Do the right things first. Twice a month I send one prioritization practice you can use that week, plus the Health-Powered Productivity podcast, the reading, and what I'm learning on the road.
Episode 127: Are you solving the real problem or just the visible one?
|
A few months ago, I watched ICE agents try to manage a TSA checkpoint they weren't authorized to run. The line didn't move because the line wasn't the problem. I see the same thing in organizations. We add bodies, create new Slack channels, schedule another check-in, and call it a solution. The actual source of the problem sits upstream, untouched, because addressing it is harder or uncomfortable.The difference between solving what's visible and solving what's real is the difference between optimization and prioritization. They are not the same thing. In this episode, I walk through the three-question Relentless Prioritization Filter — the core framework from my new book, The Right Things First— and how to apply it at work and at home.
And if you want something to use with your team right away, I built a one-page infographic of the full filter, including the solution check. It's yours, free.
P.S. The Right Things First officially launches September 8th. It's available for pre-order now in packs of ten or more — priced for teams, leadership retreats, and conference use. Simply hit reply with the number of copies you're interested in for a quote. |
RaderCo - Health-Powered Productivity
Do the right things first. Twice a month I send one prioritization practice you can use that week, plus the Health-Powered Productivity podcast, the reading, and what I'm learning on the road.
Q4 budget windows close fast. If you're looking for something to give your team before the year ends, I want to make sure you know this exists. The Right Things First is a pocket guide to relentless prioritization across health, work, relationships, home, and digital life. Small enough for a back pocket. Practical enough to use the same week it arrives. Every copy includes a free audio version I recorded (65 minutes). It works as a standalone team resource or paired with a keynote or...
Planning is a productive-looking way to procrastinate. An afternoon, a document, and the feeling you worked on the quarter. Then you can execute a list you never examined. Why it matters: If you can't plan, you can't prioritize. If you're not prioritizing, you're planning the wrong things. There's a step before both. Reflect. Prioritize. Plan. In that order. One thing you can do now: Before you plan next quarter, answer one question about the last one. What did you keep saying yes to that...
Optimize or prioritize? | When everything feels urgent | Peyton Manning Last weekend was super fun and active. My brother came to visit, and we hiked about 10 miles, visited the trolls at Dorothea Dix Park, and saw Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue, and TLC. I also showed him how to use Claude to improve his SEO, GEO, and AEO for his steel business. With Emily Crookston and Todd Rader at the Iconic concert. The setup matters more than the ask: Claude needs to understand your business before you ask it to...