time management for executives getting the most out of your time

Time Management Time Management for Executivesfor Executives

Getting the Most out of Getting the Most out of Your TimeYour Time

Time Management for Executives Time Management for Executives AgendaAgenda

IntroductionIntroduction Background on Time ManagementBackground on Time Management KnowledgeKnowledge Planning & ToolsPlanning & Tools Make Hard DecisionsMake Hard Decisions ExecutionExecution Distractions and Interruptions Distractions and Interruptions Evaluation and GrowthEvaluation and Growth RewardsRewards

IntroductionIntroductionSpeaker and Audience ExpectationsSpeaker and Audience Expectations

SpeakerSpeaker: : Larry M. CollisLarry M. Collis Graduate of Texas A&M University Graduate of Texas A&M University 25 Years experience in the Financial Services Industry 25 Years experience in the Financial Services Industry

as a Banker and Executive Level Consultantas a Banker and Executive Level Consultant Organized and Executed Complex Consulting Solutions Organized and Executed Complex Consulting Solutions

for mergers & acquisitions, project rescues, core system for mergers & acquisitions, project rescues, core system replacements, and IT Organization transformations. replacements, and IT Organization transformations.

Have provided leadership for these solutions across six Have provided leadership for these solutions across six countries and have managed multi-national project countries and have managed multi-national project teams. teams.

National Conference Speaker for IBM and Capgemini National Conference Speaker for IBM and Capgemini Recently became Partner in RBSi Consulting and will Recently became Partner in RBSi Consulting and will

serve as the Solution Services Executive.serve as the Solution Services Executive.

AudienceAudience Expectations: Expectations: What do you want from this session?What do you want from this session? What do you NOT want from this session? What do you NOT want from this session?

Time Management for ExecutivesTime Management for Executives


Many techniques for you to chooseMany techniques for you to chooseMany techniques for you to chooseMany techniques for you to choose

Background on Time ManagementBackground on Time Management

There are almost as many techniques, tools, and processes There are almost as many techniques, tools, and processes to improve your time management skills as there are to improve your time management skills as there are authors, teachers, and friends!authors, teachers, and friends!

One characteristic of ‘TIME’ is it is constant, yet always One characteristic of ‘TIME’ is it is constant, yet always moving forward whether you are or are not!moving forward whether you are or are not!

Time Management is not new and has a long history of Time Management is not new and has a long history of influence in the rise and fall of armies, empires, influence in the rise and fall of armies, empires, governments as well as modern businesses. governments as well as modern businesses.

The right Time Management strategy for you is simply The right Time Management strategy for you is simply the the one you are willing to work with and that works for one you are willing to work with and that works for you.you.

There are more sources you can research listed at the end of There are more sources you can research listed at the end of this presentations. this presentations.

Peeling back the onion over time, Peeling back the onion over time, here’s what I’ve found…here’s what I’ve found…

Of the dozens of books, articles, papers, and Of the dozens of books, articles, papers, and opinions I’ve encountered, here are the opinions I’ve encountered, here are the most common components that work: most common components that work:

1.1. KnowledgeKnowledge2.2. Planning & ToolsPlanning & Tools3.3. Make Hard DecisionsMake Hard Decisions4.4. ExecutionExecution5.5. Distractions and Interruptions Distractions and Interruptions 6.6. Evaluation and GrowthEvaluation and Growth7.7. RewardsRewards

KnowledgeKnowledge

KnowKnow what you want for your business what you want for your business KnowKnow your goals for success. your goals for success. KnowKnow what you have to do to achieve what you have to do to achieve

success.success. KnowKnow what the risk of failure is and what it what the risk of failure is and what it

looks like. looks like. KnowKnow the details as well as the big picture. the details as well as the big picture. KnowKnow your strengths, weaknesses, your strengths, weaknesses,

capabilities, and your capacity for work.capabilities, and your capacity for work. KnowKnow who and what is important and who who and what is important and who

or what is not.or what is not. KnowKnow your dependencies and where you your dependencies and where you

fit in the supply chain.fit in the supply chain.

Planning and ToolsPlanning and Tools

The underlying key to successfully managing your time The underlying key to successfully managing your time is is PLANNINGPLANNING. .

Make a list of everything that must be done to Make a list of everything that must be done to achieve the success you want. Do this for achieve the success you want. Do this for today/tomorrow, next week, and next month or next today/tomorrow, next week, and next month or next quarter. quarter.

Break activities down into daily and hourly tasks Break activities down into daily and hourly tasks and estimate how long you think it will take. Set and estimate how long you think it will take. Set deadlines for major milestones. deadlines for major milestones.

Prioritize by ranking tasks as:Prioritize by ranking tasks as: AA : Absolutely do today (Urgent & Important) : Absolutely do today (Urgent & Important) GG : Good to do today (but could do tomorrow – : Good to do today (but could do tomorrow –

Important, but not urgent)Important, but not urgent) SS : Satisfying, but not urgent or importance : Satisfying, but not urgent or importance

Anything else, Delete or DelegateAnything else, Delete or Delegate

Planning and Tools (cont.) Planning and Tools (cont.)

A Complete contract 2 hrA Call Mr. Smith @ Acme 30 minsA Build Project Plan for Zeta Company 4 hrsG Update Sales Plan for 2nd Quarter 2 hrsS Read the Cowboy’s new draft pick bios 1 hrs

Example Example of my of my

notebook notebook that I use that I use on a daily on a daily

basis basis

Planning and Tools (cont.)Planning and Tools (cont.)

The tools Executives use for Time Management The tools Executives use for Time Management continue to evolve with technology, but also continue to evolve with technology, but also use ones that have enabled the founding and use ones that have enabled the founding and growth of Fortune 500 companies for growth of Fortune 500 companies for decades:decades:

1.1. Paper, Pencil, and a CalendarPaper, Pencil, and a Calendar2.2. Day Timers, clocks, and PDAsDay Timers, clocks, and PDAs3.3. Beepers, Blackberry’s, Cell phones, computersBeepers, Blackberry’s, Cell phones, computers4.4. Wives, kids, parents, creditors, relatives.Wives, kids, parents, creditors, relatives.

All these can help us remember what we All these can help us remember what we need to do and the time frames in need to do and the time frames in

which we need to do them.which we need to do them.

Make Hard DecisionsMake Hard Decisions

Ranking your activities is difficult as some executives and most Ranking your activities is difficult as some executives and most entrepreneurs believe everything and everyone are both urgent entrepreneurs believe everything and everyone are both urgent and important. and important.

Ask yourself, “Will this (person/task/event) help me achieve my an ‘A’ Ask yourself, “Will this (person/task/event) help me achieve my an ‘A’ level objectives today?” level objectives today?”

If yes, include it and be efficient (no chit-chat, extra word-If yes, include it and be efficient (no chit-chat, extra word-smithing, or internet surfing. Just Do It!*)smithing, or internet surfing. Just Do It!*)

If no, assign it a ‘G’, ‘S’, or exclude it. If no, assign it a ‘G’, ‘S’, or exclude it.

Gut decisions vs. Intelligent Cranial AnalyticsGut decisions vs. Intelligent Cranial Analytics You have to decide (there we go again!) which approach you are You have to decide (there we go again!) which approach you are

comfortable with and what works for you. Some thoughts and comfortable with and what works for you. Some thoughts and perspectives: perspectives:

Picking a beer - (Taste Great – Less Filling; go with gut Picking a beer - (Taste Great – Less Filling; go with gut instincts)instincts)

Picking a banker to service your SBA loan - (do your Picking a banker to service your SBA loan - (do your research and find the one that fits YOU, not the other way research and find the one that fits YOU, not the other way around.)around.)

Picking a Partner to go into business with – (do your Picking a Partner to go into business with – (do your research over some cold beer!)research over some cold beer!)

*copyright of NIKE*copyright of NIKE

ExecutionExecution

You have your plan built and prioritized. Great! (However, this You have your plan built and prioritized. Great! (However, this is where time management typically starts to fail)is where time management typically starts to fail)

You must You must EXECUTE YOUR PLANEXECUTE YOUR PLAN fully and completely fully and completely throughout the day. throughout the day. 1.1. Track your progress by marking a single line through the Track your progress by marking a single line through the

task you just completed. task you just completed. 2.2. Have a small ‘Reward’ like returning a short call from the ‘S’ Have a small ‘Reward’ like returning a short call from the ‘S’

list, get a fresh cup of coffee, or read an article about your list, get a fresh cup of coffee, or read an article about your favorite sports team on the internet or trade a stock. Or, just favorite sports team on the internet or trade a stock. Or, just move to the next task (go to #4)move to the next task (go to #4)

3.3. Limit your small rewards to 5-10 minutes to give your mind Limit your small rewards to 5-10 minutes to give your mind a brief break before jumping on your next task.a brief break before jumping on your next task.

4.4. Jump on the next task. Jump on the next task.

““But what about all those distractions and But what about all those distractions and interruptions?”interruptions?”

Distractions & InterruptionsDistractions & InterruptionsIf your decision making and prioritization are disciplined, they are easily If your decision making and prioritization are disciplined, they are easily

managed. If not, oh well…managed. If not, oh well…Phone Calls: Phone Calls:

1.1. Know who/what is important and plan for expected important calls to come in. Know who/what is important and plan for expected important calls to come in.

2.2. Unimportant calls, take name, #, and when you will call back, if at all.Unimportant calls, take name, #, and when you will call back, if at all.

Email: If email is important in your business: Email: If email is important in your business: 1.1. Plan the time you will address emails and what ‘work’ time you will not engage Plan the time you will address emails and what ‘work’ time you will not engage

your email. your email. 2.2. If you’re a ‘emailaholic’, this can be a weakness you may want professional If you’re a ‘emailaholic’, this can be a weakness you may want professional

help with unless you make all your money by crafting, responding and sending help with unless you make all your money by crafting, responding and sending emails. Be smart and manage the time you spend here. This is where people emails. Be smart and manage the time you spend here. This is where people today loose the most time. The jokes will still be there for your ‘S’ time. today loose the most time. The jokes will still be there for your ‘S’ time.

Co-Workers dropping by: If you have a chatty and often interruptive Co-Workers dropping by: If you have a chatty and often interruptive environment, you may want to set some boundaries: environment, you may want to set some boundaries:

1.1. Set times for everyone to have ‘quiet time’ for work they must complete. Set times for everyone to have ‘quiet time’ for work they must complete. During this time, everyone is to reframe from interrupting a co-worker unless it During this time, everyone is to reframe from interrupting a co-worker unless it is imperative to accomplish a deadline.is imperative to accomplish a deadline.

2.2. Set ‘Team’ times where everyone focuses on activities where collaboration is Set ‘Team’ times where everyone focuses on activities where collaboration is needed and see that these sessions start on time, but give some flexibility on needed and see that these sessions start on time, but give some flexibility on the duration to meet the synergy of the group. the duration to meet the synergy of the group.

3.3. If you have a door, use it, but let people know the guidelines for interruptions. If you have a door, use it, but let people know the guidelines for interruptions.

Unwanted Solicitation by Uninvited Sales People Unwanted Solicitation by Uninvited Sales People 1.1. If you’re a Texan, you know what to do. If you’re a Texan, you know what to do. 2.2. If you’re not a Texan, have a ‘No Solicitation’ sticker on the door or window If you’re not a Texan, have a ‘No Solicitation’ sticker on the door or window

and let them know if they can’t read, you don’t do business with them. and let them know if they can’t read, you don’t do business with them.

Evaluation and GrowthEvaluation and Growth

The key to knowing if your plan worked is to The key to knowing if your plan worked is to

review it, evaluate it, and learn from it.review it, evaluate it, and learn from it.

1.1. Look at what you ‘planned’ to do and how Look at what you ‘planned’ to do and how long it should have taken. long it should have taken.

2.2. Measure what you did and why the Measure what you did and why the variance. Always track your results. variance. Always track your results.

3.3. Plan what you need to do tomorrow and Plan what you need to do tomorrow and incorporate what you’ve ‘learned’ in incorporate what you’ve ‘learned’ in

prioritizing your new list.prioritizing your new list. Just like an Attorney and the Law – Just like an Attorney and the Law – You must always be “Practicing”!You must always be “Practicing”!

Just like an Attorney and the Law – Just like an Attorney and the Law – You must always be “Practicing”!You must always be “Practicing”!

RewardReward

If you are starting a new business or running If you are starting a new business or running a small business, you have to be smart a small business, you have to be smart on how you reward yourself and/or others on how you reward yourself and/or others for successfully managing their time. for successfully managing their time.

Common rewards at established companies are: Common rewards at established companies are:

1.1. Going home at a reasonable timeGoing home at a reasonable time

2.2. Continued employmentContinued employment

3.3. One “At-a-boy” and pat on the backOne “At-a-boy” and pat on the back

Footnote: Results may vary from company to Footnote: Results may vary from company to

companycompany

More Time Management More Time Management ResourcesResources

Books:Books:

Stephen CoveyStephen Covey The 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People The 8th HabitThe 8th Habit First Things FirstFirst Things First Everyday GreatnessEveryday Greatness

Brian TracyBrian Tracy Eat That Frog!Eat That Frog! Flight PlanFlight Plan The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business SuccessThe 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success

Ken Blanchard & Dr. Spencer JohnsonKen Blanchard & Dr. Spencer Johnson The One Minute ManagerThe One Minute Manager

Dr. Spencer JohnsonDr. Spencer Johnson Who Moved My CheeseWho Moved My Cheese

Mike MurdockMike Murdock One-Minute Pocket Bible for the Business ProfessionalOne-Minute Pocket Bible for the Business Professional

Web SitesWeb Sites

Just Google ‘Time Management Basics’ and you will see Just Google ‘Time Management Basics’ and you will see dozens of web sites and articles. dozens of web sites and articles.

time management for executives getting the most out of your time

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