heathervescent

File your papers the GTD Way

Welcome to the next episode in my Kicking Ass at GTD series - this topic is one we all love and procrastinate. Filing.

Kudos to remember

Yesterday I got one of the best compliments I think I have ever gotten, and from the one and only David Allen himself!

I was showing him my GTD methodology (which was strange and embarassing in itself, because what do you say when you are talking to the man who documented the method which changed your life?!) which includes my:

1. Calendar - a weekly moleskin calendar book
2. My GTD notebook - a modified large moleskin book
3. My notes book - a composition notebook
4. My 2008 Guidebook - meditations on my yearly topic (this year "the mainstream")

I also have my GTD methodology online on two sites

1. My GTDed gmail (which honestly gmail sucks for GTDing, but I'm migrated there and the pain, the PAIN to switch....
2. Basecamp Project list

Anyway, I was showing David Allen my GTD book and calendar and he responded with glee in his eyes "You're the biggest train wreck of left and right brains I've ever seen!" We all laughed and were having a good time.

In fact, yesterday was one awesome day. Everyone I met at DavidCo was great and I'm revitalized and ready to implement a better weekly review, Agenda and Project list. Oh, and I think I've finally seen the power of mindmaps.

I also found out that my YouTube videos on GTD had been sent to the entire company! Talk about a strange feeling of embarrassment and delight.

Thanks Dave Patrick, Rachelle and of course David Allen. 

Good Article on DoOcracy

Here's a great article/description of do-ocracy from the community wiki. I especially like that they included dangers: (quoted from the article)

• Burnout. People can get too attached to the do-ocratic system and volunteer for too many jobs, or too much work.
• Despotism. A person who’s doocrat’d themselves into control of a very necessary system (network, food pool, etc.) can get heady with power and demand rewards or tribute for their work.
• Frustration. Some people don’t have the time or means to do something, but they do have (real or imagined) expertise. In a doocracy, they will feel overrun and perceive the situation as slipping out of their hands. This can cause frustration. And remember: “Fear is the path to the dark side…”
• FairProcess. Doocracy is not always explicitly defined, so there are diverging perception dangers about “fairness”.
• Resentment. If only a minority of participants in the community do-ocratize themselves into the hard jobs, they can resent others who don’t take on responsibility.
• Complacency. If a minority of people take on jobs, the others can become complacent and ignore new tasks, since “someone else will do it.” (end)

I know I've gotten hit with the first one, and the second one has crept in a bit. (Does the fact that I know this make me less evil/egotistical?) Anyway, good stuff.

David Allen Talks about GTD at Google

Well here you have it. David Allen, one of my gurus talks about GTD at Google. It's an awesome video. Check it out if you can spare an hour.

Oh and I totally found this from Kelly's GTD Blog.

Back on the GTD Wagon

Here's the third episode in my "Falling off the GTD wagon" series. You can find the first and second ones here.

Loving the Materials

It's very important to like your materials if you want to kick ass. I talk about this in episode 2, on getting back on the wagon with GTD.

Falling off the GTD Wagon

A few months ago, I stopped using my GTD notebook. Life got hard. I felt like I didn't accomplish much. It's time to change that. I'm doing a short series this December about getting back on the GTD Wagon. Join me and get your ass kicking on! Here's the first episode.

Membership or not membership

Some things I've learned from Cacophony - stolen straight from Rev Al's mouth.

There is a curious, almost inverse relationship between attendance and paid subscriptions. Those who are generally out and about doing events seem almost less concerned with maintaining contact as "official members." Those who keep sending in money year after year tend to be in more outlying neighborhoods/cities, and seem to be content with vicarious "membership." It's almost as if the concept of membership were antithetical to the Cacophony ideal (or maybe that's just what I want to see).

And on do-ers vs wanna-bes

You can't really tell who's full of hot air online. This calls for a meeting. Face to face. We've found that actual monthly meetings in the real world help determine who's just an online know-it-all and who's ready to roll up their sleeves and do something. If they never make it to an actual meeting to discuss the ideas they've been going on about, it's clear that they won't make those ideas happen. Then we know to just politely ignore them when they beat their chest online. Meetings are fairly loose, but we do go down an agenda, basically reviewing past events one by one, discussing ideas for the coming month bandied about online, and then opening the floor to whatever new ideas there might be.

Which leads me back to my thoughts on community vs cliques... and are people who only socalize online, just lame-rs instead of do-ers? I should just write up my thoughts on the subject sooner than later.

BarcampLA4 Preso

Here's the preso I gave at BarcampLA 4. It spans online branding, blowing shit up, doing things and how to get your heart's desire. As in all things, be authentic, manage risks strategically and be safe KICK ASS.

xxx

-Heather

ps. I'm a kick-ass integrator.

 

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ps. photo credits in the preso go to Kmo and Jenna.

She's Geeky Session: On Do-ocracy

I lead a session on do-ocracy at She's Geeky last week. Denise Gearty was kind enough to take notes during the session and here they are - to hopefully inspire you to do things. Do-ocracy is a tricky thing - but you just have to go in and do it. :)

Did you miss the conference? There are tons of awesome notes here.

 

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Do-ocracy Session // Tuesday, October 23, 2007 // 10:30 AM

Do-ocracy (definition on board)

Do-ocracy is a summary term for consensus management on a non-authoritarian, classical anarchist model emphasizing voluntary involvement and actual results, where those with an actual involvement make the decisions.

GTD = Getting Things Done (www.davidco.com)

How to Get Your Hearts Desire, a six step process outlined

Heather found Do-ocracy based on experience in mostly volunteer environments (e.g. large Burning Man camps www.burningman.com). From here she developed experience and transitioned to the LA tech community.

Key learning:  solicit/ask for help from trusted friends and colleagues 

Question: What if you are not clear on your vision?  How do you check this? How do you know?

• Need confidence in yourself
• Don’t always be a perfection tied down by details
• Allow yourself failure every once in awhile

 
How do you start the community?  -- Ignite action?

• Start with something small (a small vision) even something material and practice
• Don’t forget to be direct and ask for help, feedback, etc.
• Sometimes you just have to ask
• Consult with your friends
• Know feedback verses criticism

Find a Space to Stretch In -- find it, encourage it. A safe space to practice do-ocracy.

Creativity allows the development of ideas and enables action

Julia comments that Australia and New Zealand follow do-ocracy in the workplace. It must be a cultural phenomenon. From her experience it fostered honesty and a successful project

Ryanne (video blogging)does large scale events/video blogging practiced do-ocracy

Heathervescent comments on her same experiences.  She recommends that you have to be aware of others who want to step in and take over responsibilities.  By engaging others you open up growth and opportunity.

Cultivating Leaders: Pay attention and take note of others to get involved.  Sometimes you have to ask people to play certain roles.

Heather Newman "There is no fucking book!"  ~ Comment on where are the guidelines or rules?…where are the mentors that direct me?

You need consensus when working in teams; so, you have to communicate to get things done . . . to move forward.

Partner with people who compliment you, may be opposite of you  -- they can make you shine

There is a difference between "what you are good at" and "what your strengths are" -- Know this!

References:

Book: Strength Finders

Site: Positive Psychology - there is a test on the site

Book: The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield

Reference: Steve Pavlina's Personal Development for Smart People

What about when Do-ocracy goes wrong?

• You end up doing it all yourself
• Volunteers that are hurting (process, team, decision-making, etc). Sometimes you have to "fire" volunteers
• People don’t communicate and/or holding resentment can poison the success overall
• Be aware so that you can catch this early in the game
• One approach is to categorize late resentment comments as "data invalid"  -- they should be presented at a relevant point when action can be taken

If you want something, put it out to the universe but as specifically as possible

What about commitment?

Are you hearing the advice given?  Are you at a point where you are capable of hearing the advice? This is key.