Conversation Is Visual
- Conversation is "two-way" = you must observe the other person's reactions
- Conversation is "storytelling" = what "story" do I want to tell?
- Never overlook the "purpose" of the report and "what you want to gain"
It's not about pouring out everything you want to say, but about going back and forth while observing the listener's reactions. Since it's fundamentally storytelling, conversations can have a story. The story comes before the conversation itself. When you think about what story to start with, that's a "conversation." It has to go back and forth, the other person has to understand, and they need to show reactions. Similarly, conversations are conducted with a purpose. The purpose of the report must be clearly defined. Whether it's a report to persuade your boss or colleagues, or a report to clarify something, you need to decide what you want to resolve and what you want to walk away with.
Above All, Story Is the Most Important
- First, establish the framework of the story
- Story organization : Documentation vs. Slides = 7 : 3
- It must contain context and a narrative arc (beginning, development, climax, conclusion)
70% is the story, and 30% is spent filling in slides or content. In many cases, people think they know. But in reality, they often don't. If you can't write it down on paper, if you can't say it out loud, then you don't really know it. When you write it on paper, you actually see the gaps. If something comes out of nowhere without context, it's hard to understand. Even for a monthly metrics report, from the listener's perspective, while doing the same thing, some people just list numbers, while others present them well through context-setting.
Overestimate Your Boss's Intuition, Underestimate Their Memory
- You have nothing to lose by preparing 120 when reporting 100
- Your boss sees 10 times more than the work you do
- Before a report, brief them on the key discussions from the last report
You should overestimate the intuition of each of your current bosses or report recipients. There's a reason they're in the position they're in. Conversely, what you should thoroughly underestimate is their memory.
They absolutely cannot remember everything. In the current scope, they can't remember what was discussed two weeks ago. They're looking at at least 10 times more. After reporting a month or three months ago, it's awkward to assume they remember all of it. There's little room to contribute. There's nothing to lose by preparing more. Even if you prepare 120 when reporting 100, there's no problem. From the listener's perspective, you can prepare a bit more smoothly. They might even reverse what they previously said. "We agreed on A, so why did you bring B!" -- that's a different matter.
The Most Important Keyword in Leadership Is Ownership
- Getting things done and taking responsibility no matter what
- Ownership = North Star
- Important not just for leaders but for team members as well
Getting assigned work done as a team. Being a leader is fundamentally a position where you get criticized. You must never pander to popularity either.
The Heart of "Not 0000" for Helping Members Grow
- Respecting "differences": An ENTP doesn't suddenly become an ISFJ
- Creating synergy and mutual complementation with an open mind
- Empathy that broadens the scope of understanding
People over 20 rarely change. Someone different from me isn't incompetent. A common mistake is harboring ill feelings toward people who are different from you. It's important to look at them with an open mind. It all comes down to humility -- you have to think every day that there's something to learn from everyone.
Leadership Style Is a Combination of Respect-Affection-Fear
- Respect = the leader's ability to accomplish what members couldn't
- Affection = interpersonal affinity and the ability to care for people
- Fear = charisma to drive higher performance
What & How -- "Content and Form"
- Speech = Content (What) + Form (How)
- What matters more is "What": clear topic, precise vocabulary, logical structure, apt analogies
- "How" Tips: clear pronunciation, comfortable intonation, appropriate pausing, highlighting keywords, dropping unnecessary habits
Personally, the What is far more important. If it's not structured, it's uncomfortable. If things are clearly organized and you can use the right words, the How (pronunciation, pausing, intonation) becomes less important. Everything starts from thoughts and feelings.
Persuasion Starts from the Other Person's Perspective
- Imagine and empathize from the other person's standpoint, and if you don't know, ask someone with experience
- Weave anticipated questions into your own storyline in advance
Think about what this person can give up, and what they can trade off and gain. There must be a foundation of understanding. Every deal in the world requires preparing what message to deliver.
Making Things "Your Own" Instead of Letting Them Pass
Someone might think "that's obvious" and let it pass, while someone else might think "it's obvious, but I can apply it this way." Going even further, making it your own so you can pass it on to juniors 5 or 10 years from now. The difference between someone who lets each day slip by and someone who makes even a little bit their own each day will be the difference between heaven and earth in the future.