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We all seem to get involved in projects. But how to make projects work better?

Sometimes by asking questions we get ‘arrowed’ and other times we are ‘volunteered’ by others. Best when we volunteer as we really believe in the project or cause. No matter how you got into the project, here are 3 tips to help you survive and even thrive while working on your projects.

Projects Work Tip # 1)  Realistically plan for the time the project will take from your schedule. Most of us have a tendency to underestimate the commitment in time. If you fall short of time, chances are, your success will be diminished and your stress level will skyrocket. Better to say ‘no’ and have people think you might be selfish than say ‘yes’ and have them convinced you are incompetent.

Projects Work Tip # 2) Minimise the texting, emails, phone calls and paperwork. I’m currently chairing the Raise Your Game event.  I set all Action Team members  (not committee members) up on a BCC list for announcements, updates and action items. This way, members cannot hit ‘reply all’ and send drivel to everyone, bogging the entire process down. This also shields them from the inevitable contrarian who must argue with everything and ultimately destroys the fun of the project for all. Further, for help and input, I rely on two co-chairs who give me quick and insightful feedback on all key issues so it’s just not me making the decisions. If they have any trouble with an Action Team member, they refer that person back to me, maintaining their enthusiasm and keeping the project moving forward.

Projects Work Tip # 3)  Short but regular meetings. Keep most meetings to under 2 hours and maybe even one hour or less. This ‘pressure cooker’ keeps long winded members under control and produces more results in less time. Phrases like, “Back on the agenda…” and “If we can refocus on…” help to turn the discussion back to the relevant topics at hand as do ‘mile makers’ of how much time is left for the meeting.

Projects are fun and rewarding if handled well. They can be hell if you let them get bogged down in minutia, politics, in-fighting and private agendas.

Smile Makers: Interesting thoughts:

• If Vegetarians eat vegetables. What do humanitarians eat?

• “A sure way to make your car run better, is to look up the price of a new car.” David Koutsoukis

• Steven Wright once asked, “What is another word for thesaurus?”

• If you do not expect much, you will never be disappointed. You will also never achieve much.

Got comments or questions about how to make projects work better? Just leave your comments here.

Upcoming Events

Public Speaking as easy as ABCD!
Public Speaking Seminar with Michael Podolinsky CSP in Singapore (25 - 26 March 2010)
You will learn to speak confidently, articulately and eloquently.

Raise Your Game 2010 (1 March 2010)
100% of the profits will go to Singapore Cancer Society

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3 Ways to Improve Productivity

What are YOU going to do today?

Most people show up at work and immediately they are inundated with work. E-mail in box has 20 to 200 new emails. Your mobile has 10 to 50 text messages for you to respond to. Your boss tells you about 2 meetings you must attend you did not know about. As soon as you respond to the messages on your phone and in your inbox, another equally daunting number come in requiring your IMMEDIATE attention. There goes your day!

What got done? Yes, the messages got replies, but that is not the question. What of substance got done?

Unfortunately, most people today would say, “Little gets done of what is important and VERY little of what I WANTED to do.” So my question for you, What are YOU going to do today?

Will you allow the day to take over or will you take control of your day?  Do you want your life back?

Here are 3 of my 30 Personal and Professional Productivity Principles:

1) Plan your day before it plans itself for you. Start in the wee hours of the morning with some quiet time and then focus on what you need to get done. Make a list of at least 3 things you MUST do to have a significant day and do them BEFORE you answer emails or text messages. Will you upset some people? Probably. Will YOU be more in control? DEFINITELY! This is also a great career move.

2) Resist the temptation to let emails and text messages set your daily priorities. Set specific times for responding to them and stick to those times. Surprisingly, by not responding as quickly and by controlling your time, responding to fewer inquiries, you will start to receive fewer emails and text messages. Obviously, respond to your clients (internal and external) but be sloth to respond to B and C priorities.

3) Block 90 minutes a day for your A1 project and insist you are UN-INTERRUPTED. I refer to this as the 90-Minute Marvel. It will boost your productivity 30%.

Now that you’ve read this, what are YOU going to DO today?

Let us know if you’d like the other 27 principles.

Smile Makers: Who’s the boss?

It doesn’t matter how many times a married man changes jobs. He still ends up with the same boss.

Good Lord willing, we’ll be married 10 years this year. Our arrangement is, I make all the major decisions and my wife makes all the minor ones. So far, in 10 years, there has not been a major decision to make yet.

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Making Goals STICK

Most people never set goals. They just wander aimlessly through life. YOU are different. Hey, you are reading this Blog newsletter, right?!

Question:  Have you ever set goals you did NOT achieve? Really? Me too. In the beginning I accomplished almost none of my goals. I got better over the years and now achieve close to 90% of my goals on time and on target. How?

Here are 3 techniques I learned to make goals STICK:

Goal Sticking Technique #1: Make them public. If you enjoy having `face` and want to keep it, declare your goals in public. Telling your boss, family and friends, `I will achieve X by noon, December 31st, 2010`puts a lot of pressure on you to achieve. That pressure gives you motivation when you otherwise want to rest. Conrad Hilton sold hotels not yet built. Bill Gates sold the rights to software he did not own. Once you make a public commitment, it is amazing what you can achieve.

Goal Sticking Technique #2: Help your mind `see` the goal by creating an image in your mind. It is hard to picture `rich` but easy to picture $1 million. Difficult to envision `happy family` but easy to see you dining every night with your family, smiling and talking. Impossible to see `someday` but easy to imagine 6 PM August 9th 2006.

Goal Sticking Technique #3: Make a bet. I do not advocate people gambling as most gamblers end up broke. I do encourage side bets to ensure success.

Bet your spouse you can achieve your goal by a specific time and when successful, you get to buy a 42 inch Plasma screen and if you miss the deadline, you have to sell `that chair` you love but your spouse hates.

Bet your boss you can outsell another division leader by March 1st. When you succeed, you get a bigger territory or an office. If you miss the target, you will wash the bosses car once a week for a month.

The combination of reward and punishment with accountability to a third party is a powerful inducement.

Making goals STICK is just one subject of a full day course we offer on Goal Attainment. These 3 simple techniques can certainly help you have a richer more successful year.

You can check out my previous blog post on goal attainment too.

Do something great for your life. I believe in you!

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