I’ve been going through a number of notes accumulating over the past few months. Most relate to personal development and growth. This one I picked up from Kevin Roberts–long time leader in the advertising industry.

These are all important skills. If you’re unsure where you are and where to begin–try active listening. That is a basic skill in marriage, business, volunteer work, and any interpersonal interaction.

Developing a new skill? Try to find a way to use it daily. After 28-30 days it will become part of you. But you have to begin intentionally.

Here is Roberts’ list:

  • Storytelling. One of the most effective ways of connecting with people. There is an art to it: plot, character, timing. Embroider and polish your best encounters.
  • Mindfulness. Clear your head and focus on one thing at a time.
  • Emotional thinking. Make the big decisions with your heart, the small ones with your head. The electromagnetic frequency of the heart is ten thousand times stronger than that of the brain. The brain takes its orders from the heart.
  • Negotiating. I’ve learnt a lot about this from my children. There are times to be tough, and times to be tender. Figuring out which to do when is often the challenge!
  • Delegating. Something my children have learnt from me. They all knew RASCI from a young age.
  • Showing appreciation. Finding the right words can take a few goes but it’s always beneficial to show gratitude.
  • Active listening. Your eyes have as much to do with this as your ears. The subtext, what’s not being said, always reveals a greater truth.
  • Learning from your failures. A genius is someone who makes the same mistake once. We’re defined by the way we learn from our failures.
  • Making lists. Hands-up everyone who puts things on a list just for the pleasure of crossing it off?! Be a compulsive to-doer. It keeps you going continuously forward.
  • Have fun. It’s harder than it sounds! Slipping into business-as-usual mode is easy. Leisure needs to be planned, scheduled, sought out – and best done with other people.
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