Productivity Boost

Call It Like It Is

Published on 2011-03-30 09:23:00

I came across this product online and had to laugh: Crap StampTruthfully, it would be a really good thing to have around. A lot of wasted time, energy, resources and money could be saved if people were willing to call a doomed project what it is...crap. It takes courage to halt a project in the middle, and even more so near the end, but part of being productive is recognizing when an effort is not steering you toward the right result. The best solutions is to stop, call it like it is, and r

Conative Check-Up

Published on 2011-01-10 13:19:00

A New StartIt’s a New Year, which means a fresh start. Most likely, you are taking this opportunity to review your personal and company health. So, why not take this chance to engage in an Annual Conative Check-Up?What is an Annual Conative Check-Up?An Annual Conative Check-up is a quick reassessment of your “mind health.” If you or your team is straining under significant conative duress, than your productivity and physical/emotional health are doomed to a downhill spiral.   &nb

BIG, BAD Productivity Myths (#6)

Published on 2010-11-17 13:03:00

BIG, BAD Productivity Myth #6: I want someone to work with me who has opposite talents.Opposites may attract in love, but not in the workplace. We often think that our professional foil will be the perfect balance to our lackings. In theory, that may be true. Someone with opposite talents does bring entirely different capabilities to the table. However, it is nearly impossible to have a successful, long-term working relationship with an individual who possesses an opposing instinctual method. So

Transformation as Innovation

Published on 2010-11-01 10:47:00

I confess...I am a reality TV junkie. A recent addition to my repertoire is "The Next Iron Chef" competition featured on The Food Network. In last week's show, the chefs' challenge was to take a well known ingredient (mustard, hot sauce, ranch dressing, mayonnaise, etc) and reinvent it into something unrecognizable (yet still tasty) to its original form. So: same ingredient, completely different use and perception. The host referred to it as "transforming" the ingredient. Transformation as Innov

Once Upon A Time...What Storytelling Can Do For Your Business

Published on 2010-10-22 13:41:00

Once Upon ATime…Whilesitting in Starbucks sipping on my non-fat pumpkin spice latte with a shot ofcinnamon and extra whipped cream, I happened to notice a brochure about thehistory of coffee. The title sounded intriguing enough—and I had some time tokill—so I decided to treat myself to a quick history lesson. When I finishedreading, I gained more than dates and facts. To my surprise, I actually felt adeeper appreciation for Starbucks and my wonderfully prepared pumpkin spicelatte. I was no

Why We Do Our Best Thinking In The Shower

Published on 2010-10-13 11:34:00

In a previous blog post (March 12, 2010), I busted the Big, Bad Productivity Myth that menial or most hated tasks should be tackled at the beginning of the day. The truth: it is far better to to take on the most profitable tasks first, and leave the "must do" tasks until the end of the day, when you are already drained.A reader asked for the research and theoretical concept behind this myth-busting. If you are also interested in the research, or you just want to know why we do our best thinking

The Secret to Successful Sales

Published on 2010-09-29 13:40:00

What is the secret to successful sales?...Satisfying your prospect's buying needs.  When making a buying decision, your prospective client always goes through three, almost entirely subconscious stages:  WHAT am I buying?This phase of the buying process deals with the cognitive (or "thinking") part of the mind. Though it seems obvious, the importance of identifying and distinguishing the specifics of the product or service cannot be underrated. If you are purch

Hiring Mistakes Will Cost You, Big Time

Published on 2010-09-16 11:40:00

I am sure that you've heard the phrase "cost of a bad hire" before. You may have even used it yourself. But have you ever taken the time to actually quantify that cost? Be careful...the true number may scare you.Here are a few statistics about just how large a financial blow a failed hire can cause:In a study of 444 North American companies (completed by Right Management in 2007), 42% reported the cost of a bad hire to be two times the employee's annual salary, 26% reported a wrongful hire to be

The Manager/Direct Report Disconnect

Published on 2010-08-31 10:47:00

Here is a quick challenge for you:1) Pick a specific role in your company, like "marketing assistant"2) Go to the manager of the marketing assistant(s) and ask what top skills/talents are required for the marketing assistant role3) Go directly to one of the marketing assistants and ask what top skills/talents are required for the marketing assistant role4) Compare answersFrom my experience, the answers you receive in step 2 and 3 are different, and sometimes completely opposite. This disparage m

Giving Others What They Need

Published on 2010-08-27 11:27:00

One Saturday afternoon I was washing dishes in our kitchen. Our lawn mower stopped working a few days prior, and my husband was in the garage diligently tinkering with the machine. A brief side note...My husband -- in terms of instinctual talents -- is referred to as a "high implementor." That means he actually likes when something breaks around the house, because he naturally engages in hands-on, fix-it type tasks. Then there is me. If I attempt to fix a leaky faucet (and I wouldn't do so witho