"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." -- Peter Drucker, Austrian management consultant and social ecologist. "Leadership and learning are indispensible to each other." -- John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President. "Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways." -- H. Jackson Brown, Jr., American author. Succession planning—i.e., providing for future leadership—is crucial to any organization's long-term success. Essentially, this process boils down to "buy or build." Either the organization hires proven leadership from outside as needed (often at the expense of loyalty), or it cultivates new leadership from the ground up. The … [Read more...]
Super Competent: Achieve More in Today’s Workplace
In this competitive economy, just being able to do your job is no longer enough. Competence is simply expected in today’s workplaces. But you can’t be simply competent; you have to be super competent to get an edge. Part of being super competent is discovering the six keys to unlocking your full potential: Activity, Availability, Attention, Accessibility, Accountability, and Attitude. Once you do, you’ll find you have reached a clear and practical system for achieving maximum results in a minimum amount of time. By contrasting super competent hero thinking with simply competent zero thinking, you’ll see that transforming your performance is not about mantras but mindsets. When the rubber hits the road, the difference between merely having ability and being exceptional may be the … [Read more...]
Productivity Minute Video: Discrepancies Occur When Work is Returned To You
Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), talks about the importance of coaching and training to avoid mistakes. (C) 2011 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
55 1/2 Easy Ways to Boost Productivity Today
Okay, let’s face it. We’re all trying to do more with less. And chances are that you and your company have already made the big, tough decisions needed to streamline operations. But what about the little things? You can still boost both personal and team productivity in lots of smaller ways that are easy to implement and provide immediate results. Read on for quick tips on getting more done. 1. Hit the ground running. Don’t waste the first hour of the day. As soon as you arrive, focus on getting something done before you even think about checking Facebook or dropping in on a coworker. 2. Decline a meeting. Meetings are necessary. Every meeting is not. Don’t automatically accept every meeting invitation you receive, especially if there is no clear agenda or outcome. 3. Close your … [Read more...]
Lean Processes and DOWNTIME
While it hasn’t always been practiced with any great rigor, the concept of waste reduction has long been a part of American business tradition. Ben Franklin's common- sense reminders of "waste not, want not," and "a penny saved is a penny earned" have been well taken by such luminaries as Henry Ford, who introduced the modern assembly line, and the founders of time-and-motion studies and scientific management, Frank Gilbreth and Frederick Winslow Taylor. By the 1970s, Japanese industrial engineers had integrated all these concepts and more into a framework that eventually came to be known as lean manufacturing. Mostly derived from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and guided by industrial engineers Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo, lean manufacturing is based on the idea of preserving (or … [Read more...]
Business Productivity: Crises are Flying Saucers
Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), gives advice on mitigating the effects of unexpected crises. (C) 2011 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]
Increasing Productivity: Adequate Sleep
One of your greatest productivity resources is adequate sleep—especially when you find yourself facing an extreme work week. But knowing you need a good night's sleep and actually getting one can be two different things. What if you just can't get enough sleep, no matter what you do? If the problem persists long term, I recommend you have yourself tested at a sleep center in order to determine whether you have an organic problem interfering with your sleep habits. However, you can often handle short-term sleep issues "in house," so to speak, by changing certain aspects of your behavior. In this tip, I'll outline a few simple practices that can help you get the sleep you need. First off, never watch TV, work, or even read while you're in bed. Use your bed for sleeping only. Otherwise, … [Read more...]
Productive Travel: Tips for Business Travelers
Too often, business travelers use their trips as opportunities to rest up for the next bit of work. However, it pays to shift your mindset. The savvy worker never wastes travel or hotel time. You should always be willing to make good, productive use of those periods that most travelers would consider "lost hours," because doing so offers a unique opportunity to get work done with few distractions or interruptions. In this article, I'll outline a few simple things that you can do to maximize your business productivity while you're on the road. Plan Efficiently Spontaneity can be fun, but save it for vacation time. Before you ever set foot outside your home, it's best to make certain that every step of your trip is mapped out (doubly important for international travel). Start well in … [Read more...]
Guest Post: Being Drunk vs. Productivity
I like to get drunk every now and then. Well, sorry, I'm just a human being. Besides, I'm from Poland, and that's kinda what we do here. However, this post is not about how cool this drunk state of mind is... on the contrary, most of the time it isn't. For many people alcohol is a shortcut to having good fun in whatever situation. A small dosage of alcohol (like a shot or two) is proven to improve our eloquence and self-confidence. So long story short, most people drink at parties just to have batter fun. Only to find themselves tricked the next morning when they wake up with a giant headache. That's what alcohol does. It tricks you by promising quick benefits (instant fun), but you'll have to pay the price next morning when you realize that you, my friend, feel like a wreck of a … [Read more...]
Get Out of Town! 5 Tips for Lightening Your Workload So You Can Take a Vacation
You work hard. You covet every day of vacation you’re entitled to. So why aren’t you using them? According to Expedia.com’s annual “Vacation Depravation” survey, nearly one-third of Americans do not always take their vacation days. In fact, Americans are likely to give back more than 421 million unused vacation days in 2005. Before blaming your job for forcing you to surrender your precious time off, take a look at your own habits at work and home. The best way ensure that you don’t forego a single well-deserved day on the beach, on the slopes or just relaxing at home, is to increase your personal productivity. By tweaking the way you work and structure your day, you can get more done in less time and feel good about it. Best of all, you will never have to say no to a vacation again. … [Read more...]
