A day with the top 5% at workAn illustrated guide

People who set aside emotions from a previous appointment before the next one tend to make 34% fewer corrections or overly rushed explanations in the next conversation, on average.

People who specify the page or section to look at before explaining tend to receive 42% fewer questions about where to look during meetings, on average.

People who decide before a meeting to shorten their own explanation tend to hear 32% more contributions from participants during the meeting, on average.

People who anticipate 1 likely objection before a meeting tend to make 34% fewer revisions to their explanation after an objection is raised, on average.

People who ask about problems faced by those doing the work during meetings tend to receive 33% fewer requests for clarification after meetings, on average.

People who note the assumptions behind conflicting opinions during meetings tend to carry 34% fewer unresolved issues into later discussions, on average.

People who habitually pause rather than immediately speak into a silence during meetings tend to hear 29% more additional contributions from participants, on average.

People who reinterpret a forceful remark in a meeting as a sign of a problem tend to have 32% fewer confrontational exchanges afterward, on average.

People who clarify their purpose before speaking tend to have 31% fewer digressions caused by introducing additional issues during meetings, on average.

People who check the expressions and reactions of participants who have not spoken during meetings tend to hear 33% fewer additional concerns after the meeting, on average.

People who first acknowledge the other person's words before speaking during meetings tend to receive 34% fewer objections or defensive replies afterward, on average.

People who note a concern as something to check rather than immediately objecting during meetings tend to have 30% fewer confrontational exchanges in the meeting, on average.

People who briefly ask after a meeting about concerns that were difficult to raise or obstacles to implementation tend to have 32% fewer implementation holds or decisions sent back for revision, on average.

People who clarify the owner, deadline, and 1 next action immediately after a meeting tend to have 35% fewer delays in implementation afterward, on average.

People who briefly pass the outcome of a meeting to the first person who needs to act that same day tend to have 36% fewer gaps in confirmation before the next meeting, on average.

People who record words the other person repeated after a meeting tend to have 36% fewer misunderstandings in the next interaction, on average.

Behavioral observations show that people who bring a heated conversation back to the issue tend to leave 30% fewer matters undecided afterward, on average.

People who prepare 1 tentative proposal before asking for advice tend to receive 34% fewer requests for clarification afterward, on average.

People who separate the facts, proposal, and uncertainties before seeking advice tend to have 36% less backtracking during the discussion, on average.

People who clarify the advantages and concerns for each option before seeking advice tend to receive 33% fewer requests for clarification during the discussion, on average.

People who briefly note the advice immediately after a discussion tend to repeat the same request for advice 32% less often, on average.

People who reflect on the reasons behind advice after a discussion tend to seek the same type of advice 30% less often, on average.

People who note 1 difference between their own thinking and the advice afterward tend to repeat the same type of request for advice 31% less often, on average.

People who decide after receiving advice what to do next time in the same situation tend to seek advice again on the same topic 33% less often, on average.

People who report the results after receiving advice tend to receive additional advice from their manager or a more experienced colleague in later discussions at about 1.5 times the frequency.

Behavioral observations show that people who shorten their replies or remarks when emotions arise tend to have 31% less unnecessary broadening of the discussion afterward, on average.

People who bring together the purpose, deadline, and reference material before making a request tend to have 36% fewer clarification exchanges afterward, on average.

People who prepare a backup plan before making a request tend to have 31% less time when the work is stalled afterward, on average.

People who ask others to consult them early if a request proves difficult tend to receive 32% fewer reports of unfinished work just before the deadline, on average.

People who divide a difficult request into small parts when explaining it tend to have 34% fewer delays in getting started afterward, on average.

People who give specific feedback on how the help was useful after a request tend to receive cooperation 30% sooner the next time they ask, on average.

People who note what worked well in how they made a request tend to have 28% less rework the next time they ask, on average.

Behavioral observations show that people who review the assumptions they communicated when the other person's response does not match tend to have 31% fewer clarification exchanges of the same kind, on average.

People who begin a report with what helps the recipient tend to receive 34% fewer follow-up questions afterward, on average.

People who put the purpose of a report into one sentence beforehand tend to receive 38% fewer questions from their manager asking what the report is about, on average.

People who identify 1 decision they want before reporting tend to receive 35% fewer requests for clarification from their manager, on average.

People who briefly explain the meaning of numbers when reporting them tend to receive 36% fewer requests for clarification from their manager, on average.

People who narrow their options to no more than 2 tend to receive 33% fewer questions from their manager asking which option is better, on average.

People who include their own assessment before asking for a decision tend to receive 32% fewer requests for clarification from their manager, on average.

People who clarify who or which departments a decision will affect before reporting tend to receive 34% fewer requests for clarification afterward, on average.

People who anticipate what their manager is likely to ask next before reporting tend to receive 34% fewer requests for clarification afterward, on average.

Behavioral observations show that people who avoid an immediate decision when emotions arise and briefly say they need time to check tend to revise 34% fewer decisions later, on average.