Forty hour: work weak

*sigh*

The idea that anyone needs to work forty hours a week to successfully fulfill the demand for their position is a lie.

I don’t care the position: if you are working forty hours or more a week, then you are working too long. Learn to delegate, learn to accept failure and move-on. Or, perhaps you are too incompetent to get your job done in less time. McDonald’s is always hiring.

If there is one thing I have learned from business, it is that you need to fail to succeed. If you do not or cannot accept failure, you will never enjoy success. Relish the growth that you will gain from your first loss, your first lay-down, your first failure.

The beauty of being human is that you can utilize the most comprehensive, capable, and understanding of tools ever invented – other humans!

Even if your job does not have the title of “Manager” in it, you can still manage others. Place the burden of complexity upon those who say the solution lies among the simple.

Manage yourself.

Manage the manager.

How is this done? Through communication. Clarify, do not stupify. Know your job and know your task. The majority of time wasted is in second-guessing, revisioning, and faulty preempting. Speak and write succinctly, clearly, and specifically.

If you are clear with your communication and clear with your role, then there should only be productivity prior delivery.

If you are not the best person for the job, find who is. You are hired to do a job. Make that clear with yourself.

You are hired to produce, to serve, to sell, or to manage. Do your job well, and improve on it. Stop the second-guessing and second-solving. You should not have a problem figuring out the problem that you are assigned. Stop!

You are all managers. The profitable question is, how many do you/can you manage?

The lie of communication

More communication is not better communication.

“Thank you” emails are the David that slew your Goliath of productivity. Stop them immediately. People hate to receive them and people hate to send them.

Be specific, be actionable, make lists, take notes, and repeat your understanding of the task.

If you truly understand the task, and you are capable of delivering on the job, then there should be absolutely no brick walls between yourself and the delivery of the job.

If you misunderstood, miscommunicated, or misgauged your capabilities, then one of two roads must be taken:

1. Re-clarify the task.

   Find out where there was a miscommunication. Do not waste time with the fact that there was a miscommunication, and rant and rave about it. People make mistakes. Just fix it, produce, deliver, and everyone will be happier for the resolution.

2. Accept failure.

   If you are unable to continue due to a lack of ability, then accept it and move on. Work is about application, and if you are unable to apply your abilities on-the-job, then you are unable to fulfill the job requirements. Hand in your resumé and get a job that you can complete.

(my 20 cents)