One of the things that I am fascinated by is the way exceptional people manage their time, energy, attention and make great decisions usually.
Now of course they have talent and drive but how many of us have wasted our time, energy and talent or doing the wrong things and lacked the focus and ability maximise their productivity.
Now if you want to actually find their actually wisdom, you will find countless videos on TikTok and Youtube but to summarise here as some takeouts.
- Prioritize High-Impact Activities: All of them focus on tasks that only they can do or that have the highest impact.
- Set Long-Term Goals: Musk and Bezos are known for setting long-term goals. SpaceX and Tesla were built with Musk's long-term vision for the future. Bezos also emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking, which has been a key to Amazon's success.
- Jeff Bezos' 'Two Pizza Rule': Bezos uses the 'Two Pizza Rule' for meetings, which means he doesn't schedule a meeting where two pizzas couldn't feed the entire group. Smaller meetings ensure that everyone's ideas can be heard.
- the more people in meeting the discussions go up exponentially so just have the right people in the room.
- Elon Musk's 'Time Blocking' Method: Musk schedules his day in 5-minute intervals, a technique known as time blocking.
- Timeboxing and managing your calendar/schedule is key.
- Jamie Dimon's 'Open-Door' Policy: Dimon believes in maintaining transparency and open lines of communication within his organization.
- His open-door policy encourages free flow of ideas and quick problem resolution.
- Don't let problems escalate and this avoids surprises. Sounds easy but building this kind of culture isn't easy.
- Effective Communication: They all emphasize the importance of clear and concise communication. Bezos, for instance, prefers six-page memos read at the start of meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page.
- having everybody of the same page and running effective meetings is critical.
- Embrace Failure as Learning: You can't have a big ego, how many of us have seen rockets that crash and burned but that how they learnt.
- See failure as a learning opportunity. Bezos has often said that if you're not failing, you're not innovating enough.
- What is equally important is that the organisation learns, eg debriefing and sharing.
- Maintain a Work-Life Balance: Despite their busy schedules, they try to find time for rest and relaxation. Musk has admitted to overworking and the negative impacts it has had on his health and personal life, highlighting the importance of balance.
- the challenge is not just to look after yourself but your team too.
- Continuous Learning: They are always learning and adapting. Whether it's reading books, staying informed about the latest trends and innovations, or seeking feedback, they're continually seeking to expand their knowledge and improve.
- Buddy said to learn is to change.
- Focus on Customer/Consumer: Bezos has always said the focus should be on the customer, not on competitors. Dimon also prioritizes providing the best services to his clients.
- Always ask yourself is this the right thing to do for the customer.
