tick achieve 2014: what 5,000 people think about how to work effectively

SUMMARY OF IDEAS FROM WORKSHOPS WITH 5,000 PEOPLE

1. NO EXCUSES

The excuse culture

DON’T MAKE EXCUSESGet things doneDon’t be vague or evasiveDon’t use jargon (unless with specialists who know the lingo)Don’t use bullshitKeep politics to a minimum

Spotting waffle

Think straight = talk straight

HATE WAFFLE

Waffle is the enemy of a clear decision Take the time to think first Think straight then talk straight Don’t do spontaneous word dumps Ask for five minutes of their time When’s convenient for you to talk?

2. PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

 Quantitative v Qualitative tasks

Just doing it, or doing it well?

  PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

Perfectionist bosses demoralise staff by consistently redoing their work Perfectionists in a team take too long agonizing, putting pressure on colleagues Go for highest standards & finish the job

DO IT FAST OR DO IT PROPERLY

Quantitative tasks can neither be done well nor badly Get them done fast with minimum fuss Qualitative tasks need time and thought By having clear set times for the quant, we can think harder about the qual. Am I just doing it, or am I doing it well?

3. TAME TECHNOLOGY

The one-touch approach

Technology morals

Make it work for you, not the other way around

MEETING & EMAIL ETIQUETTE Only call meetings when really

necessary Make them short Turn up, prepare properly, stay on

theme Never touch an email more than

once Read it, then action it, file it, or

delete it Use a different medium if you can Don’t be an email thief and steal

time

4. DON’T DELAY

Brevity equals intelligence

Tasks do not improve if delayed

Tripwires and fail-safes

SHARPER, SMARTER, FASTER

Brevity equals intelligence The shorter the better Edit first before wasting others’ time Tasks do not improve if they are delayed So don’t put things off – they get worse If in doubt, do the worst first Free up time for important stuff Set up tripwires for stuff you’ll forget

5. The PERFECT SYSTEM

Personal priority

Emotional importance

Reason for doing

Financial value to you

Everyone else’s priorities

Chronological sift

Time shifts

Try them out and create your own style

TOWARDS

A MANIFEST

O FOR A

BETTER WAY OF

WORKING

NO EXCUSES

PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

MEETING & EMAIL ETIQUETTESHARPER SMARTER FASTER

HATE WAFFLE

DO IT FAST, DO IT PROPERLY

Kevin Duncanwww.expertadviceonline.com

Twitter: @kevinduncan07979 808770