First, I want to make it clear that the views expressed in this blog are my own and do not represent any branch of the US government including the Department of Defense (DoD).  For those who have followed my past blogs you may know that I am a strong supporter of the Object Management Group (OMG) standard called Essence.  This blog is not a pitch for Essence, but it is a pitch for a simple idea that underlies Essence.

Today, with the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE initiative many are being asked for 5 bullets on what they did last week.  Many of those people are being told not to just say things like, “they went to some meeting,” or “they reviewed some document.”  Rather they are being asked to state what they did last week in a way that conveys their contribution to the mission of their organization.  Keep that word “mission” in mind. I now want to share three tips for anyone being asked to complete this task.

First off, I am one of the people  who was asked to do this, and I don’t find this task difficult at all. I actually enjoy doing it because I have been doing this every week for the past 40 years without having to be asked to do it. I keep  notes as anyone who has read my latest book, “Human Resilience: Keep Running Your Life (https://rb.gy/is0s1z)  knows.  

And I don’t just write the notes down.   I also read my notes regularly and reflect on how I can do better toward achieving my objectives or my “mission.”  I do this for my professional life and for my personal life.

This habit that I have followed all of my life helps me ensure I am spending my time in an efficient and effective manner.  This is my first tip. If you don’t already do it, please consider it.  I know a lot of people don’t keep daily notes and I have heard all kinds of reasons why they don’t.  But this isn’t rocket science.  I don’t care how smart you are or how good your memory is. It is just too easy to get off track doing things that take you away from your “mission.”  This is true for both your personal and professional “mission” in life.

My second tip has to do with the way you explain what you do to contribute to your “mission.”  I have blogged in the past about the explosion of terminology with very little meaningful differences, particularly  within the cybersecurity and cyber-resilience communities (https://paulemcmahon.wordpress.com/2023/03/11/the-real-problem-at-the-core-of-most-successful-cyber-attacks-today-cybersecurity-in-a-nutshell/).  And today the problem is not getting any better.

Due to this unfortunate situations, we all need to be very careful about the words we use when explaining  what we do. This is particularly  important when asked to explain what you did last week and to do it in just 5 bullets.  When completing this task I suggest you think about how what you are doing adds essential and distinct value to your organization’s “mission.”  If you can’t clearly articulate your distinct added-value  your job might be at risk.  And if you think about it, it should be. For those who may be struggling with this tip, let me give you an approach that might be helpful.

If what you are doing sounds like the same thing someone else is doing either in your organization or a different organization, then think about what it is that makes the part you do distinct from what the other person does.  This might lead you to talk to that other person.  The purpose of this conversation is for both of you to agree on your distinct and essential parts.  If there is overlap, then you should agree on one of you being the primary responsible person and set up a regular time to talk to each other each week.  Keep in mind that it will be better if you two work this out before DOGE does. That is my second tip.

The last tip I want to give you is to be aware that the first two tips don’t just work in your professional life.  This same kind of thinking works to solve many personal challenges as well.

In my book, Human Resilience: Keep Running Your Life ( https://rb.gy/is0s1z) I demonstrate these simple ideas and more with personal real life stories of how I have kept running both my personal and professional lives despite many of the  common adversities we all face each day of our lives.

Feedback, as always, is encouraged.