Monthly Archives: April 2016

More on Lesson Learned #9: Prioritization

I really love this website First Round review. This post by Roli Saxena talks about how to avoid burnout with a valuable concept called the Prioritization Matrix,  a simple grid which categorizes work on 2 axes: 1) impact for the company,2) likelihood for success. The quadrants are: “Strategic Priorities”, “Home runs”,” Housekeeping” and my personal favorite, “Stuff You Shouldn’t be Doing.” She talks about how to align your activities, and most important, what you should be spending your time on and what you should be delegating. Continue reading →

Stop Reading This Blog

I was in a Barnes and Nobles the other day, and noticed a table with a bunch of books in the self improvement section. (Actually, it was next to the cookbooks…hmmmm. Coincidence?).

All the books laid out exclaiming how to do everything you’re not doing now. Instead of being enticing, it made me want to go home and pull the covers over my head.

So take a moment. Stop reading this blog. Take a break from improving yourself. Take a moment and be happy with everything you’ve done, everyone you love in your life.

Learning by Writing

Lately, there’s been a lot in the press about the advantages of writing vs typing. They have shown students do better when they take notes writing them down versus typing them into their laptop.  Typing doesn’t give you the same benefits: you’re now in the mode of court stenographer…and I find it gets in the way of listening. When you write, you learn. Continue reading →

Passion

Whenever I read that you needed to find your passion…I felt confused. And deflated.

What if you don’t know what your passion is? I worked in financial services…I did not develop a passion for credit cards, funds transfers, or brokerage accounts.

So here’s what happened. Continue reading →

Why the Tough Assignments…(#23)

I recently got together with some folks I had worked with in the past….we had worked on an incredibly difficult, multi year, high profile project together.  And as we were reminiscing, laughing, and telling stories about who did what to whom, one thing struck me.

We hadn’t necessarily seen each other or spoken in some time. But the moment we were all around the table again, it was as if time had stopped.

Hard projects are like that…you create bonds with other people unlike any other. You’ve seen each other during wins, during the failures, the mistakes. You’ve seen each other at his or her best and worst.

What it all comes down to is that we all stuck by each other to get through it and accomplish the impossible.  What we’re left with is the knowledge of what we did.  Nothing compares to that feeling: not money, title, or accolades.

So raise your hand for the tough assignments. Stay committed through the end. Care about everyone making it over the finish line. Never forget the importance of integrity. I promise you, you’ll never regret it.