2020 Prime Tales: A Harvard Physician Colleges Elon Musk, Apple Destroys Fb, and Google Disrupts the School Diploma

I’ve always been a half full guy.

To say 2020 is a tough year would be a gross understatement. However, there were some important bright spots and loads of lessons.

Let’s put some of them in the spotlight.

A Harvard doctor trains Elon Musk

Here is a story about Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s fascinating experience with Covid-19. After Musk reportedly tested both positive and negative for the virus, he seemed frustrated when he tweeted, “Something extremely wrong is going on.”

Soon after, the Harvard doctor and assistant professor of epidemiology hired Michael Mina Musk on Twitter. Mina’s response was a master class in emotional intelligence as he used positive reinforcement, a respectful tone, and common ground to break down barriers, manage emotions, and get Musk to act.

It worked. A little over an hour later, Musk tweeted the entire conversation again, encouraging his followers to read it.

Read the full report if you want to not only learn how to convince someone of a truth, but also how to motivate them to do something about it.

Apple destroys Facebook

The world’s largest social network made a noise when it ran multiple full-page ads in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post, all of which attacked Apple’s new privacy changes. Facebook claimed the changes would hurt small businesses badly and “change the Internet as we know it – for the worse”.

The movement smelled of desperation. It’s actually a culmination of a series of events that started years ago and that Facebook has been working towards for a long time. And it could mean the end of the house that Zuckerberg built.

If you want to read the full story, check out how Apple helped Facebook reach its tipping point.

A 2 sentence remote working policy which is the best I’ve ever heard

It is not every day that a policy statement from one of the world’s largest companies reveals a significant change in leadership and management philosophy.

This is exactly what Siemens has done with its new guidelines for remote work.

The new policy can be summarized in just two sentences:

1. Focus on the results rather than the time spent in the office.

2. Trust and empower your employees.

Do you want the full analysis? See how these two points make up a brilliant management strategy based on emotional intelligence – one that focuses on results rather than hours.

Google interferes with the college degree

Earlier this year, Google made a big announcement: it is launching a selection of professional-grade courses to teach candidates how to perform in-demand jobs.

The courses, which the company calls Google Career Certificates, provide basic skills that can help job seekers find employment right away. Instead of taking years to finish like a traditional college degree, these courses are meant to be completed in about six months at a fraction of the cost.

Curious how it all works? This article highlights how Google’s move has great potential to change the future of education and work.

How Steve Jobs used the “No Silo Rule” to revive Apple

Apple’s famous leader returned to the company he co-founded in 1997. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Jobs performed an amazing turnaround built on the back of a clever new device – brilliantly described as “a thousand songs in your pocket”.

That device, of course, was the iPod.

The iPod eventually became known as the “Walkman Killer”. But how did Apple overtake Sony, a huge company that dominated the market and owned its own music company?

A main reason was that Jobs adopted the “no-silo rule”. Rather than organizing Apple into semi-autonomous departments, Jobs closely controlled all of its teams and pushed them to operate as a cohesive and flexible company with a profit-loss result.

Read the full story on how Jobs used the no-silo rule to get Apple back to greatness and learn how this rule can help you and your business.

The rule of uncomfortable silence

The rule of awkward silence sounds simple: when faced with a challenging question, pause and think deeply before giving an answer.

But here’s the catch: this isn’t a short pause. You have to wait five, ten, or even fifteen seconds before speaking. Which feels extremely uncomfortable when you are not used to it.

In this piece, you will learn how the rule of awkward silence helps you control your emotions, gives you time to think, increases your confidence, and makes sure you say what you mean and what you say.

In short, it will help you make emotions work for you rather than against you.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.