Please everyone - do nothing. He took his own medicine to the extreme, not really giving a fuck* what anyone thought (at least putting on that tough facade) but his advice to me was thoughtfully moderated. "If you try to please everyone you'll never do anything. Just do what you think is right. Back yourself … Continue reading More on Boss Lesson #4

Questions can be better than answers. A CEO I reported to early in my career taught me a lot by asking questions. He could have given me answers, but by asking me questions he made me think in a different way, and he upped my game. When asking for feedback on a board paper I … Continue reading More on Boss Lesson #3

Don't let perfect prevent progress. Doing nothing is rarely the best option, and making progress means identifying and assessing options, making decisions, getting buy-in to decisions, and making stuff happen. Mostly, we won't have perfect information, so waiting till a course of action or a deliverable is perfect is tantamount to standing still. In another … Continue reading More on Boss Lesson #2

As the AHS scandal this week shows, mistreatment of migrant workers is a significant issue. Of course it shouldn’t be happening, and hopefully this example will make other companies review their practices and the practices of their contractors, or as I’d argue, their entire supply chain. While the contractor, AHS, is under the spotlight, the … Continue reading Accors for concern

Styles. My first job after graduating was as a lawyer. The firm I worked for was technologically ahead of its time. The partner I worked for had created the software and implemented the in-house time-recording system, and we were dabbling with computer dictation (this was in the early 90s). He gave me his Wired magazines … Continue reading More on Boss Lesson #1

I've been lucky to have worked for some inspiring bosses, and I've learned a heap from them. Thanks to all of you - you know who you are. Some of the lessons that immediately come to mind - from the practical to the philosophical - are listed below. Learn to use Styles in MS Word. … Continue reading 10 Boss Lessons

A couple of months after leaving a job I received a call from a previous colleague. She had been approached by a business partner who had sent through an invoice for about $2.5k, claiming it was a deal I had approved.  It didn't ring true with my ex-colleague and so she thought she'd check in … Continue reading How Much are You Worth?

Earlier this year I attended the 30th anniversary of a business in Wellington. The company invited 10 past clients, 10 current clients, and 10 staff members for dinner at a 30-seat restaurant to mark the occasion. I should have said I was attending the 30th anniversary of a friend’s business, but there was no category … Continue reading An Ocean of Thanks