November 2005

MARK'S DAILY THOUGHTS: November 2005

2005-11-01 - Don't Combine Actionable and Non-Actionable Things
David Allen, the productivity guru, says that you should not combine actionable and non-actionable things. Let's take a pile of papers. It has actionable items, some items for reference, and some items to throw away. Just because it's a mixture of things and a pile, most of us would try to avoid it then. That's the problem, when we mix things together we don't really want to spend the time to sort them out. Best approach is to never mix them up in the beginning. So, from now on, never mix actionable and non-actionable things together.

2005-11-02 - Share Successes within the Team
It is really great to have a section in your team meetings to share the week or month's successes. People like to talk about how they have been successful, and others often get some ideas about how they could do something similar in their area. Often, successes are a trigger for ideas in others as well. Also, sharing successes creates energy in the room and a great time to do it is right before looking at future opportunities for the team.

2005-11-03 - Organize your Face to Face Meetings
Too often we get our people together for a face to face meeting and force them to listen to powerpoint presentation after powerpoint presentation. Just sharing information can be done in many other ways. Use your face to face meetings for more teamwork activities and organise into smaller groups to attack your major issues with discussions, not powerpoints.

2005-11-04 - Idea Time - What's Yours?
Getting new ideas is how we improve things. More importantly, it's how we keep our energy at a high level. How, where and when do you get your best ideas? Put yourself in that situation more often and see your ideas soar, as well as your energy.

2005-11-05 - Do the Prep for your Meetings
How any times do we go into our meetings un-prepared? Too often! The minimum is to have an agenda that will meet the goal of your meeting (the successful achievement of______!) The Prep done means: the goal of the meeting is defined, the right people will be there, and you know well the position of everyone coming into the meeting (if you want to drive a decision in the meeting). Do the Prep for your next meeting and make it a very successful meeting.

2005-11-06 - Become a "Sponge'
Take in every new experience you can. Read as much as you can. Every experience you have or what you read is building a stronger foundation for yourself. Being like a "sponge" and soaking in all the experiences and learnings will make you more valuable to your employer and to your customers. Better yet, become sort of a "super sponge" in what you are best at, and become the expert in your field.

2005-11-07 - Work around the Weaknesses of your People
Trying to turn around major weaknesses in your people can be almost impossible sometimes (especially if your people don't buy into changing). One way is to work around their weaknesses. Focus on using their strengths to the maximum and find others to fill the gaps caused by their weaknesses. Focusing on everyone's strengths and utilising them the best way you can, will help you grow the strongest organisation possible.

2005-11-08 - Create Mentors in your Organisation
Mentors are a great way to grow your organisation. A mentor can have a different relationship with the employee than the boss can have. Some subjects can be addressed by a mentor that can make a huge difference in the performance of the employee being mentored. Ask for a mentor for yourself today, and speed your personal development and growth.

2005-11-09 - Take a Look at your Habits
Just read an excellent quote on habits. "Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken." from Warren Buffett. Many of us have habits that are not moving us towards our goals, and we haven't woke up to this fact yet. We all should be reviewing our key habits. Are they helping us to achieve our goals or not? If certain habits aren't helping us or are even working against us, then let's make a plan to change those habits today. Why not do your "habits" review this week.

2005-11-10 - It's Focus Management, not Time Management
No one can manage time. We all get the same amount of it. What we can do is manage our focus. When we focus, we make the best use of our time. When we focus on our main goals, we make the best possible life. What's your focus?

2005-11-11 - Do What's Necessary to do What you want
Too often we just want to do what we like to do, but not what's reallly necessary right then. It's the successful people that put the priority on "what is necessary". Why? Because they know that doing the necessary now will give them all the time want for what they like to do in the future. A little discipline now, pays huge dividends in the future.

2005-11-12 - You have to have Thought before
In order to be more productive during the day, you can't always be thinking "What do I do next?". That slows you down. You need to think about your day (and your week) before it hits you. Take a little time at the end of each day and think about what needs to be accomplished the next day. Also, take an hour each week to think about what you need to accomplish in the coming week. A little up front thinking goes a long way to make the best use of your time.

2005-11-13 - Tell People the Communication Style You Like
We all have our preferred communication styles. Some people like email, other people like the phone. Tell your co-workers and friends your preferred style of communication. If they use it, you'll become more productive; because it's the communication style that's best for the way you work and live. Your co-workers and friends get a benefit, as you always answer people faster who use your preferred communication style.

2005-11-14 - How do I Apply it Today?
Taking some training courses to improve our skills is important. However, applying that training is what it is all about. A good question to ask is "How do I apply it today?" In other words, I do I take what I have just learned and use it now. It's taking an action and forming a new habit that is the "successful" result of training.

2005-11-15 - People don't Fail, they just Quit
It's true. Very often people have not really failed. They have just decided to quit and not to continue to pursue their goal. Let's take an example of boiling water. It boils at 100 degrees centigrade, not at 98 or 99 degrees. You have to reach the full 100 degrees. Many times people stop pursuing their goal when their temperature is at "98 degrees". Only a couple more degrees (or a little more work) and they would have reached their goal. Therefore, we all should never quit. We could be only "one degree" from reaching our goal.

2005-11-16 - Don't Major in Minor Things
Very often we all fall into the trap of be diverted on to other small tasks that are not moving us closer to our goals. We might feel better because we think we are accomplishing a great deal (but are we). Unless we are focussed on activities that will help us reach our goals, we are majoring in minor things. Therefore, watch what you focus on and why not Major in Major Things today.

2005-11-17 - Listen and Playback in their own Words
If you really want to influence someone, you need to listen first. Listen to their words, the way they express different thoughts and make note of the exact words and phrases they use. By using their words, packaged in a different way, you have a better chance of influencing them that just using your own words and ways of expressing thoughts. Therefore, to influence others - Listen first.

2005-11-18 - Be a Role Model
People don't always remember this, but everyone sees everything. People notice how we work, how we interact with each other, and how we speak of others in their absence. Remember, our actions speak louder than our words. Always strive to live to be the role model you would like to be.

2005-11-19 - Problems - Reaction is Different if Impacts Strengths or Weaknesses
You can tell by observing problems and people's reactions to them whether the problems are in the other person's strengths or weaknesses. If the problem is in a person's area of weakness, they will fell threatened by it and avoid the problem. If it's in the person's area of strength, they will draw energy to solve the problem and solve it quickly.

2005-11-20 - Ask For One Pagers
Did you ever hear the joke, "I wrote you a long letter because I didn't have the time to write a short one." If you write a one pager on a subject, it means that you will need to understand the subject well enough to summarise it clearly to just a few key points. As a Leader, you should always ask your people for one pagers; and you will see how well they understand the subject.

2005-11-21 - Two Ears & One Mouth - Use Them in that Proportion
Often we talk too much and listen too little. You would think that the most pleasant sound to us is ourselves talking. Take the time to ask questions and listen more to others. You have to listen to learn more. Talking only helps you to make clear in your minds what you already know.

2005-11-22 - Want to Increase your Creativity - Mindmap often
There's a saying that in order to get a great idea, get lots of ideas. A really good way to get lots of ideas is to mindmap. It helps to get all the ideas out of your head. It's free form approach makes sure that you are not limited by any sequential thinking that making a list creates. Doing mindmaps often also helps to boost your creativity. Try a mindmap today.

2005-11-23 - Know Your Best Times
Everyone has times of the day that they are the most productive. To use your best times wisely, always use them for your most difficult tasks (the ones that require the most "brainpower"). Leave your Admin tasks to other times when you are tired or sort of "brain dead". Therefore, know your best times and use them well to be more productive.

2005-11-24 - Ask for Help
Too many times we struggle with something and are afraid to ask for help from others. You know, we can never advance in life by trying to learn everything on our own and in our own time. There are not enough hours in the day. The people who advance quickly are those who continually learn from others and apply what they have learned immediately.

2005-11-25 - Plan your Recovery Time
Too often people say that they will do some exercise or read a book if "they have the time". Well, the "time" never comes unless your schedule it. Your recovery activities (whether active - like exercise or passive - like reading a book) have to go into your calendar first with all your other important activities. Plan your recovery and you'll keep stress in check.

2005-11-26 - Pay 100% Attention to What People Do
Too many times people pay too much attention to what other people say. Often, others will not keep their promises and then we feel disappointed. We should not be letting what other people say affect our emotions, and what people DO is what we should pay attention to. Our approach should be to listen to what other people say and "observe". Then, pay 100% attention to what they do.

2005-11-27 - What Gives You the Greatest Buzz?
Too often we become consumed with the daily grind of our jobs and family commitments and don't take the time to stop and think. Ask yourself: What things in life give you the greatest BUZZ (meaning - it gives you energy when you do them)? List them up and do a little brainstorming around how you could build your life around those things that give you the greatest BUZZ. Why not ask yourself that question today!

2005-11-28 - See it and Believe it
See it and you've got direction. Believe it and you'll get there. People have learned that you need to "see it" (visualise it) in order to get it. You need to see yourself achieving those goals. However, that's not enough and many people stop there. You also need to "believe it" as well. You need to have 100% belief in your self to make it happen. See and Believe - then "Make it Happen".

2005-11-29 - Action Precedes Motivation
Too many people wait to feel motivated to take Action. It really doesn't work that way. Action precedes motivation. Picture a snowball going down a hill. It's picking up snow (more motivation) as it goes down the hill, and it becomes bigger & stronger. However, that snow ball wouldn't have happened unless someone made it first and then started it rollling. The snow ball example is alot like us. If we take the "Action", we'll get the "Motivation" and it will get bigger & stronger. Take Action Today!!!

2005-11-30 - Structure your Email Communications
If you want your emails read, you have to structure them to be easier to read.

(1) Keep them short and to the size of the screen (no scrolling necessary).
(2) Use bullet points. People can scan short emails with bullet points.

Send short emails with bullet points today!

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