Why Having “NOT To-Do List” Can Save You (Time)?

Hello SCG,

I trust you had a very pleasant Easter break & you are charged up for shipping your art. Today’s shipment is  a follow-up on the most recent Question Of The Week, where you were asked about your “NOT to – d0 list“. You might have noticed, that I have given you a slight clue, that there is a story behind this question. Therefore, I want to share with you one true story connected with this theme & I will tell you reason, why knowing your “dont’s” can save you loads of time, when in doubt. Plus as a bonus I will share with you current 5 items on my own NOT to-do list. Cheers!

[True Story] When I Realized Importance of Knowing Your 

“NOT To – Do List”

Once upon a time in 2008, during my consulting career, I have been called in to participate on our firm’s management (CXOs + teamleaders) offsite meeting. They have been designing strategy & trying to figure out how to solve current issues, both internal (quarrels & ego driven fights) and external (problems on client’s sites), which our company faced. Management have been there for 2 days & I was invited only for a second day, when there was, wrap up of the output into “action plan”, on the agenda.

My work style during workshops is to sit quietly, listen a lot, listen to what all minds have to say, connect the dots & then ask one or two questions at the very very end. This was the case also on this session. After listening & being “invisible”, I have asked my CEO:

“All right, till now, we have been listing what we should do in the company. I would like you to tell us, what we should STOP doing?”

What followed was long silence & then dismissing my question with words:

“I will answer it, later.”

I totally understand his response, as I am aware of the fact, that articulating dont’s is not an easy task at all, but I believe it is much more effective to spend some more time on knowing your dont’s then blabbing about “to-do action plans”. How come? Read further, then.

Why Having “NOT To-Do List” Might Be Is Effective Tool  for You/Your Company

Why am I so confident, that aligning your actions with “NOT To-Do List” is more effective, faster & much easier to communicate (but not easier to put down in words, though) than sketching down “to-do list”?

Example of To-Do List vs. NOT To-Do List

To – Do:

• Always listen carefully to clients.
  
• Help clients generously with their inquiries
• Have empathy in understanding of client’s needs.
• Treat clients nicely, on a peer to peer base.
• Have patience while communicating change.
• Offer your clients help, even when it is “out of scope”.
• etc.

NOT To – Do List

• Don’t behave like a jerk!

I believe, now you got the point, why it is more effective to create a “NOT To-Do list”

[Bonus] #IS’s Current* NOT To – Do List Revealed

Note:*I am purposely underling adjective current, because as I have declared in the blog post about my “second birth”, I am very open to changing & shifting my paradigms during my life’s journey.

Here we go, check out my “NOT To – Do List” bellow or view it on Slideshare.

SCG,

have you ever thought about employing NOT To – Do perspective into your actions? When was the last time, you have asked yourselves: “What should I stop doing?”, what was your answer to it?

Back to you now -> you know what to do;-)

See you in comments.

i.