How Business Leaders Can Use ChatGPT

If you’re not using ChatGPT, now is the time! You can use ChatGPT for:

  1. Automating Routine Tasks: ChatGPT can automate repetitive tasks like generating standard reports, answering FAQs, or drafting emails. This frees up time for more strategic work.
  2. Data Analysis and Insights: You can use ChatGPT to analyze large sets of data, extracting key insights and trends that inform decision-making.
  3. Idea Generation and Brainstorming: It can be an excellent tool for brainstorming sessions, offering new perspectives or solutions you might not have considered.
  4. Learning, Development, and Customer Service: ChatGPT can assist in creating training materials or providing quick answers to technical questions.
  5. Market Research: Use it to gather and summarize information about market trends, competitors, or industry updates, keeping you ahead of the curve.

Think of ChatGPT as an ally, not a replacement for you or others on your team.

standardNovember 14Tom SalonekAI

Leadership Communication: Striking the Right Chord

In the fast-paced world of business leadership, effective communication is the cornerstone of success. Here’s a streamlined guide to help you navigate the do’s and don’ts.

  1. Do: Embrace Brevity and Clarity
    • Time is a premium for everyone. Get straight to the point without sacrificing clarity. Your communication should be like a well-written executive summary: it gives you everything you need to know without wading through the appendix.
  2. Don’t: Drown Your Message in Jargon
    • Technical language has its place, but clear communication is always the priority. Your aim… enlighten not obscure.
  3. Do: Listen Actively and Show Empathy
    • Engage with your team in a way that makes them feel heard and valued. Active listening can lead to more productive collaborations, much like a well-conducted code review session encourages better programming outcomes.
  4. Don’t: Shy Away from Difficult Conversations
    • Address issues promptly and constructively. Avoiding difficult conversations can lead to resentment and disengagement. Approach these situations as you would a complex project: with a strategy, clear objectives, and the willingness to find a solution.
  5. Do: Value Diverse Opinions
    • Foster an environment where different perspectives are not just heard but actively sought. Diverse viewpoints can be the seedbed for innovation, much like diverse testing environments ensure software robustness.

In essence, effective communication for business leaders is not just about the transfer of information but also about building relationships and creating an environment where ideas can prosper. It’s about being succinct yet comprehensive, like a well-commented code that guides rather than confuses. Keep these principles in mind, and watch your team’s productivity and morale soar.

standardNovember 2Tom SalonekCommunication

5 Productivity Hacks: No Fluff, Just Stuff

Hack 1: Time Blocking

The Gist: Dedicate chunks of time to specific tasks.

Time blocking isn’t new, but it’s gold. Ever find your calendar looks free, but your day vanishes? That’s because time, like water, fills available space. Block off hours for coding, hours for meetings, and don’t forget hours for thinking.

Hack 2: The Two-Minute Rule

The Gist: Do it now if it takes less than two minutes.

This gem is from David Allen’s “Getting Things Done.” Got a quick email to shoot off or a document to skim? Two minutes or less? Don’t stall—knock it out.

Hack 3: The Eisenhower Matrix

The Gist: Classify tasks by urgency and importance.

Divide tasks into four categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither. Tackle them in that order. Why is it on your list if something’s neither urgent nor important?

Hack 4: Email Sprints

The Gist: Cluster your email-checking.

Don’t be an email addict. Check it two or three times a day in focused sprints. Anything requiring more thought gets its time block.

Hack 5: The 90/20 Rule

The Gist: Work 90 minutes, break for 20.

Your brain operates in cycles called ultradian rhythms—roughly 90-minute periods of high activity. Work with that flow. Go hard for 90, then take 20 to recharge. You’re not a robot; don’t act like one.

That’s it—five hacks to get more done with less stress. Because productivity isn’t just about doing more; it’s about doing what matters. Now go get it done.

standardOctober 27Tom SalonekLeadership

Read High Five, Watch Fyre Fraud, Get free Copies of my book

Read, watch, stop:

  • The High Five Habit by Mel Robbins outlines how one single daily habit can change your life’s direction.
  • Fyre Fraud is a fascinating documentary about one of the greatest music festivals that never was.
  • If you’re in North America, stop buying copies of my book!  As a reader of my blog, I’ll send you up to 10 copies of The 100.  Just fill out the request form.
standardSeptember 13Tom SalonekWhat to Read, Watch, Stop