For years, I have used a 1 page Mind Map as a summary of all of the activities that have my attention at any given time.
There’s something uniquely appealing, isn’t there, about being able to grab a single sheet of paper and know we won’t get off track if we just pay attention to what’s on it?
It is absolutely the solution the keep from feeling buried all the time and to maximize your Personal Productivity.
Even in our busiest times, most of us can focus on one piece of paper to make sure we don’t overlook something important, can’t we?
So, I created a video and a mind map template for you, what I call an Executive Dashboard,
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I’ve been traveling more than ever lately, and wanted to share with you several products that really make a difference in how I use my iPad, in different environments, to consume the wide range of materials I read and watch. Keep reading for some other ideas, too.
Twelve South HoverBar | © 2013 Twelve South LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The HoverBar from Twelve South is a simple device that attaches to a computer stand, e.g., to the base of an iMac … or to a different workstation … or to a tabletop, kitchen counter, bookshelf or another surface. It uses a padded clamp that is adjustable up to 1″ wide, and can be purchased for any iPad model.
My wife makes fun of mine, suggesting that it looks like a table in a senior citizen center, but it’s a very convenient, hands-free way to suspend your iPad for easy reading on a table that you can bring up to your favorite chair or sofa.
It works great for me and I wouldn’t be without it … honey!
Another Twelve South product that I always carry but has been displaced with the HoverBar at home, is still an irreplaceable travel companion.
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Delegation isn’t just a handoff so you can walk away and do something else. It is a critical leadership skill that you must master if you want to expand your reach, take control of your time and achieve the work-life harmony you’re seeking.
Learn the 8 Principles of Effective Delegation.
How often have you wondered why a project went wrong, or why someone never finished the task you were counting on them to finish?
How many times have you complained about projects that you’re managing … missing their deadlines, going over budget (not under budget very often, huh?) and not getting done as you expected?
How did you feel when you were called on the carpet by YOUR boss wanting to know why the project you’re handling is stalled?
When we’ve delegated some or all of a project to someone else, we’re embarrassed … and probably a little teed off … but we’re also too often thinking about the wrong things like …, “damn that John, he just can’t be counted on” … or, “she doesn’t get it” … or something like, “they can’t ever seem to follow through” as we tick off all the reasons why the people on our team have let us down.
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Most of my clients and colleagues are hauling around an iPad just as I am … and when we’re meeting together, iPads at the ready, someone always asks, “Have you ever used a keyboard with your iPad?”
Belkin Keypad for iPad | © 2013 Belkin International,Inc
If you’re one of the 100 million+ users of the iPad, you’ve probably struggled with typing on its sleek glass face and wondered the same thing.
I just returned from the Social Media Marketing World event in San Diego. When I attend conferences, meetings or other events like that where it’s inconvenient to carry around my briefcase all day … that’s when I think of this option yet one more time.
Without the keyboard, I’m usually typing on the glass surface (unless I’m taking handwritten notes on my iPad, an option we’ll discuss another time).
If I’m in the right mood, I find some real value in the more demanding process that typing on the iPad requires … because it slows you down and makes each idea a little crisper … each word a little more thoughtful … so sometimes, it’s worth the time … but …
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For several years, I have visited the Smashing Magazine website every month to download their latest wallpaper images. I download the calendar versions if only to freshen up the look of my desktops.
The library is free and features designs from artists across the world. There are some terrific artists and graphic designers featured each month, with a wide variety of designs and motifs ranging from the earth’s beauty to whimsical and wise quotations and ideas.
You can download versions with a calendar or without a calendar, but I find that the calendars come in handy. Click on the Read this complete article button to get a simple set of instructions about how to do this in just a few minutes each month.
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When I bought the iPhone 4, I soon bought the Mophie Juice Pack, in a bold bright yellow so I couldn’t lose it, and carried it with me all the time. Of course, when the iPhone 5 came out, that version didn’t fit so I gave it to my niece.
Juice Pack Helium for the iPhone 5 | © 2013 mophie inc.
Finally, though, I received my Mophie Juice Pack Helium for the iPhone 5 and it’s pretty sweet. (Note: This is NOT an affiliate link and is only provided to share some information that you might find useful.)
If you’re on the road … particularly at a conference or meeting where you don’t have all of your tools and toys with you … this is an ideal companion.
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Experienced leaders know that they are standing in the Spotlight of Leadership all the time. I’ll tell you about a video you should watch just below.
Have you read any of the news stories and interviews recently with General Stanley McChrystal, whose new book is coming out now, My Share of the Task?
You’ll recall he is the four-star general whose resignation was precipitated by a Rolling Stone article which disclosed some unsavory remarks about the President’s executive team.
The reporter was given broad access to McChrystal and his staff, with few conditions, to see how the general and his leadership team worked together.
You can read the candid response from General McChrystal about this incident here.
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Winston Churchill could have been an entrepreneur to have so eloquently dramatized the thrill associated with building a business.
Whether you own it yourself or share it with partners, it’s yours to build, to mold according to your dreams and values.
You may be building it from scratch or seeking new opportunities to jumpstart a mature company. In either case, I hope this will help you on your journey.
Why do you have your own business?
Independence, many will say, the chance to run my own show?
Be my own boss?
Do things my way – maybe because you’ve seen them done the wrong way and you can do better?
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I have been working with a young CEO who recently acceded to her company’s leadership.
She was the successor to a more authoritarian regime and found herself working overtime to establish a more collaborative and less hierarchical environment.
She wanted to bring people to the table, encourage a stronger cultural bond among her employees and build a more inclusive culture that valued the contribution of each individual.
People welcomed those changes with open arms, eager to embrace a culture they much preferred.
What emerged along with a more engaging and transparent culture, however, was a cadre of executives so eager to please their new leader, and to be a part of her leadership team, that they acquiesced to every idea and plan.
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Welcome to Exkalibur. I’m Lary Kirchenbauer, President of Exkalibur Advisors, Inc. Please take advantage of our resources to help you build your business ... and let me know what more we can do to serve you.
Read my latest column from the NY Times affiliate, the North Bay Business Journal.
Within a three year period I had two different startups and one acquisition to deal with. Lary's involvement in the projects allowed me to raise substantial amounts of capital on all occasions. He makes even the most monumental task seem effortless. His tireless attention and focus on the project gets things done, done right, and under deadline.
Don Meahan, owner and operator of Alaska’s Naknek Anglers, LLC
