Intriguing things about breaks, letters, jungles and truth-tellers

Here's the latest newsletter to give you a 'hit' of inspiration - with a focus on meaningful communication. In this issue, you'll discover... why we need breaks, how to write the perfect letter from your future self, what great delegation looks like, navigating the marketing jungle, how to stop being busy, and why you should listen to truth-tellers.

Science says your brain needs a break

If you're taking a break from work to read this, congratulations! No matter when your last holiday ended, you owe it to your brain to keep it fresh.?Daniel Pink?says, "Breaks aren't deviations from high performance, they're an essential part of high performance."?Research (published in Edutopia)?confirms it. They say, "our brains continue to whir, using cognitive downtime as a virtual staging ground to process, organize, and integrate learned information." So now you know... you deserve that coffee break.

How to succeed: write yourself a letter from the future

Dain Dunston?is a prolific author (and a genuinely great bloke - his book,?Being Essential?is well worth reading). He suggests when doing a personal strategy review, that we write a letter to ourselves in the future. How? Focus on how you grew, how your relationships grew & how you changed the world through work. Re-read it a year later and you'll be amazed how much you achieved! Go on, write that letter. I dare you.

Are you delegating? Okay... but are you REALLY delegating?

Do you give tasks or responsibilities? There's a big difference, says Professor?Carlos Carcia-Pont. He recommends going BEYOND delegation to help people understand the business, strategy and personal contribution.?Read the article.

Marketing is a jungle. Navigate it with this charming infographic

Late last year I came across this beautifully-designed infographic by Pounce Marketing that describes a brand's evolution in the marketing jungle. It's quirky, funny, and so true! It's not just worth a read, it's worth devouring.?Download the PDF.

Stop being busy. Do only what's essential.

Greg McKeown's book?Essentialism: the disciplined pursuit of less?is a wake-up call for busy people. How do we prioritise??Greg?suggests asking 1 simple question: what's important today? He has asked leaders all over the world, "Who has answered it, in writing, putting the items in priority order?" Sadly, less than 1% say they have. So what? Here's the lesson. Just by asking and answering this question every day you can distinguish yourself from 99% of people. (Remember - important is NOT the same as urgent!)

Why you should listen to truth-tellers

Businesses who ignore truth-tellers are missing a trick. In Chapter 8 of The Secret Army: Leadership, Marketing and the Power of People, I explain that truth-tellers are employees (or friends) who see what's really going on! They assess and reflect but don't often say anything. And that's the problem. You'll never know what they're thinking unless you ask! So what should you do? Seek them out. Ask them for advice. (Please don't put them on the spot.) And then LISTEN! Their wisdom is worth asking for (and paying attention to). FYI, you can?buy a copy of the book here.

Hype someone today!

And now for a bit of inspiration from Jamie Lee Curtis. Did you see the viral?"word anthem"?written by?Erin Gallagher?in celebration of the sheer delight Jamie showed when Michelle Yeoh won the Golden Globe? It was beautiful. My favourite bit of Michelle's anthem is this:

• ?"Her success doesn’t detract from yours.
• Her wins don’t create your losses.
• Her joy can’t steal the joy that’s meant for you.

De-condition and unlearn what you’ve been wired to think: that women are your competition. It's a trap. Meant to distract us. And to keep us keeping each other down.?

• Find your Jamie.
• Hype their Jamie.
• Be her Jamie."

Last words... from your favourite speaker, content-writer for & coacher of extraordinary people

I'm a fan of lots of things: great ideas, great people, great initiatives. And when I'm a fan, I tell people. Do you?

I'd love to say I'm slammed with work and turning away clients, but I'm not. So this is me saying - I'm available, and looking for recommendations. Will you help me?

Here's a bit about what I do. I...

• Coach?people who need to remember that they're extraordinary
• Inspire?audiences all over the world
• Teach companies?how to collect, tell and share?amazing customer stories.

If someone springs to mind who needs help with any of this, please share this newsletter with them or reach out to me directly via LinkedIn or?by email.