From little things big things grow

Call me optimistic, but I'm hoping that this old adage will ring true for work we are doing to manage our corporate information better!


(Image from intimateweddings.com)

We all know that information management is not about the technology (especially when the technology is not yet in place).

We all know that people are increasingly busy, and when you're busy you do things in the quickest way possible, old habits are your best friends at these times.

I understand this.  I too am guilty of saving corporate information to my desktop; of not taking the time to save email attachments out of Outlook; of not thinking is there a better way to do this?

But it only takes repetition to form new habits.  And it just takes a few pointers in the right direction to get people thinking about new ones.

So we are embarking on some small step education as we progress the planning and strategising that will lead us along the path to implementation.  No time like the present!

Small steps of did you know information.  Such as:

• Did you know you can save an attachment from an email to the network drive, and then remove it from the email without deleting said email?
• Did you know that you can easily send a link to a document on the network drive, rather than sending the actual document internally?
• Did you know that if you leave the company [win the lotto, etc] we [those of us who are now kicking ourselves for not getting in on your lotto syndicate] won't be able to access the corporate information you've saved into your personal folder on the network drive?
• Did you know that with a little bit of thought your team could come up with a useful folder structure for saving corporate information, so you could all access it, rather than each person saving a copy of the same information into their own separate folders, labelled with their own names [as great as your name may be]?!!
• Did you know that if a document falls from a tree in the forest nobody hears it? [just checking if you're still with me, but while we're at it, what do you think, true or not?!]
• Did you know...

From these little things we are hoping to start opening people's eyes to some of the "wonder" of the benefits of managing information better!

This might be a long journey, but [to close this cliche sandwich nicely] remember:


(Image by dxstewart)



3 words of focus for 2012

A growing number of smart people (like Chris, Rob & Natalie) suggest that instead of setting new year's resolutions (that you're bound to fail at before the end of January) you should instead choose a few words to be your focus for the year.  These will then help to drive your goals and plans.

This idea really resonates with me, and through the things I've been reading and thinking about lately a few words have burrowed themselves into my psyche.  And I'm going to use these words to encourage, inspire and drive me on through the year.

Doing

This is a year to be proactive, to not sit around wishing, but to get up, put one foot in front of the other and get moving.

This will be a year of doing things.  Of not over analysing. Of not procrastinating.  Of not procrastinating by over analysing!!

Flinch forward

Ok, so that's a phrase not a word, but flinching is the opposite of what I intend to do this year.  I will rather use the momentum of the flinch, that would normally make me shy away from challenges or activities that scare me, to propel myself forward.  To use the movement and do before I think (or over analyse and procrastinate)!

(You can check out for free Julien Smith's life-changing book "The Flinch", which is where this concept came from.)

Relationships

This is an important one, because I believe that relationships are the foundation of success.  From building a business, to networking with peers, or nurturing friendships.  There have never been better opportunities for building relationships with a greater range of people.  Be they social media experts on the other side of the world, stay at home entrepreneurs, or people with a keen interest in a particular niche.

Everything comes back to how I nurture and support the relationships I have with my peers, community, family and friends.

365 Intentions for 2012

Another cool thing to do is to start each day with good intentions.

Here's a template of 365 cards full of good intentions, to cut out, put in a bowl, ready for the picking each before you start work!

I'm looking forward to what the new year has to bring.  How bout you?

Yours intentionally!

Nadine :)