Tag Archives: tasks

Four strategies for expecting the unexpected

Posted on by
Reply

Stuff happens. You pull out of the garage on your way to work, already thinking of what you need to do once you arrive. Suddenly, WHAM! You’ve sideswiped the huge dumpster that the contractor left in the driveway in preparation for an upcoming roof replacement.

We are creatures of habit, and when we introduce an unfamiliar thing (the dumpster) in a habit-laden situation (backing out of garage), problems often happen. How can you be more prepared for unexpected occurrences in all aspects of life?

Build in time. Pretend that you have to leave home ten minutes earlier than you really do. That will give you time to breathe and focus. You’ll be more likely to see that dumpster (or child or bike) and react appropriately. Set project deadlines similarly; “finish” the product, step away for a day and then tweak it with fresh eyes. You’ll be astounded at the errors you’ll find and improvements you can make when you’re not under the gun.

Add steps to your habit. Examine your habits for shortcuts. Instead of opening the garage door, getting in the car, fastening your seat belt and backing out, add a step. Scan behind you. It may help to put a sign in your car for a couple of weeks, until that new step becomes routine.

Realize that stuff happens, even to you. As the saying goes, most people think that accidents aren’t their fault and yet take personal responsibility for their hole-in-one on the golf course. Recognize that accidents happen to everyone – and most often we bear some culpability. Taking shortcuts, losing focus or being overconfident are signs that you think it couldn’t happen to you.

Consider what might happen and act accordingly. Think through all possible outcomes, not just what you expect and for which you are prepared. You may have spent countless hours driving safely while talking on your phone. However, what if it becomes a particularly intense conversation or a deer dashes across the road? Is it worth your (and others’) safety to talk on your phone while driving?

Being prepared for the unexpected not only promotes safety. These same strategies help you become more present, nimble and resilient in the face of change. You are off autopilot and fully engaged in the present task. What better way to manage the expected and unexpected issues faced by leaders today?

 

Need help exploring your habits and making change? Contact Humanergy.

Photo from istockphoto

 


Yes, you can manage interruptions

Posted on by
1

“Don’t be defeated by a self-fulfilling prophecy that your interruptions can’t be controlled.”

Jack D. Ferner

Interruptions can drain your available time to address vital priorities. So, not taking control of your time and managing interruptions is tantamount to giving up on getting your most important work done.

Recovery time, that is, the time it takes an individual to return to a task after being interrupted, can be as much as 10 to 20 times the length of the original interruption. This means a 30 second interruption can result in an average of five minutes of recovery time, and that is optimistically assuming that one returns to the original task and does not abandon it.

Tips for managing interruptions, from 175 Ways to Get More Done in Less Time (2000) by David Cottrell and Mark Layton:

  • Schedule “open” time to compensate for important interruptions
  • When people arrive unscheduled, meet them at the door and talk outside your office
  • Stand and remain standing
  • Have the conversation in the other person’s office. It’s often easier to leave than it is to get someone else to go!
  • Don’t check emails constantly (turn off alerts)
  • Stand while talking on the phone for shorter calls

MindTools recommends keeping a log of interruptions for at least a week. You then analyze which are valid and which you must create strategies to block in the future. Be assertive and calmly address interruptions which are not necessary. Ask people to accumulate items needing your attention and handle them during scheduled time blocks, rather than one-by-one.

You can’t blame others for all of your interruptions. “The average American worker has fifty interruptions a day, of which seventy percent have nothing to do with work” (W. Edward Deming). Many times we are our own worst enemies, disrupting our work flow by checking email, updating Facebook or other time-absorbers.

Yes, you need to take a break. Schedule small chunks of guilt-free time when you need it. Enjoy these pauses, knowing that you have taken control of the rest of your day.

 

 

Need help managing your time? Contact Humanergy.

Photo from microsoft.com.

 


Just do one thing

Posted on by
Reply

Most people would describe their lives as busy, even overwhelming. That’s the most common reason people give for not tackling the not-urgent-and-very-important things that we say are priorities. We don’t do them, in spite of the fact that they are the difference between reaching our potential and simply getting by.

How can you finally tackle that personal development goal that always gets moved to the back burner? How can your organization address the strategic issue that will surely derail you if you don’t attend to it?

I heard a bit of simple wisdom the other day. (I wish I could remember where!)

This week, do just one thing.

Do the one thing that will move you closer to achieving the result you need. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming or extremely difficult. It simply needs to be the one thing you can do now.

Next week do one more thing. “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right” (Napoleon Hill).

 

Can’t figure out what one thing to do? Contact Humanergy!


The real reason you’re not achieving your goals

Posted on by
Reply

Advice abounds when it comes to setting goals. You’ve probably been told a million times to make your goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-driven and Time-bound). Yet year after year, you either don’t bother setting goals or you lose track of your resolutions by about February. What are some of the barriers that might be keeping you from goal attainment?

You don’t want to be accountable. You may set nonspecific goals (or none at all) if you fear being held accountable. You think that you can stay beneath the radar and won’t be held to task. Sorry. The days of just going through the motions are long gone, and every person needs to know where they’re going and how they’ll get there. Otherwise, why pay you? There will be someone else just waiting to step into your shoes.

You set goals too high. Challenging goals are necessary to activate our motivation for achievement. It’s been said that you should aim for the stars. However, if you find that you lose momentum quickly or never achieve your milestones, you may need to become a more realistic goal-setter. Dream big, but do not set the bar so high that you cannot be successful. If you consistently set unrealistically high goals, face the fact that you are not setting goals at all. You’re really aiming at nothing, so there’s no hitting it.

You set goals too low. Maybe you’re setting low, attainable goals because you fear the consequences of failure. Even if your boss demands 100% goal success, you can always set a separate set of personal goals that don’t get reported in your annual review. To boost success, share them with a trusted person, who can be your sounding board, cheerleader and guide. When you succeed, take pride in and celebrate your achievements, knowing that you stretched yourself past your comfort zone. If possible, report these achievements to your boss,

Your goals don’t align with a worthwhile purpose. If your objectives and targets don’t motivate you, it may be that your work doesn’t fit with what is really important to you. Your goals should help you get out of bed in the morning and fuel you through the challenges that inevitably come. If your goals don’t fire you up, consider a move to a different type of position – one that gets your juices flowing and lines up with what really matters.

It takes time to develop goals that matter and give your life meaning and motivation. Don’t shortchange the thinking part of the process. Devote some time to journaling about what you want out of life, personally and professionally. You’ll then be in a stronger position to establish goals that you will accomplish.

(Stay tuned to our next blog for more ways to overcome barriers to goal attainment – just in time for those New Year’s resolutions!)

 

Need some goals guidance? Contact Humanergy!

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng.

 


Ask the right questions at the right time

Posted on by
Reply

Your once-well-oiled machine of a team is experiencing strife. Some people seem to be spending more time whining than doing their jobs. A high-priority project is behind schedule and over budget. What questions do you ask to understand what’s really going on?

You’re first instinct may be to ask, “What isn’t working?” If you’re really at the end of your rope, you won’t be that polite.”What in the HECK is WRONG with you people?!” As frustrated as you may be, don’t focus on the negative right away. This will put people on the defensive and may deteriorate into a blame game. You will end up wasting time and will probably miss some incredible strengths that could be put to use to solve the current problem.

Begin with this question: “What’s working and why?” Here’s where you uncover the brilliance – and regain a balanced perspective. It isn’t all broken, and some things are going great.

Then, ask: “What is the need we are trying to address?” This will get people zeroing in on their purpose and goals. Be very clear about exactly what you’re trying to achieve, why it’s important and the desired results and impact.

Next, ask: “What do we need to start doing to get there?” You’ll find that there are some best practices that were never shared or have fallen by they wayside. Build on what’s working to address the gap between the need and current performance.

Only then should you delve into “What’s not working?” Figure out the behaviors that need to stop in order to remove barriers to success. Often the previous questions will have addressed some of the gaps with an eye to constructive resolution, so this conversation may be very brief.

When there is a problem, focusing first on the negative keeps you trapped in the past and may encourage you to throw in the towel too early. While it’s important to learn from what went wrong, the real power for change lies in what is going well. It takes courage and talent to overcome adversity. You’ll uncover more of both when you uncover strengths you didn’t know existed.

 

Want to learn more or just need to ask some questions of a Humanergist? Contact us.

Photo courtesy of Chris Baker on stock.xchng. See more of his photos at his website.


Be strategic, even after a punch in the face

Posted on by
2

David Wheatley, one of Humanergy’s founders, was working with a group of senior leaders last week when the topic turned to the need to be more strategic. These leaders recognized that as they moved up in the organization, the balance of time spent on strategy versus time spent on tactics needed to adjust. The problem was that while they knew this in theory, they simply weren’t putting it into practice. Daily life made it all too easy to focus on fighting fires, making operational adjustments and completing a never-ending list of to-dos.

One participant (we’ll call him Sam) quoted Mike Tyson, who said, “Everybody’s got plans…until they get hit.” Of course, David wasn’t going to let anyone off the hook; here’s the blow-by-blow:

David: “So, does a boxer have a plan when he goes into the ring?

Sam: “Sure, he has a strategy for winning the fight. But that all changes when the other guy lands the first punch.”

David: “How long do they fight (focus on tactical) before they take time to realign and be strategic?”

Sam: “A round lasts three minutes.”

David: “And the break between rounds lasts….?”

Sam: “A minute.”

David: “So, their ratio of tactical to strategic is 3 to 1. One-quarter of their time is on strategic work. Even after taking that horrible punch, the boxer spends 25% of his work day taking time out to refocus, consult with others and develop a new strategy.”

What two lessons can leaders learn from boxing when it comes to prioritizing strategic thinking and action?

Lesson 1: Get a trainer. A boxer has the advantage of a trainer – someone who manages that one-minute strategy session, reminding the fighter of what they’d agreed to and helping him adjust to changing conditions. The person in your corner may be your boss, a trusted colleague or a professional coach. Make sure that this person is someone who knows your reality and its challenges. The most important quality is brutal honesty. No namby-pamby,  feel-good advice when what you need is a kick in the pants.

Lesson 2: Be strategic, as if your life depends upon it. Schedule time to be strategic and keep that appointment as if it were a matter of life or death. Look at your scheduled meetings and other events right now. Categorize them as “strategic” or “tactical.” Do at least one strategically important piece of work before you do anything else. Like a boxer, discipline yourself and use 25% of your time to focus on anticipating opportunities and threats. Failure to think long-term will put your organization “down for the count.”

Leaders cannot rest on the strength of their operations to overcome a lack of strategic alignment. Working harder or smarter won’t be enough to overcome the fact that you haven’t adjusted to the changing conditions. Your opponents work just as hard, and they are ready to win by a unanimous decision. Are you?

Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!


In defense of Reply All

Posted on by
1

A recent blog post by Mike Figliuolo called Email Stupidity: Reply All Cuts Both Ways advocated that the Reply All button should be eliminated from email applications. His concerns were around inappropriate use – like using Reply All to share criticism. The only reason he could conceive of using it was for sharing praise.

We vote “yes” for sharing praise. Here are some other situations where Reply All is useful:

Corrections. Occasionally there are mistakes in emails, so rather than let miscommunication fester into something worse, send a Reply All response to clarify the facts. Don’t point fingers, and do share only the essentials necessary to clarify the situation.

Share learning. If you have insight into a best practice or have a great idea that would help others, use Reply All and share it. Not everyone will apply it, but it may make life easier for those who do.

Align on performance goals. You want to improve. You have created a plan and need others’ mentorship, support or guidance. Reply All helps keep people in the loop about your progress and how they can assist you in moving forward.

Give and get input. You have a question that would benefit from the team’s input. Rather than waiting until the team meeting, send out an email and ask people to Reply All so that the team can share their thoughts.

True enough, Reply All can be a pain if it’s overused, or if the emails are too long. (Brevity is always best with email, but too often that wisdom is ignored.) As Elbert Hubbard said, All noise is waste. Using Reply All selectively should not contribute to the noise, but lessen it.

Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!


Passionate leadership

Posted on by
2

You show up every day and work diligently. You strive to exceed expectations. But are you a passionate leader? Passionate leaders love their work and it shows in their attitudes and actions. How do you recognize and develop your leadership gusto? Passionate leaders:

Sustain commitment. Even when times are tough, passionate leaders continue to enthusiastically engage in the work at hand. They keep their people focused on the right stuff and adjust to changing conditions without compromising their values. Passionate leaders never waver in their optimism and belief in the organization, its goals and its people.

Ignite passion in others. Just being around a passionate leader helps people discover what really makes them tick – their purpose and passion at work. The passionate leader doesn’t just assume that this inspiration will happen on its own; she orchestrates it through getting to know her colleagues and tapping into what really drives them to be their best.

Have a burning desire to make a difference. Passionate leaders have a fervent need to make a difference in the world. They aspire for more than the next promotion or acquisition. Their focus is on the organization, its people and its impact. They have an irrepressible desire to enrich people’s lives and recognize that the best way to make a difference is to continually feed the strengths of the organization’s people.

Roll up their sleeves. Passionate leaders don’t step in to rescue people, only getting into the trenches when they must. They get out of their offices, listen to and talk with others, so they know enough about what’s going on to be the catalyst for others to achieve greatness.

Take care of themselves. Passionate leaders know that a fire can burn bright and then extinguish without attention. They have the stamina to energetically address challenges because they know when to step away and refuel.

W. H. Auden said, “No person can be a great leader unless he takes genuine joy in the success of those under him.” The passionate leader takes joy in many aspects of work – and knows how to both focus and share that enthusiasm for the best results.

Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!


Expectation or suggestion? Clear communication with direct reports

Posted on by
Reply

Arnold is meeting with Bev, one of his direct reports. She is going over her current projects. Arnold comments that she appears to be overloaded with work that isn’t a top priority. Bev is astounded. But this is what you told me to do, she explains.

I did want you to work on projects A and D, says Arnold, but the other things on this list were just ideas I was tossing around at the staff meeting. I didn’t mean for you to act on those.

How could Arnold, as the supervisor, have aligned more effectively with Bev on what was truly important?

Define strategic priorities. You may be giving unclear direction to your direct reports because you aren’t certain about the most critical priorities. Gain clarity by discussing desired results and impact with your boss and others. Then align your direct reports’ actions with those urgent priorities.

Remember that when the boss speaks, people listen. This may seem obvious, but it’s something that is often forgotten in the excitement of the moment. The boss thinks she’s just generating some potential new ideas. Direct reports can assume that if an idea comes from her, they must make it happen.

Use clear language. Make it plain that if you are brainstorming or giving direction. You may need to say this more than once – at the beginning of the conversation and at the end – to make sure that people get the message.

Gauge people’s understanding by closing the loop. Ask people to re-state what you’ve said in their own words. If you’re not on the same page, try communicating again and have them restate their understanding once more.

Encourage people to ask questions. Some bosses are like seagulls; they “swoop and poop,”  blurting out directions and moving on to the next activity. Make time to answer any questions that your direct reports may have. Don’t just assume they’ll ask for clarification if they need it. Some people hesitate to pose questions, thinking that making an inquiry may appear less self-reliant. Set the expectation that questions are not just acceptable, but an expected part of getting on the same page.

Hold regular check-ins. Schedule time for your direct reports to meet with you to discuss progress, roadblocks or any pressing issue that impacts results. Talk with your direct reports to figure out if weekly, monthly or quarterly check-ins would be best to keep projects moving.

Clear communication is required to define the results that are to be achieved and make performance expectations clear. Achieve mutual understanding with your direct reports by regular, concise and two-way communication that keeps them focused on the right stuff and growing as individuals. Don’t assume that people interpret your communication the way you intended. Remember the wisdom of George Bernard Shaw, The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.

Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!


How crowded is your brain?

Posted on by
4

j0438747You’re doing a high-stakes presentation and need to be articulate and compelling. In a perfect world, you’d have a laser-like focus on the task at hand. In the real world, you’re working hard to hold other thoughts at bay.

There’s the dismal sales report to explain to your boss. A talented-but-green direct report needs more of your time. You’ve been on the road so long that you are more familiar with the airport gate agents that with your family. These topics and more keep drifting to mind – taking up valuable neurological space that you need to communicate your message well.

How do you manage your crowded brain and maintain focus?

Monitor your mind’s Task Manager. If you use a PC, you’re probably familiar with the Windows Task Manager. It’s the handy tool you access when you simultaneously hit Ctrl+Alt+Del. It shows the processes and applications running and how much capacity they’re using. When you need to concentrate, make a quick list of issues that intrude. Then you can figure out how to clear out the thoughts that will interfere with achieving your objective.

Put aside what you can’t do anything about. The first group of mental intrusions to cast aside are the things you can’t impact. These are the issues that you can’t control, impact or manage for. These might include your boss’s leadership style, an past event or the stock market. Visualize a bank vault. Mentally lock those topics in the vault.

Take quick action to get things off your plate. Email your assistant to  schedule meetings with the boss and direct report. Call home. Make a to-do list. Do something to quickly get momentum on your nagging issues. Then set them aside.

Eliminate interruptions. Don’t allow incoming texts, emails or calls to derail your focus and add to your mental clutter. Although you may not be familiar with it, all electronic devices have an OFF setting.

To do your best work, you must give yourself permission to be fully present in the current moment. There’s an old saying: If you chase two rabbits, both will escape. How many mental rabbits are you chasing right now?

Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!