Month 10 Detailed Schedule

Weeks 35-38: Phase 3C - Communication Mastery

You’ve learned to lead with purpose (Phase 3A) and manage people effectively (Phase 3B). Now master the skill you’ll use 70-90% of your time: COMMUNICATION. Listening, speaking, writing, and making ideas stick.

How to Use This Schedule

Daily Time Commitment: 30-60 minutes

• Morning option: During baby’s first nap
• Evening option: After baby’s bedtime
• Split option: 15 min morning + 15-30 min evening

Flexibility Rules:

• Miss a day? Just continue where you left off
• Behind schedule? Skip optional items (marked with *)
• Ahead? Move to next day or go deeper on current material

Icons:

• :movie_camera: Video/Course
• :books: Reading
• :headphones: Audiobook-friendly
• :memo: Writing/Reflection
• :wrench: Setup task
• :brain: AI practice
• :zap: Quick task (< 15 min)

Phase 3C Overview

Week 35: You’re Not Listening - The Lost Art of Listening

Goal: Complete “You’re Not Listening” + Master Support Responses

Day 239 (Monday)

TED Talk: 5 Ways to Listen Better

Why Listening First:

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” - George Bernard Shaw

We think we’re communicating. We’re not. We’re waiting to talk.

Julian Treasure’s RASA Framework:

• Receive - Pay attention, face the speaker
• Appreciate - Make small sounds (hmm, ah, ok)
• Summarize - “So what you’re saying is…”
• Ask - Questions that invite more sharing

Day 240 (Tuesday)

The Shift/Support Response:

The most important concept in the book:

Why We Shift:

• We want to connect (but it backfires)
• We’re uncomfortable with silence
• We’re thinking about ourselves
• We want to “help” by sharing experience

The Truth:

Shift responses feel like connection to YOU. They feel like interruption to THEM.

Day 241 (Wednesday)

Why We’ve Stopped Listening:

• Phones: Always a more interesting alternative in your pocket
• Polarization: We only hear people who agree with us
• Busyness: “I don’t have time for this”
• Fear: Uncomfortable topics are avoided

The Conversational Narcissist:

• Everyone sometimes
• Measures conversation success by how much they talked
• Leaves feeling great while other person feels drained

AI prompt:

Let's practice Support Responses. You'll play someone sharing something with me.
Give me a scenario where someone is telling me about:
- A frustrating work situation
- An exciting personal achievement
- A difficult family challenge

After I respond, tell me if I used a Shift or Support Response, and how I could improve.

Day 242 (Thursday)

TED Talk: 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation

Celeste Headlee’s 10 Rules:

Key Insight:

“If your mouth is open, you’re not learning.”

Day 243 (Friday)

Listening for What’s NOT Said:

Great listeners hear:

• The emotion behind the words
• What’s being avoided
• The real question behind the stated question
• Hesitations and pauses

The Iceberg:

        What they say
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~
       /            \
      /   What they  \
     /     mean       \
    /                  \
   /   What they feel   \
  /                      \
 /    What they need      \
/____________________________\

For Leaders:

• Your job is to understand, not to be interesting
• People will tell you everything if you actually listen
• Listening is how you learn what’s really happening

Day 244 (Saturday) - Lighter Day

TED Talk: How to Speak So That People Want to Listen

The Listening Experiment:

Today, in at least 3 conversations:

1. Put your phone completely away (not on table)
2. Use ONLY Support Responses
3. Ask at least 2 follow-up questions
4. Notice what happens

Track:

Day 245 (Sunday) - Review + Transition

You’re Not Listening Summary:

Self-Assessment: Your Listening Style

Rate yourself 1-5:

Week 35 Checkpoint

Before moving to Week 36, you should have:

• Watched Julian Treasure TED Talks (both)
• Watched Celeste Headlee TED Talk
• Read “You’re Not Listening”
• Practiced Support Responses in real conversations
• Completed the Listening Experiment
• Created 5+ flashcards
• Obtained “Talk Like TED” and “Resonate”

Week 36: Talk Like TED + Resonate - Speaking & Presenting

Goal: Complete both books + Master the art of presenting ideas

Day 246 (Monday)

TED Talk: TED’s Secret to Great Public Speaking

The Core Insight:

The most popular TED Talks follow patterns anyone can learn.

Chris Anderson’s One Key Idea:

• Every great talk has ONE idea worth spreading
• Your only job: plant that idea in their minds
• Everything else serves that one idea

The 9 Secrets of Great TED Talks:

Organized into three categories:

Day 247 (Tuesday)

Secret #1: Unleash the Master Within

• Speak about what you’re PASSIONATE about
• Passion is contagious
• If you don’t care, neither will they

Secret #2: Master the Art of Storytelling Stories are how humans make sense of the world.

The 3 Story Types:

Secret #3: Have a Conversation

• Practice until natural, not scripted
• Talk TO the audience, not AT them
• Eye contact with individuals

Day 248 (Wednesday)

Secret #4: Teach Something New

• Give audience fresh information
• Challenge their assumptions
• “I’m going to show you something you’ve never seen before…”

Secret #5: Deliver Jaw-Dropping Moments

Create S.T.A.R. moments: Something They’ll Always Remember

Secret #6: Lighten Up

• Humor lowers defenses
• Self-deprecating works best
• You don’t need to be a comedian

Day 249 (Thursday)

Secret #7: Stick to 18 Minutes

• Cognitive load limit
• Long presentations exhaust people
• If TED can say it in 18 minutes, so can you

Secret #8: Paint a Mental Picture

• Multi-sensory descriptions
• Use analogies and metaphors
• “Imagine you’re standing at the edge of…”

Secret #9: Stay in Your Lane

• Be authentic, not imitative
• Your unique perspective is your strength
• Don’t try to be someone else

The Power of 3:

• 3 key points maximum
• 3 stories to illustrate
• 3 is memorable; 7 is overwhelming

Day 250 (Friday)

TED Talk: The Secret Structure of Great Talks

The Sparkline:

Great presentations alternate between “what is” and “what could be”:

                    ★ What COULD BE
                   /|
                  / |
     ★ Could be /  |           ★ Could be
               /   |          /|
              /    |         / |
What IS ─────     |        /  |───── NEW BLISS!
              \    |       /   |
               \   |      /    |
     ★ Is       \ |     /     |
                 \|    /      |
                  ★ What IS   |

The Pattern:

1. Start with “what is” (current reality)
2. Contrast with “what could be” (future possibility)
3. Alternate back and forth
4. Build to a call to action

Key Principle: You Are NOT the Hero

• Audience is the hero
• You are the mentor (like Yoda, not Luke)
• Your job: help THEM succeed

Day 251 (Saturday) - Lighter Day

The Big Idea: Every presentation needs ONE big idea:

• One complete sentence
• Contains: What + Why
• If audience remembers ONE thing, what should it be?

Example Big Ideas:

AI prompt:

I need to present about: [your topic]

Help me design this presentation using the Sparkline framework:
1. What's my ONE big idea (one sentence)?
2. What's the current reality ("what is")?
3. What's the future possibility ("what could be")?
4. What's my S.T.A.R. moment (something they'll always remember)?
5. What's my call to action?

Day 252 (Sunday) - Review + Transition

Talk Like TED + Resonate Summary:

Week 36 Checkpoint

Before moving to Week 37, you should have:

• Watched Chris Anderson + Nancy Duarte TED Talks
• Read “Talk Like TED”
• Read “Resonate”
• Designed a presentation using the Sparkline
• Created 10+ flashcards (cumulative)
• Obtained “Made to Stick”

Week 37: Made to Stick - Making Ideas Memorable

Goal: Complete “Made to Stick” + Master the SUCCESs framework

Day 253 (Monday)

The Core Question:

Why do some ideas survive while others die?

The Curse of Knowledge:

• Once you know something, you can’t imagine not knowing it
• You speak in abstractions others don’t understand
• The “tappers and listeners” experiment

The SUCCESs Framework:

Day 254 (Tuesday)

S - Simple

The Commander’s Intent: Military orders can get complex. If everything goes wrong, what’s the ONE thing soldiers should do?

“Break their will to fight.”

Finding the Core:

• Not dumbing down - prioritizing
• “If you say 3 things, you say nothing”
• Southwest Airlines: “THE low-fare airline”

Simple ≠ Short

• Proverbs are simple but deep
• “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”
• Compact but full of meaning

U - Unexpected

Break the Pattern: To get attention, violate expectations:

• “A medium popcorn has more fat than a bacon-and-eggs breakfast, a Big Mac and fries, and a steak dinner—combined”
• The “WHAT?!” moment

Create Curiosity Gaps:

• Open a gap in knowledge
• Then fill it
• “How did a gas station become the world’s best-selling wine retailer?”

Day 255 (Wednesday)

C - Concrete

Abstract vs. Concrete:

Use Sensory Language:

• Things you can see, hear, touch, taste, smell
• “Velcro” vs. “hook-and-loop fastener”
• The brain thinks in pictures, not abstractions

The Velcro Theory of Memory:

• More hooks = more sticks
• Abstract ideas have few hooks
• Concrete details create multiple hooks

AI prompt:

I have an abstract idea that I need to make concrete:
[Your abstract idea]

Help me:
1. Translate this into sensory language
2. Create a specific, vivid example
3. Turn statistics into something tangible
4. Make it something people can "see"

Day 256 (Thursday)

C - Credible

Sources of Credibility:

The Sinatra Test:

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere”

One example SO powerful it proves everything:

• “We did security for the White House” (no other examples needed)
• “This technique worked for Google” (instant credibility)

Make Statistics Human-Scale:

• Not: “5 million pounds of waste”
• But: “Enough to fill 300 swimming pools”

Day 257 (Friday)

E - Emotional

Make People FEEL:

• Statistics don’t move people
• One identifiable person does
• “Save Rokia” raised more than “Save the children of Africa”

The Identifiable Victim Effect:

• One = tragedy
• Million = statistic
• Put a face on it

Appeal to Identity:

• “People like us do things like this”
• Texas anti-litter campaign: “Don’t Mess with Texas”
• Appealed to Texan identity, not environmental guilt

Maslow’s Hierarchy for Messages: Connect to what people actually care about:

1. Self-actualization (becoming your best)
2. Esteem (recognition, respect)
3. Belonging (community, connection)
4. Security (safety, stability)
5. Physical (food, shelter)

Day 258 (Saturday) - Lighter Day

S - Stories

Stories are “Flight Simulators”:

• They let the brain practice
• Mental rehearsal without risk
• “What would I do?”

Three Basic Plots:

Spotting Stories: Stories are everywhere. Look for:

• Unexpected events
• Emotional moments
• Transformation

SUCCESs Exercise:

Take an idea you want to communicate:

Your idea: _______________________

Day 259 (Sunday) - Review + Transition

Made to Stick Summary:

The Villain: Curse of Knowledge

Once you know something, you can’t imagine not knowing it.

Week 37 Checkpoint

Before moving to Week 38, you should have:

• Read “Made to Stick”
• Applied SUCCESs to at least one real idea
• Created flashcards for all 6 principles
• Understood the “Curse of Knowledge”
• Created 15+ flashcards (cumulative)
• Obtained “On Writing Well”

Week 38: On Writing Well - Clear, Compelling Writing

Goal: Complete “On Writing Well” + Apply principles to your writing

Day 260 (Monday)

The Core Principle:

“Good writing is clear thinking made visible.”

Clutter is the Enemy:

The Strip-Down Test: For every word, ask: “Is this doing new work?”

Before:

“The implementation of the solution was achieved by the team in a manner that was quite efficient.”

After:

“The team solved it efficiently.”

Day 261 (Tuesday)

Be Yourself

• Write in first person (“I”)
• Your personality is your greatest asset
• Sound like you, not like a corporate memo

Unity Keep these consistent:

• Unity of pronoun (I vs. we vs. you)
• Unity of tense (past vs. present)
• Unity of mood (casual vs. formal)

The Active Voice:

Verbs > Nouns:

Day 262 (Wednesday)

Simple Words:

AI prompt:

Here's a paragraph I wrote:
[Paste your paragraph]

Please apply Zinsser's writing principles:
1. Cut all unnecessary words
2. Replace passive voice with active
3. Use simpler words where possible
4. Turn noun phrases into verbs
5. Show me the before/after and explain each change

Day 263 (Thursday)

Rewriting IS Writing:

• First drafts are supposed to be terrible
• The magic happens in revision
• Professional writers rewrite 5, 10, 20 times

Read Aloud:

• Your ear catches what your eye misses
• Awkward sentences reveal themselves
• If you stumble, the reader will too

Writing Process:

1. Write freely - Get it all out, don’t edit
2. Let it rest - Come back with fresh eyes
3. Cut ruthlessly - Every unnecessary word goes
4. Read aloud - Listen for problems
5. Rewrite - Make it cleaner, sharper

Kill Your Darlings:

“Your most beautiful sentence might be your biggest problem.”

If a sentence doesn’t serve the whole, delete it - even if you love it.

Day 264 (Friday)

Writing Revision Exercise:

Take something you’ve written (email, report, document):

Step 1: Count

• Original word count: _____
• Target: Cut by 30%

Step 2: Apply principles

• Cut clutter words (“that,” “very,” “really”)
• Convert passive to active
• Simplify vocabulary
• Turn nouns into verbs
• Delete any sentence that doesn’t serve the whole

Step 3: Read aloud

• Mark every place you stumbled
• Rewrite those sections

Step 4: Final count

• Revised word count: _____
• Percentage cut: ____%

Day 265 (Saturday) - Review + Reflection

On Writing Well Summary:

Day 266 (Sunday) - Phase 3C Completion

Phase 3C Reflection Questions

Complete before moving to Phase 4:

1. Listening: Do you tend to Shift or Support? Give a recent example.

2. Your biggest listening improvement opportunity:

   ---

3. Apply SUCCESs to an idea you need to communicate:

   • S (Simple): _________________________________
   • U (Unexpected): _________________________________
   • C (Concrete): _________________________________
   • C (Credible): _________________________________
   • E (Emotional): _________________________________
   • S (Story): _________________________________

4. Your Big Idea for a presentation you might give:

   • One sentence: _________________________________
   • S.T.A.R. moment: _________________________________

5. Take something you wrote recently. How many words did you cut? ____%

6. Your communication strengths and weaknesses:

   Skill	Strength (1-5)	Improvement Area
   Listening	/5
   Presenting	/5
   Writing	/5
   Making ideas stick	/5

Week 38 Checkpoint

After Week 38, you should have:

• Read “On Writing Well”
• Applied writing principles to a real document
• Completed a full writing revision exercise
• Created 20+ flashcards (Phase 3C total)
• Completed Phase 3C reflection questions
• Updated PROGRESS_TRACKER.md

Month 10 Complete!

What You’ve Accomplished

Phase 3C (Weeks 35-38):

• “You’re Not Listening” - Kate Murphy (Shift/Support, RASA)
• “Talk Like TED” - Carmine Gallo (9 Secrets, Power of 3)
• “Resonate” - Nancy Duarte (Sparkline, S.T.A.R. moments)
• “Made to Stick” - Heath Brothers (SUCCESs framework)
• “On Writing Well” - William Zinsser (Clarity principles)
• TED Talks (Treasure x2, Headlee, Anderson, Duarte)
• 20+ flashcards
• Listening experiment
• Presentation design
• Writing revision exercise

Time Invested

• Month 10 Total: ~28-32 hours
• Daily average: ~55 minutes
• Running total: ~280-310 hours

You Now Understand:

• How to truly listen (Support, not Shift)
• How to present like TED speakers (9 secrets, Sparkline)
• How to make ideas memorable (SUCCESs)
• How to write clearly (cut clutter, active voice, simplify)

Phase 3 Complete!

You’ve now finished all of Phase 3: Lead Others

Total Phase 3: 14 weeks

Next Steps: Phase 4 Preview

Phase 4: Navigate Conflict

Everything you’ve learned gets tested when conflict arises. Phase 4 teaches you to handle the hardest conversations.

Key insight: Conflict isn’t failure - it’s inevitable. The question is whether you navigate it skillfully or destructively.

Continue to Phase 4: Navigate Conflict

Troubleshooting

”I’m behind schedule”

Options:

1. Prioritize: If you can only read 2 books: “You’re Not Listening” + “Made to Stick”
2. TED Talks: The talks cover core concepts well
3. Audiobooks: All are available on audio
4. Extend: Take 5 weeks instead of 4

”I don’t present often”

• These skills apply to any persuasive communication
• Email, meetings, one-on-ones all use these principles
• The “presentation” is any time you want to influence thinking

”Writing isn’t my job”

• Leaders communicate constantly - much of it in writing
• Emails, Slack, documents, reports
• Clear writing = clear thinking

”I think I’m a good listener already”

• Most people think this
• The Shift/Support test reveals the truth
• Try the listening experiment and see what happens

Quick Reference Card

Shift vs. Support

• Shift: Turns conversation to YOU (avoid)
• Support: Keeps focus on THEM (do this)

RASA

• Receive, Appreciate, Summarize, Ask

9 TED Secrets

• Emotional: Passion, Stories, Conversation
• Novel: Teach, Jaw-drop, Humor
• Memorable: 18 min, Pictures, Authentic

Sparkline

• Alternate “what is” ↔ “what could be”
• You = Mentor, Audience = Hero
• Create S.T.A.R. moments

SUCCESs

• Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories

Writing Principles

• Cut clutter (“that,” “very,” “in order to”)
• Active voice (“We decided”)
• Simple words (“Use” not “Utilize”)
• Verbs > Nouns (“Decide” not “Make a decision”)
• Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite

Ten months complete. You understand yourself (Phase 1), others (Phase 2), and now leadership (Phase 3A), management (Phase 3B), and communication (Phase 3C). Phase 4 applies all of this to the hardest situations: conflict.

Continue to Phase 4: Navigate Conflict

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