Episode 8 - Mission Statement, Letters

Episode Summary
Kevin is tickled pink about peoples' reactions to Libby's interview last week. Ursula has opinions, which they'll get into.

Comments about sound, improvements on sound, and the wiggly lines. Ursula has faith in these wiggly lines.

Ursula hated the Emergent Task Planner with a pure hate. She filled out 1 page of it and "fuck that". They made her actively dislike the planner. The problem is none of it fit her life. She doesn't have a schedule that needs to be tracked. All she needs to do is meander around, write words, and make art. What she needs to do on any given day is what she gets done. There's a small rant about not getting things on a to-do list done and doing stuff that wasn't on the list.

Kevin throws both of theirs out. It didn't work for him either. Ursula notes that he didn't write down any tasks for today, just "on point", and then put a line through all the woggly circles.

The main issue is that the Emergent Task Planner has 3 main tasks for a day. Ursula starts telling Kevin what she did today. Kevin notes that she got her hair did. Ursula did not in fact get her hair did today. She did mail some stuff and then spent hours in the studio taking little bits of board and holding them against other little bits which is nothing she can write down or plan to do and has nothin g to show for but is a vital part of the creative process.

The Emergent Task Planner is also not for Kevin. It doesn't fit his work style and it doesn't meet his needs. He knows what he's doing 2 days a week, and the rest of the time is tasks interspersed with meetings.

They are not the target audience. Ursula would like the target audience to kick ass and take names.

Kevin's cousin Susan has found success using the Emergent Task Planner. Susan does a lot of training with teachers at schools. She's building the program from the ground up and the printable CEO series from MISSING and the Emergent Task Planner are exactly what she needs. Also, she's buying stickers. Ursula approves

For the rest of us, we know it doesn't work and we can move on.

Tangent about "silly" little rewards, including stickers and badges and beads that Kevin used to reward the Cub Scouts. That little dopamine hit feels good, and the world is out to make you feel bad, so if you like stickers, fuck it and put stickers on everything.

"We stand with all of our LGBTQ listeners, every last one of you. We are here for you to listen, to help -"

"And shoutout to the asexuals!"

And everyone else in QUILTBAG LGBTQIA

Ursula discusses her week. She got very little done, though it wasn't all because of the Emergent Task Planner. It was a stressful week. She had a few productive days, and then shit hit the fan and she got to be the sorter. There are limits to how much one can prevent shit hitting the fan in general.

Shoutout to Ursula's mom. Ursula says she did a great job parenting and that she has no memory of the fiesta party cake. It left a scar somewhere, but not on Ursula.

The whole mess of shit hitting the fan derailed both of them. Monday... went. Tuesday... didn't go much further. Ursula wrote words and Kevin recorded a Hidden Almanac. Kevin needs time to realign and get back on track. Something about a Space Marine Midwife Anthology.

They discuss trying something new that Ursula is going to call a cult. Also, letters are coming.

AngelicNeoko on Twitter asked about replacing "vision" with "principles" in Mission Vision Values. Kevin went on a tear on Twitter. Ursula is suddenly transported to her office work days where there were slogans and she is deeply suspicious of slogans. Kevin points out that the vision doesn't have to be a slogan. Ursula says that "Mission Vision Values, the way [he] said it, is either a slogan or [he is] invoking the dred god Planneroticus."

Kevin explains what Mission Vision Values is and how they guide what you do. Ursula asks if this means she needs to articulate who she is and how she does things, because if a therapist couldn't do that, fuck if Kevin is getting in there.

Kevin has a worksheet for Ursula to walk through that talks about identifying your Mission statement, Vision statement, and values. Ursula has concerns that there will be a word search. Worksheet makes her think of word searches. Sex ed is not improved by word searches. Reminder from Kevin that this is a PG-13 podcast as he drags the conversation back on track.

Mission statement is a one sentence statement describing why your program or organization exists. In other words, what you do plus what you do this for. Ursula's initial Mission statement is that she "does things to keep myself occupied while I wait to die in a ditch outside a Walmart." A Vision statement is a short sentence describing what you're working towards.

Kevin and Ursula agree that not dying in a ditch outside a Walmart is actually the Vision statement. Ursula wants to know what her Mission statement is then, and asks what Kevin's is. He doesn't currently have one. That's why he's doing this exercise with her.

Side conversation about Unhappy Planner.

Kevin wants to do a Mission statement for Productivity Alchemy so that he has something to pitch to people at cons instead of just gushing at them. Ursula asks if the Mission statement is actually the elevator pitch. Kevin says the elevator pitch is the gushing. Ursula says the elevator pitch needs to be a one liner.

Side conversation about how this podcast is Apocalypse Now meets Franklin Covey. And maybe Apocalypse Now themed planners. And plot devices where the notebook saves the person. And how you don't want a camo notebook because then you'd always be loosing it.

Ursula is not clear about why she needs 2 statements. It sounds like a cult. "This is the shittiest Mission Impossible ever."

Ursula is a combination of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, where one of them is very competent and the other is The Tick. It's much more fun to be The Tick.

Kevin charges Ursula with jotting down some ideas about Mission Vision Values. Finalizing the statements takes time.

Ursula goes back to the dying in a ditch outside of Walmart. She doesn't know if it's her mission or her vision. Kevin says that not dying in a ditch is her vision. Ursula says that the doing stuff to keep her from dying in a ditch outside of Walmart must be her mission then?

Kevin get's a little corp-speak and says that her mission would be to "create written and artistic works that are marketable at a level to provide her with a basic income at the level of luxury to which she has become accustomed." One of the luxuries to which Ursula has become accustomed is not dying in a ditch outside a Walmart. She's on board with this statement.

Ursula's values example is that she would not knife anyone for money so that she doesn't die in a ditch outside a Walmart. Kevin disagree and says that's a goal. Ursula argues that her value is that she doesn't knife people. Kevin translates this into "do no harm". Ursula says that she would do a little harm - she has no problem bitch slapping someone trying to push her back in the ditch.

Kevin pivots that some of Ursula's values are social justice and heirloom vegetables. So another vision is for her to have a "sustainable garden to provide stability and sustainability to native plants". Ursula accepts this statement, but isn't sure about if it's a mission or a vision. Kevin says she can have more than one vision, and that when looking at all the visions, she'll be able to combine the common threads into a single mission.

Ursula has lost the difference between mission and vision. She asks about the garden idea for clarification. Kevin thinks that it might be a mission instead. To merge this mission with her earlier mission, she must make bean-related art. Blogging and ranting about heirloom vegetables is related to her brand...

Ursula is still confused. The vision that you ultimately want and the mission is how you get there? Couldn't they have picked two words that don't sound alike? At this point, if you can, you should go listen to the lovely explosion of confusion and Dr. Seuss that starts at 30:00.

"When two missions meet in a puddle, then it's a mission vision puddle paddle battle" - Kevin

"When a mission and a vision love each other very much..." - Ursula "They come up with values." - Kevin "Oh FUCK!" - Ursula

So Ursula's value is that she doesn't stab people? But then Kevin said that that actually turned out to be a mission. Well, maybe it's just a long term goal. They need boxes about not stabbing someone today and not setting anyone on fire.

Kevin is going to print the worksheet for Ursula. She wants to make sure it's not a Scientology thing. She's against Scientologists, but not in a letigeous way. Kevin gets her to put the tin foil away. The worksheet is from a non-profit related site.

There is a mention of mind-mapping and a panicked moment where Kevin reassures Ursula that it's not a literal map of her mind, though she almost wishes it was.

Ursula asks the big question: why does she need a Mission statement? Kevin pauses to think, and then concludes that she may not need a Mission statement. Not her, specifically, but you as the general listener. Ursula wants to meet up with anyone whose mission is to keep people from dying in a ditch outside of Walmart and have coffee.

Ursula recalls that earlier not dying in a ditch outside of Walmart was her Vision statement but people might have Mission statements to prevent people from dying in a ditch outside of Walmart? The difference between mission and vision is fuzzy again. Kevin thinks that this analogy has gone too far.

The concrete analogy that eventually worked was the vision of "I want a unicorn". There's discussion of how to get a unicorn. Then there's a discussion about how a Mission statement isn't necessarily a concrete achievement that you can do in your lifetime.

Back to the vision is Ursula wants a unicorn. So the Mission statement is then "we will promote genetic modification technology with an eye toward equine genome sequencing to make unicorn?"

Kevin attempts to simplify things to "make art people will buy" and Ursula laments that she isn't getting a unicorn, is she. They end up with her mission is "to write and/or draw things that satisfy her creatively and provide a positive response from the viewer." Ursula has no idea why this statement is a mission, or a vision...

"I will look at the worksheet but I'm very confused about the difference between a mission and a vision, and apparently my values are all goals." - Ursula

It would be easier to do this process if she was a group. Kevin tries another explanation. Ursula sticks to the unicorn example. Her vision is to get a unicorn.

Mission statement, version 0: Do shit that gets me a unicorn?

Mission statement, after revision by Kevin: Provide a habitat that is attractive to and conducive to the health and well-being of unicorns.

Ursula approved this version and asked about values. Her first example of a value is "don't get involved with the black-market unicorn trade?""

Kevin translated this question into "honesty".

The mission statement was then non-specifically revised to somehow include eco-friendly and sustainable.

Kevin points out the values are eco-friendly, sustainable, unicorn-friendly, and legal.

Ursula still thinks that "Do shit to get me a unicorn" is still a valid mission statement.

Kevin points out that "do shit" doesn't provide enough guidance and may include things that are not Ursula's values. For example, "do shit to get me a unicorn" could include black market unicorn rustling. Or bizzare genetic experiments in the basement with unicorns and one-horned goats.

Ursula suggests changing the statement by adding more words to get to "Do shit to *ethically* get me a unicorn" to reflect those values.

Kevin brings up mission statement examples with "actions that target beneficiaries". Defenders of wildlife have a statement that includes "the protection of all animals and plants in their natural communities".

Ursula laments the lack of examples at the beginning of the exercise. Kevin argues that no one reads the examples, and that Ursula wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes in tech. Ursula responds that she suspects about 2 hours into a mission vision values exercise, the 2 people in the group who know how to write the things take over and do it while the other 3 sit there, check their watches, and say "maybe we should say *ethical*".

Kevin drags the conversation back on track with several example frameworks of mission statements with "actions that target the beneficiaries". Ursula argues that the verbs in those examples are essentially fancy ways to say "do shit".

They break down the mission statement.

Current mission statement, still: "do shit to get me a unicorn"

Action: do shit Beneficiaries: me (Ursula) Problem being addressed: ...

Oh, Ursula's lack of unicorns!

Version 17 of the mission statement: "do shit to remedy my lack of unicorns"

Ursula is excited. Kevin calls it a "a effective, concise, really crappy self-serving but accurate mission statement".

Cue woos from Ursula!

Kevin laments the last 45 minutes. Ursula is relieved it didn't take her 2 hours. Because *somehow* not dying in a ditch outside of Walmart is too complicated.

PSA: Ursula doesn't actually want a unicorn. Never have a pet with better hair than you. Like the boarder collie. He had fantastic hair and Kevin had none.

BREAK

Letters!

Question from Lexie: if you work on paper, how do you deal with the stress of knowing your brain is only backed up to paper?

Kevin's answer: Paper can get lost and damaged. There was an example of a guy who kept an "everything notebook" with literally everything in it. When it was full, it got added to a stash of previous books. Kevin found this terrifying. This is part of why Kevin likes modular notebooks - they're easier to back up. He also mostly keeps transient information in his rather than truly important stuff. Kevin's suggestion is to have redundant systems. The paperness of the notebook is for quick reference and physically moving it out of the space when he's done with it.

Ursula only keeps transient stuff in her notebook and has offloaded different parts of her brain in different ways. But she has important stuff (fax number of the pharmacy, tee shirt sizes for different clothing brands) that she doesn't want to keep having to look up.

Often, the planner is the framework around which things are constructed, but it is not the thing where all important information (or sensitive information) is stored.

This might be the first mention of how much Kevin is upset by the existence of password books. (Folks, use a password manager, don't write down your passwords on a piece of paper!)

If you're going to rely on the paper planner, maybe set up a weekly task to back up your notebook so you know it's safe. If your entire life is now wrapped up in this paper journal, it makes sense to have multiple copies. It really depends on what you're using the paper notebook for.

Tangent into doing a weekly review of the notes you take, determining their importance, and filing them away into the places they belong (ideas, scheduled tasks, etc.)

Question from Joe: Do you have any suggestions for lightweight systems? I use a system of flags in my email, but this collapses when I get stressed and need a more formal but still lightweight system.

Kevin points out that Google and Outlook have good tools. A spreadsheet and a plain document may also be really useful - see Episode 6 and Carlotta's system. Ursula has used Word docs for temporary to-do lists. Sticky notes are good, too. Kevin also suggests One Note because it's like a digital notebook. He keeps his DnD notes in One Note. It backs up online and is accessible from anywhere in an app or a browser.

Mike G. is enjoying hearing how people keep themselves organized. It's fascinating, like looking at people's bookshelves. Mike can keep himself organized but is struggling with keeping his lab group organized.

Working with other people is Ursula's vision of hell.

Kevin suggests getting manager training. He also suggests a daily stand up, Kanban boards -. Stand ups help keep you and other people accountable to each other and to celebrate/complain. People management is a skill. Go find ways to learn the knowledge you need to gain the skills.

Book suggestion: Managing Humans.

Jennifer wrote a lovely letter about how much she's enjoying the podcast.

Victoria has a comment about writing down your favorite things and how it's basically a security question breach waiting to happen.

Heather brings up how the idea of sticky notes reminded her of Kanban. Kanban started in the automotive industry, is widely used in software development, and Kevin knows artists who use it to keep track of commissions. Kanban that links to a calendar can be a really handy tool.

Thanks to Lexie, Joe, Mike, Victoria, and Heather for writing in!