#578 beginning

Martha Stewart started her career with a simple catering business out of her basement.  As she told Oprah, "And then I realized the business had better be documented somehow, because if I ever was to have grandchildren, they would not know what Grandma had been doing in that kitchen.  So I documented it in a book called Entertaining, and that totally turned the tide for me, because then I became a real expert."

Think about things that you do which could benefit from documentation.  Maybe it's not a book (yet), but do you need the recipe for "Mom's famous dish" that you had over the holidays?  Can your sister show you how to tie those magnificent bows?  Maybe you need directions to that great little restaurant or the name of that fabulous wine you shared?  

At work, we could all benefit from having a "If-I'm-Hit-By-a-Bus" procedures manual, but we can also document things for special projects, strategy sessions, orientation processes and more.

Martha's Entertaining started her empire.  What talents do you have that could (should?) be documented and shared with others?  There's nothing like a new year to resolve to start writing.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Source:  Oprah interview of Martha Stewart, September 2000 "O" Magazine, p. 302