A Short Survey For Your Input

One of the big things to get used to here in Jamaica is the fact that everyone has a cell phone.

I have not met a single adult who does not a cell-phone, and the 116% penetration rate means that many people have more than one phone. (By contrast, the penetration rate in the US is 89%.)

This means that Jamaica is a fine place to predict what will happen in other countries, especially in their workplaces.

I have been observing smartphone habits here in Jamaica, and in the US, and have decided to do a survey to look at Smartphone Use and Abuse.

It's a short survey of of only 9 questions focusing on smartphone habits, and you actually don't need to have one to add respond (in fact, I am hoping to get a mix of users and non-users.)

Click here to complete the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/smartphone-survey2

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Launching A New Time Management Product

In prior posts I wrote about the spurt of creativity that came when I moved back here to Jamaica.

Well, some of what's happened came from my decision to do this blog. If you go back to early posts, you can see where I started to write about time management.

That was 4 years ago.

Fast forward to early 2010, and I am in the process of selling a unique time management product online -- not to a Caribbean audience but to one that's worldwide.

For details see http://mytimedesign.com. Check out the video I created to help explain why a Jamaican has such an interest in this particular topic!

It's a bit tricky hard to explain how much the 5 year change in environment has been a challenge, but also a stimulus for me in so many ways.

On Mondays I am now co-hosting a radio programme on Bess FM - a small station that's very new that also broadcasts to an international audience.

Both of these events are things that simply never would have happened if I hadn't returned home.

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Manifesto for a New Time Management

I have sometimes made the point that my coming back to Jamaica has brought with it a spark of creativity that has infused all aspects of my work (and life for that matter.)

One tangible result is a manifesto that was published yesterday at ChangeThis.com, that I authored. This was the end-result of two years of hard work on the topic of time management, inspired by the challenge of moving back to Jamaica. While I have had a passing interest in the topic, I never imagined that I would get this far until recently, when I realized that the thinking I was doing was not just specific to life here in Jamaica, but in fact had a universal application.

I had started out just trying to invent a system that would work for me in my new environment.

The 21 page pdf is entitled "The New Time Management: Simply Focus on the Fundamentals, and Toss Away the Tips."

Claim a copy by clicking on the graphic above, or by visiting the following link: http://changethis.com/45.04.NewTime

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Inventing Time Management

Moving Back to Jamaica has spurred an interesting boost in creativity on my part, as I was explaining to a friend of mine on the phone yesterday.

One of the products of moving home is a new time management approach that I invented when I quickly learned that the methods I adopted in the U.S. were woefully insufficient here.

It forced me to go back to basics, and design my own system.

Now, I am teaching others to do the same, and I think I am offering the only assistance in the world in developing one's own system (rather than trying to sell a pre-packaged set of solutions.) Or, at least, I should say that no-one else I have found is offering this kind of help... to my amazement.

The good news is that in April, participants in a couple of my workshops will leave with their own time management systems... fully designed by them. The programme is called "NewHabits-NewGoals."

In Kingston, April 15-16 -- http://fwconsulting.com/newhabits

In Port of Spain, April 29-20 -- http://fwconsulting.com/newhabitstt

On either page, there is a link to a free e-book, and also the entire body of source materials.

On Facebook, there is a "Time Management for Caribbean Professionals' group, and I welcome anyone with an interest in improving our productivity in the region.

It's an exciting time!

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The Exploding Inbox

An article that I wrote was published in the Sunday Gleaner yesterday, on the above topic.

It has to do with an assertion I am making in my work on time management that an overflowing email Inbox is a sign of un-productivity for knowledge workers.

I also recently completed a draft publication for a manifesto on ChangeThis.com.

At the end of the manifesto I included the following biography:

Francis Wade is the President of Framework Consulting, a firm of management consultants committed to solving the most difficult people issues in companies. He holds a Bachelors and Masters in Operations Research from Cornell University, and resides in Kingston, Jamaica where he is enthralled and inspired by the difference between his new day to day life, and the twenty years he spent working between New Jersey and Florida. His blog can be accessed at http://2time-sys.com and his email is francis@fwconsulting.com.

After writing it, I was a bit intrigued at what I said about being "enthralled and inspired."

Well, the truth is that I have had just an explosion of creative energy since coming back home, and my Moving Back to Jamaica blog is just one expression of it. I can hardly believe that I rarely wrote anything for publication (maybe a page or two per quarter) before coming back home.

I attended a Scotia Round-table forum last week and I had a similar thought - there are lots of opportunities for Jamaicans who are able to build bridges between the high points of our culture here in Jamaica, and the rest of the world. We have so very many things that the world wants to know about about, and to experience and those of us who can see Jamaica as its seen from the outside AND the inside can help in this regard.

Arguably, that is exactly what Butch Stewart did with Sandals.

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Free Time Management e-book for Ja Professionals

In a recent blog, I spoke about my interest in writing a book on my experience of Moving Back to Jamaica.

As it so happens, I just published my first e-book on the topic of "Capturing."

In this case, capturing has nothing to do with animals or another's person's attention or market share. Instead, capturing is one of the 11 fundamental practices that every professional must use in order to manage their time and be productive.

For a few more days, I am planning to offer the e-book for free at the following website: http://fwconsulting.com/e-bookja.

It is 13 pages long, and has some 28 minutes of audio, but no video.

My next e-book coming out in the next month or so will have all three!

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Video Clip of Orane Interview

In 2007 I had the opportunity to interview Grace Kennedy CEO Douglas Orane at the HRMAJ Conference in Ocho Rios.

A short excerpt from the video lasting about 3 minutes can be found here.

http://urlcut.com/fwcvid22

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Francis' Company Roundup - December 07

Here is a short summary of what's been happening over at the Framework website and blog.

From the Framework website:

Podcast radio interview with Paul Thomas, former CEO of Lascelles Division of Lascelles de Mercado. This interview on the Breakfast Club done in 2000, speaks to some of the results he realized in a major culture change programme.

Latest issue of FirstCuts ezine (#18), entitled: Closing out 2007, describes some of the initiatives planned for next year.

FirstCuts17 as a podcast, read by me, in this my second attempt.

One Page Digest Issues 1-27: The Digest is a summary of links that are useful for Caribbean executives.

Link to Open Jobs: Warning -- at this time, most are volunteer positions!


From the Chronicles from a Caribbean Cubicle blog:

Launch of a new programme: NewHabits-NewGoals is being launched in pilot form on Jan 15-16 in Kingston. Click on this link to be taken to the page that describes the programme.

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It's Been a Long "Time" Coming

If you have been following this blog, you might remember the posts I did related to topics of time management and productivity here in the Caribbean.

After a few years of developing the idea, I am launching the course today in the form of a pilot programme.

What: New Habits-New Goals - The Practice and Art of Professional Productivity in January, in Kingston

For more details, see http://fwconsulting.com/newhabits

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Francis' Company Roundup

I am putting in a new periodic post, after tiring of cross-posting from my company blog, ezines and website.

From the Framework website:

Podcast/audio interview with Roger Bell, GM of Confectionery Foods and Snacks, a Trinidadian working in Jamaica and his success strategies.

Latest issue of FirstCuts ezine, entitled: The Problem of Caribbean Time, on the difficulty we regional professionals have with managing time.

FirstCuts16 as a podcast, read by me, in this my first attempt.

One Page Digest Issues 1-26: The Digest is a summary of links that are useful for Caribbean executives.

Link to Open Jobs: Warning -- most are volunteer positions!

Publications in the Trinidad Newsday newspaper: On the topic of Trinidadian Execs Getting into Trouble in Jamaica


From the Chronicles from a Caribbean Cubicle blog:

HRMATT Conference Slides and Audio Podcast: Presentation on the Trinidadian Executive in Jamaica

TV/Radio Interview prior to HRMATT Conference: On Channel 6, CNMG
The next update should be shorter as I tried to capture everything of note that has happened since October.

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Being Filthy Rich

The following article is a great one, as it offers some realistic sounding insights into what it's like to live as an internet millionaire.

After Succeeding, Young Tycoons Try, Try Again

There are many levels at which it can be read, from the superficial to the spiritual.

Of course, the common response to the problem that the Tycoons describe is "give me money that for one day, and that would be the happiest day of my life."

The question is, how much would you need to make it the happiest day? $1 million? $100 million? $1 billion? $100?

How much would it take to buy my happiness for a day?

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Forgetting America

To be honest, I have forgotten what it is like to live in the U.S.

I know this in part by what I experience when I return -- the strange interactions I feel between myself and other people.

I also know it when I realize I have no passion for racial issues.  Earlier this year I was invited to join a panel to look at creating a course customized for minorities in the U.S., and found myself curiously uninterested.

When I read the following article from the New York Times, I knew that a lot had changed, because I could not relate to the issues after 2+ years of living in Jamaica.

The article, entitled "In Student's Eyes, Look-Alike Lawyers Don't Make the Grade" describes how students are rating law firms on the diversity of their lawyers.  It makes for interesting reading, on many level, and I recommend it highly.

However, I no longer felt emotionally tied to the problem it describes, and this is a feeling I welcome.  Not to say that everyone should have the same reaction, but just to report that my own response surprised me just a little.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/29/us/29bar.html?em&ex=1193803200&en=67388bf4d2937143&ei=5087%0A

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Almost the Last Day to Vote for My Proposal

In a prior post on Sep 20th, I mentioned that I had entered my proposal to write a new, hopefully revolutionary, manifesto on the skill of time management.

What I have neglected to mention is that since my last update on Sep 23rd, the proposal has garnered 435 votes. So far, it's the most popular proposal of the 11 being offered up this month.

I have no idea what the threshold is to be asked to take the next step and "write a manifesto" but... if you haven't voted, please do so.

The final date is Friday Oct 19th.

The title is "On Time Management: Toss Away the Tips, Focus on the Fundamentals"

Click here to be taken to the proposal.

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Voting for a New Way to Manage Your Time

When I am not writing about Moving Back to Jamaica, I spend some time writing and thinking about why people have such a difficulty in developing sound time management techniques.

In fact, being here in Jamaica is really what has forced me to think about this, as we have a very different concept of time here than those living in "First World" countries. Some of it is better, but a lot of it is worse.

It made me wonder, and forced me to ask much more probing questions. The result was a website of new ideas, http://2time.wordpress.com.

Then I remembered a website that accepts new ideas in the form of "radical" manifestos -- ChangeThis.com.

I took the first step and submitted a "proposal" and lo and behold, it was accepted.

I proposed that the old methods of thinking about time management as a bunch of little tips is bankrupt, and that a new paradigm is needed.

The cool thing is that if you are impressed by the proposal (reproduced below), you can vote on it. If the proposal gets enough votes, then I will be asked to "Write a Manifesto" which they will post on the site. (There is no cost or payment involved.)

So, should I "Write this Manifesto?" -- let the world know and follow these steps, if you'd like:

1. Read the "Proposal" below

2. If you like it, vote for it by clicking here to be taken to the site and then click on "Yes, write this manifesto." Then pass on the link to others so that they can vote on it also

3. If you LOVE it, visit the blog that outlines the 11 Fundamentals of 2Time Management

4. If you go beyond loving it, let me know by sending me an email -- francis@fwconsulting.com

I'll post up the results sometime after October 19th, when the polls close!

---

Here is "The Proposal"

On Time Management: Toss Away the Tips, Find the Fundamentals

Author(s): Francis Wade

There is a stew of tips floating around on how to improve one's time management skills, confusing the professional who is trying to become more productive.

However, neither a professional basketball player nor a concert pianist becomes great by learning a bunch of tips. Instead, their expertise comes through practice, learning, coaching and reflecting on the fundamental techniques they learned at the very beginning.

To witness Michael Jordan sinking free-throws, or Leonard Bernstein practising scales, is to know that their public triumphs were won long before the bright lights were turned on. Working professionals have never been taught the fundamentals of time management, and are stuck chasing after the latest tips and coolest gadgets.

Imagine MJ chasing after the latest sneakers...

What are the unalterable, fundamental elements of time management? How can they be learned? How can they be practiced? How can they be coached? How can they be perfected?

The Answer Is...

Remember, if you like it, vote for it by clicking here, and then on "Write this Manifesto" and pass on the link to others so that they can vote on it also

Read more!