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1 Prioritise ‘important but not urgent work

2 Ring-fence your most creative time

3 Ring-fence your attention – get yourself in the right state of mind

4 Avoid the ‘Sisyphus effect’ of endless to-do lists

5 What is the best way to motivate yourself for your daily work? Obviously, enjoying your
work and having a clear vision are very important, but I don’t believe they are the most
important things for keeping going during the daily grind. On the contrary, I believe that
what gives us the most energy is the feeling of being totally on top of our work. If you are
totally on top of something you have the energy to do it even if you don’t particularly like

6 You need to give yourself room to breathe!

7 Get things done by putting them off till tomorrow in

8 Get Things Off Your Mind

9 Review your commitments

10 Resources to help you get things done

How to Use the Tool:


Use the following steps to structure a coaching session:

1. Establish the Goal:


First, with your team member, you must define and agree the goal or outcome to be achieved. You shou

In doing this, it is useful to ask questions like:

"How will you know that you have achieved that goal?"
"How will you know the problem is solved?"
2. Examine Current Reality:
Next, ask your team member to describe their Current Reality. This is a very important step: Too often,

As the team member tells you about his or her Current Reality, the solution may start to emerge.

Useful coaching questions include:

"What is happening now?"


"What, who, when, how often"
"What is the effect or result of that?"

3. Explore the Options:


Once you and your team member have explored the Current Reality, it's time to explore what is possible

By all means, offer your own suggestions. But let your team member offer his or hers first, and let him o

Typical questions used to establish the options are:

"What else could you do?"


"What if this or that constraint were removed?
"What are the benefits and downsides of each option?"
"What factors will you use to weigh up the options?

4. Establish the Will:


By examining Current Reality and exploring the Options, your team member will now have a good idea

Useful questions:

"So what will you do now . and when?


"What could stop you moving forward?"
"And how will you overcome it?"
"Will this address your goal?"
"How likely is this option to succeed?"
"What else will you do?"
, enjoying your
ey are the most
y, I believe that
r work. If you are
t particularly like

be achieved. You should help your team member define a goal that is specific, measurable and realistic.
ortant step: Too often, people try to solve a problem without fully considering their starting point, and often they are missing som

tart to emerge.

xplore what is possible - meaning, all the many possible options you have for solving the problem. Help your team member gene

hers first, and let him or her do most of the talking.

now have a good idea of how he or she can achieve their Goal. That's great - but in itself, this may not be enough! So your final
en they are missing some of the information they need to solve the problem effectively.

your team member generate as many good options as possible, and discuss these.

e enough! So your final step as coach is to get you team member to commit to specific action. In so doing, you will help the team
g, you will help the team member establish his or her will and motivation.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
For assistance in answering the following questions, see Problem Solving and Dec
1. What are the seven steps to problem solving and decision making (as presented in your materials for review)
ow do you typically solve problems? Do you have a standardized way of solving problems, that is, a method that you use?
3. Think of several major problems that you faced over the past three months. Where did you struggle
ess grows, the types of problems that you'll face will become more demanding and complex. What can you do to be more
5. What problems might you foresee in applying the seven steps presented in your materi
Basics of Planning

For assistance in answering the following questions, see Planning.


1. Describe each of the following terms: Goals. Objectives. Strategies. Resources. B
2. What are the eight steps in the typical, basic planning process (as presented in your mate
3. Who should be involved in planning a particular effort?
4. What does the acronym "SMARTER" stand for, that is, what does each letter rep
5. How can you build in accountability to your planning processes?
6. What should be evaluated when evaluating a planning process?
7. Where is the "real treasure" during planning? HINT: Fill in the blank "the real treasure of planning is
8. What is the frequently missing step in the planning process?
Delegation

For assistance in answering the following questions, see Delegation.


1. What is delegation?
2. What are some benefits of delegation?
3. Why is it sometimes difficult for managers to learn to delegate?
4. What are the nine steps to delegation (as listed in your materials for review
esee as your biggest challenge to learning how to delegate? Delegation is a critical skill in the effective management of org
Basics of Internal Communications

For assistance in answering the following questions, see Basics of Internal Comm
d status reports be shared and with whom? Your wishes may disagree with those asserted in the materials for review. Tha
tendance? If not, then how will you really ensure that employees are aware of activities in the organization? Do they know
rs and supervisors often assume that everyone else knows what they know. This is a mistake. Seriously consider holding r
Meeting Management

For assistance in answering the following questions, see Meeting Managem


1. How can you ensure that the right people are included in your meetings?
2. What's the best way to design an agenda (according to the materials for revi
3. What kinds of activities should be included in the opening of a meeting?
4. What is the purpose of groundrules for a meeting. How can they be develop
5. What are some ideas to ensure that meeting time is managed as effectively as p
6. How can you evaluate the meeting process? How can you evaluate results of the overall m
7. What activities are including when closing a meeting?
ommendations in the materials for review? What do you dislike about meetings? What do you like? What are you hearing
Managing and Leading Yourself
For assistance in answering the following questions, see Managing Yours
1. Why is the role of first-time manager and/or supervisor so stressful sometim
week? The number of hours that you work in a week can be a clear indicator of current or oncoming problems in your stres
3. How do you know if you're stressed? What are the signs? Does anyone else in your life and/or your work
oach? Think about this question very seriously. Having a mentor or coach can be the single, most effective measure you ca
that are urgent and those that are important? What should be your approach to handling each of these two types of issue
Optional Readings -- Broad Contexts of Management and
are the terms with each other, noting how they are similar and different:). Board of Directors. Executives. Mana
the term "management" mean (include in your answer, the four major functions of management)? (See Basics
ing. Organizing. Leading. Coordinating (or controlling) activities. Of course, these functions are not carried out a
understanding of theories and styles of management and leadership can help greatly when finding the "best way". Very bri
ny management experts believe that we're coming into a "new paradigm". What is this new paradigm? (See New Paradigm
ent that some people put forth to explain their view that managing and leading are different? What do you think? (See "Le
on of "What is leading (in an organizational setting)?" Consider in your answer, setting direction for others and

ACTIVITIES TO BUILD SYSTEMS AND PRACTICE

rners are strongly encouraged to complete the following activities, and share and discuss results with peers, board membe
As you proceed through the following activities, be sure to note any incomplete actions in the
Developing Your Basics Skills in Management and Lea
uct the following activities with each of the following practices: problem solving and decision making, planning, delegating
customized to your chosen approach to carrying out the practice, While developing your procedure, seriously consider the
) Test your procedure by applying it to a current major effort in your organization or your life. What problems did you enco
c) Share the procedure with a friend and ask for their feedback.
d) Update the procedure as a result of your testing and feedback.
e) Communicate the procedure throughout your organization, as appropriate
(For assistance, see Problem Solving and Decision Making, Planning, Delegation, Basics of Internal Communic
Learning to Manage and Lead Yourself
1. Design a personalized stress management plan. In the plan, include descriptio
a) The signs that indicator that you're overly stressed. Include the number of hours that you want to
b) How you will ensure that you notice each of the signs.
c) How you will conclude whether you need to make changes in your work and life
d) Where you will go for help.
e friend and ask them to check in with you every two weeks to see how you're doing. You might suggest that they do the
(For additional assistance, see Managing Yourself and Leading Yourself.)
2. Consider getting a mentor or a coach. (See Finding a mentor see Getting a Co
f friends, association, club, etc. Do you feel comfortable turning to these sources when you need help? If not, contact at le
Optional -- Management Development Plannin
can learn a great deal about management by using a wide variety of informal methods. The following link is to many sugge
Ideas for Activities to Learn About Management.
l training plan. The following link is to a detailed procedure and materials you can use to develop your own highly customi
Customizing Your Own Management Development Plan.
Optional -- Leadership Development Planning
can learn a great deal about leadership by using a wide variety of informal methods. The following link is to many sugges
Ideas for Activities to Learn About Management.
l training plan. The following link is to a detailed procedure and materials you can use to develop your own highly customi
Customizing Your Own Leadership Development Plan.

ASSESSMENT(S)
Consider any or all of the following assessments as means to evaluate the extent of your managem
1. Various Needs Assessments to Help Identify Leadership Development G
2. Needs Assessments for Management Training and Development

TRACKING OPEN ACTION ITEMS


forgotten. Therefore, update and regularly review a list of open action items that includes listing each open ac
u have questions, consider posing them in the national online newsgroups HRNET or ODNET which are attended by many h

(Learners in the organization development program can return to the home page of the organiza
each step.
ur approach is effective?

solve problems and make decisions?

do to start overcoming these challenge(s)?

pecify your own terms for status reports, including what's in them, what's in them, how often they are shared with whom.
? Seriously consider holding regular meetings. These meetings can go a long way toward building a strong sense of commu
staff. Don't just rely on good intentions to communicate or "working harder to communicate". Actually make some changes

lity of the meetings in your organization? What can you do to make your meetings more effective?
as a manager. What measures can you take to ensure that you don't get so consumed by your job that you lose perspectiv

manage yourself and your job in a highly effective manner.


the materials for review regarding these two types of issues?

ors. (See Basics -- Definitions (and Misinterpretations) in Management.)


nterpretations) in Management.)
they're highly integrated. (See Basics -- Definitions (and Misinterpretations) in Management.)
ncy theory of management? Systems theory? Chaos theory? What are some of the major styles of management? What is t
ging Trends in Leadership)
and Is Leading Different than Managing?.)
low that direction. (See Gaining Broad Perspective on Leadership.)

ployees, as appropriate.

and meeting management..


vided in the materials for review regarding that practice.
e need to be updated?

ciprocate by helping them, as well.

eel comfortable approaching when you're, for example, in need of suggestions for resources, feeling burned out, etc.

can use for informal training.

ment plan. The procedure includes use of the assessments listed in the following section "Assessments".

n use for informal training.


ment plan. The procedure includes use of the assessments listed in the following section "Assessments".

sible to complete it, when it should be completed and any associated comments. When updating the list, consid
zation development experts.
fective communications throughout the organization.
edures to ensure effective communications.
e your overall effectiveness as a manager? Strongly consider involving someone else in helping to determine the total num

owing the life cycle of an organization when leading and managing an organization? (See Current Theories in Management
identified during discussions, learning activities and assessments in this module. Share and regularly review th
etermine the total number of hours that you will work in a week.

heories in Management , Leadership Theories, Various Styles of Management and Leadership Styles.)
d regularly review this action item list with the appropriate board, management and employees in your organiz
oyees in your organization. You can use the following Action Item Planning List.

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