Five New Years Resolutions for Managers
© 2004-2005 Esther Derby
This column originally appeared on Computerworld.com
I know some people who think that managers don't do any real work; they think managers just make more work for other people. Well, I haven't seen a manager relaxing with her feet up on the desk for some years now. Most of the managers I know are working hard and feeling the stress of time-to-market pressure and tight budgets.
But, as managers, there are some things we can do to increase our productivity while lowering stress. I offer five simple (But not always easy) strategies as New Year's Resolutions for Managers. The good news is you don't have to do all of them. Choose the ones that fit for you. And let me know how it goes.
#1 Define Daily Goals
Many managers leave at the end of the day feeling like they've been running in place - the to-do list is as long at the end of the day as it was at the start (maybe even longer). One of the reasons managers feel stressed is that there is no end to the work they can do - and it's never all done.
Counteract the endless "TO DO" list by creating daily goals. Spend 20 minutes each Friday afternoon reviewing your activities and deliverables for the next week. Create a plan for the week, and identify what you want to accomplish each day. Leave your self some slack, because you know something will come up.
Cross of the items as you get them done. If you finish before the end of the day, you can declare success or choose to start a task slated for the next day. Either way, you'll leave with a feeling of accomplishment.
What if you try this for a while and you never get to the end of your daily list? Maybe you are doing things that don't really need doing. Try Resolution #2.
#2 Undertake a Personal Measurement Program
Many people think they know where they spend their time during the workday; most of them are surprised at what the data shows.
Make a daily log with half-hour increments. Track your activities for two weeks. The first time I tracked my activities, I realized I was spending an alarming amount of time locating files and papers. Now, I didn't really care (still don't) about organization for neatness' sake; but I did care about spending my time on high value activities. I organized my office so I could locate papers and files quickly, and spend more time on activities that directly supported my team.
Here are some things to notice:
Other important measures are more subjective - they capture how you experience your day.
#3 Invest in You
You are the most effective management tool you have. Your investment in yourself will pay off for your employer and the people you work with.
Sometimes it seems like managers believe training is something for them, not for us. As a manager, you may or may not need task specific training related to your job responsibilities. But there's an abundance of leadership and communication training that can help broaden the range of choices you have to respond to management challenges.
Choose one area that you want to explore or an area where you want to catch up on the latest thinking in the industry. Remember, you don't have to learn something brand new for a workshop to be worthwhile. As one participant in a workshop said, "One of the benefits for me is that I realized that other managers face the same challenges I do. Maybe it's not so bad where I work. And now I have colleagues outside my own company to talk to when I want a sounding board. That's worth the price of course."
If you are too busy to pry yourself away from work to attend a workshop, invest in yourself by reading a book related to our profession. Start with Tom Demarco's Slack. (Then give yourself some slack and attend a workshop.)
#4 Create Time for Reflection
I have a colleague who is pure driver personality. She's a dynamo - always in motion and as goal oriented as one person can be. She's convinced she became a better manager after she had children. Not because managing technical professionals is like managing children, because it's not. She became more effective because every day in the months after she returned from maternity leave, she spent time sitting alone in her office with a breast pump.
At first, she worried that all the time she was pumping was taking away from her management work. Then she realized she was actually achieving better results. She was using her pump time to reflect on how her decisions had played out, how the day was going, and what she might do differently.
She found her reflection time so useful that she continues the practice to this day. Her youngest will graduate from high school this year.
Taking time to reflect isn't selfish and it isn't a waste of time; it's where we integrate our experiences, extract lessons, and develop new hypothesis for action.
You do not have to be a nursing mother to try this.
#5 Revitalize Your Support Network
Managers often feel stuck in the middle: the team is saying "We can't do it all" and the boss is saying "Do more with less." Other managers may have different priorities, and it may feel like they are pulling in yet another direction. Even though managers spend all day with people, managers can feel isolated.
One of my friends is fond of saying "Everything is easier with support." And middle managers could use some support. However, a network populated with colleagues who love to complain and commiserate - the whine and dine club - is not support. When the conversational balance always tips toward complaining, participating does not help.
Sketch a diagram of your support network. Place yourself in the center of the page. Place the people and organizations that you can call on for support at the appropriate relative distance from you. When you've finished your diagram, examine your support network. Do you have people who will help you work through issues when you're stuck, help you generate new ideas, or listen when you need to talk? Do you have people at work and outside of work who you can talk to about professional issues?
Look for support that generates positive action as well as identifying the problems. Some managers find problem-solving support outside the company in professional associations or on-line communities.
###
At the beginning of every airplane trip, the flight attendants remain us to don our own oxygen mask before assisting others. These suggested New Years resolutions are like that. When you invest in your own effectiveness, you'll be better able to support the people who are counting on you at work.
Happy New Year!
This column originally appeared on Computerworld.com
I know some people who think that managers don't do any real work; they think managers just make more work for other people. Well, I haven't seen a manager relaxing with her feet up on the desk for some years now. Most of the managers I know are working hard and feeling the stress of time-to-market pressure and tight budgets.
But, as managers, there are some things we can do to increase our productivity while lowering stress. I offer five simple (But not always easy) strategies as New Year's Resolutions for Managers. The good news is you don't have to do all of them. Choose the ones that fit for you. And let me know how it goes.
#1 Define Daily Goals
Many managers leave at the end of the day feeling like they've been running in place - the to-do list is as long at the end of the day as it was at the start (maybe even longer). One of the reasons managers feel stressed is that there is no end to the work they can do - and it's never all done.
Counteract the endless "TO DO" list by creating daily goals. Spend 20 minutes each Friday afternoon reviewing your activities and deliverables for the next week. Create a plan for the week, and identify what you want to accomplish each day. Leave your self some slack, because you know something will come up.
Cross of the items as you get them done. If you finish before the end of the day, you can declare success or choose to start a task slated for the next day. Either way, you'll leave with a feeling of accomplishment.
What if you try this for a while and you never get to the end of your daily list? Maybe you are doing things that don't really need doing. Try Resolution #2.
#2 Undertake a Personal Measurement Program
Many people think they know where they spend their time during the workday; most of them are surprised at what the data shows.
Make a daily log with half-hour increments. Track your activities for two weeks. The first time I tracked my activities, I realized I was spending an alarming amount of time locating files and papers. Now, I didn't really care (still don't) about organization for neatness' sake; but I did care about spending my time on high value activities. I organized my office so I could locate papers and files quickly, and spend more time on activities that directly supported my team.
Here are some things to notice:
- Number of standing meetings, those scheduled far in advance and held at regular intervals
- Number of ad hoc meetings, those scheduled a day or less in advance
- Number of ad hoc request (and where they come from)
- Number of phone calls received, missed, returned
- Number of emails received, read to the bottom, respond to
- Time spent one-on-one with members of your team
- Number of obstacles removed for your team
- Number of issues investigated on behalf of your team
Other important measures are more subjective - they capture how you experience your day.
- On a scale of 0-9, how would you rate your satisfaction at the end of each day?
- On a scale of 0-4, rate how much value you receive for the time you spend in each meeting.
#3 Invest in You
You are the most effective management tool you have. Your investment in yourself will pay off for your employer and the people you work with.
Sometimes it seems like managers believe training is something for them, not for us. As a manager, you may or may not need task specific training related to your job responsibilities. But there's an abundance of leadership and communication training that can help broaden the range of choices you have to respond to management challenges.
Choose one area that you want to explore or an area where you want to catch up on the latest thinking in the industry. Remember, you don't have to learn something brand new for a workshop to be worthwhile. As one participant in a workshop said, "One of the benefits for me is that I realized that other managers face the same challenges I do. Maybe it's not so bad where I work. And now I have colleagues outside my own company to talk to when I want a sounding board. That's worth the price of course."
If you are too busy to pry yourself away from work to attend a workshop, invest in yourself by reading a book related to our profession. Start with Tom Demarco's Slack. (Then give yourself some slack and attend a workshop.)
#4 Create Time for Reflection
I have a colleague who is pure driver personality. She's a dynamo - always in motion and as goal oriented as one person can be. She's convinced she became a better manager after she had children. Not because managing technical professionals is like managing children, because it's not. She became more effective because every day in the months after she returned from maternity leave, she spent time sitting alone in her office with a breast pump.
At first, she worried that all the time she was pumping was taking away from her management work. Then she realized she was actually achieving better results. She was using her pump time to reflect on how her decisions had played out, how the day was going, and what she might do differently.
She found her reflection time so useful that she continues the practice to this day. Her youngest will graduate from high school this year.
Taking time to reflect isn't selfish and it isn't a waste of time; it's where we integrate our experiences, extract lessons, and develop new hypothesis for action.
You do not have to be a nursing mother to try this.
#5 Revitalize Your Support Network
Managers often feel stuck in the middle: the team is saying "We can't do it all" and the boss is saying "Do more with less." Other managers may have different priorities, and it may feel like they are pulling in yet another direction. Even though managers spend all day with people, managers can feel isolated.
One of my friends is fond of saying "Everything is easier with support." And middle managers could use some support. However, a network populated with colleagues who love to complain and commiserate - the whine and dine club - is not support. When the conversational balance always tips toward complaining, participating does not help.
Sketch a diagram of your support network. Place yourself in the center of the page. Place the people and organizations that you can call on for support at the appropriate relative distance from you. When you've finished your diagram, examine your support network. Do you have people who will help you work through issues when you're stuck, help you generate new ideas, or listen when you need to talk? Do you have people at work and outside of work who you can talk to about professional issues?
Look for support that generates positive action as well as identifying the problems. Some managers find problem-solving support outside the company in professional associations or on-line communities.
###
At the beginning of every airplane trip, the flight attendants remain us to don our own oxygen mask before assisting others. These suggested New Years resolutions are like that. When you invest in your own effectiveness, you'll be better able to support the people who are counting on you at work.
Happy New Year!
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