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Earlier today I wrote a post about a new policy we’re implementing at my business. I thought readers here might enjoy the post, so here it is in its entirety:

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In the past few years, the weekend has taken on a new meaning for me. In short, it’s now defined by work. The weekend is when I catch up on work I can’t get done during the week, in particular work that requires long form thinking, the kind of thinking that powers drafting considered memos and strategy documents, even posting to this or other blogs. Read entire article.

Posted in Leadership, productivity

Many companies place ‘creative stimuli’ like pool tables in their offices to inspire remarkable ideas, but what actually materializes as a result? Whether your office is made up of cubicles or open-plan architecture, your workspace should foster a culture of Productive Creativity.

You can learn a lot about a person from taking a look around their home. Since everything communicates, a brief glimpse at a bookcase is a lens for what your colleague finds interesting. Much like you can tell a lot about a person by looking around their home, you can understand a company’s culture from their workspace. Read entire article.

Posted in Leadership, Planning & Strategy, productivity

When something is urgent, you rush to do it. When something is important, you prioritize it. In our everyday lives, we are forced to manage urgency and importance simultaneously. Especially in the buzzing environment of a small business, important projects require time and mental loyalty. The “urgent” matters that arise with everyday projects can interfere with our long-term objectives. Without a discerning effort to focus on long-term initiatives, your progress will stall.

You have goals that are important to you, and you have day-to-day problems that require urgent solutions. All too often, our tendency is to focus on fixing. “If it’s urgent, I’m on it,” you might proclaim. But how do we stay focused on our long-term goals? Can we really let everything that is merely “important” suffer at the mercy of urgent tasks? Especially for those of us that have families or passions of the utmost importance, how can we protect them? If you let urgent matters consume your time, you’ll never make progress on anything important. Read entire article.

Posted in Leadership, Planning & Strategy

The philosophy to “share ideas liberally” defies the age-old instinct to keep ideas secret. However, emerging businesses are likely to benefit more from sharing ideas than from withholding them. For starters, new ideas are likely to die in isolation unless they gain traction among employees and partners. Ideas are also liable to alienate your partners and customers unless they are “tested.” Of course, ideas area also likely to succeed when refined. Business leaders flush with ideas should take every opportunity to communicate new ideas broadly, seek feedback, and develop a sense of accountability.

Share your ideas liberally. The benefits from accountability and feedback outweigh the risk that someone steals your idea! Many entrepreneurs claim that they become more committed to their ideas after telling people about them! The fact is that great ideas are plentiful, and very few people have the discipline and resources to make them happen. When you are accountable to others, you are more likely to stay focused. Read entire article.

Posted in Planning & Strategy