Episode 13 (101) Lenses as Guiding Principles for Leaders/ Putting Things Where and When They Go (12:14)

Join Vistage Master Chair Tom Cuthbert in this episode of the ChairLife podcast. Tom introduces lenses as guiding principles to keep leaders focused on their goals, offering a practical framework to make better decisions and stay on track. He also shares a system for managing daily inputs to reduce mental clutter and enhance productivity. Drawing on real-world examples and personal strategies, this episode equips Vistage Chairs with tools to strengthen their practice and guide members toward achieving more than they imagined possible. Show Notes Introduction: Tom outlines the episode’s focus on lenses as guiding principles and a system for organizing tasks to support a successful Vistage practice. Lenses as Guiding Principles: Tom explains how lenses act as guardrails to maintain focus, using Warren Buffett’s tree-planting metaphor. Why Lenses Matter: Three reasons lenses are critical—staying on track, considering perspectives, and improving decisions. Examples and Application of Lenses: A Children’s Shelter case study and personal lens examples show how to apply and test guiding principles. Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Putting Things Where and When They Go: Tom shares his mantra for managing inputs, inspired by Stephen Covey, to stay focused. Conclusion: A call to adopt lenses and a task management system to enhance leadership and member outcomes. Tom’s Tips & Tricks: Putting Things Where and When They Go Tom explains his mantra, “Put things where and when they go,” a system to manage mental clutter and prioritize tasks effectively. Mental Clutter Challenge: Constant inputs like emails and notifications reduce creativity and presence. Where Things Go: Capture inputs in a Bullet Journal (weekly priorities), email inbox (via BrainToss), or delegate non-essential tasks. When Things Go: Act on tasks immediately, delegate, or schedule to the future using tools like Spark or FollowUpThen.com. Supporting Resources: Draws from Atomic Habits, Getting Things Done, Essentialism, and Indistractable. Weekly Review: Spend 15 minutes every Sunday reviewing the Bullet Journal and calendar to prepare for the week. Resources www.tomcuthbert.com/goals www.tomcuthbert.com/bulletjournal www.chairlifepodcast.com https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits https://gettingthingsdone.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Essentialism-Disciplined-Pursuit-Greg-McKeown/dp/0804137382 https://www.nirandfar.com/indistractable/ https://braintoss.com/ https://www.followupthen.com/ https://sparkmailapp.com/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_oIosnwMYhZV3CDahOJFZG4Dxtuq0mcRNmddbRs06Pw/edit?usp=sharing