Ever been in a meeting where everyone magically agrees with the boss? No debate. No pushback. Just a room full of nodding heads. That’s the HIPPO effect—when the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion wins by default. And it’s one of the fastest ways to kill good ideas. Why This Is a Problem The second the big boss shares their thoughts, most…
Team Building
Disclaimer: This post isn’t about any one specific personality test but rather a critique of the broader trend of corporate personality assessments. These tests promise to improve teamwork and communication, but they also come with significant limitations. If you’ve ever been handed a color, an animal, or a vague descriptor and told, “this is who you are at work,” then…
There’s a certain kind of workplace that thrives on chaos. If you’ve ever been in an environment where meetings stack up, spreadsheets multiply, and priorities shift on a daily basis, you know exactly what I mean. It’s not just busy work—it’s the swirl. The swirl is that exhausting cycle of constant pivots, unnecessary check-ins, and never-ending documentation that creates the…
Ever been in a meeting that could have been an email? Sat through a conversation where someone talks in circles without getting to the point? If that frustrates you, you’re not alone. High performers hate wasted time. In any workplace, there’s a clear divide between those who get things done and those who just occupy space. High performers focus on…
Most people stay in jobs longer than they should. It’s no different from staying in a relationship past its expiry date. You know it’s no longer working, but walking away feels difficult. In a workplace, the longer you stay in a toxic or stagnant environment, the more likely it is to change you before you ever change it. At some…
Leadership is everything. We’ve all heard the saying “People don’t quit companies, they quit managers.” But what happens when a bad manager is the roadblock to success? In my experience, it’s the manager that shapes the environment and culture within the team. And if that environment is toxic, frustrating, or simply uninspiring, the team will ultimately suffer. MongoDB’s CEO, Dev…
Many companies say they want innovation, but their structure says otherwise. If decisions only flow from the top down, the best ideas never make it to the surface. As Steve Jobs put it: “You have to be run by ideas, not hierarchy. The best ideas have to win.” Watch this clip where Steve Jobs explains why great companies prioritize ideas…
BIM sits at an interesting crossroads. It demands accuracy, structure, and process, but it also thrives on innovation and problem-solving. The industry leans heavily on outcome-driven people—those who can follow workflows, meet deadlines, and deliver predictable results. But here’s the problem, without creative minds, BIM stagnates. Watch this discussion on how businesses need creative minds but often push them aside…
Think success at work is about experience, resources, or raw talent? Think again. The biggest predictor of team success is psychological safety—the ability to speak up, admit mistakes, and share ideas without fear of embarrassment, punishment, or exclusion. Watch this Instagram reel on why psychological safety matters more than anything else for high-performing teams. Why Psychological Safety Matters Better Performance,…
I’ve watched the engineering industry glorify speed over sense for years. We praise people who respond to emails at midnight. We celebrate those who jump from meeting to meeting without breaks. We reward constant availability over actual output. Let’s call this what it is. Broken. I recently came across an article on Nature.com that introduced me to slow productivity. This…