Fly a Desk

I’ve blogged a little less this week. Mainly because it’s been busier than normal. However, I believe this level of activity is about to become the new norm. An object in motion will tend to stay in motion …

So one of my to-do items for this weekend is to look for new efficiencies. How can I become more efficient in all that I do? Are there tasks that I can completely eliminate? Are there tasks that I can ask my family members to take over? Are there tasks that I can become more efficient at?

One of my favourite ways to go about this sort of contemplation is to use the 80-20 rule. Generally, 20% of our activities generate 80% of our results. Applying this principle, wouldn’t it be interesting if we could identify the activities, tasks, habits, and time-wasters that lie within the 80% above, and eliminate most of them. What if we spent far more than 20% of our time on activities that generate our maximum results?

I took my eldest son to hockey practice last night. I generally take some reading or work with me. I watch half the time, and work the other half.

Last night I leafed through Denzil Doyle’s Making Technology Happen. I can’t recommend this book highly enough to anyone building a company, regardless of previous experience. The first half of the book deals with how to identify business opportunities within technology, how to do the research and then write a business plan. However, the second half of the book talks all about how to create a company, and instill the proper systems to ensure the best chance of success.

Doyle speaks specifically of systems to get the most out of board meetings, management meetings, board-President interaction, etc. He lays out schedules for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting, and notes the important roles of a strategic plan, a budget and a forecast.

Doyle also notes the importance of learning how to “fly a desk.” This speaks to the efficiencies that I must contemplate this weekend. I feel I’m quite strong in this area, but we can all improve.

Making Technology Happen is required reading for all companies with which I consult. Its simplicity is inspiring.