Nicholas Bate

How to Think Like: A British Bobby, on a rare foot patrol.

1. Right. Helmet; firmly on head.
2. Hands; clasped behind back.
3. Morning Sir. Morning Madam.
4. This is nice. I should do this more often.
5. Nearest ATM, sir? Head straight down here, take the next right, and there's a NatWest on the corner.
6. My pleasure. Have a nice day!
7. Hmm. Five more minutes and then I'll head back and finish that report.

Thanks to Jake a member of the UK's Special Constabulary.

Being distinct...

..doesn't mean do something different, necessarily. That can actually make it worse as you leave your field of passion, of talent. No: decide to be better. Decide to be in the top 10% of your chosen field, whatever your field is: your team, the company, the world. Carpentry, policing, parenting. Decide to be in the top 10%.

It's actually not that hard to be really, really good. You need to:
1.Decide to be so
2.Stop worrying about what others think.
3.Take action.

Today would be a very good day to take a first action.

Classy quotes

One thing it's always good to avoid in your presentation is people reading ahead-getting to your point before you have explained it. A quote in Latin always helps. Here are three which are very handy:
Mea Culpa: I got it wrong. It's my fault. I screwed up.
Tempus Fugit: time flies. There's a window of opportunity. Let's get on with it.
Carpe Diem: sieze the day. What's stopping us? Only us!

Yep-add a bit of class to your next set of slides. Use a nice Times font, of course.

The Ten Magazine Commandments

A new blog and some clear thinking on design.

Productivity 1

Whatever system you create to help you with your efficiency (getting things done) and your effectiveness (getting the right things done), a recurring event feature is invaluable. This can be software driven or simply a forward note in the diary. It is of course most often used for stuff such as the regular team meeting (every Monday at 0915), the quarterly review. The squash match etc. But its real power I believe is bringing something to your attention, just when it was slipping away and hence is great for personal change.

Thus: working on your writing? And deciding to do it three evenings and 1 morning per week? Then set those sessions as recurring events. Coaching one of your sales team? Set it as a recurring event. And here's what can be neat, especially if you have a software driven system: to set up a reminder at an odd interval e.g. every 11 days. It breaks the pattern which we humans so easily slip into. Just when we'd forgotten/got complacent-it pops up: how's the sales forecast?

Set up one or two recurring events in some areas for development.

On Productivity 2

1. Steve Clayton reminds us to just say off.
2. Productivity system falling apart? Go right back to basics with a great system based on 3 by 5 cards.
3. Top artist Tim Baynes reminds us international travel is not all exotic and the dangers of too much efficiency.
4. And GrowingLife on productivity gone mad.

Monday Magic

1. Fresh start.
2. Clear plan.
3. New energy.
4. Extra passion.
5. Let's go!

Why you may not get the business

1. Your response to the proposal was sent a little late. And just by ordinary post.
2. The layout was unclear and some questions were not really answered.
3. It's hard to see why you are more expensive.
4. It takes longer than 5 seconds to find the number to ring you on with queries.
5. It seems like a standard response. That's because it is.

The good news is that all of those issues can be sorted next time. Kaizen: constant , never-ending improvement.

25 E-mail Tips. Day 4: 16-20

To restore e-mail to an ally rather than a curse.

Tip 16: use the subject line carefully to help the reader identify content and priority
Tip 17: keep names on 'to' and 'copy' list to a minimum
Tip 18: pre-handle questions in mail to reduce the chance of a further 'questions' mail to you
Tip 19: set an ever diminishing goal for the amount of e-mail which is acceptable to you to recieve
Tip 20: think carefully about continuing a thread: a new mail is often easier and cleaner to understand.

Travel Light This week

As you plan to travel this week, lay it all out on the floor, then ruthlessly decide that most of it you can do without. Same with the mental baggage. Get a sheet of paper and pen. Write it all out. Go on: all of it. Now ruthlessly remind yourself that most of it is history and you can do without it. Ditch it.

Yep. Physical. Mental. Travel light this week.