A Manager’s To-Do List
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Does it seem like a few extra items have been added to your plate in the new year?
Here are a few tips from Tom LaForce to help you manage your to- do list.
Not that you need any more to do, but I’m going to suggest something anyway. Analyze your to-do list. The analysis is a simple one.
Start by prioritizing each item on your list. If yours is already prioritized, you’re one third complete. For everyone else, use any system you want. Rating each item as high, medium, or low should do the trick.
Now for step 2. Look at each item on the list and place it into one of the following two categories:
1. Goals/actions I will personally accomplish. Examples include: Develop presentation, generate report, complete expense reports, hire new employee, etc.
2. Things I can do to help my employees complete a specific goal or action. Examples include: Provide feedback, discuss project hurdles, set goals, deal with conflict on the team, etc.
Ready for the last step? Determine which list has more items and the higher ranked items. You’ll probably be able to eye-ball it, but if not, convert your rating system to numbers and do the math.
What’s your result? More importantly, what’s your result mean?
My sense is that most managers put the stuff they are personally on the hook for at the top of the list. Items from the second category often don’t make the list and if they do, they are usually low priority.
The problem with this is that a manager’s leverage is maximized through the efforts of the people he/she supervises. Focusing on your own actions completely misses this opportunity.
If your job is to increase the productivity of others, then your to-do list should reflect this. Does yours?
Tom LaForce is a speaker who wins over audiences with his enthusiasm and playful style. As a facilitator he runs meetings that get results…fast. And as a team development expert, he always is able to get to the heart of the matter. Tom offers a wealth of free teamwork and personal effectiveness advice at his website, http://tomlaforce.com
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