Lights camera mic action
Welcome to our YouTube studio.
A sneak peak at what’s involved with every tutorial we produce. And with our latest Leadership Development Programme—there’s 100+ lessons to film, edit, and upload.
In this photo, you’ll see our Digital SLR camera linked to computer with HD cable. The camera sits inside the Glide Gear mirrored box, with iPad used as a screen projector via Zoom and Screen Mirroring. Clever stuff.
There’s a Rode boom mic just visible (top centre), with two light boxes mounted on C-stands.
You’ll also see our latest EGSP A3 poster in the background!
Suffice, is satisfactory
‘That’ll suffice’ is one of those phrases we don’t use often enough. It’s another way of saying something is satisfactory, good enough to move on, or acceptable—as minimum.
We know we can do better. And others will know it too. But for now, that’ll suffice is a useful way to prevent perfection paralysis and actually get stuff done. Onwards.
A Collection of Books
Starting a product shoot today—to capture all books we reference in our Leadership Playbook. The final images will then be used in our video tutorials.
Productivity Hack of the Month
Who knew! The solution to cold feet at night is a hot water bottle.
Not only did I nod off much quicker than normal. I woke far fresher and more rested. If only I’d started this evening ritual 6 months ago.
In truth, I’ve been fighting freezing feet for far too long. Not willing to accept the inevitability of old age kicking in. Nor prepared to stop running in cold conditions.
And so, one night when I just couldn’t get to sleep (extra socks and blankets already deployed), I bit the bullet and ordered my first hot water bottle in 25 years!
Such a simple hack. I had the best night’s sleep. And the most productive day since last summer!
Creating a Visual Factory
What colours do you use to measure performance?
Most people use the traditional Red-Amber-Green (RAG). The typical default for project managers, corporate executives and statistical software.
Some prefer to use just two colours. Red and Green.
However, these examples are mediocre at best—they aren’t particularly helpful if you want to make Excellence your mission.
In our Leadership Development Programme, you will find an alternative method that makes it blindingly obvious what to expect, and where you’re going.
The colourful buckets above are just one slide from our online programme. And the little factory represents Lesson 49 — Create a visual factory.
So much more to say on this subject!
Civilised Discussion
How do you best engage with a community?
This is a question I’ve been asking since we launched Twelve Scholars. We’ve tried a few things: podcasts, printed publications, meet-ups, online events and a weekly newsletter. All have been a success at some level. (Who knows where we’d be without the pandemic). And each format will continue in its own way.
But as we launch our Leadership Development Programme, I’m reminded of the benefits of civilised discussion—aka our online learning platform.
We built the bones of our leaning platform last year. And we’re now in the final stages of curating content and uploading video tutorials.
We’re using Discourse to host the learning platform. It’s a powerful app that has reimagined what a modern Internet discussion forum should be today, in a world of ubiquitous smartphones, tablets, Facebook, and Twitter.
Can’t wait to start engaging with our scholar community on Discourse soon.
Focused Blocks of Time
The FBOT is your friend.
It gives you permission to stay focused.
It gives you permission to say “no thanks”.
It gives you permission to reset expectations.
It gives you permission to set limits.
It gives you permission to switch your phone off.
It gives you permission to ignore messages.
It gives you permission to structure your day.
It gives you permission to take breaks—then get back to work.
It gives you permission to break your tasks down.
It gives you permission to celebrate small wins.
It gives you permission to keep things simple.
It gives you permission to get things done.
Stay focused.
Results-Only Work Environment
How do you structure your working day?
The Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE) is a concept I stumbled upon 12+ years ago.
I was contracting for a client. They were obsessed about being busy. And were proud of how much activity they would do.
I on the other hand—was there to do a job. And no matter how busy I was seen to be, I still had to get the work done. And this is where the Results-Only Work Environment came in.
Instead of focusing on activity, you focus on deliverables. You get measured by performance, results or output, not by presence in the office or the hours that you work.
At the time it was revolutionary—for my client. We reevaluated the structure of their working day, and typical week. And became obsessed about achieving results—not activity.
Whenever you find yourself caught in the busyness trap, it’s worth stepping back and questioning what you’re trying to achieve.
EGSP Framework® Posters Available soon
We are printing a limited number of EGSP Framework® A3 posters. Printed on 250gsm silk paper. These bold pictures will help inspire a growth mindset.
The typeface is Helvetica Now Text Extra Bold—offset at 12 degrees!
Find out more from our online store.
EGSP® Is Registered
Good news. We received confirmation today that ‘EGSP’ is now a registered trademark.
EGSP® is central to everything we do at Twelve Scholars. It stands for Excellent, Good, Satisfactory and Poor.
We introduce EGSP in our Journal as a framework for improving performance. EGSP is used throughout our leadership development programme. EGSP is also referenced in our podcasts. We’ve even created an ‘EGSP poster’ using the latest Helvetica typeface.
More importantly, the EGSP Wooden Block® is now better protected. And that’s something to celebrate!
HBR Indulgence
What’s your guilty pleasure?
For the past 18 years, I’ve subscribed to Harvard Business Review (HBR). I haven’t read every copy or every article. But when an edition lands that resonates, then I’ll devour cover to cover.
And the latest edition is a classic—the theme is ‘Busyness’. (Something we could all do paying more attention to).
A few standout articles this month include:
Beware a Culture of Busyness, by Adam Waytz. Top tips: focus on output over activity, build slack into your diary. eliminate low value work.
You Need Two Leadership Gears, by Lindy Greer, Francesca Gino and Robert I. Sutton. Top tip: know when to take change and when to get out of the way!
Gitlab’s CEO on Building One of the World’s Largest All-Remote Companies, by Sid Sijbrandij. Gitlab has published a handbook for how it operates—great reference.
And once you’ve solved your ‘busyness issues’, you’ll have more time to indulge in those guilty pleasures.
Looking forward to the next edition.
Fixing that Leaky Tap
Setbacks occur when a minor problem becomes a bigger problem. Forever on your mind. It’s those seemingly small things that’ll grind you down—drip-by-drip—triggering trauma and testing your resolve.
And so it was. After far too long in my to-do list. I’d arranged for a plumber to fix that leaky tap. And second tap, two toilets and a water inlet pipe. How hard could it be?
Well, if it were simple, I’d have fixed it myself. So this one needed a specialist.
Derek was the third plumber to visit. Number four if you include the one who didn’t show. He worked hard, didn’t leave a mess and was polite at all times. More importantly, he did what he said he was going to do—all without minimal fuss. I’d say the service was good according to our EGSP Framework®.
And so I can sleep again—not being woken by a dripping tap. Or being embarrassed when visitors come to stay. Or constantly thinking of that leaky tap when I should be focused on other things.
The morale of the story? As long as a problem remains a problem, the chances of experiencing setbacks remain. And so the sooner you fix those minor issues, the better for your health and well-being.
A Simple Melody
“What the world needs now is love.”
He inspired a generation of musicians.
Still gigging at Glastonbury at 87 years.
Never ashamed of a simple melody.
And the real star of Austin Powers.
RIP Burt Bacharach, xx
A moment of weakness
All good things come to an end. And this week it was my 3-month abstinence to chocolate.
I could see the early warning signs. All the sweet stuff in the cupboards disappeared. A bumper batch of homemade flapjack. A deluge of syrup on my daily porridge. I’d even devoured next year’s Christmas pudding! It was only a matter of time.
And so a late night visit to my local petrol station. £7.40 on the essentials: Maltesers, Galaxy and Rocky Chocolate Bars. All gone within 24 hours!
I’ll just have to put in a few extra reps at the gym this week, next week, and week after!
A Plumbing Nightmare
This is a tale about a leaky tap—one that should have been fixed months ago. (In all honesty, it should have been fixed 18 months ago.)
Drip-drip-drip. Constantly on the mind.
Drip-drip-drip. Readjust the tap. Drip-nothing-half a drip.
There’s also a second leaky tap to the tale—located downstairs.
Drip-drip-drip. Readjust the tap. Drip-drip-drip-drip. Isolate the tap.
And then we have two toilets—both passing water.
Randomly filling to wake the house—and the Patterdales living next door.
Both toilets get isolated when not in use. And we keep the truce.
You could argue the situation is poor. (It’s certainly a little embarrassing when visitors come to stay.)
And whilst at first, just one leaky tap was deemed satisfactory.
Over time, and with further faults, the plumbing has now crossed the Thick Red Line.
I agree, it is poor. It’s unacceptable.
(Especially, for someone preaching Excellence.)
And so the time has come. To fix that leaky tap.
How hard can it be!
Inspired by Bees
This colourful photo was taken four ago today.
It inspired me then. It inspires me today.
Bees are important to Twelve Scholars.
They represent cross-pollinating ideas and encouraging growth.
Bees are also important to Manchester.
They symbolise the city being a hive of activity and enterprise.
What inspires you?
What symbols or signals do you use for inspiration?
#Values
#WorkerBee
Obsessed by a Swiss Grid
Once you’ve seen and understood, you can’t not see it.
That’s how I best describe my relationship with the grid system.
And you start seeing mediocrity everywhere—even in your own work.
Many apps make it simple to design with a grid system in mind.
Think how the your iPhone (or camera) comes with a helpful 9 box grid.
But then you start to consider margins.
And that’s another whole level yet to be explored.
Groundhog Day
Ever feel like you’re stuck in a Groundhog Day?
You know, that situation where a series of tedious events appear to be recurring in exactly the same way. If we’re not careful, even the most productive of leaders can feel like this.
Here’s a few suggestions designed to break the pattern:
Eat something else for breakfast
Travel a different way to work
Cancel your first meeting—to focus on a higher priority work activity
Delegate 3 items from your to-do list
Only attend 3 meetings (maximum) for a day
Take time out for a walk
Wordle at one o’clock
Take lunch with an old friend or past colleague
Change your soundtrack—listen to a different station
Call a friend you haven’t spoken to for a long time
Do a random good deed—spend 10 minutes picking litter
Switch off the television
What would you add to this list? What works for you?
#ThinkDifferent
#AvoidingSetbacks
#Productivity
Firm Foundations in February
What does February look like to you? If January was all about looking back—whilst planning ahead. Then February has to be all about putting those plans into action. And like all good plans, you need to start with firm foundations. So let’s make February matter.
On A Good Day
What’s does ‘a good day’ look like to you? I’m not talking about an excellent day. Nor a perfect day. Not even a merely satisfactory day. Have you ever thought about it before?
When you start using the EGSP Framework® to define your day, it becomes easy to imagine what ‘good’ looks like. (And deep down, ‘good’ is what we really want).
Here’s five simple steps to help
Start with poor—what would unacceptable look like?
Define satisfactory—what are you prepared to accept as a minimum?
Define good—this is what we’re aiming for—today.
Define excellent—this can wait for another day—hint, it’s not for today!
Maintain focus on achieving good.
Yes, we’d be delighted if we achieved excellent. But let’s focus on avoiding poor, not settling for satisfactory and hitting good. That would be a good start for anyone. (Me included).
Remember, it doesn’t have to be ‘excellent’ to have a good day. Liberating, isn’t it.