GTD Time Management
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Posted by Sean Rehder |
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| Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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Getting Things Done (GTD) is a time management theory/practice made popular by David Allen and his book Getting Things Done, I have a copy and am constantly pulling it out looking through it like a hypo-chrondiac goes through their medicine cabinet. I'm going to start blogging a little bit on how I am trying to incorporate GTD concepts and methods into corporate recruiting processes.
I'll start with a post from 43folders.com, a blog I've been following since I first heard of GTD. Its blogger is Merlin Mann who is both very smart...and very funny... in sort of a Seinfeld kind of way. He's also an Apple fanatic and has been gracious enough to exchange some emails with me recently giving me some advice on purchasing the right Apple computer.
I grew up with Macs (my dad was in the public education system so I got to use his) and am finally making the move back in both the home use and professional use. I was recently at Genentech and noticed their employees with Macs and then I heard internal people at Salesforce.com were getting macs and I also made a visit to Apple and everyone had macs...and iPhones...of course. Its good to see common sense/personal productivity making its way back into corporate America.
Anyways... here is some of Merlin's post for the newly informed.
1) Reduce noise - We all have innumerable inboxes, interruptions, and distractions that are part of work and life, you can't change that. What you can do is get more hard-nosed about the elective diversions that you invite into your world. Cancel a subscription for a magazine you never read or sign off an annoying mailing list. Needles get easier to find when you are not constantly adding new hay to the stack.
2) Write things down - Ever find a piece of paper in your office with seven digits on it? You know it's a phone number, but whose? Get ruthless about jotting down ephemeral information if you will need to recall it later. Remember that your brain is a creative organ with limitless creative possibilities, but it makes a really crummy whiteboard.
3) Focus on action - My favorite productivity book, "Getting Things Done" highlights how anything you want to do in life eventually comes down to intentional physical activity, even if it's something as mundane as "take out trash" and "call Mom." Learn the habit of planning your world around action verbs rather than fuzzy nouns. "Implement Strategy" is not a task; it's a project. "Call Jim about strategy" is a very do-able "next action" that keeps the ball in motion.
4) Get out of your inbox - Many of us are habituated to living out of our email inbox, voicemail, and the other "in baskets" of our lives. Instead, try to set aside regular, periodic times when you trawl for the new content in your life, then get back to work! Inboxes are delivery systems, not workspaces. The real work is happening in your brain and practically every other place that's not an inbox. Stop allowing yourself to be brow-beaten by the latest, loudest, or most dramatic item that’s landed in your world.
5) Get pickier - You are the sole person in your life who gets to decide where your time and attention can go. Take that responsibility seriously by not wasting time on junk. You know in your heart what’s really important to you, does the current direction of your time and attention reflect that? Is "kid hugging" time where it should be in proportion to "Blackberry checking" time? Be mindful at the highest level about where you focus your energy, and always strive not to squander it on undeserving activities.
More to follow in the future.Labels: Time Management
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CRM for Corporate Recruiting & Relationship Management
I have a CRM model built and customized for sourcing and recruiting for medium to large sized employers. Built on the Salesforce.com platform, I've worked with such companies as Electronic Arts, Deloitte, MGM Mirage, Genentech, Dolby, & SNC Lavalin.
CRM Program Management for Campus Recruiting
Also built on the Salesforce.com platform and combined with the my regular corporate recruiting model, this application has always had great traction and success with employers that used it to track and engage universitie accross the country.
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Recruiters and HR oftern "recruit and promote" from within. This CRM application lets you track and recruit your internal hires and career development. Packaged within the same CRM application as the Sourcing/Recruiting model and the Campus Recruiting model, it ties all recruiting and hiring into one managed and shared program.
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Ever wonder if people in your ATS (Applicant Tracking System) were also on LinkedIn.com or if they used Twitter.com? I perform "ad hoc" audits of ATS systems and find those who are and who are not on these two social media sites. For example, its great practice to connect with all your Silver Medalists on LinkedIn to continue to nurture that relationship.
LinkedIn.com Groups Building
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 Jeff Hunter
Vice President of HR Solutions
Dolby Laboratories
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Add to this that Sean is a really nice guy, and I would have to say that he is the complete package. It is an honor to work with him.”
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Senior Vice President Global Talent Acquisition
Avanade
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Sean is one of the few people I have met that can help tie in the complex elements of recruiting/sourcing/pipelining with a business/technical solution.
Top qualities: Expert, Good Value, High Integrity”
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Executive Vice President
Arbita
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Expertise in CRM systems is not the only reason I strongly recommend Sean to my clients. It's also because of his generosity, kindness of spirit, and willingness to break things down to a level anyone can understand.
Sean is incredible business partner.” |
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Director of Global Talent Sourcing & Programs
Electronic Arts
“I have had the privilege of working with Sean for the past year+ designing, developing and implementing Electronic Arts's global talent acquisition CRM solution.
Sean is innovative, solutions focused, reliable with high integrity and has been a key in rolling out a cutting edge, scaleable tool. Sean is customer focused and an absolute pleasure to work with.
If you ever have an opportunity to work with Sean I would jump at the chance and I recommend him without hesitation!”
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 Christina Kerekes
Global Talent Resources
Electronic Arts
"Sean not only was fundamental in ensuring our CRM system was tailor made to meet our demanding requirements, but he was also key in making sure the system was intuitive, adaptable and robust.
He has an in depth understanding of workforce planning and as a result can develop workforce tools and systems that are usable, practical and intuitive.
Our Salesforce.com migration could not have happened without Sean's expertise -- any organization fortunate enough to secure Sean for building up their talent management systems will find themselves highly satisfied with the results!"
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 Cicele Aitken
Programs Manager - Global Talent Strategy and Resourcing
Electronic Arts
“Sean is the go to guy for designing and implementing next generation of recruiting technology solutions. He is smart, passionate and driven for success in all that he does.
As a business partner, we rely heavily on him for his expertise and he never lets us down. I highly recommend Sean without reservation!”
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 Cris Hammond
Founder (Retired) of ABE Staffing Services, now WorkforceLogic.com
“Sean came to us in 1997. By 2001, we were at $100 million a year in revenue and employing 1,500 payrolled individuals. This growth and the supporting infrastructure was largely built on Sean's initiatives.”
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 Michelle Wilson Knobel
Senior Sourcing Consultant
Genentech
"Sean works as a consultant for Genentech providing technical expertise for our new system, SalesForce. He set up the system, rolled it out, trained everyone in staffing and worked to ensure it's functionality.
Sean is professional, responsive, and very detailed oriented. He came in to a pretty chaotic environment and helped to streamline our staffing processes."
Top Qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity
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 Michael Haugh
Sourcing Consultant
Genentech
"Sean is a great consultant and an expert in SalesForce.com. He taught and continues to train Genentech's recruiting team. Sean is both strategic and tactical with his recommendations and I often look to him for guidance regarding my effective use of this tool.
Sean is also very collaborative and a definite expert and team player."
Top Qualities: Great Results, Personable, Expert
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 Chandra Farnsworth
Sr. Sourcing Consultant
Genentech
"Sean was the point of contact for the SalesForce program we used in the Staffing organization at Genentech last year. I was a SalesForce neophyte who needed a lot of help to get started. I had many interactions with Sean both in group trainings and one on one. He was very responsive in getting back to me when I made urgent calls to him. He was extremely knowledgeable of the system and he was infinitely patient with me as I learned to navigate my way.
I also experienced Sean to be every effective in troubleshooting and resolving problems which were identified as our group became more sophisticated users. I was very appreciative of Sean in his role during that time. Overall Sean was a great resource and quite wonderful to work with."
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 Stephanie Ellis
Vice President of Compliance Services at WorkforceLogic.com
“Sean has an excellent reputation in the field of contractor compliance. Sean built an on-line web based application to support our product that allowed us to provide our clients with timely service.
Sean during his tenure at ABE was one of the most highly respected individuals within our company for his level of expertise.”
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 Dan Hilbert
Former Employment Manager at Valero Energy Corp. now CEO at Oraca Eyes
“Sean is one of the most competent, bright and dedicated talent leaders I've met in the past three years since my return to the talent industry.
Sean posses an adept vision of where the market is headed. He understands and utilizes advanced technologies, advanced best processes and sound business savvy.
Sean's caring for his customers is extraordinary.”
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 Gene Zaino
Presiden
MyBizOffice.com
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Sean has valuable, practical knowledge with recrutiing, engaging and managing the complex issues surrounding contract talent. Sean is also a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend him.”
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 Terri Gallagher
Talent Management Strategies/Contingent Workforce Program Management
Adecco
“Sean's wealth and breadth of knowledge and experience in the Contingent Staffing arena has made him an invaluable resource for me to tap into.
There are so few individuals in this industry who truly understand this relatively new terrain of contingent professional staffing, and Sean is one of them.”
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Researcher / Writer/ Analyst on Human Capital
“Enthusiastic, innovative and generous with his time.”
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 Sidney Bateman
Executive Recruiter
The
Tom Ruff Company
“Sean is a talented and knowledgeable Talent Consultant. He is responsive and thorough in his approach and contributes well to a team if needed.
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I'd recommend Sean as a consultant or emloyee without hesitation."
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Life is Local is a philosophy that, although online networking is great, most relationships grow to a meaningful level when we physically interact with others. I'm the first to say basic "networking events" absolutely suck. So, each"Life is Local" group is based upon common location and a common interest. |
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