It’s a source of amazement and some amusement that many articulate people are reduced to blubbering incompetents when required to put their thoughts down in a written form. Some people are intimidated by a blank piece of paper or computer screen. Let’s examine why this feeling of panic overtakes individuals who otherwise appear to be…
The Simplest Task Management Technique Available
Have you ever come home from the office with the feeling that you didn’t accomplish any of the things you wanted to get done that day? We all have days like that, spent entirely in putting out brushfires. Sometimes it can’t be helped, but if it’s happening to you regularly, part of the problem may…
Task Management
There is one modification you might make in your task management system that may make it even more useful. You know your own body better than anyone else. If you’re at the peak of your energy levels early in the day, you should do the tasks that require high energy the first thing each day.…
The Tyranny of the Immediate
One of the biggest challenges to being efficient and productive is interruptions. Some interruptions are legitimate and need to be addressed right away. This requires the artful re-prioritizing mentioned in a previous article. Most interruptions are just that, interruptions, and do not need to be addressed immediately if at all. Technology has presented us with…
Time Management Tips
Lets get right to it. Here are some time management tips recommended by managers from a variety of fields. You may find them helpful as well: Recognize that we all have the same amount of time—168 hours per week. No one has more time than you do. What you do with this time makes the…
How to manage your promotion. Is the Game Worth the Prize?
Being an outstanding manager and concurrently working up to the next rung on the ladder is a constant in almost every manager’s career—unless he loses interest in gaining a promotion. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to pay the price of moving to the next level. Preparing for your promotion That is healthy if…
Office Politics: Playing the Game
As you may already know, you’re judged by the performance of your area of responsibility. The people who report to you are as important to your future as are the people to whom you report. That leads directly to the matter of office politics. It exists everywhere. People recoil at the idea of office politics,…
Can an Understudy Contribute to Your Promotion?
As soon as you’ve mastered your job, you must start looking for an understudy. The reason for this is clear. Decision makers are going to be less likely to promote you if doing so will create an operational void. By having an understudy who is prepared to take your position, you make yourself a better…
Avoid Becoming Indispensable
It is important not to allow yourself to become indispensable. Some managers trap themselves into this kind of situation. In their effort to ensure the quality of work, they request that all difficult questions and decisions be referred to them. It doesn’t take long for employees to figure out that anything out of the ordinary…
Promote Yourself, Let People Know Who You Are!
You can be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but if you’re the only one who knows it, you won’t go anywhere with your many talents. You need to promote yourself to the decision makers in your organization in the most effective way possible. If you’re obviously tooting your own horn, people are going to…