Nicholas Bate

How To Be (3) More Of An Influencer

We all seek to hang onto our views, paradigms and perhaps even prejudices. Especially those that are core to us; after all they are intrinsically us, our identity, our very being. Thus we really shouldn't be surprised when the team is definitely under-whelmed by the restructuring plan, our brother is hostile to our choice of girlfriend and nobody wants the new superstore in their part of town. How do we become better at influencing? Certainly by getting close. Close enough to show we genuinely do understand their point of view. That's why influencing by e-mail is hard. In addition remember that logic isn't everything; emotion plays a huge role in our beliefs and those are hardly always logical. But hang on in there. With respect, appropriate closeness, logic and emotion people can be swayed: and those most against an idea can be its biggest advocate when finally 'tipped'.

How To Be (2) More Well

The real top-line answer is to work at it. Wellness is created. There's stuff we can't control: that's the gene lottery. But we still have plenty of scope to generate the core characteristics of wellness: energy, focus and concentration. Plus a sense of lightheartedness or an ability to not take it all too seriously. And the key? The gym? Vitamin tablets? Yoga? Possibly any of those. Maybe all of those. Possibly none of those. The key is once again to get attached to our body, both mentally and physically. To treat it less as a carrier and more of something we live with every minute of the day: notice its sophisticated feed-back systems of moods, aches and concerns. The mind/body cannot always be pampered. But it cannot always be ignored; not without serious consequences.

How To Be (1) More Productive

The real top line answer is more on the philosophy and less on the mechanics. There is no shortage of systems for getting things done. But there is a danger: the more we focus on getting things done, the less time we have for thinking, prioritising and evaluating and the less we consider whether we are indeed getting the RIGHT things done. The more we automate and reduce to a system of mechanics our productivity approach the more we perhaps detach ourselves from what is actually vital. To spend more time thinking. To be more of a philosopher perhaps, allows the soul to remind us-quite naturally- of that which needs attention. Our health perhaps. A longer term vision for the organisation perhaps. And out of those reminders of which the mind is always aware so long as its consciousness hasn't been knocked out of it through sheer draining busyness, tactical plans can be developed. More philosophy, less mechanics.