Our political process is a mess. I don’t think we’ve been this divided since the Civil War. Compromise has become a dirty word. Many are unwilling to read or listen to opinions unlike their own. Healthy debate seems a thing of the past. And it’s all because politicians, the parties, and people in general have staked their identities to alternatives, not to objectives. Let me explain what I mean. Alternatives are choices. Options. Routes to a destination. Means of achieving an end. Here are some examples: No new taxes Tax the rich Defund Planned Parenthood Medicare for all Small government Big government My right to arm myself as I desire is sacrosanct You all know people wedded to these alternatives. As a matter of fact, these have all become objectives in the minds of many. But they aren’t objectives. They are all alternatives.
Ann is clear, focused, and speaks with tons of authority, but also with openness. She zooms in on important issues and steers the conversation to the essence without making people feel cut off. As a result, we tackled thorny issues, made important decisions, and developed an excellent strategic plan. I can definitely recommend Ann. I just wish I had access to her insights all of the time! Catherine Peterson, Executive Director, ArtsBoston
Here are the nine top reasons why you and your employees can’t finish 40 hours worth of work in 40 hours. 1. Meetings are consuming 30 – 50% of your day and accomplishing far too little. The average employee spends 30% of their time in meetings – that’s 12 hours – a full day and a half. Executives spend upwards of 50% – that’s often 40 hours out of 60 to 80. I’ve never met a meeting that couldn’t be cut in half or better. The missing ingredient is clarity. You don’t need more rules, advice, or formats for running meetings, you need clarity. There are only six outcomes for any meeting and if you don’t know which one you are pursuing at any moment, you are wasting time. If you and your employees know exactly what must be different when the meeting ends, your company would have half as many meetings that last half as long.
Ann Latham is just a terrific speaker. I was hoping for a single gem of wisdom. What I got instead was a solid hour packed with gems. I learned at least six techniques that are immediately applicable to my work and which I was able to apply starting at 8:00 AM the very next day. I learned that clarity of purpose isn’t a high level concept, but a tool to get me through each day. I learned how to SOAR through decisions, the six outcomes for meetings, how to reduce email, and the only three reasons to include others in decisions and plans. I could go on. And that’s all in one hour! Ann is concise, to the point, and exceedingly clear. She uses great examples that make her points incredibly memorable. On top of that, Ann connected with the room and engaged us. She is energetic and passionate – totally committed to helping us improve our situations with clarity. I believe Ann’s work and the way she creates clarity are especially valuable for knowledge workers where cognitive processes are more important than physical processes. If you are looking for an excellent speaker who will have an immediate impact, I recommend you call Ann. Robert A. Burke, Operational Excellence, Baltimore County Office of Information and Technology
You have too much to do. Some days you feel productive, others leave you with too little to show for all of your time. Why can’t you be one of those super productive people who chunks through tasks and goes home at 5:00? You can if you practice four simple skills. 1. Choose To join the ranks of the super productive, or even just the very productive, you have to know what you are trying to accomplish at any given moment. I’m not talking about major goals here, I’m talking about what will be different at the end of the next hour or quarter of an hour or even five minutes. What, specifically, is the next outcome you must achieve? How will you know when you are finished? Without clarity, you are wandering and, while it might be interesting, even fun, wandering is rarely productive. You don’t want to just ”work on something for awhile.” Choose a specific destination and you will reach it faster. The importance of Choosing does not depend on the type of task. Whether you are writing a proposal, running a meeting, or developing products, you will be most productive if you know exactly what success looks like each step of the way. What is the purpose of the proposal, what are the most important points, and which one are you working on right now? What decisions, plans, or problems will be resolved by your meeting and how will you get to each? What do you need from whom to get things moving?
On the first day of Clarity my clear thoughts gave to me: The Luxury of Doing What I Do Best! On the second day of Clarity my clear thoughts gave to me: Short, Power Meetings and the Luxury of Doing What I Do Best! On the third day of Clarity my clear thoughts gave to me: Only 3 Priorities Short, Power Meetings and the Luxury of Doing What I Do Best! On the fourth day of Clarity my clear thoughts gave to me: No Firefighting Only 3 Priorities Short, Power Meetings and the Luxury of Doing What I Do Best!
“Thank you for calling Cooley-Dickinson Health Group – Hadley Family Practice. If this is a medical emergency, please hang up and dial 911.” “Thank you for calling Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children. We are dedicated to providing high quality care every day. If this is a medical emergency, please hang up and dial 911.” What’s wrong with this picture? Why on earth aren’t the medical emergency instructions given first? This rankles me every time I get an answering machine at a medical facility. I can’t possibly believe you are dedicated to providing quality care if you would rather talk about it than do it by getting me off the phone as fast you can in an emergency. Distinguish between the need to build rapport and the need to get to the point. When it is time to get to the point, do it quickly. Don’t copy others when they are doing something stupid. And please don’t seize every opportunity to tell me how wonderful you are. Actions speak more loudly than words and spouting platitudes during a medical emergency will not convince me of your dedication to quality care. P.S. While writing this, I wanted to see if other facilities had even longer messages than Tufts. That experiment didn’t last! Baystate Health and Mass General answered the phone! If this is a medical emergency, don’t call me! But if you need clarity, dial 603-784-5727 ASAP!
In a decade of newsletters and blog posts, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned any of my daughters’ accomplishments because I didn’t see that as providing value to you. But here’s news that could be of value and I get to be a super proud mother at the same time! Do you like to read? If so, check out The Blood-Tainted Winter, an exciting story of betrayal, vengeance, and chaos rooted in the world of Norse mythology. It is the first in a trilogy written by my daughter! It’s hot off the press and now available on Amazon in both print and ebook formats, and it’s perfect for the readers (and Vikings) on your Christmas list. To learn more about the book and the author, you can visit www.tlgreylock.com Now back to the world of clarity!
During my early days in the corporate world, one of my jobs included developing the software that synchronized and backed up all the data needed to control the generation and transmission of power for Great Britain. The project manager made the rounds every Friday to update his Gantt chart. He stepped through each activity and asked me for an updated percent complete. I struggled with this exercise and finally, when my tasks hit 67%, I refused to play. Despite my long list of open tasks marked two-thirds complete, I promised him we’d be finished on time. This tracking ritual continued weekly and every Friday he could hardly contain his anger with me. He told me my group was going to ruin the whole project. I told him not to worry. My promises did nothing to relieve his anxiety. Meanwhile, all the other leads were marching steadily toward the finish line and keeping him happy. 70%. 75%. 78%. 80%. 82%. To increase the pressure on the laggards, the charts were posted on the wall. Practically everyone was in the 90s and my group still showed 67%.
To Do lists are like blackberries, stealth multipliers producing long canes that arc gracefully across your lawn until the tips take root in new soil. One minute you are dreaming of juicy rewards. Next thing you know, you are ensnared in prickly brambles, surrounded by vicious trip wires, and unable to enjoy the fruits of your labor. And just like blackberries, To Do lists require ruthlessness!