White Oak Media

Storytelling workshops for sales teams and executives.

Founder

Level Up Newsletter

Write daily posts and a weekly newsletter on communication, personal branding and strategic thinking.

🔸 Built a newsletter to 11,000+ subscribers
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🔸 52,000 followers

Writer

VMware

Senior Delivery Leader, Enterprise Transformation Engagements

Stirling Consulting

Director, Digital Transformation

York University

Senior Delivery Lead, Software Engineering, LCS

Flow State

Led a software development team building enterprise-grade system integration software.

Clients included: Danone, Red Flag Deals, the University of Montreal, Concordia, etc.

Engineering Team Lead 

Emerge Ahead, Inc.

Senior Software Engineer

Microsoft

.NET Evangelist

Want to grow your business? Craft and share a story that connects with your customers. DM me to learn how.

This is what happens when you learn something new. 

It’s 6:25 am. I am sitting in my green chair.

I get my phone out of my pocket and put it in front of my face.  It tells me that it can't recognize my face, so I type in my pass code. The home screen is full of apps, and I take a second to find the app I want to open. 

It’s the Kindle app.  It opens to page 263 of 481. I am about 57% done. 

The book I am reading is called Very Good Copy, by Eddy Shleyner. It’s about copywriting. Copywriting is the discipline of writing ads, advertisements, and website content to sell products. 

The chapter I am about to read is called Writing Immersive Stories.  It begins with a story about a hospital visit. Eddie talks about his experience just before and right after surgery. He then breaks down a technique for writing stories called “realism.” 

He offers two more examples. I read them. I can’t stop. The technique is so effective that my mind won’t let me put my phone down. 

I finish the chapter, and I feel empowered. Inspired.  Excited.  I learned something new today.

Learning something will make you feel that way, excited, empowered. But that is not the end of it. When you apply what you learn and get results, the feelings of success and accomplishment can often overwhelm you and send you jumping up and down like a little kid. 

The key is to apply the learning.  And over the years, that’s what I’ve done. 

When I learned communication and writing, I:

🔹 Improved the lives of thousands of my readers
🔹 Built an audience of 55k+ people 
🔹 Written 850+ posts

When I learned product management, I: 

🔹 Led $10M + enterprise software modernization projects
🔹 Mentored and coached dozens of product managers
🔹 Build 18+ software products

When I learned strategic thinking, I: 

🔹 Reduced time-to-market from months to weeks for a Fortune 500 client
🔹 Saved companies over $100M+ in operating expenses
🔹 Enhanced customer service efficiency by 30%

And much more. 

Learning can transform you and your career in unimaginable ways. All you need is an open mind and a willingness to put what you learned into practice.

If you want to: 

→ Upgrade your career without sacrificing your sanity or personal life
→ Own the room with executive presence and unshakable clarity.
→ Earn respect, recognition, and rewards at work

🔥 Then sign up for my weekly newsletter at terrydanylak.com/the-vault

15 questions you should ask in a job interview,
to stand out from other candidates. 

📌 Asking boring questions makes you anonymous. 

Top candidates evolve the interview into a conversation that stays with the interviewers after the interview.

Here they are: 

1/ How would you describe the culture here? 
How people work and interact with each other will affect your performance.

2/ What makes people stay in this company?
Uncover the hidden work culture signals to help you make your decision. 

3/ What does failure look like in this role? 
Learn what they think about failure and whether they prioritize learning from it. 

4/ What is this team's communication style?
Figure out whether you will fit in easily with your future colleagues and boss. 

5/ What are the weekly success metrics for this position?
Every high-performing team tracks metrics to help them improve over time. 

6/ Is there someone who’s left this role before, and why? 
Uncover potential turnover problems that could lead to your future exit.

7/ What do the first 90 days look like?
Show them that you are looking forward to getting started. 

8/ How does the company support learning?
It is crucial to know if they offer continuing education opportunities. 

9/ Describe this company’s culture in three words.
Use it to extract the true values that underpin the work culture there. 

10/ What's a typical career progression in this role?
Figure out if there is a future for you here, beyond this role. 

11/ What do you value most in your team members?
Get insight into everyone’s work style and the qualities they prefer. 

12/ What skills would help me excel in this role? 
Learn the key factors that could help you be a success here.

13/ What is the company’s biggest goal this year?
Discover the main goal the company is dedicating all its resources to. 

14/ What concerns do you have about me and my skills?
Address any objections and doubts early on in the interview process.

15/ What’s the next step? When can I expect to hear back?
Close the interview by identifying next steps and inviting them to call you back. 

✨ Asking questions is as much about standing out as it is about finding out if this is the right job for you. 

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Terry Danylak

Helping overwhelmed team leaders establish processes that deliver high-impact results • Fortune 500 coach • Delivered $100M+ in savings for enterprises

10 Habits That Make You Look Unprofessional
(and how to fix them!)

🔥 Being a professional is more than just showing up.  
It’s about how you show up.

Here’s the harsh truth:
Small, seemingly harmless habits can quickly undermine your reputation.

Master these fixes to elevate your confidence and improve your image:

1/ Not proofreading
Typos make you look careless and unprepared.

➟ Double check the spelling
➟ Read the email or document again
➟ Ask others to check if it’s important

2/ Cutting people off
Cutting people off is very rude and extremely disrespectful.

➟ Wait to respond
➟ Let the other person finish
➟ Think about your answer, then talk

3/ Being late, a lot
Lateness demonstrates your poor time management skills.

➟ Arrive early when you can
➟ Send a message if you’re late
➟ Apologize and don’t repeat it again

4/ Missing deadlines
Constant delays damages trust and your relationships.

➟ Keep communications open
➟ Ask for help before it’s too late
➟ Let people know if you’re behind

5/ Oversharing
Sharing too much personal information puts you at risk.

➟ If in doubt, don’t say it
➟ Keep conversations professional
➟ Stop others from oversharing too

6/ Being defensive
Being overly defensive creates tension at work.

➟ Cool down before reacting
➟ Wait to hear the full idea first
➟ Take a breath before responding

7/ Being messy
Your cluttered desk suggests you’re disorganized.

➟ Tidy your space daily
➟ Keep your documents organized
➟ Use a system like the PARA method

8/ Playing favourites
Being overly partial to certain colleagues can create tension. 

➟ Treat everyone fairly
➟ Make sure everyone is participating
➟ Respect other’s skills and experience

9/ Ignoring feedback.
Dismissing feedback shows a lack of self-awareness.

➟ Listen to advice
➟ Act on advice if it is useful
➟ Say thank you for people’s help

10/ Gossiping.
Talking behind people’s backs creates a toxic work culture.

➟ Don’t spread rumours
➟ Don’t listen to others gossiping
➟ Don’t share if you’re not allowed

📌 Remember:
What you do consistently will shape how people see you. 
Personally and professionally. 

What habit do you see the most in the workplace? 
Share in the comments. ⬇️

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Habits that make you look unprofessional

You don't need to be 100% qualified. 
You need to be 100% prepared.

There is no perfect candidate.
There is a perfectly prepared candidate.

Meet most of the criteria? Apply for the job.
Make yourself stand out by answering this question.

🔥 What do you bring to the table?

It could be:

🆕 New Ideas
⛳ Leadership skills
🎙️ Personal branding
📝 Communication skills
💼 Wisdom and experience
⚒️ Getting sh*t done attitude
💲 Connections to funding sources
☕ Building relationships with clients
🚧 Ability to fix problems under deadlines

Answering this question helps you narrow down your unfair advantage.

You can find your unfair advantage in one of these categories:

1. Money
2. Intelligence
3. Location
4. Education
5. Status
6. Vision
7. Resourcefulness
8. Grit
9. Leadership

📌 Remember!

Most people don’t get hired because they fit 100%.
People get hired because they stand out 100%.

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“What are your weaknesses?”
How to answer the most dreaded interview question:

❌ The answer most people usually give:

• I’m a workaholic
• I’m a bit of a perfectionist
• I’m not good at managing multiple tasks

✅ What the hiring manager wants to know:

• Are you self-aware?
• Are you an honest person?
• Do you have a plan to improve?

Use this Self-Aware Reply formula to answer this question. It has three parts that help you communicate that you are a dependable candidate.

🔥 The Self-Aware Reply:

• The Positive Trait
• The Skill To Improve
• The Plan To Improve it

Let’s break it down:

1️⃣ The Positive Trait
Lay the foundation for the area you want to improve.

I am … → Describe your positive trait.

(Check out the example in the carousel.)

2️⃣ The Skill To Improve:

I tend to… → your weaker skill.
I realized that… → your realization about what to improve.
My goal is… → your improvement goal.

3️⃣ The Plan To Improve It:

I’ve been… → the steps you’re taking.
I’m reading… → the books you’re reading.

Finish with this statement:

I am also open to being coached and would be grateful to develop a mentor/mentee relationship with you.

📌 Write out and memorize your answer.

When you answer this question using this formula, you demonstrate that you are:

• Self-aware
• Coachable
• Driven to improve yourself
• A reader who likes to learn

🔸For your interview, prepare an answer for two weaknesses.

Check out the carousel for more examples.

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How to answer the most dreaded interview question

The secret to unstoppable self-confidence:
Believe in yourself.

But it’s easier said than done.

🔺 What kills self-confidence?
It starts in the morning, with your thoughts:

• I don’t like how I look
• I am exhausted
• I am not ready

It continues during the day:

• I am shy
• I can’t do it
• I don’t belong here
• I am not good enough
• I will never learn how to do it

⛔ STOP IT.

Self-confidence is about belief, but that belief is built on these five pillars.

1️⃣ Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.
If you don’t feel confident about doing something, you haven’t done it enough times.

How confident were you:

• When you first started driving a car?
• After driving hundreds of times?

2️⃣ Self-Talk
Stop telling yourself you are not good enough because every else already does.

Change what you say to yourself:

Don’t pick me! ⇒ Pick me!!!
I can’t do it ⇒ I will learn quickly
I’m nervous ⇒ I am excited

3️⃣ Celebrate Your Victories
Small victories, big victories. Any victories. 

A fertilizer for confidence is called celebration.

Said hello to a clerk ⇒ Celebrate
Asked for a discount ⇒ Celebrate
Spoke up at a meeting ⇒ Celebrate
Took charge of a project ⇒ Celebrate

4️⃣ Become Delusional, Just A Little
Interpret negative feedback in a positive way. But don’t go overboard.

You have to believe you’re good enough to feel that you’re good enough.

Audience was quiet ⇒ They were enthralled
Didn’t get the deal ⇒ Wasn’t a good one
Didn’t get hired ⇒ Overqualified

5️⃣ Believe In Yourself
No one will believe in you unless you do.

—

The only thing that is ever in your control is what you think about.

When you think about yourself, make it a positive thought.
This is how you will build unstoppable confidence.

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Unstoppable Self-Confidence

10 Japanese concepts that will change how you work. 

Japanese culture is rich in ways we can use to improve ourselves at work and at home. ⛩️ 

Ancient wisdom, gathered through thousands of years of experience and reflection, can serve as your beacon as you navigate our busy and always-on lives. 

Here are 10 Japanese concepts that will change how you live:

1️⃣ Ikigai: Find your purpose and passion
People who have a purpose live longer.
↳ Your ikigai is what gets you up in the morning
↳ Find what you love and what others will pay for

2️⃣ Omoiyari: Show sincere compassion
Try to make life easier for others. 
↳ In what you do and how you act
↳ In how you work and what products you create

3️⃣ Wabi-sabi: Strive for excellence, not perfection
A way of life that embraces imperfection & simplicity.
↳ Eliminate clutter in how you work and how you speak
↳ Embrace things as they are

4️⃣ Mottainai: Work sustainably
Be intentional with your actions and your work.
↳ Don’t waste your talent in the wrong place
↳ Eliminate unnecessary processes 

5️⃣ Shin-Gi-Tai: Mind, technique, body
The three elements of maximum performance.
↳ Meditate to clear your mind
↳ Learn new skills to stay sharp
↳ Exercise to live a healthy life

6️⃣ Kaizen: Improve continuously
Make small, incremental changes continuously.
↳ Pick a skill or a process to improve every week
↳ Review your successes and failures  

7️⃣ Shuhari: Learn the basics, improve, improvise
Learn the techniques, make improvements, and adapt.
↳ Mastery begins with learning the rules
↳ Mastery is achieved when rules don’t matter

8️⃣ Shoshin: Be curious about everything 
Adopt a beginner’s mindset when solving problems.
↳ Ask lots of questions, even the dumb ones
↳ Be open to challenging your understanding 

9️⃣ Shokunin: Become a master craftsman
Go on a lifelong journey towards mastery.
↳ Cultivate a deep understanding of your craft
↳ Develop a sense of pride in your work

🔟 Ho-Ren-So: Over-communicate
Report, communicate, and consult as much as you can.
↳ Gain trust and authority by sharing information
↳ Improve decision-making and speed of execution 

I’ve applied these principles in my work and seen 10x improvement in my output and my outcomes. 

📌 But more importantly, these concepts helped me find the right path in our chaotic world. 

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10 Japanese Concepts

How to answer the most sensitive interview question:
“Why did you leave your last job?”

❌ The answer most people want to give:

• You didn’t get paid enough
• You didn’t like the people
• You weren’t happy there
• You weren’t challenged
• You were laid off

✅ What the hiring manager wants to know:

• Will you be cynical about them?
• How you answer this question?
• Why did you leave the company?

Use this Tactful Response formula to answer this question.

It has three parts that help you show that you have accomplished a lot and are ready to grow.

🔥 The Tactful Response:

• Your proudest achievement
• Your gratitude for your job
• Your readiness to grow

Let’s break it down:

1️⃣ Your Proudest Achievement
Show that you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve.

I’ve enjoyed … → *years working at the company.*
Where I … → *describe your proudest result.*

(Check out the example in the carousel)

2️⃣ Gratitude For Your Job
Explain that you’ve enjoyed working with the people, learning and growing.

During this time, I’ve … → *describe what you learned.*
I’ve met … → *describe who made a difference in your life.*

I am thankful for all that I’ve achieved and to all that have helped me achieve it.

3️⃣ Readiness To Grow:
Show you ready to grow.

I am ready for more. I am ready to take on new challenges. I am ready to grow.
I am looking for … → describe the challenge you are looking for.

Finish with this statement:

Joining your company feels like the right move for me.

📌 Write out and memorize your answer.

When you answer this question using this formula, you demonstrate that you are:

• Professional
• Respectful of others
• Thankful for opportunities

Check out the carousel for a complete example.

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Why did you leave you last job.

Got an interview coming up? 
Does it make you feel nervous?

It won't if you prepare for it.

🔥 Save this cheat sheet and crush your next job interview.

1️⃣ What’s the hardest problem you’ve ever worked on? 
↳ This is a test for your problem-solving skills. Pick a hard problem, explain why it was hard, and show how you’ve solved it. 

2️⃣ Tell me about a time when you had to handle an ethical dilemma.
↳ An example could be how you stopped someone from stealing or doing something that would be harmful to a client or the company.

3️⃣ Tell me about a problem you found that others missed. 
↳ Explain what you found and why others may have missed it. Show what you did to fix it. Finally, describe how you shared what you learned with the team.

4️⃣ Describe a situation where you had to manage multiple projects at once 
↳ This question is about your ability to prioritize and delegate work. Explain how you organize your work and your team. Show how you get things done. 

5️⃣ Tell me about a time you missed a deadline. What did you do?
↳ Be honest about it, admit that you’ve missed a deadline. Highlight how you communicated with stakeholders throughout the process.

6️⃣ What motivates you at work?
↳ The interviewer is looking to understand you at a deeper level. Identify your motivation and show how it aligns with the company’s mission and values.

7️⃣ When was the last time you changed your opinion about something big?
↳ To answer this question well, show that you have a growth mindset. Tell a story and describe how new information made you reevaluate your opinion.

8️⃣ What’s the most constructive feedback you’ve received? 
↳ Explain how it was difficult to take, but you kept an open mind. Show how you applied the advice.

9️⃣ Describe a time you had to learn a skill quickly
↳ Describe the skill you had to learn. Explain your plan for learning. Show the result and how long it took.

🔟 Can you describe when you had to give difficult feedback?
↳ This is a test of your ability to improve others. If you’ve never done it, describe a method you would use.

—

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17 worst career mistakes
(And how to fix them to boost your career)

1/ Overstaying
Staying too long at a job because it feels comfortable. 

2/ Not having friends outside of work
Thinking that your colleagues are your real friends.

3/ Not building a network at work
Believing that you can get promoted on merit.

4/ Thinking you’re irreplaceable
Telling everyone that if you leave the place, it’s toast. 

5/ Solving all problems
Trying to put out all fires, no matter how small. 

6/ Avoiding office politics
Ignoring office games, hoping you won’t be affected.

7/ Waiting for others to take charge
Not taking charge when the opportunity strikes. 

8/ Playing the short game
Only thinking of your next move or next promotion.

9/ Avoiding hard work
Looking for shortcuts and quick-fix solutions.

10/ Trusting everyone blindly
Believing that others will stick up for you. 

11/ Not asking questions
Staying silent in meetings for fear of looking stupid.

12/ Chasing status
Pretending you are a bigger deal than you are.  

13/ Ignoring industry trends
Staying in the past, doing work the “old” way.  

14/ Avoiding difficult feedback
Being afraid to give truthful feedback to bad employees.

15/ Not building a personal brand
Believing others will speak for you and your work.

16/ Becoming too specialized
Focusing on one skill and ignoring others.

17/ Avoiding all risk
Not trying anything new because it is risky.

Most of our work lives are spent thinking we’re making the right moves and the right choices. 

Yet, most of our right moves often turn out to be big career mistakes. 

Agree? 

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17 Worst Career Mistakes

10 uncommon habits of high performers
(that everyone should pay attention to)

🔥 High performers stand out because they do things that other people don’t even think about. 

In today’s job market, you have to find your edge because the playing field has been levelled.

Everyone has:

• Necessary credentials 
• Certifications, awards and degrees
• Results-based experience descriptions

But that’s not what gets you results. 

What actually gets you the job you want, the career you crave, is:

➟ Being dependable
➟ Being focused on learning daily
➟ Being available when you’re needed
➟ Being someone everyone wants to work with
➟ Being ready and willing to make a real impact

📌 If you want to stand out and make a real impact, here’s what you need to focus on: 

1️⃣ Learning
Learning the skills you need to succeed. 
↳ Master one skill at a time
↳ Don’t spread yourself too thin

2️⃣ Applying
Applying skills in the right environment.
↳ Not everyone will appreciate your skills
↳ Move to a place where your skills are wanted

3️⃣ Acting
Taking action instead of waiting.
↳ Everyone can talk about doing things
↳ Don’t talk, take action

4️⃣ Creating
Creating value and being useful. 
↳ Always ask if your work adds value
↳ Reduce wasteful work to a minimum

5️⃣ Taking
Taking a stand for what you believe in.
↳ Have principles and be known for them
↳ Choose what is right instead of what is easy

6️⃣ Fixing
Fixing mistakes instead of hiding them.
↳ If you’re wrong, admit it
↳ If you’ve made a mistake, fix it

7️⃣ Showing 
Showing up no matter what, day after day.
↳ Take responsibility for your actions
↳ Lead by example, every day

8️⃣ Asking
Asking for feedback to improve yourself.
↳ Reflect on your successes
↳ Internalize lessons from your failures

9️⃣ Delivering
Delivering on your promise.
↳ Under promise
↳ Over deliver

🔟 Promoting
Promoting your work at every opportunity.
↳ Tell others what you’ve achieved
↳ Acknowledge the people who have helped you

📌 High performers focus on many things. 
But one thing that makes the biggest difference is making a big impact in the real world.  

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10 Uncommon Habits of Top Performers

The best leaders help their people feel inspired.
The best leaders help their people succeed.
The best leaders help their people grow.
The best leaders help their people win.
The best leaders help their people.

Leadership is not your title.
Leadership is your actions.

📌 Remember that.

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Give me 2 minutes, and I will teach you the framework for dealing with difficult people.

Think of a time you had to deal with a difficult person.

🔺 How did you feel?

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Anger

🔺 When your body goes into stress mode, you experience:

• A heightened state of anxiety

• Rational thought processes shut down

• Your metabolism slows down

All negative things. Which makes learning how to deal with difficult people all the more important.

👉 There are 7 types of difficult people:
(See the carousel for descriptions)

• The A**hole
• The Indifferent
• The One Upper
• The Gossiper
• The Grouch
• The Clinger
• The Know-it-all

And you have probably dealt with each one before. But now, you will have the framework to help you handle them better.

1️⃣ Assess The Situation

It is tempting to react to what people do or say. Before you do:

1. Pause
2. Take a deep breath
3. Acknowledge the type
4. Ask the Reset Question

“Why is this person acting this way?”

2️⃣ Reframe The Behaviour

To respond instead of react, you must reframe their behaviour in your mind.

Aggressive ⇒ Dedicated
Inattentive ⇒ Distracted
Stubborn ⇒ Headstrong
Clinging ⇒ Curious
Mad ⇒ Intense

Reframing helps your mind reduce the effect of your amygdala (the fear response center).

3️⃣ Reflect On The Cost

The cost of our reaction is steep. Before you respond, ask yourself these 3 questions:

• Is this stress worth the cost?
• Is this worth my heart attack?
• Is this the hill I want to die on?

In 99.999% of situations, it’s not worth getting angry or stressed out.

4️⃣ Reset The Situation

When things get heated, and you find yourself in the middle of a storm, reset the situation.

Say this:

“I noticed that both of us are getting too passionate about this.
Why don’t we take a break to reset?”

Or this:

“Why don’t we take a step back and reset? Then come back at this with clear heads.”

When you step back and reset the situation, you can clear your mind and make better decisions.

🔥 It’s On You

You can either get mad, stressed out and get hurt, or you can:

• Assess
• Reframe
• Reflect
• Reset

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How to deal with difficult people

What do you call an alligator in a vest?
An investigator. 😂

Put a joke in the comments to make people laugh: 

How to be funny in 5 easy steps.
That’s all it takes. 

All of the benefits that humour provides:

→ Improves focus
→ Aids in learning
→ Increases happiness

All backed by serious scientific research.

How to be funny…

1️⃣ Exaggerate
Take an observation about something and exaggerate it out of proportion.

Examples:

• “l literally grew this beard waiting for you.”
• “My father told me a million times never to exaggerate.”
• “The movie was so bad, people were lined up to get out.”

🔥 The more absurd the comparison, the funnier it can be.

Learning Difficulty: 💪

2️⃣ Misdirect
Lead the people in one direction and surprise them by going in a completely different one.

Examples:

• “I hate people who think it's clever to take drugs...like customs officers.”
• “Drugs may lead to nowhere, but at least it's the scenic route.”
• “My grandfather started walking a mile a day when he was 70. He’s 95 now, and we have no clue where he is.”

🔥 Make a connection no one expects.

Learning Difficulty: 💪

3️⃣ Be Sarcastic
Say something that is obviously the opposite of what you are thinking.

Examples:

• “ I can totally keep secrets. It’s the people I tell them to who can’t.”
• “Always remember: You’re just as unique as everybody else.”
• “Hi there, I’m human. What are you?”

🔥 Warning: Some people won’t get it.

Learning Difficulty: 💪 💪

4️⃣ Use Puns
Exploit the different possible meanings of a word or words that sound alike and have different meanings.

Examples:

• “I’d tell you a chemistry joke, but I know I wouldn’t get a reaction.”
• “I read a book about helium once. I couldn’t put it down.”
• “I used to be a banker, but I lost interest.”

🔥 Be ready to make a “Ba Dum Tss!” sound.

Learning Difficulty: 💪 💪 💪

5️⃣ Make Fun Of Yourself
Share your quirks and vulnerabilities in a funny way.

Example:

• “Feel free to use me as a bad example. That way, I won’t be totally useless. “
• “Not to brag, but I haven’t had a mood swing in like 7 minutes.”
• “They say money talks. But all mine says is goodbye.”

🔥 Can be difficult for some to make fun of themselves.

Learning Difficulty: 💪 💪 💪

—

Bonus

🙀 Tell Funny Stories
Telling stories can be a powerful way to become better at humour.

• Use unexpected punchlines (exaggeration or misdirection)
• Tell embarrassing and funny events

—

Humour will make you feel better, happier and more confident.
Especially if you’re funny.

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The Skill of Humor

Connect The Dots.
(Lessons from Steve Jobs)

Steve Jobs was a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer era. He founded Apple and started the mobile phone revolution.

1️⃣ Follow Your Curiosity
Jobs learned about fonts by dropping in on a calligraphy class in college.

Later, he used this knowledge to create beautiful typography on the Mac.

Exploration:

• Helps you build knowledge
• Helps you find new opportunities
• Helps you innovate and create new things

🔥 Follow your intuition.

2️⃣ Trust In Yourself
You can make things happen. Dream Big.

Believe in yourself.

When you believe in yourself:

• You gain confidence
• You eliminate self-doubt
• You inspire yourself and others

🔥 You succeed at anything you try.

3️⃣ Find What You Love
The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

You have to keep looking until you find it.

How to start:

• Define your vision
• Determine your values
• Experiment, fail, learn, experiment

🔥 You’ll know when you find it. When you do, go all in.

4️⃣ Don’t Lose Faith
You will have many setbacks. Obstacles will appear out of nowhere. Don’t lose faith.

Why keep going:

• That’s how you become resilient
• That’s how you learn and grow
• That’s how you win

🔥 Do what you love, and the rewards will come.

5️⃣ Connect The Dots
You can’t connect the dots looking forward.

You can only connect them by looking backwards.

Find the connection:

• Examine your past knowledge
• Look for unusual patterns
• Connect the dots

🔥 You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in the future.

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Steve Jobs Motivation

The quickest way to improve anything is to reduce waste.
In business, this can save millions.

📌 What is waste?

Any work that you do that doesn't create value.

• Waiting to use the equipment
• Printing unnecessary copies
• Building too many products
• Meetings with no agenda

There are eight types of waste:

🗑️ Waste of Waiting
Waiting for the next step in the process.

🗑️ Waste of Overproduction
Producing more than is required.

🗑️ Waste of Transportation
Moving things without purpose.

🗑️ Waste of Processing
Redundant effort that doesn’t add value.

🗑️ Waste of Motion
Movement that takes time but adds no value.

🗑️ Waste of Inventory
Holding excess stock that can’t be sold.

🗑️ Waste of Intellect
Underuse or misuse of people’s best skills.

🗑️ Waste of Rework
Altering delivered work that shouldn’t happen.

Each type of waste creates additional drag on your processes. This directly translates into the cost of time, money or intellectual capacity.

📌 How To Reduce Waste In Your Processes?

1. Identify the process to improve
2. List the steps in the process
3. Review each step

Then, identify:

1. The value each step adds
2. The waste each step creates
3. The blockers each step encounters

📌 Reduce waste by applying one of these process improvement techniques:

1. Relocate to a new facility.
2. Reconfigure the inputs.
3. Reallocate resources.
4. Reorder the steps.
5. Reduce the steps.
6. Remove a step.

Reducing wasted effort results in immediate benefits.
Take the first step. Then take another.

You’ll be surprised how far it takes you.

—

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li_at

JSESSIONID

Angela Barreda

You become what you believe.
(5 Powerful Lessons from Oprah Winfrey)

Oprah Winfrey, often known simply as Oprah, is an American icon. She is a talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist.

1️⃣ Intentions Create Outcomes
Your intention creates the will for you to make things happen.

What you intend to be will be.

Being intentional :

• Helps you create a positive mindset
• Helps you experience more clarity
• Helps you be more present

🔥 And it helps you achieve your biggest goals.

2️⃣ Go For What You Want
Don’t live in someone else's dream. Don’t talk about what others have.

Decide what you want and go for it.

Why go for it?

• You will try
• You will learn
• You will succeed

🔥 No one wins by playing someone else’s game.

3️⃣ You Control Your Fate
Don’t try to control what you can not control.

Become the master of your fate.

Overcome yourself with these questions:

• What are you resisting?
• What are you not allowing?
• What are you pushing against?

🔥 Control what you can. Ignore everything else.

4️⃣ Find Your Next Right Move
Don’t dwell on what you don’t know. Find the next step.

Find your next right move.

How to find your next move?

• Sit down
• Close your eyes
• Take a deep breath
• And let your mind do it for you

🔥 You already know the answer. Let it out.

5️⃣ Become what you believe
Take your dream and make it a reality. Believe in it.

Go for it like your life depends on it.

How to lean into your dream:

• Believe in yourself
• Ask for help
• Embrace it

🔥 Your dreams will come true if your mind is ready to work.

—

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Lean into your dream

10 Things You Should NEVER Put on Your Resume
(If you actually want to get interviews.)

Most resumes are ignored, not read.
Why? Because they’re filled with:

🚫 Too much fluff
🚫 Unclear and irrelevant info
🚫 Dozens of buzzwords few understand

Here are 10 resume red flags to eliminate ASAP 👇

1️⃣ Objective Statements
Objective statements add little value to your resume. 

❌ “Seeking a position where I can grow…”
✅ Use a headline that highlights what you bring, not what you want

2️⃣ Fluffy Responsibilities
Writing generic statements makes you blend in with other candidates

❌ “Oversaw multiple projects”
✅ Write: “Delivered 7 projects worth $4.2M ahead of schedule”

3️⃣ No Results
A resume without results makes it hard to judge your value.

❌ “Managed a team of designers”
✅ Write: “Led 4 designers to launch a new app, driving 20K monthly users.”

4️⃣ Paragraphs Instead of Bullets
Long paragraphs are hard to scan, and recruiters skip them.

❌ Dense walls of text
✅ Write: clean, scannable bullet points that lead with action + outcome

5️⃣ Buzzword Salad
Too many buzzwords put you in the ignore category.

❌ “Innovative, passionate, self-starter”
✅ Let your results show your drive, don’t just say it

6️⃣ Hobbies That Don’t Add Value
The right hobbies can help you get the interview.

❌ “Love hiking and Netflix”
✅ Only include hobbies that show relevant skills or traits

7️⃣ Outdated Experience
Old experience sections are irrelevant to current jobs. 

❌ 6 bullets on a job from 10 years ago
✅ Condense: “Promoted twice in 2 years; built internal tools still in use today”

8️⃣ Generic Soft Skills
Generic soft skills make you look ... generic.

❌ “Excellent communication skills”
✅ Write: “Presented monthly updates to execs; improved team alignment by 30%”

9️⃣ References Available Upon Request
Everyone knows that you can provide references if asked.


❌ Obsolete. Everyone knows this.
✅ Use that space to showcase your value and achievements

🔟 First-Person Pronouns
First-person pronouns make your resume look like a story. 

❌ “I led the team to success.”
✅ Resumes should be written without “I” or “me”. Start with strong verbs

💡 If you want your resume to stand out?

Use this bullet formula: 
Specific activity → Clear, measurable outcome

—

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What not to put on the resume

You can spot a toxic workplace from a mile away. 
But only after you’ve started running away from it.

🧨 Many people think that they can spot signs of a toxic workplace in their job. 

They think: 

➟ “I’ll know it when I see it.”
➟ “Toxic places just feel toxic.”
➟ “Only big corporations are toxic.”

🔥 Yet, they often spend years in their jobs only to realize how toxic their place was after they leave. 

If you’re in a toxic workplace and you don’t know it, here are the 10 signs you should look out for: 

1️⃣ Low transparency
You think you know what’s going on, but you don’t. 

▸ You don’t interact with other departments
▸ You’ve no idea if the business is profitable
▸ Departments get reorganized without notice

2️⃣ Questionable promotions
People get the job based on unfair factors. 

▸ The new guy gets promoted first
▸ The most visible people get higher pay
▸ Experienced workers get stuck in dead-end jobs

3️⃣ Micromanagement
Every little task must be documented and reviewed.

▸ The boss watches you work
▸ Every email must be cc’d to the manager
▸ You get detailed instructions on what to do, all the time

4️⃣ Mediocrity 
People spend little time improving their skills. 

▸ Few people take courses
▸ Going to conferences is discouraged or forbidden
▸ People get annoyed when you propose improvements

5️⃣ Persistent risk avoidance
No one takes on new projects because they are risky.

▸ New ideas are ignored 
▸ Managers discourage innovation
▸ No one leads high-risk, high-reward projects

6️⃣ Urgency rules
Every task is urgent, and every project is important.

▸ All tasks must be done
▸ All tasks must be done yesterday
▸ All tasks are marked as high priority

7️⃣ Constant turnover
You may be staying, but others leave fast. 

▸ New people quit quickly
▸ Everyone who’s good has left
▸ Hiring new people is a challenge

8️⃣ Politics
It’s not what you’ve done, it’s who you know.

▸ Promotions are decided over lunch
▸ Projects are allocated to golf buddies
▸ Pay raises go to the loudest jerks in meetings

9️⃣ Work weekends
Work doesn’t stop when you get home. 

▸ You get emails after work
▸ The boss calls you on Saturdays
▸ Vacations are denied for no reason
 

🔟 Culture of fear
No one is speaking up because it’s risky.

▸ Few speak their minds
▸ Problems get hidden and ignored
▸ The ship is going down, and no one cares

It’s always easier to spot a toxic workplace if you’re not in it. 
But it slowly saps you of energy and life.

The longer you stay, the harder it becomes to leave. 
But leave you must, if you want to have a future. 

Are you stuck in a toxic workplace?
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10 Signs of a Toxic Worklplace

A leader's words can make or break a team.
Authentic leaders know this instinctively.

What you say and how you speak and act sets the tone.

You can:

→ Bring energy and motivate your team.
→ Help everyone feel like they are valued.
→ Build a culture where everyone is treated fairly.
→ Show that you appreciate everyone and their ideas.
→ Encourage them to take the lead, innovate and create.

🔥 Be sincere in what you say and earn your people’s respect.

Be the leader you’ve always wanted to have.
Your words can transform your team.

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Phrases leaders say

When you're talking to someone, how many conversations are you having?

We think of a discussion as being one conversation.
But researchers have found that a discussion can have many conversations.

🟢 Informational Conversation
When you want to share information, like describing the news or your work project.

You can recognize this type when you hear things like:

→ Our new company policy is out.
→ Where is the nearest station?
→ We got a new pool cover installed

This conversation puts you into a decision-making mindset.

🟢 Emotional Conversation
When you want to discuss yourself and exchange deep and meaningful stories.

You can recognize this type when you hear things like:

→ I’m excited by my new project.
→ I cried by myself last night.
→ We got engaged.

This conversation helps shape your beliefs, emotions and memories.

🟢 Social Conversation
When you want to discuss who you are and your social identity.

You can recognize this type when you hear things like:

→ How do you feel being with me?
→ I notice I’m feeling anxious.
→ What’s it like to feel that?

This conversation explores how others see you and how you see yourself.

🔴 Miscommunication
Miscommunication happens when people have different kinds of conversations.

For example, when you want to talk about how you feel, but your friend wants to solve your problem with a logical solution.

🔥 The Matching Principle
Effective conversation requires recognizing what kind of conversation is occurring and then matching each other.

To recognize the conversation type, ask yourself if the other person wants to be:

Helpful → Informational
Hugged → Emotional
Heard → Social

To connect with the person, ask a deep question.

🟢 Ask Deep Questions
To build a connection and align on the conversation type, ask deep questions:

Don’t ask:

✖️ Where do you work?
✖️ How was work today?
✖️ Where did you go to school?

Connect by asking:

✔️ What makes you excited about work?
✔️ What do you love about your job?
✔️ What was high school like?

Credit: Charles Duhigg and Super Communicators Book.

—

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