People often accept the idea that delegation is important, but they don’t necessarily know why it’s so important, or how to do it effectively. The reality is that delegation is one of the most important things you can do not just for your own success, but of all those you delegate to. In this article … Read more

DISC theory was developed by Dr. William Marston in his 1928 book, Emotions of Normal People. When we think of theories developed these days, we might think of principles derived from charts and spreadsheets from difficult-to-replicate studies. But Dr. Marston was deeply interested in interpersonal human dynamics and not that interested in grabbing headlines for … Read more

There are, of course, many mistakes’ entrepreneurs make when they first start out. But there are two in particular that we have seen recur frequently, and particularly in the situation of a new hire. If you take the time to understand these problems and correct them in your own practices, your new hires will thank … Read more

We’ve spoken before about the three stages of entrepreneurship. There’s a very similar hierarchy when it comes to the three stages of business ownership. Not every business owner needs to get to each stage to be successful, but in order to move from one stage to the next, a business owner has to develop an entirely different … Read more

In 1969 Lawrence J. Peter wrote The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong. It was a satire on traditional business research writing, featuring fake examples and humorous cartoons. It managed to strike a chord, it spent 33 weeks on the NY Times bestseller list and has been in print continuously since its release. At … Read more

The best overall strategy for recruiting is to always be networking. The more people you know, the more potential employees you meet. But underneath this overarching strategy are of course a few techniques we have discovered over the years that will help you unearth some particularly great candidates. LinkedIn This is a source we speak … Read more

While it’s easy to say “lead by example” when it comes to productivity, it’s also important to use tools to get your entire team moving in the same direction. These tools can help to create accountability, stoke desire, and encourage competition in your team. Used effectively, they can take your team’s performance to an entirely new level. … Read more

Letting people go is never a pleasant task. But if you have the right mentality and principles regarding it, not only will it become easier to do over time, you’ll come to see its vital importance in helping your organization perform at its best. Your organization will only be at its best if it has … Read more

While DISC can be a powerful personal tool for self-awareness and personal development, it can have a multiplier effect in the workplace, where colleagues and teams can use DISC for better cohesion, communication, and results. In this article we will look at three ways to use DISC at work and achieve better results. Tailor Your Communication We … Read more

Just as some people may dread searching for jobs, there are even those in human resources who may feel stuck in a rut when it comes to recruiting. Hiring managers may not have had consistent success with their hires and this may be because they simply haven’t taken the time to find winning formulas within … Read more

We’ve all been told “you can’t make more time.” Of course, in almost every sense, that’s true. But what you can do, through a virtual assistant (VA), is make a part-time you, which can then do some activities you currently do. This frees up your schedule and in a very real way “makes more time” … Read more

In previous articles on productivity, we’ve discussed your environment, your body chemistry, and ways to get into flow. If you’ve read (and understood!) those pieces then you’re ready for the magic pill of productivity. You can take this pill as often as you need to calibrate your performance and productivity until you’re satisfied. But it can only be … Read more

Stress has a negative connotation for many of us. It can stand for anxiety about things that are within our control (a situation at work) or not at all in our control (economic or foreign policy). What we may not realize is that our body is built to deal with stress on a short-term basis: … Read more

So many people, like Tim Ferriss, have experimented with their own bodies over the last two decades (and come back to share results with their audiences) that terms like serotonin and endorphins, far from being the domain of medical students or nutritionists, are now commonly understood in at least a vague way. There are chemicals … Read more

One of the points that Chris Reynolds makes in our course on High Performance Productivity is the idea that “Your environment is stronger than your willpower.” This is, of course, simply a variant on the ubiquitous “You’re are the average of the five people you are closest to.” If you are working in a messy environment, it’s … Read more

Years ago, you would have had to do a bit of explaining to someone if you threw around the word “flow” casually in a conversation. But more and more people have learned about this state of mind that leads to enhanced performance, so the question naturally follows: how do I get there, especially if I’m … Read more

A key book for anyone serious about building a company that will last is Michael Gerber’s foundational E-Myth Revisited. The book shares a number of business lessons through the story of a business owner who goes about setting up her company all wrong and is left frustrated and no longer in love with her business. … Read more

Most people understand that goal setting is important, but they often don’t really know why that is, or even the best way to do it. Goal setting instead becomes a boring ritual in which marginal improvements over the previous period are set, and without real skin in the game, employees can see these goals as … Read more

Feedback. The word itself is neutral. We might necessarily move to qualify it – is it negative feedback or positive feedback? But the word itself remains neutral. But that’s not the problem. The problem is that “feedback” in the workplace isn’t positive enough, and when it’s negative, isn’t given well or for the right reasons. … Read more

When people hear the word “delegation” they often think simply of handing off work, and yes, that’s part of the equation. They might also think about handing off work that is unpleasant or difficult, and yes, that’s part of the equation too. But the best way to think about delegation is through two lenses: improving … Read more

As you grow your company you will expect that people may wish to move on to other companies for other opportunities. But they will be less inclined to do so if they know that they have the opportunity to advance within your organization. This optimism about advancement is natural when you build a culture of … Read more

Team meetings are a necessary evil. They take us away from our work, but if they are run with the right procedures and mindsets, they won’t be dreaded time away from work but rather a valued accelerator to that work. Mindset Your team should realize that the key reason you have team meetings is so … Read more

When you search for help in productivity, you’ll often find tips on creating accountability, making better to-do lists, and managing stress. Those are helpful things to work on (we know, we wrote articles about them!). But what many don’t realize is that there are easy (but not obvious) fixes hidden in plain sight. In this article we’ll discuss … Read more