Just Saying - The BRIEF Lab

A daunting new project to determine what are one’s real (not imagined) personal communication preferences. The post Episode 81 – Clarifying communication preferences, part 1 appeared first on Just Saying .

Advances in technology have accelerated a widespread expectation that we can have anything and everything now. It’s a false belief. Links: Stephen Covey’s Time Matrix Explained (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFQpQZPxAYQ   The post Episode 80 – The illusion of immediacy appeared first on Just Saying .

Look around and see who’s going to jump up and take out the garbage. Who will take on this thankless job? The post Episode 79 – Empty the trash appeared first on Just Saying .

Though there are many challenges to being a solid writer, one stands out that will undermine your effectiveness. The post Episode 78 – The single biggest writing mistake appeared first on Just Saying .

Surprising, there are many variants of the word brief in the military that each have their own unique meaning and professional equivalent. The post Episode 77 – Many meanings of the word brief appeared first on Just Saying .

How to turn an often frustrating, critical and negative exchange into a much clearer, balanced conversation that motivates and guides. The post Episode 76 – Why performance reviews crush morale appeared first on Just Saying .

My father’s wise expression can help us all focus on tackling fewer things better – even if it means taking an extra trip or two. The post Episode 75 – A lazy man’s load appeared first on Just Saying .

The sign of a declining civilization is the inability of its citizens to communicate openly, respectfully and politely. How do we get it back? Links: Video: SNL McLaughlin Group video clip https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/mclaughlin-group/n9987 The post Episode 74 – The loss of civil discourse appeared first on Just Saying .

When leaders give an order or provide direction, they’re frequently far from clear. Why is it so uncommon for leaders to be understood? Links: BRIEF Map download link: thebrieflab.com/tools Online article – https://personalmba.com/commanders-intent/ Military article – https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a522123.pdf The post Episode 73 – Why commander’s intent drives subordinates...

As the saying goes, when you least expect it, expect it. Here’s what you can do to be ready when everyone else is caught off guard. Links: Impromptu: http://www.gbv.de/dms/zbw/896726819.pdf The post Episode 72 – Preparing for chance conversations appeared first on Just Saying .

Gratitude is the engine that drives people forward when everyone else gets stuck spinning their wheels. The post Episode 71 – It’s a good time to say thanks appeared first on Just Saying .

How can we plan for significantly better meetings, ones that don’t make people angry but help them get important things done? Links: BRIEF Map download link: thebrieflab.com/tools The post Episode 70 – Meeting agenda design appeared first on Just Saying .

If you’re watching television and the sound gets too loud, you grab the remote control and hit mute. What if you could do that for all the noise in and around you? Links: NOISE music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-VAXRC_hxk Remote control fails (funny, long video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aadof0Dns9w&vl=en The post Episode 69 – Hitting mute more often in your life appeared fi...

After-action reviews (AARs) are feedback sessions meant for groups to make important adjustments and improvements after meetings, training or missions. They are often a waste of time and need to be fixed. Links: Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After-action_review The post Episode 68 – Why do AAR’s frequently fail? appeared first on Just Saying .

In a moment of serious difficulty, pain, challenge or set back, can you hear the rising voice of an inner critic? How can we change that negative influence? Links: INC magazine article: https://www.inc.com/chris-winfield/is-stomping-ants-the-key-to-living-a-happier-life.html   The post Episode 67 – Talking yourself through adversity appeared first on Just Saying .

Insights are a powerful force behind the best ideas (and best comedy), yet many of us struggle not only to define the term but also to develop how we discover them. Links: Thrive: Jim Gaffigan and Bacon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoTS0hvWDW8 The post Episode 66 – What’s an insight and why do they matter? appeared first on Just Saying .

A declassified World War II OSS/CIA field manual shares hidden instructions that guided average citizens to subvert their own employers. Today, it reads like an operating manual for a typical organization. Links: OSS Field Manual summary: https://www.businessinsider.com/oss-manual-sabotage-productivity-2015-11 OSS Field Manual: https://thebrieflab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/oss_simple_sabotage...

How can we learn to put more balance back into our meetings, presentations and conversations? It turns out two different sports hold the answer. Links: Famous tennis rally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLDm254jtZA The post Episode 64 – More like tennis, less like golf appeared first on Just Saying .

Why are most of us are not naturally gifted at crafting great questions? After all, it’s the key to unlocking better conversations and building stronger connections. Links: A deep dive into better questions: http://scottberkun.com/2018/how-and-why-to-ask-better-questions/ TedX Talk: How to ask better questions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8xfuCcXZu8 The post Episode 63 – Asking much better que...

Napoleon turned to his corporal to check if the battle plan could be easily explained. Why are so many leaders destined for defeat before they even begin?   Links: Napoleon’s Corporal explained: https://awealthofcommonsense.com/2016/04/napoleons-corporal/ Corporate jargon “unpacked” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ab2ZeZ-krY The post Episode 62 – I couldn’t articulate the strategy app...

Our open work environments are a battle of fostering creativity and collaboration versus privacy and protection from constant distractions. Links: Office space scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNai8OYhdxA The post Episode 61 – The failure of open floor plans appeared first on Just Saying .

Have you ever heard of “the Irish goodbye?” Learn what it takes to master those difficult farewell moments we all need to face. Links: Hollywood hates goodbyes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDJbllu1wdU The post Episode 60 – Time to say goodbye appeared first on Just Saying .

A recent hurricane forced thousands in the Carolinas from their homes. It also forced many of them off their phones to talk with each other. Links: Bored game warning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eWdJ8HY2dE The post Episode 59 – It takes a hurricane to get people to talk appeared first on Just Saying .

A scene from the animated movie “Inside Out” inspires a deeper dive into the power of feelings to reshape what we think is real. Links: Emotion wheel graphic: https://goo.gl/images/8odR6Z “Inside Out” trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRUAzGQ3nSY “Inside Out” facts and opinions scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sav2L2E38XA The post Episode 58 – Perception management: facts and feelings...

What do you call it when you make an up-front promise regarding how much time you’ll take? It will take more than a minute to find out. Links: It doesn’t mean talking faster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha9-Y_NX1JA The post Episode 57 – Is “time posting” a word? appeared first on Just Saying .