Morgan McLintic on PR and Performance

Work in series to get things done

While we pride ourselves on our ability to multitask, that should not mean trying to do them all at once. To do something well it needs all your focus and energy. This means we need to get comfortable with serial working on multiple projects. And we need to learn how to prioritize the right tasks, which are normally the important/non-urgent ones.

How? If you want to get more done, go offline to prevent distraction. That's right, close the door to the Internet and your productivity will increase. Your email client probably has a work offline option. This will help you author and respond to email without interruption. Your web browser has the option to close the navigation toolbars. Yammer, IM and Tweetdeck can be closed until needed.

But what if I miss something? If you are already working on your Must Dos - the ones you know are most important to you - then don't sacrifice them for the chance there might be something even more important out there. If there is, it'll find its way to you. Meantime, you can feel comfortable that your current focus is where it should be. If you are worried about the half-life of incoming actions, schedule breaks to check your email and feeds, and focus on that triage, before returning to your Must Dos.

Serial working is also a matter of respect for your peers and competitors. There are fewer rewards for second place, so get it done right and done quickly. You can't do that if you are parallel working on several tasks with your focus split across all of them. Your best work needs all your attention and effort. Otherwise, that less gifted competitor who is more focused will do a better job. Give him enough respect to allocate all your attention on the task. You're good, but they're not bad either.

If you are involved in lots of projects, but find few come to final fruition despite enormous efforts, serial working could be for you. You're still a multitasker, but a serial do-er. Don't stop until you reach 100% of what you can achieve alone. Then move on to your next important task. At first, it'll feel odd as you overcome the addiction of jumping from project to project, but I hope you will find it more productive and more satisfying when you make things happen.

Managing your To Do list [video]

Here are a few tips for managing your To Do list based on the post below. I hope they are useful.

How to manage your To Do list

Are you busy? Feel busier than you did 12 months ago? Yeah, me too. And I expect you've tried several time management systems as well; and found many of them wanting. Ultimately we all need to develop a system which works for us personally. I thought I'd share a few of the elements which seem to be working in mine, in case they are useful to incorporate into yours:

1. Write down every To Do - and I mean everything. Build a complete list of everything that's on your plate. For instance, if you haven't got a Personal To Do list - stop right now an create one. For years, I kept a detailed professional list, but my personal one was in my head. My professional life was fairly organized, but personal one was more chaotic. Writing a Personal To Do list put a stop to that. I know it sounds weird but it doesn't add anything you don't already have to do. Just externalizes it, and helps you prioritize.

2. Write each To Do in this format - Topic / Action. So the Topic might be the name of a client or proeject, and the Action would be a description of what you specifically need to do. For instance, 'Book / Call Matt at literary agent about dates for book tour.' Many people would simply put 'Book tour' or 'Call Matt'. Take the extra 15 seconds to write it all out so you save the brainache of remembering it again later. The Topic will also help you group your To Dos or to sort them if you store them online into category areas.

3. Write the creation date - not just the deadline. In fact, I personally find that unless there is a hard deadline, creating arbitrary ones is rather pointless since priorities change so rapidly. By contrast, the creation date helps you track how old a specific action item is. Then you know how long people have been waiting. This is relatively new for me, but I quite like it.

4. Kill dinosaurs - get rid of all those things which are lurking at the bottom of your to do list. The creation date really helps with this. Be honest with yourself - if it's been there a month, it ain't gonna happen because it's just not important. Or if it is important and you just aren't getting to it - check whether it's still required, delegate it out, or put it on a wishlist/someday tickler so you are reminded of it later on. Then it's captured but won't bother you every day. Old To Dos linger and make you feel bad, so kill 'em.

5. Focus on Must Dos - at the beginning of every day (or the night before) choose three Must Dos. These are the things which if you do nothing else, must happen today. This is a  powerful way to ensure you focus on the big things and leave feeling satisfied. Ask yourself at the beginning of the day 'Today will have been a good day if x, y, z happens.' Then do those things first.

6. Keep a Projects list - any activity which requires more than one to do, is a Project. For instance, a press tour with a client is a classic Project, involving multiple steps. Write a list of all the Projects you have on the go, and at least once a week, look over them to make sure each has an associated to do on your action list. This will keep projects rolling along, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Some projects are also so vast, that it helps to break them down into mini-projects so you can check off the milestones. We all like crossing things off, so don't create Projects which are going to take years eg Write best-selling book. Break them down into something more achievable, like Find publisher. That may involve multiple actions, but it's a more realistic milestone so will keep you motivated.

7. Catch up at the end of the week - inevitably your To Do list will start to get out of date in the heat of battle. So at the end of each week carve out some time to review it, add new items, check off old ones and to go through your Projects to make sure each has an associated action. This will help you stay organized, but also go into the weekend, knowing what's on your plate for the following week. If you can also identify the Must Dos for Monday, even better since you'll get off to a hot start on the week, and feel more relaxed over the weekend.

Those are some of my golden rules for managing To Dos. What are yours?

Social Networking World Forum

I'm on a panel at the Social Networking World Forum on Tuesday - 'Monitoring and measuring people talking about your company'. Along with some other excellent speakers:

• Richard Jalichandra, CEO, Technorati
• Jack Teuber, Director, US Online Marketing, PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Donna Goff, Advertising Manager, MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
• Tim Moore, founder, SayItSocial.com (moderator)

This is a great topic and we only have 30 minutes so we'll try to make it as jammed packed with info as possible.

Later in the day, Lucy Allen and I are running a workshop between 1.00pm-2.00pm. If you're at the event, please do swing by:

Red alert: how to navigate a crisis in today’s social media landscape

• How do you monitor for crises before they get out of control?
• Should you respond? If so, how?
• What can you do in advance to prepare?

If you don't yet have your ticket you can get a 20% discount by using the promotion code 'LEWISPR09'. Hope to see you there.

Why is the reputation of the PR industry so bad?

[I'm PRWEEK's guest blogger on the Insider this week. This is the first post in a series which is kindly being edited by Rose Gordon, News Editor. I'm cross posting it here, but if you have thoughts, please comment on the original post here.]

The PR sector has been reputedly dead, dying, or making a mess of it for at least the last decade. We’ve all read the ‘PR people don’t get it’ tirades. Many of them are valid. It’s a perennial story, but why?

I meet a lot of PR executives who are passionate and smart. So why does the industry keep coming in for a hammering? Below I explore some of the reasons in an unscientific manner, but tell me if any of these ring true.

1. Barriers to entry - There is nothing to stop Joe Schmoe from becoming a PR consultant: no mandatory professional qualification; no registration; no entrance exam. There are more barriers to becoming a real estate agent. This means there is a gravitational pull toward mediocrity.

2. Inexperienced buyers in an inefficient market – Ordinarily, market forces should drive out the underperformers. But PR is a service which people buy infrequently, so the selection criteria can be wrong and weaker players engaged. The timeframes involved mean some firms could jump from one client to the next, underperforming but staying in business.

3. It isn’t as bad as it sometimes seems – While the industry is far from blameless in these issues, a PR error tends to be high profile - an ill-considered email, a backfiring stunt, a poorly chosen sound bite, even typos and word selection come into criticism.

4. The industry bodies do not effectively regulate – For example, the PRSA’s accreditations are not obligatory; there are no sanctions, despite the good intentions.

None of these causes are so fundamental that we can’t overcome them. What do you think are the best solutions?

Top ten air travel essentials

Since I've been traveling a lot recently, I thought I'd share a few essentials:

1. Laptop privacy filter - if you plan to work in-flight, this screen guard will make sure your neighbor can't read the presentation you are working on, or the emails you are replying to. On a recent flight I sat down next to two other PR people in my row. You can bet your competitors or your clients' competitors will happily read your stuff. We've all seen sales pitches and forecasts while queuing for the toilet. Given the nature of our work, you need to avert prying eyes.

2. Noise-canceling headphones - great for getting in the zone in-flight and damping out the tourists behind you. Prices have come down substantially. I personally use these JVC headphones since they are less than half the price of the Bose, use standard batteries and work even when they are flat. If you plan to sleep, they are also much better than earplugs, and wearable for several hours.

3. Inflatable neck pillow - don't worry about the appearance, you'll get a lot more sleep in coach with one of these on a redeye. Depending on the airline, take an eyemask too since some have even economized on those.

4. Chargers and adapters - take them in hand luggage and recharge wherever you can.

5. Sleepmaker apps [iPhone only - free app] - I've just discovered a set of white noise apps on the iPhone which recreate the sound of waves, storms and rain. Play these through your headphones when trying to sleep and it'll drown out the clanking of the tea trolley, and that guy with the inappropriately loud laugh.

6. Broadband dongle - one of those USB devices which will give you connectivity wherever you are. I have one from Sprint. Frankly it's not that difficult to get a connection and these don't work internationally, but it can get you out of a squeeze. I actually find they're more useful at conferences with patchy wifi than when traveling.

7. A book - requires no batteries, won't get seized by security and can be used in take-off and landing. If you are stuck on the tarmac, you'll want one.

8. Content - that said, make sure your laptop and smartphone/MP3 player are loaded up with podcasts, audiobooks and movies you want to watch. You might not want any of the in-flight entertainment, and sometimes the whole system crashes. Plus this is good for layovers when you have time to kill but no energy to work.

9. Hand luggage only - do whatever you can to only take hand luggage. If you are going for less than a week, use the hotel laundry service to reduce your luggage to carry-ons only. Not only will this save time, it'll also mean you are not separated en-route. I've lost my suit on the way to a wedding, and even left my house keys in my checked baggage which has been promptly lost. Don't do that btw.

10. Gym kit - if you are traveling abroad take your gym kit so you can exercise on arrival. It'll help reset your circadian rhythm and make sure you get a good night's rest. Plus if you are a runner, it helps explore the city. I often ask someone to jog around with me - it's a good way to get business done and enjoy yourself at the same time. If you really don't have much room, pack your swim kit.

As a bonus tip, I'd also say bring your patience and sense of humor. Traveling is stressful. For everyone - including the staff. Freaking out about delays, missed connections, bad food, lost luggage etc will not usually get you far. The staff have seen it before, and it's rarely their direct fault. Having tried the vinegar approach, I have found the smiling, understanding one to yield better results.

Hope these tips help. Safe travels.

Out of Office but not out of touch

I'm on the plane back to San Francisco following a week's vacation. As little as five years ago it used to be quite common for people on vacation to drop off the grid entirely for a week, sometimes two. We used to debate whether it was better to triage email while on holiday or to log off and let it await our return. Before that, we used to leave a contact number in case of emergency.

This has now changed. Communications have become so fast, that to most dropping off the grid would be unconscionable - it's integral to how they express themselves, connect with friends and family and do business. Smartphones have made it much easier to read and reply while away from base. Our Out of Office replies now apologize for sporadic access to email, rather than zero contact.

As our work and personal lives blend, this change was inevitable. The technologies are now there to avoid the jarring return to work, an overflowing inbox, fizzing issues and catch-up meetings. Instead, we can slip straight back into the flow of work.

The skill now is in knowing what to respond to when out of the office, and for our co-workers to know when to elevate things to our attention. Recreation is re-creation, and that can't happen if the icy finger of our work pressures repeatedly reaches out to grab us. For me, it's more relaxing to know things are under control and that I have fewer than 200 emails to consider on my return. Others may prefer to be more active while on vacation or hands-off. I'd suggest setting an expectation with your team about the types of issues you want to be involved with while away so they know your boundaries and expectations. Then you won't miss something vital or be pulled into minutiae. Perhaps that's what we should be putting in our Out of Office replies?

What does your desktop say about you?

Given I normally have too many applications running, it says that I'm probably trying to do too many things at once (productivity red flag). Looking at the number of documents stored directly on my machine, it says I still haven't learned to save stuff to the server and to share what I'm doing properly. I am however good at filing those documents away, deleting extra files and emptying the wastebin which reflects some affinity for order. My desktop image is a picture of my son, which helps me keep a perspective.

If someone sat at your machine, what would it say about you?

At LEWIS PR for 13 years

Today I celebrate thirteen full years at my agency, LEWIS PR. No joke.

When I joined there were ten people. Three of those are still with the firm (Chris Lewis, Ilona Hitel and Andy Oliver, who joined two weeks before me). Now the company has 300 staff.

I've worked with and met some brilliant people over that time - coworkers, clients, competitors, media, analysts and partners. It really has been a privilege. One day you'll catch me and throw me out. But until then, thanks.

The time of your life

You may not realize it, but this is the time of your life. Deep in the depths of the darkest recession I hope we will all face in our lifetimes, you will discover your true mettle. How you respond to the waves of bad news which crash onto us on a daily basis, may well define your future. The seeds of success are sown in adversity.

Will you rise to the challenge? Find within you the strength to redouble your efforts, rethink your approach, cast aside the way that used to work and embrace a new one? Or will you be the victim, controlled by external factors? It's not your fault.

This recession will be long and hard. Even now we may only be nearing the end of the beginning. If the dotcom bust is anything to go by, many will flee the industry and seek sanctuary elsewhere. They may return when dawn breaks. But they will have missed the lessons learned in the darkest hours. The recession will temper those who have the resilience to get up each day and to give their all. Some of those lessons will be professional, but most will be deeply personal. When daylight comes, you should bear your scars with pride, they will be well-earned.

Recessions are good for our industry. Like a hard winter, they weed out the weaker players and they improve those that remain. This one comes amid changes in the practice of PR - sweeping changes of globalization and disintermediation. No firm will remain untouched - many will struggle but that does not make them bad. If they survive, it makes them stronger.

For emerging agencies, the recession is the opportunity they have been waiting for. Their value shines out. They can zig while others zag. Their management can show how they are different. All the preparation they have done during the boom - developing new techniques and services, building their roster, salting away profits, building the infrastructure - will start to pay off. For them, the recession was the opportunity they wanted, and for them it was fought and won before it began.

Yes, the recession is difficult. Hard decisions will have to be made. These are uncertain times. But uncertainty brings opportunity - for brands, agencies and individuals. So this is the time of your life. You just have to realize it, embrace it and act on it. Good luck.