Quick Win: Harnessing the Power of Thinking Days with Google boss Mel Silva
Mar 6, 2024
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Learn from Google boss Mel Silva about the power of Thinking Days to boost productivity and deep work. Dive into the challenges of adapting culture to changing work environments and the importance of intentional questioning for strategic outcomes.
Thinking Days involve deep reflection and planning every six weeks for insightful decision-making.
Using Thinking Days for strategic discussions can address challenges and drive organizational change effectively.
Deep dives
Implementing Thinking Days for Deep Work
Thinking Days, introduced by Mel Silva, involve taking a day every six weeks to focus on deep thinking and strategic planning. These days aim to create an uninterrupted space for reflecting on important topics, free from daily distractions. To make Thinking Days effective, preparation is key, requiring outlining specific topics in advance and gathering necessary information. The outcome often includes detailed mind maps and actionable insights that can drive meaningful discussions and strategic decisions.
Challenging Current Practices through Thinking Days
Thinking Days also serve as a platform to address significant challenges and drive organizational change. An example shared by Mel Silva involves reevaluating Google's culture and programs amidst global shifts and uncertainties. By structuring her Thinking Day around analyzing past, present, and future states, Silva was able to create a strategic discussion guide for an upcoming leadership offsite. This process encourages intentional reflection and ensures proactive decision-making in response to complex issues.
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Transformative Power of Thinking Days for Productivity and Deep Work
Have you ever found yourself drowning in a sea of tasks, feeling like there's never enough time to think deeply about the things that truly matter? Mel Silva, who heads up Google's Australian and NZ business, has been there, and she's found a powerful solution. Thinking Days. And in today's Quick Win episode, you'll learn how to create your own.
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