1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to gift trap your work. Do a 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: good job on the substance of your work, of course, 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,799 Speaker 1: but also pay attention to how you are presenting it. 6 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: Often the latter is the difference between the recipient being 7 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: satisfied or delighted. I am sure you can recall times 8 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: when someone presented their work in a way that was 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: particularly thoughtful. Maybe it's a mechanic who, after working on 10 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: your car, make sure that the radio station and mirrors 11 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: are just as you left them. The driver's seat is 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: adjusted so that you can reach the pedals, perhaps even 13 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,279 Speaker 1: backed the car into the parking place so you can 14 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: just hop in and drive away. Of course, you primarily 15 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: care whether the mechanic fixed the issue in question, and 16 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: it certainly wouldn't be a big deal to adjust the 17 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: seat or to back out the car. But not having 18 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: to do those things makes you feel cared for your car. 19 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: Mechanic has gift wrapped his work. The same sort of 20 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: care is appreciated from knowledge workers too. Maybe it's a 21 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: colleague who emails you several questions that are numbered for 22 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 1: ease of responding, or the person who sends you a 23 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: document that could be sent as is, but he also 24 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: uses comment bubbles to highlight and make notes about sections 25 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: that you might want to handle differently. That is so 26 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: much more convenient than getting a separate, lengthy email about 27 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: potential changes. By contrast, I am sure we have all 28 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: also received work, even really good work that has combersome 29 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: to process. You kind of have to grit your teeth 30 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: to get through it. Who wants that? When there is 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: another option, When we put ourselves in the shoes of 32 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: those who will receive our work, we can present it 33 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: in ways that will be convenient and welcome. Just like 34 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: pretty wrapping paper and bows make a gift feel special, 35 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: a thoughtfully presented piece of work, we'll make the recipient 36 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: appreciate it more. Now, the best wrapping paper depends on 37 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: the recipient, but here are a few universal guidelines. First, 38 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: make sure you have fulfilled the expectation without extraneous information. 39 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: If your boss asks for a list of potential speakers 40 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: for an upcoming event, provide a list of recommendations with 41 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: notes about why each person might be good and links 42 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: to their easily accessible bios because you have checked those links, 43 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: of course, or pasted in a very short version of each. 44 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: This isn't the time to talk about changing the venue, 45 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: or about how last year's gift bags or about how 46 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: last year's gift bags were underwhelming. You also want to 47 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: be clear on what you're delivering in any action required. 48 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: This can often be handled in an email subject line, 49 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 1: for instance, agenda for Friday's meeting for your review by 50 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: Thursday a m. If any information is contained elsewhere, like 51 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: a shared drive, be sure to say what that is 52 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: and how to get it. And this is something that 53 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: is often ignored but does matter. Make sure you are 54 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: presenting your work at a time the recipient will appreciate it. 55 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: Everyone wants to get what they asked for before the 56 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: hard deadline for receiving it. Beyond that, though, it's a 57 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: nice touch to avoid delivering something at four pm. If 58 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: everyone leaves the office US at five pm. If you 59 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: know the person is going on vacation, all the better 60 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: reason to get it in before departure. Regardless of the specifics, 61 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: putting some thought into how you present your work allows 62 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: your good work to shine. People don't get caught up 63 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: in retrieving lost information or wondering where things are or 64 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: not knowing what's required. You might feel a little sheepish 65 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,239 Speaker 1: going to a fancy birthday party and presenting a gift 66 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: with Christmas wrapping paper that is half falling off. I mean, yes, 67 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: it's the thought that counts. But part of thinking of 68 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: another person is thinking about how they might be delighted. 69 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: Gift wrapping can help with that, and gift wrapping our 70 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: work is just as important. In the meantime. This is Laura. 71 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 72 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 73 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,679 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 74 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 75 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pod that's b the number four, then Breakfast 76 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: p o D. You can also shoot me an email 77 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot com. 78 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 79 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 80 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For 81 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart 82 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 83 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: favorite shows.