Getting things done: the art of stress-free productivity

Here is another book often cited in Personal MBA reading lists, Getting things done by David Allen.

I own this book, and have renewed it a number of times, yet I haven't fully embraced it. I strive to have one file/ project open on my desk at any one time, but no one would believe it if they saw my desk right now...

Here is a summary of the book as posted on wikipedia:

But I have to reduce my stress. It is affecting me physically. So instead of focussing on the mechanics of project management, and time management, I'm going to work on my mind set for the next two weeks and reduce my stress. Here is one title that I'll be reviewing:

Power Over Stress, by Kenford Nedd, M.D.
Publisher's blurb: This is a clear description of what happens to the body and brain under stress. It shows you how to avoid becoming stressed in difficult situations and it offers practical, scientifically valid techniques for reducing the impact of negative impact of stress on the physiology. The book outlines in simple, easy-to-follow steps, the relationship between stress and disease and stress and performance and gives practical ideas and techniques to avoid the unhealthy consequences of stress.

I'll keep you posted on my thoughts as I review this work (I'm skipping Part One: So you think you know all about stress... since I have some side effects already. I'm going right to Part Two, From Stress REaction to Calm Response).

2010 Goals update

I'm achieving some goals, and some may have to be revisited, or given a higher commitment:

• Discuss Personal MBA in 2010 -- in progress
• Visit the AGO 6 times this year -- once, so far, but hopefully again in Feb.
• One date night per month, minimum! -- so far, two in 2010
• Review daily, weekly list to create more personal time -- hmmm, a bit more of a commitment is needed here
• Enroll in public admin course by Feb. deadline -- I sent things off on Friday. Now I have to wait and hope my transcripts get there without a problem
• Exercise 3 times per week through TP, Pilates, and 5 km runs under 25 minutes -- I'm only getting two work-outs a week and some low key activities such as walking and skating. I need to exercise first thing in the morning or as soon as I get home from work.
• Plan our summer vacation by Q1 '10 e.g. camping at Toronto Zoo, cottage in summer, Christmas escape again for the windows -- the cottage is booked, I have the sign-up date for the zoo in my calendar, but we still don't have E's summer camps committed or our wedding anniversary planned. Alas, if money wasn't an issue, I would it all completed by now.

Dealing with Difficult People

Today I attended a one day seminar, Dealing with Difficult People. Although having investigated "difficult" personalities in the past, especially "tanks," I thought it was time to have a refresher. I was expecting

• some strategies to help diffuse upset/irate library users
• remain calm: distance myself and keep my emotion in check
• return with a list of what to do and what not to do when dealing with a difficult patron

Instead, the seminar focused on the subtitle, How to communicate with tact and skill. The majority of the day was spent discussing the need to listen with your ears and eyes, and how to communicate to the different behavior styles.

The personality that can push my buttons: "get it right" behavior. These people seek perfection but nothing measures up. If they feel threatened, they will shut down. They are negative and complain using such statements as, "I have a bad feeling about this." They seem to forfeit any ability to think with agility and creativity and like rules. Very black and white thinkers.

I'm typically fine with the "get it done" people. Goodness knows, I like to achieve and get things done. Extreme get it done people can be problematic including the following:
Tanks -- one needs to stand your ground, and focus on the bottom line and look at the underlying problem
Snipers -- one needs to stop, look and rewind. How? Ask clarifying questions about their intent
Know-it-alls -- highly competent and knowledgeable people, but tend to be extremely controlling and have minimal tolerance for correction and differences in opinions. Their way is the right way -- the end. How to deal with them: know your stuff and be prepared.
Coping with excuse-makers and blamers: go over actions plans, document, document, document, and confront them when they don't do something.

We also discussed the people who need to get appreciation aka the entertainers. Typical behaviour with these people include the fact that they are focused on people, display creativity, warmth, charisma, and energy. They need to be recognized and applauded. They can communicate directly and elaborately. Their strengths include their fun loving attitude, caring about other people, persuasive, able to get their point across and are optimistic.

The fourth group, the Get Along People. They focus on people and want to get along. The need to be liked, get along, communicate indirectly and considerately. BUT they don't like making decisions, they tend to waste time, seem illogical and can be overly emotional.

Towards the end of the day, we discussed some conflict resolution using "I statements" instead of "You" e.g. don't say, "You made me feel..."

An excellent reminder: Know what you want when you deal with difficult people and to confront them (Stephen Covey)

This seminar also reminded me of other titles relating to today:
Now, find your strengths, by Buckingham
The instructor also suggested the author, Brian Tracy -- a guru for goal setting, personal success and he's Canadian!

In essence, the day stressed the need to know yourself, know your strengths, weaknesses, including your hot buttons, and modify your communication to meet the behaviour needs of others.

Death by Meeting, by Patrick Lencioni

I'm planning my first staff meeting for the year, and I want to ensure that it is effective. I've sat through a number of staff meetings in my day. Typically, individuals drone on about a variety of topics, but as discussed in the book, Death by Meeting, there is no drama, and little to no engagement. The chair's main goal is to get through a huge number of agenda items with as little conflict as possible.

I don't want to run my meetings like this. According to this book, the key to starting off a good meeting is to start with a bit of drama -- a hook -- within the first 10 minutes of the meeting, so that staff become engaged. In other words, give people a reason to care.

I already know that I want to review key issues coming up for the department and make sure people are well informed. I plan to issue the month end report the week before the meeting and ask staff if they would any clarification on the different topics.

I want to make sure we discuss effective Reader's Advisory tactics and ensure people know their expectations at the information desk. I need to challenge the group -- they're intelligent and opinionated, so I need to channel this.

Thirdly, we need to discuss 2010 goals and set the stage so that people know they will get setting personal goals for the department this year.

So, I need to give more thought to the structure of the meeting, and how I want to approach the RA portion of the meeting and how to set the stage for one-on-on goal setting for individuals.

Here is a link to an executive summary of this book by Lencioni: http://www.cmibusinessplanning.com/Death%20By%20Meeting%20Summary.pdf

Topics to date:

• Clarify and expand upon upcoming issues e.g. projects in the works, and how it will affect them


• Reinforce our mission and customer service


• provide reader's advisory coaching and provide break-out sessions for staff


• Set expectations by reviewing 2010 goals

Happy New Year!

So far I'm not doing that well with my goals -- I missed my 6:55 a.m. outdoor workout this morning. Considering it was -13 C, perhaps it was a good thing that I slept in. I do want to get more attuned to my body, so perhaps I'm doing that today.

I'm toying with the idea of starting a new blog:

• personal MBA Southern style
• my personal MBA southern style

I'll have to mull that one over a bit more...

Struggling

I have been struggling, as of late, to get thoroughly involved in a good novel. I should have loved, Year of the Flood, but I found it too horrific. I tried to read The Childrens Book by A.S. Byatt. Again, I should have loved it: beautiful language, the creative process, historical (Edwardian age with the Great War in development), women's rights. It's all there and I became engaged immediately, but I couldn't sustain it and returned it unfinished.

Similarly, I was very excited to get Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel. I typically enjoy Booker winners and this one grabbed my attention from the first page. I have read numerous works regarding this era and this books should have engrossed me. Again, I just couldn't make the time to read and again, it was returned unfinished.

After a week of vacation, I think I have identified the problem: I've been too exhausted to be engaged. I've also been too busy with my mind focused on other issues including the hosting of Christmas this year.

This cannot continue.

I love reading and enjoy a good book so I'm going to make some changes in my life.

Step one: I've noted all the things have have to been done daily, weekly, monthly and I will post them in the new year. The goal is to create some ebb and flow so that if we're really busy, some things will have to go to the way side in order to give M & M some opportunities to relax and rejuvenate. It will help us prioritize.

Step two: schedule date nights and planned family activities.

Step three: schedule some alone time. M gave me a membership to the AGO. It's perfect since I love art, and I need to set aside time to think and rejuvenate.

Goal setting: Also, I'm getting a little bored with this blog, so instead of limiting my comments to books, I'm going to focus my efforts in creating my own personal MBA -- something I've been doing for years. I'm going to discuss 12 issues in 2010. I've accumulated a number of good books, but I haven't made notes about them and different issues. I'm going to set up a program for myself. If I read a good fiction book in the meantime, then such entries will be an added bonus.

So here is to goal setting and making a plan.

Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown

Talk about reading the polar opposite of "Year of the Flood." What can I say, the flu season was getting the best of me. Dan Brown's latest work was entertaining, but I kept having the nagging feeling that the publisher told Brown to stop referring to elements in Europe and appeal to his core audience -- Americans. He did that in spades. I wonder if tourism to Washington D.C. will increase as a result?

In short, entertaining but forgettable.

Here is the publisher's blurb:
As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object -artfully encoded with five symbols - is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long - lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon - a prominent Mason and philanthropist - is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations-all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

As the world discovered in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Dan Brown's novels are brilliant tapestries of veiled histories, arcane symbols, and enigmatic codes. In this new novel, he again challenges readers with an intelligent, lightning-paced story that offers surprises at every turn. The Lost Symbol is exactly what Brown's fans have been waiting for . . . his most thrilling novel yet.