ASAP isn’t a commitment – it’s confusion

Ever made a request for something to be done only to hear, “I’ll get it done ASAP,” or “I’ll get back to you ASAP”?  This response just leads to uncertainty and confusion about what is real and when things will happen.  Truth be told, ASAP is a phrase that doesn’t come from anyone who is serious about getting things done.  It is a strategy for postponement of work, poor performance, or breaking commitments. It is often a chief cause of breakdowns in teams who count on each other to get things completed in a timely manner.  ASAP is the vernacular for the semi-committed.  It is for those who seem more comfortable living with unspecified promises than they are about giving the gift of clear commitment.

The phrase ASAP has no specifics or timelines attached to it and shows a lack of concern for others’ commitments and responsibilities.  It’s a form of ambiguity that, in the end, will require more work than being clear in the first place. How much more effective could we be if every commitment and conversation were specific? People appreciate it when we tell them what’s real.  They are able to stay accountable, share details of the commitment with others, and track progress along the way. The remedy for life productivity and stress reduction rests largely on what we can count on, and counting on ASAP just isn’t possible.

Say good-bye to ASAP, ASAP!

Consider your impact…

We all impact the lives of those around us.  It is inevitable, as is the way that people impact our lives each and every day.  The challenge is to impact people positively.  The greater challenge is to proactively impact people positively.  Never underestimate the impact you have on others just during normal daily encounters.  Try to consciously have a positive impact during those encounters.  We all have gifts.  We should strive to use those gifts in order to beneficially impact those around us.  Consider all of the uplifting ways you might be able to impact people during your day.

• Encourage
• Support
• Console
• Be an example
• Share
• Pray for
• Advise
• Teach
• Listen

Consider your impact on those around you, and do so positively.  What will your impact be today?

Never Stop Learning

Do you think people really mean it when they say that they learn something new every day?  They should.  Too often we treat the learning process as something with a specific end.  We tend to say we "went to school" or "received an education".  That sounds like we think we are done learning!  In fact, we hardly begin learning about life until after we are finished with our formal education.  Perhaps we need to think of our education as an ongoing process not something that we have completed in the past.  We really can learn something new every day and we should. 

What will you learn today?

The Fine Line of Leadership

The challenge of being a leader is walking a fine line that requires incredible balance and sensitivity.  Great leadership qualities can’t be taken to extremes; they have to be balanced.  The challenge is to be…

• strong, but not rude
• kind, but not weak
• bold, but not overbearing
• humble, but not timid
• confident , but not arrogant

Successful leaders are good at balancing these qualities.  How about you?

Lists

I enjoy a lot of the content found on Entrepreneur.com.  Generally, it provides quick and easy reads that contain useful and insightful information for business owners and entrepreneurs.  However, a recent article caught my attention under the heading of Productivity entitled “101 Time Management Tips to Boost Productivity Every Day”.  The title is somewhat of a mouthful, but 101 tips?  Seriously?  Some John Maxwell lists, like the 21 Laws, are borderline too long for me. 

I like lists; bullet points make sense to me.  You have frequently seen me use lists in the MMM.  But 101 tips goes way beyond being a digestible list.  I read it anyway!  There were a few valuable suggestions.  Many items really did not seem to belong there.  Several items were very similar or almost duplicated.  It felt like the author had to work hard to come up with 101 items. Anything needing 101 different items does not need to be in list format and certainly does not belong under the productivity subject heading.  I think I could have been more productive with my time by not reading that article.