manzer fred
TRANSCRIPT
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Managing Priorities in a Complex Environment
Frederick J. Manzer
540.845.0309
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Phone Call
What should I do?What should I do?AnswerAnswerIgnoreIgnoreTurn it offTurn it off
If it is my wife? If it is my wife? My boss? My boss? My customer?My customer?The Administrator?The Administrator?The President?The President?
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Questions
Who wants priorities?OrganizationProjectPersonal
How are they determined?Not at allEverything is priority 1Don’t knowI doMy boss
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Typical Solutions
Multi-task
Task swap
Do the most urgent first
Worry
All of the above
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
How usually decide what to do?
FIFO
LIFO
Source
Squeaky wheel
Personal preference
Important
Urgent
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
1st should be #1?
Is it the most:Important?
Urgent?
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Determine Importance
The 100 year test
The “who” test
The “me” test
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Determine Urgency
How long can it wait?
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
A Process
Always start with what is importantCriticality to the recipientNumber of people impactedLong term effectAvailable alternatives
Make a plan to get it done!List important tasks in order of priorityBudget time to accomplish the tasks
Each day / week / month as appropriate
Work to the budget
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Prevent Interruptions
What would happen if:In a meetingOn vacationWith the bossSick
What is important enough to not be interrupted?
By anythingBy some thingsBy everything
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Note:
Interruptions can be the job:Manager
Customer support
Nurse
Mother
Still need to decide what to do first!
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Define what creates “Urgency”
How was the deadline set?
How often does it change?
Who decided?
How is it communicated?
What happens if it does not get done Then?
At all?
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Define Communication Methods
How do urgent and important tasks get communicated?
How can urgent and unimportant tasks be ignored?
Note: the mode of communication does not by itself create urgency!
Communicate your process!
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Look at your important list:
Evaluate urgent items in terms of their importance
Must be urgent and important for priority
Seek alternative solutionsDon’t know about it
Don’t do it
Let someone else do it
Accomplish within the free time left after doing the important
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Don’t Multi-Task
It dilutes accomplishment
It is not effective – productivity goes down
It satisfies neither the important nor the urgent
Too much time lost in transition
10-15 minutes to recover
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Gerri Willis top 5 tips
1 – Use minutes wisely
2 – Close your e-mail in-boxMulti-tasking does not work – do sequentially
4 – Reduce desk clutter
5 – Put your schedule in writing –consolidated in one place and follow it
6 – Do hard stuff first
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
©2006 Strategy Bridge International Inc.
Summary
Priority Management is hardEGO
Unreasonable bosses / customers / etc.
Too much to do
Someone may be unhappy!
Failure to control does not equate to inability to control!