What you will get today (10min read)

1. Updates from our community

2. The content of the month

3. The framework of the month

4. The illustration of the month

5. Zoom on The Slim Method

1. Updates from our community

As always, some gratitude for the existing readers and the new joiners: the community continues to grow and currently sits at 103 readers, +13% growth compared to March.

Thank you for subscribing and for being the pioneers of this community!

2. The content of the month

Last month, I didn't send The Slim Method Newsletter.

I could share endless reasons why: my son was sick for 3 weeks, I had lot of work with my core job, I spent more time delivering coaching which took away from producing content. The list never ends.

By doing so, I embrace what Fred Kofman calls the "victim mindset". I consciously put myself outside of the problem.

This soothing trick works only for a short period of time.

The reality is different: by excluding my responsibility, I become a spectator of my own life and let the external world decide for me. Instead, Fred Kofman explains how to become a player: being part of the problem which takes courage, not looking for pity and instead seek for solutions and actions to course correct the challenges.

To become a player and lead a team of players, I highly recommend his book Conscious Business.

For those who don't know Fred Kofman, used to mentor LinkedIn's ex-CEO Jeff Weiner and helped build the culture foundations of LinkedIn .

If your preference is video content, he also facilitated a conference available on Youtube.

3. The Framework of the month

System vs Sub-System

I was first introduced to this concept when I transitioned from individual contributor to manager. I worked at LinkedIn at that time and had the chance to attend a management training. One of LinkedIn Exec's at that time kicked it off and shared the System vs Sub-System framework.

To explain it simply, he used an analogy with a phone (the system) and its components (the sub-systems).

Here it is:

You want to build the most competitive phone (system). To do so, your goal is to have the most competitive components (sub-systems): storage, camera, battery, speed, wifi etc...

However, if you design the most powerful camera, that will affect the storage capacity. And if you build a phone that has the best speed, you will damage the battery. So different sub-systems could clash. Their interdependencies are complex and not linear.

To take the best decision here, the phone manufacturer will assess the tradeoffs and prioritize what are the best settings to be competitive overall.

Do you see the parallel?

It goes the same way with a company and its departments. The company is the system and the departments are the sub-systems. For the best company interest, some tradeoffs have to be made: budget allocation, human resources, material resources, products features etc.

Sometimes you're part of the sub-system that takes advantage of the system strategy. And that's great, this is the best setup to perform. Other times, the department you're in has to take a hit for the sake of your company development. It can be unfair and frustrating, I have been there few times myself!

How to use this framework?

If you have a major change in your company and your team doesn't see the value of it, this framework is an effective way to communicate a holistic view.

4. The Illustration of the month

5. Zoom on The Slim Method

Today we are going to zoom in on Section 1: Master you inner-self.

Let's talk about Topic #3 in the section: KNOW YOUR VALUES AND LIVE BY THEM.

If I ask you to name your top 5 values, what would they be? Not an easy question to answer right. I didn't know what to say and where to start the first time I explored this topic.

Why is it important to know your values?

Let's start by defining what we mean by values: Values are "The principles that guide your day-to-day decisions" (inspired by Jeff Weiner).

Knowing your values will help you stay still when an event occurs and a decision is needed.

How to know your values?

Here is an exercise I share with leaders & managers I coach & mentor. It's called the Sieve Exercise:

• Step 1: Start with a List of values. I suggest using an exhaustive list like Darius Foroux's. It has 115 values and you can find it here.

• Step 2: Proceed to 3 Filters

  • Filter 1: eliminate values until you have 60 left.

  • Filter 2: eliminate values until you have 30 left.

  • Filter 3: eliminate values until you have 15 left.

  • Take as much time as you need to complete this step. Reflect on actions you took, on your response to specific events, on big decisions you took, etc.

• Step 3: the Final Countdown

  • Gather 5 people you are close to from your 3 main groups: family, friends & colleagues

  • Ask them to chose 8 values among the 15 you kept. And why.

  • Tips: take notes, the input you will get will be very valuable.

  • You will end up with 8 to 12 values. Keep the 8 values you believe are the most important to you.

• Step 4: Live by them

  • Now it's up to you to keep them alive in any way you feel like: in your phone, on your desk, etc.

What to do with them?

4 use cases to leverage your values on a daily basis:

1. Accountability: sticking to your values will hold you accountable and avoid the short term gain which can be very appealing in the moment...

2. Decision: when you're at a crossroad and you hesitate between two ways, your values will help you see things clearer and take the right decision.

3. Legacy: when you will leave a group (colleagues, friends, family), they will remember how you behaved in critical times.

4. Authenticity: your values are the mirror of your identity. By living by them, you will be your true self. And there is nothing more powerful than being who you really are.

Do you want to deep dive into this topic?

Do you want to leverage The Slim Method?

Drop me an email at theslimethod@gmail.com or book a call here.

That's it for this month!

I hope you enjoyed the content. Feel free to share it around you and spread the word :)

If you have a question or feedback to share : theslimethod@gmail.com