"Prioritization is about doing something. It's not about an excuse for inaction." -- Bjorn Lomborg, Danish author and business professor "We can do anything, but we can’t do everything… at least, not at the same time. So think of your priorities not in terms of what activities you do, but when you do them. Timing is everything." -- Dan Millman, American author "First things first, second things never." -- Shirley Conran, British editor and writer In my most recent book, SuperCompetent (John Wiley and Sons, 2010), I identified and described six keys that anyone can use in the workplace to maximize their performance: Activity, Availability, Attention, Accessibility, Accountability, and Attitude. Recently, I've been considering how all six affect C-Suite executives—that is, upper-level … [Read more...]

"If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality." -- Benjamin Franklin Ben Franklin had it right. Of all the resources available to us, time is certainly the most precious. Unlike office supplies or even money, it's impossible to get more; there's no box marked "Time" in the supply closet where you can grab a spare minute or two. Once time is spent, it's gone, and there's no getting it back And yet, we invariably waste it. Look: you can't afford to waste time at work. A firm grasp of time management is absolutely crucial if you want to succeed…although the truth is, when you manage time, you're really managing yourself. You need to buckle down and control you. With that in mind, let's take a look at the eight biggest self-inflicted … [Read more...]

"To succeed in life you need things like talent, diligence, persistence, skills, hard work and maybe a little luck. You can achieve great things—but in order to do so you have to do a lot more than just think about them." -- Paul Sloane, author of The Innovative Leader. Unless you've been living in a cave since 2006, you've certainly heard of The Secret. This popular philosophy, as outlined in a self-help book of the same name, purports to relate the true secret of success in all aspects of life. According to author Rhonda Byrne, it’s all about optimistic thinking and a faith in abundance; that is, a belief that the Universe will provide for you through a Law of Attraction, assuming you keep believing in whatever it is you really want. The Secret has been widely interpreted, by … [Read more...]