Black Belt Productivity

This week in John C. Maxwell’s book The 360 Degree Leader, I read about preparation for time with your leader.

Your leader’s time is very valuable. It is very important to make sure that you are properly prepared each time you take a leader’s time.

1. Invest 10X. Maxwell recommends that you prepare 10 minutes for each minute that you spend with your leader. I think this could vary based on your office’s culture. But if you were seeing Bill Gates, I would definitely say prep 10X.
2. Do not make your boss think for you. It is key to make sure you have thought through the topic you are bringing to your leader. If your manager has to think for you. If is a waste of their time.
3. Bring something to the table. Be sure that you add value to a conversion. Help your leader talk through some thing. If you bring value, you become valuable.
4. When asked to speak, don’t wing it. If you wing it or BS it when you are asked to speak, it will eventually become obvious.
5. Learn to speak your leader’s language. Your leader will appreciate you communicating with them on their level.
6. Get to the bottom line. A manager’s motto for communication…”Never mind about the delivery; just show me the baby.”
7. Give a return on your leader’s investment. If your leader has helped you to become a better employee, do not hesitate to communicate that to them. Leaders love to hear about employees developing.

- Jason