 I first read Eric Berne’s The Games People Play whilst on a course back in the early 2000s. It was a three-day Women in Management event, and the trainers had brought along a small library of recommended titles we could borrow. I picked up Berne’s book on the first morning and barely put it down. Every break, every evening moment, I was completely absorbed. When I returned it on the final day, I knew I wasn’t finished, so I ordered a copy for next-day delivery and read it cover to cover that weekend. What I read opened my eyes to how we interact with one another, particularly in professional environments. Berne’s observations on human behaviour and transactional patterns stuck with me long after that course. His insights into the subtle games we play, often without realising, still influence how I interpret team dynamics, stakeholder conversations and even digital communication. When Games People Play was published in 1964, Zoom meetings and Slack messages weren’t even a thought. Yet the behavioural patterns he described appear everywhere; in office politics, cryptic emails and the unsaid tension of a virtual team call. The tools may have changed, but the dynamics remain.
0 Comments
 We’ve all been there. You're planning a campaign or reviewing quarterly progress, and terms like KPI, benchmark, and OKR are often used interchangeably. Add in the occasional 'vanity metric' or talk of industry standards, and it’s no wonder that clients, teams and stakeholders end up talking at cross purposes.
So let’s straighten things out. This post will take a closer look at what these different measurement tools mean, how they work together, and why understanding the distinction is key to making better decisions. And yes, we’ll also tackle the role of vanity metrics and the unsung heroes of measurement: hygiene checks.  Confidence can feel like the first thing to vanish when a meeting goes wrong, a plan falls flat, or a conversation leaves you questioning your value. In the workplace, confidence is often mistaken for bravado or noise.
But real confidence? That’s quiet, consistent, and powerful. It allows you to speak up when it matters, to say no when needed, and to lead calmly even when things feel chaotic. If your self-belief has taken a knock, the return journey might feel like climbing uphill in office shoes. So here are five practical reminders to help you steady your footing and feel more in control, whether you're managing a team, leading a project, or navigating a tough season.  There are some meetings that linger in the mind long after the room has emptied.
Back in 2001, I had the rare privilege of hearing Ken Blanchard speak. Charismatic, insightful, and remarkably good at distilling leadership ideas into relatable stories, he stayed behind afterwards to chat. I was a newly appointed manager then, handed a slim book with a big title: The One Minute Manager. It was one of several texts I was recommended to read during those formative years. Now, two decades and many strategies later, I’ve found myself revisiting the old titles on my shelf. As part of my occasional Friday Book Club, I’ll be exploring what still holds up and what doesn’t. So, let’s start with this classic: The One Minute Manager. Has it earned its place in the modern workplace, or is it better left in the past?  Success rarely stems from chance. While context and timing play their part, consistent performance is almost always underpinned by disciplined habits. These habits are not exclusive to entrepreneurs. They are evident in senior leaders, consultants, creatives, and technical experts alike. Across roles and industries, the most effective people adopt a similar approach to structure, accountability, and long-term thinking. Whether you’re scaling a business, leading a team, or shaping strategic campaigns, these are the behaviours that create momentum and resilience.  You can have the sharpest ideas and the strongest strategy, but if they never reach your audience, they don’t deliver results. That’s where scheduling comes in. Not as a rigid framework or time-sapping admin task, but as a practical way to make sure the work you care about actually gets done — and gets seen. Whether you're running multiple campaigns, juggling content channels or trying to bring consistency to your visibility, scheduling can be a calm companion in the noise.  Time is finite. So is energy. But both are essential resources when you’re balancing strategy, delivery and everything in between. Whether you’re a marketing leader, business owner or multitasking consultant, the pressure to achieve more in less time can feel relentless. And while there’s no universal blueprint for perfect productivity, there are principles that can help you manage your focus, effort and output with greater clarity. Here are three simple laws that underpin effective time and effort management in today’s digital-first world. |
AboutArchived articles from the digital crafter blog and new articles from me Archives
November 2025
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
