Wingman

A conversation between two characters in an episode of “Blue Bloods” made me think:

Some folks are great at being a Fixer (problem solver)

Others are great at being a Decider (in the face of difficult choices)

But, sometimes, all you can do in a given situation is be a good Wingman

More often than not, those who excel at being a Decider or Fixer, suck at being a Wingman.
Sometimes, it takes more resolve to not do anything, than to do something!

Note to Self: Be a better wingman, at least when necessary.

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Stories @ Work

At work, your assertions and opinions have limited currency with your listeners vs opinions about you coming from people they trust (like a close friend) vs their own deductions based on the stories you share. (Endowment Bias at work?!)

‘Story Telling’ is what makes the interaction memorable and impactful…

• Back up opinions (and facts) with a personal anecdote or a short story that personifies it
• Build a “story bank” for different situations in advance. Look back on your own experiences, and save stories that can help contextualize your opinions (with tags)
• Times to “actively listen” are not times to narrate a story. Also, don’t respond to close-ended / data-based / agitated questions with a story

Thanks, IC @ StoryWorks