Focus!

I've been doing a lot of writing recently.  I'm lucky - I find that words just come out - easily - in torrents.  My problem is not writing; its marshalling my thoughts and turning the words into something readable and sensible.  When I read back what I've written, I invariably think it is too long - too discursive - failing to get to the nub of the matter, to realise the main points of the argument.

Of course I know I should plan, shape and construct - treat writing like any other project.  I should do the 'marshalling of thoughts' before I put fingers to keyboard.  My aims should be clear, I should have thought about the intended audience, identified my aims - and therefore my key points .. and then concentrated on getting across those key messages.

Too many people plan projects how I write.  They know what the overall target is but they fail to plan the milestones, the waymarks that signal progress.  They ramble around in the general direction of the project aims, consuming resources that need not be deployed - and confusing those who are involved.

It is often easier to work without detailed planning ... but it is a wasteful way of working.

So, let's plan and then focus.  We know it makes sense!

Your next productivity gain?

What will lead you to higher productivity in 2015?

New products, new technologies, new structures?

For most organisations, the answer is none of these.  Those that succeed in improving their productivity will do so by doing what they do now a little more effectively and/or efficiently.  Big gains come from lots of small, incremental gains.  Revolutions in productivity are rare.

So, start your structured, disciplined, comprehensive review of your operations today - and look for those areas where you can shave a bit off cycle times, waiting times, and waste.

Give voice?

I read recently that Coca-Cola has withdrawn its voicemail system from its Atlanta headquarters in an effort to improve productivity.  Callers now get a simple message suggesting they should use another means of contact.

Voicemail was originally introduced as an 'added value' service for callers - saving them the need to call again - but is now seen as an 'overhead' that sucks time and effort out of the organisation.  It is worse than email in some ways since taking down details from a voice message can take multiple listenings.

Presumably there are other services we have introduced as time-savers or value enhancers that will, in time, be regarded as unnecessary or positively harmful.

email? text messaging?

Or have Coca-Cola got it wrong.  Will all those callers who are forced to ring again or use some other means of contacting Coca-Cola personnel simply vote with their feet, become annoyed, not bother to pursue their contact.  I will be interested in any follow-up comments/actions once 'the dust settles'.

Wake Up!

Most people are more effective workers in the morning - when fresh.  As the day goes on ,most of us tire.  The problem is that we don't always recognise this - and we take decisions, do important work, hold important meetings when we are not at our best.

Does this work for teams and organisations.  Should we choose the activities we undertake in the morning and what we leave till the other end of the day.

Do new stuff - initiatives, development work, innovation - in the morning.  Do routine stuff, the chores at the day's end.

Try it - let me know if it helps!

Reflection

Approaching the end of another year is a time for reflection - personal reflection and, if you are brave enough, organisational reflection.  What have you - and your organisation - learned this year that will make you better next year.

It might be something about your products, your processes, your customers, your competitors ... or your own approach to managing your own area.

It may not revolutionise what you do - or how you do it ... but there must be something.

If not, what have you been thinking about all year?

What happens next?

Labour productivity is all over the place for many Western nations.  It rises, it slows, it plateaus.  It is hard to predict as these countries struggle to climb out of recession.  Productivity fuels economic growth - but then employment and wages catch up and productivity levels off.

Many organisations are spending all their attention on just 'staying alive' - they believe that productivity can wait ... or that it will take care of itself.

It won't.  We all know the problems that can accrue if you spend your time on the urgent things and forget to address the important ones.

More organisations need to be thinking NOW about their future performance.

Local clusters?

Clusters have been proved to a useful development tool - bringing together companies - and people - from similar industries/activities - to share knowledge and  experience, and to collaborate.

A similar effect can be created locally by bringing together employees from within the company to discuss problems, issues, projects, developments - sharing perspectives from designers, engineers, administrators, and so on.

Such 'bringing together' could be formal - company project days, for example - or could simply be the result of shared relaxation/refreshment space.

Think about how you can get your employees to interact with one another - if only 10% of that interaction is directly work-related, you will reap the benefits.