The ancient Romans had a genius for organizing. The Roman Army was one example. It was not only a powerful and effective military force but its organization is still with us in most of our companies. And the Romans found elegant ways to solve little everyday problems. Here’s one example. The Army allotted a  »  Read More

If you squander your attention remembering when to do routine tasks or re-inventing the way you do them every time, stop it. Make routine things routine. Use follow-up files and digital reminders to bring routine tasks and events to your attention. Make a list of what you must do every day, week, month, quarter, or year  »  Read More

For a time, early in my career, it seemed like what I was best at was getting fired. I got fired a couple of times before I realized that I was the problem. I was internalizing that when I got fired again. This time, I’d been on the job for around four years. The organization was a hot mess when I showed up. I dug in  »  Read More

In the early 19th Century, Carl von Clausewitz described war this way. “Everything is simple, but the simplest thing is difficult.” He could have been describing the world of today’s manager. The conventional wisdom is that you should “plan your work and work your plan” and you may show up  »  Read More