Resources
Practical ideas for running your business better
57 short, practical videos and 15 guides by Jordi, organised by the 5 areas of your company. The videos are in Spanish.
Strategy and management
Where is the company heading and what comes first?
9 resources
Guides
Companies don’t stall for lack of ideas
Most of the stalled companies I’ve seen had good ideas. What they lacked was the ability to decide and execute. Analysis paralysis, shifting criteria and endless meetings: here’s how to spot it and how to fix it.
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From multinational to SME: what carries over and what doesn’t
I’ve led with the resources of a multinational and built businesses with my own. SMEs have something big companies envy, and big companies have something SMEs lack. The goal is to keep the best of both worlds.
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Deciding without all the data
Waiting until you have all the information is also a decision, and usually the most expensive one. Here’s how I decide fast without playing roulette: calculated risks, five questions and a date to review.
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Why most strategic plans die in a drawer
A plan doesn’t fail when it’s written. It fails when nobody turns it into weekly work. These are the reasons plans die, and my three rules for making yours happen.
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Videos and Shorts
ShortStrategy and management
The Law of the Reversible Decision
What if we just try it?
Not every decision deserves the same amount of analysis. If a mistake can be undone, maybe you don’t need another meeting: you need to test it for a few days and measure.
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ShortStrategy and management
The Law of Reason
The mistake we all make when making decisions
When we make a decision, our brain looks for arguments to prove it was right. The best leaders aren’t the ones who are always right, but the ones who change their minds sooner when new information comes to light.
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ShortStrategy and management
Organisational culture: what is it really?
Organisational culture isn’t a poster of values on the wall: it’s what happens when nobody’s watching. A strong culture helps you make better decisions, attract talent and pull in the same direction.
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ShortStrategy and management
A plan without action is just a dream
A plan is only useful if it’s carried out. That takes order and knowing how to prioritise, even when you’re under pressure.
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ShortStrategy and management
What you need to know before taking on a business partner
A business can survive many mistakes, but hardly ever a partner without integrity. Sharing values matters as much as sharing capital or know-how.
Watch the ShortLeadership and teams
How do I build a team that’s autonomous and accountable?
49 resources
Guides
Goleman’s 6 leadership styles, analysed by me
Goleman proved that a leader’s style drives results. After more than 15 years leading teams, these are the styles I use, the one I’ve never needed and the one that cost me dearly.
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Eleven countries, one problem
I’ve led teams in Europe, America and Asia. The language, the hours and the way people say things all change. But the underlying challenge is always the same: people.
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The indispensable managing director is the bottleneck
If your company doesn’t work when you’re away for a week, the problem isn’t your team. Here’s how I stopped being the engine of everything, what I found hardest to let go of and why the result was better than if I’d done it myself.
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Situational leadership: why delegating the same way to everyone doesn’t work
Not everyone needs the same thing from their boss, and the same person doesn’t need the same thing in every task. I learnt that by delegating too quickly. This is what I take from Hersey and Blanchard’s model, and what I don’t.
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Conflict in the team: the Glasl ladder
A conflict doesn’t explode all at once: it climbs steps. On the first ones, a good conversation fixes it; higher up you need a third party, and in the end all that’s left is to decide. Knowing which step you’re on is half the solution.
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Culture is what happens when nobody’s watching
Your company’s culture isn’t in the values hanging on the wall. It’s in what you tolerate, what you reward and how you react when someone brings you bad news. And you’re the one who defines it, even if you don’t realise it.
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The mistakes I made learning to lead
Nobody is born knowing how to lead. Nor was I. These are the mistakes that taught me most, what I changed after making them and the advice I’d give anyone who gets promoted tomorrow.
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The 5 dysfunctions of a leadership team, in the Spanish SME
Patrick Lencioni explained why leadership teams fail through five dysfunctions arranged as a pyramid. In Spanish SMEs I mostly see two. I’ll tell you which ones, why they appear and what I’d add to the model.
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Radical candour: demanding without breaking the relationship
Caring about someone and telling them things straight aren’t opposites. They’re the two sides of a good boss. Keeping quiet so as not to hurt is almost always the cruellest option. This is how I prepare for a difficult conversation.
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Emotional intelligence for managing directors who don’t believe in emotional intelligence
If it sounds soft to you, this article is for you. Emotional intelligence isn’t about hugs: it’s about not deciding in the heat of the moment, reading your team and getting people to want to follow you. And that shows in the results.
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Videos and Shorts
ShortLeadership and teams
Ley de la Decisión Fantasma
Cuando una decisión sale mal y nadie recuerda haberla tomado, la ambigüedad reparte el riesgo pero elimina la responsabilidad. Toda decisión relevante debe dejar claro quién decide, por qué y cuándo se revisa.
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VideoLeadership and teams
Toxic bosses don’t always look toxic
A toxic boss doesn’t always shout or humiliate people: sometimes they seem approachable and get results. Warning signs many companies treat as normal, mistakes in managing people and an awkward question: what if the problem is you?
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VideoLeadership and teams
Why aren’t you getting promoted if you’re the best? The trap of being indispensable
Being the person everyone calls can hold your career back, and always relying on your best people is a risk for the company. Three solutions: force people to prioritise, make your contribution visible and stop being indispensable.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Incomplete Information
You can do everything right… and still get it wrong
You can follow an instruction to the letter and make the result worse if nobody explained what problem needed solving. If you lead, explain the why; if you’re on the team, ask what problem you’re trying to solve.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Rewarding the Problem
When the reliable person ends up invisible
Whoever causes problems hogs the meetings and the attention; whoever delivers gets on with the job and ends up forgotten. If you only look at someone when they fail, your best people may have to become a problem before you notice them.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Withdrawn Trust
When nobody tells you why they no longer trust you
Losing trust can happen; the problem is withdrawing it without explaining how it was lost or how to win it back. If you lead, explain it; if you’re on the team, don’t try to read minds: ask what’s changed.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Borrowed Problem
When helping too much creates dependency
If you solve every problem people bring you, you teach them that bringing it to you works better than learning to solve it. Before helping, ask three questions: what have you tried, what options do you see, and what exactly do you need from me?
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Postponed Conflict
Avoiding a conversation today can cost you dearly
A conversation you keep putting off is like a debt: the longer you wait, the more it costs. Speak up early: describe the behaviour, explain the impact and agree what needs to change.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Responsibility without Authority
They demand results, but won’t let you decide
Asking someone for results without giving them the power to decide isn’t delegating: it’s passing the risk on to them. Responsibility and authority must grow together.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Misunderstood Loyalty
Saying “no” can be loyalty too
Keeping quiet so as not to make waves can look like loyalty, but it also means abandoning your professional responsibility. If you disagree, set out the risk, bring data and propose an alternative.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Uncomfortable Talent
When your boss starts to fear you’re better than them
A secure leader sees their team’s talent as a strength; an insecure one sees it as a threat. Measure your success by the people you help grow, not by how many depend on you.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Orphan Mistake
When success belongs to everyone and the mistake to one person
Rushing to find someone to blame gives a sense of control, but stops you fixing the system. Analyse two levels at once: individual responsibility, and which part of the process allowed the mistake to happen.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Unprepared Promotion
Being the best at the technical side doesn’t make you a leader
Many companies confuse technical expertise with leadership ability. Promoting someone without giving them the tools doesn’t show trust: it sets them up to fail.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Change without Context
Why do people resist change?
The less you explain a change, the more room you leave for rumours. Explain why it’s needed, what impact it will have and which part of the decision is no longer open to debate.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Late Recognition
Why do they only value you once you’re leaving?
If you only recognise someone’s worth when they hand in their notice, you’re not retaining talent: you’re reacting to the fear of losing it. The best time to keep someone is before they decide to leave.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Closed Door
When your boss is there, but nobody can talk to them
A boss can keep their door open and still be unapproachable. Calm doesn’t always mean everything’s fine: sometimes it means nobody dares to speak up.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Punished Messenger
Why do employees stop reporting problems?
When you punish whoever brings bad news, you don’t get rid of the problem: you get rid of the messenger. You can’t demand transparency; you have to make it safe.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Moving Target
Do they change the rules after you’ve delivered?
If you change the criteria after assessing the work, you’re not raising the bar: you’re making it impossible to reach. Before you start, agree on the outcome, how it will be assessed and who decides.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of False Peace
Is a team without conflict a good team?
Silence can look like harmony, but it doesn’t mean commitment. A team that can contradict you in good time saves itself from having to agree with you when it’s too late.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Permanent Rescue
Are you helping your team… or making it dependent?
Every time you rescue someone too soon, you become more necessary and they become less autonomous. A good leader doesn’t remove the difficulties: they teach people how to get through them.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Refuge Meeting
Why are some meetings pointless?
Talking isn’t deciding. A meeting only adds value if it ends with three clear answers: what’s been decided, who’s responsible and when it will be done.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the Trusted Employee
Can being the trusted employee hold your career back?
The more indispensable you are in your role, the harder it is to picture you in another one. Trust can turn into dependency and hold back your growth.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Invisible Work
Why doesn’t working harder always help you grow?
Effort on its own rarely guarantees recognition. After every important project, share what the problem was, what you did and what result you achieved.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Your Word
When keeping your word really matters
Trust isn’t built on what you promise, but on how you respond when keeping that promise gets difficult. That’s when you find out whether it was worth anything.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of False Autonomy
Are they delegating to you… or just making you responsible?
Delegating isn’t having others carry out your decisions, it’s letting them make their own. Before delegating, define the expected outcome, the limits and what they can decide without checking with you.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of the First No
Were you made to feel guilty for saying “no”?
The first boundary meets more resistance than the ones that follow because it breaks an expectation. Setting boundaries isn’t refusing to cooperate: it’s managing your priorities in a healthy way.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Being Punished for Being Efficient
Why is it that the better you work… the more work you get?
Organisations learn that when a task reaches certain people, the problem goes away, so they pile every new urgent job onto them. When a new priority comes in, ask which task they’d like you to put back.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Control
Why does a controlling boss get less information?
The more fear you create, the less truth you hear. Leadership isn’t about controlling every detail, but about creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Debate
A team’s worst enemy isn’t conflict
Teams that never argue have usually stopped thinking a long time ago. Leading isn’t avoiding disagreement, but creating an environment where people can disagree respectfully and without fear.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The Law of Injustice
Why does one injustice weigh more than ten pats on the back?
The brain gives more weight to losses than to gains. In a team, one decision seen as unfair can outweigh a long list of good calls.
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ShortLeadership and teams
Silence is power: make others want to hear what you have to say
The most influential people aren’t always the ones who talk the most. Choosing the right moment to speak gives your words value and earns you respect and influence.
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ShortLeadership and teams
The attitude for success
Attitude is what separates those who wait for things to happen from those who make them happen. Without the right attitude, talent and opportunities aren’t enough.
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ShortLeadership and teams
How to enjoy your work
If your company has indispensable employees, you have a problem. When everything depends on one person, the business is fragile and that person can neither grow nor switch off.
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ShortLeadership and teams
Toxic working environment
Injustices, such as having favourite employees, kill a team’s motivation. In those cases money isn’t what matters: what matters is feeling you’re treated fairly.
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ShortLeadership and teams
How to set boundaries at work
Many employees burn out firefighting urgent jobs and surprises nobody planned for. Setting boundaries is also about organising the team’s work better.
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ShortLeadership and teams
Common business management mistakes
One of the most expensive mistakes in running a company is having a disengaged team: no ideas, silent and waiting for instructions.
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ShortLeadership and teams
How to handle conflict in teams
If you react badly when someone tells you about a problem, you’ll stop hearing about problems until they blow up, and by then they’ll be far bigger than they were at the start.
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ShortLeadership and teams
What is a leader’s role?
Too much control kills teams. The leader’s role is to give autonomy and develop people, not to check every step.
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ShortLeadership and teams
Effort doesn’t matter: results do
First come method and metrics; then effort and attitude; and last of all, knowledge. Without method, effort goes to waste.
Watch the ShortSales and customers
How do I sell more, and better, without it all depending on me?
6 resources
Videos and Shorts
ShortSales and customers
How to win any negotiation
The other side will try to pressure you with deadlines, haste or conditions. The better negotiator is the one who doesn’t play that game and focuses on what they can control.
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ShortSales and customers
Counterintuitive sales technique
A “no” from a customer isn’t personal: it’s information. Taking it well and handling it calmly tells you what’s missing, what doesn’t fit or when to come back.
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ShortSales and customers
The best salesperson is useless without this
Selling well starts with knowing whether you’re a good fit for the customer and not forcing the situation. Talk less and listen more: the customer will tell you if you’re the solution.
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ShortSales and customers
Pricing psychology to sell more: anchoring
The same price looks cheap or expensive depending on what you compare it with first. Price anchoring is one of the most studied principles of consumer psychology.
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ShortSales and customers
Sales tips
Very often the problem isn’t the price, but the context. You need to be able to explain your value proposition and walk away when the sale isn’t right for you.
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ShortSales and customers
Is the customer always right?
A psychological technique for getting on the customer’s side and guiding them through their decision, instead of pressuring them from across the table.
Watch the ShortOperations and processes
How does the company run without me standing over it?
6 resources
Videos and Shorts
ShortOperations and processes
The Law of “While You’re At It”
How a 10-minute task turns into a whole afternoon
Every “while you’re at it” seems free, but it adds work without touching the deadline, the scope or the priority. The useful answer: “I’ll add it. What do we adjust: deadline, scope or priority?”.
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ShortOperations and processes
The Law of the Upward Problem
The problem arrives in 5 minutes and the solution takes 3 weeks
Companies can be very quick at spotting problems and very slow at solving them. Escalating information is good; escalating every decision isn’t always.
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ShortOperations and processes
The Law of the Permanent Exception
When the temporary becomes your job
Every interim responsibility risks becoming permanent if nobody agrees when it ends. “Temporary” isn’t a date.
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ShortOperations and processes
The Law of Inherited Urgency
Why are urgent jobs hardly ever urgent?
Many urgent jobs don’t come from importance, but from poor planning. Before accepting one, ask what priority it has, which task gets delayed and what happens if it isn’t done by tomorrow.
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ShortOperations and processes
The Law of the Shortcut
Why do they always end up asking the same person?
The brain looks for the shortest route: once it knows who has the answers, it stops looking for alternatives. That person ends up as the organisation’s bottleneck.
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ShortOperations and processes
The key to managing your time and being more productive
Don’t confuse movement with progress. Being busy isn’t moving forward: you have to tell the urgent from the important and give the important the time it needs.
Watch the ShortFinance and purchasing
Am I making money, and am I in control of it?
2 resources
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