Maximum Productivity: Connections
Life November 25th, 2008
This article is last in a series called, "Maximum Productivity " in which I’ll explore the topic of connections.
See the rest of the series here:
Intro: Maximum Productivity: Series Introduction
Part 1: Maximum Productivity: Perspective
Part 2: Maximum Productivity: Attitude
Part 3: Maximum Productivity: Focus
Part 4: Maximum Productivity: Persistence
Part 5: Maximum Productivity: Adventure
Part 6: Maximum Productivity: Connections
After writing so much on specific areas to maximize productivity, I’ve found myself continually wanted to add points that belong in this last section. Looking at productivity from the angles of perspective , attitude , focus , persistence and adventure leave me with a challenge to in some way connect all those together and to help you anchor in not only what it is that fits these puzzle pieces together, but also why? I hope this article can portray that and show where that has become much more apparent to me in my life.
You Can’t Do It Alone
It seems obvious that you can’t reach your maximum productivity on your own. You need to have resources, learning material, people to motivate you, give you feedback and to help you along your way. Even though we all know this when we stop to look at things, we still have this weird natural tendency to do it by ourselves. There is this strange force that is drilled into people (and I think even more so in North America) that you should learn to be independent and able to handle anything on your own. We separate ourselves from others and then hope to achieve great things. I’ve learned one thing, that doesn’t work! You will not ever reach your maximum productivity or potential in other things on your own. You must rely on others and build connections!
Of course there is some room for argument in this but I think those arguments only apply when looking at a small slice of time. Yes, it is possible to be very productive on your own, for certain things but I’m thinking of productivity now on a much grander scale where it applies across some longer period of time; weeks, months and even years. That definitely requires connections to make it last and to be able to sustain it. Life has it’s cycles up and down and there is no easier way to get out of a slump than to have close relationships to rely on. Stuff happens, bad stuff happens and close friends and relationships make it whole lot easier. This enables us to move on with things in our lives and keep that productivity up.
Connections in Numbers
Human beings are social animals. We always have been. We always will be. Having others in our lives gives us everything from security and confidence to trust and accountability. Having more than ourselves is valuable for getting things down as well. Momentum can build by involving others, you have access to more ideas, and creativity. You can easily be more productive by getting help from others!
Now what about helping others? Wouldn’t taking precious time away from your productive tasks prevent you from getting your maximum productivity? I’d say absolutely not. At least not in a longer time scale. What it does is bring on an even higher level of productivity, but with delay. It amazes me how inclined others are to help if you simply ask or offer it first yourself. Building the numbers with connections enables more of this and gives you access to so many helpful resources it can make any task something much much easier to be productive at. Having that strong network for help and support not only gives you access to more resources it enables you to utilize all the resources to be productive. That is something I’ve learned about teamwork and productivity that has an absolutely massive payoff. Take some time and think about whether you are really using ALL the resources available to accomplish what you want. What about doing research and learning from others? Isn’t that where having a large number of connections improves productivity? I think so.
Depth of Connections
I personally know that even in blogging, these connections and number of relationships is a crucial component to be productive. If you have a network of people who inspire, question and challenge you, support and help, you can much more easily research topics, come to conclusions, put down ideas and have discussions that take that even further. That same principle applies in work, fun and relationships in life. I think that allows people to understand things with more depth and coverage and reach a higher level of productivity because of it.
While I certainly don’t want to contradict myself, I do want to mention that I feel that the depth of connections you build is MORE important than the number of connections. In the sense of productivity, relationships are key to getting things done. The accountability, rapport and collaboration that is available through others far outweighs any offsets of time lost by utilitizing these traits. I wrote on technology already in the focus article in this series but I think it again needs to be carefully balanced here for building connections. Technology makes it easy to quickly connect with many people. However, it doesn’t inherintly enable us to make deeper connections. That takes time, commitment, trust and LOTS of communication. While things like website and blogs certainly help to find like minded individuals that allow you connect immediately at a more personal level, they don’t do much to ensure you take that deeper. It’s up to you to do that with or without the technology.
By building deeper relationships I mean where you understand each others dreams, hopes, needs, fears and you really KNOW the person. You spend time together and you are genuinely interested, caring, compassionate and wanting to spend time with them. It’s not another friend in facebook, another visitor to your site or a contact in your cellphone. It’s someone you could rely on in the time of need or someone you’d help out without a second thought. These type of deep connections enable all those characteristics of productivity through others to be at their highest level. That brings on maximum productivity!
Feedback For Improvement
Productivity obviously doesn’t happen on it’s own and perhaps this series is a little overwhelming as to what it involves to really reach your maximum productivity. However, I think the that feedback in that cycle of improvement is really the easiest way to progress. This also relies on your connections so builds that area at the same time. Feedback to and from others is as simple as asking or informing others of what they do well, don’t do well or could change by specific suggestions. Feedback should address specific things a person does so that it isn’t taken personally and it should also be something you go looking for. If you want to increase your productivity, start asking others around you how they think you could do that.
Connecting It All Together for Maximum Productivity
These topics have been a great way to explore productivity and I personally believe that they all tie together in this connections segment. Without this area to explore things with others, I can’t put much value on productivity outside of selfish and short term thinking. The connections that develop and enable us to be at maximum productivity are the things we will remember, value through our lives and have the most impact to others. So that is what it’s all about for me.
As well, I think this series has led me to understanding the purpose of productivity better. I think it is simple and explains why anyone would want to reach their maximum productivity:
To become the best person you can possibly be!
Special Thanks and Shout Outs from this Series!!
Talking about how connections are so important I can’t help but send some shout outs to all of you who helped me out with this series. Many of you helped promote it on digg, stumble upon and even your own sites and I’ve tried to respond in return in those social arenas. Thank you so much for this! I’ve also had some great discussions in this series and so wanted to sent out a few shouts to those of you who’d been commenting. I love the similarities you write about and I think that is why the discussions come so easily. I urge people to check out some of the sites below as these people have all been a big part of this series for me and I definitely appreciate it!
Lance – Jungle of Life
Ross – Will It Change You
Avani – Avani-Mehta
Jennifer – Principles For Peace
Stephen – Balanced Existence
Viriya – Tedded
Robert – Reason 4 Smile
Armen – Timeless Information
Bryan – The B.Wilde Column
Jeff – Getting Better Television
Stella – How to Talk With Confidence
Laurel – Laurel Plum Online
Nathalie – Billionaire Woman
Nicolas – Time Management Master
Nick – Be Good Ventures
Juliet – Life Made Great
Rahul – Take 20
Daniel – Daniel Richard
Husain – Strength in Diversity
Karl – Work Happy Now
Simple Meditation – Optimum Self
Richard – Self Improve Blog
Ananga – Living By Design
And of course Sam and Ben!
Please take a minute yourself to create another connection by subscribing to my RSS feed or by email . I’d love to hear from you and get to know you better and please don’t hesitate to ask for help as well!
Prev: Maximum Productivity: Adventure
Next: Book Review: Stumbling on Happiness
November 25th, 2008 at 8:29 AM
This is a great wrap-up to pull it all together when we talk productivity Mike! It’s great because – connections are such a key to our success. As much as I think I can do something “myself” – truth is – I’m much better off when others are involved. And, it’s just more fun to really collaborate with other people – fun when it two or more people really come together for a common task. I have seen this at work for me, personally, through where I’m going with my writing. And, every time a new and real connection is made – amazing things start to happen! And part of what makes them amazing is sharing that connection with someone else!
Connections – it can seem like “work” getting this going. But the payoff is great – if done right – for all parties involved!
It’s great to be here Mike! This has been an awesome series!!
November 25th, 2008 at 9:16 AM
I have really enjoyed this series. (And thanks for the shout out – that was so nice of you!)
I took a course in college where the Professor spent the entire semester breaking down the dynamics of groups and the importance of being able to work well in one. I remember being so struck at the time that everyone in the room had the perspective that this was an unfortunate obstacle that a ‘successful’ business person had to navigate frequently. (That was a long time ago and the taught business model has changed, I hope). I really struggled in that course. It was my thought that the truly successful person was the one who realized each encounter was an opportunity for growth and perspective even if monies were not exchanged and the end of the encounter.
Liz Strauss recently wrote an article on developing a personal developmental network that also talks about getting the most out of connectivity. It echos your series, so I thought you might enjoy reading it. Link – http://www.successful-blog.com/1/6-ways-to-build-your-own-personal-developmental-network/
November 25th, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Hey … thanks for the link love. Appreciate it. I thoroughly enjoyed your series. It gave a lot of thinking material (which usually gets ignored in productivity tips). I liked your approach of focussed productivity.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:40 PM
Hi Mike.
The directness of the first subheading “You Can’t Do It Alone” sends a message that many would not want to hear, but that they would benefit from finding out before trying the alternative. Doing any large task alone can drain a person to the point where they either give it up or start asking others if they can see what is going wrong. It is almost imperative that one collaborates with others from the get-go, so that the “ball” of production “rolls” in the right direction.
On the other point, depth of connection sure does trump quantity, as 10 people slightly assisting in 10 ways in relation to one’s product are outdone by 1 person heavily assisting in the area that was a barrier to the producing individual.
The thoroughness of this series could only be provided by an individual with a collection of experiential knowledge of each of the aspects, the organizational ability to present them in a logically progressive way, and the focus to follow-through and develop with the numerous audience-members of the Maximum Productivity presentation.
November 25th, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Thanks for connecting to me, and especially for the link love. Glad to share what I can to this blog as well. It’s been a great series on productivity. Thank you!
As you ask for feedback… maybe a list of the posts in the series will be great in helping me to see the other posts that I have missed out, and see how it’s interconnected.
Smile,
Robert
November 25th, 2008 at 10:03 PM
Hi Mike
Love this last point! For me a concept such as “productivity” can be so cold and isolated. Wonderful to bring in the fact that an integral component of successful productivity is PEOPLE.
Thank you for the series and thank you for the link.
Juliet
November 26th, 2008 at 1:20 AM
Well, I am really blown away by everyone’s comments and discussion in this series. I great appreciate all the feedback and the compliments. I spent a huge amount of time planning and organizing this series and I’m happy that it has paid off as it’s been a joy to write and discuss about an area I have done a lot of research and committment in.
It’s certainly been about the people for me in this series which helps to prove my points with this last section on connections. I highly value all of you who’ve helped comment, discuss and promote this series for me, I will certainly do more.
If you haven’t seen them, I do have a couple other shorter series in my ARCHIVES page at the top if you are interested. Thanks everyone!
November 26th, 2008 at 1:29 AM
Mike,
First of all, thank you so much for the link!
This is a top, top article. And your series have been great and inspiring. Thank you, I love it! As you know that I’m new to the blogging world and I’m grateful that you are the first person to be “connected” to me.
Connection is a great thing and you remind me of the book I’ve recently read “Group Genius” by Keith Sawyer. He basically wrote that all innovations from the beginning of the history come from an “invisible collaborative web.”
I’ll think about your series through again and I hope that I will be more productive, I think that I will be. Thank you Mike.
November 26th, 2008 at 1:37 AM
Thanks Viriya for those comments. You’ve certainly got a great blog started and you obviously put a lot of time and thought into your writing, which I know will help grow your site and connect more with others.
Thanks for all your added discussions and posts about these recent articles, it’s been great to read through and see your perspective on things as well. Without the ideas and thoughts of others, there really is no perspective is there?
November 26th, 2008 at 3:32 PM
Hi Mike, congratulations and well done on a great series! Connections are so important, they really can make or break us both online, and in real life.
Also, as you mention, if you have a network of people who “inspire, question and challenge you, support and help, you can much more easily research topics, come to conclusions, put down ideas and have discussions that take that even further.” I’ve found this to be very true in my own life: as I develop connections, in turn it has helped me to be more creative, productive, challenged.
I’ve bookmarked this series and will continue to come back and re-read it, there’s a lot of great material that you’ve covered here. Thanks also for the link – it was very nice of you!
All the best
-Ross
November 27th, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Mike,
Thanks so much for the inclusion!
This is a great wrap-up of the series, and I totally vibe with everything you’ve written here. I used to believe I could make it on my own, and that I didn’t have to rely on anyone else to create the life of my dreams. I’ve learned over time that this is NOT the best way to do things!
I like your explanation of how the depth of relationships is what’s important, NOT the number of relationships. I think this is an important point for people to understand. It allows for more honest feedback and collaboration.
Thanks for the wonderful series. I will definitely come back to it and read it over and over again.
– Rahul
November 28th, 2008 at 7:21 AM
Thanks Ross and Rahul for the added comments. Those deeper connections are definitely what it is all about. It’s all about people right?
Your very welcome for the links, its been a fun series to write about and discuss with everyone! Thanks.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:05 PM
Hey Mike, it’s been my pleasure to help out where I could. You have produced a great series that I’ve enjoyed reading. Very solid and you’ve gone deep into a single subject which sets you and your website apart from the 108 ways to trip over crowd.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Hey Thanks Stephen, I take that as a great compliment as I definitely strive to take all of the series that I write deeper in each subject. I have more of them planned and will certainly keep to this style as it’s also a lot more enjoyable to write at a deeper lever. I really appreciate the feedback, thanks!
December 11th, 2008 at 10:29 AM
OK Mike,
Getting back to the last part of your series, the “Connections” part.
This part inspired me to do some additional searches on the benefits of making relationships and levels/depths of relationships.
One of the topics that I’ve been very fond of since long time ago is “Friendships”. At least, it is connections-related but from another perspective and that’s why I was eagerly waiting for this part!!
I would agree with you here that connections is the most important part. At the end, we are human living in a community together and we are meant to live together and know each other, and all what we need is learning how to know each other properly.
General speaking, we need to learn how to make effective and successful relationships with diverse levels/depths!
The importance of this part comes from the 1st point you mentioned:
You can’t do it alone:
Speaking of myself, I tend to do things myself as much as I can without seeking others help.
My nature is to help others not to seek others help as much as possible. I don’t know this is because it makes you feel proud of yourself when you do things on your own without getting any help from others and makes you believe in yourself. But there is a mistake I was doing.
My mistake was that I never asked for help when I needed it, and I’m trying to change this and this part has confirmed me to do this!!
No one reached the tip without seeking the help of others.
and what inspired me the most is:
Number of Connections vs. Depth of Connections:
Or Quantity vs. Quality of Relationships, this is what inspired me the most to make more searches on relationships. I found that relationships can fall in 3 levels: Social, Personal, and Intimate. The intimate relationship is the deepest among them, but I don’t think this is a right choice to use here unless you wife is in (LoL).
In other words, depth of relationships will determine the depth of influence, how close are we with others? how comfortable are we towards others? The comfort level!!
Low quantity with high quality of connections is better than the reverse!!
At last but not least, my feedback to you is that you have really done a very inspirational series and keep feeding us the precious knowledge you have experienced..
Thanks a lot for your effort and thanks also for the link “that was very kind of you”.
Best Regards
Husain