setting priorities
TRANSCRIPT
Setting Priorities Terrell Yon
• Better understand the need to set priorities• Focus on importance, not urgency in time
management• Recognise that effectiveness requires
balancing relationships, roles, activities and quality of output
• Understand the value of periodic assessment of tasks
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Session Objectives
Session Outline• Session purpose • The meaning of time management• Importance versus Urgency• Challenges in setting priorities• ASME perspective• Key points• Priorities scenario
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The Purpose of Setting Priorities
• Priorities are about:– Making time to attend to important
matters– Getting tasks done– Keeping track of tasks to monitor
progress
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Time Management
• “Try” versus “Make” time.• “Don’t have the time” versus “Making
a priority”• 80% of results come from 20% of
your activities• About 50% of your time is out of your
control• Multi-tasking is not an effective use of
time
Importance versus Urgency
• How do you spend your time?• How do you react to crisis?• What is essential?
Importance versus UrgencyURGENCY
HIGH LOW
HIG
H L
OW
IMP
OR
TA
NC
E
Crisis Deadlines Problems
Planning Prevention Relationship Building
Interruptions Some calls Some e-mail
Trivia Watch TV “Escape” activities
Importance versus Urgency
• Habit 3 in Stephen Covey’s list for highly effective people “first things first” is about setting priorities.
• The underlying principle is the need for balance in relationships, roles and activities.– Things which matter most should not be at the
mercy of those which matter least.– Focus on the truly important and say no to the
unimportant.
Importance versus Urgency
• To determine priorities one needs to review:– Roles– Goals– Tasks
• Consider weekly reviews since daily gives a limited view and too many things change in a month.
Importance versus Urgency
• Roles– Organize all that you do by roles
• Enables a view of balance and comfort level
– Roles represent responsibilities and relationships
– Examples• Family – spouse, parent• Work – projects, administration, training• Volunteer – ASME, Church, Scouts
Importance versus Urgency
• Goals– Consider big picture view things
that need attention– Set one or two each week that are
likely to have the most impact
Importance versus Urgency
• Tasks– “To Do” Lists– Organize by roles– Evaluate with integrity
• Consider “Toggle” method
– Focus on one or two until completed
Application
Challenges in Setting Priorities
• Understanding goals and expectations• Triage list of all tasks and determine “must
do” items– Break up big tasks
• Scope• Timeline• Relationships – consider involving others in
completion of efforts.
ASME Perspective
• Tasks– Programmes, events – leading, delegating,
communicating, etc.– Running meetings – make meetings effective– Administrative duties – budgets, forms, updating
rosters, etc.
ASME Perspective• Example Tasks
– Accessing unit financial information online– Submitting updated rosters for unit committees– Scheduling meetings, creating agendas,
conducting meeting– Planning programs (sections) / developing
Products and Services (division and sections)– Delegating / recruiting volunteers to carry out
programs– Creating a strategic plan for the unit– Identifying /nominating candidates for Honors &
Awards, filling out necessary paperwork
Application
Summary of Key Points
• Importance matters more than urgency and should be the basis for actions
• Time management is about making time for important activities
• Planning, execution and reflection are important to achievement
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Related Sessions
• Team Building
• Business Plan Methods
• Effective Meetings
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Setting Priorities