I’ve posted a lot about the effectiveness of making people feel understood to leading them. It increases your ability to influence them and makes them feel good. It also resolves a lot of arguments. Why does it feeling understood feel so good? Sometimes I describe it in seminars as close to feeling loved and no one has objected. Why does feeling misunderstood feel so bad? I’ve joked in seminars how[…] Keep reading →

[This post is part of a series on the Self-Imposed Daily Challenging Healthy Activity (SIDCHA). If you don’t see a Table of Contents to the left, click here to view the series, where you’ll get more value than reading just this post.] Here are two videos of people who learned to dance by doing it every day. So much more photogenic than burpees and writing here daily. I don’t know[…] Keep reading →

Yesterday began my fourth year of burpees. I’ve written about them at length, so I’ll keep it brief today. A few sets of burpees are good fitness exercise. A few years of burpees is a solid foundation for a healthy life. Here are the top things they create for me. Sticking with them for a long time without missing any creates discipline, which is a foundation I can build other[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is a take on today’s post,”A Boy Named Dana.” I have applied over email for internships with several high-tech companies in the Bay Area, and I suspect I have benefited from my potential employers’ incorrectly assuming that I am a woman. Many[…] Keep reading →

Do you miss an activity you used to feel passionate about, used to work hard on, but don’t do anymore? When you feel inspired, you work hard, sometimes very hard, often long hours, often sacrificing other things you would otherwise enjoy. Then when you look back you miss how inspired you felt. You’d rather feel that way and sacrifice again than to have free time or enjoy mild pleasure. You[…] Keep reading →

I noticed a package of chocolate on my shelf I’ve had for a while. I got it at an event at the Tesla store in Chelsea, which seems like a classy place. It looks like classy chocolate. It’s a package of four little truffle-like pieces. I don’t love chocolate like some people do. The first ingredient on this package is sugar. A while ago I might have eaten it, but[…] Keep reading →

NYU posted my course next semester: “The Meaning of Leadership.” I designed it to cover developing the fundamental skills of leadership as comprehensively as one semester allows. I expect many students to find it one of if not the best class they ever take. From the syllabus, the course description begins: The Meaning of Leadership will prepare you to practice effective leadership and teamwork in a variety of contexts—business, politics,[…] Keep reading →