Good morning,
Happy Friday - despite Michigan’s single digit overnight temperatures. This morning’s topic turns up the heat on productivity by sparking a little debate about the difference between being efficient versus being effective.
Don’t mistake efficiency for effectiveness.
Something I truly hate is wasting my time. Time is so precious that wasting it irks me to the point of being a personality quirk. Since childhood I’ve always wanted to accomplish any task as efficiently as possible (Yes, I load the dishwasher like it’s an Olympic sport.)
But here’s the point and the important message for today's note. Being efficient is a complete waste of time unless the task being performed is relevant to the overall objective. Efficient completion of irrelevant tasks is totally ineffective! Just like driving the most efficient route to a destination is a total waste of time if the wrong address is typed into the GPS navigation. (My most painful example was LA in 2005 Oops…)
Various business books address the important distinction between efficiency and effectiveness. (Let me know if you’d like a recommendation.) Today’s note is just a friendly reminder, when we plan our work or delegate to others, first evaluate which tasks are the most relevant. Will efficiently performing this task help accomplish my objective or is there a different use of time that would actually be more effective?
I hope all the streetlights turn green for you today and that you have a sunny day!
Clarity
P.S. “Do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of” Benjamin Franklin
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Good Enough
Good morning,
Happy Friday! This morning's tip helps balance out last Friday's pursuit of perfection.
Sometimes "good enough" is good enough.
Yes, shooting for perfection usually gets better results than shooting for good enough. But at the same time, the focus on "getting it right" can lead to paralysis by analysis, so it's important to know when to stop.
Often taking action - even mediocre action - is better than taking no action at all, and inaction frequently results when we self-critically decide that our output isn't good enough.
This is on my mind because a friend recently mentioned he was thinking about my advice when he published a press release he'd been holding onto because it wasn't yet quite right. He quoted back to me, "You always said, something is better than nothing." His press release resulted in a television news interview just a few days later. Yet if he'd waited until the words were perfect, it might not have happened.
Here are two practical questions to help determine if something is "good enough."
1) Do the benefits of releasing a better product later outweigh the benefits of releasing a good enough product now?
2) Am I actually going to make it better later?
If the answer to either question is "no" then don't delay, like Nike says, just do it! You might even be surprised to find yourself at the front of the class because everybody else decided they could do better but never got around to it.
I'd like to delay this sunny note for at least a week to spend lots of time adding profound examples to better illustrate the concept. But since that'll never happen, I'm going to say "good enough" and send it out now - because a little helpful advice is better than none at all. And at the very least I can say...
Have a Sunny Day!
Clarity
P.S. It's often said that half of success is showing up. Woody Allen reminds us that "The other half is showing up on time!"
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505
Happy Friday! This morning's tip helps balance out last Friday's pursuit of perfection.
Sometimes "good enough" is good enough.
Yes, shooting for perfection usually gets better results than shooting for good enough. But at the same time, the focus on "getting it right" can lead to paralysis by analysis, so it's important to know when to stop.
Often taking action - even mediocre action - is better than taking no action at all, and inaction frequently results when we self-critically decide that our output isn't good enough.
This is on my mind because a friend recently mentioned he was thinking about my advice when he published a press release he'd been holding onto because it wasn't yet quite right. He quoted back to me, "You always said, something is better than nothing." His press release resulted in a television news interview just a few days later. Yet if he'd waited until the words were perfect, it might not have happened.
Here are two practical questions to help determine if something is "good enough."
1) Do the benefits of releasing a better product later outweigh the benefits of releasing a good enough product now?
2) Am I actually going to make it better later?
If the answer to either question is "no" then don't delay, like Nike says, just do it! You might even be surprised to find yourself at the front of the class because everybody else decided they could do better but never got around to it.
I'd like to delay this sunny note for at least a week to spend lots of time adding profound examples to better illustrate the concept. But since that'll never happen, I'm going to say "good enough" and send it out now - because a little helpful advice is better than none at all. And at the very least I can say...
Have a Sunny Day!
Clarity
P.S. It's often said that half of success is showing up. Woody Allen reminds us that "The other half is showing up on time!"
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505
Friday, January 15, 2010
Chasing Perfection
Good morning,
It’s Friday! Today’s success tip is simple but challenging. I live by it and yet it’s difficult to put into words.
Vince Lombardi put it this way: “Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
It’s true that chasing perfection can be dangerous. But only if we’re unable to recognize and appreciate excellence when we catch it.
We could brainstorm lots of analogies, like:
- to get an A on a test (90% or higher) we’d better study for 100%. If we only study for 90% then we’re likely to end up with 80% when we crack under pressure…
- to close 10 new deals, we’d better attempt at least 12 in case some fall through…
- to break an Olympic record, train to go even faster or even further because “race day” may not bring out your personal best (I heard a great story about this years ago at a seminar; wish I still remembered who the athlete was)
- Here’s one! Goal: 0 typos. Result: fewer typos than if I had a more lenient goal…
The simple truth is that we often fall short of our potential. But that doesn’t mean we should lower our goals. Instead, try aiming even higher. If you want to win any Olympic medal, go for the Gold!
Or to paraphrase Vince Lombardi - To achieve excellence, strive for perfection.
And have a Sunny Day!
Clarity
P.S. Imagine if we all had the following work ethic. "There's only two things I had to do to win the Olympic gold,” said Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar, “Train when I wanted to, and train when I didn't."
More about athlete Peter Vidmar is located here: http://www.petervidmarinvite.org/. More about coach Vince Lombardi is located here: http://www.vincelombardi.com/.
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
It’s Friday! Today’s success tip is simple but challenging. I live by it and yet it’s difficult to put into words.
Vince Lombardi put it this way: “Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
It’s true that chasing perfection can be dangerous. But only if we’re unable to recognize and appreciate excellence when we catch it.
We could brainstorm lots of analogies, like:
- to get an A on a test (90% or higher) we’d better study for 100%. If we only study for 90% then we’re likely to end up with 80% when we crack under pressure…
- to close 10 new deals, we’d better attempt at least 12 in case some fall through…
- to break an Olympic record, train to go even faster or even further because “race day” may not bring out your personal best (I heard a great story about this years ago at a seminar; wish I still remembered who the athlete was)
- Here’s one! Goal: 0 typos. Result: fewer typos than if I had a more lenient goal…
The simple truth is that we often fall short of our potential. But that doesn’t mean we should lower our goals. Instead, try aiming even higher. If you want to win any Olympic medal, go for the Gold!
Or to paraphrase Vince Lombardi - To achieve excellence, strive for perfection.
And have a Sunny Day!
Clarity
P.S. Imagine if we all had the following work ethic. "There's only two things I had to do to win the Olympic gold,” said Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar, “Train when I wanted to, and train when I didn't."
More about athlete Peter Vidmar is located here: http://www.petervidmarinvite.org/. More about coach Vince Lombardi is located here: http://www.vincelombardi.com/.
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
Friday, January 8, 2010
Get Even
Good Morning,
Happy Friday! Even though many of us frequently work on Saturdays, there’s still something nice about Fridays. We get to, symbolically at least, conclude one week and prepare for a fresh start on Monday. Plus I just like saying it – “Happy Friday” – because it’s important to celebrate things that make us smile, even if they seem trivial. But enough about that…
Today, my topic is technology, particularly information technology.
Technology can help us or hurt us. Our use of technology can cause us to be either more efficient or less focused, more informed or less knowledgeable and more linked-in or less connected.
Information technology is on my mind today because I was recently thwarted by it. (More about that in a minute…)
But the point is, if we want to be really successful in today’s business world, we can’t run away from technology or try to circumvent it just because we find it frustrating. We must make the most of technology or we’ll lose the business race to someone who does, in the same way we would lose a street race to someone with a faster car no matter how comfortable we feel driving the slower car or using the outdated technology. We have to seek out and use technology that will help us achieve our goals in today’s world.
One of my goals is to send you a helpful message each Friday. I originally thought writing the message would be the hard part (silly me) but it turns out that getting email messages to transmit reliably is the real challenge. I discovered that my email account doesn’t always deliver all my Friday notes. (Maybe it likes some of my ideas better than others?)
You can imagine my frustration when I discovered this. But I managed to control myself from throwing my computer out the window and going back to U.S. mail delivery. Instead of running away from technology, I’m incorporating a new tool to help achieve my goal.
My friend Steve Acho suggested, and helped me establish, this blog site where I’ve posted my previous sunny notes and where I’ll add a new one each Friday. So anytime you want to see what I’ve come up with, you can come here to http://a-sunny-note.blogspot.com even if you don’t get my email.
In short, pretty much everyone can benefit in some way from utilizing new technology – new software, new devices, you name it. Even though doing things “the way we’ve always done them” may seem like the easiest option and learning new technology can be frustrating, it’s worth it.
So “don’t get mad, get even” – even more educated, even more skilled and even more successful.
Have a Sunny Day,
Clarity
P.S. Don’t be shy about asking for help (remember “Just Ask” from December 4th). To help me learn how to improve my email system, I consulted a very helpful engineer named Jesse with Awecomm Technologies in Troy. Their team also provides outstanding service to Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury and I’m happy to recommend them: www.awecomm.com.
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505
Happy Friday! Even though many of us frequently work on Saturdays, there’s still something nice about Fridays. We get to, symbolically at least, conclude one week and prepare for a fresh start on Monday. Plus I just like saying it – “Happy Friday” – because it’s important to celebrate things that make us smile, even if they seem trivial. But enough about that…
Today, my topic is technology, particularly information technology.
Technology can help us or hurt us. Our use of technology can cause us to be either more efficient or less focused, more informed or less knowledgeable and more linked-in or less connected.
Information technology is on my mind today because I was recently thwarted by it. (More about that in a minute…)
But the point is, if we want to be really successful in today’s business world, we can’t run away from technology or try to circumvent it just because we find it frustrating. We must make the most of technology or we’ll lose the business race to someone who does, in the same way we would lose a street race to someone with a faster car no matter how comfortable we feel driving the slower car or using the outdated technology. We have to seek out and use technology that will help us achieve our goals in today’s world.
One of my goals is to send you a helpful message each Friday. I originally thought writing the message would be the hard part (silly me) but it turns out that getting email messages to transmit reliably is the real challenge. I discovered that my email account doesn’t always deliver all my Friday notes. (Maybe it likes some of my ideas better than others?)
You can imagine my frustration when I discovered this. But I managed to control myself from throwing my computer out the window and going back to U.S. mail delivery. Instead of running away from technology, I’m incorporating a new tool to help achieve my goal.
My friend Steve Acho suggested, and helped me establish, this blog site where I’ve posted my previous sunny notes and where I’ll add a new one each Friday. So anytime you want to see what I’ve come up with, you can come here to http://a-sunny-note.blogspot.com even if you don’t get my email.
In short, pretty much everyone can benefit in some way from utilizing new technology – new software, new devices, you name it. Even though doing things “the way we’ve always done them” may seem like the easiest option and learning new technology can be frustrating, it’s worth it.
So “don’t get mad, get even” – even more educated, even more skilled and even more successful.
Have a Sunny Day,
Clarity
P.S. Don’t be shy about asking for help (remember “Just Ask” from December 4th). To help me learn how to improve my email system, I consulted a very helpful engineer named Jesse with Awecomm Technologies in Troy. Their team also provides outstanding service to Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury and I’m happy to recommend them: www.awecomm.com.
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505
Friday, January 1, 2010
Write It Down
Good Morning,
Happy New Year! It’s the first day of a new year and a new decade, and that’s something to smile about : )
Today is also synonymous with New Year’s resolutions. And that’s okay, because there’s incredible power in planning. So if today inspires you to plan, then more power to you. But whatever your resolutions or goals are for 2010 or beyond, don’t forget this simple key to success: write it down.
Even though we don’t fully control our destinies, there are things we can do that make a really big difference. This is one of them: write down your goals. And better yet – read them every day. What a simple action that exponentially increases our chances of achieving our goals.
Numerous business coaches and motivational speakers talk about the importance of putting goals in writing. David Essel describes it this way, “A goal is a dream until you write it down.”
Don’t be shy. Set high goals. Write them down. Read them. Help them come to be.
And have a Sunny Day!
Clarity
P.S. “We become what we think about all day long,” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
By the way, if you'd like to know more about David Essel, his website is www.DavidEssel.com. I'm not affiliated with him in any way but I benefited from the motivational presentation he gave at The Yes Network.
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505
Happy New Year! It’s the first day of a new year and a new decade, and that’s something to smile about : )
Today is also synonymous with New Year’s resolutions. And that’s okay, because there’s incredible power in planning. So if today inspires you to plan, then more power to you. But whatever your resolutions or goals are for 2010 or beyond, don’t forget this simple key to success: write it down.
Even though we don’t fully control our destinies, there are things we can do that make a really big difference. This is one of them: write down your goals. And better yet – read them every day. What a simple action that exponentially increases our chances of achieving our goals.
Numerous business coaches and motivational speakers talk about the importance of putting goals in writing. David Essel describes it this way, “A goal is a dream until you write it down.”
Don’t be shy. Set high goals. Write them down. Read them. Help them come to be.
And have a Sunny Day!
Clarity
P.S. “We become what we think about all day long,” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
By the way, if you'd like to know more about David Essel, his website is www.DavidEssel.com. I'm not affiliated with him in any way but I benefited from the motivational presentation he gave at The Yes Network.
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505
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