Setting Standing Orders
I'm a believer in using checklists and notes as memory aids. But sometimes you need to be able to rely on your own memory. This is particularly true for things you want to remember every time, like: Remember the car keys. Pronounce that word PREF-ur-u-buul, not...
Wishing for Motivation
Wishful thinking doesn't solve problems. But it can transform your motivation when you are not "in the mood" to do the next task on your agenda. I stumbled upon this fact while on a long trip. At a certain point, I thought I should dig into four annual reports I had...
Book Recommendation: TJ Walker’s Secret to Foolproof Presentations
by TJ Walker
Many books offer great advice. Some are so powerful they change your mind on issues you consider settled. Very few are so clear you can learn something about thinking just by reading them. TJ Walker's Secret to Foolproof Presentations is all three. At first glance,...
Book Recommendation: I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was
by Barbara Sher
I wholeheartedly recommend Barbara Sher's book, I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was. Her purpose in writing the book is to help you find and pursue a career that "makes your heart sing." She includes many creative exercises for zeroing in on that ideal...
Book Recommendation: How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life
by Alan Lakein
Every few years, I re-read How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life by Alan Lakein. This little book helps me answer a crucial question: "What is the best use of my time right now?" Figuring out the answer can be difficult, particularly when I undertake new...
Book Recommendation: The Power of Intuition
by Gary Klein
Let me precede my discussion of The Power of Intuition by explaining my understanding of the nature of "intuition." An "intuition" is just a thought, produced by the automatic (subconscious) integration of present observations with past experiences. Qua "intuition,"...
Book Recommendation: The New Rational Manager
by Charles Kepner & Benjamin Tregoe
In the 1960's, Charles Kepner and Benjamin Tregoe translated a few key logical processes into simple, practical, teachable procedures. Since then, their methods have helped three generations of managers solve problems and make decisions at work. Their book, The New...
Book Recommendation: How to Lie with Statistics
by Darrell Huff
We are bombarded with factoids and sound bites in political speeches, subway ads, water-cooler conversations—everywhere. It takes a sharp focus to separate the babble from the facts. For guidance with this important task, I recommend Darrell Huff's classic book, How...
Book Recommendation: Mind Over Mood
by Dennis Greenberger & Christine Padesky
Emotions are our automatic life-reporting systems. We experience joy in our successes, eagerness to achieve the next goal, fear of a deadline we need to pay more attention to. Emotions are crucial to enjoying life and keeping it on track. Unfortunately, emotions can...
Book Recommendation: Changing for Good
by James Prochaska, John Norcross & Carlos Diclemente
Making and Breaking Habits Bad habits. How do you break them? Good habits. How do you make them? In the simplest cases, all it takes is a little willpower. For example, if you want to stop uttering filler words like "y'know" and "um," it's fairly easy. Be vigilant —...