“Success is the number of options you create for yourself!”
—Anil Menon, IBM
Recently, I was talking with Michael about the top 7 time wasters in Corporate America... According to Peter Drucker they are:
1) Interruptions,
2) Procrastination,
3) Meetings,
4) Poor Planning,
5) Socializing
6) Waiting for Answers &
7) Shifting Priorities
This lead us on a discussion that ended with To-Do Lists & Not To-Do Lists and that brings me to today’s point.
To improve your skills it is important to make smarter decisions. One way to do this is to keep a To-Do list, but for this brief conversation lets talk about a Not To-Do list.
A Not To-Do list is a guiding document that keeps you from making mistakes in your life or on the job. What are some of the things that you would put on your Not To-Do list?
Some that find themselves on my professional list are:
1) Do not send a document without proofing it.
2) Do not send a document without checking your references.
3) Do not put my personal opinion above my professional opinions.
Items such as these help create additional options for yourself. BTW, learning how to be a "follower" is another vital skill most are unwilling to master and one that will make you a leader of powerful influence...
3 comments:
First, let me comment on Drucker's list. I don't believe that socializing is a time waster. there is a need for at least a little socializing every day at work. Socializing helps connect people at work and a leader with true emotional intelligence will use it wisely.
As for the Not To Do list:
Do not carry on useless arguments.
Do not gossip.
Do not forget the power of secretaries or assistants.
Well said! I agree that some socialization is necessary on the job. But when it is excessive it hurts productivity and is a time waster.
Do not gossip is on my top 10 employee essential list from lesson one of the Employee Training & Customer Service classes I teach. It is a big do not do.
Some more for the not-to-do list:
Do not make only one post on your marketing blog and leave it for weeks without another post. :)
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