Never Miss a Deadline Again
By Laura Vanderkam | July 21, 2011
http://www.bnet.com/blog/time-management/never-miss-a-deadline-again/548?promo=713&tag=nl.e713
Every weekend, I list my priorities for the upcoming week. I find that organizing my life in 168-hour chunks gives me a good sense of how I should be spending my hours. When work gets really busy, though, I start scheduling in priorities by the hour Monday through Thursday.
But never Friday.
Why not? Because Friday is my margin time.
Inevitably, something will come up Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday that I haven’t planned for. It could be an exciting new opportunity that I need to seize, or it could be a long, drawn-out game of phone and fax tag required to move my medical records from one doctor’s office to another. Either way, that means that something that was supposed to happen during the first part of the week won’t get finished.
If Friday is chock-full too, then I’d run the risk of not completing a priority during that week. Rather than let that happen, I do what I can to keep at least Friday afternoon as open as possible.
Sure, building in a cushion is sometimes difficult. But the pay-off comes in peace of mind. You don’t necessarily have to work until 10PM on Wednesday, because you know there’s an open block on Friday waiting for you. And hey, if everything goes perfectly during the week, then you can spend Friday relaxing! This will never actually happen, but hey, it’s nice to dream.
When do you build in margin time?
MY THOUGHTS
Very sensible indeed! Better start trying out this margin time. I think it will work. Most definitely.
Showing posts with label ideal employee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ideal employee. Show all posts
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
REGAIN YOUR ATTENTION SPAN
6 Ways to Regain Your Attention Span
By Wayne Turmel | May 11, 2011
Does it feel like there are too many little things nibbling at you to actually get any real work done? Just when we settle in to work on the Johnson project, Facebook needs updating, Instant Messenger goes off and there’s that email from your partner in Dallas. How are we supposed to get any work done? We need to rebuild our attention spans.
Too many of us spend our time working like Dug, the dog from the movie “Up”. We get distracted at odd moments (SQUIRREL!) and find it hard to focus. By becoming aware of our tendencies and setting support systems in place we can regain our focus.
Tony Schwartz, the author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, has some ideas. In a recent Management Exchange blog post, he offers 6 tips for regaining the focus we once had.
1. Let your values guide your behaviors - Do you really not know what is most important. While it sounds trite, we need to focus on the things we know to be most valuable. If we thought about it for even a second, is updating our Facebook page really more important than doing a good job on the data for our team? Really?
2. Slow down - Paradoxically, the faster we move the less we often accomplish. Our brains are incapable of multi-tasking, instead we have to switch from one task to the next and each switch has ramp-up and cool-down time associated with it. By sticking with one task until it’s complete (or there’s an organic, natural place to take a break) and then moving to the next task we will get more done and at a higher quality of work.
3. Build deliberate practices that become habits - This one is going to hurt a bit. Many of us have to retrain our brains to stick with one thing at a time. Research shows that ritual and habit are the best ways to make sure we do something in a certain way. The problem is, it takes doing something over and over again until it becomes a habit. Start by blocking an hour (okay, half an hour if you start to get the shakes) in which the focus is the most important work you’ll do that day. Don’t check email, turn off the ringer on the phone. Just do what you need to do. If we did this every day for a couple of weeks, it would becomeour default way of working.
4. Create “precommitments” to keep you on track - This is a polite way of saying you need to burn your boats so you can’t escape. If email is a distraction, turn off your internet connection while you’re working on that memo. Don’t freak out, it has an on switch as well. If we commit to eliminating possible distractions and nonproductive behaviors, not only will we be more focused on the work at hand, but they won’t be there to tempt us at all.
5. Share your commitments - Most of us are really bad at keeping promises to ourselves,but pretty good about maintaining our commitments to others. By sharing your commitment to manage your time better, we’ll be motivated to achieve those goals. We’ll also get some help from those who work witg us. (If you ask your teammates to give you an hour in the morning before the IMs start flying, you may just get it). If everyone knows what everyone else is trying to achieve you can hold each other accountable.
6. Start small - Rome wasn’t built in a day, and going cold-turkey with some of these distractions won’t work very well either. As Schwartz points out, the attention part of our brain acts like a muscle. Try to make it do something it hasn’t done in a while is likely to result in a serious mind-cramp. Still with practice and repetition, we can change our default settings.
For some it will take longer than others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and reach out to the team members who seem to be struggling with maintaining their focus as well. (SQUIRREL!).
MY THOUGHTS
I love this tips. They are not necessarily easy but they all seem doable.
Okay, for most of us it’s still a work in progress.
By Wayne Turmel | May 11, 2011
Does it feel like there are too many little things nibbling at you to actually get any real work done? Just when we settle in to work on the Johnson project, Facebook needs updating, Instant Messenger goes off and there’s that email from your partner in Dallas. How are we supposed to get any work done? We need to rebuild our attention spans.
Too many of us spend our time working like Dug, the dog from the movie “Up”. We get distracted at odd moments (SQUIRREL!) and find it hard to focus. By becoming aware of our tendencies and setting support systems in place we can regain our focus.
Tony Schwartz, the author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, has some ideas. In a recent Management Exchange blog post, he offers 6 tips for regaining the focus we once had.
1. Let your values guide your behaviors - Do you really not know what is most important. While it sounds trite, we need to focus on the things we know to be most valuable. If we thought about it for even a second, is updating our Facebook page really more important than doing a good job on the data for our team? Really?
2. Slow down - Paradoxically, the faster we move the less we often accomplish. Our brains are incapable of multi-tasking, instead we have to switch from one task to the next and each switch has ramp-up and cool-down time associated with it. By sticking with one task until it’s complete (or there’s an organic, natural place to take a break) and then moving to the next task we will get more done and at a higher quality of work.
3. Build deliberate practices that become habits - This one is going to hurt a bit. Many of us have to retrain our brains to stick with one thing at a time. Research shows that ritual and habit are the best ways to make sure we do something in a certain way. The problem is, it takes doing something over and over again until it becomes a habit. Start by blocking an hour (okay, half an hour if you start to get the shakes) in which the focus is the most important work you’ll do that day. Don’t check email, turn off the ringer on the phone. Just do what you need to do. If we did this every day for a couple of weeks, it would becomeour default way of working.
4. Create “precommitments” to keep you on track - This is a polite way of saying you need to burn your boats so you can’t escape. If email is a distraction, turn off your internet connection while you’re working on that memo. Don’t freak out, it has an on switch as well. If we commit to eliminating possible distractions and nonproductive behaviors, not only will we be more focused on the work at hand, but they won’t be there to tempt us at all.
5. Share your commitments - Most of us are really bad at keeping promises to ourselves,but pretty good about maintaining our commitments to others. By sharing your commitment to manage your time better, we’ll be motivated to achieve those goals. We’ll also get some help from those who work witg us. (If you ask your teammates to give you an hour in the morning before the IMs start flying, you may just get it). If everyone knows what everyone else is trying to achieve you can hold each other accountable.
6. Start small - Rome wasn’t built in a day, and going cold-turkey with some of these distractions won’t work very well either. As Schwartz points out, the attention part of our brain acts like a muscle. Try to make it do something it hasn’t done in a while is likely to result in a serious mind-cramp. Still with practice and repetition, we can change our default settings.
For some it will take longer than others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and reach out to the team members who seem to be struggling with maintaining their focus as well. (SQUIRREL!).
MY THOUGHTS
I love this tips. They are not necessarily easy but they all seem doable.
Okay, for most of us it’s still a work in progress.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
ARE YOU SMART OR CLEVER?
Are you Smart or Clever?
from the article 'Are You Smart, or Clever? Here’s How to Be Both'
By Jeff Haden | May 3, 2011
For the sake of argument, let’s define smart as educated, trained, experienced, seasoned. Smart people can evaluate a situation and determine the right thing to do.
Clever takes smart a step farther, adding insight and a dash of the unexpected. Clever people evaluate a situation, determine the smart thing to do, and then go a step farther to determine a sometimes surprising way to capitalize on an opportunity.
In business terms, smart is the guy down the hall with the MBA who analyzes and optimizes your supply chain because you assigned him the project. Clever is the gal on the shop floor who comes forward to show how you can increase productivity 15% simply by sequencing jobs differently. (Another true story.)
The business world is populated by millions of smart people. Education, experience, resources — there are countless smart people. To set yourself apart it’s not enough to simply be smart. You also must be clever.
Fortunately, we can all be clever: It just takes the right frame of mind. Click to the next page to learn five ways you can proactively increase your cleverness quotient.
MY THOUGHTS
In other words, all you need to do to be smart is go to school. To be clever, you need to live a life and learn along the way.
from the article 'Are You Smart, or Clever? Here’s How to Be Both'
By Jeff Haden | May 3, 2011
For the sake of argument, let’s define smart as educated, trained, experienced, seasoned. Smart people can evaluate a situation and determine the right thing to do.
Clever takes smart a step farther, adding insight and a dash of the unexpected. Clever people evaluate a situation, determine the smart thing to do, and then go a step farther to determine a sometimes surprising way to capitalize on an opportunity.
In business terms, smart is the guy down the hall with the MBA who analyzes and optimizes your supply chain because you assigned him the project. Clever is the gal on the shop floor who comes forward to show how you can increase productivity 15% simply by sequencing jobs differently. (Another true story.)
The business world is populated by millions of smart people. Education, experience, resources — there are countless smart people. To set yourself apart it’s not enough to simply be smart. You also must be clever.
Fortunately, we can all be clever: It just takes the right frame of mind. Click to the next page to learn five ways you can proactively increase your cleverness quotient.
MY THOUGHTS
In other words, all you need to do to be smart is go to school. To be clever, you need to live a life and learn along the way.
Monday, March 14, 2011
WHAT CUSTOMERS REALLY WANT
WHAT CUSTOMERS REALY WANT
from the article "10 Things All Customers Want"
By Steve Tobak | February 1, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
Never before in history has a society bought and sold so much stuff. We’re all part of a giant food chain of products and services. That means, in all likelihood, that you’re not only a customer, but you have customers, too.
Since you’re on both sides of the equation, it stands to reason that you’d treat your customers the same way you’d want to be treated, right? It seems so obvious.
But do we do that? Do we do the obvious thing? No, most of us don’t. Instead, we hoist customers high up on some pedestal. And because we revere them, we treat them differently … when we shouldn’t.
We think of our customers as authority figures. And how do we interact with authority figures? Our parents, our teachers, our bosses? Differently. We’re not genuine with them because we’re afraid it will change their opinion of us. We put on airs. We spin the truth.
That’s dysfunctional behavior with all sorts of unintended consequences.
I’ve been selling products and services as far back as I can remember. My customers have ranged from corporate giants to tiny startups, from engineers to CEOs, from Tokyo to Istanbul. And you know what? They all want the same things. Some are relatively straightforward while others are counterintuitive. In any case, here are …
10 Things All Customers Want
1. Your honest assessment of the competition. Customers want information. And if you can be balanced and honest about it, they’d love to get your assessment of the competition.
2. Bad news. Give it to them straight, face-to-face, in a timely manner. Moreover, be prepared to pull out all the stops to make things right for them. Bad news is part of life and business. It happens. Deal with it.
3. The truth about your company or product’s shortcomings. You know they’re going to figure it out sooner or later. Don’t you think it’s a better idea for them to hear it from you first? Encourage them to provide honest feedback in real time so you’ve at least got a chance to address their concerns openly.
4. Be there when they need you. Availability in real time is everything, these days. It saves them time and that’s huge. Be there when they need you. It’ll make all the difference.
5. Something that goes beyond the call of duty.
6. Cut out the small talk. Time is everyone’s most precious asset these days; don’t waste it.
7. Make their jobs easier. When was the last time you actually asked what will make their jobs easier, what their specific priorities are with respect to the product or service you provide, what you can do differently to be a better vendor, or what keeps them up at night?
8. Give them your undivided attention. Don’t take calls or visitors when you’re meeting with them. Don’t get easily distracted, either; just pay attention and listen when they talk.
9. Pick up the phone and call. When it’s something important to them, picking up the phone and calling instead of emailing, every so often, is a big deal.
10. Thank them for their business. Next time you see your customer, look him straight in the eye and tell him how much you enjoy working with him and appreciate the opportunity.
Bottom line. Every single one of you could have written this post by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It should be easy, since you’re somebody else’s customer. So do that. You’ll be amazed by what you come up with.
MY THOUGHTS
i keep going to a certain store or establishment because they treat me well. by 'well' i mean they they are available for questions, they go away when i don't want them around, they show they care without being patronizing. the author of this article is right - think of yourself as a customer. then deal with your customers the way you want to be treated.
from the article "10 Things All Customers Want"
By Steve Tobak | February 1, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
Never before in history has a society bought and sold so much stuff. We’re all part of a giant food chain of products and services. That means, in all likelihood, that you’re not only a customer, but you have customers, too.
Since you’re on both sides of the equation, it stands to reason that you’d treat your customers the same way you’d want to be treated, right? It seems so obvious.
But do we do that? Do we do the obvious thing? No, most of us don’t. Instead, we hoist customers high up on some pedestal. And because we revere them, we treat them differently … when we shouldn’t.
We think of our customers as authority figures. And how do we interact with authority figures? Our parents, our teachers, our bosses? Differently. We’re not genuine with them because we’re afraid it will change their opinion of us. We put on airs. We spin the truth.
That’s dysfunctional behavior with all sorts of unintended consequences.
I’ve been selling products and services as far back as I can remember. My customers have ranged from corporate giants to tiny startups, from engineers to CEOs, from Tokyo to Istanbul. And you know what? They all want the same things. Some are relatively straightforward while others are counterintuitive. In any case, here are …
10 Things All Customers Want
1. Your honest assessment of the competition. Customers want information. And if you can be balanced and honest about it, they’d love to get your assessment of the competition.
2. Bad news. Give it to them straight, face-to-face, in a timely manner. Moreover, be prepared to pull out all the stops to make things right for them. Bad news is part of life and business. It happens. Deal with it.
3. The truth about your company or product’s shortcomings. You know they’re going to figure it out sooner or later. Don’t you think it’s a better idea for them to hear it from you first? Encourage them to provide honest feedback in real time so you’ve at least got a chance to address their concerns openly.
4. Be there when they need you. Availability in real time is everything, these days. It saves them time and that’s huge. Be there when they need you. It’ll make all the difference.
5. Something that goes beyond the call of duty.
6. Cut out the small talk. Time is everyone’s most precious asset these days; don’t waste it.
7. Make their jobs easier. When was the last time you actually asked what will make their jobs easier, what their specific priorities are with respect to the product or service you provide, what you can do differently to be a better vendor, or what keeps them up at night?
8. Give them your undivided attention. Don’t take calls or visitors when you’re meeting with them. Don’t get easily distracted, either; just pay attention and listen when they talk.
9. Pick up the phone and call. When it’s something important to them, picking up the phone and calling instead of emailing, every so often, is a big deal.
10. Thank them for their business. Next time you see your customer, look him straight in the eye and tell him how much you enjoy working with him and appreciate the opportunity.
Bottom line. Every single one of you could have written this post by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It should be easy, since you’re somebody else’s customer. So do that. You’ll be amazed by what you come up with.
MY THOUGHTS
i keep going to a certain store or establishment because they treat me well. by 'well' i mean they they are available for questions, they go away when i don't want them around, they show they care without being patronizing. the author of this article is right - think of yourself as a customer. then deal with your customers the way you want to be treated.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
GET TO WORK ON TIME
Get To Work On Time...Or Else
Best Excuses For Being Late
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Mar 1 2011
In economic times like these, when there are at least 10-15 applicants for every job opening, employees who still have jobs are making more of an effort to get to work on time according to a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com. But that doesn't mean that those who are late don't have interesting reason or excuses for their tardiness.
The survey, conducted in November and December 2010, found that 15 percent of workers admitted to being late for work at least once once a week, down from 16 percent the previous year and 20 percent in 2008. It may be worth noting that the economic downturn did not begin until late in 2008. According to the survey, one-third (32 percent) of employers said they have terminated an employee for being late. Some are more lenient.
Reasons For Being Late
The survey found the most often used excuses were
* traffic-related (30 percent),
* lack of sleep (19 percent),
* bad weather (9 percent), and
* childcare issues (8 percent).
Our Survey
An About.com survey of managers revealed a variety of creative and interesting excuses used by employees who are late for work. These include:
* My wife's brother got arrested on our front lawn, and we were fighting whose fault it was.
* I had to go to the doctor because I have triple pneumonia. (And, were those his exact words.)
* A young lady, who lived a short distance away, did not arrive on time (because) having a pencil skirt on, she could not walk quickly.
* The cat was sick and I had to clean up after her.
* her boyfriend was involved in a fender bender and ended up getting in a shouting match with the other driver who then stabbed him in the neck and drove off.
* He had to take time off to shop for a new phone because he'd dropped his in the toilet that AM and he couldn't live a minute without a cellphone. He's no longer with us.
* She and her spouse argued whose turn it was to stay home when their son woke up sick that morning.
* He had to go and search for his wedding ring, which he thought he had dropped on a gravel road the night before while hunting.
* Her electric garage door opener wouldn't work because of a blown fuse and she had to wait for her husband to come manually raise the door.
* Her son woke up with a loose tooth missing and she had to stay home till he pooped so she could find it.
* The storm knocked out my power and the alarm did not go off.
* I will be late cuz last night there was a storm and I could not get my underwear to dry.
* The Army have exercises in the morning and they blocked the only exit from the complex.
* I would have been here on time if all those other cars weren't on the streets.
The employee whose excuse was "I was too tired to come in on time, so I decided to sleep in and rest up to be more productive" no longer works there.
What's Your Excuse
What is the best, most amusing excuse you have heard? Or have used yoursef? Share the best one you've heard.
MY THOUGHTS
i doubt managers find these excuses amusing. especially if the person concerned is an habitual latecomer. if he's habitually late, i'm surprised he's still allowed to make these excuses (if e still had the job!)
Best Excuses For Being Late
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Mar 1 2011
In economic times like these, when there are at least 10-15 applicants for every job opening, employees who still have jobs are making more of an effort to get to work on time according to a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com. But that doesn't mean that those who are late don't have interesting reason or excuses for their tardiness.
The survey, conducted in November and December 2010, found that 15 percent of workers admitted to being late for work at least once once a week, down from 16 percent the previous year and 20 percent in 2008. It may be worth noting that the economic downturn did not begin until late in 2008. According to the survey, one-third (32 percent) of employers said they have terminated an employee for being late. Some are more lenient.
Reasons For Being Late
The survey found the most often used excuses were
* traffic-related (30 percent),
* lack of sleep (19 percent),
* bad weather (9 percent), and
* childcare issues (8 percent).
Our Survey
An About.com survey of managers revealed a variety of creative and interesting excuses used by employees who are late for work. These include:
* My wife's brother got arrested on our front lawn, and we were fighting whose fault it was.
* I had to go to the doctor because I have triple pneumonia. (And, were those his exact words.)
* A young lady, who lived a short distance away, did not arrive on time (because) having a pencil skirt on, she could not walk quickly.
* The cat was sick and I had to clean up after her.
* her boyfriend was involved in a fender bender and ended up getting in a shouting match with the other driver who then stabbed him in the neck and drove off.
* He had to take time off to shop for a new phone because he'd dropped his in the toilet that AM and he couldn't live a minute without a cellphone. He's no longer with us.
* She and her spouse argued whose turn it was to stay home when their son woke up sick that morning.
* He had to go and search for his wedding ring, which he thought he had dropped on a gravel road the night before while hunting.
* Her electric garage door opener wouldn't work because of a blown fuse and she had to wait for her husband to come manually raise the door.
* Her son woke up with a loose tooth missing and she had to stay home till he pooped so she could find it.
* The storm knocked out my power and the alarm did not go off.
* I will be late cuz last night there was a storm and I could not get my underwear to dry.
* The Army have exercises in the morning and they blocked the only exit from the complex.
* I would have been here on time if all those other cars weren't on the streets.
The employee whose excuse was "I was too tired to come in on time, so I decided to sleep in and rest up to be more productive" no longer works there.
What's Your Excuse
What is the best, most amusing excuse you have heard? Or have used yoursef? Share the best one you've heard.
MY THOUGHTS
i doubt managers find these excuses amusing. especially if the person concerned is an habitual latecomer. if he's habitually late, i'm surprised he's still allowed to make these excuses (if e still had the job!)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
How to Be the Ideal Employee
How to Be the Ideal Employee
By Margaret Heffernan
I’ve been talking to a lot of graduating classes lately, and they all ask the same question: what makes for the ideal employee?
There isn’t such a creature, I answer. The best are always their own people. But there are three kinds of people I don’t think
any company can live without. I think of them in terms of the three very best people I’ve been lucky enough to have work for me.
Here’s what they had that others didn’t:
The first fulfilled a function that has gone severely out of fashion: she was a terrific interstitial worker, filling in the
gaps between departments, between specialties, between projects. With an uncanny ability to spot the cracks through which
information, details and responsibility disappeared, she fixed things before they went wrong. She would also tell me when I was
making a dumb decision. Everyone knows it’s stupid to surround yourself with yes men and sycophants. But the trick is to find
people who believe in the mission but remain critically aware. She did that all the time.
The second had Zeitgeist. I never figured out how she did this, but she had a true sense of what was going on in the world:
street sense. She could work in any medium, on any kind of project, and her work was always in tune with the times — cool and
credible. Apart from her ability to work like a Trojan, she never stopped looking and thinking, and she never became cynical.
Every day, every project was a fresh opportunity to learn and to shine. She was the only person I’ve ever known with endless
creative resilience.
The third just had quality. He wasn’t an innovator, and in a flashy, egotistical industry (television), he didn’t make a splash.
What he did have was a burning desire for serious work and a real respect for the people he worked with. As a result, good
people loved working with him. I knew I could always trust him to aim high and never cut corners. He built relationships with
his team that lasted for years, because he cared about everyone’s success.
Did they work for me — or did I work for them? I couldn’t say. I’d argue that no business can succeed without people like this.
What other qualities do you think are essential to great employees?
MY THOUGHTS
ideal? maybe someone who has both his heart and head on the job? we can't have those smart but heartless workers. nor the
softiy bimbos.i guees, someone who produces the results and encourages others to do the same?
By Margaret Heffernan
I’ve been talking to a lot of graduating classes lately, and they all ask the same question: what makes for the ideal employee?
There isn’t such a creature, I answer. The best are always their own people. But there are three kinds of people I don’t think
any company can live without. I think of them in terms of the three very best people I’ve been lucky enough to have work for me.
Here’s what they had that others didn’t:
The first fulfilled a function that has gone severely out of fashion: she was a terrific interstitial worker, filling in the
gaps between departments, between specialties, between projects. With an uncanny ability to spot the cracks through which
information, details and responsibility disappeared, she fixed things before they went wrong. She would also tell me when I was
making a dumb decision. Everyone knows it’s stupid to surround yourself with yes men and sycophants. But the trick is to find
people who believe in the mission but remain critically aware. She did that all the time.
The second had Zeitgeist. I never figured out how she did this, but she had a true sense of what was going on in the world:
street sense. She could work in any medium, on any kind of project, and her work was always in tune with the times — cool and
credible. Apart from her ability to work like a Trojan, she never stopped looking and thinking, and she never became cynical.
Every day, every project was a fresh opportunity to learn and to shine. She was the only person I’ve ever known with endless
creative resilience.
The third just had quality. He wasn’t an innovator, and in a flashy, egotistical industry (television), he didn’t make a splash.
What he did have was a burning desire for serious work and a real respect for the people he worked with. As a result, good
people loved working with him. I knew I could always trust him to aim high and never cut corners. He built relationships with
his team that lasted for years, because he cared about everyone’s success.
Did they work for me — or did I work for them? I couldn’t say. I’d argue that no business can succeed without people like this.
What other qualities do you think are essential to great employees?
MY THOUGHTS
ideal? maybe someone who has both his heart and head on the job? we can't have those smart but heartless workers. nor the
softiy bimbos.i guees, someone who produces the results and encourages others to do the same?
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