PREFACE

One of the common threads that bind so many people together is a desire to make a difference, be more productive, perform at a higher level, and prioritize what matters most in their lives. People are searching for a way to stay ahead of the curve and do what matters most, whether that means being productive in the office or focusing on their health, their relationships, or their own well-being. The challenge is that most people simply do not have a process or a place to start and are left instead feeling frustrated. Global events such as pandemics and natural disasters can magnify these challenges; for example, you might be working from home while still balancing childcare, or you might be trying to deal with everything on your plate while not being in the same office with the rest of your team.

When it comes to performance and productivity, most organizations and leaders are thirsting for something that will help them prioritize their time and do what matters most. Employees are often asked to do more with less, which results in frustration, turnover, and a suboptimal culture. Leaders are trying to figure out how to improve results and profitability within their division or department, but often they are not sure what else to try.

In our research of more than 1,260 managers and executives from more than 108 different organizations, 68 percent of them felt like their number one challenge was how to prioritize their time. At the same time, 80 percent did not have a process to plan or focus on what matters most.

Steve and Rob have invested decades of research to identify the high-performance habits of the top 10 percent across industries to find something that will help close the productivity gap. In this book, we share three specific habits that increase performance and productivity by at least 30 to 50 percent while at the same time reducing stress. This translates into teams of people who get things done on time or ahead of schedule; who are better contributors, better leaders, and more actively engaged; who do what matters most; and who improve their personal lives and relationships.

The three high performance habits Steve and Rob identified are to develop a written personal vision, to identify and set roles and goals, and to consistently do pre-week planning. People have heard a lot about these three habits throughout their lives, but most people are still not doing them. In fact, only 2 percent of people have a written personal vision, less than 10 percent feel confident in writing goals (or have written goals), and 80 percent don’t feel they have a process to effectively plan their weeks.

We train private, public, and government organizations around the world and have seen firsthand the impact these three habits have on employees and leaders. From the CEO to the frontline employee, we have seen massive improvements in people when they focus on these three habits. These are not flavors of the month; rather, these three habits transform a person’s focus for the rest of their lives. We have taken years of training and compiled it in this book so that managers and employees have a simple yet extremely effective place to start.

Although this book is primarily written for employees, managers, and executives in both the private and public sectors, the same habits equally affect a student, an athlete, a teenager, and anyone else who applies them. It is common to have parents give this book to their son or daughter because the same habits that are significant for members of an organization are just as important for a daughter, son, or student.

Do what matters most is both a mindset and a skillset that will affect every area of a person’s life. We invite you to test these powerful habits in your life as well as share them with the people who you care most about. After reading this book, you will be able to test firsthand how effective these habits are for you, your coworkers, and your family!