Use the "Ben Franklin" effect

Plus, climate vs weather problems

Author

Hassan Osman
June 17, 2026

In today’s newsletter:

  1. 📖 Problems Fall Into Two Buckets: Climate & Weather

  2. 💬 How to Win Someone’s Respect (the “Ben Franklin Effect”)

  3. 🏫 My New Book (That Will Help You Understand Yourself & Others)

  4. 🧠 Why Leaders Should Make Faster Decisions

  5. ✍️ An 80/20 Tip You Can Apply Today

Read time: 5.5 minutes

THE ONE THING

1. Problems Fall Into Two Buckets: Climate & Weather

The words “weather” and “climate” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they’re different terms.

Weather refers to short-term conditions of the atmosphere: “It’s raining in NYC today, and the temperature is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Climate refers to long-term conditions of the atmosphere: “Summers in NYC are usually warm and humid, and the temperature ranges between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Climate is the average weather over time during a specific period. It’s what you’d expect to get on a given day during a season. Weather is what you actually get.

The difference between those two terms is an excellent analogy for general leadership problems.

Weather problems are “one-off” challenges. Climate problems are “chronic” ones.

Here are a couple of examples:

  • Team Member Performance: When someone on the team is not performing up to standards, is that because of a weather problem (a bad day due to extra pressure) or a climate problem (continuously missing deadlines)?

  • Sales Strategy: When sales dipped last quarter, was that because of a weather problem (half the sales team was out of the office) or a climate problem (customers are shifting from product-based to service-based purchases)?

It’s not always easy to distinguish between the two because weather problems become climate problems when repeated a few times (and defining “a few” is subjective).

The takeaway

As a leader, focus on solving climate problems vs. weather problems because the former matters more in the long run.

INSIGHTFUL THOUGHTS

2. How to Win Someone’s Respect (the “Ben Franklin Effect”)

I shared this anecdote before but thought I’d reshare it because this technique actually worked for me recently.

A few months ago, I was reading through a book called “Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive” and came across this story about Benjamin Franklin (highlights in the book images below are mine).

This persuasive technique is known as the Ben Franklin effect.

It suggests that people will like someone more after doing them a favor.

The takeaway

As a leader, use the Ben Franklin effect to approach a team member with whom you've had friction by asking for their input on a project or requesting their help with a minor task.

By showing respect for their expertise and valuing their contribution, you can help transform them from a resistant colleague into a supportive ally.

NEW BOOK

3. My New Book (That Will Help You Understand Yourself & Others)

I published a new book.

It's built on a single word that explains almost everything you do, and almost everything the people around you do.

I spent 2 years writing it, condensing 30+ sources (including 17 books) into one simple framework you can use in everyday decisions.

I think it'll make you a sharper leader, and honestly, a more understanding person.

It's short. About an hour to read.

And it's $0.99 for a limited time.

WORDS I LIKE

4. Why Leaders Should Make Faster Decisions

THE 80/20

5. An 80/20 Tip You Can Apply Today

Here’s a low-effort, high-impact tip you can use with your team today:

  • What: Take the time to explain tasks clearly and directly to your team

  • Why: Assuming your team members will know what you want usually leads to disappointment. Being direct and specific in communication helps avoid misunderstandings and increases efficiency.

  • Example: Instead of saying, “Please write a brief summary report about the status of our project,” say, “Please send me a one-slide PowerPoint presentation that summarizes the status of our project in a few bullet points.”

Want more of those tips?

Check out my free Amazon Bestselling book called: Influencing Virtual Teams.

You can grab it for free by clicking the button and subscribing to the newsletter 👇️ 

“It’s All About Survival” in Other Countries

Here are the links to the book in different countries depending on which Amazon site you use.