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Category: Management
True-spirited entrepreneurs like a take-charge culture
If you are a successful entrepreneur, you probably like to hire “take-charge” people who own their actions and make good decisions. The challenge is that this type is hard to find and also challenging to keep. Why? Because they want to be an entrepreneur.
How to triumph over the biggest management headache
Owning and running a business is challenging, and the biggest challenge I encounter today is hiring the right people. If we hire the ideal person that is best suited for the position, and they deliver consistent, outstanding performance, we have taken a big step forward in growing our company and our profits. But if we hire a non-performer, we have made a costly error.
Concentration: The key to achievement
Time management expert Charles Hobbs spent his whole career studying high achievers. As a result of his research, he found what he believed to be their most important characteristic: “They have the ability to focus on vital priorities and cause those priorities to happen”
In coaching my clients, the most common enemy of effectiveness is distraction. We live in a world where there are more and more distractions. Texting, emails, Twitter, iPods, Facebook and Linkedin have greatly fragmented our time. In addition, the ease of distraction is much higher. It has been estimated that managers and sales professionals are interrupted an average of once every three minutes. Time studies have also shown that it can take as much as 20 minutes to regain our focus on a vital project to the level of concentration before the interruption.
We frequently hear that Americans are working more hours than they used to. I don’t believe this is true. I do believe that we are spending more hours at work than we used to.
When I work with clients in the area of time management, the first thing we do is a time log. We keep track of every task or activity performed for a 2-3 day period. The results are almost always shocking: Most folks discover they are spending more than 50% of their time doing things that do not pertain to their top priorities. So how do we combat distraction and get a better focus? Here are some suggestions.
- Plan your week in advance. How much discretionary time do you have? How are you going to divide that time up so that you stay focused on your priorities and keep in balance?
- Plan your day the night before: List all of the things you could do. Put an “A” next to those items most critical. For those that are important, but not critical, put a “B” next to them. Finally, put a “C” next to those items that have some or little importance. In other words, if we don’t do them, we don’t suffer or miss an important opportunity.
Once you have done this, look at your list again and ask these three questions:
- What can I combine?
- What can I eliminate?
- What can I delegate?
The next day you will be ready to begin. Start with your highest priority and stay with it until it is complete. Then go on to your next priority. If you do this with an absolute commitment to avoid distractions, you will get more done and end each day with success. As stress management consultant Dr. Hans Seyle once said, “A successful life is a series of successful days”
Overcome Procrastination: Get back in control
Have you ever had a project or task on your checklist that just doesn’t seem to get done? On your “to-do” list today, did you notice an item that was on your list for the 3rd or 4th time? This can be demoralizing. How do we break the pattern, set a new stride, and gain control?
Break it down
If we have carried a “to-do” item on our list for several days, we can ask ourselves, “How can I break this down into bite-size chunks? For example, if our action item is to write a follow up report for the design meeting, we may want to lay it out in pieces like:
- Write title for report
- Outline key points
- Write cover page summary
- Write point #1
These steps we can usually swallow, and doing them can help us overcome inertia and move forward.
The power of planning and blocking time
My wife and I had been planning to clean out the garage for several weeks. We would say something like, “Yeah, let’s try to get that done this weekend”. How well do you think that worked? You’re right …Not so well
After bumping the project for all that time, we decided to get things under control. We had a sit-down meeting and talked about the project supplies we would need and when we could do the project. Soon, we had a list of supplies and also specific steps involved. We blocked out our entire weekend for the project. We promised ourselves that if we completed the project by the weekend, we would treat ourselves to dinner out. Now how do you think the project went? We completed the project, did a spectacular job, and enjoyed dinner out. We made the project fun and we also put enough control on it so that it did not become a procrastination victim.
Think about something you need to do that isn’t done yet. Ask yourself:
- Why is this important?
- How much will I benefit if I do it?
- How much will I suffer if I don’t?
- When can I do this?
- What steps will be required?
- Who else do I need to discuss this with?
- What resources will I need to successfully complete the project?
Categorize, prioritize, set specific action steps and deadlines, follow through, and enjoy the benefits of a completed effort. Get on control!
Strategy: The gift that keeps on giving
Strategy: The gift that keeps on giving
OK. You know what you want and you have set specific goals. It is time for the fun to begin. We are now ready to develop our strategy. This is our roadmap to get to our goals. A strategy is our own special recipe for achieving specific goals, and it should be as unique as our fingerprint (and far more exciting!). Like any good recipe, there are important ingredients that need to be blended together in just the right portion.
Strengths: When we look at what we want to achieve, the first thing we do is look at our strengths. Our strengths are the characteristics and qualities that have gotten us to where we are today. What are your strengths? If you need help in answering this question comprehensively, ask a friend or visit helpful websites like strengthfinder.com. Find your strengths. We need to know them and use them.
Activity: Keeping in mind our strengths, we need to look at what mix of tasks and activities we will need to put into play. Here are some points to consider:
- What activities, if done consistently, have stood the test of time in generating desired results? This could be networking, giving programs, participating in golf tournaments, or attending seminars.
- How can you create synergy by matching your strengths with selected tasks and activities? If you are strong in one-on-one situations, you will probably look for several networking activites. If you are good at public speaking, you may seek out organizations, associations, and civic clubs to deliver you valuable message. How about if you have writing and analytical skills? How could they be effectively leveraged?
- What new innovative ideas and activities would you like to initiate?
- How will you plan your year, month, week, day?
Habits: Albert Gray said it over 70 years ago in his essay, “The Common Denominator of Success”: “People form habits…habits form futures” What habits are working for you? What habits are not helping you (see barriers)? What is the single most important habit you need to work on? How soon can you get started on it? How can you ensure you will sustain your momentum? What results do you expect for your efforts?
Putting it all together, your strategy should consist of your ideal blend of strengths, activities, and habits that come together to drive you towards your specific goals. The next step…EXECUTE!