GTD Summit - Who's going? Attendee chat!

PeterByrom

Registered
Hi all!

I thought it would be good for those of us attending the GTD Summit this June to have a space to chat and network prior to the event!

Who else is going, where are you from, and what do you want to get out of the Summit?

I'm from the UK, and I most want to get two things out of the Summit:

1. Learn ways to bring the benefits of GTD into a company's systems and but without needing to explicitly train the staff in GTD (though personally I'd prefer it if they did)!

2. Brainstorm with fellow GTD'ers about how we can find more and better ways to "sell" and spread GTD!

Over to you!

Peter
 

Julie_Flagg

Registered
Peter:
Very good questions.

I have been doing GTD since 2001 and almost immediately found it essential to my work as an obstetrician gynecologist leading a group of obgyns and about 25 employees. Soon after starting to build my own GTD system , I had similar questions to yours . How do i convince other people of the value of the system and how do I get everybody to start to use it as well?

It has worked best when I see people looking over my shoulder at my lists from the last department meeting in my list manager notebook. They notice that I will followup on an item that we brought up months ago and can easily see what we decided on which day. The system lends itself to tenacity and completion- qualities that my team appreciates (for the most part).

Also I constantly mention the basics:
Read the book.
Write it down - learn to be explicit about what you are writing down- process what you have written down.
Ask what am I trying to accomplish and what are the next actions and who owns them- this is particularly important at the end of meetings.
Have an in box. Keep working at keeping it empty. This is hard.
Tend to your list manager.
For me, it is weekly review plus an hour a day to keep up with my system.
You still have to decide what needs to get done and then you have to do it.

People take notice when you are on time, dead lines are met and calls are returned and you are still smiling. They will ask how you get it done. I tell them I have a system - they know that already because they see the list notebook on my desk. They know that my reference file is loaded with useful and accessible information- even in this age of Google. They ask for articles that they know I have.

I find that young people are particularly amazed to see the system and how effective it is. They appreciate when you share the tricks like the 2 minute rule and writing things down and keeping a meticulous calendar.. I tell them that it is something that takes time, effort and practice but it will save much more time and help them accomplish what they have chosen to do. While it is not easy , it beats the chaos and confusion and disappointment of no system or a leaky system of missed deadlines and scheduled appointments. Young people are hungry for high reliability and GTD is the quickest way for them to become highly reliable themselves.

Convincing GTD (for me) has been done simply by leading by example- we recognize that we are each going to make several mistakes everyday . GTD helps you to minimize the serious errors to build in check lists and templates- to become workmanlike and methodical- you become steady - all this provides the clarity that you will need when things get urgent desparate or confused when massive change or disaster happens. You will be able to remain calm and nimble as you urgently address the crisis and so the hemorrhage will be controlled, the plane will land and the Christmas dinner will make it to the table.
I find myself asking "how simple can I make the system , how absolutely solid can I make it" - these have been important selling features for the team. I tell them that I see GTD as a tremendous gift that they can give themselves.
I give the book to people that show interest inGTD
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
Peter:
Very good questions.

I have been doing GTD since 2001 and almost immediately found it essential to my work as an obstetrician gynecologist leading a group of obgyns and about 25 employees. Soon after starting to build my own GTD system , I had similar questions to yours . How do i convince other people of the value of the system and how do I get everybody to start to use it as well?

It has worked best when I see people looking over my shoulder at my lists from the last department meeting in my list manager notebook. They notice that I will followup on an item that we brought up months ago and can easily see what we decided on which day. The system lends itself to tenacity and completion- qualities that my team appreciates (for the most part).

Also I constantly mention the basics:
Read the book.
Write it down - learn to be explicit about what you are writing down- process what you have written down.
Ask what am I trying to accomplish and what are the next actions and who owns them- this is particularly important at the end of meetings.
Have an in box. Keep working at keeping it empty. This is hard.
Tend to your list manager.
For me, it is weekly review plus an hour a day to keep up with my system.
You still have to decide what needs to get done and then you have to do it.

People take notice when you are on time, dead lines are met and calls are returned and you are still smiling. They will ask how you get it done. I tell them I have a system - they know that already because they see the list notebook on my desk. They know that my reference file is loaded with useful and accessible information- even in this age of Google. They ask for articles that they know I have.

I find that young people are particularly amazed to see the system and how effective it is. They appreciate when you share the tricks like the 2 minute rule and writing things down and keeping a meticulous calendar.. I tell them that it is something that takes time, effort and practice but it will save much more time and help them accomplish what they have chosen to do. While it is not easy , it beats the chaos and confusion and disappointment of no system or a leaky system of missed deadlines and scheduled appointments. Young people are hungry for high reliability and GTD is the quickest way for them to become highly reliable themselves.

Convincing GTD (for me) has been done simply by leading by example- we recognize that we are each going to make several mistakes everyday . GTD helps you to minimize the serious errors to build in check lists and templates- to become workmanlike and methodical- you become steady - all this provides the clarity that you will need when things get urgent desparate or confused when massive change or disaster happens. You will be able to remain calm and nimble as you urgently address the crisis and so the hemorrhage will be controlled, the plane will land and the Christmas dinner will make it to the table.
I find myself asking "how simple can I make the system , how absolutely solid can I make it" - these have been important selling features for the team. I tell them that I see GTD as a tremendous gift that they can give themselves.
I give the book to people that show interest inGTD
This was great - thanks for sharing. I share similar approaches in dealing with graduate students, PostDoctoral Fellows, Junior Faculty, and even my senior colleagues! May I ask what you use for your GTD system?
 

Julie_Flagg

Registered
My sytem:

3x5 cards Levenger with my own contact in formation ( for random thoughts/ double as business card) in a leather folder with 2 parker pens (ball point and old parker 51 fountain pen) -Breast pocket.
11x17 cm spinal notebook Claire Fountaine for in patient lists and a constant complete stream of calls form pts and other MD's . White coat pocket or back pocket- these notes are crossed off as they are processed /organized in the electronic record when I am back at the office
iphone w/Outlook/office 365- iphone in holder attached to my belt.
Beeper for emergency/disaster on my belt. Also functions as emergency back up communication system if Iphone/ phone lines not working.
Dell laptop loaded
Letter size Circa notebook with dividers- including inbox, calendar ( which i transcribe during weekly review) waiting for, calls, projects, errands, individual agendas , waiting for and lists. This not too large red notebook lives on my desk at home or in the office. I bring it to meetings. It is not too imposing. This is the true heart of my system.
Notetaker wallet ( back pocket). It goes everywhere including evenings when I am occasionally dressed up without a shirt pocket.
Swiss Army knive - I use it all the time - people that I work with ask for it frequenly.

Weekly review sunday afternoon 1-2 hours- Plus I spend about 45-60 minutes daily reviewing up coming surgery, papers / projects/ calender the evening before or the day of-

I find that hand writing gives me a better sense of what is happening, where the information is stored- I also find it very fast to write it down . Later when I have time, I will process and organize and cross off entries from the pad- this way I have time to think/decide. I have the essential information right there to make a critical follow up call. For me actually writing is the start of the processing/ clarifying and organizing. I am often on the run or moving from the office to the OR to the recovering room and writing it down is the fastest and I can be simultaneously speaking on the IPHONE without going on to speaker phone.
As a surgeon , I have an affinity for doing things with my hands.

Finally last thing at night I look at my calendar for that day "today " and then the next day. In the morning , I repeat and check the calendar for yesterday and today. This is obvious but it is impressive how many significant things I can pick up that I could easily have missed.


I also designate the "frog that I am going to eat" that day ie get the emision test done, get the id photo done, - anything that I have been stalled that is beginning to create "velcro in my flow".
I use this time to confirm what I absolutely have to do ie talk with our department chairman.

When i leave the house in the morning or return
-I have a count that I do. It takes 2-3 secs. Forgetting my wallet can really cause problems all day- As housemate in medical school set his "got to have it" list to a tune and he would sing it as he walked out the door. This is my list
1) hearing aids
2) Pens
3)3x5 card holder
4) Cell phone
5) Beeper
6) Keys
7) Note taker wallet

I do this even in the event of something extremely bad happening- these are the essentials that I can use- I am good to go when I have them. I can be dead in the water unable to get into the OR at 3 am without my id which is in the notetaker wallet.

Incidentally, I have tried an assortment of electronic lists but I found that I spent more time fussing with Omnifocus or some other excellent system rather than getting things done.

My system is a bit dated but simple almost elegant with the crazy satisfaction that one get rolling out a pie crust- it works and the more that you do it the better your pies taste
 

Longstreet

Professor of microbiology and infectious diseases
My sytem:

3x5 cards Levenger with my own contact in formation ( for random thoughts/ double as business card) in a leather folder with 2 parker pens (ball point and old parker 51 fountain pen) -Breast pocket.
11x17 cm spinal notebook Claire Fountaine for in patient lists and a constant complete stream of calls form pts and other MD's . White coat pocket or back pocket- these notes are crossed off as they are processed /organized in the electronic record when I am back at the office
iphone w/Outlook/office 365- iphone in holder attached to my belt.
Beeper for emergency/disaster on my belt. Also functions as emergency back up communication system if Iphone/ phone lines not working.
Dell laptop loaded
Letter size Circa notebook with dividers- including inbox, calendar ( which i transcribe during weekly review) waiting for, calls, projects, errands, individual agendas , waiting for and lists. This not too large red notebook lives on my desk at home or in the office. I bring it to meetings. It is not too imposing. This is the true heart of my system.
Notetaker wallet ( back pocket). It goes everywhere including evenings when I am occasionally dressed up without a shirt pocket.
Swiss Army knive - I use it all the time - people that I work with ask for it frequenly.

Weekly review sunday afternoon 1-2 hours- Plus I spend about 45-60 minutes daily reviewing up coming surgery, papers / projects/ calender the evening before or the day of-

I find that hand writing gives me a better sense of what is happening, where the information is stored- I also find it very fast to write it down . Later when I have time, I will process and organize and cross off entries from the pad- this way I have time to think/decide. I have the essential information right there to make a critical follow up call. For me actually writing is the start of the processing/ clarifying and organizing. I am often on the run or moving from the office to the OR to the recovering room and writing it down is the fastest and I can be simultaneously speaking on the IPHONE without going on to speaker phone.
As a surgeon , I have an affinity for doing things with my hands.

Finally last thing at night I look at my calendar for that day "today " and then the next day. In the morning , I repeat and check the calendar for yesterday and today. This is obvious but it is impressive how many significant things I can pick up that I could easily have missed.


I also designate the "frog that I am going to eat" that day ie get the emision test done, get the id photo done, - anything that I have been stalled that is beginning to create "velcro in my flow".
I use this time to confirm what I absolutely have to do ie talk with our department chairman.

When i leave the house in the morning or return
-I have a count that I do. It takes 2-3 secs. Forgetting my wallet can really cause problems all day- As housemate in medical school set his "got to have it" list to a tune and he would sing it as he walked out the door. This is my list
1) hearing aids
2) Pens
3)3x5 card holder
4) Cell phone
5) Beeper
6) Keys
7) Note taker wallet

I do this even in the event of something extremely bad happening- these are the essentials that I can use- I am good to go when I have them. I can be dead in the water unable to get into the OR at 3 am without my id which is in the notetaker wallet.

Incidentally, I have tried an assortment of electronic lists but I found that I spent more time fussing with Omnifocus or some other excellent system rather than getting things done.

My system is a bit dated but simple almost elegant with the crazy satisfaction that one get rolling out a pie crust- it works and the more that you do it the better your pies taste
Wow - this is great! My dear colleague, you have an incredible system! :)
 
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