Artful Thinking

Nugget: “Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”~ John W. Gardner

Reflection drill: Minimize mistakes by following checklists. Do you have a list? Pass it on!

Don’t delegate just a task today when you can delegate the entire process, complete with checklist.

Why it matters: Create an all encompassing checklist for every process you repeat. Then delegate the entire checklist to someone else to complete each time thereafter. Master the system once, and it can be automated and delegated perfectly every time thereafter.

Thinking drill:
How much time and energy do you spend on things that anyone else could be shown how to do?

What could you be doing if someone else was checking off the tasks you’re working on right now?

What area of your responsibility, complete with checklist, will you assign to someone else from now on?

What’s your take away?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Nugget: “If at first you don’t succeed; you are running about average.”~ M. H. Alderson

Reflection Drill: Make paperwork productive work.

Indecision builds paperwork molehills into mountains. Don’t touch anything without at least making some kind of decision and taking some kind of action.

Why it matters: Be quick with paperwork. Sign it, pass it on, or do whatever else needs to be done to move it off your desk. If the paper requires more attention than you have at the moment, enter the item on your To Do list. Then file it.

Thinking drill:

How long does paper usually stay parked on your desk?

Of the items that cross your desk, which could you delegate to someone else?

What is your best time each day to handle all your paperwork at the same time?

What’s your take away?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Nugget: “The history of the world is full of men who rose to leadership, by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery and tenacity.”~ Mahatma Gandhi

Reflection drill: Let’s go! Seize the day and start to play.

Why it matters: Seize the day. Turn each of your dreams into specific actions — Make today an action adventure.

The water’s fine! Dive in!

Thinking drill: Seizing the day means starting right now, today! Are you ready?

What accomplishment would you most like to celebrate by the end of the day?

In a minute this minute will be gone forever. What do you need to do right now so you won’t lose another one without getting something in return?

What’s your take away?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Nugget: “Successful people are successful because they form the habits of doing those things that failures don’t like to do.”~ Albert Gray

Reflection drill: Don’t try to do everything yourself. Consider collaborating with another person or a group of people. You’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to accomplish your goals with the cooperation of the right people. You’ll get more done and have more fun in the process.

Why it matters: Actively recruit others to help.

Through teamwork, you create synergy, i.e., the capacity to accomplish greater things together than each individual could alone.

Thinking drill: Which areas of your work could you improve by collaborating with someone else?

Are you doing a job right now that could be better done in concert with others?

What on today’s list would be more productive and fun if you did it in a team or partnership format?

What’s your take away?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••