Assumed execution

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I’ve shared a few times how the trust I have for my team can make my life so much easier. Specifically, if I email any of them with a task or question, I can just let it go and be confident that it will be taken care of (or that they’ll respond with follow-up questions, if needed). I don’t need tasks to check back in with them, which saves time and effort and is just awesome.

In Juliet Funt’s book “A Minute to Think“, she calls this idea “assumed execution”. She says:

If we worked in an environment of “assumed execution,” we’d need none of these. How much lighter our inboxes would be if we made an explicit pact with our email community to assume every email was delivered, read, and thoughtfully attended to. Let’s assume an even broader gesture of trust. Let’s say on the rare occasion when the ball got dropped, we’d reliably find out about it sooner or later and the price paid would be lower than we fear. If we could make this leap, we’d all reclaim hundreds of annual hours in needless reading and deleting. (However, many bosses enjoy and expect this kind of loop-closing, so get permission before altering this behavior.)

Of course, if I’m assuming execution on the part of others, I need to make sure to be reliable on my end as well. For me, the main key to that is inbox zero. While that applies primarily to email, I think all other inboxes count as well: text messages, LinkedIn messages, Slack messages, etc. Limiting your inboxes can help a lot, but for any that are available you’re responsible for being reliable. If not, the other party will lose trust in your ability to execute, and that’s a slippery slope.

Assumed execution isn’t an easy place to get to, but it’s a great place to be.

2D versus 3D content in meetings

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One eye-opening insight from Juliet Funt’s book “A Minute to Think” was her concept of 2D versus 3D content when it comes to communication. More specifically, she shared the problems that arise when we mix the two up and use the wrong form of communication for the type of content that we need to share or discuss. From the book:

“2D content is usually simple, yes/no, or fact driven. 2D modes of communication can include texts, emails, printouts, online chats, and so on. Reports and presentation decks are also 2D. Conversely, 3D content has nuance, emotion, or the opportunity for creative thinking. In 3D communication we exchange critical cues through our tone, pace, and gestures. We discuss ideas, ask complex questions, and connect interpersonally. 3D modes of communication require a live element—a phone call, meeting, video chat, or face-to-face conversation. Shared voice memos and recorded video exchanges can sometimes blur these lines, but the 2D vs. 3D distinction should guide you most of the time.”

The problems arise when you share 2D content in a meeting or you try to share 3D content via email. The results are easy to see coming:

“Share 3D content in a 2D medium and you compromise richness. Share 2D content in a 3D medium and you waste time. Your goal is to match the message with the medium.”

Finally, there is the challenge of mixed content. What if the discussion requires a bit of 2D and a bit of 3D? You could put it all in the meeting, but if you can push the 2D content to the edges it can be a win for everyone. Lastly, from Juliet again:

“2D vs. 3D awareness can reduce attendance on both sides of the meeting process. Collecting 2D information before a meeting can remove someone who would have only been invited to rattle off facts or data. On the flip side, publishing 2D open-source notes after the meeting helps us realize we have two choices in our communications: invite or inform. The availability of open-source notes also greatly relaxes the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) of those not chosen to attend, or maybe even changes it to our kind of FOMO (Finally Obtaining More Oxygen).”

I love her new definition of FOMO. The book talks a lot about our need for more white space in our lives (or “Oxygen”, in this case), and this new way of looking at meetings can be a helpful way to win back just a bit more of it.

Using Sectograph to visualize my day

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A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this article by Anthony Spadafora on Tom’s Guide, where he explained how he’s using a smart display alongside his main desktop computer. That led me down a trail of various similar ideas, and I ended up using my Pixel Tablet in a similar way. Here is a quick shot of how it looks with my setup:

Here is a closer look at the tablet itself:

I’ve added a few widgets in there to help with day-to-day, including Ring (to quickly view the front door camera), Google Home (for controlling lights and temp) and ChatGPT. The main piece of this, on the right side of the screen, is a new app I found called Sectograph. It’s little confusing, but seems to be quite brilliant. Here is a quick video I just made that shows how it works:

It’s a new setup for me, so it remains to be seen whether or not I stick with it. I really like it for now, so I suspect I’ll keep it going and make little tweaks to improve things over time.

Do you have a smart device of some kind that you use alongside your computer? I’m curious to hear how you use it and what tips you have to share, so leave a comment and let us know.

The Yellow List

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I’ve mentioned before that we use the EOS / Traction model in our agency, and it’s been awesome. There are a lot of great pieces that we’ve implemented from it, but one of my favorites is the concept of the “IDS List” (Identify, Discuss, Solve). In short, it’s a place to leave ideas until a future meeting to avoid interrupting each other constantly as new things pop up.

In reading “A Minute to Think“, author Juliet Funt described the exact same system (with the exact same benefits) but under a different name:

The Yellow List is your solution. It’s a document where you “park” items that you need to discuss later. The name came from the notes icon on the iPhone, where it was born, but also holds the implied meaning as the color of deceleration between Go and Stop. With a robust use of this tool, you can strengthen your impulse control, moderate urgency, and dramatically cut down on unnecessary communication. Technologically agnostic, the Yellow List is used to collect all non– time sensitive questions, ideas, and issues for anyone you connect with frequently. You can keep one list per person or a master list separated by first names. Instead of letting any old thought plop out as it enters your brain, you use the tool to consolidate communications that can wait.

It’s been one of the best things we’ve added to our company in the last decade. It allows us to come up with as many new ideas as we can, know that they’ll be heard, but they won’t be distractions throughout the day.

Whether you call it an “IDS List”, a “Yellow List” or something else entirely, it’s a fantastic simple little tool for your team that can have a huge impact.

Throw a jacket on your calendar

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Something I’ve tried to do over the years, with marginal success, is to schedule more white space on my calendar. It seems somewhat counter-intuitive (isn’t “white space” the opposite of “scheduling”?), but it’s often the only way to make it happen.

In recently reading Juliet Funt’s book “A Minute to Think“, she had a great comparison to throwing a jacket over a seat to save it. She shares:

“If your calendar is out of control as a result of this ill-conceived protocol, and you have insufficient white space to do your best work, try throwing a jacket on it. Like when you go to the movies alone and wouldn’t mind a little room around you. One often throws a jacket on the next seat. It’s a purposeful-accidental way of staking the territory. If someone asks, “Is this seat available?” of course you move the jacket. But until then, the jacket serves you, increasing your likelihood of comfort in a crowded world.”

The follow-up question that came to mind, and Funt has clearly seen before, is explained here:

“The question in the business world is “What’s the jacket?” If everyone knew and respected the term “white space” already, white space would be the jacket, confidently blocked in bare squares and slices across your happy, relaxed calendar. But until then, you’ll have to find more subtle ways of throwing down a jacket. You can put “strategy time,” “planning time,” “thinking time,” or “creative time”—all of which signal value and boundaries concurrently.”

My calendar is getting more and more “full” with these kinds of things, and it’s quite helpful. As she shared in the first quote, the time can still be used for other purposes if needed, but you’ve given control back to yourself. If someone tries to schedule on my Calendly link, those times will be blocked for me. However, if my team needs me or something more urgent comes up, I can certainly remove the jacket and try to reclaim the white space next time.

Do put any jackets on your calendar? What do you call them?

Multitaskers are the worst at multitasking

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A lot of what I write on here is about me, and this post is a great example of that. While I know that true multitasking is a myth, it’s still something I sometimes spend too much time trying to streamline. In his book “Lost and Founder“, Rand Fishkin shares this:

David Strayer, professor at the University of Utah and coauthor of “Who Multi-Tasks and Why?,” puts it nicely: The people who multitask the most tend to be impulsive, sensation-seeking, overconfident of their multitasking abilities, and they tend to be less capable of multitasking.

The last line is the one that shocked me — those that multitask the most are the ones that are the worst at it. I’m not sure why that is, but I suspect it’s overconfidence. Those that multitask less often are likely to only do it in a short-term, focused way, but those that do it a lot just try to multitask with everything that they do and it doesn’t go well. If you have a different thought on that, please share in the comments.

Super dumb laptops

This came to the surface for me because of some recent conversations I’ve been having with Robert. He’s written a handful of excellent books (I encourage you to check out “The Story Cycle“) and his approach to focus is awesome.

Recently he’s been playing with some simple word processing computers to help him write. By using a device like the AlphaSmart 3000 (below), he’s able to write with literally zero distractions.

He can write for a while, and then pull the text onto his computer later for editing. While he’s writing, literally nothing will get in his way on that device. It’s similar to why I love the Kindle Scribe; an iPad has similar features, but distractions are a key feature on the iPad while the Scribe (and AlphaSmart) helps to keep things focused. You can’t multitask on those devices even if you wanted to.

I still try to attempt multitasking more than I should, but I’m slowly inching away from it and things are always improving as a result of that.

Your calendar must be telling the truth

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I’m a stickler for my calendar. If I’m on a call and someone asks if I’m available next Thursday, I want the calendar to be able to tell me exactly how that day is looking. Problems arise when I fail to put something on there (“No worries, I’ll just remember that”) and then lose track of it in the heat of the moment.

I often will even tweak the calendar throughout the day to reflect what really happened in case I need to go back to it later, though my primary historical calendar generally lives via an interstitial journal in Obsidian (a running list of what happened as the day goes on).

In a recent episode of “The Long and The Short Of It”, host Jen Waldman shared a simple rule for her calendar:

“The way I think about my calendar is that it is a tool that has to always be telling me the truth. So if it exists on the calendar, it actually exists. And if it doesn’t exist on the calendar, it doesn’t exist.”

I love the way she put that. I work hard to keep my calendar accurate and I spend time each Friday making sure that the next week is ready to go. Knowing that my calendar is always “telling me the truth” makes things much easier when the day gets hectic and I need quick, accurate answers.

Everything is on there

Similar to my thoughts on adding people to my contact list, everything goes on my calendar. Rather than thinking “should I add this small thing on there?“, I just do it. If everything is on there, the calendar will always be telling me the truth, and the value of it rises exponentially.

It must be telling me the truth, and it almost always does.

Is the meta work worth it?

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One of the big challenges of productivity is determining what meta work (the work around your work) is worth your time. For me, a big one is playing with productivity tools; while I might find some gains in new tools, I also tend to spend a lot of time tinkering with them. I internally consider this a mild form of entertainment as a way to justify it, but it’s likely not worth the time I put in.

Two other big ones stand out, and I have opposing stances on them.

Time tracking

With many creative agencies, the question of “time tracking or not” is a big one. For us, we’re going with “not”. The data gleaned from time tracking can be fantastic, but the effort of tracking that time can be a killer.

That said, I have two exceptions:

  1. Occasionally we’ll track time on a specific project just to make sure that we’re in the range that we expect. The challenge is that if we’re not in the habit of tracking, much of the time can slip through.
  2. I’ll sometimes track my time for a few days, like I shared in this example. It can be helpful to see where my time really goes.

Overall, though, I consider time tracking to be meta work that isn’t worth the effort.

Notes

This post came to mind when I saw this list of “The Top 20 Business Books” as compiled by Jason and Julie at Blumer CPAs. My initial thought was to add it to Obsidian to have as a reference for future books to read. Most of the books were already in my system (some read, some not), but there were a few new ones. All told, I spent about 15 minutes going through and adding the new ones and then marking them up with a bit more data for future sorting (author name, book length, tagline, etc).

This was a bit of meta work that may or may not be worth the effort.

As a general rule, I add every book that I come across into Obsidian, as I find increasing value in that over time. In the case of lists like this, it gives me another data point on most of those books (yet another reason to read them or not), as well as giving me a few more books in the list. I could be more discerning, but it’s easier just to add them all instead of thinking “well, should I add this one, or maybe not, or I guess I should…“, similar to how I handle my contact list.

This is meta work that most people choose not to do, but I find it valuable over time. Months from now when I’m looking for a book to read, these are in my system along with the note of why it’s in there (“From the list that Jason and Julie published”). I find that valuable, but you may find it to be too time-consuming to do that.

We both may be right.

When it comes to this kind of stuff, there is no perfect answer. I know other agencies that track their time and do a fantastic job of it, and I know people that read far more than I do without an elaborate note-taking system. There’s no one answer, but it’s always wise to be considering whether the meta work is worth your time, or if you should skip it and just get down to the real work instead.

What keyboard do you use on your phone?

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When asked “what keyboard do you use on your phone?”, I’m guessing the answer that most people give is “the one it came with”, but you may be surprised to learn that there are ton of different keyboards that you can use on your phone/tablet.

I’ve talked about great desktop keyboards before, as well as tools like text expanders to help with efficiency, but digging into your mobile keyboard options can be good as well.

I’ve used Google’s “GBoard” for years, but as I slow try to de-Google my life I’ve taken another look at the options out there. Ultimately, I’ve settled for SwiftKey for now, which is a fantastic keyboard. It’s owned by Microsoft, so I’m still more connected to big tech than I’d like, but it’s a solid option. It works on Android and iOS, so I can have it on all of my mobile devices so that they can sync patterns and custom words to help make it better over time.

At the end of the day it’s not a huge difference, but it’s something to look into. Plus, if you move between platforms at all (I use an Android phone, but also an iPad), having the consistent keyboard in there is a nice thing to have.

You can find more about SwiftKey here, and I encourage you to look at all of the various keyboard options that are out there.

What keyboard do you use on mobile?

Your mind never wanders

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Depending on what I’m doing at any given time, my mind can wander off a bit. As Kevin Horsley explains in “Unlimited Memory“, though, it never really wanders. As he says:

Your mind never wanders; it moves toward more interesting things.

That’s both enlightening but also frustrating. There are times when it’s fine for my mind to wander, such as in the shower or when I’m exercising, but it becomes frustrating when it wanders while I’m trying to stay focused.

The most common time I see this is while I’m reading, and Horsley’s quote has me thinking about that a good. If my mind wanders while I’m reading a book, perhaps that says more about the book than it does about my mind. If my mind is wandering, it means that it’s not finding the book to be adequately interesting.

Something I’ve been working on is the ability to stop reading a book if it’s not as beneficial as I expected it would be. I was pretty good about that a few years ago, but recently I’ve again been forcing myself to finish any book that I start.

The next time I’m reading and I start wandering, I may consider “why?” for a bit before I go back to the previous page and catch up again.