A tipping point analysis of David Allen’s Getting Things Done would surely provide interesting reading. As Malcom Gladwell’s book shows, social epidemics require three types of people: Connectors (those who know everyone), Mavens (those who know everything) and Salesmen (those who softly influence others with their charisma). The tipping point of Getting Things Done (or rather its sexier abbreviation, GTD) is fascinating because it presents the uncommon situation where the three people required for an epidemic are concentrated in the person of the über-blogger.
Connectors
I think I first heard about GTD when Jon Hicks linked to Merlin Mann’s site 43 Folders, but I can’t be sure. Both of these people are widely-read bloggers. 43 Folders is in the Technorati top 100. It is on lots of people’s blogroll and much linked on del.icio.us etc. You can’t get much more connected.
Mavens
What is a geek if not a Maven. These are people who not only read a book but spend hours discussing its finer points. Admittedly, a book about organization is incredibly pertinent for those who spend much of their days online, tempted by the infinite distractions of the internet (aka procrastination at the touch of a button). Mann is so much of a GTD geek that he has created a site devoted to just that one subject and the implications of its teachings.
Salesmen
Charisma is an innate quality that can’t be affected or taught. Nevertheless, there are certain stylistic ticks that apparently inspire trust:
“Here’s the deal”
“come on: something’s gotta give.”
“Well, heck.”
“Disco.”
“pretty freakin’ ace in practice.”
“Plus, kids, do remember”
“This is a truly great time to be alive.”
Mann is upbeat, cute, and slightly zany. It is sickening, yet not particularly grating. Perhaps the subject matter (productivity) makes it impossible to avoid self-help clich tropes. Of course, if you’re reading about it, you probably need pepping up. (I am reminded of Martin Amis’s attempt to imagine Samuel Beckett’s working day: “Beckett was the headmaster of the Writing as Agony school. On a good day, he would stare at the wall for eighteen hours or so, feeling entirely terrible; and, if he was lucky, a few words like NEVER or END or NOTHING or NO WAY might brand themselves on his bleeding eyes.”)
There you have it: worldwide domination for Getting Things Done (at the time of writing no. 49 on Amazon.com and 143 on Amazon.co.uk). Does it work? Well, it certainly presents an intriguing theory of the mind that sounds convincing. We are distracted by small actions that clog up our thoughts, we do need help to get in the zone, but there’s so many other parts of the jigsaw. Project planning, time management, dealing with soft addictions and self-discipline — none of these things are adequately addressed in GTD. It isn’t a magic cure-all, but then, there’s no such thing as a magic cure-all so why would you look for one in the first place? Oh, that’s right, because everyone keeps recommending it.
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