Unmuted: By Heidi Weir

Category: business

  • Are you a carrot?

    Had a tough week this week, well if I’m honest; the whole year has not been the best… in my books 2025 can ‘do one’! 😜

    So I’ve decided to tell you (and to remind myself of) my favorite short story by I believe Jon Gordon.

    One day a young lady who was overwhelmed; flattened by the constant fight and struggle and dealing with one problem after another turned to her mother for advice. 

    Her mum took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water.  In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed an egg, and the last she placed ground coffee beans.

    She let them sit and boil without saying a word.  In about twenty minute she turned off the hob. She took the carrots out and placed them on a plate.  She pulled the egg out and placed it in a bowl.  Then she poured the coffee into a cup.  Turning to her daughter, she asked, ‘Tell me what you see?’

    ‘Carrots, an egg, and coffee mum, what’s your point?’

    Mum asked her to touch the carrots:  noting they were soft.  She got her to break the egg: yes it was clearly hard-boiled.  Finally, she asked her to taste the coffee. Delicious. 

    Mum replied ‘These objects all faced the same adversity – boiling water – but each reacted differently.  The carrot went in strong and hard but came out soft and weak. The egg had an outer shell that you’d think would protect it but actually the boiling water has meant that its inside have become hardened and unchangeable. The ground coffee is unique… of course it’s changed, but notice it’s altered the water too and for the better: the aroma has filled the room and as we drink it; we’ll be filled with energy’

    So, which are you?’ she asked her daughter.  

    When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?  Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?’

    So this morning as you sit to drink your morning coffee; let’s consider how we face life… 

    Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with a challenge, a bit of pain and adversity, I wilt, become soft and lose my strength?

    Am I the egg that starts with a soft heart, but changes when things get tough? And although on the outside I remain the same: inside I’ve changed and I’ve become hardened and ready to crack. 

    Or am I like the coffee bean? I change with my environment and force the environment to change with me; I release my true flavour and thrive when others wilt. Am I the one that infuses my environment AND Together we both become better! 

    Ask yourself…. AM I A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

  • Repetitive Messaging – The Ultimate Win

    Today I’m starting with a simple question: Have you ever considered why we repeated our times tables at school over and OVER again? (Do they still do that or am I merely showing my age?)

    We did it because our brains actually do not absorb information as well as most of us like to believe. In fact we only actually retain:

    5% of what we‘re told 

    10% of what we read

    20% of what we see and hear 

    30% of what we see through demonstrations

    50% of what we learn when engaged in group discussion

    75% of what we learn through practice 

    85% of what we learnt if we start implementing immediately

    90% when we teach someone else 

    What’s even scarier is that not only do we struggle to retain information but we don’t retain it for long… we forget it ridiculously quickly (we are unfounded giving goldfish such a hard time -a topic for another week 😉): Research shows that within 1 hour, learners forget an average of 50% of new information; within 24 hours, they forget an average of 70% of that information; and within a week, they forget up to 90% of what they learned! 

    So whether in sales, in training and throughout of business; how do we ensure that our message is absorbed and retained: 

    1. Tell stories – It’s been proven that after a presentation, 63% of attendees remember stories. Only 5% remember statistics *Chip Heath, Stanford Prof 
    2. Teach with laughter – Studies show that learning ability improves by 38.5% with laughter and delayed recall improves by 43.6% *Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test
    3. Teach through Play – Research shows that when mammals play, their brains are activated in a way that can change the connections in the prefrontal cortex that impact emotional regulation and problem-solving. Play also triggers the release of chemicals in the brain (such as oxytocin and dopamine) that help to; support social skills; impact mood, memory, motivation, and attention
    4. Use as many tools as possible – audio, visual, props, hands on, games, stories, etc 
    5. Encourage immediate action – start using immediately/train a team member etc
    6. Repetition is key – be ready to repeat yourself. It’s not dull to them as they’ve likely forgotten 90% of it!

    How can you use this information to build your success?