Valuing What is Valuable

In this post, I'll diverge from my usual topics of education, technology, and leadership.  I took a couple hours to join some other administrators in going to a local foundation that ministers to the mentally and physically disabled.  It is supported by municipal funds and the foundation includes something like 7 different facilities including a K-12 school, dormitory, factory where they make circuit boards, and a printing business.

These circuit boards go into GPS screens and other small devices.

Seong Se Rehabilitation School has all kinds of disabilities from mental to severe physical impairments.  Their facilities are built for the many wheelchairs in the facility.  The kids have smiles on their faces as they learn English, math, computers, etc. and attempt what are very difficult physical coordination tasks for some.  The vision of those that run that foundation is to raise the view of the disabled in Korea. As a result, they run a first class facility that does an excellent job educating these children to accomplish a level of functionality some might not have dreamed possible.

As I walked around and watched both the adults that were working and the kids in school, I had to stop and reflect on what I (and we) value in life.  In our fast-paced, busy world, it is easy to become transactional.  We give something and expect something in return.  Sadly, we often apply this concept unconsciously even in our most altruistic moments.  Even in helping the poor or the disabled, we want them to contribute to society.  What does that mean?

Does it mean they can take care of themselves?  Does it mean they can provide some work or labor for others?  Or is the goal to make sure they don't drain tax dollars as adults?  Are we benevolent yet transactional at times?  If we expect this kind of return in life, I fear we will be disappointed at many levels (and I'm not just talking about by people with disabilities).  The smiles and lives of these people contribute greatly.  For some it will not be a economic contribution nor a measurable gift.  However, they offer us an opportunity to give of ourselves and get nothing back.  To give freely without reservation or expectation of return.  They can remind us of the value of human life.  They remind us of our humanity - that life isn't a series of transactions.

We need foundations like this to keep us from losing perspective.  We need to teach our children in our schools this principle as well.  We have to remember what is truly valuable.  We need to take advantage of the opportunity to give gifts of our time, energy, and love.  Perhaps I didn't depart from my usual topics as much as I thought when I first started this post...

Then the righteous will answer him, 'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

-Matthew 25:37-40 (Bible)

The Why

Do you know the why of your organization?

I had the privilege of attending the Apple Leadership Summit in Singapore this past weekend.  The first keynote was from Simon Sinek.  He described the ordinary process of pitching ideas or products as starting with the what, progressing to the how, and the why last.  In his study of exceptional people and organizations, he found that they approach it backwards.  They start with the why.  The why inspires people to follow.  The why creates followers that might never engage with the what or the how.

For this inspiration to happen, Sinek says we must have clarity in the why.  It must be clear to us and communicated clearly.  We have to be consistent in the how, and lastly, we have to be authentic in the what.  Vision and communication must accompany each other with the why or else it won’t be conveyed to others effectively.  Do you have people in your organization that get the vision and communicate it well?  Identify them and give them opportunities to convey the why to your parents, faculty and students.  It doesn't matter what official "position" they have.  It is about tapping into the right people, regardless of the position.

When people share the why, a community develops and within the community, we have trust.  As we trust, we can collaborate.  The power of the community can be actualized.  When new faculty come to your school, do they know the why of your organization? Perhaps we should be more personal.  Is your presence transactional in that it just fills a spot in a job?  Do you know the why of your organization and does it motivate you to be a part of something bigger than yourself? 

Sinek says statistically, approximately 80% of people do not “love” their jobs.  He envisions a world where 80% of people “love” their job.  What would that do to your organization if people loved their jobs?  Tell them why.

Consumption

We consume a lot.  Reflect on what you consume.  Although this video is part of an effort to educate the one campus about their consumption in a creative way, it is a good opportunity for all to reflect.






Do you have suggestions on how to innovatively engage a community on a dialogue about their consumption?

Margins

Life is busy and we fill it up with all kinds of things. Some things are better time investments than others, but who have you worked with that isn't busy? The bigger question to ask ourselves is whether or not we are being productive. Let's note that productive can take many forms. The most obvious is rooted in the word itself--producing a product. This product may be exemplar lessons for other teachers, great learning experiences for students, or curriculum documents. It might also take less tangible forms through leadership and the positive influence on colleagues. Being productive means contributing to your community and making it better for everyone--students and colleagues. It isn't about you...or me.

When we become so busy that we are just trying to survive, we become inward focused. We stop turning outwards and contributing to the community. We can easily become self-absorbed and focused only on our own little sphere of our work. It's not intentional, but it's a human coping and survival mechanism.

So we need margins. Margins are that lag time so that every minute of every day isn't filled up. It leaves us open to get involved and invest in our community. It's part of a healthy life, healthy organization, and a sustainable pace in the organization. It's not necessarily a new idea. It is one that I've been thinking a lot about lately. Andy Stanley has spoken articulately about this idea and Leo Babauta touches the idea in many of his posts, particularly a recent one on Frictionless Work.

If you don't have any margins, take some time to reflect and see what you can do to create some. We all need them. And the organization, the community, and our families suffer if we don't. How about you? Any suggestions that you wish to share with others on how to successfully create or sustain margins?

Doing it better

During the recent Apple training I attended, Rebecca Stockley facilitated several of the meetings. She is an improvisation specialist and helped facilitate the meeting times, encouraging the flow and collaboration. She has worked extensively with Pixar. When asked about her experience at Pixar, she said a key to their success is the philosophy...

If it worked the first time, don't do it again. Do it better.

It is integrated in their organizational culture. If they don't push the envelope to get better, they will not stay on top. It sounds very similar to Thomas Friedman (note this is a loose paraphrase by memory) when he says the question is not whether or not your product will become obsolete. Everything becomes obsolete. At this point, it is more a question of whether you will make it obsolete or someone else will.

So there is something to be said for going beyond the status quo. What is the motivation and what does success look like? I think the "why" is a critical component. Why do you seek to be better? Why do you seek to be the best? As we invest in our organizations and set priorities, the why is a pivotal key to defining success. We need to stay focused on pursuing goals for the right reasons or it is easy to get sidetracked and "busy" without substance to our work.

Digital Clutter

I've talked quite a bit about clutter recently and getting organized. What does the desktop of your computer look like? Does it look something like my desk with papers everywhere and stuff just piled up? I've seen many computer desktops that are so cluttered with "junk" that it's a wonder the person can even find an icon to start their internet browser.

When we talk about getting organized, it not just the papers on your desk, picking up your clothes, or putting some toys away. It's your email inbox. It's the attachments you save. It's the new files you are creating and working on. It's your digital life too. Take a few seconds and put stuff away.

Michael Hyatt talks about declaring email bankruptcy. If there is an area that is too out of control, adapt Michael Hyatt's idea and declare bankruptcy. If you file system is too out of control, archive the whole lot into a folder called Archive 2009. Create a new file structure that works. Then save all new files and any old ones you use into the new structure. Leave the junk in the archived files.

Make a plan. Setup an organization structure that works for you. Take some time to manage your digital life before it manages you.

Things

Several people have asked me about Things which I referenced in a recent post. I really like its features. I used to use Checkoff, but like many task lists, the list just got longer and longer. It easily became too big to identify priorities.

In my opinion, setting priorities is where Things really helps me manage life.

Features I really like:

• Viewing Today tasks with the ability to drag & drop to shift list and set priorities for the day
• The Someday category which allows me to stick projects in a future to-do list area and knowing that it is not always popping up yet be there to review at any point
• Tag tasks so they are easily searchable, inclusive of setting priorities
• Manage multi-step projects by allowing me to prioritize and set dates for certain steps
• Drag and drop files into specific tasks (doesn't actually store the file but rather a shortcut to it)
• Scheduling tasks for certain dates and re-prioritizing tasks as needed to prioritize correctly
• Set custom shortcut keys so I can copy and paste information in quickly and easily
• Very intuitive interface so little learning curve in utilizing features
• Logs completed tasks so I can refer back or see what I have been doing with my time

I'm not trying to advocate that everyone go out and buy Things for their task list. It may not work for you. But perhaps the features that I like will help you think about how you are using your task list and what kinds of features you should look for and utilize to help you prioritize and manage life.

Simplifying Life - Part 2

Professional growth can come by a variety of paths. I stumbled across a blog entitled Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. I'm not sure where I got it but Time ranked it as one of the best 25 blogs in 2009. Zen Habits has some nice tips for everyday life and productivity. From this blog, I was referred to a relatively new blog that Babauta has started: mnmlist. I particularly like his post titled Clutter is Procrastination.

Read it. Seriously. I think he is right.

Clutter is often a result of my unwillingness to act now. Sometimes waiting and reflecting is a good thing. But more often than not, it postpones action which adds stress to our lives and mounts up into bigger projects than a simple effort to finish tasks.

Whether it is email, dirty clothes, or the kids toys, I'm trying to keep the clutter at bay. Put in the extra 15 seconds or 2 minutes to get the job done.

Leo's mnmlist blog references the fact we fill our lives with a lot of unnecessary things. We buy lots of stuff we don't need and sometimes never use. How much time and energy have we invested into "things" that are not important. So much of this comes back to priorities. I'm no zen guru and don't desire to be, but there is something to be said for simplifying life. Leo says,

It just takes the decision to live with less, and to be content with where you are and what you have and who you are.

Sounds like some advice worth considering...

Simplifying Life - Part 1

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

As I embarked on another school year this fall, I reflected on the past and considered how I wanted to go forward. And I wanted to travel a different road. I think my reflections were based on 2 realizations: 1) We fill our time no matter how much or how little we have; 2) We want to and have the opportunity to do more things than time allows. These 2 concepts are coupled together and I have known them, but I have not changed my actions to adjust -- until now.

Priorities are critical. When we have more than we can do, what do we choose to do? If we just let life happen, odds are good we'll work on trivial things but are we working on what is most important? Sure, I get stuff done, but is it the right stuff?

I've made a decision--I am not going to just let life happen. I'm going to do what I can to prioritize. Please note: I did not say control. That's God's job. But I can prioritize what does come my way. Prioritizing starts with knowing what we are doing and what we need to do. And it means some stuff may not get done today. And it may mean some stuff never gets done because it should not be a priority.

So, how am I doing this? First, I am working with a task list. My previous task list was my post-it note on my desk or my email inbox. If life was good, I had 25-30 messages in my inbox in each of my 2 work inboxes so a total of 50-60 messages. When life got hectic, I would double that. That is a pretty poor way to manage tasks yet I have a strong suspicion that I'm not the only one that does this. Anyone need to confess?

Now, I read my emails. I leave them there if they will be responded to later in the day. If they aren't a priority for the day, I copy and paste the relevant part of the email to my task list and schedule it when it fits as a priority. And it may get rescheduled multiple times as I adapt to changing tasks. Responding is important, but it may not be important immediately. Of all the emails I get, a small part is actionable. The actionable part goes on my to-do list. The rest can be saved or deleted. My goal is to get my inbox at 0 messages each night before I go home. The exception is something I plan to respond to first thing the next morning. However, never more than 1 or 2 messages remain. In an effort of full disclosure, I have been doing this for 2+ weeks--so far, so good. All tasks don't come through email but it is just one example of what I am talking about. Using a task list also keeps you focused on the priorities you have set...not new distractions coming into your inbox or across your desk.

Getting organized is just one step I have taken. I use Things to accomplish this. It allows me to schedule tasks and even drag shortcuts of files into my to do list. Whether you use Things or something else, get organized and prioritize.