Henry Rollins was the lead singer of the band Black Flag. The band staked their claim in the world of punk rock in the mid-80’s. In the early 90’s I was lucky enough to see Rollins perform and briefly met him after the show. Back then, I was star struck. A few months ago, I went to see Henry Rollins perform storytelling and spoken word. Giving readers a different spin from an unlikely source, let’s look at what Rollins said in his talk and apply it to productivity so that you can be a rock star at work.
Beyond music, Rollins is known for his writing, publishing, acting, and producing. He is the host of television and radio and is a frequent writer for a variety of news publications. Leonard Cohen once said that he was prolific. And he is, along with being an all around cool guy.
On time-Rollins jokes that he put the punk in punctuality. Notably making sure that he shows up on time for all his events. In the rock and roll world, bands are infamous for being late or not even showing up at all for gigs. Are you showing up on time? Are you punctual for your events?
Saying no-While touring with the Rollins band, he realized that he didn’t have any more lyrics or music left in him. So, he stopped and changed direction. He wanted to try new things. You’ve seen the aged rocker who pushes music as far as it can go and beyond, it’s sometimes sad and desperate. What do you need to say no to so that you can keep your work fresh and exciting?
Saying yes-After leaving his band, Rollins has worked on other projects like acting, movie making, television, writing and publishing. He said ‘yes’ to many projects, which allowed him to have a diverse background. Even when he had no knowledge in the genre, he said yes and went for it. What project can you say yes to?
Discipline and Routine-Rollins readily admits to traveling the world, having visited over 99 countries. But when he’s home in L.A., he has a routine and the discipline to follow it. He jokes on stage that the staff at his local Trader Joe’s know the exact time and day he’ll arrive in the store. What routines do you need to create to ensure you have better days?
It’s unlikely that workplace productivity tips would come from the punk rock world. Techniques to doing things better are all around you. We all need to tap into the things we love to find answers to what might not be working. From that we can make the changes necessary to be better at what we do. What things do you need to change to be a rock star at work?
If you want to learn ways to put punctuality in your workday and be on time. Join me for the workshop: Time Management: Creating Powerful Effectiveness. Maximize your efficiency in your workday. Learn to free up time for high priority tasks. Decrease your stress and feeling of being overwhelmed Wednesday, March 1, 2017 from 5-7pm. There is limited seating, please contact me for the event details.
Never heard of Henry Rollins but interested in his music? This music isn’t for the faint of heart, turn up your speakers to 11 and watch this cool video.
Margo Crawford is a Productivity Expert and Certified Coach with Wave Productivity. She works with entrepreneurs, small business owners and business professionals to help them get more focused, organized and productive in their workplace. She coaches by phone nationally and in person in Arizona, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. If you want to be a rock star in your office call 602-677-8275 or email [email protected].