Your best just got better

What is a practical question...one that determines how I use my next 15 minutes?

More and more of my work is done at the "ground level" of productivity.

Just last week, I worked with 4 clients who all expressed different "organizational and productivity" needs.

1) We studied "email inbox management" one day. The important issues where:

- what to do WITH emails she needed to refer to vs. follow up on at some predetermined time in the (near to far) future;

- what to do ABOUT the emails that are action-oriented, whether a short/immediate or longer/researched answer is needed.



2) The next day, we studied leadership traits and communication styles. During a 6 and 1/2 hour discussion, with three confirmed meetings/teleconferences to sit in on, we uncovered 4 new habits to practice for the rest of February. A major ah-ha this day: Each phone call meeting needs to be completely processed to capture actions, waiting fors, follow ups, and new knowledge.



3) Day 3: There are three kinds of emails some people get, and when they are blended in the inbox...things get weird. Before you ask me what the "three kinds" are, take some energy this week to focus in on what you have staged there in-motion. Chances are, you have just a few "kinds" of things to manage. Separate them, and you'll see how much more focused you are through the day (and relaxed at the end of the day).



4) "Stuff" attracts more "stuff." I spent day four working side by side with a senior executive assistant, as we processed EVERY SINGLE piece of paper, notebook page, binder, book and file on the desk. When I left, she had a list of 23 actions, three clear desk spaces, and a fully-functioning bookshelf.



I recently read (via my Garmin, Audible account, and a long drive from Marin County to my home in Ojai, CA) this wonderful book by Johah Lehrer: "How We Decide."

What did I realize during this coaching? And, how does it connect to the book?



+ We need to make more decisions now.

+ We need to track those decisions.

+ We need to start new conversations.

+ We need help from each other in creating habits that stick.



All good things...

Training and eating ... The more objective, the clearer the results

Every time I visit New York, I'm amazed at how they advertise just one aspect of food nutrition: Calories per item!

What would you choose, if you knew a little bit more about what was "in it."



Oh, and this isn't just about food: it's the meeting you were invited to, the book you just bought, the email you're about to open, the magazine you subscribed to, or what you're about to say yes when your child asks that next question.

Speed isn't just about going faster

Working with the vice president in finance yesterday reinforced this idea:

Speed isn't just about going faster.

It IS, however, about moving through the productivity cycle as we have researched it.

(1) Relax,

(2) Have an idea,

(3) Consider an action step,

(4) Execute on that action,

(5) Assess the value of that action,

(6) Ask yourself: "Did I enjoy what I did?"



Of course, this is a simple re-engineering process that begins with what we believe is the most important question to start with!

Here is just one tip you can use (if you use a BlackBerry) to go from steps 3 to 4 with less thinking/effort and fewer moves.



Please, leave your tips (for any of the 6 steps listed here) in the comments section below!

Every January (for 13 years now...) I read The One Minute Manager

A mentor of mine gave me a copy of this book years ago. The first time I read it, I knew...I'd need to re-read this yearly. So started another one of my 5-year experiments. (Those of you who have been in one of our seminars know we coach people in experiments of "5." Try something 5 days in a row, you'll know if it's worth it. Or, once a week for five weeks, once a month for five months, you get it...)



This time I read it, I "saw" a whole section on feedback I'd never seen before! This is good stuff.

Reflecting back on College Days

Studying US History (Environmental Policy of Westward Expansion) in the 90's, I read some great books.



I always asked (and continue to do this today) for books "on the edge" of what I'm studying. I will always remember reading "The Feminine Mystique" as a student in Mexico (studying at UNAM). I had an English copy, and finished in less than a week.



Today, at a coffee shop in Salinas, CA I opened up to a great page:



354



"Because of the feminine mystique, it is the jump from amateur to professional that is often the hardest..."



My question to readers today: What's blocking YOUR jump to being your best?

Looking for a "Top of the Game" 2010

I'm really very excited about this year. In case you haven't been following along (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc)...It's already started off well.

Here's hoping 2010 is a good one too (see #81 in the picture!).

 

Why I love the new conference model - The Unconference

The Womack Company (that's us) is a lead sponsor of the London unconference coming up soon.

(Presentation Camp London.)

The Dec./Jan. Inc. magazine has a great article on the concept...

We were profiled in Training Magazine! (pass it on...)

 
Productivity Power
January 05, 2010

  By Margery Weinstein

It was 8:30 a.m., or maybe a little earlier, and Jason W. Womack, M.Ed., M.A., already was well ensconced in conference room No. 2 on the 12th floor of a large global financial company in New York City. He had been there since around 7:30 that morning. The session he would lead that day on productivity, "Mastering Workplace Performance," was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., but Womack knew most of the participants wouldn't arrive until later. He instructed me to arrive at 8:30 a.m. because he knew I would need time to get through the building's security protocol, but warned me via e-mail a week prior that the workshop would not be starting on time...

For the rest of the article, click here!

http://tinyurl.com/ProductivityPower

Get your copy of The Promise Doctrine today (and, you could win!)

One of our goals at the Womack Company is to help 1,000 people start off 2010 with the inspiration, motivation and education to make more things possible.

We want you to start your year off right! Consider the work you’re already planning to do over the next few months...perhaps there’s a project due in the next 30-60 days that you want to complete on time and on budget. Or, maybe you volunteered for something and now you’re trying to figure out to add this to your already full plate.

Use “The Promise Doctrine” to help guide you through to success.

After 14 months of writing collaboration, my father, Craig, and I have published a new book “The Promise Doctrine”, a guidebook and system for consistently delivering on your promises and we have developed workplace seminars on the same subject.

We have already received energized reviews and comments from our readers about how THEY are benefiting. See some reviews here...

Here is what is in it for YOU:
Using the "6 Elements" of promise making and promise keeping from our book, you will have tools and systems to:
•   choose AND manage what you'’re really committed to,
•   support your goals for the New Year, and
•   get better results from work relationships.

Here's the big ASK – buy the book:
Yes, I’m asking you to purchase a copy or several copies of our book to help us build “best selling” momentum for the book and our programs today.  

To purchase from Amazon.  

To purchase a signed copy.

When it’s clear where you’re headed, you can be true to your word.

Being true to your word encourages achievement, honesty, and teamwork in all areas of life and work, and...everyone wants that!

PS: Purchase “The Promise Doctrine” between now and Thursday and you may get a bonus!

We will randomly choose FIVE out of every 100 buyers and offer:

    •    The Making Things Possible DVD ($125.00 value)
    •    The 20 Time Saving Tips audio CD  ($35.00 value)

 All that for just $7.95...

 Yes, that’s $160.00 worth of super-sized content for less than $8 dollars (to cover shipping and handling).

We know making changes in our habits takes commitment, effort and new input. We have heard from hundred's of clients who have attended our Workplace Performance seminars that having this information changes the way they work; and, the way they feel about their work.

If you’re one of the lucky five, we'’ll contact you directly.

A big announcement comingg soon about our The Promise Doctrine book

Check your email later today (or follow along on twitter @promisedoctrine and @jasonwomack) as we're making a pretty big announcement today about: