Month: February 2010
Four Strategies for Increasing Email Productivity
If you want to know what people value most, look at which email subject lines get the fastest replies from them. You’ll find that issues you consider priorities aren’t valued equally by others, and vice versa, which makes one-size-fits-all policies like “check email twice a day” or “turn off emailRead More
Learn to Climb the Corporate Ladder by Climbing a Mountain
What does an adventure in the wilderness have to with getting a promotion? More than you realize.
Meetings 101: Always Bring Something to the Table
During family dinners in my household, we’d all bring an item from the kitchen to the table. None was exempt from this ritual. No matter who cooked dinner that night, everyone ended up contributing to the meal because of what they brought to the table. What they brought was incidental–theRead More
The 80/20 Rule Revisited
The 80/20 Rule can save massive amounts of time and energy when properly understood and applied. As with many observations described as rules, failing to understanding the operating principles underlying the 80/20 Rule leads can lead to some pretty academic debates about its veracity, which ultimately leads inaction. Repopularized inRead More
Declutter Your Desk with a General Reference Filing System
First, a confession. I don’t do what I’m about to recommend, at least not anymore. My current job involves zero paperwork, but in my previous, paper-based job, I was able to manage a mountain of paperwork while maintaining a pristinely clean desk. If you’re willing to put in a fewRead More
Work Unplugged: Going Off The Grid
“Inaction speaks louder than words.” – Mike Vardy I’ve always wanted to quote myself. Call it self-adulation or self-indulgence if you will, but there’s a truth behind it: not making progress on something often can’t be saved by reasoning or excuses. You need to see things through to the end.Read More