tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40376641396181699912024-03-19T06:18:06.968+00:00Getting to ExcellentThoughts and comment about performance management, business intelligence and getting the best out of people, teams and organisations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger356125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-32574767134422788852023-07-19T14:24:00.010+01:002023-07-21T09:21:06.446+01:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Data-Driven OKR Success </h1><h2 style="text-align: left;">Power BI and lessons from Google</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are appealing to any company wanting to focus their people on achieving meaningful objectives. However, not everyone who sets out to implement OKRs does so effectively. As one of the original OKR success stories, Google abounds with insightful lessons, including that OKRs are driven by data.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">What are OKRs?</h4><p>OKR stands for objectives and key results: the objective being the big, aspirational thing to be achieved, and key results being the measurable steppingstones to get there. </p><p>One of the most famous objectives ever set was by John F Kennedy:</p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal,</i> <i>before this decade is out, </i><i style="text-align: center;">of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth." </i></div><p>As big, hairy, audacious goals go, this was right up there. Kennedy made his speech in May 1961, putting NASA behind schedule before they got started. But NASA defined their key results in a specific, measurable, and time bound way. They put data at the heart of every step, analysing every success and failure to provide the understanding they needed to progress. In 1969, with the world watching, Armstrong and Aldrin walked on the moon, before being returned safely to earth. </p><p>Not all objectives are as huge as putting a man on the moon, but using data to measure success and failure, is relevant to any goal.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">OKRs at Google</h4><p>In his book, "Measure What Matters," John Doerr explains the OKR system, and how he introduced it to Google. There was already a data culture at Google, so OKRs made a lot of sense to them. What OKRs added, was a framework to enhance Google’s performance.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Data Isn’t Useful without Communication</h4><p>Data, analysis, and effective communication lie at the heart of successful OKRs. Merely setting an objective isn’t enough; leaders need reliable data and a robust way to communicate it. Otherwise, there’s no ability to learn from failure, and no motivation to improve. </p><p>And as remote work becomes more prevalent, creating a culture of improvement becomes even more important. Rigorous and intentional data-driven communication becomes essential, as John Doerr points out.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Leveraging Microsoft Power BI</h4><p>Fortunately, modern data technologies make data management easier. Microsoft Power BI, with its ability to connect to various data sources and powerful visuals, helps leaders monitor and communicate key results efficiently. Its versatility makes it suitable for addressing both simple and complex problems. The fact that Power BI Desktop is freely downloadable empowers leaders with a tool that can kickstart their data journey. While it might not mark the end of their data exploration, it allows proof of concept projects to get everyone started. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Empowering More Leaders</h4><p>The success of OKRs at Google demonstrates that data is an integral part of the OKR system. By harnessing the power of data and effective communication, companies can unlock their full potential. Microsoft Power BI offers a robust solution to support this process, as well as being accessible to a broader range of leaders.</p><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-4899779173768505602023-07-16T13:38:00.000+01:002023-07-16T13:38:27.717+01:00<h1 style="text-align: left;">Making OKRs Actually Work</h1><div style="text-align: left;">As a goal setting methodology, Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) have increased in popularity. Super successful companies like Intel and Google have credited OKRs as being central to their growth. Whilst these companies were certainly in the right place at the right time, there were other companies with similar ideas who did not do so well. Both Intel and Google excelled at using OKRs to focus their staff’s efforts on their most important objectives. Which I guess makes the idea worth a try.</div><p>But now that OKRs are relatively well known, why do some companies still struggle to make them work? To quote John Doerr, “Ideas are easy. Execution is everything.”</p><p>Just like ideas, the objective is only half the work. Key results, that is the execution half of the OKR, is all about figuring out how to measure progress, and putting effective communication tools in place. It’s arguably the more powerful half of the OKR. </p><p>John Doerr also says that when Andy Grove used OKRs at Intel, he “demanded rigor, commitment, clear thinking, and intentional communication.” Of course, not every manager can be an Andy Grove or Sergey Brin. What John Doerr is telling us is that any manager can follow the OKR recipe to improve results. That recipe is something like:</p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Apply rigor in figuring out what data you need to get the best results.</li><li>Be committed to use that data to measure, monitor, and analyse what’s happening.</li><li>Find a way to intentionally communicate. Make the results and analysis highly visible, and allow everyone to have input into why things are going well or going badly.</li></ul></div><p>Clear thinking sounds trickier, but actually improves by following the other steps.</p><p>I can think of many companies where managers play lip service to whatever goal-setting framework they are using. They set objectives, then forget about them almost as quickly. “Set and forget” is the very opposite of what OKRs require to actually work in practice. </p><p>Are you using OKRs? Or another goal setting framework? Is your company guilty of “setting and forgetting”? Or are you benefitting from intentional communication?</p><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-23371872432543284782023-07-01T13:57:00.000+01:002023-07-01T13:57:05.130+01:00<h2 style="text-align: left;">Do Highly Effective Managers set Goals?</h2><p>In theory, goal setting is an important part of business management. That’s what the management books say. Indeed, that’s what research says.</p><p>In practice, it’s a hit and miss ideal that is too often done by sleep walking through the process. </p><p>Annika, a manager in a large global company told me:</p><div style="text-align: left;"><i>“Yes, we set goals, but they tend to be reactive rather than strategic. There’s no formal reporting, they are just discussed one to one in meetings.” </i></div><p>Patrick, who has worked in a (different) large global company for many years said:</p><div style="text-align: left;"><i>“Yes, we have goals. But they don’t last long. They get forgotten and new goals are set. No one explains why the goals changed, and no one notices whether the original goal was met or not.”</i></div><p>Sally works in a (very) large public sector organisation, and she told me: </p><div style="text-align: left;"><i>“Yes, we have annual goals, but they don’t really matter.”</i></div><p>Is this typical? Or are there managers out there using goals in an intelligent and effective way?</p><p>In theory there’s no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is. Apart from this being one of my favourite quotes, when it comes to goal setting the gap seems wide and deep. </p><p>So, what’s the reason? Have managers been scarred by trying to set goals that no one will get behind? Have they worked hard to create goals that at best don’t produce the desired results, and at worst actively harm the organisation? Or do goals seem to be easy, but in practice are complicated little beasts?</p><p>I suspect there are some good reasons why people find goal setting – and goal achievement – difficult in an organizational setting.</p><p>First, let’s just review what research tells us is a “good” goal:</p><p>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The goal is <b>important</b>. Oddly, people don’t like making an effort for goals that don’t matter. </p><p>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The goal is <b>difficult</b>. What is commonly referred to as a stretch goal. However, it also has to be achievable. People don’t go above and beyond for something they don’t believe is possible. </p><p>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The goal is <b>measurable</b>. Which implies you have a way to measure it. This isn’t always easy.</p><p>In the context of a busy division or department, when people are trying to work smart to get routine work done, you can see how goal setting doesn’t get done. Or if it does, it doesn’t get done well and everyone loses heart. </p><p>Whether you are setting KPIs, or it's modern cousin the OKR, careful thought and work is needed to both create the goal and follow through with a good measurement sysem. </p><p>So, is the reason that managers don’t set goals is that the process is difficult? And risky?</p><p>Would managers be more effective if they could set important goals, and follow through with accurate reporting that allows everyone to see where they are, and what they need to do to be successful?</p><p>What do you think? Do you manage a team? Do you regularly set goals for your team? If so, how well does the process work? And how often do you follow through so that everyone can learn from the process?</p><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-26927390146356630042023-06-29T14:06:00.000+01:002023-06-29T14:06:22.297+01:00<h2 style="text-align: left;">Why didn't I achieve my goal?</h2><h4 style="text-align: left;">“No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.”</h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">-<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Paulo Coelho</h4><p>At the beginning of the month, I set myself a goal. </p><p>The goal was to finish a certain number of Pomodoros during the month. The details of how many, doesn’t really matter. For a long time now, I’ve measured the number of Pomodoros I complete in a day, a week, a month, etc. </p><p>I set off with good intentions and a quiet confidence that I'll achieve my target. </p><p>As I near the end of the month, it becomes obvious that things are not going well. By the end of the month, I’d completely failed to achieve it. In fact, I’ve achieved less than half the number I set as a goal.</p><p>So what? It happens. But does it have to? </p><p>All data is good data, and perhaps this is just the stepping-stone I need. I attempt to figure out what went wrong. It’s a lot more fun to be successful than unsuccessful, at whatever it is you is trying to accomplish. </p><p>Was the goal even achievable? Stretch goals are good, impossible goals are less motivating. </p><p>Had I kept it in front of me during the month? Well, yes and no. I’d measured my Pomodoros every day, but if the information had been compelling enough, I would have reacted much earlier. By the time I’d realised I wasn’t completing enough Pomodoros, it was too late - I couldn’t get back on track.</p><p>What had gone wrong with my reporting? Why didn’t my data persuade me to act sooner?</p><p>The answer lies in the type of analytics I was looking at. I was reporting on how many Pomodoros I had done in a day, and week, or a month. I could compare to previous days, or weeks, months, and even years. I could look at trends and make comparisons. </p><p>But none of my data told me WHY these things were happening. Why could I achieve more on one day than other?</p><p>The report I was using was descriptive, that is it reported faithfully what had happened. It might have had trends and comparisons, but it was still just descriptive.</p><p>What I need is diagnostic reporting. I need some insight into why some days are better than others. What factors make it more likely that my day will go well, and what are the danger signs that things are going off the rails. Diagnostic analytics reports on the factors that affect the outcome.</p><p>How do we know whether our analytics are descriptive, or diagnostic?</p><p>Descriptive analytics aggregates and compares data to understand trends and relationships. Achieving 15 Pomodoros in a day is descriptive. As is achieving 4 Pomodoros in a day (it happens).</p><p>Diagnostic analytics uses additional data to understand why it happened. An urgent deadline, and no appointments might be the explanation for completing 15 Pomodoros in a day. Back-to-back meetings and starting work late might explain 4 or less Pomodoros in a day.</p><p>Descriptive and diagnostic analytics can be used together or separately, and it’s worth knowing the difference between them. </p><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-36775724142346649982023-04-10T18:12:00.002+01:002023-04-12T12:55:06.111+01:00Think twice before setting objectives I’ve worked with some exceptional business coaches: people who are committed to helping others achieve more. I've learned new ideas, and become more effective in the way I work. But, there's one area of coaching that I'm far from convinced about - and that's objective setting. <div><div><br /></div><div>Coaches often encourage the person being coached to set objectives - ideally to be accomplished by the next session. You decide on what’s most important, and then commit to one or more tasks. It’s a worthy idea, but one that can go wrong unless handled with care. </div><div><br /></div><div>Don't misunderstand - concrete objectives are the life-blood of getting important stuff done. BUT - and that was a big but - it has to be done properly.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my take on problems to avoid: </div><div><br /></div><div>1. <b>Don't set</b> <b>objectives too quickly</b>. Coaching sessions are often an hour in duration, which is mostly not long enough to devise meaningful objectives. What might sound like a good goal, can have problems that further thought would uncover. Such as finding data to support the objective, considering how the objective could be “gamed”, or thinking through the full implications of achieving it. Business books are scattered with examples of worthy objectives that have unfortunate consequences.
Taking the time to consider what you are really trying to achieve, and what objective would best move you forward, isn’t time wasted. It’s time that’s needed to set good objectives. </div><div><br /></div><div>2. <b>Don't forget to consult with colleagues</b>. Coaching sessions are often one-to-one, so the whole issue of consultation often doesn’t get dealt with as thoroughly as it should be. And let’s face it, consulting can be a nuisance. It slows things down, and other people have different ideas, and differences of opinion aren't always resolved quickly. But consultation is vital in setting good business objectives - no matter how long it takes. </div><div><br /></div><div>3. <b>Don't inadvertently set</b> <b>useless objectives</b>. This busy work seems important, but actually has no value. The low hanging fruit is often easy, and quick to identify. But it doesn’t always move things forward. Too often it results in a warm glow of satisfaction and little in the way of real-world change. Tough, stretching objectives that change the world are more likely to emerge from the fire of heated debate, a bit of mind-changing, and enough thinking time to get them right. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. <b>It's no use unless you can</b> <b>measure it. </b>Sometimes the measure is obvious, but not always, And sometimes figuring out the right measure goes to the heart of the objective. And sometimes measuring the objective is a project in itself, which can also be awkward when everyone is keen just to get to the results. But unless the measure is clear, you are not going to know how to improve and how to hit the target. Unless you count that warm glow as a measure. </div><div><br /></div><div>Figuring out the important things, rather than the easy things, is hard work. It often takes research, deep thought, and lots of discussion with people who are not afraid to challenge your thinking. But having great (not just good )objectives makes a massive difference to a team’s effectiveness. It just has to be done carefully.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>What do you think? Have you worked with a great business coach who has helped you devise great goals? Are you a coach who struggles with figuring out the right goals for the businesses you work with? What's your top tip for creating great objectives that really make a difference?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Leave a comment and let me know!</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-55498940713521875352020-05-18T10:50:00.000+01:002020-05-18T10:50:19.108+01:00The Language of Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkXtV3fyhLahuoJWpkOmv7ZfQ2KX9lA1qvaqEsZeoMh7Gxq_ypK0Tw0kQYdir0RLjQJlBVGzERmWhRbRJBL1Uv5b5tcNQnC6Bul6zU1dUmi3wBt54_uuFL_XLxBCcfCgBfHyoHR_F7Pi-/s1600/105740062_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkXtV3fyhLahuoJWpkOmv7ZfQ2KX9lA1qvaqEsZeoMh7Gxq_ypK0Tw0kQYdir0RLjQJlBVGzERmWhRbRJBL1Uv5b5tcNQnC6Bul6zU1dUmi3wBt54_uuFL_XLxBCcfCgBfHyoHR_F7Pi-/s320/105740062_m.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stop and think. When were you last free from the worry of time passing? If you spend an hour
daydreaming, you are wasting time. If your order takes too long in a
restaurant, they are wasting your time. Did you sleep in? You have wasted the
day! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We also have a concept of who
owns time, such as “do that in your own time!” Or doing things in “free time”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Even the idea that we have to stop in order to think gives
us a clue. We are trying to live our lives at a speed which is too fast to even think.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The pressure of time is all
around us. From an early age we have to be on time – nursery,
school, lectures, and then work. Our language, and our culture, reinforces
those beliefs all the time. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What if we lived in a world
without that pressure? What if our language did not reinforce the belief that
time is well spent, or badly spent? What if ….</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It turns out that there is a
language that does express life as if everything is done to the beat of a drum.
The Amondawa language<a href="file:///F:/Anatec%20Marketing/Getting%20to%20Excellent/TheLanguageofTime.docx" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[i]</span></span></a>,
spoken by tribes in the Amazonian forest in Brazil, does not slice time into
units, like hours or minutes, but into events. Instead of noon, there is the
time to eat the mid-day meal. There is also something similar in the Chinese
language – the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I once read about ancient Aztecs
using the cooking time of a potato<a href="file:///F:/Anatec%20Marketing/Getting%20to%20Excellent/TheLanguageofTime.docx" name="_ednref2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[ii]</span></span></a>
as a unit of time measurement. They certainly ate potatoes, but their potatoes,
in common with ours, would have varied in size. And the time they take to cook
will vary with altitude. But maybe the time period was accurate enough for
their needs. Or maybe the story is plain wrong. I don’t know but using time
periods that are “accurate enough” is an interesting philosophical idea.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This argument does not just apply
to ancient civilisations. Consider the time period used to measure sales in
business. Measure sales monthly, and you shorten the sales cycle because salespeople
are trying to close sales and get the credit before month end. Measure sales quarterly
and the sales cycle is lengthened, for the same reason.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But how much influence does a
salesperson have over the customer? Do they make their minds up at the speed
that suits their business, not the seller’s? If you increase the pressure with
a shorter sales cycle, you might risk more people cancelling after they have agreed.
At the very least it is worth measuring.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What if you want a sales period that
is not a month and is not a quarter? That is, we have no ready-made language
for it, and no ready-made time unit, but it suits your business. This is not an
esoteric point. Managing the sales cycle, giving enough time for each stage,
and booking only solid business is beneficial to buyer and seller. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The language of time has more
influence over our actions than we are necessarily conscious of. Making our lives,
and our businesses, fit within constructs that do not necessarily work for us
may be more detrimental than we realise. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We are living through strange
times. Many notions that seemed immovable have moved. Like going into the
office every day. Like putting up with the daily commute. Questioning our
actions and questioning our language, could result in some interesting answers.
</div>
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<div style="mso-element: endnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<a href="file:///F:/Anatec%20Marketing/Getting%20to%20Excellent/TheLanguageofTime.docx" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[i]</span></span></a> Da
Silva Sinha, Vera – Event-based Time in Three Indigenous Amazonian and Xinguan
Cultures and Languages – 18 March 2019</div>
<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<a href="file:///F:/Anatec%20Marketing/Getting%20to%20Excellent/TheLanguageofTime.docx" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[ii]</span></span></a> <a href="https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/16508/did-incas-use-potatoes-as-a-measure-of-time">https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/16508/did-incas-use-potatoes-as-a-measure-of-time</a></div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com185tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-21289837391046508382016-12-09T12:32:00.003+00:002016-12-09T12:35:55.329+00:00She's back!Inspired by a quote from Seth Godin, Getting to Excellent is back. My intention was always to think and blog about how people create extraordinary businesses; cathedrals in their field. Seth Godin, who thinks deeply about such things said “You’re either remarkable or invisible.” He is not far off. Huge numbers visit Notre Dame when they are in Paris, relatively few see La Madeleine despite its fascinating history and Parthenon-like façade. <br />
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It’s almost eight years since Getting to Excellent first appeared, and over a year since I last posted. Despite my absence (or perhaps because of it) hundreds of people read Getting to Excellent posts. <br />
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So in spite of the risk of reducing readership, I'm back .... <br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-42062696063431432862015-09-04T12:06:00.001+01:002015-11-19T10:23:25.843+00:00Super-charge Your Day - Six Steps to a Better To Do List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnfhRKZMk5M7aVGbpq85aq_TCnfktnB6byLBU_ZGXzxE_0LxinaqDAnjolNzBZIAbIXeMS_WKd848ZuAkUP3GeDq6ZPGMEqCgMLi4xRgBaIwCIm1uSJuw2ZPoWtwKRB5UHwxR_IH4gxlp/s1600/shutterstock_247865356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnfhRKZMk5M7aVGbpq85aq_TCnfktnB6byLBU_ZGXzxE_0LxinaqDAnjolNzBZIAbIXeMS_WKd848ZuAkUP3GeDq6ZPGMEqCgMLi4xRgBaIwCIm1uSJuw2ZPoWtwKRB5UHwxR_IH4gxlp/s320/shutterstock_247865356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
The To Do list must be the most popular productivity tool on the planet. And it’s effective – ticking off jobs that have been done is as satisfying as a chip butty. You may think there is no room for improvement, but here are six steps to super-charging your To Do list, and your day! <br />
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</div>
<ol>
<li><strong>Review your goals and plans before writing your To Do list.</strong> No goals or plans? Well that’s your first job. If you don’t know where you are going, you can’t know how to get there. So anything on your To Do list will be just spinning wheels. You might feel busy, but you are not systematically moving towards your goals. Get an outline plan written, with measureable milestones.</li>
<li><strong>Phrase tasks as questions.</strong> Most people love solving problems and finding out if they can do things better. If you phrase tasks as a question, you immediately challenge yourself. Instead of writing “Write email to Henry” rephrase it to “How can I help Henry understand Tuesday's presentation?” You will write a better email, and be more engaged with your work.</li>
<li><strong>Define when something is done.</strong> Defining what we mean by “done” is often more complex than we think. Is the task to write the email, or is it to get Henry to add the necessary resources to do the project? By repeatedly asking what you mean by "done", you will have meaningful tasks, and jobs that actually get finished. </li>
<li><strong>Never carry a task forward more than 3 days.</strong> If it’s been on your To Do list longer than 3 days, there's a problem. Perhaps it is too big to be done right now, and needs more planning. Break it down into smaller tasks that can be done. Or it might not need doing at all, in which case stop cluttering up your To Do list. If neither apply, then for the love of God, just do it. Now. </li>
<li><strong>Review your To Do list at the end of the day.</strong> Ask yourself how effective your To Do list really was. Did it encourage you to think harder about your work? What got done and what didn’t get done, and why? Then write the following days To Do list before you finish up for the day. </li>
<li><strong>Stretch yourself, but don’t make your To Do list impossible.</strong> Stretch targets are fun and motivating. Impossibly long To Do list just don’t get taken seriously. If your To Do list could not possibly get done by three of you, you are either carrying over too many of yesterday’s tasks, or not planning your work properly. See step one! </li>
</ol>
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What’s your top tip for a motivating and effective writing effective To Do list? Do tell!</div>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com61tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-45850962437234804322015-09-01T13:44:00.000+01:002015-09-01T14:45:22.005+01:00The Power in Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRlgTGlSA_RrrEEWHCWxde7cBhGh2URD3lF6k6L5Qp3ByCdHAhlSbzxjUFXtDqyeJngbxJ6V55yw4hL1mRR7KAiC4fQlBMr3V8PVlc14AN-ULFoo4X2z4smsTor3DTOVrFipknlT5LFiL/s1600/shutterstock_260261087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRlgTGlSA_RrrEEWHCWxde7cBhGh2URD3lF6k6L5Qp3ByCdHAhlSbzxjUFXtDqyeJngbxJ6V55yw4hL1mRR7KAiC4fQlBMr3V8PVlc14AN-ULFoo4X2z4smsTor3DTOVrFipknlT5LFiL/s320/shutterstock_260261087.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
How many jobs on your to do list are truly today’s tasks? And how many are yesterdays or last week’s or even last year’s jobs? Having a pile of jobs that haven’t been done is demotivating and distracting.<br />
<br />
<div>
Getting up to date and staying up to date is the holy grail of time management. If you are only dealing with today’s issues, everything gets done faster. The issue is fresh – you only have to think about it once, deal with it once, and then it’s gone. So your to do list becomes shorter, and your mind is clear to deal with today’s issues.</div>
<div>
But – there are some catches. Before you rush off to do every job that’s crying out for attention ask yourself three simple questions:</div>
<ol>
<li><strong>Does it need to be done at all?</strong> I don’t mean leaving a problem for someone else to pick up, because that just passes work down the line, but is it a job that’s necessary? Sorting playing cards into sequence (a real example – honestly) is a scary one, but there may be others if you look closely.</li>
<li><strong>Can it be automated? </strong> Perhaps not instantly, but if the job gets done every day or every week by many people it could well be worth automating.</li>
<li><strong>Can it be delegated?</strong> Empowering someone else to take responsibility for chunks of work spreads the load and increases job satisfaction all round. </li>
</ol>
<div>
</div>
If the answer is “no” to those three things, and the job will take no more than about 15 – 30 minutes, then you should go ahead and get it done. Any job that takes less than 30 minutes doesn’t warrant being planned in and done later. And the more you knock down, the fewer you will have to deal with tomorrow.<br />
<div>
</div>
If it does take longer than 30 minutes, then it needs to be planned for some future time. So jobs should only have two options – Do It Now or Plan it In. Adding it to the ever growing pile of jobs to be done later shouldn't be an option!<br />
<div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-75908701693790387102015-08-27T13:46:00.001+01:002015-11-19T10:27:18.241+00:00A quick checklist for performing at your best<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HJEuh4f9GQWQvZ1v6DZn-u9ntYhaexaF9aaNpJu7AETDPV6Ha9VCsxrXeyF_kW5zKpcgAURGmCZBLIcyfkU6P9AeiCstIP50anLAwccO7BLwiZBAjxsayss1Z1FXfBlssLPx3B70NVR7/s1600/shutterstock_257469346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HJEuh4f9GQWQvZ1v6DZn-u9ntYhaexaF9aaNpJu7AETDPV6Ha9VCsxrXeyF_kW5zKpcgAURGmCZBLIcyfkU6P9AeiCstIP50anLAwccO7BLwiZBAjxsayss1Z1FXfBlssLPx3B70NVR7/s320/shutterstock_257469346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<ol>
<li><strong>Eat a nutritious breakfast</strong>. Fads come, fads go, but needing enough fuel to sustain your high-powered morning is a constant. So eat a good breakfast. Oats, porridge, scrambled egg, tofu, whole meal toast or whatever. Go easy on the caffeine and focus on protein with slow releasing energy carbs.</li>
<li><strong>Cut the caffeine</strong>. Caffeine is fake energy that’s powering you towards a big crash later in the day. Either cut the caffeine or make a point of having several days a week with no caffeine. Power yourself with inspiration and motivation instead. Caffeine also interferes with sleep which isn’t going to help anyone’s performance.</li>
<li><strong>Stay hydrated</strong>. Drink lots of water and herbal teas to stay hydrated through the day. It’s good for the brain and the body. Dehydration is bad news when it comes to performing at your best.</li>
<li><strong>Get enough sleep</strong>. Whilst many people sing the praises of being up before the birds, there’s no escaping the fact that to perform well you need sleep. Not too much, but not sleep deprived either. So know what’s right for you, and get enough sleep to be able to conquer the world when the alarm goes off.</li>
<li><strong>Take a break</strong>. Working long hours, 7 days a week just leads to burnout. Push when you need to by all means, but then take a break to recharge and refocus. Socializing, seeing family and friends and taking holidays fit into the “important but not urgent” quadrant of the Eisenhower matrix.</li>
<li><strong>Don’t get hungry</strong>. Even if you are watching your weight (and who isn’t?) having a small healthy snack to stave off hunger pangs helps performance. It’s hard to concentrate when all you can think about is lunch, so have an apple or half a dozen almonds to keep you going.</li>
<li><strong>Get fit</strong>. It’s counter-intuitive, but the more exercise you do, the more energy you will have. But, you have to build up gradually, otherwise you will just fall asleep at your desk.</li>
</ol>
<br />
These are the foundation stones for week-on-week high performance. Aim to perform for a solid “7” level performance each day, rather than expecting to perform at "10" day after day. So when you need that bit extra of performance you have something in reserve and you can raise your game to an impressive “9” or “10”.<br />
<br />
I'm lucky enough to be working with Nathan Douglas, a double Olympian and world-class performer by anyone's standards. This is his list for getting the basics right. Do you agree or disagree with the list?
What would you add? What's your top tip for staying on top of your game?<br />
<div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-1087170385475476942015-02-19T10:59:00.000+00:002015-02-19T10:59:42.273+00:00Company Culture as a Competitive Advantage<h3>
Get more done and be happier at work</h3>
<br />
For a company to grow it needs firm foundations, and foundations in the business world are made of systems and culture. Systems ensure things get done, and get done properly. And culture ensures the company stays nimble in a competitive world.<br />
<br />
Without a strong and positive culture, decisions are agonizingly slow, and disagreements are alarmingly frequent. <br />
<br />
Systems and culture are the two things that don’t get thought about as a company is struggling to survive and grow. But at some point, both become very important.<br />
<br />But what is culture? And does it really have an impact on the bottom line? Culture is a combination of strategy and the choices that are made to implement that strategy. For example, if strategy is to service a small number of high value clients, then culture is the choices that are made in implementing that strategy. Culture is a corporate shorthand – “the way we do things here” – and when it works it means that everyone understands how to make good decisions.<br />
<br />
Even something as seemingly vague as culture must be measured. Without measurement you don’t know whether you are actually creating the culture you want, or whether people are just paying lip service to the ideals. Culture is only an asset to the business when it adds value day by day and customer by customer. <br />
<br />
Once you can define what sort of culture you want in your business, lots of decisions start to get easier. Building capabilities within the organisation is done in line with company culture. Handling clients is done in line with company culture. <br />
<br />
Once good measurements are in place you can clearly see how things are progressing, and have an idea whether you are on target or not.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com93tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-29238586693716271482015-02-05T15:17:00.002+00:002015-02-05T15:17:45.697+00:00Digital DisruptionThroughout history innovation has changed lives for the better, whether the printing press or electricity, air travel or computers. At each juncture the world got a little easier to live in; people, goods and information moved a little faster.<br />
<br />Today we can work as easily with someone in another country as the next room. All because of one invention - the internet. <br />
<h3>
<br />The Internet of Everything</h3>
Arguably, the internet is like no invention before. The impact is just starting to be felt but not properly understood. The digital world is one where new boys Google, Wikipedia, Amazon and eBay call the shots. A world where books are so freely available we struggle to get rid of them, rather than prize them as we have for centuries.<br />
<br />
From a world where it took some small amount of effort to buy goods and services, it now takes “one click” to have your latest whim satisfied. From a time where rarities were genuinely rare, now they surface like rabbits and collected together to be viewed and compared, for anyone to haggle over the price. Where choices were once limited, now they are endless. Professionals and experts see their hard won knowledge made freely available by eager bloggers. This is digital disruption on a global scale.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Digital Advertising</h3>
Nowhere has the internet’s impact been more obvious than the world of commerce. Where once high streets were filled with busy shoppers, now retail units lay empty or taken over by coffee shops. Famous and familiar retail brands have vanished, unable to change fast enough when faced with online competition. Bank branches have closed, long since replaced by an app. Drip by digital drip, our familiar towns and cities have changed.<br />
<br />While the high street has been opening coffee shops, eCommerce has been adopted by retailers major and minor. High street names let you browse and buy online, whilst small niche players open ecommerce sites easily and cheaply. What years ago was known as “mail order” is alive and thriving on the internet. <br />
<br />
But there is a difference; a big data difference. Direct marketing always provided more information than traditional retail, but the internet has increased that by an order of magnitude. You can now see how long customers spend looking at your products, whether they open your email, whether they mention you on Facebook, or complain about your customer service on Twitter. It all adds up to a tidal wave of information that’s there for the taking. <br />
<br />
<h3>
Marketing Data Indigestion</h3>
Arguably one of the greatest challenges for the marketing profession is to make sense of all this data. To sift, sort and decide what matters and what doesn’t. To adapt from a data sparse world, to a data rich world. <br />
<br />Data warehouses, cubes and user-centric spreadsheets are replacing the “take it or leave it” static reports traditionally used by marketing people. This, surely, is where the commercial battles are being fought. <br />
<br />
A world where data is ubiquitous, ownership is no longer the competitive differentiator. It’s how you use the data, and how you adapt to what it teaches you. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com122tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-64112829138516244062014-03-19T13:29:00.001+00:002014-03-19T13:29:45.285+00:00Sell or Else<h3>
I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art for, but as a medium of information</h3>
<br>That line was written by David Ogilvy, one of the most successful advertising men of all time. After having worked in advertising for many years, I know that Ogilvy chose his words carefully. Too much advertising is entertaining, clever, confusing or enigmatic rather than focused on the product. It’s just too easy to think that factual copy is boring, dull or that it won’t engage the reader. So instead we attempt to entertain, tell stories, be mysterious, or a whole host of things that confuse the reader.<br />
<br>Even in this line Ogilvy is selling. It’s the first sentence of his book “Ogilvy on Advertising” and it manages to inform, challenge and engage the reader all at the same time. It is also one of the most fundamental principles in advertising – your time, work, and money is wasted unless your words sell something. As soon as you open his book you meet the man face to face with his challenge – sell or else!<br />
<br>The challenge that Ogilvy sets is a big one. To analyse the product or service so completely that the features and benefits are so well understood that the product or service can be clearly explained. And that the most important benefit engages and enthralls the reader. Just as Ogilvy’s copy does. <br />
<br>Here is the man himself: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br2KSsaTzUc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br2KSsaTzUc</a> He spoke directly to his audience long before the days of YouTube or Google. <br />
<br>He would have been pleased to see how many people have viewed his crackly old recording. And would likely be amazed at how his predictions have turned out to be absolutely true. Actually, he was probably more confident than that.<br />
<br>Now, back to that letter I was writing. My first sentence needs a little more work, I think …..Unknownnoreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-28466405233017328932014-03-07T16:20:00.000+00:002014-03-07T16:20:14.265+00:00Do It Now and Get More DoneIs “Do It Now” still a valid time management strategy? After all, didn’t Adam Smith demonstrate that we could do things faster by doing the same thing over and over, rather than suffering the overhead of switching between tasks? So is it better to keep on top of expenses day by day, or pile them up to be done at the end of the month? Should you write a month’s worth of blog posts all together, or day by day as thoughts occur to you? Indeed, is it better to take a month off to study something important, or try and fit an hour in here and there?<br />
<br />
I’ve tried both strategies to a lesser or greater extent, and on balance I come down on the side of Do It Now. For jobs that take perhaps 15 – 30 minutes, and definitely need to be done, I think it is better to get them done and not let them get transferred from To Do list to To Do list. When the idea is fresh in your mind, or the task has become apparent, it is extremely efficient to get it done as fast as possible, otherwise it starts to weigh you down day after day. And the more little tasks can get cleared up, the more mental energy you have for the big things.<br />
<br />
The danger is filling the day with “busy work” rather than important work, so timing is important. I work best in the morning, so I try to do smaller tasks and tidying up jobs in the afternoon. The key, though, is to keep on top of them so they don’t become a big job. <br />
<br />
Another danger is that the job doesn’t really need to be done at all, and if you leave it, it will just go away. That’s a valid point, I guess, but it leaves out the mental energy that’s needed to keep on top of all those “someday-maybe” jobs. I think it’s better to make a yes/no decision and either do it or bin it. <br />
<br />
What do you think? Are you a Do It Now person?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-18366930637254975202014-03-05T10:59:00.002+00:002014-03-05T10:59:18.419+00:00Teams Outperform Individuals - SometimesTempting though it is to think we can do everything ourselves, in fact our best work gets done with other people. We depend on the skills, experience and knowledge of others to achieve really great work.
<br />
<br />
Think about scientific breakthroughs like Crick and Watson’s breakthrough with DNA. Think about Wedgwood’s brilliant partnership with Bentley creating the world’s most famous ceramics business. Think about Jobs and Wozniak creating Apple. Although Warren Buffet is the name we recognise as the world’s most successful investor, in fact he has a long-term partner and sounding board – Charlie Monger. Just yesterday Buffett said that he had lost $873 million with a power utility stock. This was an investment he had made without consulting Monger. Next time, he said, I’ll call Charlie. It seems everyone needs to be part of a team.
<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, though, it’s not always so easy. Not all teams are successful. In fact some are spectacularly unsuccessful, and would do better to have people work independently. So what’s the key?
<br />
<br />
Having complementary skills and experience seems to be a big part of it. With Buffett and Monger, Buffett is the optimist and Monger the pessimist. Between them they cover all bases and make outstanding decisions. <br />
<br />
Think about a football team. If you had 11 goalkeepers, or 11 strikers, it wouldn’t be very effective. You need defenders, midfielders, even left and right midfielders, plus strikers and of course goalkeepers. All members of the team have to be proficient in their own right, but also good at working as a team to create goal scoring opportunities.
I think the football team is quite a useful analogy in business. We can’t all be strikers. We don’t all have the talent, ability, experience or inclination. But we do all have specific skills that are important within teams. <br />
<br />
The key is to understand and appreciate what each person brings to the team, and to ensure their skills are acknowledged and used in the best way. It’s not always easy, but perhaps a key part of achieving important things.
<br />
<br />
What would our businesses be like if we weren’t so obsessed with taking the credit for things? They might be more effective, and a great deal happier.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-51229281059090605872014-02-17T10:03:00.001+00:002014-02-17T17:04:15.379+00:00I’m a Secret Lemonade Drinker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUEZ-mXNyKlkBalKTGGGmahy_c1-gnRklsLRb6QsCKrI8PqFbSWhp_yL9mzav3Qah9iYtSMaeRy6MLRVVeUGK2A7wLRshIeGkR0mJeL9uFUzx_FfzjcwFSzK0mzghiIagA157Pt4hqwHo/s1600/Lemonade.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUEZ-mXNyKlkBalKTGGGmahy_c1-gnRklsLRb6QsCKrI8PqFbSWhp_yL9mzav3Qah9iYtSMaeRy6MLRVVeUGK2A7wLRshIeGkR0mJeL9uFUzx_FfzjcwFSzK0mzghiIagA157Pt4hqwHo/s1600/Lemonade.gif" /></a></div>
Rod Allen was a founding partner of the successful London agency Allen Brady & Marsh and he wrote this memorable ad for R White’s lemonade. It was so effective that it was originally aired in 1973, revived in 1983, and remade in 1991.
To turn an ordinary sunny afternoon drink into a guilty pleasure is almost as delicious as lemonade itself. It’s a world where bad mothers swig sherry from mugs, and chocoholics hide their stash for fear of sharing.
Allen’s words were as delightfully daft as the tune was irritatingly memorable:
<br />
<blockquote>
I’m a secret lemonade drinker (R Whites! R Whites!)<br />
I’ve been trying to give up, but it’s been one of those nights (R Whites! R Whites!)<br />
R White’s lemon-a-a-ade, R White’s lemon-a-a-ade<br />
I’m a secret lemonade drinker (R Whites!)<br /></blockquote>
At least three things that make this pure genius:
<br />
<ul>
<li>Inversion. Turning an innocent pleasure into a guilty secret is memorable (as well as silly). Allen was a funny man, apparently fond of telling Marsh “I’ll come to your funeral, if you come to mine”.</li>
<li>Research. Allen Brady & Marsh analysed market research data to great effect. Their ads were based on the best data their clients could buy. Mike Brady was the analytical part of the trio and no small part of their success.</li>
<li>Advertises the brand. Crazy as it sounds; not all advertising does this. The brand name is repeated 7 times in this 30 second ad.
</li>
</ul>
Allen is known for having made brilliant and economical use of words to great commercial effect with slogans such as “This is the age of the train”, “Milk has gotta lotta bottle”, and “That’s the wonder of Woolies”. All were backed by thorough data analysis and research which enabled them to understand their customers.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-53804083311501376702014-02-05T16:41:00.001+00:002014-02-05T16:41:14.627+00:00No man is an island
<br>Microsoft has announced that Satya Nadella is replacing Steve Ballmer as chief executive. This is good news, not least because we have waited so long to hear it. The share price blipped up 1%, indicative perhaps that this was no great surprise. But Microsoft is such an important player in the software market that all eyes will be on Mr Nadella to see how well he performs.<br />
<br>What’s perhaps most interesting about this announcement, however, is that he will have the assistance of Bill Gates as Technology Advisor. Whilst it’s tempting to believe that the people who make the headlines are largely responsible for success, lessons from Microsoft and many more, show that it is the quality of teamwork that make or break a venture. Microsoft’s earliest days were a partnership between Paul Allen and Bill Gates. Their first operating system, DOS, was bought in rather than developed themselves, despite their obvious enthusiasm for software development. They could have had a crack at doing it themselves, but they smartly chose not to. <br />
<br>Whilst rumours abound about the personalities at Microsoft (both Gates and Ballmer have their critics) it’s hard to escape the fact that this is a story of partnerships as well as passions. Microsoft has certainly contributed to the sum of knowledge for great teamwork, and have massively improved standards within their own software development teams. So they have learnt their fair share about getting the best out of teams.<br />
<br>So will this be an inspired move? Gates has the tenacity and technical depth to be of assistance to any CEO. But he is also said to be abrasive and rude. So can he be a team player , as well as being competitive? The cloud and mobile technologies that Microsoft produce are amongst some of the strongest reasons why teams are more important to businesses than ever before. We now live in a world where relationships can now be as strong across oceans as they are across the table. Which is both empowering, as well as daunting. So I’m going to be watching this one with more than a little interest. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-91339419300506536062013-08-23T17:43:00.001+01:002013-08-23T17:43:48.718+01:00The Power in Reflection
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As some of my longer standing (sitting? suffering?)
readers may know, I completed an MBA a few years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To say that it was a privilege would be a
massive understatement – it was one of the happiest experiences of my
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was mind enhancing, brain
stretching and ideas generating – I guess in common with education of any type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met lots of lovely people and it also
taught me the power of reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in
particular structured reflection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So it was with some dismay that that I
heard from my not-so-old tutor that the current offering of the MBA is less
reflection oriented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It caused me to
pause and think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(See, I did learn
something!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rationale, apparently, is that it is
better to be action-oriented than reflective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t know about you, but action isn’t necessarily one of my problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The right type of action, maybe, but I’m very
capable of getting on and doing stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What I’m less good at, and need to be reminded often about, is the need
to reflect, in a structured way, about what I’m doing and whether it’s going in
the right direction. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">David Allen in his book, Getting Things
Done, talks about the need to reflect, ideally once a week, on what you’ve
achieved, what you’ve not achieved, what your goals are, and taking the long
view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good advice, and from talking
to people, advice that doesn’t always get acted on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So this is my reflection for the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to make more time to reflect, to see
where I’ve been, and where I’m going, and whether my goals still make
sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And maybe update this blog more
often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve said that before, though, so
I don’t think I’ll repeat myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bon weekend, tout le monde!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-64447470676062350792013-06-17T13:16:00.002+01:002013-06-17T19:34:43.470+01:00How to Create a Strong Brand<h3>
What is a brand?</h3>
A brand is an identify that differentiates your product or service from those offered by others. Your brand tells customers what they can expect from your company. In other words, a brand is a promise of your distinctive delivery.<br />
<br />
Poundland communicate their cheap products through shops with no-frills in off-high street locations.<br />
<br />
Coca Cola communicate a promise of good times through sharing a Coke with friends, backed up with adverts showing happy smiling faces in the sunshine. Their promise is that Coca Cola delivers enjoyment. Nowhere do they talk about the qualities of their product. They talk about the value it delivers.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Why is Branding Important?</h3>
Your brand is the accumulation of every interaction that customers and potential customers have with your company. Every tweet they read, every time they buy from you, the way you behave when things go wrong, your advertising, your web site, your Facebook page, you blog, your business cards. The lot.<br />
<br />
Just as every time someone buys a Coca Cola they want the Coca Cola brand promise to deliver the same taste, each time someone interacts with your company you want them to have the same experience. Whether that is good value (as with Poundland), a high level of technical proficiency and ability to deliver a working system (as with a software business), or whatever your particular promise is.<br />
<br />
All this takes time, money and effort. If your efforts get fragmented or if your message is different each time a customer interacts with you, they become confused about your promise of delivery. In other words they are not clear what will deliver when they buy from you. No wonder companies consider their brands to be amongst their greatest assets.<br />
<br />
<h3>
How to Create a Strong Brand</h3>
First you have to be clear about your promise of delivering. <br />
<br />
This isn’t nearly as easy as it sounds. You have to understand who your target market is, and why they might buy from you. Why would they exchange their hard-earned cash for whatever you are offering? Why will their lives be better after the transaction? After all, whilst you are focusing on the money going INTO your bank account, they are acutely aware that it is coming OUT of theirs. <br />
<br />
Secondly, you have to communicate your promise of delivery in a clear, uncomplicated way. Not because your customers have difficulty reading, but because they are busy, pressured people with multiple stresses to deal with. Their attention span is limited. <br />
<br />
So the message has to be crystal clear. Coca Cola = good times. Poundland = cheapest anywhere. McDonalds = consistently good burgers. <a href="http://www.theteabush.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Tea Bush</a> = Beautiful gifts for now and for future generations.<br />
<br />
<h3>
So what are the components of building a brand?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Distinctive identity – including visual identity and brand promise </li>
<li>Repetition of key messages</li>
<li>Consistency – in messages, and in interactions with customers. Over a long period of time, with a large enough audience</li>
<li>Delivering on your promise</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-69150723728260012532013-05-21T10:32:00.000+01:002013-05-21T10:53:32.341+01:006 Ways to Boost your Energy Levels at WorkNo matter how well organized your “to do list”, it’s not going to help unless you have the energy and drive to get everything done. So here’s six of the best to get more “get up and go” into your day:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><strong>More exercise</strong>. It’s counter intuitive, but really works. Whilst you may be tired after the exercise, over a period of time it gives you more energy, more get up and go, and more resilience to cope with whatever gets thrown at you. Walking or running at lunchtime has the added advantage of giving some thinking time, and a complete break from the computer screen.</li>
<li><strong>Less alcohol</strong>. Although relaxing with a glass of wine or three at the end of the day is tempting, it tends to make the following day a little less dynamic. Alcohol disrupts sleep, and takes the edge off your energy. Best avoided during the week if you want to disappear early on Friday with a clear desk.</li>
<li><strong>More vegetables and fruit</strong>. In that order. Most of us don’t have a problem with eating enough fruit – these days it’s grown to be sweet and delicious. For increased vitality try adding more vegetables; raw or lightly cooked. Try small amounts of nuts and seeds for snacks.</li>
<li><strong>Less caffeine</strong>. Tea and coffee is fine in moderation, but too much has a negative effect on energy. You don’t notice it immediately, but little by little it creeps up. Caffeine also affects your sleep and your mood, so knowing your limit will boost your energy levels. Long standing Getting to Excellent readers – don’t say a word!</li>
<li><strong>More water</strong>. It’s easy to get out of the habit of drinking water, but I always find it helpful when I remember. There’s a lot of discussion out there in cyber space about how much water we should drink a day, but I think it’s fair to say that most of us could do with a few more glasses of water, and fewer cups of coffee or green tea.</li>
<li><strong>Less untidiness</strong>. I sound like my mother now, but tidiness does help. Working in a clear space calms the mind and reduces distractions. So I’m told – this is work in progress for me! </li>
</ol>
<br />
I’ve read lots of wonderful tips like splashing cold water onto your face, changing your socks and more besides. But when you are feeling tired it’s the last thing you want to do. For me at least, improving my energy levels is something I work at over a number of weeks and months. <br />
<br />
What’s your experience of working at your best? Do share ….Unknownnoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-28075094407713670472013-05-14T18:27:00.000+01:002013-05-14T18:27:02.098+01:00How to be Successful - Cultivate CalmnessI recently saw an old friend after a gap of several years. It’s funny how you forget aspects of people’s personality when you haven’t seen them for a bit. After only a few minutes, what came flooding back was his sense of calmness. A quality I don’t always possess, I’m afraid, but one that is super-useful in business.<br />
<br />
Why is it useful in business? Simply because all sorts of things happen all the time – some good and some less good. The person who can control their emotions and not let events throw them off course will be more successful. Things happen to everyone – a cross neighbour, a child’s tantrum, or a nasty email from a colleague. Unfortunately we have no control over other people’s behaviour. We might try to alter their behaviour through discussion, persuasion and the like, but when all is said and done they are free agents to behave as they do. <br />
<br />
The key is not getting thrown off course, and not allowing external events and behaviours to upset you and your work. <br />
<br />
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying ignore input from other people. That’s valuable additional perspective that we all need. What I am saying is that emotional reactions and getting upset at things you can’t change isn’t helpful. Trust me, I know, I’ve done my share of getting upset and it didn’t help. <br />
<br />
James Allen, the self-help author said, “<em>The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom</em>.”<br />
<br />
So much for being calm, but how do you do it? Unless, like my friend, you are blessed with a calm nature, there are several things that can help:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Understand that we can’t change other people, or their behaviour. We can only change ourselves and our reactions to external events. It’s self-evident, but so easy to forget in the heat of the moment.</li>
<li>Look at things from the other person’s point of view. What might it have looked like from their perspective? Maybe they weren’t being malicious, but clumsy or thoughtless. They are different.</li>
<li>Practice letting go and not reacting when things happen. Start with being calm to little things like bad driving or getting caught in the rain. Then practice smiling or pausing when someone says something particularly stupid. Like physical fitness, the more you do it, the stronger you get.</li>
</ol>
<br />
I need to take some of my own advice, and react less to little things. The truth is that it’s often very difficult. The payoff to being calmer, however, is significant and therefore worth a little practice.<br />
<br />
But I’ll leave the last word to the old wag Oscar Wilde who once quipped “<em>Nothing is so aggravating than calmness</em>”. <br />
<br />
Quite so, but he also said "<em>It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating</em>."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-4282507019824400952013-03-04T18:06:00.001+00:002013-03-04T18:06:48.573+00:00How to Write a Great Blog Post
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I get a lot of value from both writing and
reading blogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blogs are first-hand
accounts of the world as bloggers see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are honest viewpoints of someone’s real life experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A trusted blog is like advice from a friend –
personal and often (but not always) useful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I even feel the same way about my own blog posts – after a while it
feels like someone else wrote them!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what makes a great blog post?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the vast sea of information out there,
what makes something worth reading?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t pretend to be any kind of expert, but I have been blogging for a few
years and one or two people have stopped by to have a read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here is my top six pointers for creating great
blog posts:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Address a real need</span></b><span lang="EN-US">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like how to give up caffeine, how to write a
blog post, or what lead and lag indicators are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By a real need I mean needs that more than one person might have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the joys of blogging is that you have
no idea whether other people have the same issues as you, but you write
about what you think is important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
people either respond or they don’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Give practical advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">It’s hard to give a personal view on a theoretical topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course we all know that in theory there is
no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is a great
deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone can read theory from a text
book, bloggers tell you when happened when they actually tried doing something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The joy, of course, is that the path is rarely
straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took me 3 or 4 attempts to
give up caffeine, and it would have been pointless to lie about the difficulties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Get to the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">Blogs are not essays, and most get to the point in 500 words or
less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can think of at least one notable
exception, but for the most part you can read a couple of blog posts before you
finish your first cup of green tea in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think people appreciate that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Make it easy to read.</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Six points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Top ten ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three things I Learnt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You get the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is fast-food information, not curl-up-on-the-sofa
and get-in-the-mood reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t aim to please everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">Some blog posts upset some people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> You just have to add value for </span>that group of
people who might be interested. And yourself, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Write so you can be found.</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter how great your advice is, how
brilliant your breakthrough, if it can’t be found by people who need it, it’s
no use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I started to write this blog
post I titled it “The Joy of Blogging”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It appealed to my long memory for self-help books, but wouldn’t have
helped anyone find my six pointers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-44542997224885178212013-01-24T17:10:00.003+00:002013-01-24T17:10:41.758+00:00How to beat stress and get productive<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you ever have days when you just can’t settle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When everything is urgent and nothing is
getting your full attention?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being
unproductive at work is no fun and although shutting up shop and coming back to
it the following day is one option, it’s not a great one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The work will still be there the following
day.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So here’s my top ten list to beat stress and get something
useful done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Go for a walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the first ten minutes my head starts to clear, ideas come to me and I’m less stressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sometimes take a notepad with me to jot ideas down so I don’t forget them.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have a cup of tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This always works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact I often have a cup of tea even if I’m not stressed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make a plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This really should be at the top of the list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find that NOT having a plan is the cause of the stress and once I’ve got something down on paper, even if it’s a simple To Do list, it starts to become easier.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do the first thing on the plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly you are ahead of the game and stress starts to disappear.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tidy up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Call a friend – a problem shared is a problem halved.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eat toast – it’s not the greatest nutrient in the world, but it has very soothing qualities</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do a small job – it’s better than going round in circles doing nothing</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do a difficult job – you feel massively better once you’ve made a start. Suddenly the whole world seems brighter.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have a bath. It calms me. My head fills with ideas because I’m calm. Then I jump out of the bath to get going on one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Difficult in the office though …</span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's your best tip to beat stress and get productive again?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-43006342661802618402013-01-22T16:24:00.002+00:002013-01-22T16:24:50.422+00:00New Year Resolutions Don’t Work – Do They?
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is something a tad bizarre about New Year
Resolutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is different about 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>
January to the 31<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> December?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If we are not inclined to do something one day, why should another be
any different?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However illogical, New
Year resolutions are hard to resist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
may be a function of my age, but I’m growing weary of making a long list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Experience has taught me that one will be
tough enough – and maybe even too tough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But as making half a resolution isn’t an option, I’m going with one.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So this is it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
2013 resolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drum roll and all that
jazz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s to be tidier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Consistently and thoroughly tidy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am annoyingly tidy in certain areas of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And annoyingly untidy in others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those close to me might be hard
pressed to say which is more annoying, but I’d hazard a guess the untidiness may win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I can find no evidence that tidy people live longer, happier
or more successful lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I guess they
spend less time looking for stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anecdotally
I know at least one super-successful person who appears very tidy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, I haven’t been through his drawers,
but the surface of his large desk at least is pristine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So there you have it – tidiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether or not it is next to godliness or
happiness remains to be seen, but frankly I’d settle for calmness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or at least less anguished panic attacks when
I can’t find things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll keep you posted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you are even vaguely interested ….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037664139618169991.post-8730508676445491372013-01-07T12:39:00.000+00:002013-01-07T12:39:15.757+00:00Making a Commitment
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well folks, I’m touched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, not that kind of touched - the “awe shucks” kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of you lovely people have noticed that
Getting to Excellent hasn’t been updated in a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite a while, actually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I’ve been busy doing other
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which isn’t really the spirit of
a blog, is it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should be updated for
better or worse, come peaks or troughs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So not for the first time I’m making a commitment to keep up
with it - as much for me as for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because
strange as it may seem I sometimes refer back to it myself – either looking
something up or reminding myself mentally of something I know but am not
following.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting to Excellent has
helped me sort quite a few things out in my life.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like caffeine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I
know I said I wasn’t going to mention it again, but I say a lot of things
….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To quickly recap – I drank a lot of
caffeine, then tried to give it up completely for 100 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I failed first time, I failed second time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might have succeeded the third or fourth
time, I can’t remember now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to cut a
long story a tiny bit shorter, it wasn’t easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I found I liked caffeine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
after years of veering from drinking enough to sink the Titanic, to giving it
up completely, I have now settled into a routine where I drink no more than 3
or 4 cups in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enough to get
me revved up, but not so much that I stay awake at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’ve come to thinking about giving up
alcohol completely, I’ve thought back to my caffeine experiences and decided
teetotal is not the way to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Moderation may be more successful. A novel idea I know, but there should be some benefits to getting older.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All of which is a long way round of saying I’m back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And making a New Year’s resolution to keep
Getting to Excellent updated with my random thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, and you, and anyone else who stumbles
into it by accident. Happy New Year!</span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com27