Edward Jezierski(left) and Per Vonge Nielsen(right).
I like to learn from everyone around me.  One of my most influential mentors has been my manager, Per.  Here’s a highlight of some of the lessons I learned from Per over the years:
Communication

Consolidate communication.   Chunky over chatty.  Rather than a random stream of ideas, consolidate down to a theme.  Rather than a bunch of mini-mails, consolidate to a more meaningful message.
Distinguish between phases of communication.  Walt Disney used three stages for ideas: Dreamer, Realist, and Critic.  Dreamer is the vision, Realist is the …

Photo by Daniel E. Bruce
How can you solve conflict more effectively?  Do you find yourself stuck in arguments that go nowhere fast?  You know the ones, where the longer you argue, the more you spiral down.  If you don’t know the secret of conflict resolution, you can literally spend a lifetime butting heads and locking horns.  If you know the secret, then you can recognize situations and quickly get unstuck.
What’s the secret of conflict resolution?  … Shifting tense.   Rather than focus on the …

  Photo by ninjapoodles
Do you have a routine for getting into your best mindset?  Exceptional thinking is when you’re in the moment.  You’re fully focused on the task at hand.  You’re not practicing.  You’re performing.
If you have a routine, then you can consistently shift gears to get into your best mindset.  In Overachievement: The New Science of Working Less to Accomplish More , John Eliot, Ph.D. writes about using routines to consistently think your best when you need it most.      …