Productivity is how I get things done. If I’m managing other people, I can specify how we get things done together, but I can’t extend that over their entire lives. They have to work that out for themselves.

Spoken like a man who has spent many years managing others.

New managers try to micromanage methods and details. I certainly did, and it made the first couple years painful for everyone. Experienced managers manage results and only consider details or methods when results are not being met.

There is this new web app currently in beta called Flow. Its project management app based on GTD methodologies with an emphasis on delegation. After some spending some time with it, I’ve come to two conclusions:

1. Its a beatifully designed app.
2. I question its long-term viability because it requires teams or companies to unilaterally adopt a complicated productivity system. Read  the rest of Randy’s article to better understand why this is an issue.

I prefer simple tools, like Basecamp, where people have a lot of freedom to integrate their tasks with their own ways of getting things done.

[via Randy Murray - You Are Not Responsible For Other People’s Productivity.]

I don’t really think it’s “cool” to go to a salon or a barbershop and wait for long periods. I don’t think it’s particularly “awesome” to spend $15 minimum to have someone else use a pair of scissors when I’m fully capable of doing it myself. As a fully functional human being, I’m quite capable [...]

Delegate or die: the self-employed trap. | Derek Sivers: Because my team was running the business, I was free to actually improve the business! I moved to California, just to make it clear that the running of things was up to them. I was still working 12-hour days, but now I was spending all my [...]

In response to a particular blog devoted to pointing and laughing at how badly certain applications are designed, Jason Zimdars of 37 Signals wrote up a post entitled “There is no place for just shitting all over other people’s work.” The post created quite a stir on the Interwebs, and deservedly so. Jason sums up the [...]

Systems give you power. This was a hard pill for me to swallow. Luckily I have a great support network around me and my friend and strategic partner Charlie nudged me into overcoming my limiting perspective around this. For the longest time, I’ve viewed systems (established processes in business) as something stifling and cold. I [...]

“For me, the objective has always been: How do you improve per-hour output to the greatest extent possible? And how do you concurrently design the lifestyle that you want to have? Because I do believe that life is intended to be enjoyed. For many people, they love what they do, but they don’t want to [...]

9. Pay someone to do it. This flies in the face of some theories: “Why work an extra week at your job to afford to hire someone to paint your living room? Work less and paint the living room yourself.” Um, no thanks. My theory is this: earn your money doing something you’re passionate about, [...]

Some tasks you just shouldn’t be doing yourself, even if you could do it better and faster yourself. By avoiding delegation you are piling up work for yourself that may not be the best use of your time. As a boss you’re the only person who can do Task A. Yet you’re spending your time [...]

I woke up this morning with a tickle in my throat that has developed into a painful sore throat. This is a familiar beginning of a cold or flu will likely hit me full force tomorrow… Today is the Sunday of my Thanksgiving break and impending sickness must be my punishment for enjoying four peaceful [...]

While I’m on the topic of what makes a successful entrepreneur, I bring you a slide show with the results of an interesting study on the subject, though from a different angle. There are two quotes related to finance that I find interesting. First: Entrepreneurs believe financing is important, but many find ways around relying [...]