Busy Fools

I thought Blackberrys, Microsoft Outlook and Open Plan Offices were all supposed to save us time and make us more efficient. Yet most of the middle managers I come across seem to be busier, more stressed and consequently more indecisive than ever before.

A packed diary might fool some into thinking we are successful but in truth it simply says we have no time to seize new opportunities, think creatively or sit down with a colleague in need.

Here are a few of the tricks I’ve picked up from those that seem to have got the balance right;

• Be clear about your priorities – know what your role requires of you and where you want your career to go, eliminate any activity that doesn’t relate directly to these objectives


• Avoid committees – they rarely make good decisions, they spend far too much time discussing minutiae and they steal time from your diary way into the future


• Learn how to close a phone call – with a few well chosen phrases. My favourite is ‘don’t let me keep you any longer’ This way you can politely terminate the call without ending the relationship


• Don’t get comfortable – some of my most productive meetings have been conducted standing up and the worst, in unventilated meeting rooms in comfortable chairs


• Break habits – just because meetings normally start at 10am and last for 60 minutes in the conference room it doesn’t mean that’s the right formula. Try different durations, locations and times depending on the urgency and desired outcome.


• Say no – not ‘I’ll consider’ it or ‘Come back to me, next week’ Busy fools allow their mouths to operate independently to their brain, just say what you mean.


• Ignore email – at the very start of the day, begin by mapping out what you really need to achieve rather than allowing your Inbox to dictate your day.


• Go on a course – If Microsoft Outlook or similar handles your email and diary then set aside half a day to improve your knowledge of its functionality and the settings you use. Most people don’t use these systems efficiently and an hour invested in training could save you days over the next year.


• Take action – Reply, file or delete every email and letter on first sight, don’t let them loiter around, take action immediately.


• Tell the world – how you operate, if you find it best to check emails at defined times, say before 10am and after 4pm include a note to that effect in your signature. Do likewise with ‘out of office’ and voicemail.
  
  In the future, there will be yet more gadgets that need our attention; managers must take back control so that the technology doesn’t manage them.
  

Time to share

Perhaps its the recession or maybe there's an awakening that there could be more to life than serving a corporate god for the rest of our waking lives.

Over the past few weeks several friends and clients have asked to 'have a word' The 'words' have all been similar; change, new, different. The sentiment is always the same, they want to leave the 9 till 5 and start their own business.

Apparently most recessions breed a flurry of new businesses as people choose to set up on their own rather than search for a new job. This one looks to be no different. Unlike the early 90s when I made the leap some factors are easier now.

There's no need for premises or even a business phone line, simply get a decent Blackberry or iPhone and your office goes wherever you go. We all do our own typing anyway so you don't need to hire administrative support at the outset. Advertising is most effective online and its immediate, so there's no need to time your start up to coincide with the annual publication of the Yellow Pages.

Most importantly of all, size really doesn't matter! Most clients whether they be consumers or corporates now know that its the person that delivers service not the logo. If you can be trusted to deliver what you are selling you are well on your way.