Delegating Successfully

Target - Hello, Good Buy

2008-03-17T20:48:00.001+09:00

Target's commercial featuring the Beatles song "Hello, Goodbye," which repositions the song as "Hello, Good Buy," is the worst thing to happen to John Lennon's music since Yoko Ono. On the other hand, McCartney probably had to make a move to prepare for those gargantuan alimony checks that'll be fueling Heather Mills' checking account:

And honestly, who has time to write a song called, "Hello corporate ignorance Licensing Fees, Goodbye Artistic Integrity!"

INDRANIL MUKHERJEE

2007-12-19T14:49:00.001+09:00

INDRANIL MUKHERJEE

Dynamism in life is the main thread of union that is present in his works.

Born in Calcutta in 1974 he received a First Class Degree in Fine Arts from College of Art , New Delhi in 1997.

Energy, strength of emotions, sometimes painful, sometimes quiet and solitary, that reflects in life and the silent architecture of the bygone days. Architecture is mesmerizing for Indranil. It is a true reflective self of the people who built them.

Indranil has exhibited at the Delhi College of Arts exhibition (1994,95, 96, 97), Bal Bhavan Art camp (1996, 97, 98, 99), Gallery Heart and Soul annual exhibition (2001, 02, 03, 04, 05) and Moksha Art group exhibition in Mumbai (2006).

His works are in the private collection of many in India, USA, London and Germany.

Dealmaking Adventures of A Super Nerd

2007-10-28T13:22:00.000+09:00

Many people think of Gates as a computer geek who made good because of his awesome techno-skills. But Gates is much more than a computer maven. The real roots of his success lie in his incredible dealmaking skills.

As pretty much everyone knows by now, Bill Gates did not invent the DOS operating system that launched Microsoft into the stratosphere. What he did do, however, was make the deal of the century when he negotiated the purchase of DOS (referred to at that time as “86-DOS”) — for a mere $50,000!

Funny how life works. I’ll bet you don’t even know the name of the guy who actually wrote the DOS program (for a now-defunct company called Seattle Computer Products). It was a twenty-two-year-old programmer by the name of Tim Paterson, and he accomplished the feat in — get this — four months.

Paterson got paid pocket change for his efforts, while Gates parlayed the acquisition of Paterson's creation into becoming the richest human being on the planet. I guess I could say that life isn’t fair — but if you’re over twenty-one years of age, you already know that.
Of course, Gates was just getting started. He then turned right around and set up a meeting with top execs at IBM. At that now-historic gathering, the IBM corporate types wore pin-striped business suits, while Gates showed up in a stained T-shirt. According to one observer who was at the meeting, he looked like a seventeen-year-old kid negotiating with grown men.
But underneath that nerdy-kid persona was a master dealmaker. Gates managed to negotiate the second deal of the century when he got the guys in the pin-striped suits to agree to install DOS in all of IBM’s PCs.
And he still wasn’t through. Perhaps an even more masterful dealmaking accomplishment was that Gates reserved the right for Microsoft to sell DOS to other companies. That one dealmaking coup (which, in dealmaking parlance, I like to refer to as a “throwaway bonus”) laid the foundation for Microsoft’s worldwide domination of the software business … and, to use a fitting cliché, the rest is history.

Robert Ringer

2007-09-28T13:05:00.000+08:00

Robert Ringer has arguably helped more people transform their aspirations and goals into reality than perhaps any other author in history. For more than two decades, Ringer’s works have stood alone as the gospel when it comes to conveying worldly wisdom that translates into tangible results.

Ringer is the author of three #1 bestsellers, two of which have been listed by The New York Times among the 15 best-selling motivational books of all time. All of his books combined have been read by more than 10 million people worldwide.

Robert Ringer has appeared on numerous national talk shows, including The Tonight Show, Today, Good Morning America, The Montel Williams Show, ABC News Nightline, and The Charlie Rose Show.

In addition, he has been the subject of feature articles in such major publications as Time, People, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's, and The New York Times.

A Dealmaker's Dream...

2007-08-28T12:58:00.000+08:00

Have you ever been shafted out of a fee or your share of a deal?

Then read on ...

Dealmaking Empire Builders By Robert Ringer

If you look at the great entrepreneurs of our era — Kirk Kerkorian, Donald Trump, and Rupert Murdoch, to name but a few — the one thing they all have in common is that they are great dealmakers. All of them hire others to handle their day-to-day operations, while they work on identifying and closing lucrative deals.
And so it is with many individuals in a wide variety of occupations, people who have used their dealmaking prowess to build empires.

Wolfgang Puck is undoubtedly a great chef, but probably no better than thousands of other great chefs. From what I know of his rise to the top, it is clearly because he is a dealmaker supreme, who found a way — make that many ways — to transform himself from a gourmet chef into a culinary empire.

Ditto Howard Schultz, the man who built Starbucks into a global phenomenon. Start a chain of coffee shops? Are you kidding me? What a terrible idea. Nevertheless, in the face of declining coffee sales in the U.S., Schultz had the audacity to charge $3 for a cup of the world’s dullest and most common drink — and served it in a paper cup, to boot!

more at http://www.robertringer.com

Unclear Expectations

2007-07-28T09:21:00.000+08:00

Unclear Expectations

Before passing on an assignment, lay out your expectations. If there are standards that need to be met, communicate them and explain their importance. Give your employee the opportunity to ask questions and present ideas.

Little or No Feedback

Ask for an early check-in conversation to be sure that you answer any questions that have come up about the assignment. Offer clarification or feedback early in the process so that your employee has the opportunity to succeed at the task.

Think of Delegation

2007-07-25T09:20:00.000+08:00

Think of delegation as allowing others on your team to learn from your expertise, you're giving them an opportunity to grow towards their potential and reach their career goals.

Here are some steps to consider as you prepare to delegate:

• To maintain responsibility for the output of the project you'll need to plan ahead.

Prepare a timeline outlining all the tasks/projects on the left and the dates they need to be completed to the right. Also schedule in regular follow up dates to make a progress check. Later, you can fill in the person's name to whom the task has been assigned.

• When you meet for the first time with the person you have chosen, outline your project simply and ask for feedback on the project and the timeline. If you can, adjust your timeline to accommodate their input - this opens the door and moves you into the mode of collaboration and gains buy in from your helper.

• Build trust and strengthen your role as a manager by letting your helper know you will be following up on these dates ahead. Use positive language to support your team and let them know you are in this together. If appropriate, praise past accomplishments and link them to the present task.

• Plan to celebrate. Plan an opportunity for everyone to get together to share the stories of their personal success and tie it into the team’s success.

Last but not least, always have thank you/success note cards ready to let people know you appreciate their contributions.

Rechristening Evil

2007-07-17T13:10:00.000+08:00

The great epochs of our life come
when we gain the courage to rechristen
our evil as what is best in us."

Friedrich Nietzsche

Effective Delegation

2007-07-12T09:19:00.000+08:00

Effective delegation is actually crucial for effective succession. For the successor, and for the manager too: the main task of a manager in a growing thriving organization is ultimately to develop a successor. When this happens everyone can move on to higher things. When it fails to happen the succession and progression becomes dependent on bringing in new people from outside.

Delegation can be used to develop your people and yourself - delegation is not just a management technique for freeing up the boss'

As a giver of delegated tasks you must ensure delegation happens properly. Just as significantly, as the recipient of delegated tasks you have the opportunity to 'manage upwards' and suggest improvements to the delegation process and understanding - especially if your boss could use the help.

Managing the way you receive and agree to do delegated tasks is one of the central skills of 'managing upwards'. Therefore while this page is essentially written from the manager's standpoint, the principles are just as useful for people being managed.

Risk It!

2007-07-04T16:28:00.000+08:00

"Get out there and take a risk."

Paul Potts

Concentration

2007-07-02T09:31:00.000+08:00

United we stand, divided we fall. - AESOP

All power is feeble unless it is united. - Jean De La Fontaine

Biggest Frustrations

2007-06-23T09:23:00.000+08:00

One of the biggest frustrations of many managers is the lack of time to perform all of the work required of them in their role as a manager". Think of delegation as nothing more than giving yourself the opportunity to spend more time in the vital areas of your job such as: planning, organizing, inspecting, innovating, coaching and developing people.

Why not take a serious look at how you are spending your time and what tasks you are involved in that could be delegated to someone else. Track your use of time for a week, logging all of the repetitive activities, problem solving routines, crisis management issues and routine stuff. Ask yourself at the end of the week: Could someone else (or some other department) have done this? What did I not complete because of these actions? I personally guarantee that you can free up at least an hour a day if you will find creative ways to delegate something – anything.

Belief

2007-06-12T16:14:00.000+08:00

We can never succeed until we believe we'll succeed. - Keith DeGreen

The strongest single factor in prosperity consciousness is self-esteem: believing you can do it, believing you deserve it, believing you will get it. - Jerry Gillies

Reality

2007-06-11T16:54:00.000+08:00

In the moment that you carry this conviction...
in that moment your dream will become a reality.

Robert Collier

Your belief that you can do the thing gives
your thought forces their power.

Robert Collier

Delegate authority skills and tasks

2007-06-07T08:43:00.000+08:00

Delegation is one of the most important management skills. These logical rules and techniques will help you to delegate well (and will help you to help your manager when you are being delegated a task or new responsibility - delegation is a two-way process!). Good delegation saves you time, develops you people, grooms a successor, and motivates. Poor delegation will cause you frustration, demotivates and confuses the other person, and fails to achieve the task or purpose itself. So it's a management skill that's worth improving. Here are the simple steps to follow if you want to get delegation right, with different levels of delegation freedom that you can offer.

Delegation is a very helpful aid for succession planning, personal development - and seeking and encouraging promotion. It's how we grow in the job - delegation enables us to gain experience to take on higher responsibilities.

Achievement

2007-06-06T16:13:00.000+08:00

There is no success without hardship

SOPHOCLES

You've got to go through the negative
before you can get to the positive.

WILLARD L. BURSON

D List Part 5

2007-06-03T10:08:00.000+08:00

These blogs have the no follow link disabled from the comments, which means that if you comment on these sites, you will get an actual link. If you would like to be included here, please let me know.

If you find this list useful, please consider linking to it.

This DoFollow Blog list is courtesy of Courtney Tuttle and was created originally by Coleen as the D-List.

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Grow Your Team By Delegating

2007-05-25T09:17:00.000+08:00

By Cheryl Scoffield

Delegating or assigning tasks and projects to someone else, can be very difficult to do. You may not want to ask for help or be anxious to prove that you can do it all. However, delegating can be one of the most liberating things you do for yourself and help with your career. Delegating can be seen as training and offer value to your company and accomplishments to your resume.

In today’s business environment, learning to delegate projects is especially important because we are all challenged daily to do more. If you are a manager or a small business owner, delegating can make the difference between profit and loss on your bottom line. Avoid the trap of believing the old axiom “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” Do not listen to that little voice in you that says, “it will take extra time to train and I can not be sure of the results or that the person will complete the task”.

Delegating as a Motivational Tool

2007-05-24T09:08:00.000+08:00

By Cynthia Clay

Managers who delegate regularly and delegate well create a motivating work environment for their employees. But it’s not enough to simply hand off assignments and responsibilities and walk away. The manager needs to stay involved from describing the assignment clearly, to providing ongoing feedback, and finally acknowledging the work of the employee who completed the delegated task. So delegating is not a hands-off strategy or a way to off-load unpleasant tasks, "it is a way of stepping up to supervision".

A few months ago, I had an experience as a volunteer at my daughter’s elementary school that highlighted just how motivating (or de-motivating) the delegating process can be. I volunteered to produce the second-grade classroom newsletter with another mother who has computer skills. The teacher handed over 25 paragraphs written in the inimitable style of six and seven-year olds. She gave no instructions but requested that the newsletter be completed by the following week and said, “I should just type the paragraphs as the kids wrote them.” I dutifully found a newsletter template, entered the kids’ journalistic efforts (complete with spelling, grammar and punctuation errors which were adorable), added clip art, and printed 25 copies to go home with the kids. I thought my handiwork was competent, creative, and pretty darn cute.

Imagine my surprise when the following month the newsletter was delegated to my colleague who produced an equally attractive newsletter on the same template but with 25 journalistic entries that were well-spelled, grammatically correct, and perfectly punctuated. “What’s up with that?” I wondered. When I checked with her, she informed me that the principal of the school was not at all happy with the first newsletter and requested that all future editions be corrected before printing copies for the kids.

Whether you agree or disagree with the principal’s request, the fact remains that this was a great example of how not to delegate a task! And yet, it happens all the time when managers do a poor job of delegating in the business world. So let’s parse out the delegating missteps in this common example:

Delegating For Results

2007-05-23T08:31:00.000+08:00

One of the biggest weaknesses of poor managers is their inability or unwillingness to delegate tasks, responsibilities or outcomes. In order to be an effective manager, you need to know what you can delegate, when you can delegate it and whom you can delegate it to. The role of a manager is not to do it, but to get other people to do it. There are exceptions, such as personal producing managers and self-employed business owners who have small staffs. Even these people can delegate some things to someone else. You can use subcontractors, cottage help or temporary employees.

Here are a few of the keys to effective delegation.

1. Delegate it if someone else can do it, wants to do it, needs to do it or likes to do it.
2. When you delegate responsibility, also delegate the authority to use the resources to get it done.
3. Delegate results, not necessarily the methods.
4. When you delegate something, don’t take it back.
5. Ensure the person understands what and why you have delegated to them.
6. Set benchmarks or checkpoints and then leave them alone.
7. Reinforce positive results and give feedback on negative results.
8. Communicate clear instructions, expectations and guidelines.
9. Recognize and accept it won’t be done the way you would do it.
10. Use delegation as an employee development tool.
11. Resist the tendency to over inspect.
12. Put it in writing, if necessary.
13. Ask for regular written or verbal reports.
14. Remember what you delegated and to whom.
15. See failure not as a negative, but necessary if people are to be willing to stretch, learn and grow.

Leadership - Power Over, Overused But Still Important

2007-05-18T08:46:00.000+08:00

By Robert Bacal

The term "power over" someone reflects what most of us think of when we consider the use of power in organizations. It means that the person using "power over" is exercising control OVER another person or people through the use of formal authority and position, and the dispensation of rewards and punishments. It is generally associates with the transactional leadership approach.

Currently the use of this kind of power is frowned upon by most leadership experts, on ideological grounds, and while it is true that leadership that is based solely on "power over" is inefficient and hard to sustain, there is a role for it in the carrying out of leadership responsibilities.

Leaders are expected (by followers) to make the tough decisions, and sometimes those decisions may adversely affect one or a few organizational members. Sometimes the use of "power over" is required to implement organizational change, for example. To abdicate this responsibility often means the leader may lose effectiveness and credibility.

However, the difficulty is that in many ways "power over" is an illusion. The ability for a leader to "make" someone (or many someone's) do something they do not want to do solely through the use of threats, rewards and punishments is actually based on the implicit consent of followers. Even when leaders believe they have "power over", they often find that this kind of power will only work to the extent that organizational members agree to its use.

The use of "power over" should be limited to situations where it is absolutely required, and it should not take the place of other leadership methods to create voluntary action.

Effective Delegating

2007-05-17T08:16:00.000+08:00

By Paul Lemberg

Delegation - one of the critical determining factors for everyone who wants to be an effective leader or manager. And for those of us control freaks, lack of delegating skill can be a real show stopper.

Because the harder you try to hold on to things, the faster they can get away from you, and if you want to extend your reach beyond your ability to do everything at once, you must delegate some things to other people.

In my business coaching practice, and in our franchise for business coaches we find that delegation is simply frightening for many people.

Why?

First of all, you may enjoy doing the thing you have to delegate...

You may think you do it better than anyone else. You imagine it won't get done properly...

And you know it won't get done your way. You might even believe if you don't do that thing, you won't have enough to do.

Know this: whatever you keep to yourself instead of delegating will get shorter shrift than it deserves. These things become bottlenecks in the continued success of your business .

There are four keys to effective delegating.

1. Give the job to someone who can get it done - someone who either has, or has access to, the skills, knowledge and resources needed. Also, give the job to someone who has time for it. Don't dump your projects onto someone who has neither the wherewithal nor the availability.

If you do that you are simply setting them up to fail and setting yourself up for disappointment. Don't just hand your task to the next warm body. Get buy-in from the delegate. Are they okay with this thing? Are they enrolled, or is this just more work for someone who is already overburdened?

Read Full Entry

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Lemberg

Delegating Authority

2007-05-16T09:49:00.000+08:00

Katie Byrd said in one of her article "Delegating authority is essential to effective management and organization". Whether you’re managing a Fortune 500 company, a small home based business or a household full of kids, your success and well-being "depends on knowing how to delegate".

She alos point out most people try to wear too many hats and end up totally stressed out trying to keep up with their “to do” list. Delegating empowers you. You can not only get a lot more done, but it sets you free to get the right things done. And that can make the difference between success and failure.

Again she said time is money and the secret to effective time management is to prioritize your goals and intentions and make sure you get the most important things done. Delegating allows you to do this. If your time is worth $20 an hour, it makes no sense to personally be doing a job that you can hire someone else to do for $10 an hour. The same principle can be applied in your family. Children can do jobs around the house for a weekly allowance or simply for the privilege of living at home.

And don’t get caught in the trap of thinking – “If I want to get this job done right, I’m going to have to do it myself.” Always remember the management guru Peter Drucker’s axiom – ‘It’s more important to do the right thing than to do things right.”

Effective delegation begins with finding the right person for the job or, if necessary, finding the right job for the person. Communicate clearly what the job responsibilities are, the results you expect and what’s in it for the person doing the job.

As a CEO, manager or parent, you’re still ultimately responsible for the results. Successful delegation, however, expands your power, your effectiveness and your productivity. Rather than spinning your wheels, you can focus your valuable time on the really important priorities – like helping your company or your family to get what they want. And that’s the fun job.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Byrd

Delegating for Initiative

2007-05-15T08:23:00.000+08:00

By Pat Wiklund

Recently a client asked how to help employees take more initiative, rather than wait to be told, or them come ask for how-to directions with every assignment.

The manager admitted being too quick to tell. Now it was time to coach new behaviors.

Let's take an example of needing to prepare a briefing report for the "big boss." You know, and your employees know, the kind of person the boss is, what he likes to focus on, and how he likes information fed to him.

This is not a new kind of project, but typically the employees would wait for your step-by-step direction, or at least an outline of where to go. You want them to take a stab at it on their own, with the objective being their learning the process so they'll be able to come up with a good report on their own.

Start your handoff conversation with the employee by outlining the overall project and reminding them that it is similar to others they've done in the past.

Ask, "How do you think we can do this?" Then stop talking and listen.

If they come up with an approach that will work, encourage them to get started.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pat_Wiklund

Delegating Responsibility

2007-05-14T08:45:00.000+08:00

Too many managers waste both time and energy performing tasks an employee could perform just as well, thereby lowering productivity while raising operating costs. The answer to the problem is easy—delegation. However, many managers still limit their own effectiveness, create imbalances in the organization, waste their department’s time and energies, and fail to develop their subordinates by either ignoring or mismanaging the techniques of delegation.

Why? Delegating responsibility insures that the work is done by the right person. No manager, regardless of his or her competence, can adequately perform each departmental function as well as the person who does it on a daily basis. Many have not worked their way up through the company and are highly unlikely to have handled all aspects of a process while doing so. Additionally, they would hardly have been promoted to a managerial position without a belief that their talents could be put to use elsewhere. Effective delegation ensures that each task is performed at the lowest appropriate level.

Benefits: Freeing management from routine and repetitive functions. Managers are most cost effective when directing their energies to those top-level duties for which they were hired and are being paid—setting objectives, developing policies, and measuring results. 2. Increasing motivation, confidence, and personal as well as professional growth in subordinates. On-the-job-training challenges employees to evaluate risks, make decisions, and handle conflicts and prepare them for promotion, facilitating company growth. Effective delegation also heightens interest in the company and instills pride by demonstrating the manager’s faith in their abilities.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_E._Schwartz

Time Management Without Really Trying

2007-05-11T09:53:00.000+08:00

By Michael Spindelman

Do you ever feel pressure as project deadlines come and pass? The best advice I ever heard was to take a deep breath, exhale, relax, and cut yourself a little slack over your time management skills. Improving any skill takes time.

Unfortunately for many, improving their skill with time management is a losing battle. They just don’t have the time to improve. Making time work for you is not a pretty picture after about 10 days and old habits creep back into your life.

The problem isn’t totally you. Time management tends to be too big a universe. Mastery of time is a lifelong expedition. There is an old adage “the longest journey begins with a single step.” This view appropriately denotes that mastering time is a continual journey and not a destination. A more realist strategy is to take smaller steps and identify what about time you actually want to improve.

Is it your accuracy, hitting a critical date every time? Or, do you want to be ready 2 days early for every project deadline? How about being 5 minutes early for all your appointments? You have some current level of performance. What if you simply improved it by 1% every month that is 12% for the year. You can see there are many aspects about time that you could more readily improve. What we are discussing are the physical aspect of time. What about the emotional ones.

I use to be terrible with time management. Actually, when I was in college my time was very productively managed. But when I began my career (near 30 years ago) that’s when time management became more difficult. Yeah, my first boss helped me set goals by providing me with quarterly quotas. Yet, achieving them was another matter. Not until my son was in 4th grade just a few short years ago did I finally learn the missing elements of how to really manage time.

Read Full Entry

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Spindelman

Benifits of Effective Delegation

2007-05-11T09:14:00.000+08:00

By Manik Thapar

Why Delegate?

Delegation has a number of benefits. When you streamline your workload, you increase the amount of time available for essential managerial tasks. Your staff feel motivated and more confident, and stress level decrease across the workforce.

Increasing Your Time

Managers commonly complain that the short-term demands of operational and minor duties make it impossible to devote sufficient time to more important long term matters. Strategic planning control, and training are among the higher level activities that will suffer under the burden of under delegated, routine tasks that you wrongly attempt to do yourself. To create more time for yourself, more routine work should be handed down by delegation. Also, the more frequently you delegate the more experienced staff becomes, and the less time you need to spend on briefing.

Points To Remember

Am I devoting enough time and recourses to strategic planning and overall monitoring?

Is my desk overflowing with uncompleted tasks?

Are staff enthusiastic and sufficiently motivated?

Am I delegating routine but necessary tasks to staff?

Is staff training given priority to ensure effective skills for future delegation plans?

Read More Here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Manik_Thapar

Is Time Management Training Worthwhile?

2007-05-10T08:36:00.000+08:00

When a friend of mine announced that she did not think time management training was worth doing, I had to take notice. She is an experienced trainer who had just started working for a large company and usually knows what she is talking about. Her comment did, however, cause me to question her, so she expanded on her statement.

She went on to explain that she had nothing against time management training in itself. Her issue was the way in which it was being used in her organisation.

Typically, line managers would send their staff on time management training whenever issues about efficiency or productivity cropped up. Little thought was being given to whether time management training was the right approach.

Her frustration stemmed from the fact that managers were effectively trying to fit the problem to the solution rather than the other way around. They were not making any real attempt to work with individuals to find the root cause of the issues they were having.

The outcome was that people were attending whole day training courses run by my friend but getting very little out of this. The training she inherited was generic and had not been tailored to the needs of the business, let alone the individual participants.

Over a bottle of wine we spent sometime discussing how to fix this problem, and came up with a plan.

Step One: My friend would contact all managers requesting time management training for their staff, and probe them so she could understand the need. This would include revisiting what has been discussed with individual staff members so far. In many cases individuals were not aware that their efficiency was in question.

Step Two: Where necessary, she would conduct some on job observation to understand the situation first hand.

Step Three: She would design a new training solution based on the needs of the business areas and linked to specific business issues. However, she would also make alternative recommendations in individual case where she considered time management training would not be appropriate.

Step Four: Individual nominees would be briefed by their line managers three weeks before the training. Both parties would agree the outcomes to be achieved. The individual participants would also be briefed to complete a daily time log for two weeks, to help identify how they use their time now. A key part of the training event would be to link with the briefing and the time log. Individuals would not be allowed to attend the training without completing this step.

Step Five: The training event itself would end with each individual producing a plan of action.

Step Six: Follow-up one to one coaching linked to the action plan produce during the training. . In some cases this would be carried out by the line and in some cases by my friend. The amount of time spent on this phase would depend on the needs of the individual. This important step ensures that the training is set down to practical outcomes.

With a proper structure now built around time management training my friend confessed to being confident of success. She also admitted that time management training is worthwhile after all. Or was that just the wine talking?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wolfgang_Halliwell

Time Management and Goal Setting

2007-05-09T09:20:00.000+08:00

Would you like to make more money, be more creative, buy more things, have more free time, more holidays, be successful in your home and work life?

Do you want to be a SUCCESS?

Are you sure? Well, what's stopping you?

Ok you have tried before but its not worked...

People seem to assume that successful people have to make big sacrifices. Now this can be true.

They work hard but they also play harder! They also work smarter!

The trick is to work smart and give your self the free time you need and deserve. The time you spend on relaxing, doing a hobby, spending time with friends and family and anything else you love to do.

Like all things in life, if you want something bad enough you can achieve it! It's up to you. I can't make you manage your time better... It does take some work. I'm not trying to fool anyone.

It's your life and it's ending one-minute at a time! What you can do NOW to make a start Have you decided on what goals you want to achieve in your life?

That's all I want you to do come up with three things you want to accomplish in the next 12 months. I suggested you write them down and stick them to your monitor so you can read them and adjust them over the next few days. Just let your idea's flow and write anything down for now. Don't worry about getting them right first time.

Goal Setting Tips

Try to think about all areas of your life.

Career
Family
Money
Physical
Education
Attitude

Write them as a positive statement with detail. Most goals should have a number in them. So you can measure how well your doing. Include things like a completion date, a time or perhaps if its fitness related a weight.

For Example:

Good Goal

‘In the next 12 months I want to be able to run one mile in under 9 minutes'

Bad Goal

‘I don't want to be rubbish at running so I guess I should try to run a mile quicker than I can now.' Start Small! Be realist if you have nothing in the bank setting a goal to be a millionaire in 12 months time is a bit far fetched. Try something like

‘In 12 months time I will have $2,000/£1,000 extra saved in the bank.'

Do it now! Seriously spend the next five minutes of your life thinking up and writing down three goals for the next 12 months. Then start working on them!

Time Management and Planning Tips

2007-05-08T09:19:00.000+08:00

"I must govern the clock, not be governed by it." ~Golda Meir

"Time is one thing that can never be retrieved. One may lose and regain friends. One may lose and regain money. Opportunity, once spurned, may come again. But the hours that are lost in idleness can never be brought back to be used in gainful pursuits" ~Winston Churchill

We all have the same amount of time in a day, no ifs ands or buts. Some people are able to get so much done in their days while others seem to flounder and barely get meals done. We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week. What we do in those minutes, in those hours determines where our time goes, how our days are spent. Simple? Yes and no. What do others do with their time that allows them to get so much more done? What is the secret? I believe it involves planning.

Planning is the best time saver there is. Take time one day a week and look at what is coming up for you. Are there appointments that must be kept? Are there any birthdays, holidays, special activities, games and/or practices this week? Take notes, either mental or written of the things that you have to keep during the next week. Also, look ahead at things that are coming. You don't want to wait until the week before something to take action for special events that are coming. If you have a birthday that is coming up for someone that is three weeks away, you can add some prep for the birthday this week. Now you can look ahead and schedule those things into your week this week. Even if you just bought some plates and streamers and candles for the birthday that is coming up, you are a little more prepared. It also doesn't take such a big bite out of the money at once. By looking ahead and doing some simple planning, you aren't leaving things for the last minute. This is something that those people who seem to be on top of things all the time do; they don't leave things until the last minute and make sure they know what is coming up. They stay ahead of the game.

You can use an elaborate day planner system, printable calendar pages, a wall calendar, desk calendar, pocket calendar, etc., to do your planning. To be honest, I just use a very simple system right now. All appointments that we need to keep get wrote on one wall calendar. As soon as they are made or as soon as I know, I write them on that calendar. I also have a household notebook (also known as a household management notebook, family notebook and I am sure other names) where I do my planning. With 5 children, my dh's birthday and our anniversary plus all of the holidays that come up, I need a place to keep ideas, suggestions, and plans for what is coming up.

Since I homeschool and stay home, my days aren't full of outside activities or lots of meetings. I use a basic daily schedule and try to follow that as closely as I can. I have devotions, exercise, grooming, cleaning, cooking, meal prep, and of course schooling on my schedule. We don't follow this exactly, on the dot, everyday. It is a guide to our day. You might need something different. What works for me might not work exactly for you and vice versa. A plan is a good idea for everyone no matter how busy or not busy we are. If you are a busy person with lots of meetings, a daily schedule probably isn't going to work for you. A day planner of some sort would be a good idea where you can pencil in your meetings and various appointments. Your weekly planning session would be longer than mine but still very important for both of us. But, be flexible with your plan. Remember you are not a slave to your planner. It is there to serve you. If your time management system isn't working, tweak it. I know I said a lot in these few paragraphs, but I feel that they are important if we want to get a hold on our time and make the most of it.

25 Time Management Tips:

1. Keep a time log. Take a piece of paper and fold in half. Write the hours you are awake on the paper. Now, write what you do during those hours. You are able to see where your time is going and what you are spending it on. This really helps you keep track of where your time is going. Do this whenever you feel like you can't keep up with everything.

2. Know what your values are and live them. Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? Where do you want to go in life? Your life can feel miserable and empty if we aren't living a life that flows with our values and priorities.

3. Learn to say no to what is not in your mission or your values. Many of us have yes syndrome. That is where we say yes to too many people when we know we should politely say no.

4. Do the best you can now. Focus on the moment, or focus on the task at hand (as a former Pastor I was under used to say). If you are working, focus on the work, get it done. Same as when you are relaxing. Focusing on the moment is a good habit to learn. Enjoy yourself now, no matter what it is that you are doing.

5. Forgive yourself for the past, don't hold onto past mistakes. How often do we waste time for mistakes that we made in the past? If you can learn from it, then learn and let go. Not only is it freeing, now you aren't wasting time by holding onto something you can't change, you aren't spending time worrying about it.

6. Listen to audio books while in the car. One thing that I would like to do is have a cd player in the van (yeah, it is a little behind the times) and put in audio books for all us to listen to. Those of you who can, use that time in the car to listen to books that you would like to read or when the kids are in the car, put in a family favorite audio book and enjoy a family read-aloud time while going down the road.

7. Use a planner. It can be a cheap homemade one, one purchased at Wal*Mart to an expensive one you ordered online. I use one that I made myself. It used a 3-ring binder and print paper. I have made this work for me

8. Get ready earlier than you think you need to. Leave earlier than you think you need to leave. How many of us put those things off until the last possible minute and then are rushing and stressed because we are going to be late? The concept is simple and should be relatively easy to implement. It will require you to make yourself conscious of what you are doing and why. This will result in less rushing around the house and yelling and a less stressful drive.

9. Us the time while you are on the phone to do something. You can clean out your purse, organize a drawer, straighten your desk, etc.

10. Make up a meal plan and follow it. Also, doing things ahead of time will cut down on frantic dinners and eating out. You can do something as simple as browning extra ground beef and freezing it to actually doing OAMC.

11. Create a before bed routine and actually follow it. This is a big morning rush saver. If you follow this one thing, you will see a big change in your morning. I have been doing this for years and love it.

12. Stop putting things off. Procrastination is a bad habit to get into and hard to get out of. People who are on top of things, aren't late to appointments, have time to make meals for other families, reach out to neighbors, etc, are people who don't procrastinate. Procrastination is a time stealer, joy robber and doesn't let you have peace of mind. Do whatever it is that you have been putting off and you will feel better when it is done.

13. Reduce the amount of time you spend watching TV. The television set is a big time zapper. We use a device like a Tivo and also closely monitor what we allow into the house. With the Tivo, we are able to watch a show that we like whenever we have time and skip all of the commercials.

14. If you need to call someone who really talks, call when you know you might be able to get off the phone quickly. An example would be, around meal time and late in the day. Also, if you don't need to speak to them directly, you can always call when they aren't home and leave a message on their answering machine.

15. Use your body clock. When are you most productive? When are you the least productive? Plan the items that require the most energy from you when you have the most energy. And the same with your least energetic time of day. I am least energetic at night so I try to not do much then. That means that I need to get as much done before then.

16. With your priorities in mind, make a checklist of things you want to accomplish each day. Glance over your goals each day and then prioritize your list.

17. Clean your desk off at the end of the day. Put everything away, and when you go to it the next day, everything is properly organized and straightened. Who likes to start a day amidst a mess?

18. Keep a calendar at your desk. I have one hanging above my desk but have also used a desk calendar. Right important dates on there and appointments. Now you can see what is coming up at a quick glance.

19. Don't put it down, put it away. One of the reason we have so many paper piles is because, well, we pile it. All junk should go immediately in the trash. Mail should have a place to go, and only keep what is needed. Have a designated area for paper and make sure it gets there.

20. Continually reevaluate your system. If something is working, toss it. If you see that someone does something differently, give it a try. Read books on the subject and change what you think will work. Nothing is written in concrete, it can be changed, adapted whenever needed.

21. Once a week clean out your purse and organizer.

22. Always put away whatever you are using when you are done with it. We waste so much time looking for things because we didn't put them away when were finished with them. Have a place for your keys, purse, cell phone, etc.

23. Delegate! This is something that we should be doing. When a mother does all of the household duties, she isn't delegating enough. This isn't meant to say that we shouldn't do work, but when we are picking up after everyone, doing everything for every meal, all parts of laundry chores, etc. then we are doing too much by ourselves. Two or more people can accomplish more than one can.

24. Believe in yourself. We are more times than not, our own worst enemy. I know you have heard this before, if you don't believe in you, who will?

25. Let go of perfectionism. Not everything has to be done perfectly and some things are out of your control.

Time Management: the Secret to Life Balance?

2007-05-07T08:52:00.000+08:00

Each year, companies shell out thousands upon thousands of dollars to send employees off to time management seminars. They bring in outside consultants who specialize in time management issues, to get their teams up to speed and drive sales more efficiently.

Do you ever feel like you could use a few time management classes? Not just on the job... but in all aspects of your life? I think it's fair to say that most of us feel like we aren't managing our time to the best of our ability. And if you're searching for work-life balance... the time issue can really put a crimp in your plans.

Having better control over one's time is one of the key issues explored here at REFLECTIONS Coaching. We can't help noticing that an onslaught of technology and an ever-pervading sense of "be more, do more" is stealing our precious hours. Seems that no matter who you are or what you're trying to accomplish, someone is seeking you out at this very minute, ready to take up "just a few minutes" of your time. When you add up all of those "few minute" interruptions, it's no wonder that the day slipped away.

So what's the solution to the "time is the new currency and we need more of it" issue?

Perhaps the first step is realizing that no matter how many time-saving conveniences are available to us... there are still only 24 hours in a day. If someone is feeding you the promise that they can give you back time lost, they're probably lying. Because the truth is... no one can help you manage your time more effectively than you.

Often, it helps to step back and take an objective look at ourselves. What activities are we filling our days with? Do you try to make the best use of your time-management skills? (And an even more revealing question: do you actively follow through on the promises you make?)

Consider the following means for maximizing your time each day:

• Sitting down and marking your plans on the calendar, then keeping those plans
• Segmenting your day, week, month, season into routine activities that are easily managed
• Sticking to the schedule that you mapped out for yourself (and not the one someone else prescribed)
• Setting and adhering to time-sensitive goals
• Deciding what's truly "urgent" and what can wait until later
• Setting boundaries that prevent you from becoming distracted
• Being gentle yet firm when others try to encroach upon your time
• Respecting others' time, being patient and willing to wait

The second step involves recognizing the limitations of technology. Yes, there are certain tools out there that serve as "shortcuts" to getting things done faster... but they also lead us down divergent paths.

If time is slipping through our fingers, there must be a reason for it. Last time you looked at the clock it was 7:30 a.m. Now you glance up again, and somehow it's twenty minutes past your lunch hour. Where did the time go? Here are some ideas on where it might have snuck off to. Think about:

• The total minutes you spent answering "non-urgent calls and emails" this morning.
• The coworkers who pulled you away from whatever you were doing because of matters that needed immediate attention
• Every single time you stopped to check email or "research something" on the internet
• That captivating news headline or announcer's voice on the radio that lured you away from work

Time management challenges stem from the following fact of life: most of us allow our days to be driven by what happens to us, instead of taking charge and deciding what's going to happen. We fail to prioritize what's important to us. We fall into the trap of doing and being all things to all people.

Remember:

• It's okay to say, "I'll call you back at a more convenient time."
• It's a smart idea to shut off your email for three hours and simply focus on one task.
• In decades past, people didn't have answering machines, let alone cell phones - and they survived.
• Teaching our children to put down their technology and listen with all five of their senses is a GOOD thing.

Got a few ideas on how to budget your time your way? REFLECTIONS Coaching LLC would love to hear from you. Send your thoughts to David Bohl - dbohl[at]reflectionscoachingllc.com and we'll consider publishing your article in an upcoming issue of our ezine.

D-List Part 4

2007-05-03T15:07:00.000+08:00

Patrick Says v2.0
Paula Mooney
PBriscoe.com
Pegs AZ Life
Pencil Thin
PimpMyPageRank
Pink Poison Store
Pond, The
Ramblings Of An Undisturbed Mind
Randa Clay Design
Raw Vegan Momma
Reasoner, The
Rotten Bananas
Sassy Southerner, The
Scribble On The Wall
Scuttlebutt Pipeline
Selena’s Travel and Culture
SelfHynosisProgram
Shopping Flavor
ShowMeHealthBiz
ShowMeMoneyBiz.com
Simple Kind Of Life
Simplify Every Obstacle
Skeets Stuff
Solo Technology
Sophistishe.Org Personal Blog
SQKIKs Simple Tech
Super Blogging
Sun-Flower Family, The
Table for Five
TDZ Travel
TeaScoop
TechieZone
Teenage Angst Regression
Texas RV
Travel blog
Thermal
TimeForBlogging
Tricia\’s Musings
Two Dog Zoo
Utterly Geek
Wanders World
Web Files, The
WebStyle
Whatever I Feel Like
Wild & Crazy Ride
Winding Threads
Wired Kayaker, The
Women Mumbles
Work At Home Mom Revolution
Yoga Blog

To be continued

Time Management for Direct Sellers

2007-05-03T08:53:00.000+08:00

Whether you are just getting started in your exciting new direct sales venture or you are a veteran, chances are there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done.

It's very easy to spend hours on the fun stuff – creating flyers and business cards, reviewing the catalog to gain more product knowledge and networking online. All of those tasks are very much necessary. However the key to time management is simply one word: balance.

Find a medium that works best for you – a calendar, online reminders, sticky notes or scratch paper. Then each and every day schedule definitive time frames when you will work on recruiting, customer service, team building, training, marketing and networking. Some tasks may take fifteen minutes while others may need two hours to complete.

To make this system work, you need to stick to your time frames. When the allotted time is completed, move onto the next task. While you are working online, turn off your email and instant message programs. Let me repeat that – turn off your email and IM! It is one of the biggest distractions.

In addition to scheduling direct sales activities throughout your day it is vitally important that you also schedule time for yourself, your home and your family. If you don't schedule all of these essential responsibilities, something will simply not get done. Generally if something has to get shelved until the next day, it's the crucial downtime.

Direct selling is a wonderful business. It allows flexibility and freedom. However it takes consistent time management in order to be successful. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. There is no time like the present to set your schedule and work your new time management plan!

3 Steps to Time Management

2007-05-02T09:16:00.000+08:00

What could be more stressful than not having enough time? The day comes and goes and you still didn’t get even half the things done that you had intended to get done. So how exactly do you manage this elusive thing called time? Actually, you don’t. Time can’t be managed. Time just is. (In fact, time is not what you think, but that’s for another article.) So the title of this article is a bit misleading, but it’s named as such because most people still believe it’s TIME they need to manage, when in truth it’s really ACTIVITIES that they must manage.

Step One

The first step is to sort out all the helpful, goal-oriented activities from the dead-end activities. And by the way, don’t list the activities you always do, like getting out of bed, eating breakfast, etc. Those you already know you’re going to do, and they are part of your routine. The activities I want you to concentrate on are the ones that are unquestionably linked to a big and spectacular goal.

For example, if your spectacular goal is to earn at least $300,000 this year, then what activities in your daily life are supporting that goal? Reading a book about your particular industry, or taking a seminar in goal setting, or replacing watching a TV show with going to the library and looking up information on how to write a business plan would be definite and constructive goal-oriented activities.

So weed out on paper the activities that are non-supportive from the activities that are fully supportive. You might be amazed at all the non-supportive activities that have been filling up your busy days.

Step Two

Once you have your list on paper, take a look at the supportive activities and add to them or amplify them to really target your goal-oriented direction.

For example, let’s say you have on your list that you read every evening. That’s great, because that’s a possible way of expanding yourself and your knowledge. However, if the book is a comic book, it might not be helpful towards your goal of making at least $300,000 this year (unless, of course, you’re a comic book writer, artist, or store owner!), but if you exchange that comic book for a book about your industry, or a successful person’s biography, or some other related material, then you are in alignment with your goal.

Step Three

Now, of all those goal-oriented and supportive activities, choose the six most important ones that must be done first—the ones that are the first steps of an enormous goal. (Remember, the longest journey always begins with a single step!) You should be able to complete all six activities within a single day. Of those six most important activities, decide which should be done first, second, and so on, so that all six activities are in their order of importance.

Write these six activities on a blank sheet of paper, in their order of importance, and begin work on the first one. Only go on to the second one when the first one is complete. If you don’t finish the entire list in one day, let it roll over to the next day, adding the next activities so that you always have a list of six most important things to do in a day. Make sure to carry this list with you so that you can always remind yourself of what comes next on your list.

Follow this strategy for at least a month, every day, and you will change your life.

How Time Managment Causes Stress?

2007-05-01T08:09:00.000+08:00

For last few decades, every author or speaker on management and self-help has said something about time management. Allocate time, analyze the work pattern, list out the priorities and assign time limits. After all time is life, and one must try to get maximum out of time.

What every one is advising is to streamline the life like a machine. Decide to achieve goals, allocate time, and try to achieve the best in that much time. What about life and living? If these people were to advise the lions in Africa, they would have prepared a time chart for hunting, relaxing, eating sleeping and so on. The lion would have got bored and run away from that consultant. The lion enjoys life on his own terms. He does what gives him joy and forgets the rest. This desire to get best out of time is taking a big toll on very young and old alike around the world. In India, parents give very little free time to a child to be him/her self. It is either school, or classes or homework or a hobby teacher. Everything is structured for a young child. He/she must live life like that and forget the joy of exploring life and enjoying it. Sometimes I wonder that if a time management is appointed to analyze the relaxation patterns and give advice on how we should relax, they will make our life hell. What about creativity? What about enjoying life, the nature, the nights and the sunsets? What about living?

I don't say that time is not important. I don't say that time should be wasted. But I do say that we should not live like machines. We are not made to do like that. We fail to enjoy the pains and pleasures if we live a very structured life. We get stressed. And the stress may at times so overwhelm us that despite all the time management, our performance will suffer beyond repair. No inventive or original thinking can be done in given time. Ask a scientist to sit on a chair and think of a good idea in the given time. He/she will fail without doubt. The mind works and produces best results when allowed to be free of the artificial shackles.

Please manage time, please dont waste time in useless ways of working, but please enjoy your life. Do new things, think, imagine, daydream and watch the stars. We are after all human beings and not machines. Please dont get stressed by these theories of time management. Get the best out of them and enjoy.

The Features Of Good Time Management Software

2007-04-30T08:50:00.000+08:00

You're looking to make changes in how your company manages time and projects. But how will you manage to implement those changes? Making changes in your time management system can be a challenge and could include a multitude of questions. There are many considerations; after all, it isn't just about you but equally about those that work with you. You probably have a system for bookkeeping and payroll right now, but in the ever-changing world of business you have most likely heard there are more effective tools for putting the numbers to work for you. These tools are known as Time Management Software, Project Management Software and Business Management Software.

Change, in the Business sense, is better labeled "progress". Progress is important, for it encompasses much in the business world, and without it you are merely spinning your wheels. History tends to reveal many answers. Take for instance two corner grocery stores in say the 50s. Store A puts all the receipts for ordering resale goods, utilities, hours of his employees and the tapes from his adding machine into a paper bag and brings them home on the weekend to balance between receivables and payouts.

Store B's owner keeps a log of sold items, employee tasks and items spoiled or out dated along with a simple two column ledger he kept up at the close of each day. There were not any differences that seemed major between store A and B in the beginning but in time store A developed a reputation for having out dated goods and spoiled product, the shelves were dusty and bookwork was behind by months because life happened on the weekends. Store A was beginning to loose revenue yet he was unaware of the reason because he did not have a time management or project management system in place. Store B continued to thrive, always offering the freshest product to their customers, cheerful employees that knew what was expected of them, and a store that seemed to carry just what the customer wanted.

Store B had a system for project management, time management and business management. Store B excelled to become a huge grocery store chain, where store A threw in the towel and locked their doors for the final time. The moral of the story is you need to have a system to manage your numbers. How good that system is will dictate the progress of your company. If progress means changing to a time tracking software system in today's world, then you need to know what you're looking for.

Since Time is Money, you need time management software as well as business management software to make your business as successful as it can be. The software you choose should feature as many of the following characteristics as possible:

WEB Based (Installed or Hosted Online)

Over 134 reports

Automated reporting, notifications, job tasking

Custom reports & graphs supported

Unlimited clients, projects, tasks, addresses, notes

Support billable, nonbillable, overtime, flextime

International date, time, currencies

Customizable terminology and user interfaces

Unlimited user definable custom fields

Free web-based teaching materials

Corporate Compliance & Governance

Windows Authentication (LDAP)

Itemized security permissions

XML, Web services architecture

Very scalable architecture

Full Export / Import capability

Included Integration:

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Project (Microsoft certified)

Microsoft Project Server (Microsoft certified)

Intuit QuickBooks

Microsoft Access

In Direct Sales - Master Time Management

2007-04-24T08:29:00.000+08:00

Good time management is an essential key to creating and maintaining a successful personal and professional life. So why is poor time management one of the top reasons people do not reach their goals?

Prioritize and Plan: Create a time management plan. Try clarifying your priorities, your strengths and weaknesses, and your goals on a personal and professional level. Have an ongoing, categorized Master List including all the “to do” items in every area of your life. Write these down and place a star by the ones which are the most important. Get those tasks “out of your head and onto paper” so there is no worry about forgetting something. At the end of each day, refer to the Master List and cross off the items you accomplished. Then identify the most important items you will do tomorrow. Write these items on a Daily Accomplishment List.

At the first of each month, set aside an hour to plan your month. Use a Month-At-A-Glance calendar to block off your personal/family obligations with a colored highlighter. Then use a green highlighter to block off time for interviews, shows, office time, networking, and attending team events.

Making the most of your time: Being effective means doing the right job for the right reasons. Remember to stay focused on what will bring the greatest return on your time and energy. A good rule of thumb is to spend 80% of your "Business" time on income producing activities and 20% on management activities.

The following example is for a part-time career of twenty hours per week: Sixteen hours on income producing activity (selling products, booking and holding shows, and prospecting/holding interviews with new Consultants), four hours on management activity (office administration, self-improvement, etc.) Again, focus 80% of your time on activities that promote sales and 20% of your time on management.

· Improve the quality of your time by evaluating when you feel most alert. Try to schedule your appointments or make phone calls for your business during the times you are at your best.

· Monitor the way you spend your time by using an activity log. Take a few days to write down daily activities and the time it takes you to accomplish them. Based on the information you gather, make the necessary changes.

· Create extra hours for yourself by getting up early. This is an easy way to create more time. If you get up 1-hour early for a year, you will create approximately 10 additional working weeks.

Set yourself up for success by sticking to your schedule and not taking on additional obligations that will take away from your personal/family time or your business. Learn to say “NO!” Time Management and planning work hand in hand for the success of your business. It gives you a sense of peace as well as a feeling of order.

Time Management Tips Free For The Taking

2007-04-23T08:46:00.000+08:00

7 time management tips free for you to use right away:

1 - Place a cash value on your time How much is one hour worth? One day? Then break it down to one minute. When you realize that your trip to the coffee machine just cost you 4 dollars in time besides the cost of the coffee, it will be easier for you to spend your time more wisely.

2 - Schedule reading times for when you cannot perform other tasks

As much as possible, read when you are waiting. Waiting for the bus, for an appointment, but not when you could be using your hands and mind for other things.

3 - Keep a timer by the phone

Start the timer when you initiate a call or when a call comes in. You'll be amazed at how much time you can save by just being aware of those minutes ticking away rather than kicking back in your chair and running on about less important matters. If you know the average time of your regular calls. Set a countdown timer to a time a little short of that and start it when you start the call. Finish before the time dings.

4 - Measure your time
Keep track of how much time you have, how much time it takes to complete specific duties, how much time to travel from one place to another throughout your day.

5 - Protect your time

Don't let others hog your time or keep you tied up when you could be being productive. Close your door. Turn off the phone. Turn off the light by the door in your office (this is a great way to keep people from even knocking on your door :-)

6 - Set, and most importantly, keep a schedule

Not just for meetings, arrivals, and departures. Keep a written schedule for as many things as possible.

7 - Turn off everything on your computer but what is necessary for you to do your work

Gadszook, I cannot begin to tell you how much time is lost checking your email, peeking at your inbox when those notices sound off, or pesky instant messages. Your computer will also run faster, helping you to work better.

The best thing you can do is track your time, set time goals, and constantly work to beat your last time. It doesn't have to be painful. Think of it as your own personal little battle or sports championship.

It also doesn't hurt to reward yourself when you set a new world record for yourself either!

Time Management Basics

2007-04-20T08:37:00.000+08:00

Time management is the most important asset one can have these days, with the collapse of traditional values any person can find himself running a few, parallel different lives all at once. I am sure you are not a stranger to this situation, you have too much you need to do, you do not have the time, and you see all your leisure time fade away as you calculate how will you manage to do all these things you must.

Not only do most people know this situation, most people know something about time management, but fail to understand it correctly and most importantly, fail to comprehend the basic concepts of time management and implement them in their very busy lives.

Time management is not about doing too many things in less time but doing right things at right time in right way. How you manage your time is part of your personal agenda. However, there are a few generic steps that help you manage your time in a better way, more so in case of executives and ever-occupied corporate.

It take the average adult about 5 years until he or she understands that they had enough of stress and trouble over not getting the work done on time, the laundry on time and all those family activities they have been wishing to do for so long – ever. Time management is the answer to most of these problems and almost anyone can find a way to have a little more time to do more things and enjoy life a whole lot more.

The first step towards effective time management, and a regular time management routine is to set clear goals and targets, keeping your mind on the target and goal will assist you in getting where you want . Goal setting makes you more focused and sets a direction for how the tasks should proceed. The goals should be clear, concise, unambiguous. Try and evaluate, realistically, how much time you got and what you want to achieve and than set a plan of getting it.

This planning will allow you to “see” time and plan how to use it, you will know how much time you want to allocate to any task and you will also have the ability to keep an eye on your advancement as you go along, taking more time if needed or delaying the goal when realizing it will take more time.

Prioritizing is the most important thing in time management, you need to understand how to create an importance level and assign it to all the things in your life, your time management will be as successful and as clear as the priority you set in your life. Important point to be remembered here is that prioritizing does not mean doing only what is important and leaving out on rest, rather it is doing what is important first and then proceeding with the rest.

Scheduling and Routine Setting: Scheduling binds your prioritized tasks and goals in a time frame such that you get a productive outcome of your available time. A carefully made schedule motivates you to complete your tasks on time and cuts down on the time bandits by limiting the amount of time you spend on a particular task.

These steps outline the basics of effective time management.

Time Management is Your Key to Success

2007-04-19T09:12:00.000+08:00

To obtain effective time management skills there are certain things that you need to start doing. First of all you will need to start using any of the time management tools that you have available to you. It doesn't matter if your using a paper-based to-do list system, or a day planer. Before you can take the first steps towards physically managing your time , you need to find out where your time is going. Once you find out where your time is going you will be able to spend your time in the future because your work is going to get done a lot sooner. There are a number of ways to start managing your time quickly and effectively.

Its unimportant how you keep track of everything that you do as long as you figure out a way to physically manage your time. This way you will always know how your going to be spending your time. You need to start prioritizing your tasks. list all of the projects you need to do on a to do list and then prioritize them by importance. Make sure that you list all of the tasks that you need to accomplish. Then you should set a goal, concerning the number of tasks that you want to complete on a daily basis.

If your business happens to be a one-man show, you might consider hiring someone to help you with your workload. You should always have an extra person to help you with the workload this will make things a lot easier on you. Having a person to off load the repetitive and dull work too will make managing your time all that much easier, and productive, because you can spend your time working on more important projects. Effectively managing your time will help you get the most out of your business. If you do bring someone on to help you with the workload, make sure they understand your rules and schedule.

To effective manage your time, you need to establish a routine and then stick to it. Sometimes things are going to come up that will cause you to deviate from your schedule, but overall you will find that you are more productive if you stick to a established routine. You should get in the habit of setting and meeting time limits on the tasks that need to be done.

Reading and answering e-mail can consume a large portion of your day. Make sure that you only allot a certain amount of time for checking and answering the mail, and then make sur that you stick to this schedule. If you waste too much time chatting on the Internet with people who are interrupt you, make sure that they can contact you during certain hours when they won't be disturbing you while you are trying to work. This way your not wasting your time and you are practicing effective time management.

Another good way to waste time is "looking for information". In-order to effectively manage your time You need to be organized. You need to have the files or information that you require at your fingertips. This is why you need to have a system in place where everything falls into a neat and orderly fashion. This way you will always be able to find what you need in a hurry. This will also help speed up your day to day project.. Remember that you can't always control your life, but you can control time. By getting organized today and using effective time management tools and skills you will be able to meet your life goals.

Some Time Management Solution

2007-04-18T08:47:00.000+08:00

A time management solution can be interpreted as either a personal solution or business related issue. Which do you fall under? Time management has become such a popular part of the human landscape in recent years simply because of changing lifestyles and improving business best management practices.

Time Management Planner

Personal time management solutions come in various forms. The trusty old diary has been used by just about every one and while it has it's flaws, it has been a good ally in managing time effectively. In today's world, the use of electronic devices has become more commonplace and a time management planner can now come in the form of a small hand held computer able to alert you to various tasks at set times.

For those who prefer more conventional methods, a planner can come in the shape of a wall chart with your projected daily or weekly tasks laid out in plain view. While physically setting how you want to break up your time during any given day is important, accomplishing those tasks still requires discipline. One way to tackle this is by rewarding yourself at the completion of each task. The reward can be whatever you choose it to be but you need to make sure the reward is in proportion to the level of your completed project.

Time And Attendance

Time and attendance methods are being employed effectively in today's business world. Employers are able to monitor employer performance by implementing time management systems either technically or manually. Whether it's simply a matter of keeping track of employee attendance or making the employee accountable for his or her time.

Calculating valuable data on employees is achieved through automated processes such as computer software. Employers can see at a glance the contribution being made and by assessing this data at regular intervals, are usually in a position to reward on basis of performance. Many businesses can craft reward programs based on the data gathered through time management software thus giving attractive incentives which can only lead to increased productivity.

Can this have some negative effects? Sure, but generally negativity will come from non team players who may have been able to "sneak under the radar" in the past but are now more accountable for their work time. The term team player has become not only a popular expression in team sporting circles but also in business. Employers are realising that without a co-operative time management effort from staff, engendearing a good team spirit can often be futile.

Some Personal Tips

Follow these sound time management tips:

1. Choose you three major goals for the next 12 months and then set short term deadlines for them.

2. Allow a certain amount of time during the day to work on your goals.

3. Record your efforts each day and review them weekly.

4. By doing this, you'll be able to determine how effective your time has been, whether you are devoting enough time to your goals or whether you are being distracted by irrelevant tasks.

Time Management Consulting 101

2007-04-17T08:51:00.000+08:00

You made the Choice

Increasing your company's profitability revolves around the focal point of numbers and the ability to access those numbers quickly to implement a plan to reduce internal costs while increasing project profitability. Understanding where an employee's time is spent and realigning that time as necessary to match the project at hand is a major step toward greater profitability.

Employee timesheets only go so far in providing the information you will need. Having an easy to access time management history allows your company to estimate with accuracy the man hours of a particular project, what that project will cost in labor and resources, the cost effectiveness of pricing as well as effectively quoting based on previous, similar projects. Viewing any one or all aspects of such time management numbers and how they correlate to one another gives a clear view to areas of time management improvement needs, which leads to greater profitability.

Problems?

You're up and running and the transition between your old programs and your new software was a relatively simple importation of your existing data. The software incorporated single server installation that allowed you to simply provide a URL to all your staff members and did not require a start from scratch because your company was already tracking manually.

It's all there right in front you. You have been time tracking but you're not able to access a report that shows you exactly what you want to see and how you want to see it. You need a company performance analysis and project analysis and you're not getting what you want in the way of workflow improvement. Now what?

Consulting101

Of course you bought the very best software out there, right? Your software provider should be your time management software resource for time tracking and time management metrics. They should also provide expert consultants on an as needed basis for companies looking for time analysis studies or work flow improvement. These process improvement services use your time management software and should be discussed with your software consultant on an individual basis.

If you have truly purchased the very best in cutting edge software, then the very best training and consulting should be part of that purchase. When you and your employees have executed the implementation of the new software, done the web-based teaching materials and are still not getting the results you want in a particular area, it is time to call your consultant. Time Management Consulting 101 should be part of your software purchase. Your software company wants you to be successful in time management control, cost tracking data and time managing metrics, since your success is in direct correlation to their success. You should pick a software company based on the success their software has brought to others. This way when you use their software you can expect to be on their list of company success stories. Be sure to demand the best in software and a company with the highest standard of customer service.

Reasons Why We Have To Value Time Management

2007-04-16T08:40:00.000+08:00

Reasons why we should value time management How many of you have experienced losing tracks on their jobs and work schedules because of mismanagement on their time? Did you ever consider the importance of time management?

Since we lived in a global competitive society multitasking is very common. There are some of us who probably has three kinds of job in one day in order to make a living. We all know that living or raising a family nowadays is not that easy. You have to have a good income in order to provide for your daily needs. So if you really want to achieve all your dreams, goals and accomplishments in life you should know the importance of time management in every person.

What is time management? Is it really necessary? Well time management is having the ability to set your priorities in life. It is process in which you organize your schedule to be able to accomplish all the things and decisions you made.

If you practice time management in your daily life big chance of success awaits you. Here are the reasons why there is a need for you to value the importance of time management.

First, its because we consider that “Time Is Gold”. Remember that you should always put your best in everything you do. Never waste time. You should be aware that we could never turn back time.

Secondly, if you practice proper time management you’ll be able to perform your duties and responsibilities well. Remember that work performance is a big factor when it comes to promotions. .

Third, in time management you’ll be able to accomplish all the things you have listed in a day with less effort. So one way to accomplish this things is to prepare a “list of things to do” for the next day before you go to bed. That list will serve as your guide all throughout until you finish.

Fourth, time management will be your stepping stone for success. In order to achieve success you must set short-term goals and long-term goals.

Fifth, time management help you lessen the stress you experience in working. Since you become more organize with your work the earlier you’ll finish. And be aware that too much stress can cause heart attack.

Sixth, time management gives you fulfillment. Through time management we are able to realize what are the things that we really should value and give more attention.

And last but not the least time management help you achieve more social life. After a busy day of working and accomplishing all your activities its time for you to sort out for a little pleasure, after all you’ve been responsible enough.

D-List Part 3

2007-04-03T15:07:00.000+08:00

These blogs have the ‘no follow’ link disabled from the comments, which means that if you comment on these sites, you will get an actual link. If you would like to be included here, please let me know.

If you find this list useful, please consider linking to it.

This DoFollow Blog list is courtesy of Courtney Tuttle and was created originally by Coleen as the D-List.

Jonlee
Jones PC
JOIN - Do Follow Bloggers **
Julies
Journal
Just Not Martha
Kansha Shite
Knitting Fiend, The
Last Blogger
LeaveAmerica
Life in the Fast Lane
Life Is Risky
Life Learning Today
Life Of A School Bus Driver, The
Life Passion Travel & More
Life through eyes of Krissy
Lifecruiser
LittleAmerica.us
Live Life Organics & Your Health
Magical Rose Garden
Marketing Blagger
Master Cleanse
Midlife Musings
Mom is Nutz
MomReviews.net
Mothering Many
My Credit Group
My Dandelion Patch
My Home Recipe
My Muddled Mind
My Opinion Counts
My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings
Nanashi-Inc.net
New Century Politics
No Average Mom
Odd Planet
On the Horizon
Open Road Biker

To be continued

Improving Productivity

2007-03-20T00:28:00.001+09:00

Management Dashboard – If you are not familiar with a management dashboard then you are certainly missing out. A management dashboard offers a simple yet powerful way for viewing all the important information contained in the databases of your corporation. Such enterprise dashboard solutions allow top management the ability to view business intelligence and other key information relating to business operations.

Because the ideal management dashboard can display the key information that drives your business it is easy to capture the big picture of your business along with the direction it is headed. Thanks to this tool management teams are able to minimize their time spent studying data and put more time into making the right decisions for the business.

Management Report - Management can also rely on thorough management reports to direct them in their decision making process. Top management typically receives various management reports from the lower level managers who work hands on with the core of the business. These managers help you understand what methods are successful, which products should be pursued, and how to use their employees in the most effective manner. When they write a management report addressing such key business factors the management team should pay close attention. Management should read and review this management report over and over again to ensure that they have a good understanding of the issues the company is facing.

Once the management report has been studied adequately the management team can integrate the information they learned from the report with the information the management dashboard presents to them. Relying on these two sources of information, the management team can then go ahead and make well informed business decisions.

In this simple manner top level management teams can take advantage of the tools and resources they have available to them. Certainly useful tools like a management dashboard have a proven track record and can assist management in making the proper decisions. LikewiseComputer Technology Articles, management should also tap into the sea of knowledge their lower level managers possess and relay to them through a management report.

Effective Delegating

2007-03-09T09:03:00.000+09:00

article by Paul Lemberq

Delegation -- one of the critical determining factors for everyone who wants to be an effective leader or manager. And for those of us control freaks, lack of delegating skill can be a real show stopper.

Because the harder you try to hold on to things, the faster they can get away from you, and if you want to extend your reach beyond your ability to do everything at once, you must delegate some things to other people.
In my business coaching practice, and in our franchise for business coaches we find that delegation is simply frightening for many people. Why?

First of all, you may enjoy doing the thing you have to delegate...
You may think you do it better than anyone else. You imagine it won't get done properly...
And you know it won't get done your way. You might even believe if you don't do that thing, you won't have enough to do. Know this: whatever you keep to yourself instead of delegating will get shorter shrift than it deserves. These things become bottlenecks in the continued success of your business.

There are four keys to effective delegating.

1. Give the job to someone who can get it done
- someone who either has, or has access to, the skills, knowledge and resources needed. Also, give the job to someone who has time for it. Don't dump your projects onto someone who has neither the wherewithal nor the availability. If you do that you are simply setting them up to fail and setting yourself up for disappointment. Don't just hand your task to the next warm body. Get buy-in from the delegate. Are they okay with this thing? Are they enrolled, or is this just more work for someone who is already overburdened?

2. Communicate your conditions of satisfaction.
Have you ever asked someone to do something, and when they came back you said, "Oh. That's not what I wanted at all"? Be sure you have mutual agreement on the critical requirements that define how this job must be handled, and what the outcome will look like. Use SMART goals to clarify the desired outcome along with a timeline for its realization. Also, if necessary, set up a measurement system that will help you and your delegate know whether things are on or off track.

3. Work out a plan.
Depending on the complexity of the delegated task, you may ask that the first step be a plan for how to get the rest done. In other cases, the request may be simple and a plan not necessary. But think this through. If you are uncertain as to how something needs to get done, but want to make sure it will occur according to some guidelines - get a plan.

4. Finally, you need a communications protocol
- how are you going to get updates and give feedback or advice? When are you going to speak or meet? How frequently? Will they send you an email, or a formal progress report? Create some pre-defined mechanism to keep you informed, and to give them an opportunity to seek guidance if appropriate. There is a big difference between delegating and abdicating. When you abdicate you are saying - I'm neither responsible nor accountable for the results. When you delegate, you are still accountable. You are asking your delegate to do the work, and therefore be accountable to you.

D-List Part 2

2007-03-03T15:06:00.000+09:00

These blogs have the ‘no follow’ link disabled from the comments, which means that if you comment on these sites, you will get an actual link. If you would like to be included here, please let me know.

If you find this list useful, please consider linking to it.

This DoFollow Blog list is courtesy of Courtney Tuttle and was created originally by Coleen as the D-List.

Andy Beard
Ang’s Chicken Coop
Are we there yet
Army Mom:New Jersey
Art Kauffman
Article Writer, The
Ask Jason
Ask Jason Business
Axplay
BenSpark,
The BenSpark 2: Electric Boogaloo
BiggerPockets
BizMark Tech
BlogAboutMoneyOnline
BloggingForBills
BloggingTips
Blogging WV
Blogocola
Blogozine
BMonaco
BodyFitnessInfo
Body, Mind & Solar
Boston Brat
BrownSista
Buy better - Have a Better Life
BuyMeBlog
Buzz Queen, The
By the Sea
Cade’s WriteToRight
CampingCoop.org
Candid Quips
Charmed and Dangerous
Cheffin\’ It!!
Clapping Trees
Colloquium
Comedy Plus
Community Building Blog
Curious Cat Science
Confessions of a Housewife
Confessions of an Everyday housewife
CoolAdzine for Marketers
Craftblog
Crafts 4 Dummies
David Dairey
Dont Fear the Truth
DorisGoShopping.com
Down Memory Lanes
Ecomm Tips
EMomsAtHome
EMoneyMarketing
Endangered Spaces
Fibromyalgia Experiment, The
Finding Life\’s Enchantments
FitForFreedom
Flatwater Tech
Fools Wisdom
FootPrints On the Moon
Fuzzy Future

To be continued

Time management tips

2007-02-23T08:24:00.000+09:00

If you’re reading this, it’s a fairly safe bet that you’re in need of time-management tips[1]. On the other hand, the idea of a blogger giving time management tips is problematic, to say the least. Undaunted by this contradiction, I’m going to offer a few. The details reflect my main activity, which is academic research but may be more or less adaptable to other kinds of jobs.

First, the best way to avoid a piled-up in tray is to deal with jobs immediately, either by doing them, or by deciding never to do them. This won’t work for every kind of job, but the more types of jobs you can handle in this way, the better. So to implement this tip you need a way of classifying jobs. One way is by the time they are likely to take (see tip #2). IF you take this approach you can decide to do all 5-minute jobs immediately, or not at all. I prefer to focus on discretionary jobs where an immediate decision not to take the job is feasible. For an academic, refereeing for journals is like this. I try to deal with requests for referee reports in the same week I get them. If I have free time, and the job looks straightforward on a first reading, I try to do it within two days. Editors who are used to waiting for months really love a quick turnaround like this, and I live in hope that it will build up good karma for my own submissions. If I can’t manage a report within a week then, unless the paper looks to be very important, or I am obligated to the journal in question, I reply immediately that I’m not available. Editors usually don’t mind this, especially if I can suggest someone else.

My second tip is that the average 5-minute job takes about half an hour. This is an example of asymmetric risk. If all goes well, I might do a five-minute job in three minutes, saving a bit of time. But when things go badly, a job that should have taken five minutes cascades into a series of tasks that chew up an hour or more. The person you had to call doesn’t work there any more and when you eventually find their replacement it turns out that you’re missing some crucial piece of documentation, and while you’re searching for it the computer crashes and so it goes on. So, if I’ve accumulated 8-10 jobs that ought to take 5 minutes each, I find that setting aside an entire morning is usually realistic.

My third tip is particularly relevant for people prone to distraction, which obviously includes all of us here. My core business is producing academic journal articles (and the occasional book). In this business, it’s easy to drift along, reading lots of interesting stuff, making notes, and imagining you are making progress, but not actually getting anywhere. So in homage to Taylor and Stakhanov, I discipline myself by setting word targets. I try to write 500 to 750 words of new material every day. 500 words a day might not sound much, but if you can manage it 5 days a week for 40 weeks a year, you’ve got 100 000 words, which is enough for half a dozen journal articles and a small book. So, that’s my target. If I haven’t written enough one day, I try to catch it up the next day and so on. Blog posts don’t count, of course, though occasionally I can get myself an easy day by reworking blog material into academic output. This may sound crass, and it’s not appropriate if you’re a creative genius, but it works pretty well for me, and I think would work well for others in similar circumstances.

fn1. The obvious one is “Get back to work!”, but that wouldn’t do much for our pageview counts.

Ran Out of Time

2007-02-22T10:35:00.000+09:00

“You are actually suggesting that I don’t prioritize?” Marie was having trouble with this. I nodded slowly.

“I know it sounds like heresy, but think about this. What is the biggest difference between an A priority and a C priority?”

Marie hesitated. “Well, it’s either more important or it has to get done first.”

“Good guess, but tell me, have you ever approached a deadline on a C priority and had to complete it before an A priority?”

“Sure, it happens all the time.”

“Then what does that say about your priority system? And bottom line, it all has to get done sometime, just schedule it. If it doesn’t have to get done, it shouldn’t be on your list in the first place.”

Marie was still trying to protest. “But, if I work hard all day and if something doesn’t get done, at least it was the C priority.”

“You are a manager. If there is something you can’t get done, it should be assigned to someone else. At the end of the day, don’t tell me something didn’t get done because you ran out of time. It did not get done because you did not manage it correctly.” -TF

Delegating Your Way to Time Management

2007-02-21T10:37:00.000+09:00

Many people face each day wondering how in the world they will accomplish everything they need to get done. By learning how to delegate the household responsibilites you will indeed learn how to manage your time more effeciently, as well as lowering your stress levels tremendously.

I don’t know about you by my schedule is way too full. Each week I face my planner with a bit of awe and amazement. I wonder how in the world I will get to every appointment, how I will get every task done. By the end of the week I am scrambling to make sure I have accomplished everything.
Typically I do accomplish everything however. But it wasn’t always this way. In the past, before I figured out how to manage my time better I would constantly be at the end of the week facing an entire weekend of playing “catch up” with my planner.

I’d like to share one of the things I do now that helps me keep my time better managed and my schedule under better control each week. This one tip that I use on a daily basis has been instrumental in helping me be able to juggle home, family and work. It can help you too.

The tip is simple…delegate. I know you hear that a lot, but are you actually doing it? I’m not talking about all the delegating you should be doing at work either. I’m talking about the delegating you should be doing within the family.

If you have children then they should be pulling their weight around the home and within the family, especially when it comes to their own lives and needs.

Are you doing your children’s laundry? If they are over the age of 9 and can reach into the bottom of the washer then my question to you is, “Why are you doing their laundry for them?” If your child can indeed reach into the bottom of the washer then they should be doing their own laundry. It isn’t that hard to learn and by having each child do their own laundry you will free up an incredible amount of time for yourself.

Are you and your husband both working full time, yet you are doing more around the house after hours than he is? Again, I’d like to ask you,”Why?” The married men I have spoken to have confessed to me that they indeed do NOT do as much around the home as their working wives do. However, they also say that if they were asked to do anything they would. But their wives never ask for help.

Apparently we wives think that the husbands shouldn’t have to be asked to help us out. Well, obviously they do. So make a list whenever you need help from dear ole hubby. Chances are very high that you will find your husband completing all items on all the lists you give to him. So delegate things to him. Don’t expect him to pull his fair share around the home without you asking for the help.

Are you taking on more “optional” things than you have time for? Did you agree to help your mother with her anniversary party plans, yet you don’t have the time? Did you agree to help out at your son’s school even though you know for a fact you don’t have the time to be there this week? “Why?”Do not volunteer yourself for anything you do not have time to do. Let the people delegate the things they need from you to someone else. You can not possibly be the only person who can get these things done for these people all of the time.

Here are a few other things that I delegate to others in my life, thus freeing up a lot of valuable time for me to use on other things.

1. Grocery delivery. It costs very little, yet it frees up so much time.

2. Maid Service. I have a maid service come into my home every 2 weeks to do the scrubbing, vacuuming and dusting. The cost really isn’t all that much compared to the time it frees up for me and my family.

3. Gardeners. We have a gardening service that comes 2 times a month to cut our lawn, pull our weeds and make our yards look beautiful. The cost for this service is VERY low, yet our yards always look wonderful. It is totally worth the money.

4. Kids cooking. My children are responsible for dinner one night a week each. When they were little we ate a lot of macaroni and cheese, but now that they’re teenagers the dinners are quite delicious. This frees me up 2 evenings a week for paperwork and such.

5. Let those kids walk. We parents used to walk all over creation when we were kids. For some reason, however, we drive our children just about everywhere they need to be. Well, stop it. Have your older children walk everywhere they need to go. They will be in much better shape and you will have much more time.

I’m sure that you can think of other areas of your own lives where you can delegate things to other people. In fact, the better you get at finding other people to delegate activities and chores to the less hectic your life will be, and the more you will be able to accomplish each day.

Don’t be afraid to delegate. Every highly successful person uses delegating as a prime tool in their arsenal to success. You can be one of them too.

Sydney gives Queen Mary II 'world's warmest welcome'

2007-02-20T21:39:00.000+09:00

Queen Mary II is spending a day in Sydney as part of its world tour. The company that owns the Queen Mary II says Sydney's welcome to the ocean liner was one of the warmest it has ever received entering a port.

The world's largest passenger ship is too big to fit under the Harbour Bridge or to dock at Circular Quay has docked at the Garden Island naval base in the harbour.

"This is her maiden world voyage and this is her 10th port of call and she's had wonderful warm welcomes right the way round, but I have to say, this morning was quite extraordinary."

Queen Mary II captain Christopher Rynd says coming through the heads this morning was a wonderful experience.

"And then when we got closer and the light started to come in with the rising sun so we could see the thousands of people lining the shoreline.

The Queen Mary II's smaller sister ship, the Queen Elizabeth II, will be in the harbour tonight.

Story: www.abc.net.au

Photo: David Wallace
David Wallace Photography

The Myth of Time Management

2007-02-19T08:49:00.000+09:00

Time Management is a myth that so-called self-help experts have pushed down our throats for decades. Learn the truth about Time Management and how you can finally find more hours in your day.

Time Management is a myth. You can’t manage time any more than you can manage the rising and setting sun or the pull of the ocean’s tides. Attempting to manage time is like attempting to manage the weather. Time marches on, with utter disregard for the comings and goings of mere humans. Time can not be managed, period.

You can only manage what you can control. While it’s true that time cannot be managed, it is possible to manage yourself within the confines of time. With discipline and diligence, any person can effectively manage him/herself within time’s boundaries.

Where Does It All Go?

The simplest way to begin to manage yourself within time is to evaluate how your time is currently spent. Keep a journal for one to two weeks, and mark down each activity (or lack thereof) to discover where your time goes. Group like activities into categories, and evaluate whether too much time is spent in a certain area. Consider which activities are productive and lead you closer to your goals, or further away from your goals.

By evaluating how time is spent, you will be able to see what activities can be trimmed or streamlined in order to create the illusion of more time. It’s impossible to create more time—each of us has only 60 seconds in each minute, 60 minutes in each hour and 24 hours in each day. By improving the way in which you spend your time, you are able to feel as though you have more time during the day. This simple shift in thinking can create a remarkably empowering experience.

To decrease your frustration about time (or lack thereof), watch your language while referring to time and time-related matters. Avoid phrases like “I need more time,” “I don’t have enough time,” and “I’m running out of time.” When you use phrases like these, you are fooling yourself into thinking it’s Time’s fault instead of taking responsibility for how you choose to spend your time. Time is a fixed measurement and it’s not Time’s fault if you don’t manage it correctly. Remember, YOU are in control of how you spend your time.

How Much Time Have You Got?

Each of us is born with a finite amount of time on this earth. Unfortunately, no one alive can know the exact amount of time allotted for him or her. Would you live your life differently if you knew you were going to die 27 days from now? If you answered yes, you’ve got some room for improvement in the way you currently manage yourself within time. Get busy doing what really matters to you and remember that you are in control of how you choose to spend each minute of each day.

Delegating Your Way to Time Management

2007-02-16T14:44:00.000+09:00

Delegating For Results

2007-02-15T16:14:00.000+09:00

One of the biggest weaknesses of poor managers is their inability or unwillingness to delegate tasks, responsibilities or outcomes. In order to be an effective manager, you need to know what you can delegate, when you can delegate it and whom you can delegate it to. The role of a manager is not to do it, but to get other people to do it. There are exceptions, such as personal producing managers and self-employed business owners who have small staffs. Even these people can delegate some things to someone else. You can use subcontractors, cottage help or temporary employees.

Here are a few of the keys to effective delegation.

1. Delegate it if someone else can do it, wants to do it, needs to do it or likes to do it.
2. When you delegate responsibility, also delegate the authority to use the resources to get it done.
3. Delegate results, not necessarily the methods.
4. When you delegate something, don’t take it back.
5. Ensure the person understands what and why you have delegated to them.
6. Set benchmarks or checkpoints and then leave them alone.
7. Reinforce positive results and give feedback on negative results.
8. Communicate clear instructions, expectations and guidelines.
9. Recognize and accept it won’t be done the way you would do it.
10. Use delegation as an employee development tool.
11. Resist the tendency to over inspect.
12. Put it in writing, if necessary.
13. Ask for regular written or verbal reports.
14. Remember what you delegated and to whom.
15. See failure not as a negative, but necessary if people are to be willing to stretch, learn and grow.

One of the biggest frustrations of many managers is the lack of time to perform all of the work required of them in their role as a manager. Think of delegation as nothing more than giving yourself the opportunity to spend more time in the vital areas of your job such as: planning, organizing, inspecting, innovating, coaching and developing people.

Why not take a serious look at how you are spending your time and what tasks you are involved in that could be delegated to someone else. Track your use of time for a week, logging all of the repetitive activities, problem solving routines, crisis management issues and routine stuff. Ask yourself at the end of the week: Could someone else (or some other department) have done this? What did I not complete because of these actions? I personally guarantee that you can free up at least an hour a day if you will find creative ways to delegate something – anything.

Delegating Responsibility

2007-02-14T09:03:00.000+09:00

Delegating Your Way to Time Management

2007-02-13T09:21:00.000+09:00

The Art of Delegation

2007-02-09T08:46:00.000+09:00

Delegation is a skill of which we have all heard - but which few understand. It can be used either as an excuse for dumping failure onto the shoulders of subordinates, or as a dynamic tool for motivating and training your team to realize their full potential.

"I delegate myne auctorite" (Palsgrave 1530)

Everyone knows about delegation. Most managers hear about it in the cradle as mother talks earnestly to the baby-sitter: "just enjoy the television ... this is what you do if ... if there is any trouble call me at ..."; people have been writing about it for nearly half a millennium; yet few actually understand it.

Delegation underpins a style of management which allows your staff to use and develop their skills and knowledge to the full potential. Without delegation, you lose their full value.

As the ancient quotation above suggests, delegation is primarily about entrusting your authority to others. This means that they can act and initiate independently; and that they assume responsibility with you for certain tasks. If something goes wrong, you remain responsible since you are the manager; the trick is to delegate in such a way that things get done but do not go (badly) wrong.

Objective
The objective of delegation is to get the job done by someone else. Not just the simple tasks of reading instructions and turning a lever, but also the decision making and changes which depend upon new information. With delegation, your staff have the authority to react to situations without referring back to you.

If you tell the janitor to empty the bins on Tuesdays and Fridays, the bins will be emptied on Tuesdays and Fridays. If the bins overflow on Wednesday, they will be emptied on Friday. If instead you said to empty the bins as often as necessary, the janitor would decide how often and adapt to special circumstances. You might suggest a regular schedule (teach the janitor a little personal time management), but by leaving the decision up to the janitor you will apply his/her local knowledge to the problem. Consider this frankly: do you want to be an expert on bin emptying, can you construct an instruction to cover all possible contingencies? If not, delegate to someone who gets paid for it.

To enable someone else to do the job for you, you must ensure that:

they know what you want
they have the authority to achieve it
they know how to do it.
These all depend upon communicating clearly the nature of the task, the extent of their discretion, and the sources of relevant information and knowledge.

Read More Here

How to delegate

2007-02-08T09:34:00.000+09:00

Internet Marketing Time Management

2007-02-07T13:22:00.000+09:00

This Article focuses on time Management, on getting your Product, developing, and Promoting your product.

"Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money but you cannot get more time." - Jim Rohn

Earning an income on the internet is a process that in broad terms involves three stages:

1. Getting your product (acquisition)
2. Developing your product presentation
3. Promoting the product

In this article, "product" means any tangible product, digital products (eBooks and software) and services such as membership sites, web design and development, hosting, "print on demand" for eBooks, fulfilment for orders and so on.

By necessity you will spend time in each of these stages. Each stage will involve a learning phase and an action phase. It's important to identify clearly what stage of development you are currently working on and to focus on completing that stage.

1. Getting your product (acquisition).

Choose between your own product and an affiliate product.

This will involve identifying a demand using for example surveys or the popularity of search terms.

Key Point: Once you have your product you can stop spending time looking at other product possibilities for the time being.

2. Developing your product presentation.

Once you have chosen your product you will need to develop a presentation.

This will include your website primarily and can also include autoresponder sequences and a newsletter.

Key Points: Once your website and presentation process is completed you can move on to the promotion. You can always improve the presentation but once your presentation is "presentable" you should move on to promotion. Don't get caught up trying to make things perfect. Good, yes; perfect, no. The reality is things can always be changes. It does not matter if you have the best product in your niche and the best presentation if nobody knows about it. Give your presentation your best shot and then start promoting.

3. Promoting the product.

No matter now good your product and presentation are, you must get your presentation in front of your intended audience or nothing happens.

"We have to become better at promoting what we do than doing what we do."

This is where it is also important to be clear about what stage you are in. Remember, time is limited, so if you have already chosen your product and developed your presentation it is not productive to keep looking for products or spending a great deal of time "tweaking" your presentation.

Time can always be spent tweaking sales copy, images, layout, web presentation, upgrading or trying new software, investigating new product opportunities (before the current one is complete), improving design skills, keeping up with the changing web "standards"... The list can seem endless.

Key Point: Time is better spent developing a clear promotional strategy and putting it into action. Only when you are seeing results from your promotional activities should you consider altering your presentation (such as modifying headlines and sales copy) to assess how that affects conversion of prospects to customers.

Here are some examples:

- Write two newsletters each month
- Run a solo ad each week
- Purchase 500 double-optin subscribers each month
- Conduct a Pay Per Click campaign with $x budget each week/month
- Make three new Blog entries each week
- Create ten new web pages each week

Here are a few tips to keep you on track:

1. Name your project

You may name your project as a final name of the product or you may just give it a code name that means something to you.

2. Understand what part of the three-step process you are in: Acquisition, presentation or promotion.

Here is a simple question to ask yourself to check if you are on track with your time budget, "What is this activity designed to do?" or perhaps, "What is the outcome of this activity?"

This will help you to identify if you are spending time in the wrong area at the wrong time.

3. Set up checklists to make sure everything is covered. Focus on completion.

4. Promotion: Clearly define your action steps.

5. Track the results or your promotional campaign in terms of traffic, click through rates, subscribers and purchasers. Include costs of conducting your campaign and compare that to your sales to determine your return on investment. It is only by tracking the results of the promotion that you will know how to effectively change the presentation for further testing.

A spreadsheet is an invaluable tool as a template for specifying your promotional campaign and also for tracking results, costs and return on investment. Adding in columns for each day of the week allows you to allocate your time so that all your promotions are covered in a time effective manner. This becomes your business gauge by which you assess the effectiveness of your promotional campaign.

Understanding the three stages of the business process and the stage you are in, using checklists and tracking your results using business gauges are the proven ways to maximize your time, your effectiveness and your profits.

Delegating Effectively

2007-02-06T08:29:00.000+09:00

Delegation is an essential element of any manager’s job. used effectively it provides real benefits to every one involved. This section will enable you to achieve the best possible results form each delegation you make from small everyday tasks to major leadership appointments. The sections covers every aspects of this process, form deciding and prioritizing which task to delegate and choosing the right person for the job, to recognizing and overcoming barriers and anticipating risk. Practical advice on how to develop and motivate staff, build loyalty, and give and receive feedback will increase your confidence and help you to become a skilled delegator. Included are 101 practical tips that summarize key points, and a self-assessment exercise that provides an insight into your performance as a delegator.

The topic that we will cove this month is

1) Understanding Delegation

The sub-topics that will be covered under this

A) Defining Delegation

1) Defining Delegation

Effective delegation is an essential managerial skill. To achieve the best results, you must be aware of its benefits and recognize the barriers than can hinder its success.

As organizations grow increasingly complex, duties and responsibilities across the work force can become less well defined. Often it seems as though everyone is doing everyone else's job. Delegation is the manager's key to efficiency, and benefits all.

A) Explaining Delegation

Delegation involves entrusting another person with a task for which the delegator remains ultimately responsible. Delegation can range form a major appointment, such as the leadership of a team developing a new product, to one of any number of smaller tasks in everyday life of any organization - from arranging an annual outing to interviewing a job candidate. Examining the overall structure of an organization will reveal a complex web of delegated authority, usually in the form of management chains, providing a mechanism for reporting and control.

Delegating for managerial success: An effective manager must monitor a delegated project, assuming responsibility while allowing the delegate autonomy.

B) Exploring the fundamentals

The basic issues involved in delegation are autonomy and control. How much authority is the delegate able to exercise without referring back to the delegator? How far should the delegator exercise direct influence over the work of the delegate? When choosing a delegate you are assessing whether the particular person is fully capable of performing the task within available resources. Having appointed a delegate, you must assure that they are allowed sufficient autonomy to undertake the task in their own way, subject to initial briefing and regular reports on progress.

Understanding The Stages

1) Analysis (Sorting tasks to be delegated)

2) Appointment (Naming the delegate)

3) Briefing (Defining the task)

4) Control (Monitoring and encouraging)

5) Appraisal ( Reviewing and revising)

C) Defining The Process

The unending process of delegation is integral to manager's role. The process begins with the analysis - selecting the tasks that the manager could, and should, delegate. When the tasks are selected, the parameters of each should be clearly defined. This will help the delegator to appoint an appropriate delegate and provide as accurate a brief as possible. Whatever the role proper briefing is essential - you cannot hold people responsible for vague or undefined tasks. Monitoring of some kind is also essential, but should be used for control and coaching rather than interference. The final stage is appraisal. How well has the delegate performed? What changes, on both sides, need to be made to improve performance?

Work at Home Time Management Tips

2007-02-05T09:29:00.000+09:00

People who work at home have the freedom to set their schedules and hours. However, it can be difficult to stay on task with so many additional distractions when you work at home. Here are some time management tips to help you stay on task as you work at home.

First of all, have a set agenda when you use your computer and go online as you work at home. Keep a list of your daily tasks and goals and stick to your list. It’s very easy to stray from your work tasks and check your personal email or just surf the net. Work from your to-do list and cross off your tasks as you accomplish each one. You should group similar tasks together. Check your email 2 or 3 times daily and answer your email at those same times. Work on one project at time and stick with that project until you are finished. Jumping between tasks as you work at home takes more time.

Assess your needs and see if it is justifiable to get wireless Internet and/or a laptop for your work at home needs. A laptop can enable to you to take your work with you if need be. This might be beneficial if you spend a lot of time waiting for kids at practices or if you are watching your kids in the yard while you try to work at home. Identify things at home that waste your time. Perhaps friends call to talk or your favorite television show comes on during the middle of the day. Try to eliminate these time wasters as you work at home. Don’t answer the phone for personal calls during your work time and avoid household distractions such as the television.

Use a timer to keep on task. Allow yourself so much time for a break or to accomplish quick tasks and stick to that set amount time. Having a routine helps with time management. A routine allows you to do task automatically and takes up less time. For instance, checking your email first thing everyday as you work at home can become routine and help you to get your day started right away. A routine allows your day to run more smoothly.

Finally, you have to set limits for yourself. Sometimes it’s not feasible to get all your work at home projects accomplished in one day. Make sure your goals are realistic and can be accomplished in the time you have allotted for them. Following these few rules can help you save time as you work at home and make your days a little easier.

D-List Part 1

2007-02-03T15:06:00.000+09:00

These blogs have the ‘no follow’ link disabled from the comments, which means that if you comment on these sites, you will get an actual link. If you would like to be included here, please let me know.

If you find this list useful, please consider linking to it.

This DoFollow Blog list is courtesy of Courtney Tuttle and was created originally by Coleen as the D-List.

RealityWired.com
BrilliantCheers
Achille
OnTheWebEd
JonLee
ChrisHoyt
JulieAnnBonner
LinkItForMe
RamblingThoughtsBlog
BlogThatOutside
Tobsy
NOWG
CatchAFallingStar
SweetAgring
LayerCake
ErikSvend
PajamaProfessional
Hem
MyOpinionsAreImportant
HeckOfIt
RoadLessTravelled
The Fit Shack
Foximus
BetShopBoy
5xMom
Derek
Semmler
Linguistics Zone
Zr5
SmartWealthyRich
How To Split An Atom
The Alternative
Self-Employment Blog
A Politically Incorrect Entrepreneur
CrayonWriter
BlogRaters
TagsKitchen
TradeMacro
Bracing Your Brand
Mother’s Home
Brian Pratt
Best Real Income
1000MileJourney
3DayMom
A Writers Words, An Editors Eye
Aaron Roselo
Advertising for Success
And to Think

To be continued

Delegating Authority

2007-02-02T08:26:00.000+09:00

Delegating authority is essential to effective management and organization. Whether you’re managing a Fortune 500 company, a small home based business or a household full of kids, your success and well-being depends on knowing how to delegate.

Most people try to wear too many hats and end up totally stressed out trying to keep up with their “to do” list. Delegating empowers you. You can not only get a lot more done, but it sets you free to get the right things done. And that can make the difference between success and failure.

Time is money and the secret to effective time management is to prioritize your goals and intentions and make sure you get the most important things done. Delegating allows you to do this. If your time is worth $20 an hour, it makes no sense to personally be doing a job that you can hire someone else to do for $10 an hour. The same principle can be applied in your family. Children can do jobs around the house for a weekly allowance or simply for the privilege of living at home.

And don’t get caught in the trap of thinking – “If I want to get this job done right, I’m going to have to do it myself.” Always remember the management guru Peter Drucker’s axiom – ‘It’s more important to do the right thing than to do things right.”

Effective delegation begins with finding the right person for the job or, if necessary, finding the right job for the person. Communicate clearly what the job responsibilities are, the results you expect and what’s in it for the person doing the job.

As a CEO, manager or parent, you’re still ultimately responsible for the results. Successful delegation, however, expands your power, your effectiveness and your productivity. Rather than spinning your wheels, you can focus your valuable time on the really important priorities – like helping your company or your family to get what they want. And that’s the fun job.

Effective Time Management

2007-02-01T08:51:00.000+09:00

Are you “time management obese?” With this one simple tip, Bob Selden suggests how to manage the “comfort food” of time management so that you can achieve your work goals and still enjoy the food!

You receive a phone call from the CEO who asks whether you’d be interested in taking on a special assignment. In this assignment you would report directly to the CEO and participate in making some of the important strategic decisions facing the company. This assignment would provide you personally with major growth and career opportunities. The offer has only one catch; because the assignment is only part time requiring about one day per week, you would have to do your present job in the remaining four days. Would you take the assignment?Before reading any further please answer “”Yes” or “No” – Would you take the assignment?

HBR (October 2002) reports that this question has been posed to hundreds of managers, most of whom believed that they already lacked the time to do their jobs properly. Yet, ninety nine percent of them take the assignment. Why?

Are these managers (and perhaps we could include ourselves):

Admitting that if the motivation were powerful enough, they could eliminate or do in much less time eight to ten hours worth of current activities each week without negative consequences?
Currently spending time performing unproductive, time wasting activities (that they could easily drop) to avoid or escape job related anxiety?Like the other 99% of managers, did you answer “Yes”?. If so, what activities that you currently do, could you eliminate or do less of to free up some of your time for the more important things you need to do?
As the HBR article points out, almost all managers escape some job-induced anxiety through a variety of unproductive, often unconscious, psychological mechanisms – rationalization, denial, blaming and so forth. One of the most costly is busyness; the escape into time consuming activities that managers find less threatening to perform (though much less productive) than the tough aspects of their jobs. I call these “comfort tasks” – comfort because they are generally mindless and easy to do. However, having done them, have we progressed any of the major tasks we need to achieve? The answer is almost certainly “No”. And like good food, “comfort tasks” make us feel good, but if we have too much, we feel bloated. The trick is to keep the comfort tasks to an enjoyable minimum and thus not become “time management obese”.

So, how do you reduce the amount of time spent on “comfort tasks”?The first step is to become aware of how much time each of us spends on these comfort tasks. Remember, for most of us, these comfort tasks are done unconsciously, so we need to find out what they are.

For the next week:

• Place a very bright post-it note somewhere visible with a large question: “Is this a comfort task?” (You will quickly learn to identify them because they are the things that you start to do when your mind wanders AND you find yourself not working on the required major goals, tasks or activities)

• Take a note of the things you do that are comfort tasks (i.e. they are not progressing your major goals or activities)During the following week:

• Make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of time you spend on identified comfort tasks.

• Keep in mind, that some time spent is ok (and healthy), but overdoing it is overdosing!In the future, should you find your mind wandering, remember the “comfort task” trick and get back on track. This simple technique is bound to free up some of your time to focus on the really important things either within your job or private life.

Delegating Your Way to Time Management

2007-01-31T08:20:00.000+09:00

How to delegate

2007-01-30T10:03:00.000+09:00

Is your workload piling up? Many business owners don't delegate for fear of a task being done wrong. Learn effective delegating; how to get work done better by having someone else do it.

You've made an unusual discovery - there's not enough time left at the end of the day. The corollary, of course, is your list of important things to do never gets smaller. In any company, the CEO's to-do list has the potential to grow infinitely.

What's a senior executive to do?

This is not simply a personal problem. Your company's future depends on what you do next. As you drive your organization beyond its current plateau, you must change the way you relate to your work. There are three stages to making the transition from chief-cook-and-bottle-washer (CC&BW) to CEO (source of the management and direction of the business). They are:

Understanding your highest value contribution to your company and focusing on that role.

Recognizing your position as a leader and owning the job.

Delegating everything else, and holding others accountable.
Previous articles, Time Well Spent, deals with transition one; Visions of Leadership addresses transition two. This article examines the problem of delegation - giving the work away.

The Issue

You have doubtlessly concluded your next level of company performance requires a managerial change. And hopefully, you have realized the changes necessary are with you. As CEO (or, on a divisional or departmental level - senior executive) your jobs include holding the vision; inspiring your senior management and your staff; fostering key relationships with customers, vendors, investors and the public, etc.

You now need to let go of some cherished things like product design, hiring, perhaps day-to-day sales - many things you handled in the past, often out of necessity - and focus yourself on your role as CEO. What about all these things you used to do? Delegate them. Assign the job to someone else. This doesn't sound like a big deal, why write a whole article on it?

Do you delegate? Of course you do. But do you delegate the important things? The things you "know" you could do better? The things you are "best" at? Probably not. The question is, should you?

Your highest value contribution

Think about your highest value contribution to your company. Which of your activities generate the most revenue, profit, market share, etc.? Where do you get the most bang for the buck? Like most chief executives, your greatest leverage is in mobilizing the forces around you - your senior staff and your employees, plus key customers, prospects and vendors. Everything else becomes secondary to that in terms of impact.

So the answer is yes. You should give away even the things you are "best" at. And then make sure they are done right. Make sure they are up to spec and delivered on time.

The cost of holding on

Now, the thorny part. Many executives refrain from delegating responsibilities they've labeled "critical". They fear the job won't be done correctly. Or no one else can do it as quickly, and it won't get done on time. Or the right attention won't be paid. Or something. Or something else.

Give it up! The growth of your organization will be stifled to the extent that you hold on to critical functions. Your company will suffer in the exact areas where you think you are the expert!

Product design? You hold up the development of a key component, because you are the expert, yet you are away at a customer meeting. Staffing? Two engineers can't be hired because you haven't signed off and are out of town at a meeting with investment bankers. Sales? Negotiations on an important deal are held up because you are in Asia meeting with a vendor.

You become the choke point on each of these vital functions. And you feel - of course - "I have to be involved." No you don't. To the exact degree you have not developed your staff to assume these functions, the growth of your company will be retarded.

Aside from fear the job won't be done as well, there is another, more insidious reason senior executives (particularly entrepreneurs) do not delegate. If you aren't doing the "important" stuff, you become redundant. Dead weight. Overhead. If you have a great VP of Sales, or a Chief Technologist, what will you do?

You feel this way because you haven't completed transitions one and two: you haven't taken the trouble of understanding how you personally create value in your company, and you haven't fully assumed the role of leader. Once you make these transitions, you won't have time for the rest. Delegation, not abdication.

Many executives delegate like this. They say, "John, would you take on this project? It has to be done by next Thursday. Thanks." That's it. Then, when the job comes back incomplete, they are infuriated. What happened? They left out accountability. They neglected the structure for making sure things happened according to plan.

There are four components to successful delegation.

1. Give the job to someone who can get it done.

This doesn't mean that person has all the skills for execution, but that they are able to martial the right resources. Sometimes the first step in the project will be education. Maybe your delegate has to attend a seminar or take a course to get up to speed.

2. Communicate precise conditions of satisfaction.

Timeframe, outcomes, budget constraints, etc.; all must be spelled out. Anything less creates conditions for failure. It's like the old story about basketball - without nets the players don't know where to shoot the ball.

3. Work out a plan.

Depending on the project's complexity, the first step may be creation of a plan. The plan should include resources, approach or methodology, timeline, measures and milestones. Even simple projects require a plan. 4. Set up a structure for accountability.

If the project is to take place over the next six weeks, schedule an interim meeting two weeks from now. Or establish a weekly conference call, or an e-mailed status report. Provide some mechanism where you can jointly evaluate progress and make mid-course corrections. This helps keep the project, and the people, on track.

4. Get buy in.

Often timeframes are dictated by external circumstances. Still, your delegate must sign on for the task at hand. If you say, "This must be done by next Tuesday," they have to agree that it is possible. Ask instead. "Can you have this by Tuesday?" To you this may seem a bit remedial, but the step is often overlooked. Whenever possible, have your delegate set the timeline and create the plan. You need only provide guidance and sign off. As General Patton said, "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."

If you skip any one of the above steps, you dramatically reduce the likelihood things will turn out the way you want them to. On the other hand, if you rigorously follow the steps, you greatly increase the odds in your favor. Isn't this more work than doing it myself, you ask. No - it isn't.

The time it takes to

establish the goals,
review the plan, and
monitor the progress,
is not equal to the time it takes to execute. That is how you gain leverage. This is how you multiply your efforts.

(Occasionally it does take longer to communicate something than to do it yourself. Delegate it anyway. The next time will be easier.)

Above, I've referred to projects. This is not to say delegation is reserved for discrete tasks and problems. You also delegate ongoing functions. The process is the same in each case.

As an exercise, ask yourself, what am I unwilling to delegate? Make a list of the reasons why not. (Use our worksheet to identify projects and functions to delegate. E-mail for a free copy.) Identify the best person in your organization - not you - to take on this project or function. Then call a meeting. Begin the meeting with step one, above.

If there is no one to whom you can give away key functions, you have to look carefully at your staff situation. It may be time to hire the right people. If you don't have the revenues to support the staff additions, consider what is restraining your growth.

Review your relationship with your assistant or secretary. Have you let them take on there fair share of the workload? Are you giving them sufficiently sophisticated work to do? Are they ready to upgrade?

Some situations call for you to dive back in. Perhaps you are the only one in your company with some particular technical knowledge, or your insight will accelerate the design process, or you have the long-standing relationship with a vendor or customer. Go ahead, dive. Do your thing - briefly, complete the project and resume your leadership position.

Oh, one more thing.
The only point to delegating something is if it frees you for things which create greater value for your company. Don't give away the hiring function if you are spending your time fiddling with the corporate web site. Don't hire a Sales VP, if you are spending your time on purchasing. The greatest leverage you have is in leading your company. Lavish your time on that.

Learning To Delegate

2007-01-29T11:31:00.000+09:00

There is not a single management skill more critical to your personal and professional success as an entrepreneur than learning to delegate. There is much more to delegating than meets the eye. It does not mean to simply hand out assignments. It is a science and an exercise in understanding one's self.

Some of us have been lucky enough to find our strengths and at the same time recognize areas traditionally referred to as weaknesses. It takes mammoth strength to let go and say "OK this is not my area of expertise and here is where I need help. This is how I will get this help." Often, there are things we wish we were good at but somehow can not seem to grasp ( not for lack of intellectual ability, but for lack of experience/exposure). We must learn to accept this fact.

In this fast paced world we live in, we must choose what it is we wish to conquer and what we need to let go of. An artful business person learns what she does best and does that to the best of her ability. She lives it, breathes it, and sleeps it. It is a passion. The rest can be left to someone else.

Unfortunately, that someone else does not just appear from thin air. Networking or "relationship building" as it is referred to '90's style, is the initial key component of delegating.

You need to determine how your time would best be spent. For example, as a fundraiser, I know that in a given month, I can raise $X with uninterrupted, focused time. At the same time, I also want to publish a newsletter and send it out to my budding clientele. I have no experience creating a newsletter. While all of the software is at my fingertips, the question is do I really have time to learn it? I ask myself: "Should I learn the newsletter software and design my own newsletter or should I spend $X and hire a designer who already knows the software and just supply the content?" Better yet, I could ask a local graphic designer to barter their services. But how do I find the local skilled person to barter with? You can find this person through networking and relationship building.

The key is to determine what you need to know, want to know, must know, and already know. Keep lists with these headings to remind you of these things. It is a great feeling to cross things off your list.

Becoming an Expert

Jack of all trades, master of none. The old adage holds a lot of weight in today's entrepreneurial environment. No one can possibly run a small business alone. I know this because I have tried. Know what you do and do it the best you can.

I recently started a small business. I could never have gotten it off the ground without the help of a CPA, lawyer, graphic designer, and administrative assistant. My expertise lies in the areas of people skills, marketing, and fund raising. I realized from the start that if I attempted to be anything but those things to my business, the long term success of the business was doomed. I set out immediately to find the experts I needed.

It is important to surround yourself with competent individuals who have complimentary areas of expertise. Choose carefully and wisely and be ready to compensate these individuals for a job well done. In some cases, I was able to defer payment until the business took off. In other cases, I made long term promises such as potential employment if and when the business was viable. When I was really lucky, I bartered. In fact, in most cases I bartered.

Payment need not always come in the form of dollars. Remember your area of expertise and be ready to trade it for what you need.

When bartering you need to follow a few simple rules: Be nice and respectful, send thank you notes, and recognize those individuals who have helped you both publicly and privately. In doing so, you will gain respect and be known as someone who gets the job done.

When you are an expert, people will come to you in need of your talent. Be prepared to use it. Be proud of your skill and share it.

Delegating as a Motivational Tool

2007-01-29T10:51:00.000+09:00

Managers who delegate regularly and delegate well create a motivating work environment for their employees. But it’s not enough to simply hand off assignments and responsibilities and walk away. The manager needs to stay involved from describing the assignment clearly, to providing ongoing feedback, and finally acknowledging the work of the employee who completed the delegated task. So delegating is not a hands-off strategy or a way to off-load unpleasant tasks.

A few months ago, I had an experience as a volunteer at my daughter’s elementary school that highlighted just how motivating (or de-motivating) the delegating process can be. I volunteered to produce the second-grade classroom newsletter with another mother who has computer skills. The teacher handed over 25 paragraphs written in the inimitable style of six and seven-year olds. She gave no instructions but requested that the newsletter be completed by the following week and said, “I should just type the paragraphs as the kids wrote them.” I dutifully found a newsletter template, entered the kids’ journalistic efforts (complete with spelling, grammar and punctuation errors which were adorable), added clip art, and printed 25 copies to go home with the kids. I thought my handiwork was competent, creative, and pretty darn cute.

Imagine my surprise when the following month the newsletter was delegated to my colleague who produced an equally attractive newsletter on the same template but with 25 journalistic entries that were well-spelled, grammatically correct, and perfectly punctuated. “What’s up with that?” I wondered. When I checked with her, she informed me that the principal of the school was not at all happy with the first newsletter and requested that all future editions be corrected before printing copies for the kids.

Whether you agree or disagree with the principal’s request, the fact remains that this was a great example of how not to delegate a task! And yet, it happens all the time when managers do a poor job of delegating in the business world. So let’s parse out the delegating missteps in this common example:

Misstep: Unclear Expectations

Before passing on an assignment, lay out your expectations. If there are standards that need to be met, communicate them and explain their importance. Give your employee the opportunity to ask questions and present ideas.

Misstep: Little or No Feedback

Ask for an early check-in conversation to be sure that you answer any questions that have come up about the assignment. Offer clarification or feedback early in the process so that your employee has the opportunity to succeed at the task.

Misstep: Indirect Communication

If you are unhappy with the work of an employee, communicate those concerns directly to him or her and how they can be addressed. Never give that feedback to a co-worker or expect a co-worker to deliver your feedback.

Misstep: No Collaborative Problem Solving

When you delegate an assignment that doesn’t go as planned, continue to work with the employee. Don’t take it back or give it to another co-worker. Use the delegated task as a way to develop the employee’s skills and experience. Work jointly to improve the quality of the result. Managers who fail to do this wind up with employees who resist taking on new assignments.

Misstep: Passing the Blame

Any time you delegate, you share responsibility with the employee. Ultimately, however, you are the one accountable for the accomplishment of the task. If the outcome does not meet your boss’s expectations, then let the buck stop with you. Exposing the employee to blame will certainly reduce their motivation the next time you have a project that needs their talents.

Misstep: No Acknowledgement

Take time to sincerely acknowledge an employee’s efforts on any project. With a little thought, you can express appreciation in one or two areas. For example, did their work demonstrate creativity? Did the employee research and identify resources to use? Did they develop a useful template? Did they meet the deadline? Acknowledge those contributions.

Follow these key delegating steps and you will create the kind of motivating work environment in which employees want to take on new projects and feel good about their efforts:

1) Clarify your expectations at the outset
2) Offer feedback throughout the process
3) Communicate directly with the employee
4) Collaborate to resolve problems or issues
5) Hold on to accountability for the outcome
6) Sincerely acknowledge the employee’s efforts

Understanding Delegation

2007-01-25T12:05:00.000+09:00

To understand delegation, you really have to think about people. Delegation cannot be viewed as an abstract technique, it depends upon individuals and individual needs. Let us take a lowly member of staff who has little or no knowledge about the job which needs to be done.

Do you say: "Jimmy, I want a draft tender for contract of the new Hydro Powerstation on my desk by Friday"? No. Do you say: "Jimmy, Jennifer used to do the tenders for me. Spend about an hour with her going over how she did them and try compiling one for the new Hydro Powerstation. She will help you for this one, but do come to me if she is busy with a client. I want a draft by Friday so that I can look over it with you"? Possibly.

The key is to delegate gradually. If you present someone with a task which is daunting, one with which he/she does not feel able to cope, then the task will not be done and your staff will be severely demotivated. Instead you should build-up gradually; first a small task leading to a little development, then another small task which builds upon the first; when that is achieved, add another stage; and so on. This is the difference between asking people to scale a sheer wall, and providing them with a staircase. Each task delegated should have enough complexity to stretch that member of staff - but only a little.

Jimmy needs to feel confident. He needs to believe that he will actually be able to achieve the task which has been given to him. This means that either he must have the sufficient knowledge, or he must know where to get it or where to get help. So, you must enable access to the necessary knowledge. If you hold that knowledge, make sure that Jimmy feels able to come to you; if someone else holds the knowledge, make sure that they are prepared for Jimmy to come to them. Only if Jimmy is sure that support is available will he feel confident enough to undertake a new job.

You need to feel confident in Jimmy: this means keeping an eye on him. It would be fatal to cast Jimmy adrift and expect him to make it to the shore: keep an eye on him, and a lifebelt handy. It is also a mistake to keep wandering up to Jimmy at odd moments and asking for progress reports: he will soon feel persecuted. Instead you must agree beforehand how often and when you actually need information and decide the reporting schedule at the onset. Jimmy will then expect these encounters and even feel encouraged by your continuing support; you will be able to check upon progress and even spur it on a little.

When you do talk to Jimmy about the project, you should avoid making decisions of which Jimmy is capable himself. The whole idea is for Jimmy to learn to take over and so he must be encouraged to do so. Of course, with you there to check his decisions, Jimmy will feel freer to do so. If Jimmy is wrong - tell him, and explain very carefully why. If Jimmy is nearly right - congratulate him, and suggest possible modifications; but, of course, leave Jimmy to decide. Finally, unless your solution has significant merits over Jimmy's, take his: it costs you little, yet rewards him much.

Improving Your Time Management

2007-01-25T08:51:00.000+09:00

“If only I had more time!” How many times have you heard this expression before? Frankly, if you are reading this article, you probably say it yourself every now and again. One thing is for sure, if you understand and practice the key principles of effective time management you will have more time available for the things you want to do.

The single most important aspect of effective time management is to understand about the things that rob you of your precious time resource. I call these “time robbers” and they tend to fall into one of three main categories:

1. Interruptions

In the current technological age of mobile phones and e-mail, we are almost totally accessible during every working hour of the day. Although you cannot stop interruptions altogether, it is important to manage how and when they occur. When you have deadlines to meet it is important to set time aside when interruptions are kept to the minimum. This means being prepared to turn off your mobile phone and managing to ignore the constant barrage of e-mail. Keeping interruptions to the minimum is a key component of effective time management

2. Poor planning

It has been said many times before “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Poor planning is a major source of lost time at home and in the workplace, but how do you avoid it? There is no simple answer, but allowing yourself time to think things through is a useful starting point. I consider myself an effective planner, but bad planning strikes at any time and can cause immense stress. An example of this happened to me the other day, when I was held up painting a wall because the one thing I had overlooked was the brush! This piece of bad planning cost me an hour of my precious weekend time and you can imagine the stress of driving to the local DIY store, queuing up to pay and the inevitable weekend traffic jams going into town! This could have been avoided by more effectively planning the job. Some people think they're just too busy to sit down and plan. Can you wonder why?

3. Procrastination (putting things off)

There isn't a person on this planet that hasn't been guilty of this time waster. We all like to do the easy jobs first, when it is often best to clear the difficult tasks first of all. But how do you motivate yourself to overcome procrastination? Perhaps the simplest is to set yourself a deadline. It concentrates the mind and generally achieves better results. Better still, think about rewarding yourself with a treat when that difficult job is done. In order to complete this article I have promised myself a cup of coffee when I have unfinished, but not before!

Effective time management isn't rocket science. It’s mainly about improving your awareness of how your time is ‘spent’ during the day. One thing is for sure, if you get to the balance right and begin managing those time bandits, you will tend to spend more time available to do the things you want to do.

Delegating For Results

2007-01-24T10:49:00.000+09:00

Employee Partnership Through Delegation

2007-01-23T08:52:00.000+09:00

A true leader displays personal power rather than position power. Leading the charge is an important element in partnering with your employees. When I was a child, my mother would say, "Do as I say and not as I do." Which choice do you think I made? Sure, I'd do as my mother "did" and frequently got in trouble for my actions. If this scenario sounds familiar, you better change your approach. "Be sure you're prepared to live the values you profess—your people will 'hear' what they 'see,' not what you say." -Dan McNamara, Senior Vice President, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America

If you want to develop high performance employee partnerships, you must do so by example. One way to lead by example is to exhibit self-confidence. You can show that you are a confident leader. A leader has personal power. A boss gets his or her power from the title on a business card. Show your confidence by delegating tasks and responsibilities to your team members. Delegate in a way that builds alliance relationships so team members become interdependent with one another rather than dependent or independent. This will give you an integrated organization.

Listed below are some tips for high-performance employee partnering delegation:

1. Adjust your attitude and be willing to hand over control, if you can.

2. Identify which tasks can be delegated and then define the delegation for your employee.

3. Create a training program because delegating without educating is a formula for disaster.

4. Show trust in your team and encourage trust between members. Your employees will enjoy no greater honor than your trust.

5. Spell-out the limits, explain results wanted and define authority. Create a safety net so individuals can take risks. If they make a mistake, still acknowledge the risk they took. This will go a long way in building a robust relationship.

6. Ask for, and agree on a project/delegation deadline. Wow, what a concept, let them tell you when they can get it done. First give the time parameters and then get out of their way.

7. Set intermediate goals and check to be sure the goals are being achieved. Regular follow-up is crucial to success. Be careful though, a new employee needs much more follow up than one who has been around for years.

8. Delegate with a purpose, no busy work. Explain the reason for the delegation and how the activity affects the workplace in total. Your employee will then have buy-in or better yet, an ownership in the project.

9. Delegate the what, not the how and get out of the way. Do not micro-manage. Micro-management is the kiss of death in building partnering relationships with employees.

10. Be honest with your team members and assign tasks fairly based on ability and past performance. Be careful of the teacher’s pet syndrome. Discrimination for whatever reason is destructive to workplace harmony.

11. Avoid perfectionism, especially if you are one of those analytical types. Give people a reasonable margin got error and accept that different can also be effective.

12. Debrief after the project delegated is complete. Ask for feedback from the person you delegated the task to. Did you give them the authority and tools necessary to successfully complete the delegated task within the deadline? Also give helpful feedback to your employee on how they could improve the next they receive a delegated task.

13. Do not take on the projects of others until you are sure you want the responsibility. If you take on something from your team members, which they should be doing, you can easily become the supervised rather than the supervisor.

Do most, if not all, of the things listed above and you must be successful in building synergistic employee partnerships and developing empowered employees. Empowered employees take risks, are innovative and make the kind of decision that you would make. What more could you ask for as a leader? Good luck and much success.

Delegating Techniques

2007-01-22T08:49:00.000+09:00

Do you manage your time or does your time manage you? Do you start your day knowing what you want to achieve today and how you are going to achieve it?

Time management is a skill. You should learn the basics and learn how to implement it.

Following a thorough research on the topic of time management , I strongly suggest you use the most important time management tip - delegate “Do not do what you do not have to do” You had enough time to realize what you are good at and what you are not so good at. Hand over things you are not so good at to others. Make people work for you.

Take a look at some of the delegating examples below. Create a personal effective time management using delegation techniques.

1. Take some one to sort your mail – most of the mail we get is junk mail or routine mail messages. Make someone sort the mail for you to manage your time better.

2. Send others to meetings – Meeting are great time wasters. When you are invited to meetings make sure you know what the purpose of the meeting is. If you do not have real contribution send some one else to the meeting. Give him a brief and make sure he gives you a summary of the meeting after it is finished.

3. Take a secretary – Your life must be organized. Most of us tend to lose our focus of the important things due to the amount of tasks we have to do. Prioritizing the different tasks and finding the right balance between business, family etc. is almost impossible.

Make it easier. Delegate it. You will soon not understand how you have organized your life without a secretary. Let the secretary manage your time – let her decide when you come and go from work, let her schedule meetings for you and most important let her handle all paper work and mails.

Delegating Effectively

2007-01-19T09:18:00.000+09:00

Micromanagement and Delegation

2007-01-18T09:43:00.000+09:00

Recently I had a long discussion with a friend of mine about Managers and managing. She is a former HR Manager for several major companies and was bemoaning the fact that training for managers has been cut back so significantly in recent years and that managers no longer receive the type of help, guidance and assistance that they received just a few short years ago. My background has been in retail and telecom. Hers was neither. Yet the same problems and issues seem to rise in every industry. Of course, this is exactly the reason that I got into coaching. Coaching allows those managers who want to improve a very personalized venue to do just that.

We went on to agree that the common pattern these days seemed to be for the department star performer to be promoted from contributor, to team leader, to manager in seemingly record time. We agreed that new managers have difficulty moving from the contributor to the manager role because no one is willing to spend the time and energy to coach them through the various hurdles that new managers and leaders face. We agreed that this lack of training never seemed to lower the expectations of the manager, just the performance.

Then we disagreed, strongly. What caused the disagreement? The

concept was micro-management. My friend explained to me that she has "coached" many employees recently and that many of them complained about one particular manager who was micro-managing them. She told me that she helps the employees understand and come to grips with "their problem". "You're not going to be able to change that manager, she explained to me, "so you've got to change the employees". She explains to them that if they are being micro-managed, there's probably a reason for it. They are probably doing something wrong. If they just identify that problem and improve, their manager will stop the micro-management. "The employees need to improve themselves. It's as simple as that."

I wish my life was as simple as that.

She acknowledges that with that many employees complaining that

it's likely the manager is the problem. But changing the manager is too much trouble, she says, so let's tell the employees it's their fault.

While it is true that it is sometimes necessary to micro-manage

people, her explanation makes little sense to me. You might micro-manage an employee if their performance is lacking. Or because the project they are working on is very high visibility and any chance of error must be minimized. But when a number of employees are complaining about the same manager micro-managing them it implies one of two things.

Either this manager:

1. Has a lot of problem employees and needs to start weeding them out, or

2. This manager does not know how to let go and properly

delegate to their staff.

Excessive micro-management is not the sign of a healthy manager.

When someone is constantly micro-managing their staff it's generally their problem, not the employees.

If you are micro-managing your staff, refusing to delegate routine, and not so routine tasks to them for completion, then you are setting yourself up for trouble. Have you ever heard yourself say, "I would delegate this to someone else, but it's just as easy to do it myself"? Or maybe you say, "This task is too complicated to delegate. I have to make sure it's done right."

If so, I hope you like your job. Because you aren't going anyplace higher. Delegation can be difficult to learn because it looks like a huge risk and a huge leap of faith. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are techniques that you can learn that will help you delegate and get you out of the detail. And you have to get out of the detail if you really want to be an executive.

Delegating Techniques

2007-01-17T09:16:00.000+09:00

Do you manage your time or does your time manage you? Do you start your day knowing what you want to achieve today and how you are going to achieve it?

Time management is a skill. You should learn the basics and learn how to implement it.

Following a thorough research on the topic of time management , I strongly suggest you use the most important time management tip - delegate “Do not do what you do not have to do” You had enough time to realize what you are good at and what you are not so good at. Hand over things you are not so good at to others. Make people work for you.

Take a look at some of the delegating examples below. Create a personal effective time management using delegation techniques.

1. Take some one to sort your mail – most of the mail we get is junk mail or routine mail messages. Make someone sort the mail for you to manage your time better.

2. Send others to meetings – Meeting are great time wasters. When you are invited to meetings make sure you know what the purpose of the meeting is. If you do not have real contribution send some one else to the meeting. Give him a brief and make sure he gives you a summary of the meeting after it is finished.

3. Take a secretary – Your life must be organized. Most of us tend to lose our focus of the important things due to the amount of tasks we have to do. Prioritizing the different tasks and finding the right balance between business, family etc. is almost impossible.

Make it easier. Delegate it. You will soon not understand how you have organized your life without a secretary. Let the secretary manage your time – let her decide when you come and go from work, let her schedule meetings for you and most important let her handle all paper work and mails.

Become more effective in your business - learn how to delegate

2007-01-16T10:32:00.000+09:00

If you’ve built a business up from scratch, it can be difficult to concede control to other people. But if you get bogged down in everyday tasks, it can have a negative impact on your business’s long-term development. Kat Knight looks into the benefits of delegation and investigates how to go about it.

Are you always over-stretched and constantly having to work long hours? Are you reluctant to let anyone else make important decisions? Are some tasks being rushed or not completed because you simply don’t have the time? If any of these are ringing true it could be time to learn how to delegate tasks to others.

The negative effects on owner-managers of not wanting to delegate are often seen by employment law adviser Amanda Galashan. “They have trouble delegating because they don’t like to give up control,” she explains. “But they can become stressed and overworked, and as a result things don’t get done properly.

“If you’re too entrenched in the day-to-day running of your business, this can hinder its development,” she warns. “And it can cause resentment from your employees, because they’re not being given the responsibility they feel they’re capable of taking on.”

First steps

It’s never too late to learn to delegate. Independent SME business adviser Frank Thaxton recommends some steps to take. “List every one of your tasks,” he advises. “Think about whether it’s essential that you personally carry them out.” This will help you identify tasks you can delegate.

The next step is to think about which employees are best placed for you to take over. “Face-to-face communication is crucial,” stresses Thaxton. “You have to get your employee on board. Avoid being prescriptive about a task – ask your employee how they would deal with it.” Be clear about timescales and objectives, as well as sufficiently motivating your employee about taking on the added responsibility.

You might decide that none of your employees is adequately equipped to take on some tasks. In this scenario, you should provide them with training. Failing that, you could outsource some tasks instead, such as accounting, marketing or recruitment.

Letting go

As Thaxton points out, learning to delegate effectively takes time. “You might find that you’re doing more work to start with. Your employees might need extra training as well as plenty of support. But over time you should find you can step back and give the employee greater autonomy,” he advises.

Ultimately, you will always retain overall responsibility. You can’t simply dump a task on an employee and then abandon them. “It’s delegation – not abdication,” says Thaxton. “You have to ensure that the employee feels supported. Manage them as much as you, and they, feel is necessary.”

Managing closely is a different thing to being overbearing, though. “Don’t monitor them too much,” Thaxton warns, “or they’ll feel under pressure that they’re not doing the work exactly how you would do it or would like it done.”

Reaping the benefits

Effective delegation, when it becomes an established and successful pattern, should benefit you, your business and your employees. You will be freed up to focus on more strategic business decisions and you’ll be making more of your employees’ potential.

“Your staff will be much happier and will develop in their roles; you will do a better job and your business will be more successful as a result,” says Thaxton. “And your own working day can be less stressful, more rewarding, and shorter!”

Delegation Dilemmas

2007-01-16T08:30:00.000+09:00

It’s late Friday afternoon and everyone is packaging up to go home for the weekend except Janette. Her desk is still piled high with all those important assignments. Why does Janette still have work when no one else does? She just can't let go. Others have a life, but she's too busy ensuring her importance to the company and working late. If she has her finger in every piece of the pie it will make her more important? The reality is that she does not impress anyone. Others may question her ability to perform (she always has work to do and has to stay light to do it.) The favorable portrait she hopes to paint may actually be a negative one. What can Janette do? She can set boundaries. Pick the assignments she can accomplish and do well. She should delegate the rest.

Renee has just been promoted; she is taking the workload for three people while her team has nothing to do. She is overcome with the need to validate her recent promotion. It’s important to her to show the boss just how well placed his trust was in her by giving her the promotion. The reality is that her boss may reconsider just why he placed his faith in her. He didn't promote her to become a workhorse but rather to lead a team of successful productive team members.

What can Renee do? She can start by evaluating the workload. Does she really need to handle each and every piece of paper? It’s imperative that she regroup and let go of some of the tasks she has assigned herself. She will be validated in her boss’s eyes with happy and productive employees who work together for a common goal. She needs to lead and delegate responsibilities to ensure the team’s success.

Wendy is the new kid on the block. She is a whirlwind of activity. She's sure she is on the fast track and accepts any and all assignments that come her way (whether she can accomplish it or not). Wendy equates looking busy with productivity. She is also a little full of herself and believes she can do any assignment better than her peers. She can't say no to what she perceives as her opportunity. She is reluctant to share the glory. What can Wendy do? The reality is that Wendy can't do it all. She can begin by taking a serious look at her skill set. What does she do best and most effectively? What does she like to do and what does she not enjoy doing? From this list she needs to hone down the essential responsibilities. She needs to pick those that she can really bond with and delegate the rest.

It does not matter what if you are a Janette, Renee or Wendy. It does not matter what the position or title everyone, at one time or another, needs to delegate some of his or her responsibility. It’s not an easy thing to do. We suffer from the worry that if we delegate the job won't be done right or worse, not at all. We are reluctant to let something move outside our control. In some psychologically repressed instances, we are hesitant to delegate responsibility for fear that it will be perceived as a weakness. We fear it will look as if we aren't good at our jobs or that the situation is more than we can handle.

Ever had these thoughts? It’s time to unmask the real issues behind why we are reluctant to delegate. Before we can start we need to identify and understand exactly what delegation entails. Delegation is an art – it is the art of assigning part of your responsibility or empowering someone else to do a portion of your job. It is synonymous with giving out, entrustment, handing over, and allocation. It is not a way to unload unwanted responsibilities or to pawn off some task we hate.

Does delegating make you nervous? Trusting in someone else to get the work done is a tough concept for some leaders. We are all guilty of the superwoman syndrome, which as a point makes delegation a four-letter word. We are so busy doing it all, controlling everything, and thinking we doing it perfectly that it never occurs for us to think of letting someone else do some of the work. Additionally, the control part of the delegation process makes many us uncomfortable with passing on or sharing responsibility. We are sure that no one can do it as well as we can and at times we even need that validation. Well, GET OVER IT.

Delegation is an essential business skill we must all learn. The sooner you learn the ropes of delegating the better your job, health, and outlook will be. The more you learn to delegate, the easier it will become to do so. The key is to delegate with a plan in mind. This equates to more free time to do the things that you really want to do and like to do.

OK – stop thinking about yourself for a minute. The delegation process can have positive outcomes for both parties. It’s a little like grooming your own successor. You trust someone else to take a role in some of the workload. It actually gives that person a path to success. Now, back to you, you can't move up the food chain if you are snowed under with supposed “responsibilities." The best managers are those who learn to delegate. If you are not preparing those under you to accept more responsibility then there is no way you can move on with your career. Remember everyone had to start somewhere. Giving someone else a leg up is a great feel-good thing. Just make sure to make it a positive experience.

Before you run out and start handing off your most loathsome tasks, consider when and what you should delegate. It’s not just a course for unloading the assignments you have to do. Delegation is not just blindly handing off assignments without careful consideration as to who and what assignments should be given. It’s not telling someone else solve a problem you can't. It’s not giving someone part of a job to do and retaining the fun or most visible parts for you. What it is is a series of opportunities or actions that allow you to give some responsibility to others. Ultimately, delegation allows both parties to proceed more effectively and efficiently.

However, some people are truly incapable of delegation. They hold on to the responsibility. Some end up sinking their own ship, but they simply cannot imagine delegating. Control is a big part of it, but there are other concerns for those who are reluctant to delegate.

• You are superwoman. You can have it and do it all.

• It’s quicker to do it yourself - no time to train someone.

• No one can do it as well as you can.

• You are afraid delegation will be seen as a weakness.

• You believe that being overworked equates to being needed.

• You are worried that your job may be in jeopardy.

Consider these factors when deciding whether or what to delegate.

• It’s always best to start small. A small task is more easily managed and will enable you to discern whether your faith in delegating to a particular person is justified.

• Delegate tasks to only those people you trust and those who have good business acumen. Any project can get off tract, but don't start off on the wrong foot by picking the wrong person to begin with.

• Spend additional time with a first time delegate.

• Make sure you cover thoroughly how you expect the communication to flow. Maintain open lines of communication. Encourage the delegate to discuss any problem with you immediately (You don’t want any surprises).

• Discuss probable outcomes and any unusual problems that might surface.

• Control the process but don't control the outcome. Give autonomy to the delegate to proceed in there own manner after giving them the guidelines first.

• Encourage initiative and keep an open mind. The project may not follow the initial directions. If things aren't going well don't snatch the project back. It’s important to build a rapport and comfort factor not only with this delegate but with others who you might assign work too. Keep in mind that you may not get any takers in the future if your reputation is one of an Indian giver.

• Keep feedback positive and don't hover. The whole purpose in assigning the project was to free up your time.

• Treat the delegate as an equal. This is not a parent child relationship. You are building business bonds and strengthening lines of communication. Don’t micro manage the situation.

• Remember you need to evaluate the delegate’s performance. Don't gloss over a job poorly done just because you need to pass out other assignments. If the outcome is negative turn it into a positive experience.

Discover the easy way to make yourself stand out from others. How to become an expert in your field; How to write a better resume; How to write a personal press release; How to accomplish things no one else is doing and to get people to think about you in ways they have not thought before and much more including critical checklists for those important business meetings.

Management hack: The sweet spot of delegation

2007-01-15T09:54:00.000+09:00

Delegation has a sweet spot and it lies somewhere between the tightfisted grip of the control freak who can’t give anything away, and the lackadaisical absentee manager who won’t accept responsibility. Somewhere in there is a place where a manager can offer a chance for expanded responsibilities, with a safety net. It’s the place where an employee can broaden their experience and know that failure is an option. As a manager, that’s what I aim for.

Delgation defined Delegation happens when a manager offers an employee an opportunity take on a task or project. Delgation is an offer, not a demand. Managers can delegate a lot of their work (in theory, at least), but they can’t give away their ultimate responsibility for that work. Managers can bestow certain authorities, but they can’t pass off their responsibilities. Delgation isn’t the same as assignment, and that throws some folks for a loop. Since assignments are part of the job description, they can’t really be turned down (though they can certainly be botched on purpose). Delegated tasks are tasks that are part of the manager’s job description, though, so employees ought to know that they really can consider turning down delegated tasks.

Strategies Let’s look for a moment at the idea of turning down a delegated task. If you’ve got a good manager and you enjoy your work, you probably won’t turn down an offer of delegation because you know it means more fun work and it only raises your profile. In my opinion, there aren’t many times when it’s a good idea to turn down a delegated task. The more likely scenario is that you can renegotiate the task. You may see that you’re being asked to do only a portion of what needs to be done. This can often be a path to failure if your portion is dependant upon another person’s outcome and there aren’t clearly defined feedback channels (there usually aren’t). Consider asking for the whole task or process rather than a slice of it. Conversely, you may see that you’re being asked to do something for which there are no obvious supporting resources. Probably worth negotiating those in, or at least brainstorming with your boss about how to bootstrap the project.

If you’ve got the control freak manager, then you probably won’t get anything delegated to you, but in the unlikely event that you do, and you accept it, you’ll be on a leash the whole time. The best strategy here is to set up a firm front-end agreement as to the outcome, resources and timeline. Also set up regular review meetings, no more frequently than weekly, though the exact timing will depend upon the nature of the project and just how controlling your manager is. The idea here is to provide the control freak manager with sufficient external controls that they feel comfortable letting go. If they keep bugging you, just remind them of the agreeement and let them know that the two of you can discuss things at the next regularly scheduled review.

If you’ve got a manager who tends toward the absentee side of the spectrum, the strategy is essentially the same, though the emphasis is heavier on the regular review meetings. Again, the timing of the meetings ought to be tied to your specific project and your manager’s disposition. Unlike the micromanager scenario, reviews with the absentee manager are more for your own peace of mind than for theirs. You’ll want to give them a brief update on progress and roadblocks. You’ll probably be doing a lot of “managing up” so you’ll want to be sure your follow-up is flawless. The tried and true, “death by next action” technique is well served here. If you’ve got a next step that’s hung up on your manager’s to-do list, just keep sending friendly reminders via email, with increasing frequency and urgency, until the task gets done, or the project blows up.

If you’re the manager and you’re overloaded, delegation ought to be one of your first considerations. Take a look around at staff and determine whose skills and interests most closely match the project or task at hand. Resist the temptation to pass it to the person who has been the most competent over time, or with whom you communicate most easily. Look hard and objectively at what people are good at. A huge part of a manager’s job is helping people develop new skills and fine tune old ones–don’t take the easy way out.

If you sense resistance to the offer of delegation, explore it. On the surface, the employee is probably pointing at the clock and saying they don’t have time for this. A little deeper examination might reveal a little bit of fear. Maybe it’s a simple fear of failure, maybe they don’t want you to know they don’t really understand the task, or maybe they don’t believe there are sufficient resources available. The “time excuse” usually doesn’t hold water, but be open to the possibility that it might. If this is really the right person for the job, look at ways you can clear their plate for a while, or perhaps delay the delagated task until they’re able to clear the decks. Don’t be vague in this conversation, though. Set clear benchmarks and goals for clearing the decks, just as you would (right?) for the delegated task itself.

The manager’s risks of delegation I don’t pretend to know all the risks associated with delegation, but there are a few obvious ones. Following are descriptions of the risks and their associated antidotes.

Coming from a blog with a name like Slacker Manager, the first and most obvious risk is that people will think you’re just trying to dodge your responsibilities by delegating everything away. Antidote: be clear about the fact that you’re sharing responsibility. You (the manager) will maintain as much communication as needed throughout the life of the delegated task. All success will be theirs. You’d like to say all failure will be yours, but that isn’t always true. If they make some really boneheaded decisions, you’ll both suffer. Otherwise, you can take the heat for their learning curve.

Another risk is that you’ll end up with yet another project to manage. Antidote: don’t fall into this trap. Hold on loosely. Keep an eye on things, have regular check-ins, but don’t hover like a den mother. You don’t need another project to manage, and they don’t need a micromanager breathing down their neck.

A related risk is that you’ll lose control of [insert your fear here]. Antidote: Get over it. You’ve got a job title that ensures your responsibilities. There should never be a question of who owns what. If there ever is a question, then it’s time for a hard conversation with either the person who reports to you, or between you and your boss. If it’s between you and your boss, bring a copy of your job description to the conversation. Go in with the best intentions, but get your resume polished up.

Failure is a reasonable risk. Antidote: Failure happens and by now all enlightened managers ought to understand that evidence of failure indicates a willingness to innovate. Doesn’t make it any easier to accept failures, but at least you know you and your folks are planting seeds for future success. Don’t fear failure; face it, measure it, fix the problems that caused it and keep on keeping on.

General delegation tips for managers

Set context. When delegating, setting context is a great idea. Let folks know why this is important, how it’s good for them and how it’s good for others.
Individualize. Don’t delegate willy nilly. Assess the skills of the folks available and match tasks to skills.
Remember responsibility. Don’t forget that the responsibility for the task or project ultimately belongs to you.
Accept the risks. ‘Nuff said.
General tips for delegatees

Negotiate the delgation. Make sure you have sufficient information, authority and resources; negotiate when needed.
Consider saying no. There can be legitimate times when it’s not appropriate for you to accept delegated tasks. It’s rare, though, so tread lightly here.
Meet regularly. This is easy to let slide, so be aware. Regular meetings not only ensure you and your boss are on the same page, it also alerts you to changes on the landscape of your project. This is notice you might not get anywhere else.

Delegating Responsibility

2007-01-15T08:37:00.000+09:00

Delegation and Empowerment

2007-01-12T08:26:00.000+09:00

When you delegate tasks or processes, you transfer a certain level of freedom in how the tasks are to be handled. These levels range from simply giving instructions to be followed right through to handing over a complete project that then becomes part of the person's job description.

But how do you decide? Here are three measures you can use:

1. The level of experience of the person to whom you are delegating. How much experience does this person have with the company? With the department? How familiar are they with the work involved? Have they had a chance to see you, or someone else, carry the task through so that they have some idea of what will be involved? Someone who is totally inexperienced in the area may still be able to do it, but they will need more supervision and the level of delegation will be at the lower end of the scale.

2. Proven reliability. Some people always come through. If they promise something by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, you can set your watch by its arrival. This is a very desirable trait in an employee, and one you should encourage and develop. With this person, you will still follow the delegation process including timelines and benchmark reporting dates, but you'll have more confidence in them being met.

3. How critical is the task? If a lot is riding on the success of the task, you should weigh the first two points carefully because your choice of person may well be the difference between success and failure. Test people with less critical tasks at first, and as they prove themselves worthy of your trust, move them up the delegation levels.

One of the great benefits of effective delegation is the empowerment of employees, but success or failure can depend on handing over just the right amount of freedom with the task. Use these three guidelines to help you delegate each task at the most appropriate level.

Delegating Responsibility

2007-01-11T08:31:00.000+09:00

Properly delegating responsibility and work does a lot more than make your life as a leader or manager easier. It builds teamwork, increases efficiency, develops careers, raises morale and boosts productivity. But it is not always easy to do. However, the skills necessary to become better at delegating can be learned.

Think about the following philosophy from Mort Meyerson, former CEO, Perot Systems from the article titled "Everything I Thought I Knew About Leadership Is Wrong," Fast Company, April 1996:

"The … job of the leader is to pick the right people to be part of the organization and to create an environment where those people can succeed. That means encouraging others to help develop the strategy and grow the philosophy of the company. It means more collaboration and teamwork among people at every level of the company. I am now a coach, not an executive. When people ask me for a decision, I pick up a mirror, hold it up for them to look into, and tell them: Look to yourselves and look to the team, don't look to me."

Far too many CEOs are reluctant to let go of day-to-day control of their businesses. Letting go can be very hard. The same character traits that led the CEO to found the organization or build it into its present-day success can work against the need to relinquish authority to other qualified individuals. What's the answer? Many leading business experts say the best way to become comfortable with delegating responsibility is surrounding yourself with the best people you can find - people whose abilities you value and respect. With a strong management team in place, it's foolish, even self-destructive, not to take full advantage of their skills and abilities. Make sure you employ people whose beliefs are aligned with yours. After that, the guiding principle is simple: hire the best and fire the rest. When people understand that great things are expected of them, they usually rise to the occasion. High expectations challenge people to live up to the best they can do - and they work hard to meet those expectations. Sometimes employees need to be coached into accepting responsibility. One way is cultivating their ownership of the organization - its goals, ideas, etc. Have them serve on a results-oriented team and participate in making key decisions. Give them a vision and sense of purpose that truly excites them.

Another technique is allowing others to fail in small ways, while they build the expertise needed for big victories. Don't expect perfection; instead, expect the individual to strive for perfection. Some element of risk-taking is involved whenever a leader delegates responsibility. Strong leaders applaud employees who fail constructively, understanding that this is a necessary step toward success. They also cheer on employees as they grow more capable of accepting responsibility.

Proper delegation creates a team spirit and helps you accomplish much more than if you try to work alone. Try the following tips adapted from “Time Tactics of Very Successful People,” by B. Eugene Greissman.

Pick people who can accept responsibility. Surround yourself with the best.
Try to match the person to the task. Try to delegate assignments that will capitalize on the person’s talents.
Remember that the person performing the task may not do it as well as you do it. Don’t be tempted to take over the project. Weigh the time you might lose at first against the time you’ll save in the long run.
Build the person’s confidence by first assigning low-risk projects.
Let those who are delegated work put their own spin on the assignment. Their way may be better. Be sure to listen to their ideas.
When communicating a task, use words that are easily understood. A good idea: Dictate the instructions on a cassette or write them out so the person can recheck the message.
Keep tabs on what you delegate. As the deadline nears, check to make sure that everything is on target.
Give a due date for the assignment and explain how this assignment relates to other priorities.
Effective leaders understand intuitively that there is more than one way to complete a project. After delegating responsibility, they avoid questioning, analyzing and second-guessing each decision made or action taken by the person they've put in charge.

Most employees want more responsibility. Remember, new assignments should help staffers gain needed experience and add to their inventory of skills, not just result in more work. Take the time today and commit to becoming better at delegating responsibility and work. It’s a great way to develop your staff and free up some time in your schedule.

How do I delegate better?

2007-01-10T12:24:00.000+09:00

Lots of bosses are good at dumping, but not at delegating, essentially off-loading the things they don't like to do and dropping assignments on their subordinates. Good delegation is based on knowledge of the subordinate and the work to be done.

Lots of bosses and books make "delegation" a magical process, almost separate from supervision. It's not, it's an integral part of the supervision process, among the four basic options you when you ask a subordinate to do a piece of work. Here they are in order from most controlling to least controlling.

Make the decisions about what is to be done and tell folks what to do.
Discuss the work with your subordinate, but make the final decision.
Discuss the work with your subordinate, and then let them decide what to do.
Give them the assignment and ask what they need from you.
In my programs, I teach that the way you decide which of those options to use is to use a simple process that you can remember with the acronym AW, GOSH. Here's what those letters stand for.

A stands for ability. Do they have the ability to do the job? If they don't have the skills or resources, then you have either a training or resource issue, not a supervision issue.

M stands for motivation. Do they willingly do work that they've been given? If they have the ability and they are motivated, you can go all the way to my least controlling option. Most of the time, though you don't go that far.

The comma(,) is to indicate that the two factors above are the most important ones. The following factors may affect how you handle a specific situation, but they aren't nearly as important as your judgment about Ability and Willingness.

G stands for growth. If I let go a bit more, will it help this person grow and be an even better worker in the long term?

O stands for organization. Are there any rules or regulations that might cause me to modify my original decision?

S stands for situation. If the situation is dangerous you may want to retain more control. If it allows for safety and for the person to fail (but not horribly) then you can loosen up a bit.

H stands for "How will this affect others?" Will this set a precedent? Will it be perceived as fair? Does it set a good example?

Author - Wally Bock

The Fine Art of Delegation

2007-01-10T09:22:00.000+09:00

In today's busy world, one of the best ways to get more time for those top-priority projects is by delegating some of the lower-priority work to someone else. (If you're able to eliminate it, that's even better.)

Now, I don't know about you, but many people are reluctant or afraid to delegate some of their work.

Do any of these reasons sound familiar?

* Nobody can do this work as well as I can.

* If I delegate this work, there's no guarantee that it'll get done properly.

* If someone else does this better than I do, my job may no longer be secure.

* I don't have time to teach someone else how to do it.

* I want to be seen as a nice guy, not a slave driver.

You're Part Of A Team

When we try to help each other out, it's called teamwork. In a well-run organization, everyone works together as a team.

Different jobs are performed by different team members and there are various levels of authority and responsibility. But the team was formed for one purpose: to get the job done successfully and help everybody go home a winner.

Think of yourself as a member of a team and you'll have a lot less trouble with the concept of delegating.

Ten Delegating Tips

Here are ten delegating tips that will save your time and get you the help you need:

1. Ask for help, don't demand.

2. Make sure the person has a clear picture of the purpose of any delegated work and knows what kind of results you expect. Take the time to talk it through, explaining specifically what you're looking for. Encourage questions.

3. Give the person all the information and other resources they'll need to complete the project.

4. Set a realistic deadline that's agreeable and workable for both of you.

5. Keep yourself available for questions and when necessary, ask for periodic progress reports.

6. Don't assume a person will be able to complete a delegated task without any additional help or assistance from you.

7. Never give a person a task you yourself aren't familiar with. And, don't toss a pile of papers on somebody's desk at 5 PM and say, "I want this done by tomorrow morning." This can be grounds for mutiny.

8. Give the person the opportunity to be imaginative and take the initiative.

9. If you feel the job is being done poorly or incorrectly, pitch in and help. Take the time to teach the person how to do it the correct way.

10. When the project has been completed, give lots of praise and credit for a job well done.

Keep Track Of Delegated Work

Delegating a job to someone else doesn't mean you can forget about it. Put the person's initials next to the item on your things to-do list and enter the deadline you've both agreed upon on your calendar.

Don't cross that job off your list until it's been successfully completed.

If you're delegating a part of a larger project, you need to make doubly sure that the work is completed on time; otherwise the whole project may be delayed.

Delegating is a confidence builder, for both the delegatee and the delegator. With practice you'll gain confidence in your own ability to delegate and in your colleagues ability to complete the work.

Your colleagues will become more sure of their ability to handle the job. And you will both feel the satisfaction of making an important contribution to your team - and to the success of your company.

The ability to delegate effectively has a double payoff. You'll save time, which you can spend on other important projects, and you'll send a signal to your colleagues and superiors that you're an effective manager of your time and an excellent team player. . . maybe even captain material.

Successful Delegation

2007-01-09T09:34:00.000+09:00

Even "Super-You" needs help and support. There is no shame in asking for assistance. Push aside the pride and show respect for the talent others can bring to the table.

And, remember that there is no such thing as a single-handed success: When you include and acknowledge all those in your corner, you propel yourself, your teammates and your supporters to greater heights.

– Author Unknown

Prepare to Delegate Effectively

Prior to delegating, you need to think some important things through.

The specifics of the task or job to be delegated.
The experience, knowledge and skills of the individual as they apply to the delegated task.
How this person works best (including what he or she wants from his or her job, how he or she views the work, and so on.)
The current workload of this person.
The project’s timelines/deadlines, including:
a) How much time is there available to do the job?
b) Is there time to redo the job if it’s not done properly the first time?
c) What are the consequences of not completing the job on time?
Resources for this person as he/she works to complete the task.
Your expectations or goals for the project or task(s), including:
a) How important is it that the results are of the highest possible quality?
b) Is an “adequate” result good enough?
c) Would a failure be crucial?
d) How much would failure impact other things?
The role you play as the person who is delegating in ensuring the project’s success, through ongoing monitoring, support, coaching, the providing of resources, and so on.
Appropriate mechanisms for controlling the project: For example, precisely when should you set checkpoints and report-backs to make sure that things are going smoothly?

In thoroughly considering these key points prior to delegating, you will find that you will delegate more successfully.

Delegating Authority

2007-01-09T08:24:00.000+09:00

Delegating to Employees

2007-01-08T16:13:00.000+09:00

Delegating is a critical skill for supervisors. Delegating involves working with an employee to establish goals, granting them sufficient authority and responsibility to achieve the goals, often giving them substantial freedom in deciding how the goals will be achieved, remaining available as a resource to help them achieve the goals, assessing their performance (the quality of their effort and attainment of the goals), addressing performance issues and/or rewarding their performance. Ultimately, the supervisor retains responsibility for the attainment of the goals, but chooses to achieve the goals by delegating to someone else.

Delegation can sometimes be a major challenge for new supervisors to learn because they are concerned about giving up control or struggle to have confidence in the abilities of others. Supervisors that can effectively delegate can free up a great deal of their own time, help their direct reports to cultivate expertise in learning, and can develop their own leadership skills -- skills that are critical for problem solving, goal attainment and learning.

Delegating For Results

2007-01-08T07:58:00.001+09:00

Disclosure Policy

2007-01-01T09:19:00.000+09:00

This policy is valid from 1st January 2007

This blog is a collaborative blog written by a group of individuals.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

Disclosure Policys are a great idea, as they let the blogs readership know exactly what is behind the content and resaoning for the blog entries. I feel that this is a way of letting my readers know exactly what they will find on my blog site, the moral code I operate this blogsite by, and why I endorse and select the PayPerPost articles that I choose. I can now say what influences me on choosing these posts, and that the comments applied to these posts are those that are 100% my own. I am not being payed to endorse a product, I will only comment on it based on my personal opinion.

This Policy was created using Disclosure Policy Generator

Delegating Authority

2006-12-19T10:30:00.000+09:00

How Am I at Delegating

2006-12-18T08:29:00.000+09:00

Direction: Answer “Yes” or “No” to each statement.

1. I have a clear visual flowchart for my team and everybody knows his/her roles on the team.
2. I know the best and highest use of my time and my role in the company and the team flowchart reflect that.
3. I take time to provide the details to my team members and make sure they understand what their tasks are, why they are given and by when they need to be completed.
4. I train my team members and provide the support they need with time, guidance and resources to help them be successful in their role.
5. I closely supervise their authority and make sure they have adequate authority to go with their responsibilities.
6. My team members feel that they can approach me as soon as they feel that the tasks have unforeseen challenges or there are changes that need my input.
7. I hold meetings on a regular basis with my team members to monitor their progress and provide further guidance.
8. I make sure that my team members feel accountable for the results. Initially with new team members, I hold them accountable for activity and improving skills. For senior and experienced team members, I hold them accountable to results more often than activity and skills.
9. I have a reward system in place to assist and encourage team members.
10. My team members view delegation as an opportunity for growth and success.

Analyzing Your Answers: How Am I at Delegating?

If you answered “Yes” to 7 or more:
You are close to getting your team to do 75% or more of your work!

If you answered “No”, find out what “No” means to each statement:

1. You rarely delegate or delegate without a systematic approach. You basically delegate whenever you are overwhelmed or don’t want to be responsible for a task.
2. You are easily distracted and you are likely to be more active than productive. You have not identified leveraging use of your time.
3. You believe that delegation simply means telling people what you want done and expect them to figure out what steps they should take. The result is that most of the tasks delegated do not get done on time and do not meet your standards. Quite often the person may end up spending time on unproductive tasks and may have difficulty in matching with your priorities.
4. You also assume that everybody is a self-starter and needs little or no support to complete the required tasks. They may seek you out when needed. This could result in being frequently interrupted for small tasks.
5. This may result in people being stuck waiting for your approval before taking the next step. This usually leaves people feeling frustrated as they could be more productive if they had the required authority. This usually is a sign of micro-management.
6. This usually happens when you put too much emphasis on results and have a tendency to embarrass people when they do not get the task done properly. The culture is more about punishment in making mistakes rather than supporting to try and improve.
7. You believe in “no news is good news” – just the opposite of what is true in management. This is also a sign of a manager who is looking to abdicate his role in supporting the team. Usually this manager “barks orders and leaves.” When the task is not done, “barks more orders and leaves.” This manager lives in blame mode.
8. You may be weak in upholding the standards and quite often are more interested in being liked than empowering people to get the job done. This also reinforces the belief that it is better to produce than manage producers and staff. You may become paranoid about your ability to manage instead of finding ways to improve your skills.
9. You may be too focused on getting the job done without focusing on what the motivators are for the staff. People may feel burnt out or may feel unappreciated.
10. You may be more focused on you and the company goals instead of taking better care of the people. You may feel that people are usually not motivated and need to be dragged to the finish line. You may also have people who are not the best fit for their roles. You may not be a good listener and may be failing to bring out the best in your people.

The Art of Delegating

2006-12-15T11:57:00.000+09:00

Delegation is a skill of which we have all heard - but which few understand. It can be used either as an excuse for dumping failure onto the shoulders of subordinates, or as a dynamic tool for motivating and training your team to realize their full potential

- Gerard M Blair

Delegating Responsibility and Work

2006-12-15T08:51:00.000+09:00

Properly delegating responsibility and work does a lot more than make your life as a leader or manager easier. It builds teamwork, increases efficiency, develops careers, raises morale and boosts productivity. But it is not always easy to do. However, the skills necessary to become better at delegating can be learned.

Think about the following philosophy from Mort Meyerson, former CEO, Perot Systems from the article titled "Everything I Thought I Knew About Leadership Is Wrong," Fast Company, April 1996:

"The … job of the leader is to pick the right people to be part of the organization and to create an environment where those people can succeed. That means encouraging others to help develop the strategy and grow the philosophy of the company. It means more collaboration and teamwork among people at every level of the company. I am now a coach, not an executive. When people ask me for a decision, I pick up a mirror, hold it up for them to look into, and tell them: Look to yourselves and look to the team, don't look to me."
Far too many CEOs are reluctant to let go of day-to-day control of their businesses. Letting go can be very hard. The same character traits that led the CEO to found the organization or build it into its present-day success can work against the need to relinquish authority to other qualified individuals. What's the answer? Many leading business experts say the best way to become comfortable with delegating responsibility is surrounding yourself with the best people you can find - people whose abilities you value and respect. With a strong management team in place, it's foolish, even self-destructive, not to take full advantage of their skills and abilities. Make sure you employ people whose beliefs are aligned with yours. After that, the guiding principle is simple: hire the best and fire the rest. When people understand that great things are expected of them, they usually rise to the occasion. High expectations challenge people to live up to the best they can do - and they work hard to meet those expectations. Sometimes employees need to be coached into accepting responsibility. One way is cultivating their ownership of the organization - its goals, ideas, etc. Have them serve on a results-oriented team and participate in making key decisions. Give them a vision and sense of purpose that truly excites them.

Another technique is allowing others to fail in small ways, while they build the expertise needed for big victories. Don't expect perfection; instead, expect the individual to strive for perfection. Some element of risk-taking is involved whenever a leader delegates responsibility. Strong leaders applaud employees who fail constructively, understanding that this is a necessary step toward success. They also cheer on employees as they grow more capable of accepting responsibility.

Proper delegation creates a team spirit and helps you accomplish much more than if you try to work alone. Try the following tips adapted from “Time Tactics of Very Successful People,” by B. Eugene Greissman.

Pick people who can accept responsibility. Surround yourself with the best.
Try to match the person to the task. Try to delegate assignments that will capitalize on the person’s talents.
Remember that the person performing the task may not do it as well as you do it. Don’t be tempted to take over the project. Weigh the time you might lose at first against the time you’ll save in the long run.
Build the person’s confidence by first assigning low-risk projects.
Let those who are delegated work put their own spin on the assignment. Their way may be better. Be sure to listen to their ideas.
When communicating a task, use words that are easily understood. A good idea: Dictate the instructions on a cassette or write them out so the person can recheck the message.
Keep tabs on what you delegate. As the deadline nears, check to make sure that everything is on target.
Give a due date for the assignment and explain how this assignment relates to other priorities.
Effective leaders understand intuitively that there is more than one way to complete a project. After delegating responsibility, they avoid questioning, analyzing and second-guessing each decision made or action taken by the person they've put in charge.

Most employees want more responsibility. Remember, new assignments should help staffers gain needed experience and add to their inventory of skills, not just result in more work. Take the time today and commit to becoming better at delegating responsibility and work. It’s a great way to develop your staff and free up some time in your schedule.

Gift Appreciation

2006-12-14T10:13:00.000+09:00

How to delegate

2006-12-14T08:41:00.000+09:00

Is your workload piling up? Many business owners don't delegate for fear of a task being done wrong. Learn effective delegating; how to get work done better by having someone else do it.

You've made an unusual discovery - there's not enough time left at the end of the day. The corollary, of course, is your list of important things to do never gets smaller. In any company, the CEO's to-do list has the potential to grow infinitely.

What's a senior executive to do?

This is not simply a personal problem. Your company's future depends on what you do next. As you drive your organization beyond its current plateau, you must change the way you relate to your work. There are three stages to making the transition from chief-cook-and-bottle-washer (CC&BW) to CEO (source of the management and direction of the business). They are:

Understanding your highest value contribution to your company and focusing on that role.

Recognizing your position as a leader and owning the job.

Delegating everything else, and holding others accountable.
Previous articles, Time Well Spent, deals with transition one; Visions of Leadership addresses transition two. This article examines the problem of delegation - giving the work away.

The Issue

You have doubtlessly concluded your next level of company performance requires a managerial change. And hopefully, you have realized the changes necessary are with you. As CEO (or, on a divisional or departmental level - senior executive) your jobs include holding the vision; inspiring your senior management and your staff; fostering key relationships with customers, vendors, investors and the public, etc.

You now need to let go of some cherished things like product design, hiring, perhaps day-to-day sales - many things you handled in the past, often out of necessity - and focus yourself on your role as CEO. What about all these things you used to do? Delegate them. Assign the job to someone else. This doesn't sound like a big deal, why write a whole article on it?

Do you delegate? Of course you do. But do you delegate the important things? The things you "know" you could do better? The things you are "best" at? Probably not. The question is, should you?

Your highest value contribution

Think about your highest value contribution to your company. Which of your activities generate the most revenue, profit, market share, etc.? Where do you get the most bang for the buck? Like most chief executives, your greatest leverage is in mobilizing the forces around you - your senior staff and your employees, plus key customers, prospects and vendors. Everything else becomes secondary to that in terms of impact.

So the answer is yes. You should give away even the things you are "best" at. And then make sure they are done right. Make sure they are up to spec and delivered on time.

The cost of holding on

Now, the thorny part. Many executives refrain from delegating responsibilities they've labeled "critical". They fear the job won't be done correctly. Or no one else can do it as quickly, and it won't get done on time. Or the right attention won't be paid. Or something. Or something else.

Give it up! The growth of your organization will be stifled to the extent that you hold on to critical functions. Your company will suffer in the exact areas where you think you are the expert!

Product design? You hold up the development of a key component, because you are the expert, yet you are away at a customer meeting. Staffing? Two engineers can't be hired because you haven't signed off and are out of town at a meeting with investment bankers. Sales? Negotiations on an important deal are held up because you are in Asia meeting with a vendor.

You become the choke point on each of these vital functions. And you feel - of course - "I have to be involved." No you don't. To the exact degree you have not developed your staff to assume these functions, the growth of your company will be retarded.

Aside from fear the job won't be done as well, there is another, more insidious reason senior executives (particularly entrepreneurs) do not delegate. If you aren't doing the "important" stuff, you become redundant. Dead weight. Overhead. If you have a great VP of Sales, or a Chief Technologist, what will you do?

You feel this way because you haven't completed transitions one and two: you haven't taken the trouble of understanding how you personally create value in your company, and you haven't fully assumed the role of leader. Once you make these transitions, you won't have time for the rest. Delegation, not abdication.

Many executives delegate like this. They say, "John, would you take on this project? It has to be done by next Thursday. Thanks." That's it. Then, when the job comes back incomplete, they are infuriated. What happened? They left out accountability. They neglected the structure for making sure things happened according to plan.

There are four components to successful delegation.

1. Give the job to someone who can get it done.

This doesn't mean that person has all the skills for execution, but that they are able to martial the right resources. Sometimes the first step in the project will be education. Maybe your delegate has to attend a seminar or take a course to get up to speed.

2. Communicate precise conditions of satisfaction.

Timeframe, outcomes, budget constraints, etc.; all must be spelled out. Anything less creates conditions for failure. It's like the old story about basketball - without nets the players don't know where to shoot the ball.

3. Work out a plan.

Depending on the project's complexity, the first step may be creation of a plan. The plan should include resources, approach or methodology, timeline, measures and milestones. Even simple projects require a plan. 4. Set up a structure for accountability.

If the project is to take place over the next six weeks, schedule an interim meeting two weeks from now. Or establish a weekly conference call, or an e-mailed status report. Provide some mechanism where you can jointly evaluate progress and make mid-course corrections. This helps keep the project, and the people, on track.

4. Get buy in.

Often timeframes are dictated by external circumstances. Still, your delegate must sign on for the task at hand. If you say, "This must be done by next Tuesday," they have to agree that it is possible. Ask instead. "Can you have this by Tuesday?" To you this may seem a bit remedial, but the step is often overlooked. Whenever possible, have your delegate set the timeline and create the plan. You need only provide guidance and sign off. As General Patton said, "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."

If you skip any one of the above steps, you dramatically reduce the likelihood things will turn out the way you want them to. On the other hand, if you rigorously follow the steps, you greatly increase the odds in your favor. Isn't this more work than doing it myself, you ask. No - it isn't.

The time it takes to

establish the goals,
review the plan, and
monitor the progress,
is not equal to the time it takes to execute. That is how you gain leverage. This is how you multiply your efforts.

(Occasionally it does take longer to communicate something than to do it yourself. Delegate it anyway. The next time will be easier.)

Above, I've referred to projects. This is not to say delegation is reserved for discrete tasks and problems. You also delegate ongoing functions. The process is the same in each case.

As an exercise, ask yourself, what am I unwilling to delegate? Make a list of the reasons why not. (Use our worksheet to identify projects and functions to delegate. E-mail for a free copy.) Identify the best person in your organization - not you - to take on this project or function. Then call a meeting. Begin the meeting with step one, above.

If there is no one to whom you can give away key functions, you have to look carefully at your staff situation. It may be time to hire the right people. If you don't have the revenues to support the staff additions, consider what is restraining your growth.

Review your relationship with your assistant or secretary. Have you let them take on there fair share of the workload? Are you giving them sufficiently sophisticated work to do? Are they ready to upgrade?

Some situations call for you to dive back in. Perhaps you are the only one in your company with some particular technical knowledge, or your insight will accelerate the design process, or you have the long-standing relationship with a vendor or customer. Go ahead, dive. Do your thing - briefly, complete the project and resume your leadership position.

Oh, one more thing.

The only point to delegating something is if it frees you for things which create greater value for your company. Don't give away the hiring function if you are spending your time fiddling with the corporate web site. Don't hire a Sales VP, if you are spending your time on purchasing. The greatest leverage you have is in leading your company. Lavish your time on that.

Delegation

2006-12-13T15:00:00.000+09:00

"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it."

- Theodore Roosevelt

Time To Manage Time

2006-12-13T08:44:00.000+09:00

How do I find the balance in getting and keeping control of multiple projects and prioritizing job demands?

In the midst of the chaos of today’s ever-changing business world, we need effective skills to help manage the sometimes overwhelming amount of projects we face day-to-day while still maintaining our ability to lead teams and finish our own work agendas.

Does your desk and workspace look as if a tornado has blown through and then distributed all of the contents in a full and random way over everything resembling a flat surface? If you are like most people, the part of their office otherwise known as a work desk hourly experience major upheavals when it comes to projects, reports, folders, data, and binders all sprinkled with Post-ItÔ notes so thick it looks like confetti. The key to resolving this mess and effectively managing multiple objectives lies in taking some time to prioritize deadlines, to-do lists, and keeping your boss happy.

First, let’s get a simple plan to manage competing priorities. Ask yourself the following four questions regarding the projects you are working on right now: what is important and urgent? What is important but not urgent? What is not important but urgent? What is not important and not urgent? From here build a simple list of what projects should come first based on your above responses. One critical thing to consider here: make sure you are addressing FIRST the things your boss considers important when developing this list. In the light of job security, this is an easy way to keep your boss happy and give you one less thing to worry about!

Second, let’s get a strategy to organize the day. Consider spending the first 20-30 minutes everyday to plan what needs to get done. Next build two unscheduled, 30-minute times into everyday to deal with “surprises” and anything else your boss, co-workers, or the job will throw at you. This amounts to about ten percent of a typical day but it sure helps! On a similar note, spend the last fifteen minutes of everyday going through the list you created for the day. If you did everything – great! If not, plan on moving the unfinished things to the top of the list the next day. Leaving the office with even a rough plan of attack for the next day can be tremendously relieving.

Next, consider doing two simple, five-minute tasks that you have been procrastinating everyday. This will help you get through the “small things” that have been building up so that they now seem overwhelming.

Finally, always keep in mind that planning your work is helpful only when you work the plan you have created. At some point, we have to jump into the prioritized list we have created and go to it. I like to point to a movie metaphor for the easiest way to do this: In the movie, What About Bob? Bob (played by Bill Murray) regularly experiences anxiety about doing anything at all and his success comes finally from him taking “baby steps” with everything he does from getting out of bed to going to the grocery store. We can use the same strategy everyday! Simply take baby steps with each project until it is complete and enjoy the satisfaction of getting it done.

The Four Level Rule

2006-12-12T12:19:00.000+09:00

Delegation is a subtle, yet vital art in business. It can work very effectively for you - but only if you use it well. And use it for the benefit of all involved. There is a vital 'ground rule' that you must accommodate. And that's around a clear 'level of authority' to act...

Most business owners, managers and executives who are successful have a clear strategy for making the most of their own skills. To quote Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyJet, the originator of no-frills short-haul airlines in Europe, in their latest in-flight magazine:-

"They find out what they're good at and delegate the rest."

Nothing too amazing there then. Yet so many bosses fail to do this. They sit on stuff they aren't good at for all sorts of reasons, and key actions are performed late, or badly, or worst of all, never get done at all.

Delegation through your people effectively resolves this. Yet you need to ensure that they have the skills that you haven't (which means that you creatively recruit people who can).

These people are capable of learning the stuff you want to delegate and even improve it, with their own particular capabilities, to deliver it better than you could yourself.

But they need help in getting this right. Picture something delegated, in the middle of a meeting, without clear understanding around how far they can go.

Do they think about it and take action?

Do they always check with you - which isn't going to be very effective at all, is it?.

Or do they take a special interest in the shine on their shoes, every time you start looking round for some help.

So, here are four sizes of delegation you can cut to fit both individuals and circumstances. You tell them that they judge each issue by the following 'levels of authority':-

Level One

You make every decision in this area and deliver it without reference to me (the boss) (leaf).

Level Two

You make every decision on this and inform me as you take action (branch).

Level Three

You make decisions and discuss with me before you take action (trunk).

Level Four

Decisions in this area are so vital that we take decisions together after debate, before any action is taken (root).

The descriptions at the end of each line come from Susan Scott's excellent, if fearsome book Fierce Conversations. If you have a series of decisions you can take at leaf level, then they aren't going to be too disastrous if they go wrong (leaf falls off - not the end of the world). Up to root - where a mistake here can easily be life-threatening. It's a neat analogy.

For the boss, these levels give some degree of safety and analysis of a persons capabilities to make the right decisions. For the individual, they know how far they are permitted to go in an issue. This builds trust and confidence.

They also know the whole series of levels (the whole tree) exists and that they will be able to achieve a higher level if they show they can get this one right. Hugely rewarding and stimulating.

Having a boss who takes the care to set this up clearly also means, frankly, that they are probably setting up their individual employees to succeed and so will be around them as they need help and guidance (some might call it coaching!).

And a boss who is able to delegate a chunk of their work to people who may well be able to do it better and to grow their capabilities and confidence is the ultimate win-win.

Ah yes. And the business grows. What with all these employees growing in their skillset and confidence and with a boss who is working at peak, in a focused way, using his or her true strengths to the max.

The Steps of Successful Delegation

2006-12-12T11:52:00.000+09:00

1 Define the task
Confirm in your own mind that the task is suitable to be delegated. Does it meet the criteria for delegating?

2 Select the individual or team
What are your reasons for delegating to this person or team? What are they going to get out of it? What are you going to get out of it?

3 Assess ability and training needs
Is the other person or mpeople capable of doing the task? Do they understand what needs to be done. If not, you can't delegate.

4 Explain the reasons
You must explain why the job or responsibility is being delegated. And why to that person or people? What is its importance and relevance? Where does it fit in the overall scheme of things?

5 State required results
What must be achieved? Clarify understanding by getting feedback from the other person. How will the task be measured? Make sure they know how you intend to decide that the job is being successfully done.

6 Consider resources required
Discuss and agree what is required to get the job done. Consider people, location, premises, equipment, money, materials, other related activities and services.

7 Agree deadlines
When must the job be finished? Or if an ongoing duty, when are the review dates? When are the reports due? And if the task is complex and has parts or stages, what are the priorities?
At this point you may need to confirm understanding with the other person of the previous points, getting ideas and interpretation. As well as showing you that the job can be done, this helps to reinforce commitment.

Methods of checking and controlling must be agreed with the other person. Failing to agree this in advance will cause this monitoring to seem like interference or lack of trust.

8 Support and communicate
Think about who else needs to know what's going on, and inform them. Involve the other person in considering this so they can see beyond the issue at hand. Do not leave the person to inform your own peers of their new responsibility. Warn the person about any awkward matters of politics or protocol. Inform your own boss if the task is important, and of sufficient profile.

9 Feedback on results
It is essential to let the person know how they are doing, and whether they have achieved their aims. If not, you must review with them why things did not go to plan, and deal with the problems. You must absorb the consequences of failure, and pass on the credit for success.