What?

There is a time when chaos comes in handy. How many times have you struggled to get started on something and when you finally got started, everything was easy from then on? Consider getting off to a chaotic start. You can go back to your more methodical and sane ways after you have the project rolling forward.

So What?

Many people procrastinate or fail to start something because they try to “get it right” on the front end. It’s much easier to get started on something, and revise it or improve it, than to get it right the first time.

Now What?

Here’s a good way to get things going when you are stuck.

Get a few people (preferably some out-of-the-box thinkers) in a room with a stack of index cards. Write the topic you want to explore or the project you want to start on a flipchart or grease board. Pause and give everybody a minute or two to think about the topic and ask them to write each idea they have on a separate index card. Then debrief the group by asking them to read their ideas out loud and toss their index card in the middle of the table. As one person reads their idea out loud, instruct the others to try to come up with other ideas that are triggered by the reader’s idea. Keep doing this until you have a lot of ideas on cards in the middle of the table.

Then categorize the ideas and group cards with similar or related ideas together. Ask the group to point to the best idea and turn the index card explaining the idea facedown. Then determine the next best idea and turn the card explaining that idea facedown on top of the first one. Keep doing this until all the cards are facedown. Then turn the stack of cards over. You now have plenty of ideas to help you get started, and they are organized in priority order. Assign the cards to people who will follow up on the ideas and get started on your project. The meeting will seem a little chaotic at first, but you will end up with a highly organized plan of action.

Other Applications

Use this technique in the following situations:

    * Making hiring decisions
    * Solving problems
    * Preparing speeches or presentations
    * Preparing proposals
    * Designing products
    * Designing processes

The first steps and the last steps are usually the hardest.

Chris Crouch, president and founder of DME Training and Consulting, is the developer of the GO System. The GO System is a structured training course designed to improve focus, organization and productivity in the workplace and is taught by corporate trainers and professional organizers all over the country. Chris is also author of Getting Organized: Learning How to Focus, Organize and Prioritize and other books that provide practical and easy-to-learn ideas on personal achievement, success and productivity.

Visit http://www.thegosystem.com to learn more about the GO System, to inquire about having Chris speak to your group or organization, to sign up for Chris' free newsletter providing tips on having a more joyful and productive life, and for additional ideas on improving focus, organization and productive.

To learn about becoming a Certified GO System Trainer, visit http://www.gosystemcertification.com.

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