Abraham Lincoln on Business January 30, 2006
Posted by Tim Raines in: business, management , add a commentBrad Isaac has a great piece based on Abraham Lincoln’s quote, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.“
Like the old carpenter’s rule of thumb, “Measure twice, cut once“, Brad suggests that we spend more time planning. This, of course, when done correctly, results in less time doing. It’s also one of Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People“.
From the article,
As a boy, Abe Lincoln owned a hatchet and skill at using it. I could guess he knew intimately what the difference in outcomes he could expect when he used a dull hatchet when compared with a sharpened one. He knew the dull ax lacked efficiency; it made the work harder and resulted in less consistency in outcomes.
I own a hatchet for cutting stray branches in my yard. When the hatchet is dull, the job is long and tiring. It is even more dangerous because a dull hatchet has a tendency to bounce, resulting in a wild chop that can fling it into your leg. However, when it is sharp, the job can take as little as a few minutes and it’s actually more fun.
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Reading Overload January 17, 2006
Posted by Tim Raines in: business, management , add a commentGot a bunch of books you’d like to read, but just don’t have the time? Can’t keep up with the latest business epistle? Enter Matt Vance. He’s done all the work of reading the books AND taking copious notes. Lucky for us, he’s published them on the web for all of us to enjoy.
Go ahead. Play catch up with titles including:
- 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
- Conversationally Speaking
- Finding Your Passion
- First Break All The Rules
- Getting Things Done
- Hiring Smart
- How to Be a Star at Work
- Making it Happen
- Now Habit
- On Writing Well
- Organizing From The Inside Out
- Power of Full Engagement
- Primal Leadership
- Ready for Anything
- Simplicity Survival Handbook
- What Smart Students Know
Here’s the full list of what’s available.
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