I was in a meeting this week that accomplished very little and left all parties feeling frustrated. It is sad because the only reasons to have a meeting are to get better results, save time, and build better relationships. No one was really to blame. The organizer knew what she wanted to accomplish and the attendees were genuinely trying to be helpful. So what went wrong? In short, the roadmap to the desired destination was fundamentally flawed. The meeting began with the identification of a problem – low attendance at the organization’s events. After introducing the problem, the meeting organizer wanted feedback on a proposed solution.
When I get an idea for an article, I jot it down, one per page, on one of the many 5×7 tablets strewn about my office, house, and car before it gets squeezed out of my brain by the next thought. Thus, I have a large stack of 5×7 papers in my file cabinet ready to peruse when I have time to write. Today’s pick: a one-word sheet. A powerful word. One-wordsheets are rare and usually met with “huh?” and the recycling bin. Not today.“Focus” needs no supporting cast. Focus lets us: See clearly Clarify our thoughts, objectives, and questions Tune out distractions
PRESS RELEASE April 30, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ann Latham 603-784-5727 Uncommon Clarity®, Inc. Ann Latham and the Northampton Chamber Offer Meeting Slasher Workshop Northampton, Massachusetts – The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce is offering a free, one-hour workshop by master facilitator and author Ann Latham of Uncommon Clarity, Inc. on May 19th at 8:00 AM entitled, “The UnMeeting – How to Cut Meetings in Half AND Get Better Results.” This highly interactive workshop is geared for anyone who suffers from too many meetings, is tired of meetings that just lead to more meetings, and wants to take back significant hours every week. Space is limited, so don’t delay. For more information, contact Ann Latham at 603-784-5727 or info@uncommonclarity.com. Ann Latham, a.k.a., The Meeting Slasher, is a performance improvement expert, consultant, and president of Uncommon Clarity, Inc., a firm that helps companies get better results faster. She is also the author of Clear Thoughts – Pragmatic Gems of Better Business Thinking. For more information about her workshops and services or to sign up for her free newsletter, visit www.uncommonclarity.com. # # #
Time management is a perpetual rage. It conjures up images of calendars, personal planners, and smart phones. When we still have too little time, we flail about for a new system that will suddenly lasso the hands of the clock and give us control. But time can not be managed. It is ourselves that we must manage. Tools like calendars and planners are helpful, but for the best results, we must consider a variety of obstacles that prevent us from focusing on and completing the important tasks while dismissing everything else. Are you clear about your top priorities? It is better to move a few things forward a mile than to nudge the multitude forward an inch, or worse, shuffle them side to side without any measurable progress. Decide what most needs doing. If there are too many priorities, nothing is a priority. Are you so overwhelmed that you don’t know where to start?
The most popular article on my website is 4 Reasons to Cancel that Meeting! but no one had ever contacted me about it until I got a call this week from someone in Baltimore. His meeting fit the bill so he cancelled it. Unfortunately, his actions were not well received! Why? Because it wasn’t really his meeting to cancel. Sure, he was responsible for the agenda. He scheduled the meeting. But he was not the true instigator. He was acting on behalf of someone with more authority and that was undoubtedly the person upset by the cancellation.
It has been more than three weeks since I posted anything on my blog.”You can’t do that!” I’m told. “You must post several times each week!” Well, guess what? I survived. My blog did notself-destruct. My business did not fail. Health care, Afghanistan, and the economy still dominate the news. Meanwhile, I was doing more important things.
I just returned from a fabulous, mostly unplugged, long weekend. I could not write my blog; I had no computer and sporadic connectivity. I could not check phone messages or email; there was rarely a cell signal. I could not look things up on the Internet; my iPhone specialized in “No Service.” It reminded me of the peace I felt during my 7 days in the remote wilderness of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area on the Minnesota-Canadian border two summers ago. I relaxed while working hard physically, enjoyed the incredible scenery, discovered new places, and appreciated the people around me. Back a bit early from my long weekend, I vowed to continue the vacation, at least until the sun set. I didn’t “work,” but I failed in that mission. I caught up on email. I downloaded, labeled, and uploaded pictures. I checked the weather. I experimented with Facebook. I checked Had I succumbed to laundry and dinner alone, the vacation would have lasted longer. Computers, email, the Internet, iPhones – titanic time savers that suck significant and vital minutes out of your day. They distract us from life. They teach us to interrupt ourselves. Control or be controlled: that is the question.
You have to want it. Desire, determination and persistence are invaluable. I don’t know about the Red Sox. I wouldn’t bring it up with them right now. Think of how Hillary Clinton reacted to such a suggestion from Sarah Palin. Nonetheless, attitude is the little engine that could. Talent and skill, like a strong, well-engineered frame and body, set you up for success. A smart choice of destination and route can significantly improve your odds. And, of course, luck is in charge of the downed branches and landslides. But it is that little engine, charging forward with determination and optimism, that can compensate for the rusty frame, the wrong turn, and the cow on the tracks. Pick your mountain! And then climb it one small rise at a time. What one thing can you accomplish today that will get you closer to your dream? Be specific. Be determined. Be successful.
Multi-tasking is the rage, the norm, and seems the only way to manage in our crazy fast-paced world. We applaud it, take pride in our abilities to do it, and often suffer the consequences. Multi-tasking is capable of providing significant productivity gains, but it may also slow you down, reduce the quality of your work, or kill you.
We have been taught to be careful and thorough. We have been graded on accuracy. We are encouraged to be consistent. But being careful, thorough, accurate and consistent can be time consuming, counter-productive, and boring. There are only 24 hours in a day and we have only one life to live. We will get better results and live better lives if we are careful, thorough, accurate and consistent where it counts, and speedy, efficient, and satisfactory everywhere else. “You can’t be too careful” does not always apply.