In the early 1900s, Charles M. Schwab, President of Bethlehem Steel Corporation — a steel
and shipping company — wanted to increase the efficiency of his management team.
Oil business magnate, John D. Rockefeller Sr. suggested that Schwab meet with Ivy Lee
— a highly respected productivity expert and pioneer in the field of public relations.
At the start of their meeting, Charles Schwab asked Ivy Lee for help to improve the productivity
of his company.
“Give me 15 minutes with each of your executives,” Lee replied.
Schwab asked, “What will it cost me?”
“Nothing,” Lee said.
“Unless it works.
After three months, you can send me a check for whatever you feel it’s worth to you.
Fair enough?”
Here’s what happened next.
During the meeting, Lee first began by asking Schwab to outline his vision for the company
to which Schwab responded promptly.
After this, Lee spent 15 minutes with each of the executives of the struggling Bethlehem
steel company.
Here’s the 6 step method Ivy Lee recommended for achieving peak performance and high productivity
on a daily basis: Clearly define your vision, goals and objectives
for your life, business, health etc.
At the end of each, preferably in the evening, write down the six most important tasks that
you need to complete the following day to achieve your vision, goals and objectives.
Rank and prioritize these six tasks in order of importance.
Each morning, begin with the most important task on the list and do not move onto the
next task until the previous one is complete.
Work your way through the six tasks on the list in order from most to least important.
If at the end of the day you don’t finish a task, move it to the new list of six tasks
for the following day.
Rinse and repeat this process every day.
After the three-month trial, Charles Schwab met with Ivy Lee to review the results.
The efficiency and sales of Bethlehem Steel had improved so much that Schwab wrote Lee
a check for $25,000 and later noted that the Ivy Lee method was the most profitable advice
he had ever received.
Within a couple of years, Bethlehem Steel company became America’s second-largest
steel producer and largest shipbuilder.
Charles M. Schwab himself amassed a personal net worth over $200 million dollars as a result
of this success.
What makes the Ivy Lee method so effective and how can we apply these insights for better
productivity in our lives?
Here are 3 of the most important principles that make the Ivy Lee method effective for
peak productivity: Its simplicity makes it easier to take
action.
Contrary to popular belief, complex plans may actually make it harder to start new habits
or take consistent action.
Conversely, simplicity removes the friction of getting started, especially when you slip-up
from your habits and need to get back on track.
Simplifying decision-making is also a powerful strategy that has been used by successful
entrepreneurs, CEOs and leaders, like Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama for peak productivity.
It builds momentum for consistent action.
It’s much easier to take the next step after taking that first step.
The Ivy Lee Method helps you to take that first step and build the necessary momentum
to maintain consistency — much like a domino effect or keystone habit.
It forces you to focus on just one thing at a time.
We live in a society that is obsessed with multi-tasking.
Unfortunately, this busyness with multiple activities in any given period of time has
been characterized with high levels of distractions and a severe lack of focus.
As suggested within the book, The One Thing, keeping your focus on the most important thing
— one at a time, instead of multi-tasking — could drastically improve your odds of
achieving success with your goals.
If you struggle with the overwhelm of having too many ideas or tasks, trim away everything
that isn’t absolutely necessary to regain focus.
The Ivy Lee Method is a simple, powerful strategy for stress-free productivity that highlights
the importance of doing the most important thing first each day.
It’s a reminder that fewer priorities lead to better work and performance.
A reminder that simplicity helps to guide complex plans, behaviours and actions.
Give it a go tonight.
Simply write down the six most important things you have to achieve tomorrow.
And then tomorrow, in the words of Ivy Lee: “I want you to start at number one don’t
even think about number two until number one is complete.”