SkillDing -Learn by Doing

Do you wish you had reacted differently (or better) to a situation? It might not have been your fault. It might have been your chimp. We all have 3 parts to our brains, a human, a chimp and a computer brain. The human is logical and rational. That is who you wished had written the reply to that email you shouldn't have sent! But it was the chimp, the emotional, fly-off-the-handle no thought annoya...

Navy seals are the best trained soldiers in the world. They operate in absolutely chaotic situations where miscommunication can mean death. Unclear directions or an individual going on a solo run can mean death. For navy seals, leadership matters. Their rules of leadership are at the core of the book written by Jocko Wilink and Leif Babin. In this episode we go deep on these rules and how they app...

Over 25 million copies of this book have been sold and with good reason. In this episode we figure out how to apply these 7 habits to our own professional and personal lives. The author groups his 7 habits into 3 categories - independence, interdependence and continuous improvement.  The habits are laid out in a way that are simple to follow. However 'simple to follow' does not necessarily eq...

What does it mean when someone cross their arms? It means they're being defensive. Or when someone cannot make eye contact? - they're being deceptive. In fact, this is all nonsense. As a species, we are terrible at reading body language. Who knows why someone crosses their arms or doesn't make eye contact. We need more information before we can make a judgement. However, there are things we can do...

Combining three previous episodes into one this reissued episode focuses on the powerful sales book by Dan Pink. We dive into the new way to look at sales and come to the conclusion that we are all, like it or not, in sales. Part i: Sales has changed, he provides a set of tools to succeed in this new era of sales and reveals tips and exercises to navigate this landscape. Part ii: The Glengarry Gle...

Habits can serve us when they help us to achieve our goals. But they can also hold us back from getting where we need to get to. In Atomic Habits, the author James Clear builds on another great book about this topic (The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg) and delves into what causes us to develop habits in the first place. And then most importantly he discusses what he considers the four steps to b...

Being new to leadership can lead to a lot of questions about how to approach your new direct reports. Should you focus on being liked to get the best out of them or are bottom line results all that matter? According to author Kim Scott, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Radical candor addresses these questions and more. The tagline for the book, 'how to get what you want by saying what you...

Leadership is hard. What are the traits you should look to emulate from others? How will you know you are doing a good job? Another question is how do you prepare for inevitable disasters? In their book The Ostrich Paradox the authors Robert Meyer & Howard Kunreuther discuss this aspect of underpreparation in depth. We as individuals, organisations and societies generally underprepare for disa...

We all have vices, habits and routines that we would like to wrestle back under our control. Why is it that some people and companies struggle for years to enact real and lasting change where as others seemingly perform the desired change overnight? Author Charles Duhigg goes deep on the mechanics of habit, how they are formed and more importantly how they are permanently changed.... Never miss an...

Two books, one topic. When it comes to leadership can there ever be consensus? In both of these books there is a lot of overlap in what the authors consider and look for in a leader. Namely, it is not the charismatic superstar or the one who give rousing speeches. It is more subtle than that. When you are looking for a leader you are looking for the one who will perform very specific tasks.... Leg...

There is a wealth of information on what leadership looks like. But I really believe this book hits upon an aspect of leadership that you might not have considered. Author Sam Walker devised stringent criteria for choosing 16 top performing sports teams and asked himself a very definite question - 'What, if anything, do these teams have in common?'. His discoveries are insightful because they are...

In 'Sensemaking' author Christian Madsbjerg suggests that big data was supposed to have all the answers...but then it didn't. And in 'A Field Guide to Lies and Statistics' author Daniel Levitin, neuroscientist addresses the question...Are you constantly bombarded with data, facts and statistics? Daniel Levitin shows us how to interpret statistics to enable you to make quicker, more laser focused,...

Are you constantly bombarded with data, facts and statistics? In this episode we discuss 'A Field Guide to Lies and Statistics' by Daniel Levitin, neuroscientist, shows us how to interpret statistics to enable you to make quicker, more laser focused, better-informed decisions to ultimately simplify your life. 

Mash-up episode where we compare two books on the same topic. First up we look at two approaches to Negotiation ... One author studied the elements of a successful negotiation extensively in a lab and the other put his life on the line by learning how to do it the hard way. Who is right

Master business storytelling.  What do The Lion King, The Goonies and Star Wars have in common?    In this podcast we discover the answer and delve into the structure of stories and how to make any story into a business story.    We can use stories to persuade, counter lies and mistruths, inspire action, engage people, influence decisions and share lessons. In short, stori...

Big data was supposed to have all the answers...but then it didn't. In this episode we discuss the role the humanities have in the age of the algorithm. We look at the 5 principles for understanding the data we receive and the 4 ways to structure your knowledge. Also, we talk about fencing(!?!)....en garde!

Hands-on advice about how to negotiate your way to success from an FBI hostage negotiator. Learn the principles for all negotiation whether it’s in the office, the home....or a hostage stand-off!

In this episode we explore the ways in which failure, despite all the shame and pain associated with it, is actually one of our greatest assets.  Get on our mailing list hear about new podcast episodes, courses and blog posts: http://bit.ly/2Yed8p7 

Getting to Yes; Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In is considered the reference for successful negotiations. It presents proven tools and techniques that can help you to resolve any conflict and find win-win solutions. Sign up to our mailing list here

Learn to lead like an All Black. 15 key components from the inner workings of the greatest team in Rugby. In this episode we dive into how the All Blacks cultivated an atmosphere of humility and self-discipline both on and off the pitch and used it as a strength to conquer their sport.  

This episode of the podcast discusses a consistent bestseller, a book that has been in print for 83 years!  There are over 30 key takeaways covering how to get on with people and to make your mark personally and professionally. Everything from using a persons name to have to avoid and argument. Vital listening for anyone who wants to learn to be more persuasive. 

A psychopath is not necessarily a serial killer, your friendly neighbourhood neurosurgeon could possibly be a psychopath and believe it or not that is probably the best person for the job. There is so much to be learned from the characteristics of a psychopath that we can apply to our own lives and careers. In this podcast we delve into what those characteristics are and how to apply them. This ep...

What makes someone say yes to another person? What are the weapons of influence? According to Cialdini there are 6 core principles of persuasion. When deployed correctly it is possible to be that person that people want to say yes to. In this episode we go deep into the 6 principles and how to use them in both your personal and professional life.

What is the meaning of life? Who knows but Dr. Seuss has hit on something in this book. Although aimed at young children, look past the colourful pictures and crazy rhyming and see the real message about how your life might go, where the ups and downs might be and what to do when you inevitably stumble. Take 10 min and 6 secs to do a quick audit on your life via a Dr. Seuss book. You'll be glad.&n...

In this final part of this mini series we discover how Pixar can help you persuade someone, how improv class can help your sales technique and the true meaning behind sales. Get the book here : (https://amzn.to/2rbgEE9 )