Past Tips - 2002
Form follows function
12/1/2002
No,
it isn’t new or original, but it’s surprising how often discussions
happen backward, starting with the question “What can we do?” instead
of “What are we trying to accomplish?”
For
example, think of most of the brainstorming sessions you’ve
participated in.
School
yourself and everyone around you to always understand goals first.
It’s
obvious, but too often it’s only obvious in retrospect.
Don't wrestle with a pig
11/1/2002
As the
joke points out, you both get dirty and the pig likes it.
There
are lots of ways to pig-wrestle. Some, like returning insults in kind,
are obvious. Don’t do it, even if you have a snappy comeback.
Others
are less obvious, like formulating careful, point-by-point rebuttals to
attacks you’re better off ignoring.
Remember,
if you respond at the same level as your attacker, everyone important
will perceive you to be at the same level as your attacker.
Your
goal is to be perceived as above the fray.
Don't argue
10/1/2002
Arguing
is generally pointless. In an argument, both parties’ goal is to win,
which means the other arguer has to lose – something that won’t happen.
If
someone starts arguing with you, don’t respond in kind. Instead, ask
this question: “What problem are we trying to solve?” This changes the
dynamics from an argument to a discussion – it turns the other party
from an antagonist to a collaborator.
Which
means you win twice.
Manila Folders
9/1/2002
If you
don’t have time to be organized, you have time to look organized. Just
buy a bunch of manila folders – the kind with accordion pleats on the
bottom and an elastic binder.
Dumb
as it sounds, the simple act of shoving all your loose papers into the
appropriate one of maybe five of these puppies will create the
appearance that you have everything under control.
Not
only that, but it will make you feel like you’re in control as well.
And
that’s important.
Think product
7/29/2002
Not
sure if an idea will pan out? Uncertain whether your grand vision can
turn into practical reality?
Think
product.
No
matter how grand the concept and how brilliant the idea, you can’t be
certain whether the abstractions you’re propounding are attached to reality.
Until, that is, you can turn it into a product – something tangible
that has value for someone.
Then
you’ll know.
Know when to put a bullet in something.
7/22/2002
Sometimes
the best solution is to stop throwing good money after bad. Even if the
idea was yours … no, especially if the idea was yours … you’re far
better off killing a going-nowhere project than to continue flogging
it.
In
fact, your ability to terminate an initiative that isn’t working out as
expected will, in most organizations (and all healthy ones) brand you
as someone able to make tough decisions.
Make progress every day.
6/23/2002
Every
day you face a list of meetings and tasks that defines what you must
get done.
It’s
important, but it conflicts with your long-term goals. If you aren’t
careful, the habits that make you most effective in the short term will
prevent your achieving what you really want to achieve.
So
every morning, as you plan your day, ask yourself this question: What
can I accomplish today that will advance my long-term goals?
If
you make some progress every day, you’re sure to get there eventually.
Don't take your org chart too seriously.
6/17/2002
An
organizational chart looks like a bunch of boxes. Unless otherwise
directed, employees see them that way – as a collection of boundaries
that describe what their jobs aren’t.
If
that sounds appealing to you, think about the last time a server
refused to pour you a cup of coffee because “I’m sorry, that’s not my
table.”
Use
your org chart to describe core responsibilities – areas of focus –
rather than limits of responsibility.
Know when to take the gloves off.
6/10/2002
With
few exceptions, diplomacy beats brute force as a way to get things done.
It’s
important for you to recognize those exceptions. Whether it’s a vendor
who’s developed a pattern of non-delivery, a direct report suffering
from “Not Invented Here” syndrome, or a project team member missing yet
another deadline, sometimes you have to say, “This is what’s expected
of you, and while I don’t know why you think it’s optional, let me make
sure we’re clear on this point: It isn’t.”
If
it gets to be a habit, you have a problem. If you can’t do it when
necessary, though, you have a much bigger problem.
Be
a programmer.
4/15/2002
Programmers
have to anticipate all the nasty exceptions reality throws at pretty
system designs. They have to be good at asking, “What happens if …?”
Management
decisions don’t require a contingency plan for every possible twist and
turn the future might contain. They do call for planning the likely
ones, though.
So
before you choose a product, ally with a vendor, or charter a project,
think through some likely scenarios. Sometimes you’ll find it isn’t as
good an idea as it seemed.
Decisions should stay made.
4/8/2002
One
of the biggest time-wasters in business is revisiting decisions without
cause.
Keep
track of what you and your teams have decided. Keep track of why you
made the decision. And if anyone suggests revisiting the decision, ask
why.
If
there’s new information, it’s worth a revisit. If someone has a new
line of thought on the subject, it might be worth a revisit.
But
if the issue is “I still don’t like it,” cut off discussion.
Edison was right.
4/1/2002
In
business, genius is about getting things done. Being right lets you
say, “I told you so,” which is a proven way to lose friends and fail to
influence people. The trick is to be right and then make things happen,
which is why Edison’s point about it being 1% inspiration and 99%
perspiration is worth your attention.
Visionaries
choose the path. That’s wonderful … but how do you plan to occupy the
other 325 days of the year?
Context
3/11/2002
Make
sure you provide lots of information about it.
Whether
an employee is writing a program, designing a network, or deciding
whether a course of action is worthwhile, it’s the context that determines
the answer. So don’t let employees just “do their job.” Their job,
after all, ought to be doing what makes the most sense, which means
they need to understand how it fits into the bigger picture.
Small bits matter.
2/25/2002
There’s
never enough time. There are, however, a lot of small bits of it. Find
ways to use those small bits productively.
Maybe
you can get through two articles in that magazine you never got to.
Plan the agenda for the meeting you’re leading right after lunch. Return
e-mail.
Or
just think and reflect: Most of us take far too little time to figure
things out because we’re in too big a rush to Get Things Done.
Learn
to be productive during the small chunks of time and the big chunks
will take care of themselves.
Meet fewer. And meet with fewer.
2/18/2002
Want
to make your meetings more effective? Have fewer of them. Most meetings
should be for review and ratification. Before you schedule the other kind
– work sessions, that is – ask if the same people could accomplish the
same chore more effectively working at their desks.
When
you do convene a work session, invite only those you need to do the
job. The more people in the room, the less time you’ll spend on the
task at hand. Even worse, you’ve increased the meeting load in your
company, reducing the time everyone has to get real work done, except …
in work sessions, which now get scheduled just to reserve time to focus
on the task.
Read. Think. Think. Read.
2/11/2002
Nobody
is smart enough to figure out everything themselves. Read to get new
ideas and new perspectives. Then think about them – there are plenty of
bad ideas out there, and quite a few half-baked ones with a kernel of
value hidden inside.
Have
a great idea? Spend some time to develop it yourself. Then read. If you
start your research too soon, you’ll find it much harder to be creative
because everyone else’s ideas will clamor for your attention.
Keep
the two in balance.
Don't be task or calendar driven.
2/4/2002
A
key difference between executives, managers and staff is that managers
and staff are measured by what they don’t miss … or even worse, by just
looking busy. Having lots of appointments and long to-do lists help.
Executives,
on the other hand, are measured on what they achieve. Full calendars
and to-do lists interfere with this. Even worse, they mean other people
are setting your priorities for you.
Don't argue.
1/28/2002
You
won’t persuade anyone that you’re right and they’re wrong with facts
and logic anyway, so don’t bother trying. Besides – when you argue,
you’re trying to win, which will only happen when the other person
loses. What’s the point of that?
Whenever
you’re tempted to argue with someone, change your goal – try finding a
resolution to your disagreement that both of you find more satisfying
than your original positions.
Recognize both the value and limits of open mindedness.
1/21/2002
Most
new ideas sound ridiculous. Heck, most new ideas are ridiculous.
Some, though, turn into opportunities which, once missed, don’t return.
Learn
to apply what you know to what’s new, but also to recognize when what
you know is a barrier to understanding what’s truly new.
Do
less.
1/7/2002
Do
you gauge your effectiveness in terms of clearing your to-do list? It’s
surprising how many executives do just that, taking pride in how many
balls they can juggle instead of focusing on a small number of truly
important initiatives.
Instead
of taking pride in how much you can accomplish, take pride in how much
you can delegate.