Welcome to the fourth edition of Things Once Said, a curated list of words, work, and wisdom that have recently inspired me.
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed, shared, and supported the newsletter thus far, especially those who have let me know how much they enjoy it.
High Performers Need Feedback, Too
Feedback is a powerful leadership tool — one that is often overlooked when someone is performing well. I loved this piece in HBR examining different approaches a leader can take to build up a high-performance team member even further.
Giving high performers constructive feedback keeps them engaged and motivated. Research on what high performers want at work shows that 50% want “at least a monthly sit down with their managers” to help them gain insights and improve in their roles.
Featuring Rocki Howard / Harvard Business Review.
Quoted Visually: Mission, Goal, Project, Task
This image caught my eye for its simple yet powerful visual metaphor for breaking a mission/goal/project/task into more helpful pieces. I first saw the illustration in the newly launched 2025 Quoted Visually calendar.
Featuring Hannah Wilson ✍🏻 / Quoted Visually.
15 Uncomfortable Truths Every Employer Should Read
This LinkedIn post captures some simple truths that speak powerfully to company culture and, more importantly, the need to intentionally shape and nurture it (and how that starts with the hiring process).
The fastest way to kill company culture is to let bad behaviour be tolerated and rewarded.
It will cost you considerably more to replace someone than it would to pay them what they are worth originally.
Featuring Chris Donnelly.
6 Things You Can Do to Make Your Website Better
A good website should, above all, be relevant to your customers. This article from Knapsack Creative provides an excellent summary of important factors to consider to strengthen your website, including factors that are often overlooked.
As you make improvements to your site, it’s important to remember that a website is never really “done.” It’s not a one-time creation that you build and publish and walk away from. It should grow and change with you as your business evolves.
Featuring Benjamin Manley / Knapsack Creative Co. | Website Design
Austin Mann – Creatures
I have long admired Austin Mann’s work as a photographer and his unique way of capturing the world. This gallery showcasing his photos of animals is simply stunning.
Featuring Austin Mann.
Thanks for joining me for Vol. 4 of Things Once Said. If you enjoyed this issue, please check out the previous editions, subscribe for weekly updates, and connect with me on Linkedin.