KBall, panelist on JS Party, shares his passion for coaching and developing human skills. The podcast covers topics such as the challenges of conferences, staying motivated in content creation, computer vision and AI, packaging content, creating melodies for IP legal cases, effective communication and empathy, importance of asking questions and listening, and self-reflection.
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Quick takeaways
Focus on leverage: impact over effort to increase productivity.
Tailor communication by understanding stakeholders' priorities and connecting technical details to business outcomes.
Build relationships and understand stakeholders to identify opportunities and tailor communication effectively.
Deep dives
Leveraging human skills: Impact over effort
Productivity is for people who don't have leverage. Focus on leverage: impact over effort. Code and content provide high leverage as they can be shared and have permissionless creation. Being known for something allows you to leverage that reputation. Understanding the organization's priorities and values can help identify where leverage can be maximized.
Effective communication: Empathy and understanding
When communicating, consider the perspective of the person you're talking to. Understand their tools and levers, what they care about, and what success looks like for them. Start from a place of empathy and focus on making the other person understand your point, rather than just delivering your own perspective.
Framing communication for different stakeholders
To effectively communicate technical concepts to stakeholders, frame the discussion in terms that they care about. Understand their priorities, such as revenue or customer renewals, and explain how your proposal aligns with those priorities. Connect the technical details to business outcomes and highlight the impact it can have on their priorities.
Building relationships and understanding stakeholders
Take the time to build relationships and understand the challenges and frustrations of the stakeholders you interact with. Prioritize open communication and face-to-face conversations to develop a deeper understanding of each other's perspectives. Building these relationships can help you better tailor your communication and identify leverage opportunities.
Building Relationships for Effective Communication
To effectively communicate with others, it is important to build relationships and understand their interests, challenges, and beliefs. This can be achieved through asking questions, actively listening, and getting to know individuals on a personal level. By doing so, one can tailor their ideas or proposals to align with the person's needs, priorities, and values. Building relationships can also help establish trust and create a more receptive environment for communication and collaboration.
Increasing Impact and Advancement
In order to increase impact and advance within an organization, it is crucial to transition from solely solving problems to identifying problems and rallying the right people to address them. This involves observing and understanding the friction points and challenges within the organization, and packaging solutions or initiatives that address those specific issues. By expanding the scope of impact, collaborating across teams, and building relationships with stakeholders, one can enhance their value and contribute to the organization's success. Additionally, continuously improving human skills such as emotional intelligence and self-awareness can aid in effectively navigating workplace dynamics and maximizing professional growth.
Long time friend KBall makes his “first” appearance on The Changelog by way of Changelog & Friends. You likely know Kevin from his panelist position on JS Party. Today he’s sharing his passion for coaching and developing human skills.
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