The Pitfalls of Email Outreach
We all do email outreach but, “I hope this email finds you well. I came across your profile and was impressed by your background in [relevant field/position]. I wanted to reach out personally…” oof
Quick Reads (Under 5 Minutes)
Short-form insights you can read in under 5 minutes.
Building a Growth Model Sandbox
Built a sandbox copy of our growth model that exposes all the relevant assumptions so members of leadership team can create scenarios with different incomes and expenses, hiring and sales, and see the impact on our profitability.
That way we can game out client risk, down turns, etc. If nothing else it stresses the assumptions in ways that will help me refine our model as the year plays out .
Our Sustainable Strategy at Stride Consulting
Here’s the writeup by our sustainability consultant Matthew Mullens and Anna Polo about how we’re approaching our sustainable strategy at Stride Consulting
The Importance of Preparation in Leadership
From Leading without Blame, by BY Diana Larsen - Leadership Agility Advisor and Tricia Broderick https://lnkd.in/eJEnSeVS
A quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln: “Give me six hours to cut down a tree and I will spend the first four hours sharpening my saw.” It speaks to the need to take time to prepare, especially before attempting a rigorous task in a rapidly changing landscape. Trying to work with outdated information or skills is like chopping with a blunted blade.
When Diana Larsen and Lincoln converge on a thought, I take note!
Calibrating Assessments with Care
I had the privilege of observing our people managers calibrate assessments of their direct reports, guided by our chief people officer, Rebecca Braitling. The dedication and care shown by everyone involved were inspiring. Together, we are striving for a shared understanding of capabilities and proficiency levels, while recognizing the diverse cognitive styles and personalities that shape our team dynamics.
Lessons from 27 Years in Tech
I took my first job writing code about 27 years ago. That’s enough time to have led many failed projects. I’ve learned through painful experience not to commit to an ambiguous scope on someone else’s timeline but rather to engage in the tough conversations that acknowledge risk, challenge assumptions, protect the integrity of the team, and trade scope for time. I acknowledge it’s a privilege to challenge bosses. But no one thanks you for failing on their terms. And when it works, you earn trust, foster a healthier space for coworkers, and stand a chance at delivering a meaningful outcome.
Building a Comprehensive Budget Model
I’ve built a budget model that takes revenue and hiring targets and planned spending as inputs. Uses documented assumptions to project growth, income and expenses at the account and department level and used it for our 2023 budget.
Embracing Agile Planning Cycles
I hope I never have to do a big up front annual planning cycle again. We’ve committed to begin rolling 12 month planning with updates on a quarterly basis.
The Challenge of Alignment
Align is an unhelpful verb unless you’re talking tires. Alignment among people is an outcome and requires more time, empathy, and context than the world allots. Worse it masks power dynamics. Reframe, experiment in small scale, iterate. Learn, allow difference, and keep moving.
Celebrating Team Success and Future Goals
Congratulations to Presence, Michael Kellman and all the other Striders in the team.
At Stride, we unlock human potential by engineering better systems. We hope to help build a brighter future for our planet and generations to come.
Those words are great but they mean nothing unless we follow through with our actions.
Putting People First in Organizations
“We continually learn and implement best practices to put people first and, in turn, help other organizations put people first. “
Seeking Equity-Based User Testing Expert
Does anyone know an expert in equity-based user testing? We’re looking for a partner to work with us to ensure a system we are building for a client serves their target users in Black and Latino communities.