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

Monday, June 28, 2010

Method and Curriculum

Method and curriculum
The methodology is a little complicated that just listen to the book. I suggest you to use the 3 basic styles of learning.


Step 1 Auditory Learning: You basically listen to the book.


Step 2 Visual Learning: You read the book summary (I plan on providing them as I finished them).


Step 3 Kinesthetic / Tactile Learning: You apply the book to your work (you are on your own on this one).


This system works best for me. After I go through all of these steps, I usually retain the book well.

Here is the curriculum. There is no particular order. Just go through them. I will update them as I find more Audio Books from the MBA reading list. So, check back frequently or subscribe for updated list.


General
1. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Leadership and Vision By Ramon J. Aldag, Ph.D. and Buck Joseph, Ed.D.
2. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Sales and Marketing By Michael A. Kamins, Ph.D.
3. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Growing and Managing a Business By Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.
4. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Analyzing Financial Statements: 25 Keys to Understanding Numbers (Unabr.) By Eric Press, Ph.D., CPA
5. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Business Planning: 25 Keys to a Sound Business Plan By Edward E. Williams, Ph.D., James R. Thompson, Ph.D. and H. Albert Napier, Ph.D.
6. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Going Global By Jeffrey H. Bergstrand, Ph.D.
7. The New York Times Pocket MBA: The Board of Directors By Marianne Jennings, J.D.
8. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Forecasting Budgets By Norman Moore, Ph.D.
9. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Organizing a Company By S. Jay Sklar, J.D. and Joseph N. Bongiovanni, J.D.
10. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Tracking & Controlling Costs By Mohamed Hussein, Ph.D.
11. The New York Times Pocket MBA: Business Financing By Dileep Rao, Ph.D. and Richard Cardozo, Ph.D
12. The New Portable M.B.A. By Eliza G.C. Collins and Mary Anne Devanna
Finance/Accounting
13. The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
14. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley & William Danko
15. The Lazy Person’s Guide to Investing by Paul Farrell
16. Work Less, Live More by Bob Clyatt
Leadership
17. Lead the Field by Earl Nightingale
18. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
19. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
20. 12: The Elements of Great Managing by Rodd Wagner & James Harter
21. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
22. Judgment by Noel Tichy & Warren Bennis
23. Getting to Yes
24. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by Maxwell (Summary)

25. The Art of Exceptional Living by Jim Rohn

Entrepreneurship
26. Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson
27. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
28. The Portable M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship By William D. Bygrave
Strategy
29. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
30. Seeing What’s Next by Clayton M. Christensen, Erik A. Roth, Scott D. Anthony
31. Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter F. Drucker
Economics
32. The Portable M.B.A. in Economics By Philip K.Y. Young and John J. McAuley
Marketing
33. All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin
34. The Sales Bible: The Ultimate Sales Resource, New Edition by Jeffrey Gitomer (Summary)
35. The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes
36. SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham
37. 3-D Negotiation by David A. Lax and James K. Sebenius
Management
39. Cut to the Chase by Stuart Levine
40. The Unwritten Laws of Business by W.J. King
41. On Writing Well by William Zinsser
42. Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
43. Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales
44. The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt
45. Lean Thinking by James Womack and Daniel Jon

Audible MBA

A play called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage to make a change from the play that was called in the huddle. It can be applied to a change of plan or alternative plan.

I am a scientist in my early 30s. I got my PhD from U of Kentucky. I then worked in a start-up and a large biotech, and had 3 kids in the mean time. I will get my MBA from U of South Florida this year. School is always easy for me. And my wife and family have been really supportive and give me enough time to do all that while enjoying my kids. I am really lucky.

But not everyone is so lucky……

My friend Joe is an excenllent scientist in his early 30s. He enrolled in a really good MBA school to futher his career in science, and then his wife get pregnant ..with twins. Joe have no choice by quit his MBA.

Billy is another excellent scientist in his early 30s. He work in a large Biotech company for almost 10 years. He want to get an MBA since his BS degree is not able to help him to get promotion. However, he just had his fist kid last year, and he play in a band. Something have to give, he have to chose his passion in music or MBA. Billy choose music.

3 people, same stage of life. Why the two have to give up their MBA? Life is not fair… The need an audible.

Lasr year, I want to solidfy the knowledge my MBA program. I was looking for a list of good business books. I found that on Josh Kaufman’s Personal MBA blog. Here is the briefing:

“The Personal MBA (PMBA) is an experiment in educational entrepreneurism… Just set aside some dedicated reading time, pick up a good book, learn as much as you can, and go out and make great things happen… the core of the PMBA is a list of 42 books and periodicals. By investing time and effort in using these resources, you will progressively develop a greater understanding of business and increase your effectiveness at work… If you decide not to go to business school, the Personal MBA is a low cost way to educate yourself about business. (Even business school graduates can benefit greatly from reading these books.)”
It is a great concept. Only one problem: I don’t want to read all of these freaking books (some of them are freaking text book). As I look through these book, I found out some of them are audio book. I thought, “ if I jus tlisten to these books, it will save me tons of time”. Here is the activities that I can do while I am “reading”. It is 5 times more effiecnt that regular books.




John Richardson has the same experience as me in his MBA on the run blog. He said, “After looking at the list of books and the probable time commitment (for PMBA), I considered doing this.…(but) I’m already time strapped and a commitment this big may not fit.” So, Jon decided to listen to whole bunch of audio books while he is running. To keep his progress, “as each book is completed you can read about it here…(his blog). Not only the book report but the business experience and an interview with someone in the business field.”I though what a great idea! I bet Jon and Zach can really used this audible & audio books. We can be at the gym, cooking, changing diaper while you are listening to all of these books. But the problem with MBA on the Run is that it is a blog full of book reports. It is not structural. Thus, I did some research into the curriculum of famous MBA programs (such as U of South Florida, Washington U and Harvard). I then create a curriculum and method for to go through these list of books and obtain the knowledge it withhold! I hope this can provide an audible for someone’s life.