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Herng Lee shared thisA YouTube clip being archived... in a museum? The V&A museum recently "acquired" YouTube's first ever video: "Me at the zoo" (uploaded in 2005). As someone who has spent way too much time on YouTube over the last 2 decades -- this news was such a delight to see. And I couldn't help but think about the videos I've watched over the years... and all the memories involved. Specifically, here are 3 videos that come to mind: -- 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟲: "𝐋𝐚𝐳𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲" First video I ever watched on YouTube, thanks to one of the best history teachers I've ever had (bonus points for spotting the US History reference). He challenged me to write critically, crisply, and precisely. He's the reason I'm still writing 20 years later. -- 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟲: 𝗔𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗚𝗼 𝘃𝘀. 𝗟𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗹 I learned and played Go as a kid. Then I stopped. But 20 years later, on a business trip to Beijing: I sat in the Google cafeteria and watched the match live. I was blown away by how much the game had been transformed. It rekindled my love for the game (but sadly not my skills). -- 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯: 𝗔𝗹𝗶 𝗔𝗯𝗱𝗮𝗮𝗹: "𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀" Shoutout to Jeff Su for making me watch this video. It helped me get over the hump. From that point on something clicked: I finally gave myself the permission to start writing and sharing publicly. It hasn't changed my life yet... but it's made it so much more interesting. Thank you YouTube!
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Herng Lee posted thisSome of the best communication tips I've learned at Google? They weren't fancy at all. But they were incredibly effective. And they helped me get taken more seriously at work. For example, here are some of my favorites: 𝟭/ 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. I used to rely on filler words a lot to bridge my thoughts. If I couldn't quite find my next phrase or sentence on the spot? I'd rely on a mix of "you know," "kind of," "um" to keep my flow going. I was afraid of any silence in between. (It seemed like an open invite for people to cut me off!) But this was misguided. And over time, I learned to simply pause before finding my next word. Yes, the silence will feel deafening at first. The pause might even feel like an excruciating eternity. But trust me, it's the best thing you can do for your audience. And you'll get taken much more seriously. 𝟮/ 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀. Yes, I know. It's a wonderful feeling to slowly "reveal" a complex slide by using animations. It's a wonderful feeling to be in control of your audience's attention by "feeding" them bit by bit. But while this may work in a townhall setting? It is a terrible habit when it comes to presenting to senior leaders. You'll end up creating overcomplicated slides. You'll end up flustered when your audience wants to skip to another slide. You'll end up memorizing a rigid flow, and unable to adapt to your audience's needs on the spot. So don't use animations, esp. when there's senior leaders in the room. It distracts more than it helps. 𝟯/ 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿. Whenever I see a table or a list in a deck, the first thing I ask is this: "Is this in order of importance?" Surprisingly, the response is often either "it isn't" or "hmm, I hadn't thought about it." But here's the thing: the order always matters. People are naturally wired to assign greater importance to whatever's on top. As a result? Even if you had no intention of stack-ranking – people will do it in their heads. And if this leads to conflicting messages? You've just sabotaged yourself. And your credibility takes a hit. So, as pedantic as it sounds? Never put together a table or a list without also asking yourself: "What order is this in?" Sometimes, the simplest things can make the biggest difference. ___ 👋 Hi! I'm Herng, and I write about my learnings at Google. Follow for more :) ♻️ If this was helpful, feel free to reshare!
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Herng Lee posted thisI wrote 20 newsletter issues this year! Here are my top 5 favorite ones: === 𝟭/ "𝗔 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲" Everyone gets asked for "simple" updates at work. But they are never that simple. And they matter A LOT more than you think. Learn why here: https://lnkd.in/gK9ZNFq2 𝟮/ "𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸" For the longest time, I thought I needed to be “neutral” at work. But that was a mistake. Instead, I should’ve done this: https://lnkd.in/g7uZTRdD 𝟯/ "𝗨𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸? 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲." You’re allowed to complain all you want at work. It’s fine. But just make sure you don’t turn yourself into a victim. Here’s what I mean: https://lnkd.in/gymH2stH 𝟰/ "𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 '𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲' 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲" If you’re struggling to land your message? It might have to do with how you’re communicating. I write about some common mistakes here: https://lnkd.in/gY-DtWmN 𝟱/ "𝗦𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀)" The best communicators I know at Google don’t chase fancy words. Instead, they anchor on these principles: https://lnkd.in/gAtSMQwb === 👋 Hi! I'm Herng, and I write about my learnings at Google. Follow for more! ♻️ If this was helpful, feel free to reshare!
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Herng Lee posted thisWhen I ran sales operations at Google, I noticed my top-performing colleagues all shared one trait: They never tried to be "neutral." Instead, they optimized for being "bias-free." This was a shock to me early on. Why? Because I found myself doing the exact opposite. See, I was new. I worried about my lack of tenure and credibility. And I figured I needed more experience before I was "allowed" to take a position. So I told myself to be neutral. As an example? I would analyze revenue trends, but stop short of hypothesizing "so what." Because in my head, I thought: "What if I'm wrong? Who am I to tell experienced sellers how to do their jobs differently?" But what I didn't learn until years later? Sure, if you're "neutral," you might not ruffle any feathers. But you won't achieve meaningful outcomes either. So instead: strive to be "bias-free." This means that: • You don't shy away from hypothesizing • You approach problems with first-principles thinking • You're agnostic to outcomes – as long as the logic is robust The key difference? When you optimize for being "neutral" — you focus on how to make people happy. But when you optimize for being "bias-free?" You focus on solving problems and delivering impact. (And it's a lesson I wish I learned sooner!) ___ 👋 Hi! I'm Herng, and I write regularly about my learnings at Google. Follow for more! ♻️ If this was helpful, feel free to reshare :)
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Herng Lee reposted thisHerng Lee reposted thisHerng Lee has spent 10 years in Google’s #Strategy & Operations team His playbook on how to write great slides is a must-read for all new joiners! Here are my 3 favorite tips ⬇️ 1️⃣ Stick with the 6 basic charts and avoid the rest The truth is, most people get overwhelmed by anything more than a 2x2 matrix (uh…definitely not me though…) 2️⃣ Follow the Pyramid Principle As Barbara Minto put it: It’s fine to think from the bottom-up, but we need to present from the top-down 3️⃣ Good headlines are either assertive or action-led The iFold is an innovative new product ❌ US$ 5Bn investment needed for iFold to be market leader ✅ 📌 Herng shares the entire playbook for free: https://lnkd.in/gfHzZDtA #presentationtips #careertips
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Herng Lee posted thisHere's something I wish I learned much earlier in my career: "A simple update is never that simple." What does this mean? Here's an example. Imagine that your manager goes: "I'm meeting leadership next week, and I want to update them on this project... ...Can you give me a couple quick bullet points?" The mistake I made for the longest time? Treating the task as actually "quick" and "simple." After all, it's just updates. The stakes seem low. (Not to mention that someone else is the owner.) As a result? I would simply write down whatever is top of mind, ship it off — and call it a day. But what I didn't learn until later on is this: #1 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. Your influence only grows if other people can represent you well. And that starts with the hygiene of writing exec-ready updates. #2 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯? You hurt yourself. If people cannot decipher what you write – they will underrepresent your work. This hurts you, not them. #3 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸. It takes incredible finesse to say just enough, but not too much. The "simpler" it needs to be, the harder it is. What I also learned over the years? The best operators craft these updates with precision and intentionality. They find the optimal balance between crispness and nuance. And by making life easier for other people? They help themselves in the long run as well. So the next time you get asked for that "quick" or "simple" update? Remember that it almost never is. ___ 👋 Hi! I'm Herng, and I write about my learnings as a strategy manager at Google. Follow for more! ♻️ Reshare this post if it can help others!
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Herng Lee posted thisI often get asked in my presentation workshops: "How did you stop sucking?" These weren't snarky or hostile questions, of course. Instead, it's because I usually kick off my workshops by showing people my old slides. Yes, some of those slides were horrific. And that's exactly the point. It helps me demonstrate that no one is naturally "good" at writing slides. Instead, I tell people that everything can be learned and mastered. It just takes time. So when I get asked this question? I tell people this: "I got lucky." Specifically, I got lucky in the sense that: - I worked with people who would tell me candidly if my slides weren't good enough. - I worked with people who had enough patience to also explain to me "why." - I worked with people who didn't mince words. They cared more about making me better, and less about protecting my ego. So now as I take my learnings and try to pay it forward? I tell people: - You don't know what "good" looks like until you see it. Working alongside capable people is the fastest way to learn. - You should therefore seek out people who will give you honest feedback. And find a way to work with (or even work for) these people. - And if the roles are reversed? Be the person who takes the extra time to give that feedback. You might just accidentally accelerate someone's career. ___ 👋 Hi! I'm Herng, and I write regularly about my learnings as a strategy manager at Google. ♻️ Reshare this post if it can help others!
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Herng Lee posted thisBragging at work isn't a bad thing. But most people do it the wrong way. Look, it's not that you have to pretend to be "holier-than-thou" when it comes to bragging. (No one's forcing you to start every email with "I'm humbled to announce...") Rather, it's just that you have to think more about others – and less about yourself. Preferably in that order too. For example, if you're planning to send out an org-wide email announcing a big win? ❌ Here are the "wrong" things to focus on: - "Where did I spend my time and effort?" - "What skills did I manage to demonstrate?" - "How did I pull off something so difficult?" - "Where did I do better than my peers?" ✅ Meanwhile, the "right" way of bragging focuses on: - "How does this benefit our business?" - "What insights can others learn from this?" - "How can this make others' lives easier?" - "How do I help others steal with pride?" Ironically, you don't even have to do this out of the goodness of your heart. Because even if you're "selfish" and just want attention for youself? Leading with value is actually the easiest way to get there. Want actual examples? Read my latest newsletter issue. I just sent it out to 5000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/gCgH2tdt ___ 👋 Hi! I'm Herng, and I write regularly about my learnings as a strategy manager at Google. ♻️ Reshare this post if it can help others!
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Herng Lee posted thisThe best storytellers don't use fancy words. Instead, they do this: They 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 their data, whenever possible. Because if you don't do this? Your message won't land. No one will know how to "feel." For example, here's a common mistake: ❌ "Our avg user spends $100 per year" Is this incredible, underwhelming, or somewhere in between? No one knows. Because there's no context. But consider if you properly contextualized. For example: ✅ "Our avg user spends $100 per year... that's on par with the biggest player in our industry!" All of a sudden people know how to feel. Because you've gone from simply dumping data, to now telling a proper story. In fact, there are many other ways to contextualize. For example, here are 5 "tricks" that I use most often: 1. Leverage shared knowledge. 2. Anchor on indexed figures. 3. Redefine the yardstick. 4. Explain with timeframes. 5. Paint the "but-for" picture. I illustrate each of them in this newsletter issue: https://lnkd.in/gmDSUbra ___
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1mo
😅🙏 Appreciate the encouragement!!
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2mo
Congrats Ishwinder Bawa ! You’ll knock it out of the park! Look forward to crossing paths again soon hopefully!
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Herng Lee liked thisHerng Lee liked thisWhen writing to executives, it’s not just about what you say, it’s also about how you say it. Here are 5 rules that I follow: These rules are all designed to ensure that your message is clear, logical, and decision-oriented. 𝟭) 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝘃𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 to explain 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 (in the fewest words possible). 𝟮) 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿/𝗮𝘀𝗸 so the executive knows exactly what they need to engage with. 𝟯) 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 to help bring structure and organization to your writing (especially if you have multiple paragraphs). 𝟰) 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 to make the content more scannable and easy to process. 𝟱) 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 that pre-empt objections and remind them of the ask to make the decision easy. --- I’m Dan and I help corporate professionals think and communicate like executives. Check out my profile for both individual and corporate training. Find this tip useful? Give it a like 👍 or repost ♻️ to help others. Click the three dots ••• to save this for later. Follow me Dan Galletta for more tips like these.
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Herng Lee liked thisHerng Lee liked thisAfter 12 years at Mastercard/APT, my time has wrapped up. It's hard to leave a place that has consistently given me so many unexpected opportunities. I’m truly grateful: I’ve lived in five global cities and worked in more than two dozen, an alphabet soup from Addis to Austin, Manila to Mumbai, Sapporo to Singapore, Utretch to Uganda (Kampala). I’ve learned skills as diverse as SQL and Public-Private Partnerships to support partners as different as Japanese convenience stores and multilateral development banks. I have been blessed to grow my own family, one member for every stop along the way, and finally lean into my personal passion for food systems at work. All at the same company, always with smart, kind, driven coworkers who have generously taught me so much. So why leave? After this decade+ journey circumnavigating the globe, for the next chapter, I’m returning to Boston to raise my family near the family that raised me. Sometimes the mood is more clairvoyant than the math, and it’s time to start a new professional chapter that fits the moment. I’m excited to apply all that I’ve learned to positively transform food systems working with many more organizations. More to come soon. For now, thank you so much to all of my mentors, colleagues, customers and partners along the way. Your trust has meant the world to me, and I have enjoyed working with each of you. While there are dozens of you I need to properly thank, Greg Ulrich, Jonathan Marek, and Naohiko Oikawa, thank you for the opportunities, the support, and the example you have each provided me. I don’t know where I would be if you didn’t open those doors. You have shown me what excellence looks like as a professional, leader, and mentor, and doing so while staying true to oneself. I hope I can pass it on. If you made it this far, wishing you a purposeful 2026!
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Herng Lee liked thisHerng Lee liked thisSharpening your thinking isn’t about being smarter. It’s about forcing clarity. Here's how you do it: 𝟭) 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 If you can’t say it in one sentence, you don’t understand it yet. So before you go down a rabbit hole, finish this sentence: “The point I’m trying to make is…” Then focus on supporting that claim. 𝟮) 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 These two don’t belong in the same session. First pass = ugly, fast, incomplete Second pass = clean, structured, clear Mix them together and you’ll move slowly… while convincing yourself you’re “being thorough.” 𝟯) 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 "𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗼" Not version 1. Not even a working draft. A messy starting point whose only job is to be reactable. • One slide with headlines only • A 5-bullet doc instead of a full narrative • A sketch instead of a model If someone can look at it and say “this is wrong,” you’ve done enough to get early feedback. 𝟰) 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘀 After version zero, don’t disappear until you have the answer. Keep sharing your thinking as it evolves. Use language like: • “My current thinking is…” • “A first pass might be…” • “Pressure-testing this idea…” This allows you to gather input and course correct. 𝟱) 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 More points ≠ stronger thinking. So force yourself to synthesize things into: • One recommendation • Three reasons • A few key points Anything beyond that usually results in diminishing returns. 𝟲) 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗹 When you think you’re done… review and delete aggressively. Look for areas where you're: • sharing too much context • repeating yourself • using fluffly language What remains is almost always sharper. --- I’m Dan and I help corporate professionals think and communicate like executives. Check out my profile for both individual and corporate training. Find this tip useful? Give it a like 👍 or repost ♻️ to help others. Click the three dots ••• to save this for later. Follow me Dan Galletta for more tips like these.
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