Nappuccino, Pre-Mortem, Mumbai Dabbawalas, Midpoint Spark, and other lessons

 

https://www.amazon.com/When-Scientific-Secrets-Perfect-Timing/dp/B076MBR89W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Z9OKNF26SFD1&keywords=when+daniel+pink&qid=1676438189&sprefix=when+daniel%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1

Leadership Lessons from the book “When – The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing” by Daniel Pink.

At the start of 2023, I made a list of things to learn, inspired by my colleagues, clients, and friends. It includes reading books, better understanding the industry and new technology skills, and earning external certifications. You can see my 2023 plan here.

https://anilkumarkar.blogspot.com/2023/02/my-2023-learning-plan.html

One book I've recently picked up is "When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing" by Daniel Pink, the New York Times bestselling author of "Drive" and "To Sell is Human". The author provides practical steps for WHEN to make critical decisions in life and business, explaining the science behind "Timing is Everything."

Here are some key lessons from the book:

Lesson 1 – Team building starts with belongingness.

The Mumbai Dabbawalas, who deliver 200,000 hot home-cooked meals from homes to offices daily with impeccable accuracy, are an excellent example of a tribe that thrives together. Pink cites various studies stating that belongingness leads to satisfaction, purpose, and results. A straightforward suggestion he makes for promoting belonging in your group is to respond quickly to their emails.

Lesson 2 - Pre-Mortem- prepare for the leadership role before you are there.

“The best way to recover from a false start is to avoid one in the first place.” The best way to avoid a false start is to prepare for it beforehand. Pink elaborates on the "premortem" technique, which involves preparing and visualizing yourself in the new role. During the initial days, take time to find and do one task well. Small and measurable wins will provide confidence to you and your new team. Conserve your motivation for the lean period, which will happen after the initial enthusiasm.

Lesson 3 – Turn the midpoint Slump into a spark

Business transactions, such as sales pursuits or projects, have a beginning, an ending, and a midpoint. Neglecting the midpoint can lead to a lack of interest and motivation. Pink suggests turning the midpoint slump into a spark by setting interim goals, publicly committing to them, and prioritizing your top goals.

Interesting add-ons –

• It's okay to take a 10–15-minute nap between 2-3 pm in the afternoon, as this period is typically the lowest productivity time for most people (known as the Trough). A typical day consists of Peak, Trough, and Rebound periods. Drinking a cup of coffee followed by a short nap can boost sharpness and performance, a combination that Pink refers to as the "Nappucino."
• Pink writes, "Life isn't always a competition, but it is sometimes a serial competition." If you're not the default choice and pitching against an incumbent or a small set of players, going first can help as you get a fresh look. Going later can confer a small advantage if there are many competitors, and going last can be advantageous. The last person to present gains an advantage over the initial ones as decision-makers reevaluate the baseline, which is more realistic.
• "Time flies like an arrow" is an example used by Oettinger in a 1966 Scientific American article in the initial days of natural language interpretation, well before the creation of ChatGPT!