Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Getting Things Done Summary



Five Stages of Managing Workflow

1. collect inputs - Just anything you have to deal with.
2. process inputs - See Chart
3. organize results
a. project list
b. "next actions" list categorized by project and context
c. calendar for date or time specific actions
d. 43 folders
e. reference files
f. "waiting for" list list to track actions you are waiting for others to complete
g. "someday/maybe" list
h. email folders (make folders like from a-i)
i. read/review stack
4. review options for next actions
5. do a next action


Practices to Adopt
1. Habits
- Always have paper and a writing instrument with you to write down ideas.
- Process not ASAP
- Always bring something from your "To Read/Review" stack to meetings for waiting.
2.Daily Practices
- Address the following every day
a. 43 Folders
b. your calendar
c. your @ACTION email folder
d. flagged items in your next actions list
3. Periodic Practices
- Review all incomplete items in your lists.
- Flag the ones that need to be addressed soon.
- Clear out the content of all the folders in your reference
- Review your "Projects", "Waiting For" and "Someday/Maybe" lists.
- Generate new items in the "Next Actions" list.
- Gather new inputs and add them to your system.

Deciding What To Do Now

Three techniques for deciding what task to perform at any given time.
A. Four-Criteria Model for Choosing Actions in the Moment
1. Location
2. Time
3. Energy Level
4. Priority or payoff.

B. Threefold Model for Evaluating Daily Work
1. Do an action from your "Next Actions" list.
2. Do work as it shows up if it is more important than anything on your "Next Actions" list.
3. Define additional work (adding to your lists) based on new inputs in your in-basket, email, voic-mail and meeting notes.

C.Six-Level Model for Reviewing Your Own Work

1. life goals
2. 3-5 year goals
3. 1-2 year goals
4. areas of responsibility
5. current projects
6. current actions


Monday, July 5, 2010

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (Maxwell)


I got his summary from this page

1. The Law of the lid.
Your leadership is like a lid on your organization. Your business will not rise beyond the level of your leadership allows. That’s why when a corporation or team needs to be fixed, they fire the leader.

2. The Law of Influence.
Leadership is simply about influencing people. Nothing more, nothing less. The true test of a leader is to ask him to create positive change in an organization. If you cannot create change, you cannot lead. Being a leader is not about being first, or being an entrepreneur, or being the most knowledgeable, or being a manager. Being a leader is not just holding a leadership position. (“It’s not the position that makes a leader, but the leader who makes a position.”) The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.

3. The Law of Process.
Leadership is learned over time. And it can be learned. People skills, emotional strength, vision, momentum, and timing are all areas that can and should be learned. Leaders are always learners.

4. The Law of Navigation.
Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course. Vision is defined as the ability to see the whole trip before leaving the dock. A leader will also see obstacles before others do. A leader sees more, sees farther, and sees before others. A navigator (leader) listens – he finds out about grassroots level reactions. Navigators balance optimism with realism. Preparation is the key to good navigation. “It’s not the size of the project, it’s the size of the leader that counts.”

5. The Law of E.F. Hutton.
Hutton was America’s most influential stock market analyst. When he spoke, everyone listened. When real leaders speak, people automatically listen. Conversely, in any group, you can identify the real leaders by looking for those who people listen to.Tips for a Positional leader who wants to become a REAL leader… look for the existing real leaders and work to have influence there. Factors involved in being accepted as a new real leader include character, building key relationships, information, intuition, experience, past success. and ability.

6. The Law of Solid Ground.
Trust is the foundation for all effective leadership. When it comes to leadership, there are no shortcuts. Building trust requires competence, connection and character.

7. The Law of Respect.
People naturally follow people stronger than themselves. Even natural leaders tend to fall in behind those who they sense have a higher “leadership quotient” than themselves.

8. The Law of Intuition.
Leaders evaluate everything with a Leadership bias. Leaders see trends, resources and problems, and can read people.

9. The Law of Magnetism.
Leaders attract people like themselves. Who you are is who you attract. Handy hint: “Staff” your weaknesses. If you only attract followers, your organisation will be weak. Work to attract leaders rather than followers if you want to build a truly strong organisation.

10. The Law of Connection.
You must touch the heart before you ask people to follow. Communicate on the level of emotion first to make a personal connection.

11. The Law of the Inner Circle.
A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him. “The leader finds greatness in the group, and helps the members find it in themselves.” (p113)

12. The Law of Empowerment.
Only secure leaders give power to others. Mark Twain said, “Great things can happen when you don’t care who gets the credit.” (p127). “Great leaders gaina uthority by giving it away.”

13. The Law of Reproduction.
It takes a leader to raise up a leader. Followers can’t do it, and neither can institutional programs “It takes one to know one, to show one, to grow one.” The potential of an organization depends on the growth of its leadership.

14. The Law of Buy-In.
People buy in to the leader first, then the vision. If they don’t like the leader but like the vision, they get a new leader. If they don’t like the leader or the vision, they get a new leader. If they don’t like the vision but like the leader, they get a new vision.

15. The Law of Victory.
Leaders find a way for the team to win. “You can’t win WITHOUT good athletes, but you CAN lose with them.” p162). Unity of vision, diversity of skills plus a leader are needed for a win.

16. The Law of Momentum.
You can’t steer a ship that isn’t moving forward. It takes a leader to create forward motion.

17. The Law of Priorities.
Activity is not necessarily accomplishment. “A leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells “Wrong Jungle!”” (p176) If you are a leader, you must learn the three “Rs”... a) what’s Required b) what gives the greatest Return c) what brings the greatest Reward.

18. The Law of Sacrifice.
A leader must give up to go up. Successful leaders must maintain an attitude of sacrifice to turn around an organization. One sacrifice seldom brings success. When you become a leader, you lose the right to think about yourself.”

19. The Law of Timing.
When to lead is as important as what to do and where to go. Only the right action at the right time will bring success.

20. The Law of Explosive Growth.
To add growth, lead followers. To multiply growth, lead leaders. “It is my job to build the people who are going to build the company.”

21. The Law of Legacy.
A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession. “Leadership is the one thing you can’t delegate. You either exercise it – or abdicate it.”

The New York Times Pocket MBA Series: Leadership & Vision Summary

Key 1. Introduction and overview: welcome to the journey.
Key 2. Develop emotional intelligence.
Key 3. Manage your time wisely.
Key 4. Learn to manage stress.
Key 5. Practice self-motivation.
Key 6. Leaders aren't born that way.
Key 7. Make yourself into a leader.
Key 8. All power is relative: building your power bases.
Key 9. Practice effective goal setting.
Key 10. Help others improve performance.
Key 11. Empower others
Key 12. Build effective teams.
Key 13. Practice ethical leadership.
Key 14. Communicate clearly.
Key 15. Lead effective meetings.
Key 16. Present as a pro.
Key 17. Lead through active listening.
Key 18. Be conscious of nonverbal communications.
Key 19. Manage conflict.
Key 20. Manage organizational culture.
Key 21. Get ready for globalization.
Key 22. Initiate change well.
Key 23. Define your organization's vision, mission, values, credo, goals and strategy.
Key 24. Use participation to create vision.
Key 25. Turn vision into reality