Paolo's learning notes

Good habits to improve

Here I report some generic suggestions that I have found in various books and articles to improve and growth as a human being:

  • Surround yourself to people that do what you want to do and are what you want to become because you can be inspired by them and learn from them.

Related Questions:

Related Topics:

References

How we are influenced

Marketing and sales main goal is to persuade people to buy things. They leverage on techniques that try to influence people and their behaviour. To avoid to be fooled, it is necessary to learn how we are influenced and how to avoid it when it is not convenient.

The following are various conclusions that I have made on this topic:

  • We are influenced by what tend to satisfy our basic psychological needs: Competence, Autonomy, Relatedness.
  • When someone propose us something, ask yourself:
    • What is the function of what they are proposing?
    • What is the utility of what they are proposing?
    • What is the value of what they are proposing to me?
  • Thinking rationally we are less influenced.
  • If we want to really convince other people, propose something that have value for us and for the other people.

Related Questions:

Related Topics:

References

How to choose a communication channel

A communication channel is the medium or mode through which the message is conveyed.

In work-related context there are various communication channel that we may use: email, text, printed words, phone, video call, face to face, written documents, etc.

The choice of the right communication channel is important to increase the effectiveness of the communication. The wrong communication channel can lead to misunderstanding.

The choice depends on various criteria:

  • Necessity to keep records of the communication
  • Timing: is the message urgent or not?
  • Emotions: is important to convey particular emotions?
  • Context: what communication channel are available? Are there digital supports?
  • Purpose
  • Topic
  • Audience: who are the receivers of your message? What are they preferences?
Channel When to use Cons
Email - necessity to keep records
- for documenting decisions
- formal communication
- for providing facts, data, or details
- for providing tasks to be done
- Less immediate than a text
- Difficult to convey emotions
- may be misunderstood
Text - no urgency
- NO necessity to keep records
- small and routine tasks
- sometimes it is useful to create a specific channel to clarify the topic and make the conversation flows better
- informal communication
- may be misunderstood
- may be inadeguate for formal and important communication
Printed words - where there are no digital supports available - complex when there are multiple audience
Phone - for urgent communication
- NO necessity to keep records
- when there is the necessity to clarify some concepts
- may interrupt and distract the receiver if not planned
Video Call - to discuss of various topics
- to know new people for the first time when a face to face meetings is complicated
- to convey emotions
- when there is the necessity to clarify some concepts
- less immediate
Face to Face - when it is important to convey emotions
- to discuss of various topics
- when there is the necessity to clarify some concepts
- may interrupt and distract the receiver if not planned
Written documents - necessity to keep records
- require future revisions
- collaboration
- when there is the necessity to clarify some concepts
- if there is the need to clarify and simplify complexity, may be added visuals for easier understanding
- may be misunderstood

Related Questions:

Related Topics:

References