Running TOO Fast!

Foreword by Laura Stack

With Running TOO Fast, Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey more than lives up to his nickname. This latest edition of his book, which has been helping people manage their time for years, hones an already-effective tool to a keen edge, making it even easier to recapture precious time. There’s no magical formula here: Bob’s book is filled with common-sense, practical strategies that you can apply to your work and personal life to craft a satisfying work/life balance that’s sustainable for a lifetime.

Bob knows that what we call ‘time management’ is actually self-management. Time is a finite resource we all receive in precisely the same 24-hour doses, and it gets used up no matter what we do. There’s no banking it and no way of stretching it, and you can’t go down to the office supplies store to buy another box or two. You can’t even borrow or buy someone else’s. You have exactly the same 1,440 minutes per day that Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, or Warren Buffett have. How you use them — and how efficiently you use them — is largely up to you.

When I read Bob’s methods for saving time and slowing yourself down to a more productive, reasonable pace, I found myself nodding and smiling to myself, over and over. Bob and I are both in the speaking business, so I was pleased to agree with many of his tips and strategies. Bob synthesizes his time-saving tips into one easy-to-handle sourcebook.

If you don’t get several ideas you can apply to your life immediately, you probably weren’t paying attention.

Just as important as his great content is the tone he uses. Within the pages of Running TOO Fast, you can feel Bob’s genuine personal warmth shining through the pages, which is a reflection of his incredible personality. Bob isn’t afraid to tell you how he acquired his hard-earned knowledge with personal examples, and he isn’t ashamed of the mistakes that have shaped who he is. Running TOO Fast has the same genuine humanity and trademark touch of humor that he brings to his speaking engagements all over North America and the world.

In 2011, I was blessed to be sitting next to Bob at a banquet when he was honored with the Spirit of CAPS award, the highest award given by his peers in the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers; a true testament to the respect people have for him.

Even though we may have arrived at similar conclusions on our own, over careers of similar lengths, mostly spent helping people in different countries on the same continent (though Bob’s country is slightly colder than mine), Bob’s background and experiences uniquely frame his advice. He makes no bones about the fact that he’s had to struggle with the same types of overwhelm, overwork, and time scarcity that all of us in the business field have faced for most of our working lives. He admits to still having problems with them sometimes. We can all relate in some way.

I’ve always believed that experience is the best teacher. You learn the most by teaching others. All good teaching relationships are like the best mentor relationships: there’s a flow of knowledge from both sides. Bob’s an ‘old salt’ when it comes to ‘Running TOO Fast,’ as he calls it. He offers simple, down-to-earth wisdom, which was hard-won over the course of a varied career as a business owner, motivational speaker, salesman, and writer. He’s a master of plain speaking and lays down the rules of engagement for slowing your mad dash toward success. You’ll actually have time to see the obstacles ahead and get yourself back on course before it’s too late.

I can’t recommend Running TOO Fast highly enough for the overstressed professional. Even those of us who take good care of ourselves, our friends, and our families can find wisdom here. We all go through periods where work kicks us in the rear, and Bob’s got great ideas for handling those times. His examples serve as cautionary tales, and his pointers can help you avoid going too far down the ‘TOO Fast’ trail if you suddenly find yourself on it. Like so many books where the ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, this ought to be required reading in all business organizations, if not in business school.

Speaking of an ounce of prevention, Bob’s book doesn’t waste any space. Running TOO Fast is 130 pages of continuous advice and suggestions, delivered with a smile. Even if you have only 15 minutes a day to devote to it, you can finish it in less than 10 days; or if you’re really ambitious, you can do it in one two-hour flight (like I did recently).

I think there’s a lot to learn from Bob’s books—especially this one—no matter your level of experience in the field. If you read only one productivity or time management advice book this year, make it Bob Hooey’s Running TOO Fast.

If you’ve read a prior version before, it’s definitely worth a reread, because of its plentiful, workable advice. As with any good book, you pick up new details every time you reread it. It’s chockful of excellent advice and well worth the time you’ll invest in it. Whoever said great things come in small packages was right.

Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE (Speaker Hall of Fame)

Author, Doing the Right Things Right

2011-2012 President, National Speakers Association

Visit Laura at: theproductivity.pro

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Preface

A number of years back I was driving home to Calgary from Lethbridge, AB early one winter morning. I had been working with Southern Alberta clients all week and wanted to get back to the office early so I could drop off my paperwork, get a bit of catch up done, and start my weekend. I was making good time cruising down the highway with the radio playing some great tunes. Then, I noticed a sign saying Castelgar, BC only 65 miles. Whoa! I pulled over and collected my thoughts. How could that be? I was heading home to Calgary, Alberta! Somehow in my overworked, tired brain I had driven right through Fort Macleod and missed at least two BIG highway signs reminding me to turn ‘RIGHT’, to head ‘NORTH’ to Calgary. Sure I was making great time, but I was going in the ‘wrong’ direction.

Ever realize you were ‘Running TOO Fast’ - that your life was spinning out of control and your time, your life, was blurring as it sped by?

I love what I do and the people with whom

I get the privilege of sharing my time!

Over the past 20 plus years I have had the privilege of investing my time and sharing my ‘Ideas At Work!’ with a wide range of people. I’ve worked with front line staff, service people, professional service providers and sales people, professional association members, leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers. I’ve spoken and conducted training sessions, including one based on what I share in ‘Running TOO Fast’ across the globe.

I’ve found myself working more with leaders at various levels within associations and organizations as well as corporations. What I’ve found is many of them share the same challenge. They are TOO busy! They are tired!

I hear leaders and their teams telling me, …life is good; but, out of control, over-committed and with a blurring lack of focus on the important things and people in their lives.

I’ve been there! I’ve been a ‘freedom fighter’ for years, working to recapture my time and take personal leadership over my life, goals, and actions. Over the years I have been able to help leaders, business owners and their teams become more productive. We’ve learned together, and still do!

This book began as a simple ‘workbook’ for classes I taught at several local Vancouver, BC colleges. It has been read and applied by thousands of leaders and audience members in my programs across North America and more recently around the globe. Over the past 18 plus years, I’ve added tips, checklists, and forms that I have found of value to myself and my students. In this updated 2016 edition, I’ve included some new tips and idea-rich techniques I trust you will find of value in your quest to regain your life and enhance your leadership. You can get free!

At the start of 2016, I decided to invest the time to another rewrite of ‘Running TOO Fast.’ My focus was to help my fellow leaders and their teams productively ‘leverage’ their time and enhance their expertise as well as share a few new ideas and observations.

If you, as a leader, are TOO busy to invest time ‘critical’ to helping your team deal with their challenges, then everyone loses.

I want to guide and assist you and your teams retake control of your lives by recapturing or repurposing your time. I want to help you become more productive, successfully grow, and profitably win!

We’ve even included a special section on ACTIVE Listening skills, a top performing leader’s secret, just for you. When you invest the time to actively listen to those you lead (team) and serve (clients) they will help you become more productive and successful. It will save time and money as well.

This 8th edition of ‘Running TOO Fast’ is my gift to you my fellow leaders, professionals and your teams. This is my ‘investment’ in you and your teams to help make your lives less stressful, more fun, and more productive.

If I can do it, so can you!

Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey,

Freedom fighter & recovering over-committer

"Leaders (real leaders) gain their greatest satisfaction from seeing their team grow and win in their changing roles. That requires a strategic investment of their time!" This worthy goal is why we re-wrote ‘Running TOO Fast.’ Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey

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Table of Contents

Foreword by Laura Stack

Preface

Table of Contents

Running TOO Fast - Creating time to lead and still have a life!

How to leverage Running TOO Fast

Productivity tips

I just didn’t have enough time!

Dollars and sense ideas on Creating TIME to lead and still have a life!

Would an extra 8 to 10 hours per week of recaptured or repurposed time:

A 60 second time nudge

Observing the speed limits of life

P*R*I*O*R*I*T*I*E*S

4 P’s of Personal Performance

Each Life a Legacy – Live on Purpose!

Leadership skills are changing - are yours?

Qualities of an EFFECTIVE Leader, Coach, and Trainer

Building a great team - getting started

Learn to Listen – A Leader’s Forgotten Skill

Creating TIME for effective training

Creativity is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration - Who said it was going to be easy?

From ‘KAI-ZEN’ to ‘I CAN!’: Improvement = Consistent commitment to good change

The 21st Century version of the 3 R’s

Confidence about Credibility

How much are you ‘really’ working?

Daily Schedule

How To Use the Information from your Daily Schedule Form

Building blocks help make your life more effective

How much is your time ‘really’ worth?

Identifying and eliminating your time wasters

Tackle your top five time wasters

Converting Filler Time to Foundation Time - How to re-create or liberate 365 hours each year

Leveraging technology to get ‘more’ done

Meetings, boy do we have meetings

Value-based decisions

Secrets of a procrastinator - It’s about time!

The Power of UN-Commitment!

Time Wasters – The Dirty Dozen

‘Carpe Momento’ – Seize the Moment!

Bob’s B.E.S.T. publications

Thanks for reading ‘Running TOO Fast’

About the author

Copyright and license notes

Acknowledgements, credits, and disclaimers

What they say about Bob ‘Idea Man’ Hooey

Engage Bob for your leaders and their teams

Visit www.SuccessPublications.ca/TimeTools.htm for additional bonus pieces we created, just for our readers.

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Running TOO Fast - Creating time to lead and still have a life!

If you are like me, you may occasionally find yourself with too much on your already ‘full’ plate. You’ve said ‘YES’ a few too many times, without fully counting the cost or realistically estimating the time actually needed to do what you’ve just promised.

As a speaker, author, and corporate trainer, I am constantly tempted to take on ‘just one more client’, ‘one more engagement’, or ‘just one more writing project’.

As a leader, over commitment has too often impacted my quest to help my teams grow and succeed.

In both cases, I often found myself staying up late to meet commitments or rushing from airport to venue. Sadly, it had an adverse impact on my motivation and performance; and, at times, my well-being.

Sound familiar? Welcome to the ‘overcommitted’ club!

If this is just a momentary or temporary overload, you can dig in and work your way through it; or wait until you can get a handle on the commitments you’ve made. Then, you can relax, and get