Thought 1.
Grant, Adam 2023. Hidden Potential, Prologue – Ch.5 (pp. 1 - 127)
We all have hidden potential within us. The difference between those who find it and those who do not, is a person’s capacity to absorb and adapt to a multitude of information and situations. Hidden Potential written by Adam Grant brings into light “Human sponges”, which are people who have learned how to absorb, filter, and. The lessons given and examples shared prove that anyone can uncover their potential despite the challenges.
The APA defines cognitive abilities as “the skills involved in performing the tasks associated with perception, learning, memory, understanding, awareness, reasoning, judgment, intuition, and language (APA, Dictionary of Psychology).” These skills have a high priority in our society because they are seen as the “key” to absorbing information. It interesting and surprising to discover that although cognitive skills are necessary, they are not sufficient for effective learning. Character skills enable prosperity through the ability to absorb new ideas and filter out old ones. These combined with character skills are what create the incredible human sponge. Sponges are one of Earth’s oldest animals for a reason; they soak up what is necessary to survive and filter out anything toxic or unhealthy. Human sponges have the capacity to absorb and filter out useless information for adaptability to different situations and concepts for growth.
I always assumed that people with the incredible ability to absorb information had a superior genetic trait. At an early age my teachers discovered that I have learning disabilities, however my father refused to believe it. I was never allowed to get tested for which ones, so I ended up telling myself that I did not get any “smart genes” from my parents. An important lesson that Hidden Potential teaches is that: absorption can be more effective when someone takes charge of their own growth than somebody that has an advantage. The example of Ihad Abdlraham and Julius Yego supports this lesson. Ihad and Julius came from similar backgrounds, but Ihad had the physical advantage for a javelin thrower and the coachability for it. Julius on the other hand, had no advantage. He had himself and the help of YouTube. Julius had to take charge of his own growth by teaching himself the power, flexibility and speed needed to improve himself to master this sport. He became a sponge which allowed him to become a world champion, whereas Ihad plateaued due to his lack of initiative to take charge. If I had known that taking charge of my academics, rather than hiding behind the words that I have learning disabilities I could (and still can) be the genius my family is.
Another critical aspect to become a human sponge is knowing which external guidance to filter out (unfortunately it does not happen naturally). A do-it-yourself approach is effective for certain types of learnings, for other types there is advice needed to flourish. Feedback and advice are drastically different, especially in effectiveness in learning for growth. Feedback focuses on how well one did last time and with it, people are often reluctant or too polite to share information for advancement. You learn more through advice because it focuses on how on can do better next time by having people give specific suggestions on how to grow. Each person will have different perspectives and experiences, therefore not all advice will be created equal. Something that I wish I had known at an earlier age is that you should not take any advice from someone whose life or character you do not wish to have. I used to be insecure with myself so I would ask my friends for advice on anything and everything. Looking back at some of the advice I was given has made me realize that many were from people that had qualities I did not want myself. Following the wrong advice is initially upsetting, however it is a learning experience. Being able to reflect on the people and advice I had asked for in the past allowed me to develop a filter to absorb advice in a positive way for myself and career. It also puts into perspective the importance of tough love because the people that care about you will give you that tough advice needed to learn. For Mellody Hobson, she realized Billy Bradley was “taking the time to give her tough love because he believed in her potential and cared about helping her grow… their mentoring relationship gave him a clear understanding of her skills and shortcomings (Grant Hidden Potential, 58).”
Human sponges are not born, they learn through internal and external forces on how to become that way. Whether it is self-taught or learned from people that have your best interest at heart, it can lead to success one never imagined. The lessons and real-life scenarios prove that absorption, filtering, and adaptability can change your course.
References
“APA Dictionary of Psychology.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, dictionary.apa.org/cognitive-ability. Accessed 7 June 2024.
Grant, Adam. Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. Penguin Audio, 2023.
Thought 2.
Grant, Adam 2023. Hidden Potential, Ch.6 – Ch.5 (pp. 129 - 233)
Having confidence in ourselves provides us the power to unlock hidden potential. There are unexpected ways in which we can achieve a higher confidence than traditional ways. It is no secret that giving advice is encouragement for others, but the encouragement we gain from it is extraordinary. The growth that we have when giving advice makes the hardships easier to surpass as we go on. Brainwriting in groups is another confidence booster that used less but has incredible results.
The confidence we gain from giving advice has a greater impact on us than receiving it. Advice is given when we believe a person can reach their hidden potential, they just need guidance to get there faster. Giving is active meaning that the guidance and encouragement we provide to others reminds us of the instruments we already hold for success; this encouragement convinces us that we have what it takes. The coach effect states that “were more confident in our ability to surmount struggles after guiding others through them (Grant, 2023).” This effect proves that we should listen to the advice we give others since it’s the one we need to take ourselves. Receiving advice can be tricky at times because you need to assess which to filter out, and filtering can be mentally consuming. Constantly receiving external advice leads to a dependency that hinders personal growth, take moments to pause and reflect on past advice that we gave for similar situations. I am usually the one giving advice to others, as I am very intuitive and good with expressing emotions and ideas. The satisfaction of helping people in that way brings not only brings joy but confidence and respect for myself. In the past I had insecurities that led to be overly dependent on advice from others; it was a big stressor, especially when I did not get the advice I wanted or could not get it in time for a decision. It wasn’t until I had heard multiple “thank you for your advice” or “you always know the right things to say” that I had the validation needed to finally start taking the advice that I was giving. Learning to take your own advice helps enable growth, independent and confidence in your abilities to surpass hardships.
When teams are composed of individuals that share ideas and listen to all sides, that is when teamwork really is the dream work. Teamwork is best when the process of brainwriting is used. Brainstorming surprisingly is useless yet is the go-to in most cases; brainwriting is when those individuals generate ideas separately and then bring them to the table for discussion and assessment. This balanced participation is key to collective intelligence, and by generating ideas alone we use develop our creativity and grow intellectually. “When you’re alone, you’re alone, you’re essentially building a woodpile in your brain. Then when you join a group, you’re igniting a shower of sparks that might light up (Fast Company, 2017).” I have had many experiences in group projects, and the most effective work is never done in the classroom together. My junior year I worked with an incredible group of girls for a marketing research course. Our system consisted of individually reading case studies and jotting ideas for the assignment questions, then we would join to share our thoughts and ideas for the assignments. The balanced participation we enabled led us to a semester of incredible individual and group achievements. When I first started my marketing research course, I was overwhelmed feelings of imposter syndrome. I was doubtful in myself and the skills necessary to succeed in that course. However, in brainwriting I was developing my knowledge and skills which gave me the confidence and reassurance to remind myself that I could do it. As a result of brainwriting I learned and grew beyond what I had imagined.
Giving advice and brainwriting are proof that we have what it takes to unlock our own hidden potential. Confidence allows for growth through sharing of ideas and advice with others. It is important to believe in ourselves the way we would anyone else. When we share, we gain encouragement and that is how hidden potential is unlocked.
References
Fast Company. (2017, March 17). Are people more creative alone or together? trick question. https://www.fastcompany.com/3069033/are-people-more-creativealone-or-together-trick-question
Grant, A. (2023). Hidden potential. Vikings
Thought 3.
DBR 2023. Embracing CHATGPT for Business Success (pp. 9 - 86)
In all industries, brand competition is at an ultimate high. Many businesses have implemented AI since its vast abilities have generated great success. Those that have yet to integrate it may soon fall behind competitors, leaving them in financial and reputational ruin. The ones that refrained from integrating AI because of skepticism or financial limitations. In educating oneself on the security measures and the obstacles that AI can help businesses overcome, it will boost all business operations. AI and ChatGPT have already proven to be the future for success.
AI is a cost-effective tool that is meant to take on the tasks that are too large or present troubles, to allow for a smooth business plan. There are several security measures in place to ensure that input data is private and safe from third party distribution. Inputting data may seem scary, but the more you do the more AI learns to better serve you. Think of AI as your intern wanting to learn about your business to advance in the area and advance its skills to prove that it can make a difference in operations. However, like all technology, it is best to not share sensitive data. If you do not integrate AI due to fears of hacking, you are only hurting your business. Just because phones and computers are susceptible to hacking doesn’t mean you refrain from owning one; if you didn’t have those there would be no business to run.
The estimated total cost of implementing AI and ChatGPT (including training and technical issues) is estimated to be $105,000, however despite the high cost, estimates profit of integrating is $275,000. Having an ROI of 262% is extraordinary and a dream that can come true with AI assistance. There is no limit to the tasks that AI and ChatGPT can do, only you can limit yourself with them. Businesses can have the top talent for content and other operations, however there is only so much a person or team can do before they are overwhelmed or stuck. When you use AI, these challenges are non-existent, allowing you to save money while generating sales and leads. One of the greatest tasks AI can do is content creation. Nowadays with social media, much of brand loyalty and engagement comes from content creation on social media platforms. It allows the brands to share their voice, values, and products/services in a fun and exciting way. AI can curate blogs, video scripts, press releases, website copy and much more at rapid speed to keep customers satisfied and business operations at a consistent rate.
Writers and creative blocks are very real and costly for businesses. With social media easily accessible, businesses need to constantly provide quality and engaging to keep up with rising expectations of audiences. DBR Publishing compares content process to a river; the damns represent the challenges that set back the content creation process. AI and ChatGPT help the river flow smoothly by producing content in multiple content formats without spending a large sum on a creative team. I once saw a content creator on TikTok use AI to create makeup lines for each Taylor Swift album and each were incredibly creative that I wanted to purchase all of them. Imagine what AI create when it has really learned your brand, products, and services. Some may worry that AI won’t capture the brand voice or authenticity since it is not human. If you worry about that with your business, then you can simply use it as a guide or source of inspiration. However, businesses will find that by unlocking content creation with AI and ChatGPT they can edit and research to put their own twist to best capture their audience and heighten competition with others.
AI is an extraordinary tool that turns business challenges into opportunities. With many businesses using it, AI has proven to combat challenges such as: inconsistent content generation, lack of resources, increased number of competitors, production of content in multiple formats, writer's block, and writing engaging content. When a business educates themselves on all the advantages that will be provided, the skepticism will be diminished. AI conducts all business operations that are required to reach success, especially content marketing. Content marketing costs less and delivers more leads than other efforts, and with AI your business will keep its audience engaged and loyal.
Reference
DBR (2023) Embracing CHATGPT For Business Success. DBR Publishing.
Thought 4.
DBR 2023. Embracing CHATGPT for Business Success (pp. 87 - 186)
It is important to take advantage of tools that will help improve business efficiencies for maximized profits, sales, and lead generation. The power of ChatGPT can take businesses farther than any other tool, so it is important understand its abilities for improving the areas in which are holding a business back. ChatGPT collects and analyses data so that businesses excel and reach their potential.
Data collection helps businesses save thousands of dollars while providing more lead building opportunities for increased revenue. Businesses acquire marketing, sales, production, logistics and IT data, it can be overwhelming when compiling for analysis, especially for small businesses lacking resources. When data collection and analysis is done manually it takes a significant amount of time resulting in less than half of small businesses wanting to gather data. ChatGPT makes this laborious task simple by analyzing large datasets in a matter of minutes giving businesses a competitive edge. Data analysis allows for proper strategies to be implemented to ensure longevity through leads and maximized profits. Data driven thinking should be applied in all business aspects, most importantly, lead generation and sales. When decisions are made without accurate information, such as forecasts, it can cause businesses serious financial and reputational damage. As DBR Publishing says, business decisions based on a gut feeling are rarely accurate and don’t yield sustainable results. ChatGPT data collection and analysis helps businesses better understand competitors and customers, assists with improvement of business efficiencies, retain valuable employees for longer, generate innovative ideas, and preparing for the future.
Prompts to ChatGPT need to be specific and customized for circumstances for it to best serve your business needs. It is also important to double-check prompt responses and keep prompting until the analysis and insight is where you want it to be. A sample prompt for sales and profits that DBR Publishing shares is: “You’re wearing the hat of an expert data analyst. Our business wants to plan for the future and needs an accurate sales and profit forecast. Use the provided dataset to forecast our sales and profits in the next three years. Provide insights into how you arrived at your forecast.” This prompt is a great guide to see the specifics you need to give for that desired result so you can bring your business to its potential.
ChatGPT assists the sales process by qualifying sales leads in real time and creating custom strategies. For small businesses, this is important because it creates a competitive advantage that will ensure a quicker growth rate. When individuals manually go through this process there is lost time and efficiencies, meanwhile ChatGPT can handle multiple interactions, 24/7 for increased cost savings and efficiencies. Having a tool to assist in this process gives employees time back to focus on monitoring other important aspects. Customer experiences are enhanced with this efficiency because they see the care and quality service that is provide to them which will create repeat business and reduced customer acquisition costs. ChatGBT specifically aids the sales process by maximizing profits and revenues by performing repetitive sales tasks, personalizing interactions, nurturing sales leads, crafting sales presentations and recommending other products or services. Having all these sales and lead generation responsibilities taken care of at rapid speed promotes growth and loyalty. Allocating the data necessary for successful task completion will guarantee long-term success and give employees time to focus on other areas for optimal efficiency.
The abilities that ChatGPT harnesses provides businesses with a competitive edge to grow quicker and more efficiently. In understanding how to work them and what it can do for your business will save you time, money and resources.
Reference
DBR (2023) Embracing CHATGPT For Business Success. DBR Publishing.
Thought 5.
Meyer, Erin. 2016. The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, And Get Things Done Across Cultures, Introduction – Ch. 4 (pp. 1 -142)
The ability to provide and receive negative feedback is key to good communication. Low-context and high-context cultures give and receive negative feedback differently; therefore, it is essential to understand each. Low-context cultures have direct negative feedback, which is blunt, honest, and sometimes given in front of a group. Descriptors are often “totally inappropriate” or “completely unprofessional”. High-context cultures prefer indirect negative feedback is provided subtly, diplomatically and given in private. Descriptors are often “sort of inappropriate” or “slightly unprofessional.”
According to The Culture Map, when working with cultures that are more direct than you, don’t try to do it like them. With more and more companies globalizing, multicultural teams are almost a guarantee. It is important to find a balance between low-context and high-context cultures so that the negative feedback you provide truly benefits the person receiving it. If the negative feedback you provide is too direct, it can hinder from helping and cause pain and personal feelings of resentment rather than focus on making effective changes. When it hinders, the feedback is rejected and serves no purpose. If negative feedback is too indirect and the person does not receive an honest assessment of their work, that also does no benefit. Imagine how it would feel discovering that the feedback you received was not honest? You would most likely feel betrayed. Listening to the words other people use in your professional environment can serve as a guide to providing feedback. When receiving negative feedback do not get discouraged, rather think about its purpose, which is to help you grow into your potential.
Receiving negative feedback is crucial for individual growth. There is always room for improvement, however we are not always motivated to do it ourselves. When negative feedback is given by someone above you, it positions your head in the right direction to reach your targets and objectives quicker. The negative feedback can feel like a personal attack; therefore, we are quicker to make effective changes. I am a sensitive person, so any negative feedback I receive initially feels painful.
Most recently I published an article on the new Meta AI to LinkedIn for a class. The professor had us submit the article to him for feedback before publishing to ensure we were on the right track. Two comments of the negative feedback I received was: “it was all over the place and needed to be narrowed” and “good work but the mistakes were unforgivable.” I originally felt great about my work, but after hearing my feedback I felt discouraged that I hadn’t done as well as I thought. I quickly forgot about my feelings and got straight to work making all the changes he had suggested. A few days ago, I received feedback for my published work that stated how impressed he was for making the changes he had suggested and that I should be proud of having such a great writing piece on my LinkedIn. Had I not received that negative feedback, I would have not been as passionate to make the necessary changes to create a great piece.
We need an external push to help us grow as individuals so we can reach our potential as professionals. Understanding how to provide and receive negative feedback is key to having good communication in this globalized world. Multicultural teams are extremely common, and the negative feedback we provide and receive must be up to date with the cultural differences. Negative feedback gets engraved in our heads, which pushes us to make the changes to be headed in the right direction.
Thought 6.
Meyer, Erin. 2016. The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, And Get Things Done Across Cultures, Ch. 5 - Epilogue (pp. 143-253)
Trust is the foundation to building strong relationships, most importantly business relationships. Businesses carry employees of various cultural backgrounds and have clients from different cultures. Having more personal and authentic work relationships opens a wider door for greater opportunities. In the U.S there is less value placed on creating these built-up bonds and more on consistent work experiences. The U.S and other task-based countries such as Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands would greatly benefit through more effective business. In prioritizing more time spent on out of the office experiences for genuine relationships, there is more cohesive work environments.
It is no secret that in the US there is a lack of trust, and according to David Brooks, the level of trust with our institutions, politics and one another is further declining. Americans have a strict barrier between cognitive trust and affective trust, which is represented in how business relationships are developed. The US is on the task-based end of the trusting scale, meaning movement of networks is since work relationships are built quickly with no solid foundation. Work friends are typically just work friends. There is surface level chit-chat and maybe some deeper conversations, but would you consider your team members your close friends? Most Americans would say no, because of that barrier between cognitive trust and affective trust. Employees are typically told to not let personal relationships cloud their heads and get in the way of conducting business.
When we build deeper connections, the foundation is laid for stronger and longer lasting relationships. However, building personal connections requires more than good conversations in meetings or practicality; time, energy, and effort are needed for a relationship that isn’t dropped so quickly. Being fired is unfortunate situation that can happen to even the best of employees. Having a strong personal relationship with other team members and/or clients can help in those situations. Trust from professional relationships can be described as insurance; there are cases when team members threaten to walk away from a company if one member is released or clients saying if they go, they will too. Countries that are relationship-based such as India, Mexico and Russia have nailed the art of sharing meals, evening drinks and other interactions with substantial conversations that build up work relationships overtime. They build trust up by letting their guard down to show that they are authentic and with the truest intentions.
Learning how to build personal connections with team members or business client opens the door for more opportunities and trust. It’s important to be able to open yourself up to learning how to trust others and provide trust to others in communities, but also for conducting business with cultures from the relationship-based scale.
Authentic business relationships are built gradually with effort, through deeper conversations and non-work-related experiences outside the office. When we share these experiences with clients and team members, our guard is let down and we are our true selves. The U.S and other task-based have such a strong disconnect with trust in emotional closeness and trust from confidence in someone’s accomplishments, so being ourselves is not something we do. In being yourself and breaking down that wall and learn how to trust in a more productive way. Although it may feel uncomfortable at first, you will open the door to many more opportunities and relationships that will be long-lasting and true. Life is too short to have “fake” relationships when you can build real ones in business.