We all want to be more productive, but we’re drowning in a sea of productivity apps and hacks. We’ll show you why every leader should re-adopt a well-known—but often overlooked—productivity solution: paper! By using paper in some situations, you can avoid wasting time and money on solutions that don’t work and focus on your most […]
Archive for Productivity
The Character Advantage
Why It's Worth Doing the Right Thing Even When It's Costly or Inconvenient
All leaders want to be successful, but sometimes we face situations that pit our desire for results against our values. In this episode, we’ll help you recognize that temptation and equip you to do the right thing when it’s costly. By doing so, you’ll avoid doing damage to your organization and your reputation—and you’ll build […]
Automation for the People
Why It's Difficult and How to Get It Right
If you want to understand how hard it can be to automate, consider the many attempts to replace cashiers with self-checkout systems. To wit, CVS pharmacies were once lousy with self-checkout systems, which I personally tried to use, many times, to get out the door faster. Almost every time, some loud error sent me to […]
Productivity Investments that Pay for Themselves
How to Achieve More by Doing Less
Most of us try to increase productivity by doing more things faster. As a result, we wind up overloaded and exhausted. Like a hamster on a wheel, we’re playing a game we can’t possibly win. In this episode, we talk about the value of investing in your own margin. I’ll show you how to accomplish […]
End Your Fear of Power Sharing
4 Reasons to Relax That Grip
It started with my first day on the job. I’d just been named senior leader at a growing organization with a generously-sized staff. Yet there were problems, as there are in any institution, and I was determined to solve them. All of them. Right away. Communications was a weak point, so I decided to personally […]
Go Viral, and Stay That Way
3 Ways to Create a Self-Perpetuating System of Growth
The question prodding us to increased productivity is almost never, “How do I fit more work into my day?” That question leads to productivity “hacks,” an exhausting pace of work, and endless to-do lists that never completely get done because there are only so many hours in the day. A better question to ask, instead, […]