Jason Womack

How much thinking does it take...

...to get something done?
I answered this question (again) while having breakfast last week alone in New York City. (Granted, I am never quite "alone" in that city; after meeting a colleague for coffe, I just decided to eat without talking to anyone!)
I opened my notebook, and started crafting ideas for a presentation I am making for the Los Angeles County Office of Education...the topic: Time Management for Teens.
So, within the span of 10 minutes - I did set a timer - I had outlined the concluding remarks, my few main points, and the beginning of an introduction.

We will post it on the Time Management for Teens site early next month!

Meetings, lunch and a walk in New York City!

Here I am standing outside of New York Plaza, after a morning meeting, before an afternoon lunch. I really enjoyed standing around to watch the world walk by. Taxi cabs, groups of business suits, sidewalk vendors, and passers-by with little white earbuds, presumably listening to their newest, favorite song.

I had a wonderful "coffee chat" with a friend-of-some-friend. I met with a real Broadway star (he was actually going to an audition for an episode of of a major TV show after we met!) who is working as a "presentation coach" to Fortune 500 and other smaller companies. He works with people - in small and large group settings as well as one-on-one - to get them prepared and confident as presenters and speakers.

We had a lot of ideas to share with one another!

Finally, after lunch, I walked some 6 blocks (the long blocks, along 14th Street) back to my friends' apartment. Tonight is movie night, then I fly to LAX tomorrow morning for a few days at home before leaving again for Canada for a Mastering Workplace Performance seminar.

TED Talks...the list of 150+ lectures...

Well, here are just a few of my favorite TED presentations and presenters. There are SO many more, and I tend to watch one or two a day (they're only 10-25 minutes long). If you get a chance, watch Ken Robinson below tell a story of what happens when you think of Shakespeare as being 7 years old! 

• 2. David Pogue says "Simplicity sells" 
  4. Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity 
  9. Cameron Sinclair on open-source architecture
  11. Larry Brilliant wants to stop pandemics
  13. Jeff Han demos his breakthrough touchscreen

Our latest article in "Training" magazine

Our latest article was published on the Training Magazine website. The title is: Productivity Coach's Corner: Maximizing Complaints & Mistakes.

If you have the opportunity to read it online, please let us know what you think. Also, I've put links (below) to all the articles we've published for Training. Also let us know if you'd like us to write about something specific next time! (We publish a monthly column for the magazine...)

Who doesn't know you exist...yet?

Connect with a mentor, someone who doesn’t know it, but who has helped you immensely along the way.

This has been an incredible boon to my professional – and personal – growth as an educator, husband, homeowner, student and…person!

Years ago (over a decade in fact!) I was given a book that went on to change my life. “The First Days of School” by Harry Wong prepared me for my career as a high school teacher. I spent 5 great years in the classroom, and attribute my positive experience largely in part due to the book and videos I watched by Dr. Wong.

Just this month (October, 2007) I finally got a hold of his “information e-mail address” from his website. So, I sent a note, hoping to at least let him know how much I appreciated him. Well, less than 24 hours later, he replied personally (someone in his office had forwarded the note) and asked me to tell him more about my company and my career. I’m not sure how or when or if it will happen, but in my reply I invited him to lunch or coffee “on my dime!” All of that just by sending one short e-mail!

Traveled from London, working in New York, thinking about Ojai!

I was in London visiting with friends and working earlier this week (thank you Anna, Tom, Mark and Adrian!). One of the things that continues to impress me about being in London is the "busy-ness" of the business. I jokingly (or not!) shared that I see more people on one "tube ride" than I do in a WEEK in Ojai! There are that many people moving from "here" to "there."

Now, I'm in New York for a few days of work and meetings. I got in last night, and walked 30 blocks to another friends' "just-opened" restaurant (Visconti, on 58th, between Madison and 5th). If you're in the mood for great food, amazing atmosphere, and superior service walk in for lunch or dinner. (And, if Teddy is there, let them I recommended his place!)

And, finally, I just called AmericanAirlines, and they've switched my flight from Sunday to Saturday (with no $100 change fee!). I know the fires are still quite far away from home, but I want to be there none-the-less. So, with two more days in New York (and, a Saturday morning to get a run in along the river!) I'm going to get going and get to work!

Have gear (label it) will travel! Label your gear!

I wish I had acted on your earlier newsletter about labeling items! I lost my iPod and Bose headsets yesterday. I will now be a doer not just a hearer!

I received this note recently (thanks Matt!) and am going spread this word yet again. In one of our News You Can Use newsletters, we suggested you get a label maker and label the "gear you travel with."

If you take a look at my: iPod, Treo, digital camera, laptop computer A, laptop computer B, Garmin GPS watch, even my notebooks! you will see this label somewhere...

Jason Womack  Jason@JasonWomack.com Direct: 805.640.6401  Reward

Yes, it's a lot of information, but boy has it saved me a lot (time, energy, focus, resources...and money!). If you saw the newsletter, this is old news. If you didn't, I have gotten EVERY one of the above-mentioned items back after leaving it somewhere. Hey, c'mon, it happens! Just make it easy for someone to get the thing back to you, in case they are so moved.

(*By the way, I wrote this on Monday and since then I realized that the adaptor to the plug that I use to power my computer from the airplane seat actually is built in two parts. And, apparently, the last time I left my AA flight after landing at LAX, the part that "plugs in" separated from the cord and is "still" in that plug! So, when I replace it...something else to make a label for! Yes, me too Matt, I will also be a doer, not a hearer!)

How organized is your desk?

Fundamentals: With or About...

Anything in your workspace could, and probably should, be organized. However, there is an important distinction to make between the things you need to do something with, versus the things you need to do something about.

In our coaching programs, we work one-on-one with clients to identify specific organizing structures to match their needs. In our seminars, we give broad-brush, overall suggestions of things to try.

A family calendar everyone can see...what do YOU think?

I received the following note from a colleague in the Boulder, Colorado area. He's working with a team on his Master's degree, and they are coordinating what could be an "interesting" idea for our busy lives in the future (ok, our lives are already busy...but this is something that's on the near horizon!). If you have a moment, could you take their survey?

We want to improve the quality of your busy family life!  We envision a digital touch screen "family information hub" device in the kitchen that would help coordinate family schedules.

Our team of 5 graduate students from CU Boulder is developing a business plan for this device.  Please help our learning process and get a glimpse into your kitchen's future by completing our 5 minute survey: (Simply click here...)

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2272Y6DZCHX

The best recovery is to do "something"

A while back I had breakfast with Hunter Kemper (member of the United States Olympic Triathlon Team). He spoke in front of the group of us, and then stayed a while afterward for us to engage in a more directed and (for me anyway) specific question and answer period.

No doubt he’s a successful triathlete – his stories meaningful, complex and humorous – so when we asked about “athletes, competing and recovery” my ears perked up! I’ve raced a dozen or so times a year over the past 6 years. In 2007 I’ll have completed a 1/2 Ironman, a few Olympic-distance triathlons, several running races and a couple of other events. In my previous experience, I had a “recovery plan,” so as Hunter started talking about his plan I knew I was interested in what he had to say.