“During the day we acquire information, but at night we sort that information.”

So, while you are sleeping, your brain is active. As a lover of sleep as well as a lover of learning, I like the sound of that!

It reminds me in a way of a story behind the famous 80/20 principle. I’ve written about it before. Here goes.

Once upon a time there was a German military chief called General von Manstein. Here are his (reputed) words of wisdom.

“There are only four types of officer. First, there are the lazy, stupid ones. Leave them alone, they do no harm… Second, there are the hard-working, intelligent ones. They make excellent staff officers, ensuring that every detail is properly considered. Third, there are the hard-working, stupid ones. These people are a menace and must be fired at once. They create irrelevant work for everybody. Finally, there are the intelligent, lazy ones. They are suited for the highest office.”

What’s the moral of this story? Spend more time in planning, delegation and saying ‘no’ than in doing. Focus on the few things that will yield maximum results rather than scattering your energies at everything that seems to need attention. This is the way to act whether you are an entrepreneur, a manager, or the Prime Minister.

So, Gordon, get some sleep and learn the power of lazy intelligence. It certainly did your predecessor no harm…