Insights: Productivity
Measuring Corporate Sustainability: The Wild West
Over a year ago, I decided to find out what it takes to lead a successful company that has a strong social or environmental purpose baked into its business activities. Interest in this area has surged in recent years, and many organizations are embracing the pursuit of impactful change. But understanding the full picture of […]
To Acheive a Big Goal, Look at Your Feet
In a previous post I talked about a lesson I learned from a slow-moving old man who passed me again and again in the hills of Nepal. At another point as I climbed higher, another lesson was waiting. One of my most memorable moments of trekking in Nepal was the day that I reached the […]
What An Old Man In Nepal Taught Me About Focus
Some years ago, I was fortunate enough to spend four weeks in Nepal, three of those weeks exploring the foothills of Mount Everest. Some memories from that time recently came into my mind, and I thought I would share a few. The power of steady focus. One of my vivid memories from Nepal is of […]
The One Universal Rule of Time Management
Most leaders wish they had more time. In this post, I share the one piece of “universal” advice I most frequently give executives to help them better manage their time and boost their productivity. Are you ready? Spend a few minutes each day planning your day, and spend an hour each week planning your week. […]
Habits of the Mind
We all know there are simple things we can do to have a more healthy body, like eat well, rest and exercise. But it only dawned on me recently that there is an equivalent sort of hygiene for the mind. Here are three powerful “habits of the mind” that I believe contribute powerfully to long-term […]
Increasing Speed in Leadership
I was recently asked a broad question about how to increase speed when leading projects with incredibly smart, opinionated colleagues. While each of the steps below may seem to be things that would slow you down, in the big picture they will help you speed up your results: Relationships. Having coffee or lunch with the […]
Strength during Stress
Most executives have some periods of intense, unrelenting stress. This can happen for example during a time the team is rapidly growing in numbers; during a mission-critical project where the stakes are very high; or during a time of crisis such as a major HR or legal issue. At such times it’s a good idea […]
Get Your Reading Done 2-3 Times Faster
A few weeks ago I wrote about using the audio version of The Economist and other audio resources to keep up with the latest news and information. I’ve learned a few new things since then on the same topic: (1) Audible.com has a great Android app that allows you to increase the narrator speed up […]
Keeping Up with the Latest
Here’s a tip for leaders who are too busy to read the news: The Economist Magazine has an audio (MP3) version that you can listen to while you drive (or workout, or whatever: http://www.economist.com/audio-edition). In fact, many publications offer audiocast options that are easy to download over the weekend so that you have something interesting […]