by Melissa Gratias, Ph.D. |
Many things in life come with expectations of good performance. Good students receive high grades. Good workers receive raises. Good dogs receive treats. We are socialized to, and rewarded for, the pursuit of excellence. An unfortunate, and unproductive, byproduct of...
by Melissa Gratias, Ph.D. |
I was on a call with a client yesterday, and she was trying to tell me that she almost doubled her sales over quota last month. But she didn’t just say, “I made 190% of quota last month!” She stammered the following sentence fragments first: “I don’t...
by Melissa Gratias, Ph.D. |
I was in my early 20s when I first heard the truism above in a project management class. The implications of “Good, fast, and cheap…pick two” are: If it’s fast and good, it’s going to be expensive If it’s good and cheap, it will require lots and lots of time If...
by Melissa Gratias, Ph.D. |
Recently, I have witnessed what I can best describe as overuse injuries – in a cognitive/psychological sense. One person who is very generous was on the verge of burnout. She kept giving and prioritizing other people to the point that she had no time to take...
by Melissa Gratias, Ph.D. |
In Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (animated version), one of my favorite scenes is a quick exchange between the villain, Gaston, and his sidekick, Lefoux. Gaston: Lefoux, I’m afraid I’ve been thinking. Lefoux: A dangerous pastime! Gaston: I know. I...
by Melissa Gratias, Ph.D. |
Everyone procrastinates from time to time – it’s human nature. We put off writing a report, calling potential clients, or starting what we consider a boring job. Here are a few of the excuses we give: I don’t have enough information. I’ll have more time tomorrow. I...
