Do More Great Work

Author: Michael Bungay Stanier

You spend more than half your life at work, and you want your work to have an impact and purpose beyond just getting a paycheck – you want your work to matter. But this desire often goes unfulfilled. You know you're capable of doing more work that means a lot to you and is beneficial to your organization, but other things always get in the way. So, how can you do more work that interests you and utilizes all your abilities to keep developing instead of falling prey to routine and boredom? How can you increase your personal contribution so that your work truly leaves its mark? How can you target your strengths so that you do things you're known to be skilled at? In short, how can you increase the work that makes a difference and makes you happy, and reduce the other tasks that fill your workday? At present, doing great work is not easy. We do our best and spend time moving between meetings and trying to accomplish tasks that get in our way. Technology keeps us excessively connected and busy, as if busyness were a measure of success. Moreover, the ebb and flow of the economy shake our confidence in the future, so we cling to what we know as if this behavior is all we can do to feel secure. This book is the culmination of my work as a coach and facilitator with thousands of people around the world. It uses fifteen essential tools in the form of visual maps to help you identify what matters to you, the factors influencing your decisions and actions, and how you can work more creatively, enthusiastically, and inspirationally so that it benefits you and those you work with. These exercises are easy, quick to apply, and practical, and they help you focus on the great work project to accomplish more great work. In the book, you will find ideas on how to do great work from smart people, including Leo Babauta, who writes the most popular productivity blog, Dave Ulrich, a prominent HR expert, Chris Guillebeau, a pioneer in the art of inconsistency, Tim Horrigan, an innovation expert, Michael Port, a corporate marketing expert, Penelope Trunk, who leads millennials in work, and Seth Godin, who writes the best business books in the world. These contributions are like sparkling water bubbles; each will fizz, motivate, and entertain you. You don't need a coach, a therapist, a consultant, or a quiet weekend getaway to think about how to do great work – all you need is a pen and paper and some time to think about what matters and make a plan to do it, and you also need to say "it's time" and get to work. Make your mark. Make a bigger difference. Be happier. Do more great work.