THE SKILL-BUILDING SUPERVISOR: Top Tools For Your Journey to Excellence “Fighting Your Time Bandits” An Infopeople Webcast Presented by: Dr. Steve Albrecht, PHR, CPP

YOUR TIME BANDITS? Meetings Meetings Phone calls / Cell calls Phone calls / Cell calls Co-workers Co-workers Patron problems Patron problems Stress Stress Family issues Family issues Urgent projects Urgent projects

PROS AND CONS? Fast Fast Global reach Global reach A record A record Attachments Attachments Informative Informative Non-threatening Non-threatening Cost-effective Cost-effective Impersonal Impersonal Spam and viruses Spam and viruses Error-prone Error-prone Not confidential Not confidential “Busy work” factor “Busy work” factor No tone No tone

MEETING RULES “Tailgate Talks.” “Tailgate Talks.” Use odd start and stop times. Use odd start and stop times. Give prior notice; provide a time- based agenda. Give prior notice; provide a time- based agenda. Make the room less comfortable. Make the room less comfortable. If you’re the big boss, lock the doors and hang a sign that says, “You missed it; we’ve started already.” If you’re the big boss, lock the doors and hang a sign that says, “You missed it; we’ve started already.”

TO-DO LISTS Shorter is better. Shorter is better. A-B-C priorities. A-B-C priorities. Stephen Covey’s “Urgent versus Important” quadrants. Stephen Covey’s “Urgent versus Important” quadrants. Not important, not urgent: less than 1% Not important, urgent: 15% Important, urgent: 20-25% Important, not urgent: 65-80%

STEPHEN COVEY’S ACTIVITY MATRIX from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989, Simon & Schuster) I Crises Crises Pressing Problems Pressing Problems Deadlines DeadlinesII Preparation Preparation Prevention Prevention Planning Planning Relationship Building Relationship Building III Interruptions Interruptions Some mail/reports Some mail/reports Some meetings Some meetings Some “pressing matters” Some “pressing matters”IV Busywork Busywork Time wasters Time wasters “Escape” activities “Escape” activities URGENTNOT URGENT NOT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT

YOUR OFFICE Make a reading pile for later. Make a reading pile for later. Your chair = comfy Your chair = comfy Their chair = not comfy or missing (standing meetings) Set two times per day. Set two times per day. Use the DND feature on your phone. Use the DND feature on your phone. Stop moving things from pile to pile! Stop moving things from pile to pile! Shred it! Shred it! Teach others to respect your time. Teach others to respect your time.

YOUR PERSONAL TIME Set aside and enforce daily “quiet time.” Set aside and enforce daily “quiet time.” Eat and work, but not at your desk. Eat and work, but not at your desk. Avoid the lure. Avoid the lure. Set boundaries, especially after- hours. (Learn to say “no” and not feel guilty.) Set boundaries, especially after- hours. (Learn to say “no” and not feel guilty.) Don’t get too attached to the technology. Don’t get too attached to the technology. Prepare for tomorrow at quitting time. Prepare for tomorrow at quitting time.

YOUR TOOLS Day planner. (Offer a cash reward if you lose it.) Day planner. (Offer a cash reward if you lose it.) “Idea Nets” – Post-its™, index cards, tape recorder. “Idea Nets” – Post-its™, index cards, tape recorder. Software tools for time management, project planning. Software tools for time management, project planning. Develop a workable “tickler system.” Develop a workable “tickler system.” Back up your data religiously. Back up your data religiously.

TIME MANAGEMENT BASICS Handle each piece of paper once. Handle each piece of paper once. File it, delegate it, toss it, or act on it. File it, delegate it, toss it, or act on it. Be ruthless when reading . Be ruthless when reading . Set and enforce meeting times. Set and enforce meeting times. Schedule a spring cleaning. Schedule a spring cleaning. Make better use of people, tools, and resources. Make better use of people, tools, and resources. Stop saying, “Where does the time go?” Stop saying, “Where does the time go?”

Thanks for your time and attention. Good luck, from Dr. Steve