Member Insights from Brandon Gebhardt
A jolt of caffeine in the morning can help you start your day, but your level of productivity could depend on slowing things down when you get to work.
CPA Brandon Gebhardt relies on his cup of coffee to start his day. It’s as much a part of his daily routine as taking extra time to complete tasks at work, a practice that’s helped him accomplish more.
“I noticed my level of productivity exploded after studying David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. The book helped me learn how to approach and navigate an overwhelming workload,” Gebhardt says. “One new habit in my daily routine is to take a few extra moments for each work task so that I can get clear on identifying each next action step. Now I capture all of my next steps in a new way that allows me to get all of those nagging ‘to-do’ items out of my head and into a system that I trust.”
As important as it is to check things off the to-do list, Gebhardt notes it’s equally important to pay attention to how you relate to colleagues. It was a key takeaway from the book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Mark Reiter and Marshall Goldsmith.
“The book really opened my eyes on how to knock down the wall of upward mobility between upper management and senior leadership,” Gebhardt says. “It rocked my world to learn that interpersonal behavior becomes more important the higher you go in an organization.”
Developing those skills starts with a willingness to talk to people and initiate conversations, especially when you’re growing your circle of influence.
“My secret to networking has always been to bring the networking experience down to satisfying the very basic human need to connect,” Gebhardt explains. “The best approach I have ever used when meeting someone new is ‘Hi, my name is Brandon.’ It is so simple, yet so powerful. It gives you a chance to find common ground and try to create opportunities to learn about the other person. Networking is an opportunity to talk to new people and see the world from their perspective.”
Gebhardt intentionally carves out time for conversations that allow him to hear how others approach success, familiarize himself with new topics of interest, and develop new ideas. It’s part of his approach to productivity, and what happens after his morning cup of coffee.
Jen Mueller is a veteran sports broadcaster and the founder of Talk Sporty to Me. She is an expert in business communication and can be contacted at Jen@TalkSportytoMe.com.
Looking to grow your circle of influence? Attend an upcoming WSCPA networking event or get involved in a WSCPA Chapter or Committee.