Whew!
I’m guessing most Wordle players have experienced Whew! When you get the word on your 6th try? That’s me with Niki’s Notes this week. I’ve been collecting stories to share with you, but it was a challenge finding the time to pull it all together. So, whew! And here we go:
- I think we all know mental labor can be exhausting. But why? And is there something we can do to ease the fatigue that follows long rounds of thinking? The Economist talks about the science behind this. How can you use this information to encourage your team to take breaks rather than plowing on and on to exhaustion?
- And on that note, Calm has a series for leaders you may enjoy. In this series is a 10-minute talk about resilience and how “pushing on” when you’re tired is actually not the answer. I shared this with my team at DBE, and we’re talking about it to explore ways to help each other based on these perspectives.
- What’s the smartest age? You might be right, let’s see in this Ted-Ed video.
- Valentine’s Day is just a month away. If you’re giving or receiving flowers, know that UBloom.com recommends using a knife, not scissors, to cut the stems. And what’s that white powder in those little packets? Here’s the answer, via Bouqs.
- Want to lower your carbon footprint? I do. But I was shocked at how many answers I got wrong on a quiz from the New York Times on that topic. Shocked, shocked I say. Let’s see how you do, and then let’s work together to make real change.
- And like the survey says, cutting back on business travel, by air in particular, is good on multiple levels. Here’s a story from Fortune.
Noteworthy 🖋
The Price Whisperer
How does your company develop pricing strategies and plans? Are you confident they’re optimal? Do you worry you’re leaving money on the table or that your competitors are stealing away valuable customers because their pricing is more appealing?
If you’re still pricing using your gut or with your sense of what the market will bear, you may want to get a little more scientific about pricing for success, and I’ve got a suggestion for you.
Per Sjofors is the founder and CEO of Sjofors & Partners, Inc., a pricing consultancy that uses AI software to identify sales and profit leaks, accurately predicting sales volume at different prices. This process correlates market research data and determines market demographics, features/functions, and even marketing messages, resulting in growth rate increases and higher profits.
Per is also on the Forbes Business Council as a pricing strategy advisor, and the author of The Price Whisperer: A Holistic Approach to Pricing Power. If you want to learn more, visit their website. When you contact Per, please let him know you learned about him via Niki’s Notes.
Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Evidence Action 🌟
Evidence Action’s goal is to reduce poverty and spur growth in developing countries using strategic, high-value investments of scarce resources from donors, governments, or communities. Some of their initiatives include delivering safe water and providing treatments for parasitic infections. See how you can help: Evidence Action.
- Do you have racial biases? Do you want to find out if you’re correct? This is a test for determining if someone has Black/White preferences. It’s hosted on the Harvard website and is from the book, Blindspot. I’ll share that the test said I’m not biased, which I knew, but it felt good to have that validated. And as an ally, I’m always eager to learn how to help others. I learned about this test and am always learning from this Instagram account: RacialEqualityInsights.
- I haven’t purchased…yet…but have you seen augmented reality jewelry? Check this out.
- Scientists recently discovered another layer of our brains—a membrane that protects it. It’s heady stuff (I couldn’t resist 😊.)
That’s a wrap! I hope this issue was thought-provoking, informative, and that there are perspectives to help you as a leader. We win through understanding, so let’s keep gathering and sharing good info!
