Try this today

Look at your current to-do list. Cross out everything that’s urgent but not important. What’s left? That’s where your attention should go.

Pick one assumption you’re making about your users, customers, or audience. Write down what data would prove it wrong. Now figure out how to get that data this week.

Take the newest idea on your plate. Write down the one thing that must be true for it to work. Now design the smallest, fastest way to check whether it’s actually true.

Reframe your best idea as a hypothesis: “We believe that [X] will result in [Y] for [Z].” Does it still feel as certain when you write it that way?

Before your next group meeting, spend 5 minutes thinking about the structure. Who speaks first? What question opens the discussion? How will you make sure quieter voices are heard?

Review recent feedback, data, or results. Find one thing that surprised you — and instead of explaining it away, spend 15 minutes exploring why it happened.

Share an early-stage idea and explicitly invite criticism. Say: “I’d love to hear what’s weak about this.” Notice how much easier it is to improve an idea when you’re not defending it.

In your next one-on-one, pretend you’re interviewing the other person for a story. Focus only on understanding their experience. Don’t offer advice. Just ask follow-up questions.

In your next conversation, count how many times you start formulating your response while the other person is still talking. Each time you catch yourself, reset and refocus on their words.

The next time someone says something you disagree with, replace “I don’t think so” with “Help me understand how you see it.” Treat their view as data, not a debate point.