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Understanding What Really Matters

December 16, 2008

From: Kilts, J.M. (2007). Doing what matters: how to get results that make a difference - the revolutionary old-school approach. New York: Crown Business.
Here are a few dos and don'ts that will help in your lifelong quest to understand what really matters:

1. First, regardless of your field, adopt a straightforward vision of what you want to do...and how you want to do it. Make it actionable and easy to understand.
2. Second, don't get caught up in the fad theory of the day. Stay focused on the fundamentals and apply them rigorously and across the board. They may seem trite and rival; they usually turn out to be profoundly important.
3. Third, avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to problem solving. Templates work within limits; they do not travel widely with the same effect. Study each situation carefully and make sure the solution custom-fits the problem.
4. And fourth, just because something worked in the past does not mean it will work in the future. Things change, nowadays very quickly and fundamentally. So beware that superficial similarities aren't hiding some deep differences (Kilts, 2007, p.117).

Doing What Matters is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center. To borrow this resource or any other resource, please go to the resource search page http://164.107.48.88/winnebago/index.asp?lib=???

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Created: 2008-12-17, Updated: 2009-01-08