60

• What is 60 Second Strategy about anyway?

• Can you give a brief overview of the 60 Second Strategy Process?

• Come on, I’m never going to solve my problems in 60 seconds, am I?
• What are the biggest misconceptions people have about strategy?
• You say you can you redesign thinking in a matter of days, how?
• What are the first baby steps I can take to get started?
• What’s the first thing you say to someone who tells you “I could never stop answering email and my phone, my job depends on it?”
• Does the book work better for entrepreneurs than employees in corporate offices?
• How can I train my boss to value performance over presence?
• Do I need an MBA of formal business education?
• Why is work/life balance so important to you? Don’t those who work hardest get ahead the fastest?
• Did you have a transition period where you still could not “leave” the office and let go?
• After all you have mastered, do you ever find it hard to follow your own rules?
• Why is it so difficult to answer the question “what do you do?”
• Why improvisation? Why marathon running? Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Why did you choose the things you choose to do outside of work?
• Okay I’ve “removed” clutter my work and my life. I have set goals and I’m following through plans to achieve them. … what stops me from being bored in my simplified life?

• What is 60 Second Strategy about anyway?

It’s about creating systematic thinking processes to reduce time spent in decision making, thus allowing you to focus on long-term goals an priorities.

• Can you give a brief overview of the 60 Second Strategy Process?

The process involves six key phases which aren’t necessarily linear. They include:

1. Eliminate Distractions
2. Locking in on Target
3. Self Education
4. Analyzing & Forecasting
5. Setting a Plan
6. Executing

• Come on, I’m never going to solve my problems in 60 seconds, am I?

Actually, with proper systematic thinking, you will remove a majority of your decisions entirely. Many decisions that remain can be solved in less than 6 seconds. This allows you to spend hours (if needed) to focus on the things that really matter.

• What are the biggest misconceptions people have about strategy?

People think that strategy is this big, complex, confusing concept. I have spent years studying strategy in military, politics, business and sports. Good strategy is usually very simple. Consistency, planning, and execution is where most people and organizations fail.

• You say you can you redesign thinking in a matter of days, how?

The biggest thing you can do is eliminate clutter from your life. Do this now. Refuse to spend more than… say 2 hours a day on the phone or email. Block time for these activities and discipline yourself to do this. Educate you associates and colleagues that you are doing this to better serve them. You will be amazed at how this will allow you the opportunity to BEGIN to think. After that, go through the exercises and worksheet in the book and on the website. You will be AMAZED at how far you will come in just a matter of days.

• What are the first baby steps I can take to get started?

Pick three things you do each day that eat away your time. Find a way to delegate, remove or reduce these three items. Discipline yourself to stick with this for a week.

• What’s the first thing you say to someone who tells you “I could never stop answering email and my phone, my job depends on it?”

I thought so to, until I did it. What happens when you have to go to the bathroom? Don’t you have voicemail? Set a time to answer calls each day. If needed add a note to your voicemail and email signature that explains your new policy. Leave an emergency or cell phone number for emergencies. You will be surprised to see how many people will respect your new policy.

• Does the book work better for entrepreneurs than employees in corporate offices?

Although the book is new, the systems behind the book have been used effectively by thousands of people in government, academia, and business for several years. I have personally applied these techniques in a large corporate environment an also as a business owner.

• How can I train my boss to value performance over presence?

That can be a tricky question. First, you need to think about your goals. If you have a boss who cannot recognize value, perhaps it’s a better strategy to add value in order to obtain a different position (and a different boss). Ultimately, your focus should be on changing yourself and not others. You should focus on changing and growing yourself and not others. If you truly add value, it will eventually catch up to you. Honest discussions with your boss about your feeling usually won’t hurt either. Notice the word USUALLY.

• Do I need and MBA of formal business education?

Absolutely not. Look at your goals and the specific knowledge and/or experience you need to obtain those goals. Much of my MBA coursework taught me business from a large, organizational perspective. Much of the coursework would be of little value to an entrepreneur or small business owner. Make sure the education you seek leads directly to your long-term objectives.

• Why is work/life balance so important to you? Don’t those who work hardest get ahead the fastest?

I ended up in the hospital three times because of my desire to get to the top the fastest. My family life was a mess and I almost died. I looked all around me and saw the other successful executives with ruined marriages and a myriad of health problems. Getting to the top isn’t worth it if you make it all alone… and you die the day after you get there.

• Did you have a transition period where you still could not “leave” the office and let go?

It’s an everyday struggle. I’m a workaholic… I guess it’s in my DNA. Having a satellite in office in my home makes it even harder to escape work. The best way to combat this is to schedule in time for family, kids and relaxation. I force myself to step away and refuse to miss an appointment with myself. More importantly, I have taken a life-saving tip from the Jewish Culture. I take a “Sabbath Rest” every week. From sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, I do not work. I spend time with family, friends, and loved ones. Even through my crazy, overworked years, I have maintained this. Doing this one thing has probably kept me from death when I was to stubborn to know when to quit.

• After all you have mastered, do you ever find it hard to follow your own rules?

Without reinforcement, it’s easy to fall into old habits. I work daily to reinforce my desired behavior and ways of thinking. That’s why it’s imperative to have an accountability partner, or better yet, an executive coach.

• Why is it so difficult to answer the question “what do you do?”

I am a CEO, speaker, coach, workshop facilitator, author, husband, father, blogger, impovisationalist, martial artist, talk show host… and a bunch of other things I have my hands in. I quit defining myself by my occupation years ago. I try to help make people better at what they do. The way I help takes many forms.

• Why improvisation? Why marathon running? Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Why Classical guitar? Why did you choose the things you choose to do outside of work?

I am always looking for new experiences and try to exercise my creative outlet for inspiration. The more I learn about other people and activities, the better I can understand human nature, as well as my own. Life is about experience and growth. The day you become stagnant is the day you start to die.

• Okay I’ve “removed” clutter my work and my life. I have set goals and I’m following through plans to achieve them. … what stops me from being bored in my simplified life?

Are you kidding me? There is a world out there to experience. If your inbox is empty, go reach out and help others. Get to know your family. Go volunteer. Make a difference!