If you feel you need to up the mental input at work, Jared Simmons has the solution.  Albert Einstein was famous for using thought experiments to consider abstract ideas. These were hypothetical situations that would help him to develop simple theories to explain the complex forces in our universe. His theory of special relativity came from considering what would happen if he were to chase a light beam. His understanding of gravity as a form of acceleration came from thinking…

The fast pace of business and the constant call for innovation increases burnout and attrition. Fortunately, in this article, Jared Simmons shares ways to keep pace. Everyone wants to innovate, but few can find the right balance. Innovation creates excitement and allows teams to think and grow beyond their current state but is often quickly constrained by parameters like time, budget, and expectations. Because of the kind of whiplash experience this can create, burnout occurs, and fresh ideas eventually die…

In this article, Jared Simmons shares useful advice that can help you deal with difficult conversations at work. At some point in your career, you’ll be faced with the need to have a tough conversation with a colleague, boss, or team member. There are countless guides on how to master these conversations, what to do and what not to do. Here are some things I try to keep in mind as I prepare to have a tough conversation, or suddenly…

Jared Simmons shares an evergreen post on team management and managing stress.  There are a lot of individual motivations on a team, and they don’t always align with what that team has been tasked to do. Because of these variants, you may find yourself caring when others don’t about the project tasks at hand. A big part of managing projects is not convincing people to get on board, but rather finding ways to make the team’s priorities serve their personal…

Jared Simmons shares an episode from his podcast, What is Innovation. In this episode, he interviews William A. Lumpkin, Head of New Products Strategy & Business Development for Alexion, Astra Zeneca Rare Disease Business Unit. Will shares how innovation works within the pharmaceutical industry and how marketing and science differs especially in commercialization. EPISODE SUMMARY William A. Lumpkin is Head of New Products Strategy & Business Development for Alexion, Astra Zeneca Rare Disease Business Unit. Will shares how innovation works…

Jared Simmons shares key tips for the frustrated change agent to help overcome the most common obstacles faced.  When you’re new to a role, you’re often hired to change something. You may need to launch a new project, implement a new system, or improve the performance of an existing process. At some point, you will meet resistance. The team that passive-aggressively ignores your emails; the organization that can’t agree on scope or timeline; the leadership team that asks for more…

In this article, Jared Simmons identifies the difference between intelligence and wisdom and how understanding the difference may improve talent management.  In large organizations, the nature of the work creates a natural tendency toward complexity. And as a leader, it can be very tempting to advance those who seem to have the intelligence to manage it. But complexity is not a symptom to be managed while you work–it is often the work itself. Its symptoms are a lack of a…

  From Jared Simmons’  company blog, a post on why motherhood is a leadership development boot camp. Motherhood builds skills that are competitive advantages in the workplace.  “Motherhood and apple pie” are meant to evoke an image of something universally good – something everyone can agree on. But, like most things about moms, this phrase has morphed into patronizing passive aggressiveness, at its best.  When someone at work says, “That’s just motherhood and apple pie,” what they are really saying…

  Jared Simmons shares three quick tips that can improve relationships and move your career forward. When you’re trying to build strong working relationships, sharing what you are hoping to achieve and get out of the work can be extremely helpful. What you get out of work is different from the project or meeting objectives. It’s not your departmental or functional mandate. It’s the professional development nugget that comes along with the entire working experience. Perhaps you’d like to show…

  Jared Simmons provides a concise post that identifies the three most common factors that impede progress.  Whether you are chasing profit or purpose, a team’s ability to make progress is critical to achieving its objectives. There are many obstacles that keep a team from operating at its full potential, but the three most common (and solvable) ones are ambiguity, apathy, and amateurism. The challenge is recognizing them in action.   Discover how the following three A’s impact your team:…

  Jared Simmons explains why simplifying assumptions could be the key to unlocking value faster and freeing up your knowledge workers to innovate. I learned the power of simplifying assumptions early in my career. As an engineering student, I watched my professors fill boards with Greek letters and symbols, exponents and integrals, constants and variables. Then, in the last 10 minutes of class we worked a real problem together. The first step of solving the real problem was always to…

  Jared Simmons provides three meeting strategies to overcome stagnation. We’ve all been there before. It took you three weeks to find a time on everyone’s calendar. You found the perfect room and showed up early to make sure the previous meeting didn’t run over. You’ve spent countless hours working on your agenda and slides and even reading articles like this on productivity. And then it happens–the conversation gets stuck. Your time is rapidly dwindling and you’re still on agenda…