Productivity Paradox

How Chris O’Neill (CEO of Evernote), is turning the brand into a productivity powerhouse!

“Knowledge workers are spending 80%+ of their time in meetings, responding to email, creating emails, and communicating to death. Research shows that typically a third to 40 percent of meaningful collaboration happens with 5 percent or less of people. The result is you have your stars being drowned out by asking for opinions.”

Although technology has brought us tools to collaborate, and to increase productivity however, we are spending 80%+ of time doing collaborative things.

The Four Practices

ESTABLISH NORTH STAR: It’s impossible to set inspiring and motivational goals, if you don’t know what success means in the first place. Therefore, that foundation for success must be determined ‘for your company’.

“What is it that matters most to you, and to your company”?

DEFINE VISION FOR SUCCESS: This requires you to set the Aspirational Goals and Milestones you will encounter on the journey (goal/purpose congruence). However, those goals should be ‘achievable but somewhat uncomfortable’.

“Pick goals that are uncomfortably exciting” ~ Larry Page, Google

After defining the vision and goals for success to occur, you must write them down (42% more likely to achieve them, just by writing them down).

TRANSLATE GOALS INTO BEHAVIORS:

“We aren’t what we say, we are what we do”

The best way to translate goals into behaviors is through OKR’s.

Allows you to focus the team (what, when, and where)

Allows the team to focus on long-term (avoids confusion)

Allows you to un-lock meaning (clarity of mission, intention, and purpose)

DEEP WORK:

“Don’t confuse motion with progress. Busy is the problem, Deep Work is the solution”

Deep Work (Cal Newport, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World) is the ability to focus without distraction, on something that is cognitively difficult. Chris says that the ability to practice Deep Work is a ‘Superpower’, in today’s noisy world. Deep Work starts with single tasking. However, it is important to measure the amount of time spent in Deep Work and the level of effectiveness achieved (vs. the alternative of being buffeted). Measuring the outcomes allows you to prioritize effectiveness over efficiency.