The problem is, once I had those files in my sight, other images started flooding to mind.  My file drawers are begging to be culled and my To Do list is due for an overhaul. (Seriously – did I really think I’d get to those tasks that had been sitting there for months?)

Confession #1: Productivity Consultant and all – my office organizing systems are starting to run amok. (Don’t even get me started about my garage.) This spring weather has opened my eyes to things I chose to “ignore” for a tad too long.

It’s come time to admit it: I need to get organized.

Usually I am organized. Honest. I just slipped a little over the winter.

Now I have always prided myself on being an organizing junkie. (Hey – we all need something to brag about.) It’s just that somehow things started to slip over the winter.

Confession #2: I like organizing. True statement. I like to put things in their place and to have calmness around me.   Judge me if you must, but I think that organizing is fun.

Unfortunately, a few really good excuses enabled me to fall off the wagon.

Fortunately, I am a pro when it comes to busting excuses. Here they are – with the reality check accompanying them. Hopefully my painful journey will help you to avoid plummeting into the same pit.

Excuse #1: I’m too busy working to spend time organizing

Reality Check: I can fit anything into my life, if I deem it to be important enough. And clearly yes, lots of things do not make the cut. (Case in point: I’m not doing too many sit-ups these days.)

So what I needed was a reminder that being organized is important. It saves me time (otherwise wasted looking for things), keeps me thinking more strategically (and less buried in the weeds) and helps me to be more proactive about my deadlines. (There is nothing less productive than always working in crisis mode.)

Excuse #2: I don’t have any spare time to get organized

Reality Check: I need to make the time.

After weeks of denial, my office manager realized that I needed help and took matters into her own hands: “Ann: we’re going to take 10 minutes to clear this credenza.” I tried to protest – I had a workshop that afternoon and countless other urgent things to do. But deep down I knew that any attempt to resist organizing was feeble.  She is one of those people who it’s hard to say no to. You know the kind. Anyhoo, it was the best thing for me.

Excuse #3: I know where everything is. I’m not losing any time by being disorganized!

Reality Check: I was wasting time (and impact) looking, sorting, re-printing …

Yes, there is a chance that I am an exception to the abundance of research out there indicating how much time people lose on a daily basis from being disorganized. But I’d probably have more luck with the lottery.

Excuse #4: It would take too long to set up – who has the time?

Reality Check: Getting organized doesn’t actually take that long.

I have helped countless clients organize their office. In most cases it has taken somewhere between 2-5 hours. And the beauty of this project is that you can break it down, and get a big visual payoff at each stage.

Excuse #5: Getting organized is painful (ok – this wasn’t my excuse, but I hear lots of other people say this)

Reality Check: Getting organized is one of the quickest returns on your investment. And there is nothing better than a good pay-off.

It is a simple activity that reaps immediate benefits. Turn on the music, recruit help, bring in some yummy snacks and make it fun.

Excuse #6: My job is more strategic; I don’t have to worry about the details

Reality Check: When I am not organized I tend to get caught up in the weeds and reactive (versus proactive). I also run the risk of becoming a bottleneck to other people (who are focused on the details).

Being organized is an important part of being able to see the bigger picture, staying proactive and staying focused on our goals.

 
Excuse #7: My job is simply too busy to stay organized

Reality Check: If it isn’t easy to maintain, it isn’t the right system for me.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ model here. There is no shame in trying a new system. (And even the best systems out there need to tweaking occasionally.) Figure out what isn’t working and adjust accordingly. Keep it simple though. When things get too fancy, they become too hard to maintain.

 
Excuse #8: A clear desk will make it look like I have nothing to do

Reality Check: No one seriously uses this excuse anymore, right?

It’s very easy to let the systems slip. So as the sun shines outside, I’m putting the spotlight on my trouble areas. No more excuses, it’s time to get organized. On that note, I am going to update my To Do list. Feel free to ask me to show it off the next time you see me. It will soon be a beauty.

Right alongside all of the ‘big’ things that we want to accomplish, there are the countless little things that are just as important. Despite having three big deadlines, I might also want to ask Mary about her daughter’s surgery and I might want to ask Bob about his big presentation.

I believe that we need a strategy to stay on top of those little things. Here are my top two tips for managing the little things:

 1.       Be clear on your priorities
Managing the little details starts with a clear idea of your priorities. Whatever your system, you need to have a way to rank your priorities. Maybe it is a 1/2/3 or an A/B/C system. Regardless, both your big and your little things need to be prioritized. 

Once I am clear on my priorities, I make a deliberate (and sometimes difficult) effort to stay focused. There are always countless distractions enticing me in other directions, but I continually remind myself on the things that are most important. You are simply not as effective if you are jumping around and waffling on priorities.

2.       Make a plan
I typically plan out each day the night before. I will know when I plan to work on both my big and little tasks. I will know when the gaps are in my schedule and I will actually note when I plan to call Bob, walk down the hall to see Mary and check in with my wife and kids. As silly as it sounds, I will even note when I plan to get something to eat. (The last thing I need is to get the killer ‘I forgot to eat’ headache at 4pm). 

Planning each day allows me to go in with a clear idea about how I will make time for all of the little, important things. And yes, sometimes things take longer than you expect. That is where prioritization and creative application come into play. I might need to leave a voicemail for Mary instead of seeing her in person. But at least I will send the message I wanted to send, even if it is not the exact way I had planned.

I hope you find these two tips inspiring.  I’ll leave you with one final thought. I tend to gauge my current workload based on how well I am able to stay on top of the little things. If I struggle to fit them all in, I know that it is time to scale back. I would rather do a few less things really well than to feel as though I am not living up to my commitments to others. And that is something that I can live with.

Put on your boxing gloves and prepare to battle.  Today’s article is all about busting through excuses for not delegating.

Excuse #1: No one can do it (except me)

A key part of building a strong team is to challenge them. If you intentionally strive to push people outside of their comfort zone, you will naturally start delegating more.

Obviously you want to check in with them often. Delegating and training go hand in hand.  The overnight sensations tend to only happen in Hollywood.  (And maybe you, being the star you are, required very little hand-holding back in the day, but let’s not hold everyone else to that standard, ok?)

Excuse #2: No one can do it as well as me

I am asking you to ignore a common misperception: ‘If I am the best person for the job, I should do it.’

There isn’t a doubt in my mind – you probably are the best person for the job. I know, I know … no one can do it as well as you. Believe me, I have heard this before. Instead, we should be asking ourselves whether anyone else can do the job.

If someone else can do it (even if it requires some coaching on your part), let them.

Excuse #3: No one has time

Another classic reason why people do not delegate is because their team is already too busy. At which point I ask “too busy doing what?”

It is true that we only have so much time in a day.  We will never be able to get everything done. 

But we definitely have time for our top priorities. (At least we do when we strip away the other distractions.)

I recommend that you and your team jointly identify the top priorities.  Sure, you can all work on other things outside this list, but not to the extent that it bumps your top priorities.

Excuse #4: I don’t have enough people to delegate to

This is where it helps to think outside of the box.  There are lots of delegating opportunities out there.

Ask your manager for ideas about engaging other people. Seek out volunteers. Work with your suppliers. Consider reaching out to people in other departments.  This can be a goldmine of opportunity as lots of people may be interested in expanding their network or skill set.  Your project may provide them with the perfect opportunity.

When engaging others, it is critical to let them own parts of the project.  If you merely seek out their advice, it probably won’t be enough to get them to roll up their sleeves and help with the work.

Excuse #5: I just don’t like to ask for help

Ok super hero, what’s up with this excuse?  Think about how great it feels when someone comes asks you for help. 

Like any skill, we get better at it the more we practice. So push yourself to ask for help.  The more you do it, the more you’ll realize how rewarding it can be – for both you and them.

Ok, time to take off the boxing gloves. That about wraps up today’s workout.  Just remember to keep working on your delegating muscle.

Delegating is something that I have become quite comfortable with over the years.  I have been able to distill a few gems that lead to positive delegating experiences.  I would like to share my top three tips for effective delegating with you here.

Clear Communication

Clear communication regarding your expectations is at the very top of the list.

You must be very specific regarding the scope (in other words, what others need to do), productivity, output, quality and timeline.  You need to carefully think through all of these aspects and ensure that you communicate your thoughts clearly.

When I was the Director of Marketing, I needed to do my job as a delegator the best I could to allow my team to do their best work.  At the time, I was overseeing multiple brand managers who were all responsible for developing messages for the sales team. I was personally accountable for ensuring the consistency and impact of these messages. It was absolutely critical for my delegating instructions to be clearly thought out, specific and well communicated in order for me to achieve my goals.  While they were individually responsible to conduct the sessions, management held me accountable to ensure they all delivered.

I also believe that the person receiving the work is equally responsible for understanding my expectations.  The receiver must also ask questions to be clear that they understand what they are responsible for.  They need to prompt an upfront discussion if there are any gaps in their ability to deliver.  And finally, they need to prompt a meeting with me if at any point they cannot deliver on these expectations and offer contingency ideas. 

Understand Your Purpose

There are many reasons for delegating.  You may be focused on relieving your own volume so you can work on things of greater importance.  Or you may be focused on training and developing someone else.

Regardless, it is imperative to be clear about your purpose in delegating.  From this, you can plan accordingly.

Clarity around your purpose also helps the person receiving the work.  It helps them to understand why they are entrusted with the work and how they are creating value for themselves or the organization.

Finally, you want to make sure that your boss is aware of and supports your decision to delegate work that you are ultimately responsible for.

Regular and Formal Follow-up

Delegating does not just stop after the initial assignment of work.  There needs to be a formal mechanism in place to check-in, monitor progress and provide support as needed.

From the start, it helps to make sure that you have the right people to delegate work to.  I also consider the capabilities of the person I am delegating to.  I want to make sure that I have done my due diligence to assess their skills required for the task.  If it is a stretch, I ensure that my follow-up plan reflects that.

There are many cases where it makes sense to give people stretch tasks.  But in these situations, you cannot just walk away.  I strongly advocate having a formal process to monitor their progress, coach them as needed and, in extreme cases, reallocate the work if necessary.

These formal reviews should be scheduled in advance, with a frequency dictated by the specific situation. In addition, I always strive to be highly accessible by phone, email and in person.

Delegating is something that I value and embrace.  Effective delegating requires an investment of my time – time that I am willing to give.  The payoffs are directly proportional to my input.

Establishing a strong team has been a strong focus of mine throughout my career.  And fortunately, it has benefited both me and my fellow team members.

I’d like to share three of my top tips for establishing a strong – and productive – team.

Step 1: Your Ideal Team

The first step is to make sure you are working with the team that you want to be working with.  Success for any leader begins with having the team you want. 

I recommend that every manager clearly think through the qualities they want in their team members.  I’m referring to both “above the line” (skills and knowledge) competencies that can be easily trained and “below the line” (behavioural) competencies such as empathy, results orientation, drive which are more difficult to train and develop.

If you inherit a team, you very quickly need to evaluate how productive each member is.

It is equally important to be upfront and clear about your expectations.  You also need to check that people understand your expectations. 

If you are starting from scratch, you need to build the team with those desired competencies as mandatory.

Step 2: Set Productivity Expectations

The second step is to establish productivity expectations – as individuals and as a team.

I tend to endorse the Clear Concept approach to productivity:

Your Information: Get organized; Establish one central task tracking system and apply the Touch it Once principle for any quick hits.

Your Time: Determine how you want to allocate your time; establish a general routine around your priorities and focus (instead of multi-task).

Your Plan: Prioritize your work by category and stay focused; plan each day; plan your projects; set and plan around deadlines; and manage the root causes of procrastination as it arises.

Step 3: Regular Feedback

The third step is to establish a plan around how to give (and get!) feedback.

I really like the formal monthly sit down where we talk about the current work  and general issue management. I will also ensure regular informal communication throughout the month via phone calls, emails and informal chats.

While my preference is not to micro-manage, I also strive to keep myself available and responsive.  I will be clear about the rules of engagement.  In other words, I want my team to know what my expectations are around their response time when I reach out to them.

While leading teams is a dynamic and changing process over time, once you have these basics in place, anything is possible.

The more productive our team is, the more productive we are.  And we both benefit from that great sense of accomplishment.  (Isn’t it just divine to be able to cross things off our list?)

Having a productive team isn’t just something that we accidentally stumble upon or wish for.  There are specific things that we can do to improve team productivity. 

1)      Establish a foundation of trust

Being able to influence other people requires a foundation of trust. So above all else, we should begin by establishing a trusting environment.

Trust develops over time when:

• People believe that we are competent.  We walk the talk and lead by example.  In other words, we focus on being productive ourselves.
• People believe that we are vested in their success.  Our intent is pure and we want individual team members to do well.

 We can also help to foster trust within our team by establishing some norms. How do we resolve differences in opinion? How do we nip gossip in the bud? How do maintain a relatively fair distribution of work?

2)      Engage your team

Your team will only function productively if they are fully engaged.  Engaged people are inspired, committed and passionate.  And they bring their best to their job.

• Provide substantial ownership: Give people big pieces of important work. Be available to support them, but don’t try to stay involved with every detail.  Don’t expect them to copy you on every email.  Resist the urge to add your two cents on every small detail.  Let them recommend solutions to obstacles.  The more they feel responsible, the more they will act responsible.
• Give them a voice: Find lots of opportunities to consult and inform your team members.
• Seek their support: Talk to team members about changes before they are launched.  Seek their input and build their support.
• Balance your feedback:  Constructive feedback is important.  Just remember to focus on a couple of key areas and balance it with positive feedback.  Pick your battles and avoid criticizing everything.
• Be interested in them: Spend time with people. Ask questions. Listen to what they have to say. 
• Pointing out their value: Help people realize that what they do makes a difference.

 3)      Establish a deadline-driven culture

Teams function much more productively when they can rely on each other.  Deadlines are the contracts that we make with team members.  Each time we deliver on a contract, we are letting them know that they can depend on us.

Too many teams are lax when it comes to deadlines.  And this impedes productivity in many ways. 

Reinforce a deadline-driven culture by (a) ensuring that deadlines are set for key tasks; (b) increasing visibility around deadlines; and (c) holding team members accountable.

4)      Help your team stay focused on their top priorities

It is easy to get pulled in many directions.  We are all more productive when we are focused on our top priorities.

When team members get spread too thin, it may be helpful to help them review their priorities and re-set their how they are allocating their time.  This can bring them a refreshingly renewed clarity and focus.

5)      Give everyone their 15 minutes (and more) of fame.

Let’s face it – we are all human and need our ego stroked once in awhile.  Find ways to share the spotlight among all team members.  Reward and recognize individual effort

Thank people for a job well done.  And try to do this in person (or at least over the phone).  Email just is simply not as effective for things like this.

While there may be a temptation to coast through to the finish line, there are some things that we can do to wrap up 2010 strong.  Read on for three unique tips – the kind of tips that you probably would not expect a productivity consultant to share.

1)      Put things off until 2011

Yes – you read that correctly.  What can you put off until 2011?

December is an unusually busy month when we consider the urgency to wrap up projects, the extra holiday events and the reduced number of workdays. 

Focus is more important than ever at this time.  Identify your top goals and focus your efforts there. Go with the ‘less is more’ mentality, knowing that you make the biggest impact with your top tasks. 

2)      Sort – don’t do

Productivity is all about getting things done.  Paper-shuffling, updating lists and general organizing does not get things done.

However, investing some time in organizing now can set us up for a very productive 2011.  We save time when we can immediately put our fingers on critical information.  We stay more focused when there are fewer piles.  And we reduce our stress when we have a good system to track all of our outstanding tasks.  (There’s nothing worse than the nagging feeling that I am forgetting something.)

If you are able to block off some time for organizing, you will achieve your biggest impact by:

• Getting your email inbox under one screen
• Establishing one central To Do list
• Organizing your office

Click to view We’re Due for a Simple Productivity Tip  for more tips.

3)      Just say no

You know how the saying goes: “too much of a good thing is a bad thing”.  The holiday season is no exception.  This applies to business (see tip #1 above) and pleasure.

Protect your downtime and you’ll end up enjoying the holidays even more.  You don’t need to go to every holiday gathering.  You don’t have to take advantage of every holiday sale.  And you don’t need to bake everything. 

Take a break and recharge your batteries.  Going for a walk and catching up on your reading is (counter-intuitively) a really productive use of time.  It means that you will be rested and rearing to go for a strong 2011.

All the best over the holiday season!

Ann

At a recent productivity workshop, I was telling everyone that the root of any good productivity system comes down to the simple To Do List. Based on the reaction from the audience, I almost felt like I had to run for cover.

“To Do Lists don’t work for me!”

“I’ve tried them in the past but I give up.”

“They take too long to maintain.”

“I’m rather just focus on getting the work done.”

But I held strong, and invited the participants to reconsider.

In Search of a Reliable System

We deal with countless tasks. It can be hard – even impossible – to keep them all straight. So we tend to do all sorts of things to remind ourselves of our tasks:

• We pile
• We keep emails in our inbox
• We use sticky notes
• We run through things in our head over and over again
• We make lists, and more lists
• We stack piles on top of piles

Are you nodding your head yet?

Chaos

All of these things add up to a chaotic environment:

• Important things get buried under stacks of paper.
• We forget things.
• Deadlines pass.
• Work piles up.
• We end up jumping from one urgent task to the next.

Are you nodding your head again?

The To Do List Saves the Day

A To Do list is almost magical in its ability to corral the chaos.  It reminds us of key deadlines, lets us feel confident to put things away and allows us to stay focused on our current task – without worrying that we are forgetting something.

Which System Should You Use?

There are many different options. Generally, I prefer electronic lists that you print out and keep handy.  (Hand-written lists have to be re-written which is redundant).

Click here to download free To Do list
templates in Word, PowerPoint and Excel

3 Things

Regardless of what your To Do list looks like, it should do three things:

1) Capture 100% of your tasks and their deadline

2) Keep all of your tasks in one central location

3) Categorize by type of work (e.g., Clients; Team; Admin.)

The most important thing is to choose one system that works for you.

Get rid of your sticky notes, your piles and your inbox.

Stay Tuned

In my next blog I’ll talk about prioritizing within categories.

Download free productivity templates.

Getting in the habit of planning ahead was valuable. Having someone acting as my co-pilot, pushing me to plan ahead … priceless.

One of the biggest benefits of working with an assistant is that they can push us to plan ahead. What is the plan for today? Who do we need to follow-up with? What do we need to start working on?

From the newly appointed manager up to the savvy executive, lots of people struggle with how to leverage their assistant most effectively. Here are some more detailed suggestions:

Tip #1: Your assistant is your partner

The best manager/assistant relationships are true partnerships. Both parties have a detailed appreciation for the current projects and are committed to achieving common goals. Each person focuses on their areas of expertise. But they are both working towards common goals.

Tip #2: Daily meetings

Begin each day with a brief pow-wow (~10 minutes). Use this time to plan your day and review outstanding tasks. One of my clients makes it part of his daily routine to call his assistant during his morning commute (using hands-free of course). They review his plan for the day, and his assistant prompts him to think about looming deadlines. When he enters the office, he hits the ground running.

Tip #3: Your Information

Ask your assistant to help you establish and maintain one central To Do list, establish systems to organize your office and develop a strategy for the transition of information in and out of your office.

Tip #4: Your Focus

If you’ve been reading my blogs for awhile, you know that I whole-heartedly advocate focusing (versus multi-tasking). Your assistant can help to keep you focused by reminding you of your daily plan, helping to manage your interruptions and playing devil’s advocate if you find yourself distracted with other work.

Tip #5: Your Priorities

Engage your assistant to help you balance your time across your key priorities. This can include blocking off time for your work, helping to follow-up with colleagues, keeping you honest about how you balance your time, etc.

It All Comes Back to Planning

There are likely many other opportunities. In fact, some of your biggest ideas may come from your assistant. Dedicate some time to sit down with your assistant and plan how to make your partnership even more effective.

If you have any gems to share, please do so!

It happens to ALL of us.  There are certain times in our life when days like this are inevitable:

• day after returning from vacation
• Right before a big presentation
• The day after closing a big deal
• Right before a big company event
• During extensive travel

What can we do to create more realistic expectations? dpopdkdsplfk;l,sdmf;svhat can we do to create more realistic expectations on days like these?

It’s all about getting back to basics: planning your priorities, scheduling your time and setting realistic expectations.  We can all use reminders of these basic principles.  That includes me – especially after a day like Tuesday.