Legal Secretaries, Incorporated August 15, 2014 Dennis Wade – MANAGING MULTIPLE TASKS

2 Objectives Participants will be better prepared to: Organize workload to increase efficiency and minimize frustration Free their minds of incomplete tasks that are nagging in the background Deal with conflicting priorities Report a workload problem without sounding like they’re failing

3 Agenda Overview Organizing Workload Workflow diagram Conflicting Priorities Tactics for dealing with occasional and chronic conflict Communicating conflicting priorities

4 Managing Workload Workflow Diagram – Four-step process 1.Collect 2.Process 3.Organize 4.Review

5 Exercise: One Size Fits All? In teams, discuss whether or not the Workflow Diagram will work for a given situation (take one or two items through the diagram) Sections 1 and 2 – An and/or a request from a co-worker Sections 3 and 4 – U.S. mail and/or action item from a staff meeting

6 Conflicting Priorities Multiple task conflicts Occasional Four choices Two or more bosses Chronic Six questions Communicating conflicting priorities Constructive confrontation

7 Exercise: Task Conflicts Individually: Think of an occasional or a chronic task conflict you have or had In teams: Take turns sharing your task conflicts Choose one to share with the group and a possible solution Be prepared to explain: The conflict Whether it’s chronic or occasional A possible solution (e.g., steps you would take to remedy the task conflict) from the material

8 Communicating Overload Situations 1.Your boss has made significant commitments for you without checking with you first, which has impacted your ability to meet other obligations. 2.A general partner and your boss are insisting that you attend their respective “can’t miss” meetings next week. 3.As office manager, you feel the need to speak with an employee about tardiness at meetings. 4.Your boss continues to have unrealistic expectations of you, which impacts your ability to complete (as you perceive) higher priority tasks. 5.Your co-worker, whose input you need, hasn’t been returning your phone calls. This is ongoing behavior that affects your performance. 6.Your choice.

Wrap-up Final questions or comments? Contact information Dennis Wade – Thank you! 9