Comments on: A Pattern Language for Productivity, Pattern #1: Outcome and Action http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/ Thinking beyond productivity Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:54:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: On patterns… | Project:Nomad http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-303 On patterns… | Project:Nomad Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:13:51 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-303 [...] was happy to see that someone has cleverly applied patterns to productivity. Check out this site, I haven’t gone through all of them yet, but I like the patterns I have read so far, and I [...] [...] was happy to see that someone has cleverly applied patterns to productivity. Check out this site, I haven’t gone through all of them yet, but I like the patterns I have read so far, and I [...]

]]> By: A Pattern Language for Productivity, Pattern #24: Horizons of Focus http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-137 A Pattern Language for Productivity, Pattern #24: Horizons of Focus Sun, 04 May 2008 01:04:35 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-137 [...] and 10,000-foot levels have been discussed previously as Outcome and Action. Notice that two of the horizons in the list above are not part of a timeline. For the 20,000-foot [...] [...] and 10,000-foot levels have been discussed previously as Outcome and Action. Notice that two of the horizons in the list above are not part of a timeline. For the 20,000-foot [...]

]]> By: Andre Kibbe http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-82 Andre Kibbe Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:45:38 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-82 One of the biggest shifts in the last decade in productivity discourse is moving from a motivational paradigm to a procedural one. Thinkers like David Allen, Gina Trapani, Merlin Mann and Danny O'Brien take a more strategic approach to finding the critical path between where you are now and where you want to be. Generalized attitudes like "be proactive" are replaced with concrete thinking operations like "What's the next physical, visible action?", forcing people to clarify their intentions. With clarity comes competence, with competence comes confidence, with confidence comes motivation. Priorizing motivation puts the cart before the horse. <i>If</i> someone has sufficient motivation, he or she is more willing to identify the next action, but here we don't want to limit our discussion to exceptional performers. My goal is to discuss skills, not endowments. Teach people a theorem, don't ask people to "think more mathematically." Tools for Thought focuses on operational frameworks rather than qualities, talents or attitudes. An architect wants to give a contractor blueprints and specifications, not guidelines and aesthetics, to move the project forward. One of the biggest shifts in the last decade in productivity discourse is moving from a motivational paradigm to a procedural one. Thinkers like David Allen, Gina Trapani, Merlin Mann and Danny O’Brien take a more strategic approach to finding the critical path between where you are now and where you want to be.

Generalized attitudes like “be proactive” are replaced with concrete thinking operations like “What’s the next physical, visible action?”, forcing people to clarify their intentions. With clarity comes competence, with competence comes confidence, with confidence comes motivation. Priorizing motivation puts the cart before the horse. If someone has sufficient motivation, he or she is more willing to identify the next action, but here we don’t want to limit our discussion to exceptional performers. My goal is to discuss skills, not endowments. Teach people a theorem, don’t ask people to “think more mathematically.”

Tools for Thought focuses on operational frameworks rather than qualities, talents or attitudes. An architect wants to give a contractor blueprints and specifications, not guidelines and aesthetics, to move the project forward.

]]> By: Francis Wade http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-78 Francis Wade Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:36:13 +0000 http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/04/02/a-pattern-language-for-productivity-pattern-1-outcome-and-action/#comment-78 Hmmm... this is good food for thought. I have read the related idea in GTD about finding the next action, and have wondered it is it really all that necessary. It seems to me that the problem of non-action has more to do with not being present to the outcome than it is being unable to figure out the next action. Someone with sufficient motivation can always figure out the next action, no matter how difficult. This part seems like a "problem" that needs no solution. Having said that, I love the thinking that you are doing here and I just read your first post... this one .. in the series. I have some similar ideas, and I love th e idea that productivity has a relationship with language, as that echoes my experience. Good job on this first one! Hmmm… this is good food for thought.

I have read the related idea in GTD about finding the next action, and have wondered it is it really all that necessary.

It seems to me that the problem of non-action has more to do with not being present to the outcome than it is being unable to figure out the next action.

Someone with sufficient motivation can always figure out the next action, no matter how difficult. This part seems like a “problem” that needs no solution.

Having said that, I love the thinking that you are doing here and I just read your first post… this one .. in the series. I have some similar ideas, and I love th e idea that productivity has a relationship with language, as that echoes my experience.

Good job on this first one!

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