Welcome to Brunner & Associates, Inc.

I just read a fascinating new book by Kevin Kruse, Great Leaders Have No Rules.  In it, Kruse explains that meetings tend to start late, run long, have the wrong people in them, are dominated by extraverts and show boaters, stray off topic, and worst of all, break up your day in illogical ways.  As to what to do about it, he offers the following tips:

• Design and facilitate meetings well.
• Have well-planned agenda that clearly states the purpose of the meeting, desired outcomes and initial topics.
• Circulate agenda ahead of time so attendees arrive prepared.
• Think carefully about who to invite.  The smaller the meeting, the more efficient it will be.
• Call on introverts to get their opinions and silence side conversations.
• Keep the conversation on topic and manage the clock.

Some 100 years ago, Charles Schwab, president of Bethlehem Steel, wanted to increase his own and his team’s efficiency.  Ivy Lee, a well-known efficiency expert, made a proposition: "Let me spend fifteen minutes with each of your executives and I’ll increase their efficiency and your sales.”  Schwab asked about the cost and Lee said nothing, unless it works.  If so, send him a check after three months, for whatever it's worth.  Schwab agreed.

The following day, Ivy Lee met with Charles Schwab's management executives and told them: “For the next 90 days, before leaving your office for the day, make a list of the six most important things you have to do the next day and rank them in the order of importance.  Start with #1 and cross it off when completed, then go on to #2 and so on.  If all of them don’t get done, put them on the following day's list."

The executives followed Lee's instructions. Three months later, Schwab studied the results and was so pleased that he sent Lee a check for $35,000. At the time, the average worker in the U.S. was being paid $2 per day.  It worked for them.…it might work for you!