Niggles

CTOs need to be extremely focused and organized. With so many demands on time and attention, an effective CTO is one who wisely uses time. To do this, a CTO needs to say "no" to a lot of demands on time and attention, but if there are things we find ourselves constantly saying “no” to, it might be time to step back and reevaluate.

Take, for example, the case of the little recurring niggle. A niggle is any little thing that is a small annoyance in your day. It isn't a big enough deal that it forces you to deal with it, and is so small that it is easily worked around and ignored. It can be something as simple as a wireless mouse consistently not connecting when a computer wakes up from sleep, or the hinge on a door that squeaks every time someone comes into the office. Over time, these niggles chip away at happiness, attention, and ultimately our effectiveness. Make time and take time to fix recurring niggles where appropriate, and processes will flow more smoothly and you'll be much happier.

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