Jason Womack

It's good to have colleagues with similar interests

I got my copy of Brain in the News today, and, as usual I started reading from the back pages.
Simultaneously (the time on the email said so!), my good friend and colleague Joe Bruzzese (www.thinking-forward.com) was reading the same issue and sent me an email about an article on "task management." The concept of workplace performance comes down to the ability to decide, focus, and accomplish the most important things.
My takeaway from this article: Statistically, 1 in 40 can text message and drive (and, maybe, check email and talk on the phone). I have no illusion that I'm the one, so...I gotta shut something down to get the most out of my focus. Gotta go, I've got a book to read!

Thank you, Gary Mack, for writing Mind Gym

A few weeks ago, a client "gifted" me a copy of Gary Mack's book, Mind Gym.

I added it to "the queue," and today I picked it up and headed outside to my front yard. In about an hour and a half, I made my way through this wonderful reminder of how important it is to "be my best" and prepare to perform, before I have to do so.

I wrote a card to Mr. Mack, hopefully it'll make it all the way to his house in Arizona. Here are some of the areas, ideas and quotes that jumped out to me while reading:

• From pages 215-218, Mr. Mack talks about a study out of Harvard on the "five L's of a successful life." I see the one to focus on over the next little while is "Labor." While reading these paragraphs, I thought about how with a slight increase in the effort I'm making, I can add much more value to the work I'm doing.
• On page 202, there's a quote from Mia Hamm, "Sports can do so much. It's given me confidence, self-esteem, discipline, and motivation." For the companies I work with on the street, I see a good day, a bad day, and a learning day doing this as well. For the people I work with in public services, their work, too, can be a reference point (or a stepping stone) to an increase in opportunity, ability and knowledge. What do YOU do that builds those four things?
• Trying hard is, well...Harder. In my line of work - studying the psychology behind productivity - I have seen the highest form of inaction to be too much action at once. Multi-tasking, back-to-back meetings, coming in early and staying late into the evening are all ways to get things done, but I've seen them be ways to get things done that slows people down.

Is it ok to see "just a little" improvement?

Consider the last course or class you sat in on, was it "company-sponsored" or did you take a weekend day or weekday evening to go and learn about something new to you?

Taking time to get better - such as: going to a course, reading a book or completing an on-line class - is just the initial part of the investment. After that, there is the requirement to re-engage over the next few days and weeks.

Our recommendation: Make it ok to see "just a little" improvement over time. Our flagship seminar is called "Mastering Workplace Performance." During that 7-hour course, we address 4 areas of performance in the workplace:

Psychology: How do you "think" about how you think about work?
Technology: How can the gear, tools and systems help you work more efficiently?
Sociology: How can we work most effectively with our boss, colleagues and direct reports?
Physiology: How can we continue working at the pace we're working at?

If you've attended one of our courses (or any course, of course...) consider seeing little improvements over the next week or so. How do you do it? Here are some things we'd recommend...

1. Start the day right. Write down, on a sticky note or a 3X5 note card, your "most important thing" for the day. Put that note where you can see it at the END of the day - on the bathroom mirror at home, by your car keys, clipped to your briefcase or purse - and LOOK AT IT at the end of the day. Rate yourself, 0-5: How did you do?

2. Find a buddy. During the course, you probably met or talked to at least one other person. Once a week, for the next month or so, meet up for coffee or lunch. When you get together, do so and spend 30 minutes or so on this prompt: "What are you doing differently as a result of attending that workshop?"

3. Call the presenter (no, really, I mean it!). After a few days "back at the desk," we presenters KNOW that people leave our workshops, go back to their office space, and "hope" they have time to implement. I know, from personal experience, that when someone calls with a question, there is usually something I can do in 5-10 minutes to give them some information AND inspiration to get them going. Give it a try!

Where there is a will, there may be a way

In New York, I expect to see the unexpected. That is something I learned from a virtual mentor, Roger von Oech. (He wrote a book about it...)
The creative use of "ad space" here on a corner of 6th Avenue brought a smile to my face. I didn't ask how much it cost to place an ad on his board...anyone have a guess?

I can carry it anywhere...

I'm a knowledge worker. And, most likely, so are you. That means we gotta know stuff.
Having my Kindle handy wherever I go has been one of my biggest "productivity boosters." However, it wasn't as I had expected.
When I purchased my Kindle, I had anticipated replicating my own classics library there so I could walk around with access to those. In fact, what I did do was to take every PDF - eBooks, articles, long documents, workbooks for seminars, slidecasts, etc - and put it on my ereader!
Over the past year, I've reviewed more research reports, white papers and eBooks than ever - all because I've got them "right there."

Please share your ideas: How do you use your eReader?

FEAR - it's one time waster we can address

I sent a hand-written note to Mr. Kim this week, thanking him for the amazing work he's doing. Graduating from the teacher education program at UC Santa Barbara (a while ago now) gave me an appreciation and awareness of how engaged the professional must be to make a difference.
The ultimate in engagement, as I see it, is the willingness to move forward despite the challenges, hardships and never-ending to-do list of change. This article, in the April issue of Fast Company, outlines just how significant this engagement can be. And, by facing (or working around) fear, we can save a bunch of time we might have used thinking - or worrying - about what might be...what might go wrong. Engaged means involved, and, as long as we're involved in what we find meaningful, involved means change. Whatever you're thinking of changing, get started! *
Mr. Kim, after you get my note, and if you see this, please accept the invitation to chat over a coffee or lunch sometime. I'd love to share our ideas over an open table.

* I just watched a http://www.TED.com TED Talk the other morning about a guy who has decided to take on the "issue" of reusing syringes (and the health problems that ensue). He saw an issue, got involved, got engaged, and is making change. Totally inspiring!

The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship

A paperback book, written Jeff Zaslow (who I know from reading the Wall Street Journal), just came out...a book about friendship. If you have a moment (ok, about 5 minutes...) you can see this docu-style video.

 

Here's the note from Amazon:

As children, they formed a special bond, growing up in the small town of Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eighth different states, yet they managed to maintain an extraordinary friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, the death of a child, and the mysterious death of the eleventh member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the enduring, deep bonds of women as they experience life's challenges, and the power of friendship to overcome even the most daunting odds.

A dose of inspiration, and a pinch of push

 

• Inspiration: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative
  

• Push: exert oneself to attain something

Earlier today, a mentor of mine sent over one of the "quickest-to-read-mood-changers" I've seen; a blog post by Seth Godin.I think the title, "Maybe you need new friends," spoke to me, as in the past three months I've added a few people to my address book. Years ago, after reading the book, "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," I began wondering what the 7 people of highly effective habits would look like. So, look for some of that to show up here over the next several weeks.

1. People 1: The ones who suggest I stop doing something
2. People 2: The ones who suggest I start doing something
3. People 3: The ones...

• (looking for your ideas! Comment below...)

The best career advice you could give (here are ideas from Andrew Cosslett...)

Reading through today's "corner office" (see past interviews http://www.nytimes.com/corneroffice ) was especially exciting.
After speaking at the Tuck School of Business again last week (the last time I was there...last October), I've been focused on just the kind of advice and ideas Mr. Cosslett (CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group) shares in today's interview (see http://nytimes.com/business ). The question (and answers) that got me thinking:
+ "What's your best career advice to give to somebody...?"
¤ Get out of the comfort zone
¤ Keep asking questions
¤ Have a sense of humor

What are the next three? Please add here...

The re-learning of the evening...

This was the ah-ha - or, what's it called when something makes so much sense the whole table goes quiet?