9 Steps to Work Less and Do More - Book Review

We as a society are working smarter now, aren't we?  We have all this fantastic technology available. Many businesses have downsized and refocused on their core businesses.  Hasn't our productivity improved?  Not necessarily according to the Departmental of Labor (DOL). The DOL released a report in September 2010 that indicated labor productivity declined by 1.8% during the second quarter of 2010 compared to the first quarter, even though hours increased by 3.5% and output increased slightly by 1.6%.   This seems to indicate that we are working longer hours, yet our productivity is actually declining.  What can we do about it?  What is occurring here?  It has been ingrained in our minds that the longer and harder we work, the more we will produce.  Is this a fallacy?

I had an opportunity to read several chapters of the Get-It-Done-Guy's book called "9 Steps to Work Less and Do More" by Stever Robbins.  This book provided excellent insight on this very concept of working smarter.  It is an easy read and is written in such an engaging, humorous and insightful manner that it easily drew me in. 

Here are the nine steps:

Step 1 - Live and work on purpose
Step 2 - Stop procrastinating
Step 3 - Conquer your technology
Step 4 - Cultivate focus
Step 5 - Stay organized - mentally & physically
Step 6 - Don't waste time.
Step 7 - Streamline your tasks & Optimize them
Step 8 - Build stronger relationships
Step 9 - Leverage your strengths & achieve better results

Lessons on Performance Management from the Dog Park

Some of the most insightful conversations about business occur at the dog park.  Perhaps this is because people are relaxed, away from the work setting, and have a chance to reflect on their business. Jack, my high energy black/chocolate lab mix, and I visited the dog park again this week. Last week, we discussed On Boarding Strategies. This week we shift our focus to Performance Management as a tool for engaging employees.

A fellow small business owner talked with me about productivity issues at his firm. He works in a competitive industry and needs his employees to bring a high degree of passion, energy and creativity to the workplace each day in order to stay ahead of his competition. Yet that is not occurring in his business. I asked if he had a performance management system in place so that employees have clarity in their roles and responsibilities in order to move the business forward. He said they were too busy to implement a system. He also believed that employees should intuitively know their roles and responsibilities. He admitted there is some conflict in the workplace and several key employees have “resigned in place”. He is sincerely concerned about losing those valuable team members. We discussed the following key opportunity areas:

1. Do you have current job descriptions in place for all your employees?
As a result of the recent changes in the workplace, many firms have asked their employees to take on additional responsibilities. Employees are being asked to handle an increased workload with fewer resources. Have your job descriptions been updated to reflect these changes?

2. Have you identified the strengths, talents and competencies that each employee will need to be successful in their new and/or expanded roles?
Businesses are experiencing significant challenges in today’s competitive environment. As my husband often says, “we all need to get smarter every day”. Consider performing a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) on your team to identify strengths as well as development opportunities.  These development opportunities can help enrich corporate culture and bolster employee engagement.

Lessons on Employee Motivation from the Dog Park

Our family took Jack, our new 1 ½ year old Lab, to the dog park this weekend. There were dogs that were wearing flag bandanas and it prompted me to reflect on the importance of Memorial Day. I would like to take a moment to recognize the soldiers and their families that have served or are currently serving our country. 

My husband served in Operation Enduring Freedom with the Ohio National Guard and was deployed to Southeast Asia in 2008, so I understand the sacrifices they make for our freedom. Thank you to all the families and soldiers for your service. Deployments are extremely challenging, but they can also be an excellent time for personal growth. Over Memorial Day weekend in 2008, 30+ military wives and families participated in a 5K run/walk event in Columbus, Ohio. They had special t-shirts created to recognize their soldiers. Concurrently (plus or minus a few hours), the soldiers ran a 5K race over in the Southeast Asian desert. Despite the daily struggles related to a deployment, the spirit of the family members remained strong, they were able to successfully overcome challenges they faced. They had a passion to succeed and fires in their belly so to speak.

As leaders, isn’t that what we want for our business? Employees with a passion to succeed and the expertise to overcome challenges. How do we get there? The dog park provides much wisdom on techniques to motivate employees.

1. Provide an environment of fun and play
As leaders, we should look for simple opportunities to create fun and play in our day to day work. Laughter is a terrific antidote for stress. It is a direct path to joyfulness. Employees who are working in the “joy zone” will achieve greater creativity, innovation, and productivity. There are numerous instances of play at the dog park. Some dogs are playing fetch, others are resting quietly in the shade, and some are lying happily in a puddle next to the water fountain. Their natural talents and abilities emerge when they are playing.