers who supply the coffee beans themselves. Starbucks has practical ways of connecting and uplifting each group.

And lastly, have human conversations. Joly describes the importance of what he calls “human magic”; when that purpose gets put to work in every employee. Everyone, regardless of rank, must have an emotional connection with their company’s purpose in order to put it into practice. When Joly was leading Best Buy, he used human stories as a connecting point for all team members. Employees were asked when they encountered an inspiring friend, and what it meant to them. Under the leadership of Joly’s predecessor, Corie Barry, some Best Buy employees were asked to share their experiences with their aging parents to highlight the company’s mission of supporting seniors using tech in their homes.

Narrowing in on a purpose can be a daunting task, and as Joly points out, the research on the subject is still relatively new. With his advice, however, leadership can begin the bottom up and inside out task of identifying what is great for their employees, their communities, and the global market beyond. Give this insightful article a read here for a deeper dive from Joly, and many more examples of what this process looks like in practice.

Overcoming Obstacles to Performance

We all have to perform in front of people at different times in our lives. Whether you are in the public eye or not, this can be a daunting task. In fact, it’s such a common phobia that it’s been given a name; Glossophobia. For those in leadership, addressing groups is a common task to be called to (and not always to deliver good news). Recently, Gretchen Rubin (of The Four Tendencies fame) and her podcast partner Elizabeth Craft released an episode about their own strategies to overcome stage fright and performance anxiety.

In this episode, Gretchen and Elizabeth both share tips and tricks to how they best addressed their own difficulties with public speaking after their most recent tour. Some examples include:

• Take a beta blocker! This can help if the public speaker is prone to shaking hands and a shaking voice. These work by blocking the beta receptors in your body that cause symptoms of anxiety. In fact, many surgeons take them prior to major operations to calm their nerves and have a successful procedure.

• Hold something in your hand. A pen, a cold water bottle, a mic, etc. Whatever it is, these can also help the shaky hands symptom of anxiety.

• Do 10 jumping jacks before your presentation/performance. A good cardio blast helps our bodies and minds to focus on our breath instead of our nerves. The anxious symptom of a racing heart beat will start to slow, and a good amount of blood will flow to the brain. Just watch out for sweating!

• Wear comfortable shoes. If you’re someone who doesn’t often wear heels, don’t choose your performance as a place to start doing so. Loads of people feel dizzy during or leading up to a presentation, and feeling off-balance due to your choice of footwear will only make it worse.

Check out the full episode here, and be ready to take good notes. It is chock full of helpful information for those who have speaking engagements coming up!