Today's Mentor's Corner is about a secret weapon most of us don't even realize we have. It's something surprisingly practical that makes you more memorable, more persuasive, and more effective—yet almost nobody consciously practices it.
This is Coached Weekly, my career notes where I share the tiny % of ideas that actually work in real careers. It takes 5 minutes to read, but could speed up your career by years. I write this myself and I read your replies. —Rohan Mahtani (LinkedIn).
The 20-second Career tactic
I've coached people for a decade. Here's one idea that moves the needle. I teach it in 20 seconds.
Good leaders are always clear upfront
A big difference I notice between average and strong employees is clarity. Average employees and managers don’t know what they want and set vague meetings ("quick sync about strategy"), which tend to waste time. The best employees clearly state exactly what decision they need ("choose our vendor by EOD"), required prep ("read this short doc"), and a simple agenda.
So be clearer where you can, starting with the invite. It shows respect, saves everyone time, and leads to quicker, smarter outcomes.
Heads up:
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Mentor's Corner
Insights put together by me. One practical lesson a week that will make a measurable impact on your career, delivered right to you — for $0.
Why being high-energy is your career advantage
Here’s a (true) story for you:
Shaan Puri’s fitness coach was in a bit of a pickle. His driver’s license had expired 2 years before, so every time he drove, he had a gnawing dread:
Are the cops gonna pull me over today?
Of course, he could've just renewed it, but the thought of going to the DMV felt almost as bad as driving without one.
Eventually, enough was enough. He looked up his nearest DMV online: it’s rated a measly 1.5 stars on Google — terrible reviews, exactly as you'd expect.
Then, lightbulb moment:
“Shaan,” he declares, “I’m gonna make this a 5-star experience.”
“How?” asks Shaan.
“I’m gonna be a 5-star customer.”
The day arrives. He gets himself into a great mood, puts on his best clothes and walks into the DMV with a smile, where he’s met with a huge line of customers…all pissed off, fuming, and all having the 1.5 star experiences (as advertised).
But instead of mirroring their misery, he keeps his posture good, smiles, and makes small-talk. He asks the staff at the door how they’re doing — all this attracts the attention of one of the staff members, who asks him, “Can I help you?”
He explained his situation and asked who he needed to speak with.
She smiled, “I can help! Follow me.”
Next thing you know, he’s cut the line, gets his license renewed (without even taking the test!) and walks out having a 5-star experience.
🪞 Your world is a reflection
What’s the moral of the story?
Bring gloom, expect gloom. Bring positive energy, and you might unlock something far better.
It’s underrated, but:
In a world where the default is misery, negativity, or just total indifference, bringing even a bit of energy to a situation is a career hack (and a life hack).
⚡ Inject energy into routine tasks
See, it’s people skills 101 to make others feel good.
Usually, we think this means asking people about themselves, but energy is just as important. People like those who lift them up and make them feel energetic; nobody wants to chat with a dementor.
So how do we do it?
By remembering that even the smallest jolt of positivity can stand out in a dull setting. You don’t have to be over-the-top — just be the opposite of “meh.”
Here are some things I’d try.
🗣️ How you say it > what you say
Most people’s conversations go like this:
How’s it going?
Fine, you?
Not bad, not bad.
Yawn. Why so boring? Part of it is the content, sure, but mostly it’s the delivery. A “How are you?” asked in a flat, “I couldn’t care less” tone won’t perk anyone up.
Change it to:
Dean! How was the hunting trip?
And you’ll get back “Oh, man. It was epic. Blah blah blah.” with a spark.
Give energy, get energy back. Newton’s 8th law. Ok maybe not but you get the idea.
A little genuine enthusiasm goes a long way.
Even with friends, adding more high-fives into conversations can turn ordinary small-talk into something a bit more fun.
🎪 Learn showmanship
It’s 2008. Jared Vannett has 10 minutes to convince four investors that the housing market is about to collapse.
Two problems: the investors don’t trust Jared, and explaining the imminent housing collapse isn’t easy (especially when everyone else disagreed).
Sure, he could’ve done what everyone else does: wheel out a powerpoint with so many stats it’d put my granny to sleep. (No offense, granny).
But he didn’t.
Instead, he used a much more energetic (and thus, persuasive) method:
Jenga.
Everytime a mortgage tranche failed - bam! - he threw a block into the bin. Instead of sleeping, the investors are thinking, whoa, what’s going on here?
TL;DR: For injecting energy, showing often beats telling.
Two easy ideas:
If you're facing a complex idea at work — say explaining complicated market shifts or why a project timeline is at risk — think visually or physically. Could you draw a simple diagram instead of using slides? Can you illustrate your point by stacking a few coffee cups or markers on the table? Make your ideas tangible.
Even using a single colorful slide, funny picture/meme (if appropriate) or a short story at the start is a cheat code to bringing the energy (kinda what I tried to do at the start of this email!)
🕹️ Energy is a switch (you can *literally* turn it on)
Most people treat “energy” like a personality trait.
Like: I’m just not a high-energy person.
I don’t buy that.
Energy is just a state — and states are surprisingly hackable. Your body leads your mind more than you think. Quick examples (all science-backed):
Forcing a smile: even a fake smile tells your brain “I’m happy” and measurably lifts your mood (Stanford has data to back this up).
Movement: even 30 seconds of jumping jacks, squats, or brisk walking → boosts heart rate → gets your blood pumping → you feel better
Breathing physiology: A technique I religiously do to change state is called the 4-7-8 breathing: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, forcibly blow out through the mouth for 8. Do it 4 times.
Instead of waiting to feel energetic, just…flip it on.
🔀 The gentle art of pattern interrupt
An enterprise B2B deal is going nowhere so the sales guy does something pretty rad:
He sends the prospect an email consisting entirely of the lyrics of Justin Bieber’s, What do you mean? 😂
🎵 What do you mean?
When you nod your head yes, but you wanna say no… 🎶
Ridiculous? Yes. Did it close the deal? Also yes.
Pattern interrupt where appropriate. It’s an easy way to ‘bring’ energy.
Obviously don’t start using song lyrics in your emails (necessarily), but here are some simple things you can do right away:
Play around with your email signoffs:
=> Instead of, “Best Regards,” maybe, “Have a splendid Monday afternoon”
=> Instead of, “Don’t leave children unattended,” try, “Children left unattended will be given double espresso + a kitten.”
Dropping a team member a voice note instead of a long email
Move the meeting outside if you can ("walking meeting")
🫶 It’s not just about them — it’s also about you
You might think: “Why force high energy? I don’t want to be fake.”
Fair.
But it’s not just for others. It’s also for you.
Because when you bring a spark to a dull moment, you often make it more bearable — or even fun — for yourself.
For instance, if you’re stuck doing a boring chore at work, turning it into a mini-race (beat your best time) can keep you engaged.
If you’re waiting in line for something, decide to strike up a conversation or at least smile at the next person. It might go nowhere, or it might amuse you for two minutes. Either way, it’s less dreary.
Think about that DMV story. No one likes the DMV. But what if you convinced yourself it was going to be a great experience — and actually left the DMV with a smile. You're the one who wins!
The point is: energy isn’t just about pleasing people; it’s about making mundane life less… mundane.
📞 Make your calls a 5-star experience
Most people dread calls — Zoom calls, sales calls, weekly check-ins. But you can bring fun, positivity, and yes, energy to these situations:
Set the tone early. Greet people with a bright voice. Ask something beyond “How’s it going?” like “What are you looking forward to this week?”
Use visuals or quick polls. For a video meeting, share a funny (but relevant) image, or pop a simple poll in the chat. Or change your Zoom background to something fun and contextual — it’s a simple pattern interrupt.
Aim for short and sweet. If it’s a recurring meeting, see if you can wrap it up in half the usual time. Everyone loves getting time back in their day.
Remember, the idea is not to be a clown but to offer a small spark in a sea of grayness.
Finally…
🔋 Fill your cup
To give off energy, you’ve obviously got to have some to begin with — it’s tough to pour from an empty glass. So, before obsessing over tips and tricks, remember the basics:
Sleep. Move. Eat healthy. If you’re perpetually exhausted, it’s way harder to be that spark in a boring setting.
Hopefully that’s a piece of advice you haven’t heard before. If you enjoyed this:
Forward it to a friend, family member or colleague. It does truly make a difference.
If someone you know is on a job search, tell them to check out Resume Worded. It’ll make their job search a lot shorter.
Speak soon,
Rohan Mahtani
Founder at Coached & Resume Worded
Btw, I like reviews. They motivate me to keep the quality high. Like this recent one:
You can leave one here. I’d appreciate it. Thank you so much.
🤭 In all unseriousness
A few laughs to keep you smiling until next week
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