When I earned my private pilot’s license in 1972, I learned the value of a checklist. No pilot then or today is allowed to take off from the airport without going through the checklist. It’s a simple but essential tool to ensure safety. Since flight problems were often due to pilot error, or in not knowing how to handle a problem that surfaced in flight, having the pilot use a checklist virtually guarantees nothing gets overlooked.
According to a new book by Atul Gawande, called The Checklist Manifesto, some hospitals are starting to use checklists. Given the chaotic nature of emergency rooms and numerous medical situations, creating a checklist for every scenario is a long, tedious process. But once it’s completed, it saves lives and reduces complications. 
Ever since 1972 I wanted to write a book on checklists, or many even create a checklist for every industry or profession. For example, I’ve used checklists for writing advertisements, sales letters and websites. (Most are in my out-of-print book, The AMA Complete Guide to Small Business Advertising, written for the American Marketing Association in 1995.) Assuming you don’t need a checklist is the ego trap that causes errors. We all need them.
The pizza parlor needs one. So does the CPA, speaker, web site designer, SEO expert, blogger, baby sitter, luthier, and everyone else.
I suggest you sit down and write out all the steps you take to accomplish what you do for a living. For example, if you are a consultant or therapist, what are the steps you take to help your client reach success? I’m aware that there is often a need for space to allow intuition, but the basic steps should be mapped out so you don’t forget them.
When you consider that pilots with thousands of hours of flight time still have to use a checklist before they take off, you should create and use one for what you take for granted. It’ll increase your success rate and keep your ego in check.
I don’t think you need to read Gawande’s book to get his message. But if you want to read about the history of the checklist, and the adventure of creating one for hospitals, his book is riveting.
Ao Akua,
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12 Comments
Hi Joe, I just finished a blog challenge writing 30 posts in 30 days. I did create a checklist one of the first days on how to promote the posts. It just made it so easy with the posts to follow. Yoyr head can relax, cause you know you will remember it all as you have it on your list!
Greetings,
Claus D Jensen
Hi Joe, I just finished a blog challenge writing 30 posts in 30 days. I did create a checklist one of the first days on how to promote the posts. It just made it so easy with the posts to follow. Yoyr head can relax, cause you know you will remember it all as you have it on your list!
Greetings,
Claus D Jensen
Thank you Joe.
Now I dont feel stupid anymore when writing a checklist so often … i used to think I overdid it.
Probably I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: You’re my idol!!! 🙂
Hugs.
Yeh the checklst sure does make things easy.
I totally agree with the importance of checklists. Im my business we recently completed a whole operations review, where we updated our systems completely from A to Z. It took months! We then created checklists for the operations.
Creating systems/checklists can be a really tedious task to start with but it pays back in spades later. If you’re business owner or info-marketer, you’ve got to do this!
Thanks for sharing the book doc, I’ve already ordered it when you first mentioned it on twitter. BTW, I recently wrote a blog post on the “Remarkable Importance of Systems” for entrepreneurs, might be of interest:
http://www.suhailalgosaibi.com/2010/01/06/the-remarkable-importance-of-systems/
Thanks for everything you do Joe.
Suhail
Thank you for sharing this. I also used to get laughed at when making my ‘to-do lists’. People used to say there was something seriously wrong with me when they saw I made a list for almost every project I put my hands on (not that I cared haha…). Today I couldn’t agree more that making them keeps me motivated and stops procrastinating once and for all! 🙂
Thank you again Dr Vitale!
PS. I hope you received my e-mail regarding the idea for a new CD 🙂
Have a magical day!
Eve
Compliments Joe for your advice…
I was told by a collegue that “failing the planning means plan the failure”.
In italian it sounds good. It is necessary having a plan to reach any goal…
Bye
Saver – http://isegretibancari.blogspot.com
Think of checklists like you would a recipe….
you have to have all of the ingredients to create a meal, checklists are the recipe for success.
Yep, checklists.
Especially good for ad writing. Did I include a call to action? Did I include somewhere to click? Did I tell them how they benefit.
Yep.
How come you can’t attract hair to your head?
More seriously, how come you can’t attract critical thinkers? Do you think their bullshot meter goes off when they read your text?
Eamonn, most “critical thinkers” are more critical than thinkers. For example, I’ve already answered the hair question on previous blog posts and in my books, but the “thinkers” don’t bother to do any research or get the facts. They just criticize. I rarely attract them or approve them, but I’ll let yours stand.
Blessings,
joe
I use checklist along with effective to-do list. In this busy get it done yesterday world I find that it is essential. They make life easier.