The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage Your Email Before It Manages You

by Mike Song, Vicki Halsey, Tim Burress

Overview

Offers an easy-to-implement solution to a problem--e-mail and information overload--that plagues millions of people • Draws on the authors' extensive experience working with major corporate clients • Includes a real-world case study of how the principles in the book were implemented at Capital One Do you spend so much time dealing with e-mails--reading them, writing them, responding to them, responding to responses--that you feel like you're just going round and round and getting nowhere? Meet Harold, an HR director so overwhelmed by email he feels like a hamster on a wheel. Just in time, Harold meets a coach--a leading expert on email efficiency and etiquette with a simple system that helps Harold eliminate needless emails, write better messages, and file and find information in a flash. He gets immediate results--and reclaims his life. This delightful and much-needed fable is based on the authors' extensive experience helping employees at companies like Clear Channel, Procter and Gamble, and Pfizer manage e-mail more efficiently. The book includes a remarkable case study of the authors' work with Capital One, where employees estimated they saved thirteen days a year by applying Hamster Revolution techniques. This book is perfect for time-starved professionals eager to restore balance and order to their busy lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605099026
Publisher:	Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	05/19/2008
Series:	0
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Mike Song is cofounder and CEO of Cohesive Knowledge Solutions and one of America’s leading experts and speakers on email efficiency and etiquette.
Vicki Halsey, an internationally acclaimed leadership expert and speaker, is vice president of applied learning at The Ken Blanchard Companies.
Tim Burress is cofounder and president of Cohesive Knowledge Solutions and a popular instructional designer, trainer, and speaker on email efficiency and etiquette.

Read an Excerpt

CONFESSIONS OF AN INFO-HAMSTER

I was working peacefully in my office when the door slowly opened and shut with a click. I looked up but no one was there. “You’d better be able to help me!” said a small voice. Was this a joke?

I stood up and that’s when I saw him. Trudging across the floor, tugging on his tie, was a small, nervous-looking white hamster with brown spots. He was wearing a dark blue business suit and carrying a small black briefcase. He looked tired and defeated.

“I hear you’re the so-called productivity expert,” he said. “I’m Harold.”

I leaned down to shake his paw, “Pleased to meet you, Harold. And yes, my passion is helping professionals lead more productive and fulfilling lives.”

Harold raised his eyes hopefully. “Maybe I’m in the right place after all,” he muttered.

Once I’d gotten over my initial shock that Harold was a hamster, I realized that he was my 1:30 PM appointment.

“Welcome, Harold! Please sit down and tell me what brings you here.”

Harold hopped into a chair facing my desk. As he leaned back, his wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) buzzed loudly. Harold looked down at it, lost his balance, and almost fell through the gap in the back of the chair. He scrambled frantically to keep from falling and eventually regained his composure.

“Okay, okay. Here’s my story. Five years ago, I landed my dream job: Human Resources Director at Foster and Schrubb Financial. At first, the position was perfect. I was incredibly productive and my team launched several big initiatives.” Harold frowned and shifted in his seat, “But a couple of years ago, I noticed that I was working harder and harder and getting less and less done.”

“How’d that feel?”

“Am I in analysis or something?” quipped Harold, rolling his eyes. “Well, Dr. Freud, I felt stressed. I was getting buried alive by email, voice mail, and meeting notes. I had information coming out of my ears.”

Harold pointed at the PDA clipped to his belt. “Then I got this thing. At first I liked being connected 24-7, but soon I fell even further behind and…”

“Yes?”

“To make matters worse,” Harold said softly as he picked at some loose fur on his wrist, “and this is embarrassing to admit,” he leaned forward and whispered, “Lately, I’m having trouble finding stuff.”

I leaned forward and whispered, “What kind of stuff, Harold?”

“Well, I’ll store an email and when I really need it — I can’t find it! Things just vaporize! And don’t get me started on my team’s shared storage drive; everyone’s storing documents differently; no one knows how to clean it up; it’s a mess! I spend a lot of time requesting resends and recreating documents that are missing. I’m staying late just to keep up.”

“So work is spilling over into your personal life?”

Harold raised his furry eyebrows thoughtfully. He reached into his pocket and produced an impossibly small picture. I squinted and saw that it was Harold’s family: a lovely wife and two beautiful children.

“Nice family.”

“Upset family,” corrected Harold wearily. “Thanks to wireless technology, I’m always online. Carol’s really frustrated with the amount of time I spend working after-hours.”

He held up his paws with an exasperated look. “The kids hate it when I do email on Saturday or Sunday. But part of me actually looks forward to weekends just so I can catch up on work. Sometimes, I miss a soccer game or dance recital but if I don’t keep up…” Harold shrugged his little hamster shoulders as if to say, “I just don’t know anymore.”

“So your dream job’s become a nightmare?”

Harold nodded. “I feel like I’m losing… me.”

He continued quietly, “I used to love learning new things. I was thrilled to get to the office each morning. Now I dread it. I feel like… like…” Harold struggled for the right words.

“Like a hamster on a wheel?” I offered.

“Yes!” shouted Harold, bolting upright in his chair, “I’ve become a hamster on a wheel! Running faster and harder, but getting nowhere.”

I suddenly realized that Harold was unaware that he’d actually turned into a hamster. Although I’d helped countless professionals who felt and acted like hamsters, Harold was the first that actually changed into one! Apparently his metamorphosis had been so gradual that he hadn’t noticed.

Harold paused and let out a deep sigh. “When I was younger, I had a much different vision of how my life would unfold.”

“Tell me about that.”

Harold raised his eyebrows and stared at the ground. He looked like he was trying to recall a distant memory.

“Well, I dreamed I’d have this really fulfilling job. I pictured myself surrounded by brilliant people working on these high-level, high-impact team projects — exciting stuff, life-changing stuff. I also imagined that I’d have much more time with my family, to laugh with friends, work out, garden, reflect.” Harold smiled wryly, “I never thought I’d spend every waking hour stressing over email and feeling like a hamster on a wheel.”

Table of Contents

Foreword
Chapter 1: Confessions of an Info-Hamster
Chapter 2: A New Way to Work
Chapter 3: Email Adds Up!
Chapter 4: Strategy 1: Reduce Email Volume
Chapter 5: A Tale of Two Emails
Chapter 6: Strategy 2: Improve Email Quality
Chapter 7: Strategy 3: Info-Coaching Sustains Results
Chapter 8: Help! It’s Not So Easy!
Chapter 9: Harold’s Progress Check
Chapter 10: Chaos in Info-Land
Chapter 11: Strategy 4: File and Find It Fast With COTA
Chapter 12: A Blue Sky Wrap Up
Epilogue
Appendix 1: Fast Answers for Busy Hamsters
Appendix 2: Case Study: Capital One’s Email Efficiency Solution
Notes
Acknowledgements
Index
Services Available
About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

Simple but powerful. This is life-changing stuff.”
—Chris Granger, Vice President, Team Business Development, National Basketball Association

“Our daily barrage of email not only consumes our time and energy but fills up our in-boxes with someone else’s priorities. These simple tools will allow you to reclaim your life.”
—Betsy Myers, Executive Director, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard University

“A must-read for every employee I supervise. You’ll love it!”
—Richard L. Andersen, CFE, Executive Vice President, San Diego Padres

“Great stuff ! This book delivers simple and practical email management protocols.”
—Paul Roithmayr, Director, Organization Development & Training, 20th Century Fox Film Corporation

“A clever way to add fifteen days to your year.”
—Joe DiDonato, President, ESource Corporation

“A powerful new strategy for email efficiency and etiquette.”
—Lamonte Thomas, Vice President of Sales and Customer Relations, Cigna

“These email practices will change the way you work.”
—Matt Koch, Director, Productivity & Knowledge Management, Capital One

“A home run! Find time for what matters most. For example, taking your family to the ballpark!”
—Rick Mears, Vice President, Guest Services, San Francisco Giants

“Cut through email clutter and take control of your life!”
—Lisa Lelas, author of Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your Life

“A refreshing and humorous approach to reducing email overload. We use the insights every day.”
—Steve Stone, CEO, Infoflows

“Simple and profound! I’m having my whole team read it.”
—Mike Gugerty, Scientist, Matzinger-Keegan Inc.

“Put an end to needless emails and missing files.”
—Sam Biegelsen, Business Development Executive, Jeppesen, a Boeing Company

“Easy to implement and powerful in results.”
—Robert Cross, Assistant Professor of Management, University of Virginia and author of The Hidden Power of Social Networks

“Quick, easy, and fun to read—an effective antidote to the bulging, time- draining e-mailbox.”
—Carol Metzker, coauthor of Appreciative Intelligence

“Using the techniques outlined in this book, we achieved significant productivity improvements, including a reduction of time spent on email averaging eight days per year per colleague.”
—Nic Oatridge, Global Head of IT, Fortune 200 Pharmaceutical Company

“How is it possible that no one has written this book until now? This amazing guide will help you get off the email wheel!”
—Ruben Rodriguez, Senior Business Partner, Healthcare Industry

“Chock-full of ideas to address one of the biggest issues facing knowledge workers today—information overload.”
—Cindy Domanowski, Vice President, Sales Training and Leadership Development,
Major Accounts, ADP, Inc.

“This step-by-step guide will free you from ‘e-grip’ forever.”
—Garry Ridge, President and CEO, WD-40 Company

“Original and witty. There may be other books on email but this is the standout.”
—Irene Sitbon, Executive Search Consultant, Bridge Partners, LLC

“Amazing! Email used efficiently is an incredible tool. This book certainly opened my eyes!”
—Michael A. Serchia, Director of Human Resources, Internation

From the Publisher