<p>The goal of listening is to make the other person feel heard. Listening is understanding where emotions come from, and it is not always rational. It is based on experiences and perspectives.</p><p><br></p><p>We all have biases and blind spots. That makes it essential to have uncomfortable conversations with the different races in your company. Vulnerability is the best way to start these conversations to determine if you do things right or wrong. Ask them to help you get it right if you have made mistakes.&nbsp;</p>

How to listen and learn from Black Lives Matter

Leadership

<p>Too many leaders are trying to lead by email. We need humanity more than well-articulated emails.</p><p><br></p><p>Call your employees and ask them how they are doing. Take the time to listen to them. Treat them like friends. They should feel heard at the end of the call. If it is a larger company, check in on your leaders, and lean on them to check in on their teams.</p>

Why you can't lead over email

<header><span><span>Working From Home</span></span></header><header dir="ltr"><h2 dir="ltr">How This Founder Cuts Distractions During Quarantine</h2><h3 dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">Modern Fertility founder Afton Vechery has made some concessions to a difficult situation, but not when it comes to productivity.</span></h3></header><div><span><span dir="ltr">By Inc. Editorial, Inc. Staff</span></span></div><figure><picture><source media="(max-width:600px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/970x450/rituals_425201.jpg"><source media="(min-width:601px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/rituals_425201.jpg"><img src="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/rituals_425201.jpg" alt="Afton Vechery, co-founder of Modern Fertility." width="635" height="357"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Afton Vechery, co-founder of Modern Fertility.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr"><strong dir="ltr">For Modern Fertility's Afton Vechery</strong>, the biggest adjustment to <a href="https://www.inc.com/cameron-albert-deitch/remote-work-advice-best-practices.html" dir="ltr">going remote during the coronavirus crisis</a> has been minor but symbolic: "I've had to switch from contacts to glasses because of all the screen time and <a href="https://www.inc.com/sophie-downes/virtual-meeting-remote-work-from-home-zoom-productivity-empathy.html" dir="ltr">video calls</a>," she says.<a href="https://www.inc.com/lindsay-blakely/modern-fertility-hormone-blood-test-pregnancy-30-under-30-2019.html" dir="ltr"> Vechery co-founded her home-fertility-test startup</a>, which has $22 million in funding, in 2017. While many now have plenty of time on their hands for, well, fertility, Vechery is busier than ever. Here's how she stays productive.&nbsp;</p><h2>Climb Every Mountain</h2><p>The alarm clock buzzes at 6:30 a.m. "A lot of founders have these amazing morning productivity hacks, like meditation," says Vechery. "For me, the single greatest motivating factor is to just be doing something I love. And so, uh, that translates to emails in bed when I wake up." After that, Vechery typically bikes to work. During the crisis, she's swapped her commute for an early-morning ride to the top of San Francisco's Twin Peaks. It doubles as me time. "It's really helpful to understand what's going to bubble up from your subconscious when you're not being stimulated sitting in front of a computer," she says.</p><h2>Face Time</h2><p>Vechery's days in quarantine include more one-on-one meetings than they did before, but that's the cost of keeping information flowing. Modern Fertility has implemented daily meetings at which employees can check on current and upcoming projects. And the staff has organized optional virtual lunches and happy hours, which Vechery will drop into when she can. Whether at home or in the office, she and co-founder Carly Leahy generally eat dinner while working and wrap up around 9 p.m.--though they encourage staffers to leave earlier.</p><h2>Clear Screen, Clear Mind</h2><p>Vechery relies on an app called Captio, which lets the founder email a note to herself with one click. But you won't find the Captio icon on her iPhone's home screen, which is clear of everything but three apps: Calendar, Clock, and Notes. Manually searching for apps lets Vechery ignore distracting notifications. "As a founder, there's constantly something else you could be doing," she says. "But when you have space to think through what you're working on, you're a better leader."&nbsp;</p><h2>Portion Control</h2><p>When she makes time for a TV show, Vechery starts with the season finale and views the episodes in reverse order. The strange habit helps prevent the urge to binge. "I have an incredibly addictive personality," she says. "So this is better for everyone." Vechery also unwinds by playing the trumpet. "It's a total break from everything else in life," she says. "It lets you process your thoughts in a really different way."</p><div>May 13, 2020</div>

Check out the highlights from Inc.'s Real Talk: Business Reboot streaming event, in which the best-selling author shares strategies to lead your team into the new normal.

Career

How This Founder Cuts Distractions During Quarantine

Modern Fertility founder Afton Vechery has made some concessions to a difficult situation, but not when it comes to productivity.

<p dir="ltr"><strong dir="ltr">For Modern Fertility's Afton Vechery </strong>, the biggest adjustment to <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.inc.com/cameron-albert-deitch/remote-work-advice-best-practices.html">going remote during the coronavirus crisis </a>has been minor but symbolic: "I've had to switch from contacts to glasses because of all the screen time and <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.inc.com/sophie-downes/virtual-meeting-remote-work-from-home-zoom-productivity-empathy.html">video calls </a>," she says.<a dir="ltr" href="https://www.inc.com/lindsay-blakely/modern-fertility-hormone-blood-test-pregnancy-30-under-30-2019.html">Vechery co-founded her home-fertility-test startup </a>, which has $22 million in funding, in 2017. While many now have plenty of time on their hands for, well, fertility, Vechery is busier than ever. Here's how she stays productive.  </p>

<p>The alarm clock buzzes at 6:30 a.m. "A lot of founders have these amazing morning productivity hacks, like meditation," says Vechery. "For me, the single greatest motivating factor is to just be doing something I love. And so, uh, that translates to emails in bed when I wake up." After that, Vechery typically bikes to work. During the crisis, she's swapped her commute for an early-morning ride to the top of San Francisco's Twin Peaks. It doubles as me time. "It's really helpful to understand what's going to bubble up from your subconscious when you're not being stimulated sitting in front of a computer," she says. </p>

<p>Vechery's days in quarantine include more one-on-one meetings than they did before, but that's the cost of keeping information flowing. Modern Fertility has implemented daily meetings at which employees can check on current and upcoming projects. And the staff has organized optional virtual lunches and happy hours, which Vechery will drop into when she can. Whether at home or in the office, she and co-founder Carly Leahy generally eat dinner while working and wrap up around 9 p.m.--though they encourage staffers to leave earlier. </p>

<p>Vechery relies on an app called Captio, which lets the founder email a note to herself with one click. But you won't find the Captio icon on her iPhone's home screen, which is clear of everything but three apps: Calendar, Clock, and Notes. Manually searching for apps lets Vechery ignore distracting notifications. "As a founder, there's constantly something else you could be doing," she says. "But when you have space to think through what you're working on, you're a better leader."  </p>

<p>When she makes time for a TV show, Vechery starts with the season finale and views the episodes in reverse order. The strange habit helps prevent the urge to binge. "I have an incredibly addictive personality," she says. "So this is better for everyone." Vechery also unwinds by playing the trumpet. "It's a total break from everything else in life," she says. "It lets you process your thoughts in a really different way." </p>

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

Simon Sinek on How to Lead Through Crisis and Change

How to listen and learn from Black Lives Matter

Why you can't lead over email

Six Ways To Successfully Join And Lead A New Team

How Companies Can Push Past Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lip Service to Enact Meaningful Change

Creativity, Inc.

Bite‑sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

Simon Sinek on How to Lead Through Crisis and Change

How to listen and learn from Black Lives Matter

Why you can't lead over email

Six Ways To Successfully Join And Lead A New Team

How Companies Can Push Past Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lip Service to Enact Meaningful Change

Creativity, Inc.

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career