Affairs of the workplace
The key to good work?
Focus and an enquiring mind.
Another thing, young people: You’ve got to check your own work and correct your errors, before your work leaves you. Don’t assume you haven’t made any errors.
When replying to an email, re-read the incoming email before you hit the Send button.
Trying to solve a problem?
Try three times. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.” The third try is very important. You will almost always solve your problem on the third try.
Cold feet?
When you’ve taken on a new challenge, you can get cold feet. Solution: Warm up your feet mentally. In your mind, vigorously rub your feet, first one, then the other. Now they’re beautifully warm. Now you can go forward.
Lending money to a colleague?
Don’t lend it. Give it as a gift. Your colleague needs it more than you do. If you ask for it back, then later on … when you’re older and wiser … you’ll be sorry that you did that.
Don’t focus on yourself
Do you rub people up the wrong way, and you don’t know how you do it? I knew someone like that once. In his case, his mistake was to focus on himself. His focus was turned inward, his eyes cocked on himself. This quality made him unattractive to other people. Turn your focus outward.
The value of revising and reviewing
At school, revise, read things twice. Then you’ll retain them. But that means you have to do the school work twice. Is that even possible, timewise? No, so do it this way: Make a summary and review only the summary.
At work, review, review your work. You’ll improve it greatly and your understanding of it.
A piece of advice remembered from a Columbo episode: “Get as much education as you possibly can, and then when you finally do start working, do the best job that you can possibly do.”
Public speaking
The benefits of amateur dramatics (“amdram”):
I did an Acting for Beginners course in London. It was great fun, worth every penny of the million pounds it cost, and it gave me the ability to speak in public, at meetings, the ability to be myself — as a child can be, and we envy children for this.
If you can’t do an acting course, then do this: Get a few close colleagues together, stand in front of them and give them a talk. They have to interact with you as an audience. Do this a second time. Make it a little more formal the second time.
Do this and you’ll gain confidence. You’ll be able to make a presentation in a real meeting. It doesn’t just take away your nervousness at public speaking, it gives you a general confidence.
