Never Assume People Know

I have a client about to begin content -marketing that expressed a sentiment that I think may be very common, “why would anybody read what I write? I have nothing new or exciting.” These feelings are not conducive to a good start at writing content. I will admit that I have often had the same feelings. There are times when I am writing a blog or article and thinking, ‘this is common sense stuff, no person will care about reading it.’ My experience and those with whom I collaborate confirm a different scenario entirely. There are a number of points I would like you to consider if you feel your writing and content will not be read or dismissed. • Your ideas, observations and comments are as valid and worthy as any other persons. • If you really look at what is included in the avalanche of online information, there is rarely anything truly new or ground breaking. • People read online content for a number of purposes. These may include learning, confirming, questioning, innovating, and sharing. You do not need to write the ‘theory of everything’ to make an impact in the online world. • Once you begin it is important to get in the ‘flow’ of content creation. You will make an impact on others when they know you are a producer and the time spent reading your material is worthwhile for whatever purpose they are after. • Write from personal experience and you will instantly have people interested. There is nothing better than something written in first person to capture attention. We are all interested in other people’s experiences as opposed to general information or theory. • My clients are in business. If you read business blogs can you cI have a client about to begin content -marketing that expressed a sentiment that I think may be very common, “why would anybody read what I write? I have nothing new or exciting.” These feelings are not conducive to a good start at writing content. I will admit that I have often had the same feelings. There are times when I am writing a blog or article and thinking, ‘this is common sense stuff, no person will care about reading it.’ My experience and those with whom I collaborate confirm a different scenario entirely. There are a number of points I would like you to consider if you feel your writing and content will not be read or dismissed. • Your ideas, observations and comments are as valid and worthy as any other persons. • If you really look at what is included in the avalanche of online information, there is rarely anything truly new or ground breaking. • People read online content for a number of purposes. These may include learning, confirming, questioning, innovating, and sharing. You do not need to write the ‘theory of everything’ to make an impact in the online world. • Once you begin it is important to get in the ‘flow’ of content creation. You will make an impact on others when they know you are a producer and the time spent reading your material is worthwhile for whatever purpose they are after. • Write from personal experience and you will instantly have people interested. There is nothing better than something written in first person to capture attention. We are all interested in other people’s experiences as opposed to general information or theory. • My clients are in business. If you read business blogs can you count on more that one hand the numbers of time you read something truly new or earth shattering. It is the same with business books. The ideas and information are re-purposed for the audience and you can make even the most commonly understood business ideas more interesting by telling a story. If you are stuck and you need some help getting those fingers tapping on the keyboard, you are welcome to contact me and I can give you some ideas to help you get started. ount on more that one hand the numbers of time you read something truly new or earth shattering. It is the same with business books. The ideas and information are re-purposed for the audience and you can make even the most commonly understood business ideas more interesting by telling a story. If you are stuck and you need some help getting those fingers tapping on the keyboard, you are welcome to contact me and I can give you some ideas to help you get started.

Execution Paralysis

One of our new clients is actually in the enviable position of having a rapidly growing business thanks to referrals.  His business supplies a great product and backs it up with excellent service.  If you analyse his sales you see that over 80% are referrals within one industry.  He called us in when he woke up to the fact that the bigger players were starting to react to his success with more aggressive marketing and pricing strategies.  Among our Australian clients this scenario is pretty common.  What is unusual with this client is the sophistication of the strategies and tactics he has developed to counter attack the bigger competitors.  He and his team have also created strategies for entering new markets and eventually expanding overseas.  Great stuff on paper with no execution.  When we were called in it was obvious this client was suffering from ‘execution paralysis.’  For some business people this can be a malady that last a day, for others weeks and in this case it was uncertain if they were ever going to recover momentum.  Execution paralysis occurs when you have a number of tasks and objective but you fail to execute any to completion.  It is like being in a severe snowstorm and only seeing ‘white’ through your windscreen.  Individual snowflakes are visible on the glass but beyond that only white.  How do you break execution paralysis?  It can be hard without external help as often you are too close to the business to take a higher level view of objectives.

• Analyse your list of objectives and prioritise based on positive impact to the business.  Do not prioritise based on speed or ease.      In the case of this client our first objective was to create a new marketing kit for both online and hard copy distribution.
• First things first is to create a list of next actions for each objective; in other words break things down.  I suggest you get away from your computer and use big sheets of paper and/or a white board.  A next action may be a small task such as calling a person or doing a web search.  You must break down to small pieces.
• Assign accountability and a due date for each ‘next action.’
• Incorporate your objectives and next actions in collaborative tool for all persons to access and update.  In this case we used Backpack from 37 Signals.
• Time block for each next action or you can consolidate with time blocking for an objective.  A time block is segmenting time in your calendar to focus on a task or objective.  We still find the majority of people in business seem to approach each day in an ad-hoc manner and leave the office feeling they have not accomplished anything.  Surprised?
• I paraphrase a statement I read in a book by Alan Weiss, “……….we are after success, not perfection.”  For our purposes this means finish what you are doing and move on.  DO NOT waste more time refining, contemplating or discussing what you have done.  MOVE ON.
• With our client we are having weekly reviews every Friday.  These reviews are pretty intensive and include not only the measurement of progress against their objectives but also a clean up of all the emails, documents and notes collected during the week.

A very beta time management primer

http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p1070430514&d=Time_Management_v1.key

Attitude is a decision.

The more coaching clients that I work with the more I am convinced that attitude is a decision.   It may be a decision we make once and stick with it or it may be a decision we make hourly.  I hope in most cases it is closer to the former rather than the latter but not all of us are so lucky.  Why is it a decision?  It is a decision because it is communicated by ‘self talk’ and ideally the decision needs to be repeated.  If you want to get some work done you need to get the attitude and to get the attitude you tell yourself you have it.  I can remember an old audio of a talk by Stephen Covey.  In this audio he tells of an encounter with a man who was having marital difficulties.  Dr. Covey told the man to love his wife.  The response focused on the current situation and not the ‘end in mind.’  Love your wife- act in the manner of the attitude you wish to achieve.  If you want to have a productive day get stuck into the work- dive in hard.  Make the decision to do it and the attitude inevitably follows.

Daily Key Objectives in the Line of Sight

I have had some amazing results in my quest to remain focused in my work life.  I suffer from an attention and focus issue that often allows my mind to go wandering off in all sorts of wonderful journeys.  It is pleasurable but not productive.  Back in 2001 I read David Allen’s Getting Things Done and practiced the GTD method until I was expert.  I have coached a great many friends and colleagues GTD and I still think it is good…..for some.  I have used a range of tools in my GTD implementation; the latest being OmniFocus.  It took me awhile to realise this but the main issue I have had is not with the GTD system- it has been in the adaptation of the system to my individual needs.  My need is to maintain my task list in a visible location- not hidden in a computer or a smart phone.   I have used two basic tools to maintain my task focus and the results are great.  I am using a Filofax notebook and a whiteboard.  I have also taken some tips from J.D. Meier.  I am not a tech guy but J.D. Meier has some great tips on productivity and his blogging is prolific and high value.  From J.D. I have renewed my commitment to focus on a limited number of objectives as opposed to having an endless list with endless categories and timelines.   I still need to go back to my OmniFocus and clean that out.  It is very interesting to me that I quit the digital task list cold turkey and I have had no repercussions from not visiting my OmniFocus to see what is there.  What does that say about my propensity to remain focused?

Tribal Wars for the Operating Systems

I find it very amusing to read blogs and twitters pushing the merits of either Apple or Windows.  The launch of Windows 7 seems to have made the opinions even more strident.  I have been a Windows user since 3.1 and I have kept up to date with each new release except 7- I stalled on Vista.  My computer also did a lot of stalling on Vista.  I got caught up in the hype of Apple Mac- I was attracted to the look of the Mac Book Pro and rationalised the enormous price tag.  In the times I could have a play with a Mac in the store I was infatuated with the interface and speed.  I broke down and bought the Mac and left my beloved Lenovo in the pasture.  The move has been ok but as with all new infatuations the reality has been exposed.  The Mac is a great computer with plenty of fantastic features and a robust stable performance that I cannot fault.  The problems have arisen with the lack of foresight I applied to my Mac migration.  Did I think of the MS Exchange Server at the office?  Did I think about the differences between Entourage and Outlook?  Mac Mail/iCal and Outlook?  Mind you, Outlook and I have had some rocky patches but as a productivity tool I still think it is unmatched.  The real heart break hit me when I realised that every application I was considering acquiring for content authoring does not work on a Mac.  I was hoping to purchase Articulate or Raptivity to create e-learning content.  Even Adobe Acrobat Presenter is a no go.  I purchased MS Office 2008 for Mac but nothing works.  I know I can install Windows on my Mac………..no I don’t think so.  Anyway, all this aside the learning I have had hits one point home.  It does not really matter if it is Mac or Win- hopefully your image and lifestyle is not based on a computer.  The main thing is to be productive and effective.  In other words get your work done.

GTD and the Never Ending Quest

I downloaded the new GTD Outlook plug-in developed by Netcentrics.  I have used this product before in previous versions but uninstalled it for a range of reasons.  The GTD phenomenon shows few signs of abating.  There are limitless blogs and practitioners who have added their own unique twist to what is essentially a solid productivity system.   I use GTD (most of the time and with my own twist) and I have taught a large number of clients on the philosophic framework of GTD as well as how to implement and sustain the process.  There are those that are suited to GTD and there are those that are not.  Back to the software!  I am a big Outlook user and most of my clients implement GTD effectively without an add-in, however this  one is great.  I highly recommend you have a trial download and apply some discipline to using this fantastic tool to manage your email and your project management.  I find the project managment toolset to be particularly compelling.  I am pretty good at email management and using my Tasks and Calendar as trusted loops.  The Project Central feature in the GTS Outlook add-in is my saviour- finally a simple way to record and track my projects with a simple interface and rapid way to enter information.   This is a keeper.

Commitment Maker or Breaker?

I have always had a real problem with a growing phenomenon in the business world that is spreading in the common social sphere as well.  This is the pervasive tendency for commitment breaking.  People do not follow through like they used to.  In business this is frustrating but my recent experience working with a client has demonstrated how lack of follow through on commitments is a serious issue.  My client is a fast paced consulting firm that has enjoyed some reasonable growth in the past few years.  They have had the normal teething pains with systems and processes but nothing too serious.  The real problem is that action items from meetings are not done, commitments made in conversations or informal meetings are not followed up or followed through.  The visual clues that raised yellow flags to me was the lack of any note taking in any meeting!  The lack of execution has caused a culture that has little trust and interpersonal relationships are under strain since there is a pervasive belief that you cannot rely on your colleagues.  This has led to territorialism and reduced sharing and collaboration.  This has led to poor enculturation of new employees and on it goes….YIKES!  But why?  I know these guys are not unique.  Are we too bombarded with stuff to do and information to digest?  Or are we unable to discipline ourselves to do our work and execute our plans despite the external bombardment?  The real scary part is that this behaviour creeps out of the organisation and begins to infect client and other stakeholder relationships.  The commitment to call back or ‘send some information’ that never gets followed through is a certain precursor to a relationship breakdown and lack of trust.  I know this sounds simple but just once I would like to see my client replace those Blackberries for pads of paper.  I recall seeing many more people taking notes and reminders with a pen than I have ever seen punched into a micro keyboard on a handheld.