PPP #121: System shutting down

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Sales The power of questions We’re taught to address objections with facts - never with questions. When a client says, “This is too expensive”, don't list the benefits of your product. By asking more...

PPP #120: Report progress like a pro

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Teamwork Progress report When you're running a project, it's important to keep your boss up to speed. You don't want to overwhelm them with details, though, as it can look like you don't have...

PPP #119: Stop writing

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Storytelling Stop writing Are you having trouble finishing your stories? Take advice from Ernest Hemingway. He would stop writing not when he was out of ideas - but when he knew where the story was...

PPP #118: The curse of knowledge

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Innovation The curse of knowledge Most teams forget the most obvious way of improving their product - using it. You know how your product is supposed to work. But without regular usage, you...

PPP #117: How masters learn

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Innovation Ideas galore “The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” — Linus Pauling. Are you stuck with that one precious idea, iterating it with no end in...

PPP #116: Be like a rollercoaster

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Storytelling Be like a rollercoaster Want to structure your stories better? Take a lesson from rollercoasters. They build up tension by taking you up - just like stories do when the stakes are raised....

PPP #115: Are we safe?

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Teamwork Are we safe? Google’s research shows that psychological safety increases revenue, with teams with low psychological safety falling short of their goals by up to 19%. Here’s how you can make sure your...

PPP #114: Flip the obvious

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Workshop Flip the obvious Brainstorming session running a bit stale? Take the fundamental, seemingly undeniable truth about your business and flip it. For example: When customers buy something at the store, they have to...

PPP #113: The “don’t list”

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Productivity The “don't list” Struggling to stay productive throughout the day? Stop focusing on ‘things to do’ for a moment. Think of things not to do instead. Compile a list of things to avoid -...

PPP #112: Four types of time

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Productivity Four types of time Sahil Bloom, author of The Curiosity Chronicle newsletter, outlines four types of professional time: Management: meetings, emails, presentations; Creation: writing, coding, building; Ideation: brainstorming, reflecting; Consumption: reading, studying. For...

PPP #111: Out of character

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Productivity Out of character If you want different outcomes, you have to try different behaviours. What could you accomplish if you spoke up more in meetings or gave more honest feedback to your colleagues?...

PPP #110: Just give me a reason

Pip’s Practical Prompts Newsletter Sent by Charles Burdett Persuasion Just give me a reason Humans want to have reasons to do just about anything. It helps us feel rational. You can use that when asking someone for a favour. Research shows you’re...