Craig Davis

I used to be very confused about drinking less. How come I couldn’t do it? (At least without exerting so much willpower that I felt exhausting.) And how could others be so calm around wine? Leave wine in their glass undrunk, seemingly without paying it the least attention. I hear people saying how dearly they would like to drink less. How they’re talking about it openly. (Which is a very good thing.) But with friends or family. Looking to them for help, encouragement, accountability. (Not so good as these people don’t have the capacity or skills to help them.) They’re taking positive action (looking for answers) only they’re looking in places where they won’t be found. And often getting bad advice they didn’t ask for. That they end up doing nothing with. Because no one likes being told what they should do. So it goes in one ear and out the other. And they wake the next morning with the same problems they had the day before. Feeling just good enough to tolerate what they’re complaining about. There are two ways to do life. ➡️ Complain and tolerate. ➡️ Or take ownership and change. For me, coaching is what allowed me to go from the former to the latter. Instead of tolerating my life and complaining, I learned how to commit to myself. I learned how to take radical ownership over my problems. And now help my clients to do the same. But without agenda. I know how to help you get the result you want But I’m not going to tell you what you should do. I’m going to help you figure out what YOU want to do. And then I’m going to support you while you build up your belief. While you learn to be accountable to yourself. And learn how to back yourself no matter what. In a way that will have you taking action, not worried about what you’re not doing. Join me this Friday 14 June at 12pm ET / 5pm UK for a free webinar: “Mastering Moderation: The Art of Accountability.” Register here: https://lnkd.in/eBZuHWMZ The webinar includes a workshop component where you will create your own personal accountability plan that you can put into immediate action. #accountability #drinkless #mindfuldrinking

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Freelancers tend to be stuck in a no-mans land between employee and boss. (My findings from hundreds of hours of conversations with freelancers 👇 ) 👉 They don’t have a manager giving them direction, but they’re not really clear on where their own business is going. 👉 They’re free to choose their own hours, but they often work over 40 hours and at unsociable times. 👉 Their income is uncapped but they earn roundabout the same as they did in a job, with perhaps a little fluctuation either side. 👉 They could employ some help, like a boss would, but they choose to do it all themselves (something no decent boss would ever ask) 👉 They could build a product suite to free up their time + earn passive income, but they stay grinding away on the treadmill exchanging their time for money. So what gives? Why aren’t freelancing stepping into the badass boss they could be? Why do so many choose to live like employees, but without all the benefits of being one? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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Trying something new. I'm 🫳🏾, so a lot of, if not all, of my work is 🫳🏾 but I tried to narrow it down to make this list of Pieces for Pride. Check the comments for links and let me know what you think. 💜 [Image Descriptions: K compiled a list of Pieces for Pride. 7 slides covered in rainbow graphics and screenshots of K's pieces they felt would be most informative for Pride. These pieces include videos: Should I be Sharing Pronouns?, Why Do You Use the Word Queer? and When to Join the Conversation, articles: Isn't It Just Transgender?, The Gender Binary Hurts Us All, and Job Hoppers Do Not Exist and podcasts: Absolutely Not! and Questions Answered. The last slide has QR codes to support K's work and a picture of K in the left corner.] K is a Psychological Safety Consultant. K Mataōtama Strohl (They/Them) works with organizations to create psychologically safe environments for people who share their identities or their lived experiences (Black, Sāmoan-AAPI, AANHPI, Queer, Transgender-LGBTQ+ and Disabled Veteran).

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On average, humans can 📖 read approximately twice as fast as they 📣 speak. What does this mean for learning design? 🕛 We need *at least* twice as much time to facilitate the same content verbally as reading it on our own. Why *at least*? Because that’s just taking content in at face value, without doing anything with that content to make it relevant for participants’ learning goals. Aka, a lecture. 💡 So, it makes sense that designing learning for self-study needs a different approach than designing for facilitation. When you are creating materials for learners to read offline, you’re not bound by time or place. You can leverage the power of curation, bringing in materials from multiple sources to create connections between topics. You can provide resources learners can dive into later based on relevance and interest. ↖ There are still some best practices to aid in retention, such as using formatting, summaries, and links to guide learners’ attention. You also need to make your calls-to-action more explicit so learners can practice what they’re learning. Without a facilitator to guide them, it can be tricky to apply key concepts. 👩‍💻 When you’re designing for participation, the content is not the only thing you have to contend with. People come into a learning environment with all different experiences, backgrounds, and skills. 🔗 You need to balance relevant content with time and space to create context. Learners will have questions, discussion will lead to aha moments, and facilitators tell stories that bring frameworks and models to life. Building context takes extra time, but it's always worth it. #learningdesign #curation #facilitation

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Imagine what it would feel like to hold your published book in your hands. Is the cover smooth or textured? Is your book thin or thick? How many pages do you imagine it being? What’s the main reason for writing your book? To leave a legacy? To help people? To inspire others? What if you could start your book without going in circles, getting stuck, or spending 10 hours every day at your computer? Well, good news! The VIP Book Outline Retreat helps you become an author by starting your book off with a clear message, strong structure, an intriguing hook, and with topics laid out before you. This tailored 1-1 retreat via Zoom included working together in two sessions so you can walk away with a book outline that excites you. The nitty gritty of how it works: 1. Before: I send you prep material to inspire ideas and get those ideas flowing. I read through what you’ve sent. Then, we’re ready to jump into the retreat ready to go. 2. During the retreat, we collaborate on your ideas. Using my proprietary Book Activation Method, I’m mapping out your book as we go along. I'll ask questions designed to bring forth your best ideas. The book structure forms... 3. Afterward, you walk away with a book outline that clarifies any of the following–main topics, sub topics, supporting materials, and more. And you have clarity on your book topic and structure. You get a bonus third session to make sure you have solid next steps moving forward. To do this well, you’ll need 4-6 hours of time over 3-5 weeks. You can choose the timing that works best for you. You don’t need to have anything prepared in advance, because my pre-work materials help you get ready. Message me with BOOK RETREAT to get more info.

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Where do people "find" the #time? 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 - 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀. "𝘐𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦..." "𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘱, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰..." "𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸..." One of my favorite writers is Gay Hendricks (thanks to Val Porter Cook for introducing me to him!). In my weekly newsletter - or "boostletter" if you will :) - I introduced my readers to Hendricks' framing of time from his book The Big Leap. Time is not something you can 'have' - nor is it something that is externally 'out there' exerting pressure onto you. The vast majority of our tasks and obligations take little to no time at all - sending an email, folding laundry, exercising - all of these things, when you actually do them, take very little time actually. So why do we never seem to "have" the time? It is because we USE the idea of "time" as a scapegoat. Hendricks lays out how we often use the excuse of having / not having time when what we really mean is "I'd rather do X than Y" or "I don't want to do X" 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁.  Here is the rest of the Gas Up newsletter if you're curious - https://lnkd.in/dezGwzmU - don't forget to Subscribe! #Growth #Careers #Choices

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If you're blaming your lack of participation in team meetings on your English skills... you're fooling yourself. Those with the widest vocabulary aren't necessarily the best communicators. In fact being a native speaker can actually be a hinderance to communication. Just looking at the sentence above, how many non natives are familiar with the phrase 'To be a hinderance'? It would have been clearer to use the word 'obstacle' or even 'block' 'reduce' 'stop'... So why do we use such words? Sometimes such words and complex grammatical structures add depth to meaning, but often it's just unnecessary. If we were completely honest we'd probably say we like these sophisticated words and structures because they make us feel more important and knowledgeable when we use them. Not having a wide vocabulary or feeling self conscious about your language skills and your accent can block you from to speaking up at all particularly when you're with colleagues you admire, you're new to the team, and your an introvert. Meetings within Pharma and Biotech are often conducted in English even when there are no native speakers present... because there are no English native speakers... so keeping your language simple is actually a bonus. Speak plainly, allow your knowledge and inspiration to speak for itself, rather than enhancing it with sophisticated words. I’m Louise and I help Non native introverted scientists in Pharma and Biotech gain the confidence to be seen and heard so they can get the recognition they deserve and desire. DM me to find out how I can help you find the confidence to speak up at work. _________________________________________ ✨ Click the 🔔 on my profile to be alerted to new posts 👉🏽 Follow me for insights on imposter syndrome  📄Subscribe to my newsletter  🎧Tune into my podcast ‘English Talk’  😎 Join my Facebook group Softly Spoken Scientists Network 📆 Book your FREE 30-minute consultation  🧭Links to all the above in my profile  #science#research #communication   #oncology #publicspeaking #communication #biotech #pharma #scientist #businessenglish #impostersyndrome

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A few clients, unhappy in their SE job, told me they were planning to tell their manager - to be fair. Hmmm. There are some times when that’s a good idea. Most of the time you’re telling your manager you’re not committed to your job. You’re not engaged. And he can’t count on you. AND - what’s the chance your manager will tell you he’s thinking of letting you go? Examine why you would give this heads up. If it’s really in the hope of getting something from your manager, do it better! Ask for what you want. If you give fair notice and do your job well while you look around, that’s the kind of fair that will benefit both you and your manager.

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I'm no longer on board with "be hard on yourself in order to achieve things." I think that *maybe* that works for a period of time. But it's not sustainable. The long term effect is wasted time and energy. This is the pattern I see: Being hard on yourself creates self-judgment. Which creates pressure. Which creates things like: Overwhelm Avoidance Feeling stuck Feeling defiant ("You can't make me!") All of THAT makes it *harder* to achieve whatever you have in mind to achieve. There's a difference between working through the hard part, and making things hard because you think that's how it works. What I find for myself, and what I see my clients discovering again and again, is that IF you are often: Overwhelmed Avoiding / Procrastinating Feeling stuck Feeling defiant ("You can't make me!") That's a pretty clear signal to pay attention to. It's like your inner wisdom is speaking up -- and the sooner you listen and understand, the better things will be for you. Instead of being harder on yourself -- increasing self-judgment and pressure, feeling MORE overwhelmed, depleted, and stuck. . . Create more SPACE by being curious and kind. It's how you can melt the resistance and find relief from the overwhelm. So you feel more free to do whatever is the right next thing for you. If you're feeling tired of being hard on yourself, but feel kinda scared to be kind instead, it's ok, that happens a lot. You can try a new approach whenever you choose. If you feel ready to do so now, and want some structure and support with that, I can help. In coaching, we co-create a space with presence, curiosity, and kindness. It's a transformative experience, and you're invited. DM me or visit my website to schedule time for us to talk about what a coaching engagement can create for you.

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First principle of meditation: “as you think, so you become.” One of the sayings of Shiva 🧘💛🧘‍♂️ This effect is amplified through concentration and repetition. This is why, when using a mantra in meditation, the meaning of the mantra is very important. #meditation #concentration

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🔥 This afternoon's sample feedback language: Addressing an opportunity to be more proactive. Here it is… ✨ Headline: I’d love to dive into an opportunity to take your work to the next level. I want to talk about proactive project management. ✨ Observation: I’m picking up on a pattern on your last three projects. You’ve nailed exactly what was asked of you, and there’s an opportunity for you to be thinking ahead and around corners to better anticipate the needs of your partners. ✨ Ask: I can appreciate that strategic partner management and thinking around corners can feel opaque. What’s your sense for what it can look and feel like moving forward? [Engage/discuss] If you’re game, here’s what I’d also like to do. I’d like to commit to you to calling out in real time when you can stretch your thinking and take things beyond the foundational ask. Are you game to elevate in this area? Comment below... What about this language resonates with you? ____ 🤠 Feedback is my jam. Dive into my online feedback course and boost your confidence and skill sharing feedback: https://buff.ly/3t7Pz5h #management #managementdevelopment #managementtraining #managertraining #managertips #hrcommunity #feedback

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People who aren't good at writing will never be successful. Let me prove it 👇 If you're someone who says (or thinks) that you aren't a good writer, ask yourself this: Would you say "I suck at thinking"? (If you said "yes" to this question, then this post is even more on point for you). Because writing really is just a more structured form of thinking. Writing helps you separate tangled thoughts and lay them out one at a time. Writing helps you understand the gaps in your thinking. Writing helps you see how your ideas connect. Writing helps you figure out WHAT you think about a certain topic. Writing helps separate emotion from analysis. Read through this list and tell me again how you can expect to be successful long term if you don't master these skills... If you're dyslexic and the act of putting words down on paper is hard, that's fine - "writing" for you might simply be drawing or mindmapping or talking into a voice recorder. When I say "writing" what I'm referring to is organization of thought. Now I've laid out my thoughts on this topic. What are yours? Tell me in the comments. 👇

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Starbucks’ biggest lie taught me something important. Back in university, I worked as a part-time barista for the twin-tailed Siren coffee shop. During the training, My manager told me: “Leandre, when you make a latte, you have to mix the espresso and steamed milk ASAP. The espresso shot expires after 3 seconds.” At the time, I thought the speech was extreme and could not possibly be true. But I also understood it was meant to make baristas prepare drinks faster… I didn’t care. That’s why Starbucks was depositing money in my bank account every month. But… Even though that lie is insignificant, I never forgot it. “Expire” is such an extreme word in this context… It makes everything more dramatic and sticky. Not only did it work to make baristas prepare drinks faster… But it stuck in my mind for close for almost a decade. I know I'm not the only one who thought about it after leaving my job. The lesson here: Whenever you can, utilize strong, dramatic words. If appropriate, even use extreme language. Don’t lie… But make sure your words evoke strong emotions (shock, intrigue, disbelief) so your readers remember your message. You may have philosophical qualms about the method. But if your message matters – it deserves the right means.

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I'm a recovering fixer. As a teen, I was always trying to fix everything for my friends. As an adult, I did the same thing. Then I did it too much. This led me to not only be resentful and exhausted from fixing everyone's crap (especially at work), but it also made it to where I stopped growing. I focused so much on other people getting their shit together, that I wasn't focusing on doing that myself. I was tired of it. So I learned to do two things: *Tune out the drama, your problem isn't my problem. *Say no frequently. This didn't make me an asshole. It helped me focus on what's most important. At the time that was growing in my project management role and figuring out how to be a self-sufficient adult outside of work. Pleasant side effect: When I enforced my own boundaries, it was noticed. I was told that people were asking around about how I was consistently getting promoted. People that sucked away my energy started leaving my circle. And this created more room for me to continue learning who I was and what I wanted. All by dealing with my bullshit and ignoring everyone else's.

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I'm a recovering fixer. As a teen, I was always trying to fix everything for my friends. As an adult, I did the same thing. Then I did it too much. This led me to not only be resentful and exhausted from fixing everyone's crap (especially at work), but it also made it to where I stopped growing. I focused so much on other people getting their shit together, that I wasn't focusing on doing that myself. I was tired of it. So I learned to do two things: *Tune out the drama, your problem isn't my problem. *Say no frequently. This didn't make me an asshole. It helped me focus on what's most important. At the time that was growing in my project management role and figuring out how to be a self-sufficient adult outside of work. Pleasant side effect: When I enforced my own boundaries, it was noticed. I was told that people were asking around about how I was consistently getting promoted. People that sucked away my energy started leaving my circle. And this created more room for me to continue learning who I was and what I wanted. All by dealing with my bullshit and ignoring everyone else's.

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60% of people are emotionally detached at work. (Source: Gallup) If you’re an employer, that stat should get your attention. If you’re an employee, does that feel true? Either way, what a loss of opportunity. And honestly, fulfillment. It’s up to you (yes, even as an employee) to stand for a better work ecosystem that allows you to thrive. Here’s my best advice: 1. Notice and catalog your strengths (aka your superpowers) 2. Look to your team to help elevate your strengths and round out the gaps 3. Now, craft your professional brand  4. Ask yourself, how can I make my strengths + professional brand more visible in my org? 5. Come up with + Initiate a “superpower project” At this point people ask me, “How do I do that?” My answer: • Be intentional with your language & presence • Speak up in meetings • Look for ways you can benefit your org + make best use of your strengths Don’t overlook all that IS in your control at work. Work can either be awful or awesome. Design the experience you want to be having. Your wellbeing is at stake. — Employers: are you supporting your employees' personal growth, wellbeing and ability to build connections? When employees are engaged, burnout decreases, and productivity & well-being increase. Get a customized plan for your workplace or business. Send me a DM right here on LinkedIn or follow the link in my featured section to book time on my calendar for a consult. Employees: struggling to develop your professional brand? Want to be experiencing more purpose, impact, and joy in your work? Send me a DM right here on LinkedIn about my 1:1 coaching offerings and 90 day intensives or follow the link in my featured section to book time on my calendar for a connection call. 

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When you write, do you worry about being verbose? As a storyteller---and a person of Irish descent---I can spin a yarn. So I'm always on the lookout for that tendency in my writing. In today's Top 10 Writing Mistakes, you'll get a starting point for where to prune. Mistake #4 - Having Too Many Words Between the Subject and Its Action Momentum can derail at any point in a sentence, not just at the end (see Mistake #5). If your readers have to wade through a litany of descriptors to discern what actually happened, simplify your language. Place the noun and its verb in as close proximity in the sentence as possible. Adjacent is the goal.

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Are you feeling bored to death in a job that's making you miserable? You're not being challenged, you're kept small and deep down inside you know that you are made for so much more.   Maybe you are afraid of leaving your well-paid job and losing stability.   Don’t get me wrong, I get that, I know it’s scary to take that jump into the unknown. But your unhappiness in your job is has a huge negative effect on the rest of your life.   If you really want to be happy in a fulfilling career, then you are going to need to step up and get out of your comfort zone to make a chance. When you get to the other side it will be so worth it! You will be so very proud of yourself for taking this leap.   When you are crystal clear on who you are, what you want, what you are good at and what you are passionate about, the leap into the unknown will be less scary. Because you will be so crystal clear on what you want your future career to look and feel like that staying stuck is not an option anymore.   Do you need some loving help and guidance? Let me help you! I still have two coaching spots available for my 3 month coaching program in May. Send me a DM with the words “DREAMCAREER” and let me help you find a career you love. #careercoach #findacareeryoulove #findyourdreamjob

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