You just can't communicate enough

One thing I learnt a while ago is that you can't communicate enough.

To that end, I wanted to let my readers know that I'll be taking a break over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas so don't worry if you don't see many posts from me.

However, I've got an absolutely burning topic I want to share with you as soon as I have it written.  Its about effective delegation using OmniFocus.  I've really started to hone this skill recently and want to share it with you as soon as I can.  Keep an eye out for this soon.

Framework 'v' Flexibility

There is too often the difficulty in deciding between the two options of defining a business framework 'v' the flexibility and freedom to do whatever seems the right thing to do.

Lets look at the pros and cons

Framework
+ Consistency
+ Predictability
+ Efficiency
- Rigid and limiting
- Bureaucracy
- Stifles creative learning and imposes barriers

Flexibility
+ Innovation
+ Growth
+ Motivational (for some)
- Too easy to stray into dangerous territory
- Requires rigour and discipline to keep in focus
- Allows solutions in the short term which may not be long term sustainable solutions

I used to think of these as a balancing act, to be used in opposing equal measure (how many times have you heard "You need to be able to balance both"?) but I'm not so sure.

I do think you need both but not as competing forces, instead as collaborative.  A win win of the best of both rather than one or the other.  You need to take the benefits of the framework to the point of diminishing returns and then build upon it with creativity and flexibility.

This cumulative benefit can give you competitive edge or take you to somewhere that might just surprise you.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Drop it!

I've been thinking about a post I've been trying to write for more than week now.  I just can't seem to get it right.  I finally decided today, if its not going to work, drop it and move on.

So I did.

Its ok to stop the struggle if its just not working.  The minute I made the decision, my mind cleared and I could focus again on other things, including the very learning point I decided to write about here.

Is there something big stopping you from moving forward?

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

When is enough, enough and what does enough look like?

I had a couple of isolated discussions on different topics this week which, in reflection, I've realised are intertwined.

One was on the topic of doing everything with purpose (brought up in my yoga class) and the other was on delivering perfection (with a new member of the team).

I argued at the time that you shouldn't try and deliver perfection because it invoked the law of diminishing returns and that the Pareto 80/20 rule should be our guiding principle in order to deliver the ever increasing workload effectively. This didn't seem to go down too well with the new employee.

However what I realise now was that the real core value they were trying to express was delivering with purpose. To deliver something knowing that they had given their absolute best shot without compromise (not just ticking the box to move the task on).

The trick is:

1: Deliver everything with purpose and give your fullest attention to it so that you can walk away with integrity.  Don't just tick the box.
2: Knowing when to stop and being comfortable with your credibility from the thing you delivered.

I realise this is a fine line and a tough one to judge but don't assume one or the other is acceptable on its own, its not.

Ask yourself if you have met the intent of both of these during the next piece of work you deliver.  Practice makes perfect.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Even the bad weeks can be a blast

I've just had one of those weeks where every mistake that could have occurred, did.  Its tough for you and the team during these times to stay positive.

What you must do however is understand what was driving those mistakes and treat them as a opportunity to improve.  Picture what it would be like in a week, month or years time when that mistake is a thing of the past.  There will be new challenges by then but not that one again.

Its amazing how positive that belief can be for your own motivation (effectively balancing out the negative reactions to the initial problem).  And just remember how much effect your attitude has on the team around you.

So stay positive, even the bad weeks can be a blast.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Get up 30 minutes early?

I picked up on this article a couple of weeks ago on 5 things to do every day for success (here). Its not the only time I've seen the first recommendation of such an article to be "get up 30 minutes early" as a way to get ahead on the day's events.

In principle I agree with this but have you actually tried it?  Very few people are sure will be able to sustain such a change. But that's because they are missing the obvious. They expect to take that extra 30 minutes without giving something in return to restore the balance.

Here's the trick, balance it out by going to bed 30 minutes early. That's the first thing to do.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

The power of an 'equal terms' relationship

This one may well seem off on a tangent but bear with me.

I've been using eBay on and off now for several years both as a buyer and a seller. It's ultimately just a hugely accessible marketplace, one where, in the past buyers and sellers could meet together on equal terms to come to a transactional arrangement. This was largely reinforced by their rating system for both buyer and seller.  It was a win win situation.

A little while ago, eBay changed the rules so that the buyer was the only one who could leave feedback. Rightly or wrongly, it was no longer equal terms. The buyer has the power to 'punish' the buyer through negative feedback scores. In my capacity as a buyer I don't feel it benefits me much to have this potential 'hold' over the seller. As a seller however it brings constant frustration with less than genuine bidders who can hide behind these new rules without detriment. Now this certainly isn't every buyer, but more than expected.

eBay (the Company) is a business seeking shareholder wealth. It wants to protect the buyer to generate more individual sales and therefore revenue.  However it is no longer facilitating a marketplace but a transactional service which largely works one way, the buyer's way.

So does this generate cooperation and value created by two equals? Does it inspire any kind of (tenuous as it might be) teamwork?  Of course not. It breeds suspicion and worry. It promotes individual gain over others.

Equal standing and respect is essential for every healthy relationship (knowing even when a power balance is present, it will never be used). It is something that is fundamental to the way you can work with others.

As for me, I'm quitting eBay for a little while. I might give a few things away to charity, a win win for everyone.