How I Work

Latest Episodes:

My Favourite Tip: Nigel Marsh - Identity after 60 Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

When he reached 60, Nigel Marsh realised his most ‘conventionally’ successful days might be behind him… But what does that actually mean?

After a long and lucrative career in the commercial sector, Nigel knew the day would come when he’d no longer be able to keep pace with his younger colleagues. He’s had to accept that there comes a time in all of our lives when we need to step back and slow down. But he’s also learning that slowing down is far from a bad thing.

Nigel’s gone from running multinational corporations with tens of thousands of employees, to overseeing just one employee - himself. And while it takes humility to accept such a huge change, his new, more independent work life has come with its own perks.

Finally free to pursue more of his own interests, and to dedicate more time and attention to the work he’s most passionate about, Nigel’s discovering a new kind of success after 60.

Connect with Nigel at his website, or pick up a copy of Smart, Stupid and Sixty

You can find the full interview here: Clarity, alignment and momentum with Nigel Marsh

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Wil Anderson - What separates the professionals from the hobbyists Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

Wil Anderson knows you think your mates are funnier than him, but that doesn’t bother him. After more than two decades dominating the Australian comedy scene, Wil’s learned that his job isn’t just to be funny: his job is to be funny when the red light comes on.

Wil recognises that life is hard more often than it’s easy, and nobody performs at their best when things are truly tough. However, what separates the professionals from the hobbyists, he says, is the ability to perform even (and especially) when the conditions aren’t perfect.

And since internalising this lesson, Wil’s come full circle on his approach to ‘bad days.’ Now, he relishes difficult times, because they’re an opportunity for him to strengthen his resolve and practice his professionalism.

Connect with Wil on Instagram or listen to his podcasts here

You can find the full interview here: Wil Anderson’s on-the-fly creative process

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Tim Urban - Does a picture really speak a thousand words? Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

On his enormously popular blog, Wait But Why, Tim Urban writes about some pretty heavy topics. He’s covered North Korea, the state of American politics and culture, and Elon Musk’s rise to fame, to name just a few. So you might be surprised when you click onto the blog for the first time and see it’s overrun with… stick figure drawings?

Tim’s writing style is playful and personable, but his unique illustrations do a lot of the heavy lifting to make his work so eye-catching and so memorable. Whether it’s a graph demonstrating just how few weeks make up a human life, or characters representing our inner demons, Tim’s constantly seeking novel ways to get his point across.

Tim explains how he decides when to illustrate versus when to let his words do the talking, and highlights the most common cases where words alone don’t quite cut it.

Connect with Tim on Twitter, or his website Wait But Why

You can find the full interview here: Tim Urban on seeing the bigger picture and beating procrastination

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Nick McKenzie - An unusual ice breaker Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

Among great thinkers, the long walk or run is nothing new. Philosophers, artists, novelists and world leaders have long espoused the value of solitude for working through thorny problems.

Award-winning investigative journalist Nick McKenzie is no different. Whether he’s stuck in a tough patch of writing, or trying to figure out his next move in a delicate investigation, running alone often leads to the solution.

But Nick doesn’t always run alone. In fact, he’s turned running into one of his favourite ways to connect more deeply with his contacts, sources and colleagues. The initial conversations he has with sources can be tense - usually, they’re risking a great deal to help him with his work. So getting together, out of business attire and into sweaty neon workout gear, and going for a short run helps to break the ice and bring guards down on both sides…

Connect with Nick on Twitter or on his website.

You can find the full interview here: Award-winning journalist Nick McKenzie on death threats, confirmation bias and the power of insecurity

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Matthew Dicks - The most critical ingredient of a great story Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Matthew Dicks is a master storyteller, and he’s just as committed to understanding great stories as he is to crafting them himself.

The author, school teacher and writing coach has spent years studying stories, trying to figure out why they impact us so deeply, and searching for the principles that underpin the very best of them.

His most important finding: stories are about change over time. Whether it’s an historical epic like War and Peace or the recounting of a single conversation, all great stories are about how people change, and why.

So, whenever Matthew’s working on a story and it’s not coming together, he asks himself: what’s meant to change?

Connect with Matthew on Twitter, Instagram or at his website. Pick up a copy of Storyworthy, or check out Matthew’s newest course if you want to improve your writing.

You can find the full interview here: Matthew Dicks teaches you to think and write like a master storyteller

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mel Silva shares leadership lessons from inside Google Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

What does it take to lead one of the world’s most creative and innovative companies?

Mel Silva’s been with Google for over 16 years, and now as the Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, she’s a pivotal part of fostering the company’s world-famous culture.

Mel unpacks the key lessons she’s learned in her many roles with the company, including the lessons she’s learned from her coach, and what she’s learned about herself and her leadership style since becoming a mentor for up-and-coming Googlers.

Mel also shares her most valuable new working practice, which she calls ‘thinking days,’ and teaches you how to make deep thinking time as effective as possible for you and your organisation.

Connect with Mel on LinkedIn

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Episode Producer: Liam Riordan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Ann Handley - Train your writing muscles every day Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

You’ve heard it a million times - improving your writing will make you better at just about any job you can think of. But how do you actually improve? How do you hone the craft?

Marketing expert and bestselling author Ann Handley dedicates much of her own writing to teaching the craft, and she says the most important component of effective writing is the unique voice of the author.

Especially today, when everyone with a social media account is a defacto marketer, and AI writing tools are improving at rapid speed, the ability to communicate with your own unique, unaffected voice is the key skill that makes great writers stand out.

So how do you write in your own voice? Well, like anything else, it’s about a whole lot of practice!

Ann teaches you how to make time for writing everyday, and how to ensure you have fun doing it.

Connect with Ann on Twitter or Instagram or sign up to her newsletter

You can find the full interview here: Marketing pioneer Ann Handley shares tools, tactics and attitudes that will make you a better writer

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Melissa Doyle - We are all vital Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

“We’re all cogs in a wheel,” Melissa Doyle tells her kids. “But we’re all vital…”

As one of Australia’s favourite TV presenters, you won’t be surprised to learn Melissa fields a lot of requests for career advice. But at the beginning of her own career, she just wanted to become like the women she admired. She imitated their voices and studied their styles, but quickly realised - she would never truly be like her heroes, because she would always be herself.

When she first cried on camera, she was mortified, humiliated by her own “lack of professionalism.” But upon reflection, she understood that her outburst was an honest reflection of who she was… And viewers agreed.

Melissa shares how she learned not just to accept her true self, but to tap into it like a superpower. She also shares the advice she leans on when work (or life) isn’t going exactly to plan.

Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn or Twitter, or pick up a copy of 15 Seconds of Brave

You can find the full interview here: Melissa Doyle shares stories of bravery, and practical tips for a purpose-driven career

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Nigel Marsh - Great coaches ask great questions Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Nigel Marsh doesn’t suffer fools - even when they pay him!

After an enormously successful career in the commercial sector, Nigel’s now a bestselling author, and the host of the hit podcast, Five of My Life, and a highly sought-after executive coach. But his coaching isn’t a walk in the park…

The cornerstone of Nigel’s coaching practice is his unique line of questioning: he’s discovered over the course of his career that most people already know what they need to do, whether it’s in their work or personal lives. So his job as a coach is to help clients get out of their own way, by asking the kinds of questions that will lead them to their own conclusions.

Nigel breaks down the types of questions that lead to the most impactful results, and explains his consultancy’s mantra: “Clarity, alignment, momentum.”

Connect with Nigel at his website, or pick up a copy of Smart, Stupid and Sixty

You can find the full interview here: Clarity, alignment and momentum with Nigel Marsh

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HAPPY FAMILIES CROSSOVER: Practical ways to instantly remove stress from your life Jul 09, 2023

Show notes

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Happy Families crossover series you’ll learn some low-effort and high-impact ways to remove reoccurring stressors in your life.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.