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July 31, 2005

Suddenly on a Sunday...

Have a few new and wonderful bonsai wannabe's in our screen house. Great way to take a break from thinking. And just looking and seeing and snipping and seeing and looking and...

Me and the kids today on a break...

Posted by David at 01:43 PM | Comments (5)

July 29, 2005

Lunch with Lew, the AquaJogger guy

Had a lovely lunch today with Lew Thorne, the CEO of AquaJogger. Lew contacted me a while ago - he's an avid GTDer (he had both my books with more underlines and highlights than anyone I think I've ever seen!) His son lives in Ojai and is getting married today, so he happened to be in town and looked me up. Lew's in his 60's, but still runs hurdles (something about those Eugene, Oregon folks...!) The AquaJogger looks like a great device for non-impact training in the water. He's still in ramp mode, looking for a way to leverage the product and brand now that it's proven itself. Delighted to hear how GTD impacted his ability to get it off the ground.

Me and Lew Thorne today

Posted by David at 03:13 PM | Comments (2)

July 27, 2005

TSOYM

TSOYM - an acronym made up and shared with me as his key learning from today by the father of my client, the CEO of a very high-flying new company in St. Louis, today. "Dad," probably in his late '60's, sat in on the workshop I did with his son and staff (refresher of GTD for many of them who had previously received our Workflow Coaching, plus some neat info re: the DiSC personality profile), and as we were leaving a lovely dinner tonight in Clayton, Tom said: "What I got was TSOYM. I can remember shortcuts like that best. It stands for 'Trusted System Outside Your Mind.'"

Out of the mouths of babes... and dads.

Posted by David at 08:21 PM | Comments (3)

July 25, 2005

New family member

Inherited a stray kitty over the weekend. "Nikos" (below, on his comfy spot on my desk) watches now as I crank through my in-basket, which I've been deliciously ignoring but which now has a bit of a scuzz factor now causing me to get with it...

Posted by David at 10:47 AM | Comments (10)

July 23, 2005

The first RoadMap seminar

Last Thursday was an exciting day, with 180 folks in our first GTD | The RoadMap seminar. Kathryn and I, aside from other business duties, have been recuperating for the last couple of days from the intensity of the last couple of weeks, with all the prep for the new format!

Feedback has been wonderfully positive. And it was particularly heartening to have a very sophisticated friend of mine say that he experienced the seminar as really about him, not necessarily about a system (as a good thing). He was referring to the emphasis I'm giving in RoadMap to paying attention to what has your attention, and how to address that constructively.

Still some tweeking to do to get the timing right (it's the best info from more than three days of seminar material and twenty-four years of work!), so it's packed with content. But overall I'm personally delighted. The best thing about it is that it's designed to give both information and inspiration about the value of applying any of the GTD principles, at any time - one doesn't have to commit to some long, detailed, complete implementation process (which is what many people felt after being introduced to GTD in my book or in the seminars).

And for those who DO want to spend more time with the details of a system, we're launching in August what we're calling GTD 1-2-3 as an implementation teleseminar series, available only to participants from RoadMap - three direct sessions with me for those interested in the nitty-gritty of setting up their own systems to apply the material. I think it's going to be an effective combo of the "big picture" and core principles in the seminar with practical systematic applications... more to come about that as we move forward.

Posted by David at 08:47 AM | Comments (7)

July 20, 2005

Gotta share a testimonial...

We get testimonials of all sorts, all the time, but this one last night from a CPA, Brian Scott, was particularly cool...

I just wanted to spend 2 minutes or so telling you how your book, Getting Things Done has helped me already. I began reading the book, and also installing your system. On the day when the desk drawers were emptied (July 13, 2005), I found three vouchers from Delta Airlines totaling $150.00. They were set to expire July 13, 2005. I could not believe the vouchers were found on time instead of late. So I went to Delta ticket counter, and purchased two tickets for myself and wife, and used two free tickets for my daughters. To make a long story short, I got the tickets for our wedding anniversary two months early. I was able to save money, all of our seats are together on both flights, and we are flying at the hours we really wanted. My wife will not have to nag me about where we are going for our anniversary, and I don't have to think about it everyday until it was set up. Your system has already changed my life. I am so excited about the future, it seems like this was one of the missing links. Also, I would have never in the past had the time, nor energy to fire off an e-mail to a writer of a book.

Reminds me of the time several years ago when Kelly Forrister on our staff was coaching someone and they found thousands of $ worth of stock in a drawer they didn't know they had! (Would be great if we could just work for a piece of the action...)

Posted by David at 09:37 AM | Comments (4)

July 19, 2005

Love my new digital camera...

When I saw that Buzz Bruggermann had a more pocket-sized camera than me, I was jealous, especially when he made the observation that he was a lot more likely to take pictures for blogging, etc., if the camera fit in his pocket. Duhhh, of course.

So on a trip to Samy's Camera in Santa Barbara for some other stuff, couldn't help getting hooked into the new Sony Cybershot T1. 5.1 megapixels and it's as big as a stack of about 20 business cards. Does MPEGs too. The photos you've been seeing for the last month or so have been from the Sony.

Our side yard and perennial bed today through my tiny camera

Posted by David at 06:00 PM | Comments (12)

Our RoadMap launch this Thursday in Santa Monica

Very cool - Rachelle has just let me know that over 160 folks have already registered for the upcoming GTD|The RoadMap seminar I'm doing at Loew's in Santa Monica. Should be a really exciting and productive day. We've expanded our space, so there's still room and a little time if you've been undecided - come on in, the water will be fine!

Posted by David at 12:50 PM | Comments (2)

July 18, 2005

Is studying wasted time a waste of time?

There's a Christian Science Monitor article out today - "Busy, not Burdened" addressing the issue from recent studies about unproductive work. A lot of the same-old stuff, but as I was interviewed about it today by Seattle NPR station (available audio on line), when they asked my take on the surveys showing how much wasted time there was, my question is - "so what's new?"

Was there a time in the history of the planet when people wasted less percentage of their time?" Maybe so, but I'll be willing to bet these days the new productive world we live in allows us to be unproductive in things like studying wasted time!

Hey, waste a little time - your thoughts?

Posted by David at 02:59 PM | Comments (5)

I'll be on KUOW - NPR Seattle this afternoon...

The local NPR station - KUOW - 94.9 - in Seattle just called. They're doing a show this afternoon (The Conversation) with a topic of "getting things done," and because of their email blast they send their listeners ahead of time, someone yanked their chain that they should have me on the show. So, for you Seattle-ites who have nothing better to do than listening to the radio at around 1:05pm Pacific time, there I'll be - at least for a few minutes.

Posted by David at 11:37 AM | Comments (1)

July 17, 2005

He's got the whole world...

Kathryn got me the coolest present a couple of weeks ago - a Mova Globe... the one the spins by itself if there's light on it. It's on my desk, provides a wonderful meditative kind of think-horizon when I glance at it. Comes with several bases, but she got the porpoise one, which I love (hard to find that on the web, but here's the link).

Posted by David at 08:08 PM | Comments (2)

July 14, 2005

A fun public radio interview airs this week...

Several months ago I was contacted and interviewed by a lovely guy, David Freudberg, who produces a radio series called "Humankind" which airs on several public radio stations. The interview, which he's titled "Relaxed Focus" was just released and will be airing this weekend and ad hoc for the next little while in various markets. David's email with specifics is below. You can actually hear a 4-minute clip or even purchase the one-hour interview from Human Media.

I often don't know what I really know or think until I hear myself in conversation with interested and positively-focused folks, and this was certainly no exception.

David's info:

This week we are releasing it to public radio stations. Certain major markets air a weekly version of my program “Humankind” and are likely to carry this program this weekend. These include:

KQED 88.5 FM San Francisco simulcast in Sacramento on 89.3 FM (6:30 pm, Sun July 17)
KERA 90.1 FM Dallas (6:00 am, same)
WUMB 91.9 FM Boston (7:00 am, repeated 7:30 pm, second half 11:30 pm, same)
WHYY 90.9 FM Philadelphia (5:30 am, Sat July 16)

Those airing half-hour segments I've asked to run the first segment this week, the second segment next week. (The exception being Boston.)

It will also air this weekend in certain smaller markets.

Most stations, however, air us as occasional specials and will do so over coming months. We’re planning a big push, starting later this month, to encourage stations to run it as a special around Labor Day weekend. The process of disseminating specials to public radio is a gradual one.

Also, it will air this weekend on Sirius Satellite Radio on both the NPR channels:
Channel 106 - NPR Now, 6pm ET
Channel 107 - NPR Talk, 4pm ET

Posted by David at 05:16 PM | Comments (2)

July 12, 2005

Wired press today...

Well, if you haven't seen it, Robert Andrew's short interview/article about me on Wired.com showed up today... He asked some good questions - it was fun at the time to think about how to answer.

Thanks, Merlin and Marc, as usual, for the nice comments.

GTD paperback shot up to #27 on amazon, I just noticed, from it's usual #110-150 level. They also mentioned in my office - "What happened? We're shipping out a lot of books today!" Lots of wired folks still reading Wired, I see...

For those who might be interested (and it might be interesting for some of you to see what cutting it for space limitation does to the nature of the conversation) I've attached the original interview email and my responses, here...

----------------------

I am a reporter researching a story for Wired News about Getting Things Done and I would very much like to interview you by email. May I ask a few questions...

Can you tell me what GTD is all about - not just the book, but the philosophy (seems like it's not just a book but also a way of living and doing).

GTD is both a very specific methodology for managing the inventory of our commitments and "work" (in its most universal sense) and a representation of a life- and work-style that is positive, productive, and sustainable.

What is the story of this book? Where did it come from - what was the
inspiration behind it?

After twenty years of researching, clarifying, and testing for myself and lots of others the best practices for getting things done and getting rid of stress about it, I realized that what I had synthesized and come up with was indeed unique, there was universal growing demand for it, and so far there wasn't a "users manual" for it. So I figured I should write it. In case I got run over by a bus, it might take a while for someone else to come up with it, and the world could use it. Plus, I was interested in spreading the education and leveraging my role in it, and a book would be a great way to do that. I needed to raise the flag a lot higher, and I was curious who would salute.

Why is there a need for this book? Why has it been popular - are we so disorganised?

The most productive and relatively organized people are the ones most attracted to the book. They are the ones who are the most aware of drag on their psyche and in their systems, and the ones who experience the most pleasure and power when that drag is eliminated. I think I uncovered why some things that are common sense make so much sense, and there was a need to understand the deeper principles at work so that the tools and techniques for managing ourselves could be updated to map to the complexity and speed of the worlds many people are experiencing.

I understand the book was first published around three years ago, but has recently reappeared and flourished - what does the sales chart for the book look like; when did it start pointing upward again?

Sales were steady at one level with the hardback, during 2001-2002. Then when it came out in paper (2003) it jumped, grew steadily, and seems to have plateaued at a nice clip over the last year (generally between #100 - 160 on the total amazon list.

To what can we attribute the resurgence in popularity for the book? Perhaps the volume of conversation about GTD on weblogs (like 43folders) has been a significant factor? ie. What has the web done for your book?

I think there are several factors. First, as a veteran in the business publishing world told me when the book was first published this kind of book is likely to take about three years to "cook" in the market. I suppose if it sticks around with popularity past the short attention spans of the buzzword-du-jour type of concepts, it starts to take on a solid, "classic" kind of stature. It might be similar to Getting to Yes, which became something of a mainstay as a business reference for negotiation. Maybe there is a subliminal perception that Getting Things Done is the definitive work in this area - there won't be another one that will outdate it. With so much noise in the time-management/organizing space out there, something that sticks out with universally perceived value by such a wide range of people (as GTD has) probably has in-built momentum. It didn't hurt, either, to have James Fallows do a big and positive piece on me in the Atlantic last year, nor having Forbes list me as one of the top five executive coaches. Also, very practically, the book in paperback made it a lot easier for a boss or manager or entrpreneur to feel comfortable buying twenty copies for their staff; and, if you catch GTD at all, you tend to want everyone around you to "get it" as well. I have no idea what the web specifically has done for the book, though the accessibility of information about it, through our site and lots of referals from other sites, has certainly impacted on its visibility and popularity. When well-read bloggers like Robert Scoble and Buzz Bruggermann and Marc Orchant and Merlin Mann start spreading the word, too, it certainly enhances the viral nature of the buzz.

It certainly seems that the web is abuzz with many new converts to the GTD way. Do you think so?

Seems so. Of course a few visible people may mean there's only a few people. But my guess is that the web is full of all kinds of lurking that one never sees, but which represents the 90% of the iceberg. And when there's as much talk about GTD as you actually see, there's certainly a lot more that I don't. Lots of people refer to having heard about me/us and the book through various kinds of web connections.

Why in particular do you think web users (and, in many cases,
avowed "geeks") have taken to GTD with such aplomb?

Geeks are early adopters and usually at least slightly more ready to try new behaviors and models ('cause that's what geekdom is really about). They also love coherent, closed systems, which GTD represents. I've had some KM experts tell me that I actually created a knowledge management algorithm, from scratch, and that was enthralling to them (especially since I had no idea at the time what "knowledge management" really was!) Because GTD is system-neutral, it also gives geeks a great model for plugging into their own favorite geek-mobile toys, so they create a lot more of what they're purported to do anyway - increase productivity. Additionally there's probably a common denominator between geeks and the ADHD world, which also has significantly bought into GTD - the need for an effective and systematic approach to self-manage highly creative and distractable processing styles.

Perhaps they see in GTD their own desire for organisation? Perhaps it is the condition created by the excessive data that is a hallmark of our modern digital lifestyle that GTD sets out to solve? (What is GTD a cure for? Doing more work better, creating more time for life?)

All the above. Geeks are usually the laziest creatures around, and I am too, and I think they recognize a kindred spirit.

How much of GTD is about computers/technology?

Nothing, really, other than a good model for using the technology most productively. But GTD relates equally to paper or any other medium. Most personal productivity software and hardware is simply about data management and transmission - not really about the thought process required to generate and evaluate and utilize that data.

What kind of software is out there that people are using for GTD? Are there any particular things you would recommend or that you use yourself?

We've seen people use just about anything, because anything that can make reviewable lists works for GTD. Outlook, Lotus Notes, Palm Desktop, Excel spreadsheets, Word tables and outlines, ad inifinitum. Even the new version of Blackberry works now (because 4.0 has categorization capability on the Tasks). I also would include anything used for project thinking, planning and organizing (Access, MS Project, MindManager, etc.), because that's also part of GTD.

Have lives have been changed by GTD and whose? Got any stories?

The anecdotes are way too numerous to cite. We get testimonials daily. Everything from "great tip that's made a world of difference in my workflow" to "totally changed how I think, work, and live."

What about negative stories? Ever heard of anyone who takes it too far, for example?

Never heard any, because GTD by its very nature is about getting things done with the least amount of psychic and physical effort. How can you take that too far? Someone might misinterpret GTD as "getting organized" and sure, all kinds of people "get organized" as a way of avoiding their life and work. A certain kind of ordering and categorization is a critical component, but organizing per se not what GTD is really about.

It's been observed that GTD has become a kind of "cult". It has many devoted followers who are evangelical about he cause, unflinching in their quest for total organisation and regard Getting Things Done as a holy book in that respect. Logically, you would be their leader in this journey. What do you make of this? Why does GTD stir this passion in people; how do you account for the devotion of so many people? Perhaps the need for simplicity and organisation is an innate property in all of us? People bookmark GTD-related links, share them, write software that can make good on the GTD philosophy - there's a level of devotion that has raised the book's prominence and given the philosophy a life of its own; that must please you. So what do you make of your cult? Do you participate with your followers in any way, online?

It's been fascinating to watch the phenomenon. I think anyone who tries something that creates a real experience of heightened awareness, greater clarity, reduced stress, along with real things getting done that happened because of it, is going to "convert" to some degree. Those events are rare for most people, so they'll tend to put it on some sort of pedestal and want to communicate it to everyone else around them. People truly love to feel like they're really helping others, and if there's something that they benefited from that they can easily pass on to someone else, there will be some juice out there being spread around.

It's been said that geeks are searching for a digital Martha Stewart, an online lifestyle guru. Sounds like you're being fingered for this role by many - what do you reckon?

OK with me, but not necessary. To some degree I'd rather just slip away unnoticed (who was that masked man?), because the message is really the process, not the person. But a while ago we discovered that it's easier for people to buy into a personality than a process, so what the heck... if that's what will turn them on to the value, who am I to get in the way out of some false humility? I think my personal proclivity for the sort of zen wink approach to things while still being highly effective is a needed message, style, and energy that people are hungry for these days. But my favorite gurus are the ones who are least concerned with being a guru, and I aspire to that for myself as well. The myth is usually better than the reality anyway, and even if I don't hold up to my own image, don't shoot the messenger.

What's next for GTD? I read that you are trying to trademark "GTD" - what's that all about? Any other products coming out on the back of the book's success? Perhaps a full product line, a la Atkins Diet?

Several things. Indeed, we're launching a line of cool gear in 2006, mostly low-tech, for which we're partnering with Levenger for some of it. I'm creating a membership model for the fall of 2005 - GTD|Connect - to give people who want more touch-points with me on a consistent basis to be able to stay the course toward what we call "black belt." The best and brightest get it, and get that they don't yet get it, and they've been asking for a more on-going way to participate and play. I've redesigned a public one-day seminar (GTD|The RoadMap) which will be a high-level overview and application of the whole GTD model, giving people an effective framework for self-coaching at any time, place, and situation (check web for cities and dates). We're also moving fast to meet the demand now for educational tools and formats for installing, spreading, and supporting the GTD thought process throughout whole organizational cultures.

Are there any core rules, processes or practises required if one is to live by the way of GTD?

Pay appropriate attention to what has your attention. If you don't, it will take more attention than it deserves. If you do, you're get more things done with minimal effort and maximum success.

I'm interested in running a separate piece on the doctrines you
have to abide by in order to simplify your life. What are the key
workflows/procedures?

Capture everything that has your attention. Decide what your commitment is, and what you need to do to move forward on it. Organize the results, mapping things to what they mean to you. Engage with the system regularly to keep it current and maintain trust in what you're doing, when.

Many thanks for your time; I look forward to your reply, which I would need to receive by this weekend.

Regards

--
Robert Andrews
Contributor, Wired News

Posted by David at 02:37 PM | Comments (3)

July 10, 2005

Sunday garden moment

Still recuperating from my surgery, working in my home office, fine-tuning the new seminar, and a brief break walking the garden... Lovely to see daisies out now, in our perennial bed, as well as day lilies.

A garden moment...

Posted by David at 03:39 PM | Comments (2)

July 08, 2005

Is health care changing?

Had outpatient surgery yesterday at Community Memorial Hospital of Ventura, and it was a neat experience. Not the surgery, of course (I'm fine, BTW, just an inguinal hernia repair). But it's one of the few times in a large healthcare facility I actualy felt like a customer, not just meat in a cattle herd. Everything was on time, not rushed, though highly efficient. Each of the dozen people I interacted with was attentive and filled me in on what they were doing, and going to be doing. I found their CYA stuff pretty interesting, though - not only did I have to answer four different times to four different people who I was, what I was there for, who my doctor was, etc., I also had to initial on my own skin which side of my stomach the hernia was on. Boy, that's not taking any chances on them cutting the wrong part of the wrong person!

Anyway, compared to many other hospital events over the years, for myself and others, it was refreshing to experience healthcare as a real business, in the most positive light. Like I was actually paying their salaries and keeping them in business or something.

I had an interesting window into healthcare as it was beginning to rock and roll with changes and regulations coming down the pike, in the late 1980's. At one time I had as clients in Boston: Mass General, Mass Eye & Ear, Salem Hospital, New England Medical Center, Beth Israel, and Harvard Community Health Plan (I was something of a cult figure in that world way back then!) In the early days, patients were given all kinds of attention, because insurance companies just paid out the wazoo for as long as people wanted to stick around. Then the crunch happened because healthcare couldn't get it together as an industry to control costs in time, and Big Brother had to step in. Then it became get-'m-in-and-out as fast as possible, because we're getting paid for the outcome, not the time. Now, who knows, good ole capitalism might have created another spin - how do we attract and maintain loyal customers?

Posted by David at 11:29 AM | Comments (14)

July 06, 2005

Relieving an itch or creative closure?

Read an interesting couple of pages sent to me by a GTDer in our network from Leon Salzman's Treatment of the Obsessive Personality about obsessive researchers vs those who seek information out of their love of the topic. The former collects and catalogs data to try to unsuccessfully relieve an eternal itch to reach perfection, which is never achieved. The latter "is motivated more by the pleasure in his adventures than by the decrease in anxiety."

Interesting similarity with the juxtaposition of getting organized from a compulsive (and unproductive) framework vs. creating structure for the freedom it produces.

[Thanks to a friend in our network, Bob Beverley (Associate Director of the Northeast Counseling Center of Pleasantville, NY), who has sent me some great stuff - "superb articles or gems hidden in long books," his self-described (and accurate so far) contributions to my reading.]

Posted by David at 08:49 PM | Comments (2)

July 04, 2005

Say what you mean

Great coffee table (or bathroom) browsing book I got recently from A Common Reader catalog - Say What You Mean: A Troubeshooter's Guide to English Style & Usage.

I never like that slightly nagging feeling I get when I'm using certain words in a certain way, and I'm not really sure if it's the appropriate or precise way they should be used. Not that I'm aiming for perfection, but this book is a fun way to keep improving in that direction.

For instance,

Geriatric This adjective means "pertaining to the illnesses or other difficulties of elderly people." It does not mean "elderly" or "senile," and you should not use it so.

and many more of the like...

Posted by David at 10:22 AM | Comments (7)

July 02, 2005

Leaning toward workplace learning

Spent the day working, mapping more of our own plans to meet the growing demand from larger organizations from us about how to embed GTD further into their cultures. Kathryn, Anne Gennett, Brandon Hall (now our Acting Director of Workplace Learning), and our friend Steve (head of training for a biotech company, and a great "friend of the court" for us in this regard) pow-wowed in our living room in Ojai. We progressed our thinking and got clearer about the kinds of products most needed to support organizational rollouts, and our own roadmap to make them available. Training and development within larger organizations remains one of the best places on the planet for adult education, and we still feel pulled to take advantage of that to spread GTD.

Me, Steve, Brandon, Kathryn doing the holiday work thing...

Posted by David at 06:43 PM | Comments (5)