Choose WHO not HOW for effective time management

 Today, I accidentally bumped into this video Achieve more In 1 DAY Than Others Do In 1 WEEK (Ask Who, Not How!) - YouTube by Little Bit Better. Some ideas are refreshing. This video is a book summary of WHO NOT HOW by Dan Sullivan, who give 11 Lessons for entrepreneurs to better manage their time. The most important lesson is to ask the question of WHO. Who can solve this problem for me? Problems can be divided into two types: technical problems and adaptive problems. Find WHO for the technical problems and focus your time and energy on the adaptative problems that only you can answer. 

For example, if you have a business, you need a website. This is a technical problem. Hire the WHO to solve it. On the other hand, how to grow the business is an adaptive problem. It needs your creative ideas. No one can replace you. So you will have to do it.

When you go about the adaptive problems, ask yourself the seven questions as the "Impact Filter":

1. What is the project? What is the purpose?

2. What do you want to accomplish?

3. What's the biggest difference this will make?

4. What does the completed project look like? The ideal outcome.

5. Best results if you do take action.

6. Worst results if you don't take action.

7. What has to be true when this project is finished? The success criteria.

As an assessment professional, I found these 7 questions quite useful for me to think about the 12 projects that I have at hand. Which ones can further the mission of the office to the greatest extent? Which ones can contribute to the field the most? Which ones can bring the highest personal sense of joy and fulfillment? 

Reflect on many activities that many institutions carry out. Do we really have to do certain things at certain times? Do we have to collect assessment reports every year? What is the greatest way to make an impact? For me, interestingly, would be to help one person and one program at a time in my own institution. If 1/3 of the faculty members see the value of learning assessment, the momentum will start and they can move on their own. At the national level, that would be to promote:

• Assignment charrette activities as efficient and effective strategies to engage faculty in assessment that is meaningful and immediately useful
• The mindset that program assessment needs facilitation. A structured facilitated process leads to faculty collaborative reflection and action on program improvement. Some assessment professionals complain that faculty do not do assessment or do not use assessment results. Did we, as assessment professionals, give them the time, mental space, and the process to do so?

Going back to the video, here are the seven lessons covered:

Lesson #1: Freedom of time. Ritchy in the story, bought the produce in the farmers' market at a discount and sell them as local-grown products to neighbors, and made the money that he needed for summer vacation, instead of trying to make money by mowing lawns. Creative ideas come to us when we are in a state of relaxation.

• How can I create more freedom of time in my work? Many assessment professionals handle a lot of logistics. My fault is that I try to handle everything by myself rather than writing down instructions for others to handle. So what will eventually help free time is to take the time to write instructions. Also create intentional time to relax and reflect, like the time now on writing this blog.
• How can we offer the freedom of time for faculty members? Really, is to help them with the logistical, non-substantial tasks such as data entry and data analysis. Focus faculty's time in assessment on meaningful collaborative discussion and sense-making of the results.

Lesson #2: Find WHOs for all aspects of your life. Think of cooking, fitness, and cleaning. You need to find the WHO to find the right WHOs, like a recruiter to find the expert that you need. 

• I am so bad at finding WHOs. I do everything by myself. And yes, it overwhelms me. At work, I need to engage more colleagues as coaches and expert peers. I should also be more open to asking for help. I really do not have to be a know-it-all and research everything on my own. At home, maybe I should feel okay for my family to spend money to buy prepared meals instead of cooking 4 different meals for each meal each day because we all eat different things! Maybe I should hire someone to do deep cleaning of my house. Maybe I should be okay with paying people to wash my car, fix my toilet, and tutor my kids. 

Lesson #3: Procrastination is wisdom. It is a signal telling you that you need a WHO to assist you. You want more for yourself but don't have the ability to accomplish them. 

Lesson #4: Technical and adaptative problems.

Lesson #5: Decision fatigue. When burying yourself in various tasks, you lose sight of the problem that can make the biggest impact.

Lesson #6: Who is an investment, not a cost. Change your mindset from a cost mindset to an investment mindset.

Lesson #7: If you have money to solve the problem, then you don't have a problem.

Lesson #8: Always be a buyer. You can choose WHO you want to be a client. Choose the people that you work with. 

Lesson #9: 80% rule. You can get 80% of the project done quickly. Get to the 80% and pass it to the next WHO.

• Love this idea to seek feedback when you only have a rough draft!

Lesson #10: If it is not a HELL YES, then it is a HELL NO!

• I need to say "NO" more often. All those "MAYBEs" really should be "HELL NO!"

Lesson #11: Completion is for losers. Find competent others to collaborate with instead.

• Collaboration really is the key to being productive and positive. I need to lean more on my collaborators and my team leads. 

Overall, this video reminds me to reflect on what is the most important thing for me to achieve and not lose sight. And find the WHOs.