When it came to dinner time, my mother had one rule; no phones at the table.

Dinner was a sacred event. A time for family and friends to break bread, share stories, and simply be present. This mentality was not lost on me. I still approach each meal in the same way.

However, a recent innovation is challenging my mom’s rule; QR code menus.

Electronic menus have trained a new behavior. Sit down, take your phone out, and review the menu. Oh, and check the text that just came in. While brief, this mandatory action robs our attention before the meal even starts.

So, this raises a question…. is all innovation a sign of progress? I’d argue no. Not in this case.

NH.

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P.S. I realize that electronic menus have saved countless trees. I won’t debate the positive environmental impact. Just call me old fashioned on this one.

When asking a question, people (especially, me) have a tendency to ask is the answer this OR that? Are the company’s processes inefficient because of the poor technology or lack of employee training?

What if it is neither? What if the business is understaffed, employees are overworked, and morale has hit rock bottom? That could be a problem…

While this may be a broad example, it highlights the key point… beware of “OR” when asking questions.

OR is often an educated attempt to pin-point an answer. Based on the available information, the answer must be A or B. Black or white. What about the grey? Thats the risk that comes with the almighty OR. OR can box-in the thinking (and the responder) into two paths… this or that.

So, what is the alternative? Fight the temptation to assume and leverage open-ended questions. Ask the whats, whys, hows, to guide the responder down whichever path the answer may lead. Who knows where it may just end up.

NH.

I was asked a question recently, “how do you know if your daily actions align to your long-term goals?” A simple question, yet one that has bounced around my head over the past few months.

See, I’m like anyone else. I set goals and develop plans to achieve them. However, fast forward a few weeks or months and the goals are still unmet. Maybe life or work, something had gotten in the way. Sh*t happens, ya know?

So, how to solve for this? What systems can help better achieve desired outcomes? I’ve chased an answer through books, talks, and writing in recent months. And, I ended up with a viable approach closer to “home” than I anticipated. It may just work for you as well…

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Agile. A popular term in today’s business world. While interpretations vary, the target benefits are consistent. Become more adaptive, shorten feedback loops, increase focus on value, etc. All good things.

A lesser known component of agile organizations is a concept called, Lean Portfolio Management (or “LPM” for short). By the books, Lean Portfolio Management aligns strategy and execution by applying systems thinking to investment funding, agile portfolio operations, and governance (according to Scaled Agile).

In layman’s terms, LPM is an approach for companies to plan, fund, and govern their work. A framework to translate (top-of-house) strategic objectives into desired business outcomes – through effective and efficient investment of people and dollars. Summed up in a simple question, “are we investing our (fixed) resources in the right places to get the right outcomes?”

Sounds like a reasonable target, though one to unpack. Why do companies adopt lean portfolio principles?

• They are “stuck” in long-term planning cycles with limited ability to change direction
• They have no idea if their investments actually move the “needle” towards their long-term goals
• And, most of all… they lack accountability to deliver planned outcomes (or at least learn from them)

I recently designed a target state (LPM) program for a client. As that project came to a close earlier this year, I was hit with a realization. Why can’t this LPM framework be applied to the same pain points of my own goal-setting journey? I set out to test this hypothesis with my own life… “a lean approach to life.“

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So, how does LPM work in practice?

It all starts with a Vision. “Who or where do I want to be in a year from now?” Potentially, a hard question, but a foundational one to set direction. It also feeds the next key question; “what do I need to accomplish in the next 3-months to build towards that target?”

• Disclaimer, this activity may even trigger the always fun existential question; “what am I doing with my life?” The intention isn’t to have all the answers. It is about getting started then adjusting along the way.

Next, came Allocation. “How should I invest my resources?” Like (almost) everyone else, I have a fixed amount of time, money, etc. So, in practice the question became; “where is my time and money best spent in the next 2-4 weeks?”

• Remember, this is an exercise in trade-offs. By saying yes to this, I am saying no to that. I like two quotes to reinforce this. First, as Peter Drucker said, “People are effective because they know how to say no,” and second, “You must be single minded. Drive for the one thing that you’ve decided,” as the great General George Patton said.

Finally, Accountability. “How will I track against my plan?” The LPM framework presents an adaptable cadence:

• A Monthly “Personal Sync”: A once-a-month hourly session to reflect on current progress. Think, “how am I tracking against my goals? Then, where do I need to adjust course?“
• A Quarterly “Personal Planning”: A once-a-quarter two-hour planning session to reset my key priorities and desired outcomes for the next three months. Think, “what do I need to accomplish during the next three months to stay on course with my desired target?“
• Disclaimer; a “set-it and forget” approach between sessions will set you up for failure. The more active you are to check-in on status, it will only increases success. Otherwise, you risk falling into a “guilt trap” at your next monthly sync when you realized that you got nothing done 😞 .

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Sounds reasonable. So, how could you get started?

• Plan; Define an outlook for the year. “What are you looking to accomplish?” Deconstruct that into what do you need to accomplish in the next 3-months to build towards that annual outlook. And, yes that means write them down. I use google sheets, but use whichever tool you prefer (including paper, a whiteboard, etc.)
• Schedule; Open your calendar and plan each month’s personal sync (1-hour) and each quarter’s personal planning (2-hours). I prefer a Saturday morning due to limited distraction, but once again pick whichever day works for you.
• Show-up; This one explains it self (and is the most important in my opinion). Commit to “show-up” to each session and reward yourself when you do. For me, I head to my favorite coffee shop and order-up 20 oz of caffeine.
• Adapt; Whether it is your outcomes, or this approach, take time to reflect. “Are you achieving your outcomes? Is this framework useful?” Answer those, and be prepared to adjust. Remember, the intention is to help you achieve outcomes, not create administrative overhead.

That’s it. Some upfront thinking, and a few hours each quarter. Easy enough? Maybe.

It has helped my life, but is certainly not “one-size” fits all. It is one (of many) approaches to better manage your most precious resource; time.

Cheers.

NH.

In school we are taught, tested, and graded. And, naturally trained that the latter matters the most. Whatever it takes to get the A. Therefore, we can’t help but ask, “will this be on the test?”

While we can debate if this is “effective” learning, it recently raised a question in my mind… why not apply the same frame to life?

Whether a meeting at work or a situation at home… why not ask; what is the “exam” question?

Because if we don’t nail the exam question, then how do we know that we got the right answer? (… and the effort and energy to find that answer was worth it.)

NH.

Every basketball player knows the feeling. The clock is running low and the score is tight. The back and forth game could go either way. Then it happens…

You turn the ball over and the opponent scores. Another bad pass leads to a quick three pointer for the other team. You’re now behind and the clock keeps ticking. Even worse, the opponent starts to play pressure defense….

Timeout? We don’t have one of those. So, what to do?… “Walk the ball up the court,” shouts your coach from the sideline.

Do what? Take the full 8 seconds to bring the ball up the court. Catch your breath, assess the defense, and call the play. Then, back to full speed.

Why should life be any different? A crazy schedule or a bad meeting… with another meeting coming up. How do we limit compounding mistakes – especially, when we don’t have a coach to shout from the sideline?

Take a breath or maybe a walk. But, be ready to remind yourself…. “walk the ball up the court.”

NH.

How to evaluate a client? Its simple… would you work for them?

If they offered you a job tomorrow, what would you do? Would you take it?

If not, why not? The industry, company, compensation, lifestyle, or people (… no offense)?

Your answer is simple exercise into what you do or don’t like. The latter of which is just as important as the former.

NH.

I am describing a complex topic that may be new to you. And, you may have no idea what I said. But, you understand what I am saying, right?

Maybe not? But, how would I ever know? Sure, you could always ask, but I already confirmed you knew, right?

Well, maybe not? Why? Because I created the barrier of right.

When we finish a sentence with right, we create an assumption the listener understood. Plus, we create friction for them to interject. Their potential clarification has become a contradiction. And people hate contradictions.

So, I continue to ramble on and the listener still has no idea and now no longer cares, right?

NH.

The more I read them, the more this becomes apparent. (Most) self-help or career savvy books boil down to two things: ownership and discipline.

Take ownership of your life, career, family, finances, relationships, problems, etc… approach each with disciplined thought and action… there is your recipe for (long-term) success.

NH.

This is a month late; but, I’ll post it anyway…

What makes a birthday special? The cake and candles? The notes from old friends? Short answer: both.

But on serious note, each birthday brings a moment of reflection. A look back at last year’s wins and losses learnings. Highs and lows. And the stories worth telling your grandkids (… like the time …)

This reflection naturally leads to a look at the year ahead. And, a question that I like to ask myself; “who is Nick Handorf a year from now?” The answer is built on a lifetime in the making, but here are my thoughts for the coming year:

• Seek simplicity: A trendy topic, but one that is becoming ever more front of mind in life and at work. I recently saw a quote from Yvon Chouinard, one of my favorite entrepreneurs, “I’ve learned enough to know that we have to, or chose to live more simple, it won’t be an impoverished life, but one richer in all the ways that really matter.” I think I’ll chew on that one some more this year…

• Prioritize deep work: A commitment to focus on what’s important, eliminating distractions, and simply getting stuff done. A call to focus on deep work over busy work.

• Engage with other cultures: The world has been closed, sheltered in place for most of the last 18 months. Its time to be intentional about seeking, interacting, and understanding other cultures once again.

• Experiment in the uncomfortable: I know my speed. My likes, dislikes. Hell yeahs and fuck nos. This year is a quest to explore the latter.

• Schedule less; explore more: My calendar has a habit to fill up quick. Trips here, events there… all opportunities that I am fortunate to experience. But, this version I challenge myself to be more intentional about creating space in my calendar to wonder, explore, or simply, slow down.

• Read and write. Repeat. Learn through the writing of others to evolve my own point of view and ability to tell it.

I’m not sure where these will land, but I’m excited for the journey of year 27. And in the words of the great McConaughey, “… i hope to look back and enjoy the view” on year 27.

More to come. NH

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P.S. Thanks to Brad Feld for the idea. I defintely stole this concept of posting a “version” with each birthday.