The Challenge of The Month - August 2024
Productivity Mastery - The Kanban Method + 5 Articles of The Month
Hello challengers!
I hope you are having a great summer!
Unluckily, I’ve been working all August. This year, I didn’t want to travel with this hot temperature. So I delayed my summer break as much as I could.
In the last few years, I went on vacation at the end of July. But it was terrible — I couldn’t visit any city because of the hot temperature. So, I spend most days in the pool (not the worst compromise, I know).
This year, I wanted to do things differently. And it worked.
Nobody’s at work in August. So I kept a quiet rhythm and enjoyed my job.
I was in a rush all year. But finally, I could catch my breath and focus on studying and improving my knowledge.
But the best feeling is seeing people back to work while I have to leave. In two weeks, I will travel to Morocco. It will be a group trip (with people I don’t know). And I’m super excited because we will also sleep in the desert!
I will tell you everything as soon as I get back. For now, let’s get back to The Challenge. Here’s your month’s reward:
5 Articles of The Month — I see your appreciation emails, so I will keep posting about this in The Challenge of The Month series.
Productivity Mastery: The Kanban Method — this simple and efficient technique is perfect for beginners. But it can also help busy people who struggle to give structure to their tasks.
Let’s get to it!
Top 5 Articles of The Month
Most of you probably don’t want to hear about personal growth in August. You worked all year to get in shape and become a better person. And the summer is the perfect moment to showcase your new skills and body.
But you can’t keep that body and skills if you stop working on yourself. You will get back to your old habits. And we don’t want that.
Luckily, you have me. And you have The Challenge. So keep reading and working on yourself!
1 — The CEO’s Job
I recently subscribed to a newsletter here on Substack which has many great pieces, but little subscribers. And it’s a shame.
Everything started with The CEO’s Journey Is a 3-Act Play, where Nitin Nohria (
) explains the three phases of a CEO’s career. And you may never reach that position in your life, most people won’t. But you don’t have to be a CEO to understand and use the basics of leadership.Shortly, Nohria divides the CEO’s play into three acts:
In act one, you take charge and communicate with the team. Being a leader means taking responsibility. But it also means building trust with people because you can’t do everything by yourself. So, first of all, you have to set yourself up for success.
In act one you have to make yourself at home. In act two, you will bring new energy to the team. New ideas, new institutions — you can build a better environment where everybody works better and productively.
Act three is all about leaving the throne. You did your job. You brought your expertise and ideas. Now, it’s time for a new era. And you have to understand when to leave and how to do it. The new CEO will need your support — your team deserves it.
2 — Conversation Hacks
Conversation is a killer skill — you can get anywhere if you know how to use it. But how can you become better at it fast?