processing in box

[JDC]

I have another question about processing my in box.

Yesterday I received a letter from someone who lives in another city. There is nothing that I need to do about the letter right now. However, sometime between now and the next time that I see that person (probably several months from now, but no specific time has yet been set) I want to talk to someone else about one item in the letter, to get their interpretation. There are three possible people with whom I could have this conversation. It is only necessary to discuss it with one of the three.

Where does this fit in the GTD system?

JDC

 

[Starfish]

I have another question about processing my in box.

Yesterday I received a letter from someone who lives in another city. There is nothing that I need to do about the letter right now. However, sometime between now and the next time that I see that person (probably several months from now, but no specific time has yet been set) I want to talk to someone else about one item in the letter, to get their interpretation. There are three possible people with whom I could have this conversation. It is only necessary to discuss it with one of the three.

Where does this fit in the GTD system?

JDC,

I'm kind of new to this myself, but it seems to me that you have several options:

1) Put the letter in your tickler file, with a note attached to contact any of the three people regarding the issue (and write the issue down, so you don't forget!). Decide right now how long to give yourself before contacting one of these three people.

2) File the letter away (if you need to keep it), and enter a new project into your projects list: "Discuss XXX with YYY". Define your first NA as picking a person. Other NAs could be scheduling a venue (lunch, dinner, etc.).

Hope this helps,

Matthew

 

[kewms]

Yesterday I received a letter from someone who lives in another city. There is nothing that I need to do about the letter right now. However, sometime between now and the next time that I see that person (probably several months from now, but no specific time has yet been set) I want to talk to someone else about one item in the letter, to get their interpretation. There are three possible people with whom I could have this conversation. It is only necessary to discuss it with one of the three.

You could:

* If any of the three people is someone you talk to regularly, you could put the item on the Agenda for your next conversation with that person.

* You could get the question out of the way as soon as possible, by creating a Next Action to contact any of the three possible sources at your earliest convenience. Then include a note with the information you get in your Agenda notes for your next meeting with the sender.

*You could stall, throwing the letter in your tickler file for a month or so from now, with a note to get the question answered then.

I would choose the first or second option, since that protects me against a sudden change of plans that forces me to get the answer sooner than I expected.

Katherine

 

[Day Owl]

I agree with kwems about choosing the first or second option, for the reasons she stated. Also, if you act soon (even though your deadline is probably months away), the issue you want to discuss will still be fresh in your mind, and your discussion with the other person will be more fruitful. If you wait several weeks or a few months, you'll have to expend extra time getting your thoughts back up to speed before you have that discussion.

 

[spectecGTD]

Maybe the answer to this question is embedded in your original post - if so I missed it.

My question is:
What is your definition of a successful outcome in this situation?

I assume that the successful outcome has something to do with being prepared to discuss the item in question with the writer the next time you see them. In any event, you are not ready to determine a Next Action (whatever it is) until you have defined the successful outcome. The rigor of doing that first will usually cause the N/A & how to implement it to become self-evident.

 

[JDC]

processing in box

When processing my inbox last week, I posted a question to the forum and popped the letter into my tickler file, which worked very well at getting the issue off my mind.

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From spectecGTD:

>My question is:
>What is your definition of a successful outcome in this situation?
>
>I assume that the successful outcome has something to do with being >prepared to discuss the item in question with the writer the next time you >see them.

Basically, yes, although I would define it a bit more broadly as being able to deal with the item appropriately. Saying nothing about it is one possible option.

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In the interim, I realized that there is a fourth person whom I could also discuss this with. I already have a meeting scheduled, so no problem to just add this to the list of topics.

JDC