With a little help from my friends

I began the next chapter of my life after a wonderful journey spanning a couple of decades at Vanguard. As part of this new chapter, I will share what I hope are extremely practical and helpful insights in posts (titled “A Minute with Manuel” on my LinkedIn feed). Today’s post:

My training plan had a six-mile team run today… just as gale-force winds and stinging rain were moving through the area. Here’s what I heard during today’s run, followed by lessons we can draw from these comments:

“Let’s rock this storm together!”

—> Goals worth pursuing almost always require teamwork. Make sure you are a positive and contributing member of any team. What does the team need from you today? What will you contribute to the team today?

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

—> Risk is always present. Understand the difference between risk aversion and risk mitigation. Have you dedicated a proportional amount of effort to understanding all risks you face? Have you done a premortem?

“Status check… how’s everyone doing?”

—> Circumstances change, and often very quickly. Be deliberate about checking your progress and watching out for necessary pivots. Do you have a clearly defined and objective feedback loop?