The Ivy Lee Method

Ivy Lee implemented this method with the employees of Charles Schwab, one of the richest men in the world, at the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1918. The cost of the training? “Nothing” Lee said, “Unless it works. After three months, you can send me a check for whatever you feel it's worth to you.”

The Ivy Lee Method: 1. At the end of each work day, write down the six most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow. Do not write down more than six tasks.2. Prioritize those six items in order of their true importance.3. When you arrive tomorrow, concentrate only on the first task. Work until the first task is finished before moving on to... See more

After three months, Schwab was so delighted with the progress his company had made that he called Lee into his office and wrote him a check for $25,000 (equivalent to $400,000 in 2015)