1.26.2006

You Say it's My Birthday?

Yesterday was my 26th birthday. To quote my father-in-law.

'If you keep having them at this pace you will have to change the name your Blog to Thirty Something before you know it.'

Man, it was a great day. I had to work late but what's new?

The day before my parents took Kristie and me to P.F. Chang's (doesn't get much better than that).

Check this out...on top of the sweet new PC speakers my wife got me and my new wireless keyboard and mouse for the office my parents got me, the in-laws and my parents got me every book I had put on a wish list!!!

How awesome is that?

Here's what I have on the ole' bookshelf now:

Tim Sanders - The Likeability Factor : How to Boost Your L-Factor and Achieve Your Life's Dreams

Steven D. Levitt - Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Tom Peters - Leadership (Tom Peters Essentials)

Tom Peters - Talent (Tom Peters Essentials)

Jim Collins - Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

Malcolm Gladwell - The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

James Cramer - Jim Cramer's Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World

Suze Orman - The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke

Donald Miller - Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

C.S. Lewis - The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics

1.21.2006

My New Question...

Why?

Would you like fries with that?


How may I help you?


All of these are great questions that I have used throughout my life. Well, I have a new one, and it makes sense.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

This stems from a saying we had in the hospital pharmacy where I use to work. You would constantly have people (nurses) asking you to do something. In this fast paced environment, we constantly focused on volume (get it done). The only problem was about 75% of the time they would not fill in all of the parameters. That would always lead to a bunch of 'back and forth' until the issue was resolved. BBG (my boss) quickly came up with a saying:

'Give them what they need, not what they ask for!'


By asking, 'What are you trying to accomplish,' I feel that we could have resolved many issues faster. This would lead to happy nurses, happy patients, and quicker resolutions. All of this would increase customer satisfaction.

The next time you are asked to do something, think is through, how much time could you save in the end by asking this question.

1.13.2006

VOTD: Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..."

Own Your Schedule

Do you own your schedule? Or does it own you? Just something to think about. The past 2 months have been pretty intense for this 20-something (1/25 will start my 26th year of life). Right now my schedule owns me.
  • I need to do better at my quiet times
  • I need to be more 'on purpose' with the time I spend with Kristie
  • I need to manage my workflow process better
  • I need to get better about leaving work 'on-time'
  • I need to blog again (it's nice to vent to the world)
We all need to remember it should be:
  1. God
  2. Family
  3. Work
Especially when the going gets tough.