Would you like to instantly increase your productivity?

Millions of people took to the roads this past week for the Thanksgiving holiday in the US. The time was spent enjoying or trying to avoid family and friends but that’s not the point. The point is that the post holiday water cooler talk, while filled with pleasantries and good office banter, can be a serious time waster.

When you think about your average day, you can easily identify the same time sinks that keep you from doing work. The meetings. The chatty Cathy drop-ins. The urgent fire drills that in the end lack any urgency at all. By then your best work doesn’t happen at work.

For your sake, your employee’s sake, and your productivity’s sake, set your people free… at least some of the time.

If this frightens you, then consider the first rule followed by great companies found in Jim Collin’s Good to Great.

Make sure you have great people on the bus.

photo credit: Cast a Line