Time Management for Managers

The whys and hows of delegation

Management is getting results through other people.

Delegation
Asking someone to do something and follow up.

Four Steps of Delegation

• Why
  • Shows respect
• What
  • What do we hope to achieve?
  • What is the end result?
• Who
  • Designate who is responsible
• When
  • Due date

Capture an Action Item

• What
• Who
• When

Establish 1:1 meetings

One-to-One Meeting

• 1 meeting per week for 25 minutes
• Establish a pattern
• Set up a recurring schedule
• They ask you questions
• You ask them questions

Manage response expectations

Culture of When
Respond in an orderly manner

Four Areas of Communication

• Face-to-face requests
  • Establish meetings
• Phone calls
  • Pre-established meetings
  • Voicemail messages
• Email
  • Specific, detailed questions
• Text messages
  • One question
  • Urgent need

Focus on humans

Focus 100% and give your full attention when communicating.

Set a positive example

Be the example for your team. Ask your manager to help you improve.

Setting a Positive Example

• Meetings
  • Show up and start on time
  • End on time or early
  • Be prepared
• Follow up
  • Create reminders for delegated tasks
• Meet or beat deadlines
  • Under promise and over deliver

Do what you say you will do when you said you would do it.

Invest in training others

Learn with the intent to teach. Give them time to learn. Embrace repetition.

Demonstrate -> Practice -> Observe

How to coordinate multiple projects

Tip 1: Prioritize the big picture

• What is the deadline of each project?
• What is the absolute last due date?

Tip 2: Map the entire process

• Gantt chart – shows all the steps overlaping each other

Tip 3 – Communicate more frequently

• It’s easy to get lost or bogged down in larger projects, so meeting frequently allows to ensure you remain on track.

Tip 4 – Create a system

• Using a consistent system will save hours of work

Allocate scarce resources

• People
• Budget
• Materials
• Tools

• Principle 1: Live within your means
  • Keep expectations realistic. Your target for resource allocation: 90% or less
• Principle 2: Assess and reassess your capacity
• Principle 3: Communicate with leaders

Establish project deadlines

Discussions
View deadlines from the other person’s perspective.

Be realistic. Use questions rather than telling.

Scheduling
Establish the date in everyone’s calendar

Set the due date and then cut it in 1/2 to schedule a follow-up and then cut it in 1/2 again, to establish milestones and deliverables.

Hold others accountable for deadlines

How to Delegate Tasks

1. Create clear deadlines
2. Make a reminder for yourself
3. Set the reminder after the deadline

Expect missed deadlines. Ask what got in the way? Avoid asking why it did not get done. Instead shift the attention away from the person onto the process or system.

1. Have a time management system
2. Gather assignments into a gathering point
3. Process every item
   • What
   • When
   • Where
4. Schedule a specific time to complete tasks
5. Execute the task

Identify in which step the problem ocurred resulting in the failed deadline.

Communicate changes in deadlines

• Check in regularly
• Encourage candid discussion
• Notify supervisors of potential conflicts

Meeting time vs. working time

80/20 Rule – 40 hour work
80% doing the work, 20% in meetings

• 8 hours for meetings total
• 6 hours for meetings with 15- minute transitions
• 32 hours for work

50/25/25 Rule – For Managers

• 50% in meetings
• 25% developing systems and training team members
• 25% focused on your work

Schedule meetings around natural transition points. For example: just before or after lunch, start of day or end of day.

Give high priority tasks more time

Invest in activities that give you more time.

1. Is there something repetitive I can delegate to someone else?
2. Am I holding up the work of others?
3. Can I create something that will work for me while I’m sleeping?
4. What activity is worth the most per hour? Most valuable activities (MVA)

Use your calendar as the prioritization tool

Prioritization is a function of time.

Positive Procrastination
Pushing off low priorities far into your calendar.

Keep meetings action-focused

1. Reserve time at the beginning for reporting.
2. Be aware of changes in subject.
3. Ask delegation questions.
   • What specific actions?
   • Who will do it?
   • When will it be done?
4. Make note of your answers.
5. Process your notes and create a reminder.
   • What
   • When
   • Where
6. Follow-up

Shift priorities when needed

Stick to a work schedule.

1. Practice positive procrastination – Pushing off low priorities far into your calendar
2. Hold back some of your available time
3. MOVE but not RE-move – when is the latest this can be done?
4. Conduct a postmortem

The priority of you

Create your finish line. Build processing time into your week. Budget time to train and develop YOURSELF. Consider your personal health needs.

The power of having fun

Plan small fun breaks each day. Note the impact on your performance. Encourage team members to plan small fun breaks.

Ultradian Rhythm
Take a break every 90-120 minutes.