#30 | 10.27.23 - ICNU / 12 Questions / 12 Tips for your next performance review / AI Face Quiz
Hello, friends!
No, your SPAM folder hasn’t been acting up. It’s been 3 weeks since I’ve written because, well, there’s been a lot of activity happening in life and I needed to be present through that. You’ll see mention of that below in the content.
For those of you that this is your first edition, welcome! This issue might be a little different, but it’s my aim to ship the best content in personal development and leadership each Friday to help you go further, faster.
Now, on to the content!
ICNU
Several weeks ago, the world lost a very bright individual, and we lost a friend. My friend was far too young to be gone and leaves behind family and friends that are still processing and mourning his loss.
We were able to attend the funeral virtually as we couldn’t arrange travel to get there in time (we were able to get there a few days later though, thankfully). During the service, there were many folks that stood up and provided a memory. At the end of the service, we were asked to continue that, and to provide a memory on social media, etc.
So this is mine.
I met my friend in 2007. Right away, I knew that we clicked. We had a lot of laughs together, as well as deep conversations. I knew (and hoped) this person would be a lifelong friend.
There was one experience in particular that sticks out to me. Once a year, there was a conference that presented a lot of interesting content, as well as some of the best speakers in the world. While neither my friend nor myself ever went to this conference in person, we would watch online. After the conference, the organizers would send notes out for each session, as well as discussion questions.
During one of our hangouts, my friend and I were discussing the content we had watched. Little did I know, he would make a comment to me that I would be thinking about 16 years later.
As we discussed the content, I said something to the effect of, “can you imagine being able to speak that well?”
My friend said, without missing a beat, “I can see you doing that.” I quickly dismissed the comment, to which he (even quicker) told me, “Don’t dismiss that - I can see you doing that”.
A seemingly small comment back then, but I have thought about that comment a lot when I’ve done public speaking over the last 16 years. Even more so in the last 3 weeks.
Our takeaway - it makes me think of the letters “ICNU” and how powerful they can be. It’s no exaggeration that most people you come in contact with could use more encouragement. By saying to someone, “I see in you ______” you provide the world with encouragement, one person at a time.
I’m trying to get better at that, as I know my friend would have us do.
12 Questions That Will Change Your Life
While the title might be just a touch dramatic, I found a few of these questions very thought-provoking. A few highlights for me:
Is this in my control?
What Am I Missing By Choosing To Worry or Be Afraid?
Is this who I want to be?
Plus, nine more questions like that in the article. Worth a read!
Elevate Your Performance Review Conversations with these 12 Tips
I must have 12 on the brain this week!
Admittedly, I actually don’t agree with a few of these tips, but the reason I’m including the article is because they made me think and then decide on what I believe. I like content like that.
On the other hand, #6 is quite good:
6. DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN INTERPERSONAL AND PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK.
Taken from the article:
As behavioral scientist Matt Wallaert puts it, it’s important to recognize the difference between interpersonal feedback (which is about your personal relationship with a team member) and performance feedback (which is about the relationship between that person and their work process and outcome).
AI Face Quiz
This is fun. This quiz shows you two faces - one is real, and the other isn’t, generated by AI. You just have to pick the real one.
I did ok on it, but wow, some of these are tough!
Words to wrap up:
"Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see."
- Arthur Schopenhauer