The quest to increase effectiveness and efficiency is everywhere. It can be heard in meetings where the boss talks about "doing more with less" or seen on television commercials by "save time" and order a Peloton bike or treadmill. Before we begin our search for the latest productivity app or lifehack, we must first look at habits or beliefs that are holding us back. Why are most of us not as effective as we would like to be? Because we act on false beliefs. "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain False Belief #1 - Stay Busy The clock is ticking, and you feel the pressure of time; therefore you must stay busy. And with this belief comes the thinking that everything is necessary and everything must get attention. So our day is spent trying to move 100 things an inch rather than three things a mile. The important things never get the time or attention they deserve. Remedy - Subtract and prioritize constantly. Ask yourself two questions: - If I just worked fours hours today, how would I s ...

Over 70% of people who work in an office experience interruptions at work. Some of these interruptions are unavoidable. However, if we dig a little deeper, we may be able to improve your situation at work. There are two types of interruptions 1. Internal Self-Inflicted. We answer our phone for every incoming text message or call. Or we respond to emails every time we get one. And this type of behavior usually leaves us feeling unproductive at the end of the day because we look back and are unsure as to what we really accomplished. 2. External Your boss or co-workers. A person is committing the interruption - usually the boss. "Do you have a second." or "This will only take a minute." Over 80% of us lack the courage it takes to "protect our time." As humans, we want to be liked and will often place the non-important needs of others over our priorities. Solution: 4 Ways To Protect Your Time 1. Put your cell phone on airplane mode I do this daily usually for 25min. or 50min. blocks of time. (That's how I wrote this article.) 2. Practicing saying, "Not rig ...

"I need to talk to you about _______," my wife said. "Ok," I responded. And as she proceeds to tell me a problem, I have to catch myself multiple times wanting to interrupt her and give her the solution. Do you think she wants a solution or wants me to listen? Over 80% of the time, she wants me to listen. Why do I find myself so tempted to suggest possible solutions? Almost every time I have to remind myself to say nothing. Just sit and listen. How hard can it be? Showing someone that you understand them versus trying to give advice is a daily practice of self-discipline and will make us a better listener and leader. This critical distinction between always giving advice vs. letting the other person talk is a quality that makes a great manager stand out. Most of the time, our associates want to be heard. They want to express their frustrations, concerns, or ideas. And our job is to listen to them. Next conversation, attempt to go two minutes without interrupting or offering advice, if you frequently give information, you'll be amazed at how long two minutes can be. ...

"Yeah, you're gonna need to buy a new phone." The response I got from a Best Buy rep when I walked in the door and explained that my phone was having a hard time charging. "Really? A new phone just because it's not charging." I responded. "Well, why don't you talk to Mike; he's our mobile expert." Ten minutes after talking to Mike, my phone was fixed. Mike had the expertise and took the time to ask more questions rather than jump to an answer. It turns out the port (where the charge cord goes) had lint in it, and Mike was able to clean it out. What is impressive is how the first rep seemed to be so confident in their answer, and only when I pushed back did they refer me to the mobile expert. The key is to stay persistent. In sales and leadership don't stop after the first obstacle. Press on. And when you get an answer you don't want, ask to speak to someone else. Or ask more questions that will provide you a better solution. Too many times, we fall victim to bad advice and feel as though that is our only option, and yet when we stay persistent opportunities appear. ...

Most times when we hear the word "conflict", we associate it with negativity. And most people in organizations try to avoid conflict at all costs. But there are two types of conflict. Healthy Conflict vs. Unhealthy Conflict And if you don't have healthy conflict you most assuredly have unhealthy conflict, and this can lead to lack of trust, collaboration, and ultimately it will affect productivity. Two common components of Healthy Conflict 1. Focus on the outcome, not on "being right." When lively discussions take place in a meeting, and people are debating on what project to do or how to solve a problem, everyone is focused on the "big picture" what is the best result. Opinions and suggestions are given freely. And you as the leader have created a safe space to share ideas and talk them through. Your team is more committed to the success of whatever you are deciding, rather than their success. Instead of jockeying for a position or making sure you come up with the right solution, the atmosphere is one where people are building on each other's comments and doing the har ...

It is incredible how many good managers get consumed by firefighting or day-to-day activities that distract them from achieving their primary objectives. For many managers, the solution is to work harder and longer, picking up the slack from their team and delaying conversations around employee performance. In a poorly managed team an "Abdication of Accountability" environment develops where performing employees are punished with more work and less time and underperforming employees are rewarded with less work and more time. As a result, team performance, morale, and communication decline. So, how can you develop and lead a self-managing team? By managing promises. A self-managing team allows the manager to focus on what's most important: strategic planning, coaching, and growth. This program has its roots in my book, Three Values of Being an Effective Person.