Here are this year’s most popular articles based on email- and feed-subscribership:
- How to Email Busy People. When you ask something of somebody, make it as convenient as possible for that person to respond to your request. Avoid imposing more busy work on already busy people.
- Seek Discipline, Not Motivation. People who actually get things done are those who find a way to work at whatever they are interested in even when they do not really feel like doing it. Focus on the ends rather than the means.
- When Delegating, Acknowledge Possible Errors. When delegating, empower your employees by letting them know that they aren’t expected to make optimal decisions every time and you’re not demanding perfection.
- The Opportunities in Customer Pain Points. Many innovative ideas are born of a reliable formula: prudent attention to customer pain points: customers are usually willing to pay a premium to have their frustrations with a product or a service resolved.
- Fear of Failure is an Obstacle to Growth. If you fear failure and limit your activities, you are acutely impeding the knowledge and wisdom that comes from opening yourselves up to the new and the unfamiliar.
- What Everybody Ought to Know about Writing Better Emails. Poorly written emails are a result of weaknesses in style and structure. Poor style is characterized by improper spelling and grammar, meandering and complex sentences and abstract, technical or indirect language. Poor structure refers to disparity between logical sentence order and the reader’s comprehension of those sentences.
- Coaching vs. Feedback. Coaching is about future behavior and feedback is about past (and current) behavior. Coaching is about assisting employees reach their goals for the future. Feedback is about helping employees understand what prevents them from reaching their current goals.
- The Truth Can Be Bitterer than a Sweet Illusion. Delaying action and putting off unpleasant confrontations will only make things harder. Especially when dealing with difficulties involving people, there is nothing more insidious than unresolved conflict and inaction.
- What Opportunities Are You Overlooking? What opportunities are you overlooking today that, months, years, or decades from now, you could come to regret with the perspective that comes with time or upon mature reflection?
And here are articles of yesteryear that continue to be popular:
- 25 Ways to Instantly Become a Better Boss. Bad management is not usually a result of bosses not knowing what to do to manage better. Rather, it stems largely from bosses not putting simple, conventional managerial skills into practice.
- How to Write Email Subject Lines that Persuade. By writing persuasive subject lines in emails, you can help your readers identify the importance of your message and the action you’re asking.
- Self-Assessment Quiz: How Stressed are You? The first step to overcome the causes and effects of stress is to acknowledge stress and become aware of its symptoms. By identifying a few telltale signs of stress, you can take steps to manage them.
- Maria Bartiromo’s “The 10 Laws of Enduring Success.” CNBC anchor and journalist Maria Bartiromo presents a longstanding blueprint of success as ten attitudes: self-awareness, foresight, ingenuity, audacity, integrity, flexibility, modesty, fortitude, tenacity of purpose, and resilience.
- 7 Easy Ways to Get More Done in Less Time. Divide and conquer. Fight procrastination. Put things in their place. Create checklists for all tasks. Start planning your day on the prior day. Pick up after yourself and clean your home and workspace. Maintain a ‘On-The-Go’ folder.