Life is a Process

As I write about process effectiveness, I think about how much of life is really a process: inputs turn into outputs through a system affected by its environment.

For example, procrastinating. This is a process at which I excel, and teach students to avoid. (It takes one to know one.) People tend to procrastinate because they are perfectionists, or because they are overwhelmed, or both. To overcome this, you projectize whatever you are procrastinating about, and then you break it into smaller pieces that are less overwhelming. Visualize the end result. Allow yourself an imperfect beginning. Do the most distasteful task first and get it out of the way. (Have you read Eat that Frog, by Brian Tracy? -- it's the same principle. While I'm at it, let me also recommend The Now Habit by Neil Fiore.) You can see, I am quite knowledgeable -- and if I may say so, adept -- at procrastinating.

My procrastinating process goes something like this: Whatever I am avoiding is usually something on paper: grading, bookkeeping, or in this case, some writing. The process begins with either carrying the papers around for a while, or looking at the pile in an unavoidable place. My anxiety increases, the longer this part of the process continues. Then I think, "Hmm, maybe I should clear my mind of all the little things distracting me from concentrating on this pile." So, I clean out my email boxes, organize something, plan something else, and sometimes even cook dinner. Yet the pile persists. So, the next step is usually a nap -- so I can feel refreshed and focused. Then -- and only then -- do I tackle something ELSE I have been procrastinating about. For example, when I had a stack of term papers to grade last semester, it was a terrific time to rewrite the by-laws for an organization of which I am a member. (I had been putting that off for several weeks, because it was a bit overwhelming, and kind of boring.)

This week, I've been avoiding working on a textbook chapter about process effectiveness. (The reference file has been on my desk for eleven days.) This time, it's an issue of perfectionism: I really, really want to make this chapter life-changing for my students. Truly, I have a passion for processes.

So, my email boxes are current, I have re-organized my closet, planned the first three weeks of classes, and even prepared to make my C, C & C (chicken, couscous, and carrots mixed together) for dinner . The nap was great. And now I'm writing the blog that I wanted to update two days ago, but have been avoiding. See how this works? You have to channel the procrastination, and make it work for you. Eventually, you get it all done.

Maybe I'll start the following chapter, procrastinate about IT, and then go back to process effectiveness. Hmmm...

A New School Year

One of the things I love about my job is that I gain closure when a school year ends, and enjoy anticipation of the new year in the fall.

Tom Peters has said that knowledge workers should "projectize everything." Turn all of your work into projects, i.e., temporary endeavors to create a unique product or service (www.pmi.org). Temporary means only that the work has a start and an end; it does not necessarily mean short-term. A unique product or service is the desired result.

Besides enjoying the anticipation and closure that a school year provides, I find that projectizing myself is very helpful. It keeps me interested in what I am doing, and focused on the desired results. For example, I treat each course I teach as a project, even if I've taught the course before. I find that my classes vary greatly, depending on the engagement of the students, the current events we have for discussion, time of day, etc., so each one is unique.

Another way that projectizing is helpful is to provide a warning system for OVERLOAD. I have developed a sense of how many projects I can juggle at one time: my optimum is two classes, one writing project, two volunteer projects, one home improvement project, and one self improvement project. More than that, then my relationships and home responsibilities suffer.

Since I am teaching three different courses this fall, I know I need to cut back on volunteering (but will probably just let the home project idle!). In the same way, projectizing helped me realize that having five self-improvement projects, four home improvement projects, one class, two volunteer projects and four writing projects for the summer was probably unrealistic.

Finally, I like to projectize because it helps me to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Taking each project and breaking it into work packages or tasks (i.e., creating a work breakdown structure), helps me to better gauge how long the project will take. Then I can make realistic commitments to my students, colleagues, and family. (The dogs don't get it, though -- they are all about, "What have you done for me lately?")

A Systems View of Vacation

I know I have committed a venial sin, not blogging for a month. Well, I have been on vacation, and did think about the blog...

Something I stress in my teaching is the need to take a systems view of an organization, i.e., don't just optimize your job or department, but understand how your domain fits into the overall organization, and work from that perspective. Establish feedback loops to monitor performance. The idea is to understand the interrelationships and the environment (i.e., the things outside the system over which you have no control, but the performance of your system is affected by these things).

For a typical business organization, the environment includes the competition, as well as political, economic, social, ecological, and legal considerations. Arguably, customers and suppliers are part of the extended organization, in its value chain. The value chain, in simple terms, is the set of links that transform inputs into outputs by adding value. Transformation occurs through alteration, transportation, inspection, and storage.

So, while I was on vacation (cruising the Inner Passage in Alaska -- thanks, Mom!), I thought about how a vacation transforms you. Or at least you hope that it does.

In my case, the inputs were a stressed-out me, baggage, the cruise facilities and staff, and cash. The outputs were a recharged me, luggage, souvenirs, photographs, memories, and referrals (it was a fabulous trip). The ways in which the cruise company transformed me:

ALTER: showed me new sights, provided new experiences, prepared food, pampered me
TRANSPORT: took me round trip from Seattle very comfortably
INSPECT: assured my security by issuing cruise cards and requiring passengers to scan them to get off/on the ship
STORE: provided a lovely stateroom for my person, stocked the kitchen with ingredients

The cruise line had a good operational system, including feedback loops to ensure that the passengers were pleased with the services. However, the system was also a good illustration of the Theory of Constraints.

But that's a blog for another day.