How Sticky Notes Can Make You a Better Communicator

Did you know the Post-It Note can be a powerful personal branding tool?


Sue Johnston, ABC

IABC Waterloo member Sue Johnston, ABC, says that putting all your tasks out in front of you on sticky notes can help you stay organized and keep you from feeling overwhelmed with your day. They also help others you’re working with see what you’re up to, so they know if it’s a good time to add on another task or not.

The practice of making your workflow visible is called kanban, and it originated in manufacturing plants in post-war Japan. Since it’s so useful, it’s been adopted by many other industries, including software development and communications.

” Personal kanban is a set of simple practices that can change your life. I’m not kidding,”says Johnston, who is speaking on personal kanban at the 2014 IABC World Conference. “Kanban is a way to make your work look manageable and be manageable. If it looks like you can do it, you probably can. If it looks like a list that goes on forever, it feels depressing.

“For communicators, who usually have to juggle multiple projects and competing priorities, Kanban’s a simple way to get things under control and make decisions about what to work on next.”

Visit the IABC Waterloo website to see the full article, and find out which World Conference sessions Johnston can’t wait to attend.